Philip A. Zollman, a distinguished lawyer in Alexandria, Hanson County, was born on October 14, 1866, in Charlestown, Indiana, to Philip and Catherine (Schaid) Zollman. After studying at Drake University and Iowa State University, he was admitted to the Iowa bar in 1893. Zollman moved to Alexandria later that year, establishing a successful law practice. He served as state’s attorney from 1894 to 1898 and was active in both Democratic and Republican politics. A dedicated Mason, Zollman attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and was involved in several fraternal organizations.
Philip A. Zollman, who is successfully engaged in the practice of his profession in Alexandria, Hanson County, merits recognition in this work as one of the representative members of the bar of the state. He was born in Charlestown, Clark County, Indiana, on the 14th of October, 1866, a son of Philip and Catherine (Schaid) Zollman, to whom were born eight children, of whom the following named six survive: Elizabeth, widow of Frederick Weigel, resides in Louisville, Kentucky; Amelia is the wife of Emil Achneman, of that city; William is a resident of Otisco, Indiana, as is also Lena, who remains at the parental home in that place; Louise is the wife of Herbert Gregory, of Wessington Spring, South Dakota; and Philip A. is the immediate subject of this sketch. The father was born in Germany and was there reared to the life of a farm. At the age of twenty-two years he emigrated to the United States and located in Clark County, Indiana, where he became a prosperous and influential farmer, there continuing to reside until his death, in 1879, at the age of sixty-two years. He was a Democrat in politics and his religious faith was that of the Lutheran church, of which his wife also was a devoted member. She likewise was born in Germany, where she came with her parents to the United States as a young woman, the family locating in Louisville, Kentucky. She was summoned into eternal rest in February 1903, at the age of seventy-two years.
Philip A. Zollman remained at the parental home until he had attained his eighteenth year, having early begun to assist in the work of the farm, while his preliminary education was secured in the public schools of his native county. In 1886 he entered Drake University, at Des Moines, Iowa, where he continued his studies for three years, later being matriculated in the law department of the Iowa State University, at Iowa City, where he remained as a student for one year, being then compelled to discontinue his technical course by reason of lack of funds. In 1890 he entered the law office of C. W. Steele, of Corydon, Iowa, having previously been engaged in teaching in the district schools in order to secure sufficient money to enable him to continue his professional studies. Under the preceptor mentioned he continued his technical reading until he was thoroughly well informed in the science of jurisprudence, being admitted to the bar of Iowa in March 1893, upon examination before the supreme court of the state. In September of the same year, he came to Alexandria and opened an office for the practice of his profession, his novitiate being of brief duration, since he soon proved his skill as an advocate and his conservative ability as a counsellor, gaining thus a hold upon popular confidence. He has built up an excellent practice and is one of the leading lawyers of the county, retaining a representative clientage. He served as state’s attorney for this county from 1894 until 1898, having been appointed to the office in the former year, to succeed Judge Frank B. Smith, and having been chosen as his own successor in the election of 1896. Prior to 1900 Mr. Zollman was affiliated with the Democratic party. He was a delegate to the Democratic state convention of 1896, held in Aberdeen, and after that time he had but little influence in the party councils, since it was his privilege in that convention to show the courage of his convictions and to cast the deciding vote which placed the party in the state in line of support for sound money, repudiating the silver heresy, the result being that the state was “turned down” in the national convention. In the McKinley campaign of 1900 Mr. Zollman identified himself unreservedly with the Republican party and wielded much influence in securing the success of the party in the state that year. He has been a zealous worker in the party cause and has been chairman of the Republican county central committee since the summer of 1902. Mr. Zollman is an enthusiastic and appreciative member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has risen to the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, being identified with the following bodies: Celestial Lodge, No. 37, Free and Accepted Masons; Mitchell Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Mitchell Commandery, Knights Templar; Oriental Consistory, No. 1, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, in Yankton, and El Riad Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in Sioux Falls. He is also identified with Alexandria Lodge, No. 36, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and with Mitchell Encampment, No. 9, of the same order, and also holds membership in Alexandria Camp, No. 2956, Modern Woodmen of America.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.