William F. Domke, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of William F. Domke
WILLIAM F. DOMKE. One of the most successful and best managed dairy farms of Porter county is that of William F. Domke, near Valparaiso. Its proprietor has been in the business for over twenty years, and both as a business man and citizen he has securely laid the foundations of prosperity and individual influence.
Mr. Domke was born in LaPorte county, January 14, 1873. His parents, Edward and Bertha (Drager) Domke, were natives of Germany and many years ago immigrated to this country. The father was proprietor of a store in Wanatah for some years, but later followed farming with good success. The family consisted of the following children: Lena, Bertha, Ella, Mary and William F., also Herman J. and Emma, who are deceased. They were educated in the German Lutheran school at Valparaiso, and were well trained in the upright principles and thrifty industry by which their parents had acquired their position in the world.
William F. Domke remained on the home farm two miles south of Valparaiso, assisting his father in the cultivation of the crops and the care of the extensive dairy, until he was twenty-seven years old. He then, in 1900, began a home of his own by his marriage to Miss Mary Valkos, who has since co-operated with him and shared in his substantial success. Mrs. Domke was born in Germany, December 21, 1879, a daughter of Godfried and Caroline (Saden) Valkos, of South Bend, where her father has for a number of years followed the trade of painter. The other children in their family were Minnie, Ida, Gustave and Christina; also her brother, Fred W., who was killed in Honolulu, and all were educated at South Bend.
After his marriage Mr. Domke took up his residence on the home farm, and by one progressive step after another has advanced his dairy industry to important proportions. He is of the modern type of farmer who believes in having the best of everything on his place. A fine evidence of the manner in which he conducts his business is found in the barn which he built in 1911. Though without previous experience as carpenter or architect, he himself designed this structure for the accommodation of his dairy of high-grade cows. The barn, set on a solid foundation of masonry, occupies a ground area of forty by seventy feet, and is forty-seven feet high. It has a capacity of one hundred and seventy-five tons of hay and two thousand bushels of grain. A gasoline engine supplies water for the 200-barrel tank. The equipment for the cows is one of the best to be found anywhere. Swinging stanchions are before the feed racks, which have running water, and a feed car is run along to supply the dairy rations. By these facilities the cows need never leave the warm stables during the cold weather, and it is this kind of care which insures him a dependable revenue from the business. Mr. Domke ships all his milk directly to Chicago, and its excellence gives it high favor.
The three children of Mr. and Mrs. Domke are Edward, Marguerite and Paul, who are true types of American boys and girls, and are now being educated in the Bundy district school. Mr. Domke supports the Democratic party, and is a broad-minded citizen who aids effectively wherever he can in the advancement of his community's welfare. He and his wife are members of the German Lutheran church in Valparaiso, Rev. Baer being their pastor.
Source: Lewis Publishing Company. 1912. History of Porter County, Indiana: A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People and its Principal Interests. Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing Company. 881 p.
Page(s) in Source: 551-552
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook