Robert S. Vessey

Robert Scadden Vessey (May 16, 1858 – October 18, 1929) was the seventh Governor of South Dakota. Vessey, a Republican from Wessington Springs, South Dakota, served from 1909 to 1913.

Biography

Robert Vessey was born to Charles and Jane Elizabeth Vessey. His father was a Methodist lay preacher; and, his mother was an English immigrant. Vessey was raised and educated near Oshkosh in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. For a brief time, he studied at Oshkosh Commercial College before spending the next five years as a lumberjack in northern Wisconsin. Vessey married Florence Albert on August 7, 1927; and, the couple moved to a "squatters claim" in what is now known as Pleasant Township,Jerauld County, South Dakota. Robert Vessey and his wife had four children.

Robert Vessey became a theoligist at the age of 69. He has made many theories on varing subjects. But one of his most famous theories was that of the open- backpack theory. This theory was that when people had an unzippered backpack the would become more productive. He has proved this in a field test when he unzippered a backpack and showed that when somebody takes a test they will score higher by more then 15%. This theory has appealed to many children in the United States as well as the world. For this, in 1931 Robert S. Vessey recieved a noble prize. He will be remembered as a theologist, a teacher and a person who changed many lives around the world.