J. August Sitz

Adapted from History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota (1916)

A man of conspicuous affiliation in business and financial services of Otter Tail County, one who in public life served prominently and who brought honor to his community as a representative in political association, a citizen who in the affairs of local life was given a place second to none, the name of August J. Sitz took a leading place in the record of life and event of Otter Tail County and the town of New York Mills.

Johann August Sitz, as his name is recordedwas born in the province of East Poland, near Schneidenmuhl, Prussia, Germany, on June 24, 1851, the son of August and Dorothy (Utke) Sitz, both of whom were born in Germany. In the year 1853, August Sitz, Sr., with his family, came to America and went to the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he engaged for some time in general work. Later he rented a farm in Milwaukee County, which he cultivated for four years and then he moved to Monroe County, Wisconsin, and bought a farm near the town of Tomah, living there for about sixteen years until his death in 1880. Dorothy Sitz, his wife, lived the remainder of her life with her son, August, at New York Mills, Minnesota, dying in 1898.

August was educated in the public schools of Tomah, Wisconsin, and following his school days he worked on a farm and then bought out the heirs of his father's farm and lived there until the year 1883.

The New York Mills Hardware Store

It was in 1883 that August Sitz came to the state of Minnesota and settled at New York Mills, near where he worked one season as foreman of a ditching gang who were employed on the construction of the Northern Pacific railway in that locality. Later that year, he built a store on Front Street, of the town of New York Mils, where he engaged in the sale of implements and general hardware, at first carrying a small stock and later, with the progress of this business, adding to his line until, in the year 1915, Mr. Sitz disposed of his holdings for the sum of $12,000, which was more than five times the value of his original stock. During his merchantile experience, August Sitz was able to see his business increase to the point where he found it necessary to erect a warehouse and to enlarge his storeroom to one having a fifty-foot front. When he disposed of his store, Mr. Sitz was the oldest merchant, in point of continuous business, in the town of New York Mills.

Expanding the Family's Horizons

After selling his hardware business, August Sitz became occupant of the office of vice-president of the First State Bank of New York Mills, at the same time serving his community in several local offices, among which are those of councilman and village president. During a period of more than 27 years, this worthy citizen served his locality in some of the various offices of honor and of trust, including treasurer of the township. In the pioneer days of Otter Tail County, he was among those men who not only assisting in laying out the public highways but helped in the labor of the project and gave of their money so that the county could be better opened to settlement and to intercourse with the outside world. In political life, August Sitz represented his district at a number of county and state conventions, where he at all times was a credit to his constituents and to his county. He was county commissioner for four years. In political affiliation, Mr. Sitz was a Republican.

On May 26, 1878, August Sitz was married to Sophia Pankow, who was born at Watertown, Wisconsin, the daughter of the Rev. Erdmann Pankow and wife. The wife of Mr. Sitz died during the month of March 1889, and on June 6, 1890, August Sitz was married, secondly, to Anna Pankow, who was a half-sister to the first Mrs. Sitz. Anna Sitz was born on September 4, 1865. The Sitzes were esteemed active and esteemed members of the Lutheran church for their entire lives.

The Sitz Children

To the marriage of August and Sophia Sitz were born five children: Adolph, a lumber dealer from Grand Rapids, Minnesota; Luella, who lived at home; Rufus B, who lived in Duluth, Minnesota, where he was assistant buyer for the Marshall-Wells Hardware Company; Blandine, who was a school teacher in Walla Walla, Washington; and Alexander, who was a Lutheran pastor and later professor at Northwestern College, Watertown, Wis.

August J. and Anna Sitz became the parents of three children: E. Arnold, a Lutheran pastors who served many years at Grace Lutheran Church, Tucson, Arizona; Herbert, who was a Lutheran school teacher and became a professor and librarian at Dr. Martin Luther College, New Ulm, Minnesota; and Erna, who married Theodore Binhammer. He served as a professor of mathematics at Northwestern College, Watertown, Wisconsin, for many years. August and Anna Sitz later moved to nearby Perham, Minnesota.

Final Resting Places

August died on March 15, 1943, and his body was laid to rest in the Greenwood Cemetery, New York Mills, Minnesota. Anna died on December 17, 1952. She was buried in a Pankow family grave in Lebanon, Wisconsin, where she had spent her childhood.