Michael Eckhart Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 941-942

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm


MICHAEL ECKHART, one of the self-made men of Beadle county, whose early 
home was on the other side of the Atlantic, commenced life without 
other capital than his strong hands and resolute will, and has attained 
to a fine position, socially and financially, among his fellow 
citizens. His homestead on section 7, is one of the most noticeable in 
Cavour township. 

Mr. Eckhart was born December 25, 1845, near Strathburg, in sunny 
France, and is a son of Jacob and Eve (Root) Eckhart, the former of 
French, the latter of German descent. The parents, who were farming 
people, came to America in our subject's eighth year, and after a year 
spent in New York moved to Washington county, Wisconsin, and later to 
Vernon county, that state, locating near Cedar, where land was bought 
and a home begun. The family found pioneer life hard, it being an 
arduous task to clear away the timber and stones from the surface of 
the soil. 

Our subject took his share in the home making until his nineteenth 
year, when he enlisted in Company B, Fiftieth Wisconsin Volunteer 
Infantry, under Colonel Clark. They saw service in Kansas and Missouri, 
chasing the bushwhackers, and for a time were stationed at Fort 
Leavenworth, Later the command was sent against the Indians and was 
stationed at. Fort Rice. Being mustered out June 12, 1865, Mr. Eckhart 
returned to his Wisconsin home and again assisted his father on the 
farm. He also worked with a threshing crew and later bought an interest 
in a machine, which he operated. 

On leaving the parental roof in 1872, Mr. Eckhart bought land in Floyd 
county, Iowa, but was not successful in this venture, in fact failed. 
He then borrowed money and came to Dakota, in 1881, locating on the 
northwest quarter of section 17, Cavour township, Beadle county, In the 
spring of 1882 he moved his family to this place, where he continued to 
live until he proved up his homestead, and then bought ten acres on the 
southeast quarter of section 7, the same township. Here he built a 
modest home, in which he resided until 1898 when he erected the best 
farm house in the county. This residence is constructed in the latest 
architectural designs, is furnished with the best modern improvements, 
including hot water, steam heat, etc., and, in fact, is a model of 
convenience and comfort. 

On the 26th of December, 1871, Mr. Eckhart married Miss Jennie Blair, 
who was born in Washington county, Wisconsin, May 31, 1855, a daughter 
of John and Louisa (Glodary) Blair, and three children have been born 
of this union: Herbert L., Alice M. and Gladys L. Fraternally, Mr. 
Eckhart is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He has been a 
life-long Republican in politics but never an aspirant for political 
honors. He has a record as an American citizen, however, which any 
might envy. Judging from the success that he has achieved, farming 
proves quite profitable in Dakota, for he has not only discharged his 
indebtedness in the east, amounting to three thousand dollars, but has 
also secured a comfortable competence. To be sure he is a great worker, 
is energetic and enterprising and in addition to his farm work has 
continued to successfully engage in threshing, being the most popular 
man in that business in his locality.