William J. Halbower 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 675-676 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 WILLIAM J. HALBOWER, a member of the firm of Dean & Halbower, who conduct a general merchandise business in Burdett and Rockham, is one of the rising young business men of Hand county. He is also engaged in farming and stock raising, on sections 28 and 29, in Burdett township, where he has a well-improved farm and a fine residence property. Our subject was born in Hancock county, Illinois. November 22, 1862, and was one of six children, four sons and two daughters, born to David and Mary (Woods) Halbower. His father was a native of Germany and his mother of Scotland, and their marriage occurred in Pennsylvania. David Halbower, at the age of sixteen, emigrated to America with his brother, and landed in the United States in 1838. They located in Pike county, Illinois, afterward removing to Hancock county, and engaged in farming until 1883, when Mr. Halbower removed to Warsaw, Illinois, since which time he has been a resident of that place. Of the six children our subject is the only one in South Dakota. William J. Halbower received his education in his native state, after which he engaged in farming in Illinois until 1883, when he moved to Dakota, and filed a claim on the southeast quarter of section 29, in Burdett township, Hand county, where he resided nine years. He then removed to his present home on section 28, in the same township and county, and has an extensive farm of four hundred and eighty acres, with about three hundred and twenty acres under cultivation, and also has large stock interests. He is well supplied with farm machinery and operates a steam thresher. His time is divided between the operating of his farm and his business interests in Burdett and Rockham. Our subject was married in 1889 to Miss Ella M. Hicks, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Stephen and Margaret (Cortwright) Hicks. Mr. and Mrs. Halbower have been the parents of one child, a daughter, upon whom they have bestowed the name of Bessie B. The family are members of the Congregational church, and our subject holds membership in the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is widely known in his county, and has filled numerous local offices and enjoys the confidence of his fellows. In political views he is a Populist.