William Koepsell 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 860-861

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

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WILLIAM KOEPSELL, one of the first settlers of Groton township, Brown 
county, who has successfully conducted one of the large estates of that 
vicinity, was born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, on a farm, in 1858. He 
has been reared a farmer, and has a knowledge of his calling which has 
enabled him to gain a competence sufficient to live in comfort and 
assure him easy circumstances in his declining years. 

Our subject was the son of Herman Koepsell, a native of Germany, who 
came to America in 1848, and settled in Milwaukee, and soon afterward 
moved to Dodge county, Wisconsin. The mother of our subject, whose 
maiden name was Caroline Detloff, was born in Germany and came to 
America at the age of thirteen years, about 1850. Her father, Christian 
Detloff, served in the German army, and in the war with France at the 
age of sixteen years he received a wound. He came to America and 
settled in Wisconsin, where he engaged in farming. 

William Koepsell attended the German Lutheran school, and at the age of 
twenty one left home and worked out at farm work about three years, 
during which time he had several severe attacks of sickness, in 
consequence of which he was obliged to return home. He went to Brown 
county, South Dakota, in 1882, and took up the southwest quarter of 
section 33, township 123, range 60, and erected a 12 x 14 shanty, which 
was later destroyed by prairie fire. 

During the summer of 1882 he worked at Big Stone City at carpentering, 
and the following year purchased horses, machinery, etc., and started 
farming, and for a dwelling he put two shanties together. Hail 
destroyed two hundred acres of wheat, oats, barley, flax and corn in 
1889, and several seasons his crops were a failure on account of 
drouth. He now owns four hundred and eighty acres. with three hundred 
and forty acres under cultivation and one hundred and twenty acres in 
pasture. He has a good residence, barn 30 x 40 feet, granary, shop and 
a complete set of substantial buildings, good well water and windmill 
and has one of the best farms in the vicinity. When he located in 
Groton township it was wild prairie land, with a shanty here and there, 
and he has assisted in transforming it into one of the most thriving 
agricultural districts in the west. 

Our subject was married in March, 1883, to Miss Bertha Wangerine, a 
native of Wisconsin, and the daughter of John Wangerine. Her father was 
a native of Germany and was a farmer by occupation. Mrs. Koepsell died 
in .885, leaving an infant son, Edward. Mr. Koepsell married Miss 
Adaline Wegner in 1888. Mrs. Koepsell was born in Kewanee county, 
Wisconsin, and was the daughter of Samuel William Wegner, a native of 
Germany, who was a blacksmith by trade. Three children have been born 
to this union, as follows: Emma, born April 22, 1889; Frieda, born 
January 22, 1891; and Liddia, born August 3, 1896. They are an 
intelligent group of children and complete a pleasant family circle. 
Mr. Koepsell is a member of the Lutheran church and Mrs. Koepsell is a 
member of the Evangelical church. He takes an active interest in public 
affairs and has served as assessor for the past eight years in his 
township, and is a gentleman who is respected wherever he is known. In 
political sentiment he is a Republican and stands firmly for the 
principles of his party. He is industrious and honest and well deserves 
his success.