Biography of Henry Singer Volkmar

	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 297.

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

HENRY SINGER VOLKMAR is the editor of the " Grant County Review. " He 
has ably conducted the various departments of his newspaper enterprise 
and has built up for himself an excellent reputation as an editor and a 
large patronage for his paper. He has one of the brightest, newsiest 
sheets to be found in South Dakota, and through its columns reaches the 
minds and consciences of many of Grant county's prominent citizens and 
also prominent men in other and adjoining counties.

	Mr. Volkmar was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 13, 
1853. His father, William J. Volkmar, was a native of Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, and a merchant in that city. His grandfather, Godfrey 
Henry Volkmar, was born in Saxony, Germany, in 1770, came to America in 
1807, and settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a coppersmith by 
trade. Godfrey Henry Volkmar's wife, the grandmother of our subject, who 
bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Baxter, was born at Mt. Holly, New 
York, in 1787. Mr. Volkmar's great-grandfather on his mother's side was 
a soldier in Washington's army during the Revolutionary war. Our 
subject's mother, Anna Greble (Singer) Volkmar, was born in 
Philadelphia. Her father, Captain Thomas Singer, was a sea captain, but 
later in life was a merchant in Philadelphia. He was of English descent. 
Lieutenant John T. Greble, a West Point graduate, was the first officer 
in the regular army that was killed in the Civil war, at Big Bethel, 
Virginia. He was of the same family as Mrs. Volkmar.

	Mr. and Mrs. William J. Volkmar were the parents of five children, 
three sons and two daughters: Colonel William J., a West Point graduate, 
who served during the latter part of the Civil war as a non-commissioned 
officer. After graduating at West Point he he served in various Indian 
wars and upon the resignation of Colonel Fred Grant from General 
Sheridan's staff, he was appointed to fill the vacancy, and is now a 
colonel and assistant adjutant-general; Anna died at the age of about 
seven years; Henry S., the subject of this sketch; M. Adelaide, who 
resides with our subject at Milbank; and Robert Morris, of Washington 
District of Columbia.

	Our subject commenced his education in the public schools of 
Philadelphia, and later on attended the Gregory institute at Allentown, 
Pennsylvania, and an Episcopal boarding school at Claymont, Delaware. 
From the age of twelve to the age of fifteen years he attended the Eaton 
institute at Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and made his home during that 
time with Samuel Martin, a prominent Quaker preacher who was the first 
teacher of Bayard Taylor, the poet and great American traveler. While 
there, he came in close contact with many of the leading abolitionists, 
among them, Wendell Philips, William Lloyd Garrison, Robert Purvis and 
Lucretia Mott. At that time he received his first knowledge of the "art 
preservative of all arts" in a printing office in which Bayard Taylor 
learned his trade. It may also be of interest to our readers to note 
that Kennett Square was one of the prominent points during the 
Revolutionary war. The battle of Brandywine was fought near there, and 
several other important events took place in that vicinity, and the 
spirit of patriotism is retained by the citizens of that place to a 
remarkable degree.

	Before finishing his course in the school at Kennett Square, he 
determined to go into the printing business. He accordingly broke away 
from school, but the first position he secured was in a large wholesale 
chinaware house in Philadelphia. This line of business did not suit his 
taste, and he soon succeeded in securing a position with the firm of 
King & Baird, a large printing establishment in the city of 
Philadelphia, but on account of poor health was obliged to leave before 
he had finished his apprenticeship. He then went to Chelten Hills, a 
suburb of Philadelphia and the home of Jay Cooke, the noted war 
financier and banker, and there took charge of a printing establishment 
which he managed until he attained his majority. He then purchased the 
business and moved the plant to Philadelphia, where he operated the same 
until 1876, when, owing to business reverses succeeding the panic of 
1873, he retired from business and followed Horace Greely's admonition, 
"Young man, go west." He located in northwestern Iowa, where he was 
engaged for a time in teaching a country school, but in the fall of the 
same year he moved to Austin, Minnesota, and worked at the printer's 
trade a short time, when he went to Owatonna, Minnesota. In Owatonna he 
became editor of the “Owatonna Review," which was afterward merged into 
the "Owatonna Journal," of which Mr. Volkmar became the city editor.

	In 1880 Mr. Volkmar moved to Grant county, South Dakota, and 
located temporarily at Big Stone City. About this time the C., M. & St. 
P. railroad was extended westward and a division point was established 
at Milbank Junction, now the city of Milbank and the county seat. It 
then comprised a solitary sod shanty and a wheat field, and during 
building operations the only sleeping quarters were box cars and lumber 
sheds. The first frame building that was completed in the village was 
the one that our subject erected for his printing office and he yet 
occupies that building. The paper of which he is editor and manager was 
established in August, 1880, the first newspaper published in Milbank. 
Since that time nine other newspapers have started, eight of which soon 
disappeared, leaving the “Review" as an illustration of the principal of 
the "survival of the fittest." Out of nearly three hundred newspapers in 
the state of South Dakota, the "Review" is one of about fifteen having a 
circulation of one thousand or over, thus proving its standing as one of 
the leading papers of the state and the superior abilities of its 
enterprising and ambitious editor. 

	Individually Mr. Volkmar is a man of pleasing manners, 
unquestionable integrity and commands the respect of all who have the 
pleasure of his acquaintance. In public matters he has always been found 
ready to take his part in the building up and strengthening of good 
local government and has filled some of the local offices. From 1883 to 
1887 he served as postmaster of Milbank. He also served on the military 
staff as captain under Governor Louis K. Church, and has several times 
been elected mayor of Milbank. After serving four terms in that capacity 
he declined to again participate in the competition for that office, but 
at the urgent request of the business element of the city, he became a 
candidate in 1897 and was elected, receiving a majority in every ward in 
the city. He is also president of the Milbank Driving Park Association, 
secretary of the Milbank Cemetery Association, and president of the 
local advisory board of the Sioux Falls Children's Home. In the 
legislative session of 1891 he served as chief enrolling and engrossing 
clerk in the house, and also held the same position in the senate in the 
session of 1897. In the session of 1891, when the legislature elected a 
United States senator, Mr. Volkmar received a number of complimentary 
votes on several ballots. Mr. Volkmar's printing office has been 
connected to a large extent with the historic interests of Milbank. In 
it was held the first postoffice, the first public school, the first 
church service, the first Sunday-school service in that vicinity and the 
first term of court.

	Mr. Volkmar was married in Detroit, Michigan, December 21, 1879, 
to Miss Kate A. Smith, of Owatonna, Minnesota. Mrs. Volkmar was born at 
Owatonna, a daughter of Sidney and Christina Smith.

	Mr. Volkmar has been a member of quite a number of fraternal 
societies in his time, including the Knights of Honor, American Legion 
of Honor, Odd Fellows, Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern 
Woodmen of America.

	Politically, Mr. Volkmar classes himself as an Independent, but 
supported and voted for William J. Bryan, and was a delegate to the St. 
Louis national convention which nominated him.

	Mr. Volkmar is an active member of the South Dakota Press 
Association, and was elected the first secretary of the old Territorial 
Press Association, which was organized at Huron in the year 1882.