WILLIAM RUDOLPH AUGUSTIN, mayor of Doniphan, is also an enterprising
business man here as well as a substantial farmer and stockman of Hall
County. Although not a native of Nebraska, he has lived in the state since
he was ten years old and since 1912 has been a resident of Hall County.
Mayor Augustin was born in 1873, at Red Wing, Minnesota. His parents were
Henry and Mary (Ruhter) Augustin, natives of Germany, who came to the
United States when about twenty years of age. The mother died in about
1916, aged sixty-seven years. They had the following children: William
Rudolph, Mayor of Doniphan; Henry a farmer near Kenesaw, Nebraska; Peter, a
farmer in Adams County Nebraska; George, a farmer near Kenesaw; Jacob, a
farmer northeast of Kenesaw; Fred, a farmer near Juniata, Nebraska; Walter,
who deals in agricultural implements at Doniphan; Herbert, who resides on a
farm with his father near Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska; Mata, the wife
of John Saurmann, a farmer west of Juniata; Anna, the wife of John Uhden, a
farmer near Prosser, Nebraska; and Emma and Lena, both of whom reside with
their father, now in his seventy-first year. He is a well educated man who
taught school in the country near Red Wing, Minnesota, for some time after
coming to the United States. In 1883 he located in Nebraska and bought one
hundred and sixty acres of land situated northwest of Kenesaw, in Adams
County, where he made improvements and set out three orchards. He lost one
of them by storm but for many years the others yielded fine fruit. During
his active years he carried on general farming and raised stock. He is not
identified with any political party, casing his vote according to his own
judgment. He is a member of the German Lutheran church.
W. Rudolph Augustin had public school advantages and gave his father
assistance in the earlier years but later engaged in farming for himself in
Adams County, where he had five hundred and sixty acres. Subsequently he
sold all his land near Kenesaw, Adams County, buying two hundred and ninety
acres in Hall County. Here he has carried on general farming and makes a
specialty of feeding cattle for market. Since 1912 he has been a resident
of Doniphan. Here he embarked first in the implement business which he
continued until 1916, since which time he has been in the garage and
general automobile repair business, and is agent for the Overland cars,
holding the sales privilege over all of Hall County south of the Platte
river, and two miles across Adams County, taking in several townships. He
carries a complete line of accessories for the Overland and the Ford cars,
and has expert mechanicians to attend to the repair work.
Mayor Augustin married Miss Minnie Winter, who was born in 1875, near
Roseland, Nebraska, and they have three sons: A. H. and Irwin, both of
whom assist their father in the work pertaining to the garage; and LaVerne,
who attends school. The family belongs to the Lutheran church. In politics,
although a Democrat, Mayor Augustine(sic) in the administration of his
office is not partisan. He has brought about many reforms in public matters
and has given encouragement to many worthy enterprises that promise to be
of great benefit to the city. He was a liberal contributor to the various
causes presented to the country during the continuance of the World War.
History of Hall County
by Buechler, Barr, & Stough (Published 1920)
Transcribed by Larry Coates
