Biography of Peter Johnson Hegeman

	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 274.

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



PETER JOHNSON HEGEMAN is one of the well-known pioneers of Brookings 
county. Mr. Hegeman was born in Gloversville, New York, May 10, 1849, 
and traces his descent from one of the early Dutch families who settled 
in New Amsterdam. His parents, Peter Johnson and Catherine (Allen) -
Hegeman, were both born in New York, the former in Saratoga county, and 
the latter in Bethany, Albany county. Peter Hegeman, Sr., conducted a 
mercantile business for years in Gloversville, New York. During the 
panic of '57 Mr. Hegeman lost all of his property, but paid every 
creditor in full, refusing to take advantage of the bankruptcy law then 
in force, which afforded many avenues of escape for the debtor. He 
afterward re-established himself in trade, this time becoming a glove 
manufacturer. In 1864 Mr. Hegeman removed his factory to, Sparta, Wis., 
and in 1878 came to Brookings county, where he took up farming. He is 
now living in retirement in Brookings, aged seventy-eight. Mr. Hegeman 
has always been interested in public and political questions, though he 
never sought office-. Mrs. Catherine Hegeman, the mother of our 
subject, was the daughter of David and (Hotelling) Allen. David Allen 
was Scotch, while the Hotellings were an old English family. Mrs. 
Allen's mother's name was Etherington. Mrs. Hegeman died at Brookings 
in 1892, soon after reaching her seventy-seventh year.

	Our subject, Peter J. Hegeman, commenced learning the trade of 
glove making in his eleventh year, and soon became an expert at it. On 
one occasion he tanned and made into gloves a green beaver pelt, all in 
the short space of twenty-four hours. In 1 870 his father took him into 
partnership. He continued in the business there until March, 1877, when 
he came to Brookings county. The latter contained but three 
settlements, Medary, Oakwood and Lake Hendricks. The last mentioned 
precinct, where he settled, had nine legal voters, and probably twice 
or thrice that number of inhabitants. Mr. Hegeman lived there on a farm 
for the succeeding eight years. A short time after arriving in 
Brookings county he was elected county assessor, a position which 
involved much labor, notwithstanding the fact that there was little to 
assess. Houses were oft times many miles apart, and Mr. Hegeman found 
it necessary to plod along on foot from one to another. The 
inhabitants, however, contrary to all tradition, received the assessor 
very cordially whenever he made his rounds, and some of the pleasantest 
acquaintances of his life were formed during these official visits. He 
also helped many new settlers to find desirable locations, served as a 
walking gazette of the latest news, helped many out of their early 
troubles, and acted as a general counsellor and friend to a large part 
of the population. After Mr. Hegeman left Lake Hendricks he established 
a grain and fuel business al Clear Lake, being the first shipper who 
ever marketed grain from that point. Later he removed his lousiness to 
white. In 1891 Mr. Hegeman began the manufacture of gloves at White and 
in 1894 transferred the industry to Brookings, where he has since been 
engaged in the trade. He makes all kinds of gloves, mittens, robes, 
coats and furs, generally selling his product to the retailers 
throughout the southeastern part of the state, southwestern Minnesota 
and northwestern Iowa. Since January, 1897, the firm name has been 
Hegeman & Parsons, Mr. Parsons having been taken in as a partner at 
that time. The business is now in a very flourishing condition, and is 
fast growing to be one of the largest industries in Brookings. Mr. 
Hegeman has always been a Republican. He is at present a member of the 
city council, and is prominent in secret society circles, being guard 
in the Brookings Masonic lodge, and a past master of the local lodge, 
A. O. U. W.

	Mr. Hegeman married Miss Antha R. Dolson, at Sparta, Wisconsin, 
October 9, 1870. 870. Mrs. Hegeman was born at Neenah, Wisconsin, June 
29, 1852. Her parents were Denton M. and Irene (Marston) Dolson, the 
latter residing in Brookings. Mr. and Mrs. Hegeman are-the parents of 
five children, two of whom, Myrtle and Willie, are deceased; Harry A., 
is at present taking the two years' pre-medical course at the State 
Agricultural college, having graduated from the regular course of that 
institution; Maud E. and Mabel I. are students at the State 
Agricultural college and will graduate therefrom in the class of '98. 
The family attend the Presbyterian church at Brookings.