Henry Wiersbeck Biography


	This biography appears on pages 350-353 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				HENRY WIERSBECK. 

	Henry Wiersbeck is engaged in house moving, excavating and 
grading at Watertown, and is thus actively connected with industrial 
activity. He was born in Ottawa, LaSalle county, Illinois, May 12, 
1858, his parents being Theodore and Emma Wiersbeck, the former a 
carpenter by trade. Both parents are now deceased, the father passing 
away when our subject was but eleven years old. However, even before 
that Henry Wiersbeck had worked for others in the country. He was 
educated in the public schools and after his textbooks were put aside 
worked at any employment which he could secure that would yield him an 
honest living. He was thus engaged until about twenty-one years of age, 
when in 1879 he came to South Dakota, where he secured a homestead and 
tree claim near Elrod in Clark county. He proved up on his property and 
at length traded the tree claim and afterward the homestead. He worked 
in Watertown while proving up his claim and for twenty years he has 
been in business in Watertown, devoting a decade to the draying 
business. Then he sold out and has since been engaged in house moving, 
excavating and grading, taking many contracts for work of that 
character, his business growing as the result of his well established 
reputation for thoroughness, capability and reliability. He has done 
the excavating for all the large and small business houses of 
Watertown. 

	Mr. Wiersbeck is a life member of the Benevolent and Protective 
Order of Elks, and he also has membership in the Catholic church. His 
political support is given the democratic party, and for two terms, 
from 1907 until 1911, he served as sheriff of Codington county, his 
reelection being due to his fidelity during his first term. He was also 
city marshal for one year, was deputy sheriff at an earlier period, and 
in 1910 he was chosen by popular ballot to represent his district in 
the state senate for the session of 1911. In the spring of 1913 he was 
elected a member of the board of city commissioners, this being the 
first board of the kind ever elected in Watertown. He has proven his 
loyalty in these different offices, at all times carefully looking 
after the interests of the general public. When he has leisure he 
enjoys a fishing trip and out-of-door sports.