He was born in Tessin Germany, to Dr Johan Herman Heinrich and Anna Margareta Catherine Lange.
Henry came to the United States with is brother John and sister Johanna , in 1864,they first lived in Chicago but in 1866 moved to Oshkosh WI. There he started a furniture store.
On August 8, 1871 he married Emma Petersilla in Milwaukee WI
The family moved to Rapid City SD in 1879 and by Oct of that year Henry had started a furniture store and undertaking parlor, which is not still in the family but is still called Behrens Mortuary.In Sept of 1880 he built a new store on the North side of Main Street.
In 1881 he built an addition to his house at the corner of 8th street and Kansas City ST
By 1884 the family had homesteaded twenty miles southeast of Rapid City near Spring Creek, where the family lived and Henry commuted to Rapid City to work. By 1898, fourteen bedroom house was built there, they had eleven children.
Henry was elected the first President of the Spring Creek Farmers Protective Association.
In 1896 Henry was nominated for representative in the next legislature.Henry was a cattleman, taxidermist, bee keeper and raised many different fruits at his ranch on Spring Creek.

Tessin is a town in the Rostock district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the river Recknitz, 22 km east of Rostock.

Eleven children
Ottilia b 1873, Hugo A b 2875, Alma E b 1876, Ida A b 1879 and drowned on Aug 1, 1883, Leo J born 1881, Edna L b 1883, Carl E b 1885, William H b 1888, Anna M b 1891, Alice C b 1893, and Gus b 1895.

In 1944 when sister died
Leo and William Behrens of Hermosa, Carl Behrens of Rapid City, and Gus Behrens of Custer and four sisters,Alma, Mrs William Underwood of Hill City, Anna, Mrs Frank Sanders of Rapid City,Edna, Mrs Frank Heller and Alice, Mrs Leonard Keiser of Hermosa.

1880 Census

Name: Henry Behrens
Age: 35
Birth Year: abt 1845
Birthplace: Germany
Home in 1880: Rapid City, Pennington, Dakota Territory
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Emma Behrens
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's Birthplace: Germany

Occupation: Furniture Dealer


View image
Household Members:
Name Age
Henry Behrens 35
Emma Behrens 29
Ottilie Behrens 7
Hugo Behrens 5
Alma Behrens 3
Ida Behrens 1
Atone Behrens 28

1900 Census

Name: Emma Behrens

Age: 46
Birth Date: Aug 1853
Birthplace: Germany
Home in 1900: Township 1, Pennington, South Dakota
Race: White
Gender: Female
Immigration Year: Unkn
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Married
Marriage Year: 1871
Years Married: 29
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's name: Martha E Sammis
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Mother: number of living children: 10
Mother: How many children: 11

Household Members:
Name Age
Emma Behrens 46
Hugo A Behrens 25
Alma E Behrens 23
Leo J Behrens 18
Edna L Behrens 17
Carl E Behrens 14
William H Behrens 22
Anna M Behrens 9
Alice C Behrens 7
Gustave A Behrens 1
Frank Heller 22

1910 Census
Name: Henry Behrens
Age in 1910: 65
Birth Year: abt 1845
Birthplace: Germany
Home in 1910: Township 1, Pennington, South Dakota
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1869
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Emma Behrens
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Native Tongue: English
Occupation: Merchant
Industry: Furniture
Employer, Employee or Other: Employer
Home Owned or Rented: Own
Home Free or Mortgaged: Free
Farm or House: Farm
Naturalization Status: Naturalized
Able to Read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Years Married: 38

Household Members:
Name Age
Henry Behrens 65
Emma Behrens 57
Leopold J Behrens 29
Anna M Behrens 19
Alice C Behrens 16
[6]
Gustav A Behrens 14
Royal Grimes 23