William Sprick 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 583-584

	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 SPRICK is one of the pioneers of Aurora county, South Dakota, 
who, by developing a farm from the wild prairie land, has materially 
aided in its growth. He is meeting with a well-deserved success in his 
calling, and his fine, well ordered farm, which is pleasantly situated 
on the northeast quarter of section 6, Crystal Lake township, with its 
carefully cultured fields, its neat buildings, and all their 
surroundings, denote the skillful management, industry and well-
directed labors of the owner. 

Mr. Sprick was born in Prussia, Germany, in 1850, and was only twelve 
years old when he lost both his father and mother, who spent their 
entire lives in that country. He then made his home with relatives 
until twenty-one years of age, was reared upon a farm, and attended 
school for about seven years during his boyhood. He started out to make 
his own livelihood by working in the coal mines and was engaged in that 
occupation for nine years, during which time he was nearly killed by 
going into a chamber filled with foul air. His partner had to carry him 
out of the mine and it was three days before he recovered. 

In 1879, Mr. Sprick married Miss Eliza Jennerich, who was born in 
Germany, of German parentage, and before leaving their native land one 
child was born of this union. They are now the parents of ten children, 
namely: Fred, William, Henry, Annie, Sophia, Louise, Dietrich, Amatia, 
Lina and Carl, who with the exception of the two eldest were all born 
in South Dakota. 

In 1880, Mr. Sprick came to the New World accompanied by his wife and 
child, and located in Iowa, where he worked in the coal mines for about 
a year. He then made a trip to Dakota and took up the northeast quarter 
of section 6, Crystal Lake township, Aurora county, where he located in 
the spring of 1883. The first buildings upon the place were a shanty, 
10 x 14 feet, and a sod barn. Here the family began life in true 
pioneer style and experienced all the hardships and privations incident 
to frontier life. For the first few years they had nothing but straw 
and hay for fuel, but as prosperity has come to them they have secured 
all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life, and now heat their 
house with hard coal. Around the residence, Mr. Sprick has set out plum 
trees and also raspberry and gooseberry bushes. During the first year 
of his residence here he and his brother engaged in farming together, 
at which time their stock consisted of a yoke of oxen and a cow. Since 
then our subject has purchased the southeast quarter of section 6, 
Crystal Lake township, and now has under cultivation one hundred and 
twenty-five acres, has a good barn, granary, corn crib, windmill and 
well upon his place, and keeps about thirty head of cattle. He has 
always operated his own land, never hiring any help, and to this fact 
may be attributed his success. Besides drilling his own well, he has 
drilled many others for different people, and was instrumental in 
organizing the Farmers Creamery Association [in his locality, of which 
he is now president, and which has met with most excellent success 
under his able management. Originally, Mr. Sprick was a Democrat in 
politics, but now casts his ballot for the men and measures of the 
Republican party. He has held a number of township offices of honor and 
trust, and from 1893 until 1896 served as county commissioner of Aurora 
county. Religiously he and his family hold membership in the Lutheran 
church and in the best social circles of the community they occupy an 
enviable position.