Frank W. Halbkat Biography

This biography appears on pages 988-989 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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FRANK W. HALBKAT. Modern business enterprise finds expression in the activity of Frank W. Halbkat, a druggist of Webster. He was born in Hamilton, Minnesota, November 15, 1875, a son of John C. and Helen (Tessin) Halbkat, both of whom are still living. The paternal grandfather, Fred Halbkat, was a native of Germany, and after living for some years in the United States returned to that country, where his remaining days were passed. John C. Halbkat, the father of our subject, was born in New York in 1850. The mother's birth occurred in Germany in the same year and they are now residents of Spring Valley, Minnesota, where they were married in 1869. Mrs. Halbkat was a young lady of seventeen years when she crossed the Atlantic and Mr. Halbkat was a child of but five years when he accompanied his parents to Minnesota, the family home being established on a farm near Brown Valley, that state. He acquired his education in the common schools and took up the occupation of farming, which he followed until 1880, when he removed to Spring Valley and embarked in merchandising, in which business he has won a gratifying measure of success. His religious belief is that of the Methodist Episcopal church and his fraternal relations connect him with the Masons, the Odd Fellows and other fraternal organizations. In politics he is an earnest republican. He has ever been active in support of the principles in which he believes. To him and his wife have been born five children: Charles F., who is engaged in the jewelry business at Watertown, South Dakota; Emma, the wife of Calvin Young, of Mapleton, Minnesota; Frank W.; Alice, the wife of John Hoffman, a real-estate dealer and banker of Spring Valley, Minnesota; and John H., who is associated with his father in general merchandising. After attending the high school at Spring Valley, from which he was graduated with the chess of 1892, Frank W. Halbkat entered the Northwestern University at Chicago, Illinois, and completed a course in pharmacy in 1895. He afterward engaged in clerking until 1903 and on the 1st of April of that year removed to Webster, where he bought out the business of the Ross Drug Company and has since conducted the store. He now has a well appointed establishment, carrying a large and carefully selected line of drugs and druggists, sundries, while his reasonable prices and courteous treatment of his patrons have secured to him a growing and substantial trade.

In November, 1905, Mr. Halbkat wedded Miss Ethel M. Walker, a native of Nebraska and a daughter of Franklin Walker, who was one of the early settlers of Nebraska and afterward became a pioneer resident of South Dakota. He is now living retired at Clark, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Halbkat have two children, John F., and Frederick W., aged respectively seven and two years. In the fall of 1913 Mr. Halbkat was appointed to the state board of pharmacy by Governor Frank M. Byrne and in October of the present year, 1915, became president of the state board of pharmacy.