Identifier

MA 6

Dates

1898-1971

Extent

2.64 linear feet (4 boxes) photographs

Abstract

Elmer Sexauer was chairmen of the board for The Sexauer Company, a seed business based in Brookings, SD. He and his wife, Cecile, enjoyed travel and provided funds for Sexauer Field, a track on the campus of South Dakota State University. Composed of postcards and other items related to trips taken by Elmer and Cecile Sexauer. Also includes diaries, scrapbooks and family materials collected primarily by Cecile (Welch) Sexauer.

Historical Note

Elmer Harrison Sexauer

Elmer Harrison Sexauer was born July 13, 1888, at Winona, Minnesota, the son of George P. and Elisa (Ulrich) Sexauer. He moved with his family to Volga, South Dakota in 1891 and moved to Brookings several years later. He attended public schools in Brookings and South Dakota State College. In 1911, he joined his father in directing the operations of The Sexauer Company. He served in the US Army during World War I.

Elmer served as president of the SD Seed Dealers Association, president of the Western Seedsmen Association, president of the American Seed Trade Association and president of the National Grain and Feed Association. He also served on the Board of Directors of the US Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors of the First Bank Systems, the Board of Directors of Northwestern Bell Telephone and the Board of Trustees for the SD Memorial Art Center. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in Business from the University of South Dakota. He was a member of Gamma Sigma Phi SDSU Chapter, Brookings Masonic Lodge No. 24, Brookings Commandery of Knight Templar, El Riad Shrine and Jesters.

At the time of his retirement in 1977, Elmer held the position of chairman of the board of The Sexauer Company, which has its headquarters in Brookings, SD, with division offices in Des Moines, Iowa, West Fargo, ND, and Norfolk, Nebraska.

Elmer Harrison Sexauer died on November 15, 1986.

Cecile Irene Welch Sexauer

Cecile Irene Welch Sexauer was born January 18, 1888 in Huron, South Dakota to Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Welch. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Arlington, SD, where they stayed until coming to Brookings, SD in 1903.

A graduate of Brookings High School and South Dakota State College, Cecile also attended Boston Conservatory of Music for one year and taught piano at South Dakota State College.

A member of the Christian Church at Arlington, SD, Mrs. Cecile became a member of First Baptist Church in Brookings, SD where she played piano and organ for about 25 years.

Cecile was active in local, state and national music organizations, serving as president of the National Music Organization. She was also a member of BA chapter of PEO and Sorosis Club.

Cecile Irene Welch Sexauer died on October 7, 1973 at Brookings Hospital. She had been hospitalized 4 weeks.

Elmer Sexauer and Cecile Welch were married on June 28, 1916, at Brookings, SD. They had two children, Dorothy, who died in 1966, and Robert. After Cecile's death in 1973, Elmer married Ada Mitchell Dybdahl on December 10, 1974, at Brookings, SD. Ada died in 1980.

Content Notes

This collection is composed of postcards and other items related to trips taken by Elmer and Cecile Sexauer. Also includes diaries, scrapbooks and family materials collected primarily by Cecile (Welch) Sexauer.

The general material consists mainly of essays written by Cecile Welch Sexauer during her college career. Also included is a Christmas card list of the Sexauer's for 1971, scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, a book of Agricultural Department Reports presented to Elmer Sexauer in 1947, and certificates presented to the Sexauer's on the anniversary of their 50th college reunion. Some examples of their personal stationery, grade school papers from Elmer's youth, and a language paper of Laura Sexauer, Elmer's sister are also included.

A scrapbook of Elizabeth Anne Baker, age 9 weeks, chronicles her first visit to her grandparents’ home during Easter 1947. It was prepared by Jeannette Gagnon-Abbey for the Sexauer's.

The scrapbook was presented to Elmer Sexauer by the Grain and Feed Dealers National Association as a permanent reminder of the Forty-fourth Annual Convention held at Louisville, Kentucky October 13-15, 1940. Elmer was president of the Association at that time.

The postcards are composed of postcards from the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean that the Sexauer’s collected on their travels. There are over 400 postcards in this collection.

The Travels series consists of travel diaries hand-written by Cecile Sexauer. These diaries contain information about where the Sexauer's traveled and the customs, history and items of interest of these places. Some of the places the Sexauer's traveled to Europe, Canada, and Japan. Also included is a souvenir book of the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship.

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Language

English

Publisher

South Dakota State University Archives and Special Collections, Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, South Dakota.

Rights

Copyright restrictions apply in different ways to different materials. Many of the documents and other historical materials in the Archives are in the public domain and may be reproduced and used in any way. There are other materials in the Archive carrying a copyright interest and must be used according to the provisions of Title 17 of the U.S. Code. The Archive issues a warning concerning copyright restrictions to every researcher who requests copies of documents. Although the copyright law is under constant redefinition in the courts, it is ultimately the responsibility of the researcher to properly use copyrighted material.

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