Capt. John H. Hawser 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 796-798

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

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CAPT. JOHN H. HAWSER, county judge and city attorney of Aberdeen, South 
Dakota, is one of the truly representative members of the legal 
profession in Brown county. Whatever may be said of the legal 
fraternity, it cannot be denied that members of the bar have been more 
prominent actors in public affairs than any other class of the 
community. This is but the natural result of causes which are manifest 
and need no explanation. The ability and training which qualify one to 
practice law also qualify him in many respects for the duties which lie 
outside the strict path of his profession and which touch the general 
interests of society. The subject of this sketch is not only a leading 
lawyer, but one of the prominent jurists of this section of the state, 
and is a man honored and respected by all who knew him. 

Captain Hauser was born in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, September 2, 
1838, a son of J. L. and Fanny (Butts) Hauser, also natives of the 
Keystone state, who in 1849 removed to Ohio, and the following year to 
Delavan, Wisconsin, where the mother died in 1854. Later the father 
removed to Evansville, Wisconsin, and subsequently to Kansas, where his 
death occurred in 1 878. To them were born ten children, as follows: I. 
L.; John H., our subject; Maggie; Sophia; Jesse, deceased; Robert, who 
served in the same regiment as our subject during the Civil war, and 
died from injuries received in battle; William; Emma; Samuel; and 
Horace. 

The Captain was reared principally on a farm in Wisconsin, and 
completed his literary education by a course in the Lawrence 
University, Appleton, Wisconsin, being a member of the class of 1865, 
in which he graduated, although absent in the army at the time. In May, 
1864, prompted by a spirit of patriotism, he enlisted in Company E, 
Fortieth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and on the organization of the 
company was made captain. With his regiment he first went to Memphis, 
Tennessee, and later was on duty in Mississippi. He took part in an 
engagement against Forrest at Memphis and was in several skirmishes 
with guerrillas. In the fall of 1864, he was mustered out, but on the 
1st of February, 1865, re-enlisted and was commissioned captain of 
Company D, Forty-ninth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, which was 
stationed for some time at Rolla, Missouri, guarding the country 
against guerrillas, and taking part in a number of skirmishes with the 
same. In September, he took his company to Benton Barracks, Missouri, 
where he acted as provost marshal until mustered out in October, 1865. 

After his return home, Captain Hauser entered the law department of Ann 
Arbor University, Michigan, and later continued the study of law at 
Madison, Wisconsin, where he was admitted to the bar in the spring of 
1867. He then engaged in the practice of his chosen profession at Fond 
du Lac, Wisconsin, until coming to Aberdeen, May 30, 1882. At that time 
the place contained not more than five hundred people, but as it has 
grown in size, his practice has constantly increased until it is now 
quite large. 

On the 15th of September, 1878, Mr. Captain Hauser married Miss Louise 
M. Pease, and to them have been born five children: Fanny, Percy, J. 
P., Nelo and Scott. The parents are both active and prominent members 
of the Methodist Episcopal church, which he helped to organize, and 
Mrs. Hauser has served as recording steward for several years. Socially 
he belongs to the blue lodge, chapter and commandery of the Masonic 
fraternity, and has served as eminent commander of the last named. He 
is also a member of the order of High Priesthood, and the Ancient Order 
of United Workmen, in which fraternity he held state as well as local 
offices during his residence in Wisconsin; and the Knights of Honor, in 
which he served as commander in the state of Wisconsin. 

Politically, Captain Hauser is a stalwart Republican, and has served as 
city attorney of Aberdeen for several terms. He drew up nearly all of 
the city ordinances, and is a director of the Inter-State Grain Palace 
Association. In 1898 he was elected county judge of Brown county, a 
position he had previously filled by appointment for a few months in a 
most creditable manner, and for the past ten years has been president 
of the Brown County Bar Association. He has ever been a friend to the 
poor and needy, and no client with a just cause has ever been turned 
from his door on account of poverty. Whenever an orator has been wanted 
to extol the resources of the country, the blessings of liberty, the 
glory of the flag, the beauties of the constitution, he has been 
invariably selected, and when wanted to speak words of encouragement 
and to sow the seeds of patriotism in the breasts of the young, he has 
always cheerfully responded, no matter at what personal inconvenience 
or loss. It has been said of him that to scatter sunshine has been his 
mission in life. When storm clouds gather he thinks not of their 
frowning faces, but of their silver linings, and no man can talk to him 
when assailed with doubts without experiencing relief. After a pure, 
honorable and useful life, actuated by unselfish motives, prompted by 
patriotism and guided by truth and justice, Captain Hauser in old age 
may rest assured that the people of his community are not unmindful of 
those who have devoted themselves to their interests.