Henry H. Hagensick

HAGENSICK, FROSCH, EIBOECK, BAYLESS, DRESSER, MURPHY, MCGAHAREN URIELL, KANN, JOHNSON, CAIN

Posted By: Clayton co. coordinator (email)
Date: 5/22/2004 at 06:18:46

Henry H. Hagensick who has long been a prominent citizen of Elkader, is President of the Elkader State Bank, and when the town was incorporated he had the honor of becoming the first Mayor, which post he held until declining further renomination. For a period of fiteen years he also served most successfully as Township Clerk, and has taken an active part in all movements calculated to benefit the general public and his fellow-townsmen.

The birth of our subject occurred in St. Louis, Mo., May 12, 1854. His father, J.M. Hagensick was a native of Bavaria, who set sail for America in 1854, coming by way of New Orleans, and thence up the Mississippi to St. Louis. After a short stay in that city he proceeded to Clayton county, and settling in Garnavillo, engaged in his trade of blacksmithing for several years. In 1860 he removed to a point five miles south of Garnavillo, and having been appinted Postmaster of Ceres, held that position until the summer of 1894, when he resigned on account of poor health. He received his appointment from Lincoln, and satisfactorily filled the place for thirty-four years. He still makes his home in Ceres, being now sixty-eight years of age. One of the pioneers of Clayton County, he has been prominent in its upbuilding and has held many township offices. In politics he votes with the Democratic party, and personally he is a man of worthy characteristics, being upright and honorable in all his dealings. His wife, who was also a native of Bavaria, bore the maiden name of Margaret Frosch, and her death occurred in this county in 1861.

Henry H., of this sketch, spent his boyhood in this county, receiving a good common-school education. He was only seven years old when death deprived him of his loving mother's care, and ten years later he started out to make his own way in the world. He soon found employment with Joe Eiboeck, who was editor of the Clayton County Journal, and worked with him in his printing office for three months, at the end of which time he was obliged to give up the business, as he fund his health was unable to stand the close confinement incident to that trade. He was next a clerk with the firm of F.D. Bayless & Co. with whom he remained until 1877. Being industrious and thrifty he managed regularly to lay aside a portion of his earnings, which he carefully saved and was thereby enabled to purchase a one-half interest in the store in the last mentioned year. The firm then became known as Bayless & Hagensick, which it has continued up to the present time. they carry a full line of drugs and medicines, and fancy and staple groceries, and have one of the leading stores in the place, their trade coming from far and near.

In 1875 our subject was married to Miss Jane Dresser, whose nativity occurred in Allamakee County, where her father, Calvin Dresser, was one of the early settlers. Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hagensick, Frank D. and Roy, who are attending school in this city.

In October, 1892, when the Elkader State Bank was organized, our subject was made President of the same; D.D. Murphy, Vice-President and H.G. McGaharen, Cashier. Among the Directors are, F.D. Bayless, F.J. Uriell, J.J. Kann, Ole Johnson and P.J. Cain. This bank does a general banking business, and is favoribly rated among the similar institutions of the country. In politics Mr. Hagensick is a stanch democrat, and fraternally is a member of Elkader Lodge No. 304, I.O.O.F., Lodge No. 2, K.P. and a charter member of Modern Woodmen of America.

-source: 1894 Dubuque, Jones and Clayton Co., IA History pg. 298