Biography of Joseph F. Bockler

	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, 1898. Page 280. 

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 

JOSEPH F. BOCKLER, of the firm of Bockler & Morrow, proprietors of the 
leading general store of Marshall county, which is situated in Britton, 
was born in the village of Barton, Washington county, Wisconsin, March 
2, 1860. His father, Joseph Bockler, was born in Alsace, Germany, 
December 25, 1833. He came to America when a boy and settled in 
Washington county, Wisconsin, where he lived until 1865. He was a 
farmer by occupation but also engaged in the mercantile business to 
considerable extent at West Bend, the county seat of Washington county. 
In 1865 he moved to Winona county, Minnesota, and engaged in business 
at Wilson, a crossroad, inland town, until the year 1878. He then 
removed to St Charles, Minnesota, and from there retired from business 
after accumulating ample means to keep him comfortable the rest of his 
life. He was married to Mary Zimmerman in Washington, county. She was a 
native of Germany having been born in Brandenburg, near Berlin, in 
1837. She died in 1886, leaving four children, two sons and two 
daughters, and our subject is the second in the order of birth of this 
family.

	Joseph F. Bockler, our subject, was educated in the district 
school near Wilson, and also attended the Winona high school two years, 
and after leaving school he taught one year. He then took a position as 
clerk in the general store of Gates & Warden, in St. Charles. He next 
went to Winona and clerked for James A. Merigold & Co. for two years, 
and the experience and business training which he received in Winona 
has been a source of great benefit to him and has been instrumental in 
making him a thorough business man. In the summer of 1881, he went west 
for his health and while in Fargo he accepted a position as clerk with 
J. J. Duncan, and was with him four months. He then returned to St. 
Charles and shipped a car load of household goods to Ordway, South 
Dakota, but had to transport it by wagons from Aberdeen. He proved up a 
claim in Brown county in June, 1882, and then took a position with 
Fischbein Bros. as clerk and continued with them five years. In 1887 he 
formed a partnership with William M. Morrow at Ludden, North Dakota, 
putting in a stock of general merchandise, and continued that business 
until June, 1890, the date of his settlement in Britton. He there 
opened his present business June 14, of that year, and has since built 
up a profitable and extensive trade. Mr. Morrow lives at Aberdeen, and 
only gives a part of his time to the business here. This concern is 
conducted in a first-class, business-like manner, and in the extent of 
their line of stock, neatness and honest prices, they rank among the 
foremost in that section of the Dakotas.

	Mr. Bockler was married at Sauk Center, Minnesota, June 6, 1892, 
to Miss Serena I. James. She was born in that place January 24, 1869, 
and is a daughter of Whitman and Iona James. To this union have been 
born three children, Florence, George and James, all of whom were born 
in Britton. Mr. Bockler has been city treasurer for five years and 
trustee for one year. He is an Odd Fellow and a member of the A. O. U. 
W. Mr. Bockler is a self-made man. When he started in life he had 
practically nothing but to-day he ranks among the leading merchants of 
northern South Dakota. He is a man of excellent business ability and 
can justly look forward to a brilliant and prosperous future.