History of South Dakota, Vol. I, Part 139

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 998

USA > South Dakota > History of South Dakota, Vol. I > Part 139

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The subject of this review received his early educational discipline in the public schools of Kingsbury county, South Dakota, his parents having there taken up their abode in 1887. At the age of fifteen years he secured employment in the Farmers' Bank of South Dakota, at Lake Preston, in which town the family located in 1887, having come to Forestburg, Sanborn county, in 1883, and there resided until the year mentioned. The parents have been residents of the city of Sioux Falls since 1890. The subject was employed in the bank for one year and then began his apprenticeship at the "art preservative of all arts" by entering the printing office of L. J. Bates, publisher of the Lake Preston Times, where he remained about three years, becoming a skilled workman and acquiring a thorough knowledge of the country newspaper business. On the Ist of September, 1893, he removed to Alexandria, where he acquired a half interest in the Alexandria Journal, but two months later he disposed of his interest and came to Tripp, where he purchased from J. B. Stout & Company the plant and business of the Tripp Ledger, whose publication he has since successfully con- tinued, making it one of the best local papers in the state. In politics Mr. Fox is a stanch ad- herent of the Republican party, in whose sup- port his paper is effectively enlisted. He served seven years as justice of the peace, refusing to

longer continue incumbent of the office. Fra- ternally, he is a member of Tripp Camp, No. 5931, Modern Woodmen of America.

On the 22d of June, 1898, Mr. Fox was united in marriage to Miss Elsie E. Morris, a daughter of H. V. Morris, a well-known citizen of Tripp, and of this union has been born a win- some little daughter, Ruth B.

It may be said in conclusion that Mr. Fox comes of military stock in both the paternal and maternal lines. Two of his paternal uncles were prominent in the military operations in Dakota in the early 'sixties. His mother's parents were born in England, and her grandfather was a participant in the battle of Waterloo. C. A. Fox, grandfather of the subject, took part in the Black Hawk war, in Illinois, and both of the great- grandfathers in the paternal lines were partici- pants in the war of 1812. Two of Mr. Fox's brothers maintained the military prestige of the name by their service in the Spanish-American war, being on duty in the Philippines. John C. was first lieutenant of Company B, First South Dakota Volunteer Infantry, and Donald H. was quartermaster's sergeant in the same company.

PAUL WILDERMUTH, one of the lead- ing merchants and influential citizens of the town of Tripp, Hutchinson county, was born in the state of Bassirabia, in southern Russia, on the 28th of June, 1862, a son of Karl and Rosa (Isler) Wildermuth, of whose six children we enter the following record: Frederick still con- tinues to reside in southern Russia; Paul is the immediate subject of this sketch; Karl is a clerk in the mercantile establishment of the subject; Jacob remains in his native land; Christiana is the wife of Mathis Geigle, of Tripp, this state, and Gotlob is still a resident of Russia. The father of the subject was born in Germany, and when he was a lad of eight years he accompanied his parents on their removal across the border into southern Russia, where he was reared to manhood, having devoted his life to agricultural pursuits, and he and his worthy wife still reside

927

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

in Russia, honored as folk of sterling character. Paul Wildermuth passed his youth on the homestead farm and received his early educa- tion in the excellent schools of his native land. On the 6th of November, 1884, he was united in marriage to Miss Magdalena Gebhard, and on the same day they set forth for America, for- tified by mutual confidence and affection and de- termined to wrest fortune from the hands of fate, even though strangers in a strange land. They came at once to what is now the state of South Dakota and located in Campbell county. where Mr. Wildermuth took up a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres of gov- ernment land. The young couple continued to reside on this embryonic farm for two years, proving on the property in due course of time Our subject then sold the farm and in the spring of 1887 he came to Tripp, which was then a hamlet of only a few houses, and his is now the distinction of being one of the oldest citizens of the town in point of years of residence. Upon locating here he engaged in work at the car- penter trade, having served an apprenticeship in his native land, and he devoted. his attention to the same about six years. He then engaged in the grain business, buying for the Hunting Company. In 1896 he purchased an elevator and began buying and shipping on his own re- sponsibility, thus continuing until the fall of 1899, when he disposed of his elevator and as- sociated himself with C. C. Frederick in the pur- chase of the old established mercantile business of C. Frederick, one of the pioneer merchants of Tripp. About two years later F. F. Myer pur- chased the interest of Mr. Frederick, and the enterprise was thereafter conducted under the firm name of Meyer & Wildermuth, until Feb- ruary, 1903, when Mr. Meyer sold his interest to J. M. Schaefer, with whom our subject has since been associated, under the firm name of Schaefer & Wildermuth. The firm has a well equipped establishment and transacts a large and constantly expanding business, theirs being one of the leading mercantile concerns in this section of the state.

In politics Mr. Wildermuth is a stalwart Re-

publican and he has served repeatedly as dele- gate to state and county conventions of his party, being one of its influential members in this dis- trict. In 1898 he was elected to represent his county in the state legislature, serving during the sixth general assembly and making an excel- lent record. He and his wife are prominent and devoted members of the Lutheran church and are closely identified with the best social life of the community. They have nine children, all of whom still remain at the parental home, namely : Rosa, Lena, Robert and Richard (twins), Bertie, Emil, Otto, William and Her- bert.

CHARLES ZEHNPFENING, one of the representative business men of Parkston, Hutch- inson county, is a native of the beautiful city of Madison, captial of the state of Wisconsin, where he was born on the 20th of August, 1868, being a son of Frank and Margaret (Bauer) Zehnpfen- ing, to whom were born twelve children, of whom the eight surviving are as follows: Catherine, who is the wife of Lawrence Bowar, and Theo- dore, Edward, Bertha, Harry, William, Henry and Charles. The father was born in Germany, in the year 1839, and when he was six years of age his parents emigrated to America, locating in Dane county, Wisconsin, where he was reared and educated, eventually engaging in the shoe business in the city of Madison, where he re- mained until 1880, when he disposed of his busi- ness interests there and came to South Dakota, entering homestead and tree claims in Hutchin- son county and turning his attention to agricul- tural pursuits, in which he has since been success- fully engaged. He is a Democrat in his political proclivities and both he and his wife are devoted communicants of the Catholic church.

Charles Zehnpfening, the immediate subject of this review, received his early educational dis- cipline in the public schools of his native city. and was about twelve years of age at the time of the family removal to South Dakota, where he com- pleted a course of study in the high school at Mitchell. Upon attaining his legal majority he

928

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

purchased a quarter section of land in Hutchinson county and thereafter devoted himself to its im- provement and cultivation for six years, at the ex- piration of which, in 1895, he located in the thriv- ing town of Parkston, where he established him- self in the grain business, forming a partnership with A. H. Betts, president of the Truax & Betts Elevator Company, of Mitchell. The subject has gained a high reputation as an energetic and reli- able business man, being progressive in his meth- ods and being successful in his chosen vocation. He is a stanch Republican in politics and both he and his wife are communicants of the Catholic church. He is a member of the board of educa- tion of his home town, and is thoroughly public- spirited in his attitude.

In 1889, Mr. Zehnpfening was united in mar- riage to Miss Anna M. Puetz, of this county, and they are the parents of six children, namely : Dora A., Herbert P., Frank J., Clara J., Fred L. and Carl M.

CHARLES H. LUGG, who is the incumbent of the exacting and important office of super- intendent of schools in Hutchinson county, was born in Geneva, Freeborn county, Minnesota, on the 21st of October, 1862, being a son of Edward and H. Almira (Williams) Lugg, to whom were born six children, he being the eldest of the four surviving ; the others are as fol- lows : James E., who is a resident of Oakland, Minnesota; Samuel R., who remains at the parental home, as does also Laura Z. The father of the subject was born in Cornwall, England, in the year 1834, and there he was reared and educated. In 1858, at the age of twenty-four years, he severed the home ties and set forth to seek his fortunes in America, landing in Quebec and thence coming westward to Wisconsin. He lived in Racine county that state, a year and a half. at the expiration of which he went to Freehorn county, Minnesota, where his marriage was solemnized. There he filed entry on a quar- ter section of land, and while he was waiting for the passage of the homestead act, through the provisions of which he intended to secure title

to his property, another person "jumped" the claim, filing a pre-emption claim and thus secur- ing title to the land. Mr. Lugg later removed to Blue Earth county, that state, where he entered land, disposing of the same about a year later and returning to Freeborn county, where he pur- chased a farm, to whose improvement and culti- vation he has since given his attention, being one of the well-known and highly honored pioneers of that section of the state. His loyalty to the land of his adoption has ever been of the insistent and uncompromising order and was manifested in a distinctive way at the time when the in- tegrity of the Union was menaced by armed re- bellion. In August, 1864, he enlisted as a private in Company E, Tenth Minnesota Volunteer In- fantry, in which he served until the close of the war, having made the record of a valiant and loyal son of the republic. He was mustered out in August, 1865, having participated in the battle of Nashville, after which he took part in the closing campaign which brought the crown of victory to the Union arms. He is a stanch ad- vocate of the principles of the Republican party and a consistent and valued member of the Baptist church. His wife died in July, 1892.

Professor Charles H. Lugg was reared on the old homestead farm, and after availing him- self of the advantages afforded in the district schools he entered the high school at Albert Lea, while later he continued his studies in the North- ern Indiana Normal School and Business Uni- versity, at Valparaiso. At the age of nineteen years, just after leaving the high school, he be- gan his career as a teacher, and his efforts in connection with the pedagogic profession have been attended with most gratifying success, while he has devoted his attention to the same for more than twenty-one years, in Minnesota and South Dakota. He was for one year superin- tendent of the public schools at Olivet, this state. while for the long period of nine years he served in a similar capacity in the Parkston schools. In the autumn of 1902 he was elected to his present office of county superintendent of schools, the preferment being one justly due him, by rea- son of his ability as an educator and organizer

CHARLES H. LUGG.

929

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

as well as on the score of his long and able service in the schools of the county. He as- sumed the discharge of his official duties on the Ist of January, 1903, and has shown marked ad- ministrative power and unlimited enthusiasm in his work, aiming to bring the schools of the county up to the highest possible standard of efficiency, while his personality is such that he enlists the hearty co-operation of the teachers of the county as well as of the official boards. In politics Professor Lugg gives an uncompromis- ing allegiance to the Republican party, and his religious faith is indicated in the fact that both he and his wife are devoted members of the Presbyterian church, in which he was superin- tendent of the Sunday school for several years, while at the present time he is an elder in the Parkston church and has charge of the Bible class in its Sunday school. Fraternally, he is identified with Parkston Lodge, No. 99. Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and also with the adjunct organization, the Daughters of Re- bekah, as well as the local lodge of the Home Guardians.

On Christmas day of the year 1894 was solemnized the marriage of Professor Lugg to Miss Mary A. Parrott, of Dubuque county, Iowa, and they are the parents of two children, Laura A. and Esther A.

CHRISTIAN REMPFER, representative from Hutchinson county in the state legislature and recognized as one of the most prominent and influential business men of Parkston, was born in southern Russia, on the 18th of July, 1859, and was there reared to manhood, securing excellent educational advantages. In 1880 he severed the ties which bound him to home and fatherland and emigrated to America, believing that here were afforded superior opportunities for the attaining of success and independence through personal en- deavor .. From New York city he came westward to South Dakota, which was at that time still an integral portion of the great undivided territory of Dakota. He remained for a short interval in Yankton, which was at the time the capital and

most populous city of the territory, and then re- moved to Scotland, Bon Homme county, where he secured a clerical position in a grocery, being thus employed about two years, within which time he filed claim to a homestead in Douglas county. In 1885 he came to Hutchinson county, where he has ever since retained his home. Upon taking up his residence here he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, in which he was success- fully engaged about eight years. In the autumn of 1893 Mr. Rempfer removed with his family to the village of Parkston, having previously dis- posed of his live stock and grain, from the sale of which he realized four thousand dollars. It was his desire to engage in business of different order, and, feeling the need of more technical knowledge in regard to business methods, in the autumn of 1894 he entered the Dakota University, at Mitch- ell, where he completed a commercial course, after which he returned to Parkston, where, in the spring of 1895, he engaged in the handling of agricultural implements and machinery. He de- veloped marked executive and business ability and his enterprise was attended with most gratify- ing .success. He continued the same until the Ist of January, 1902, when he disposed of his mercantile interests and turned his attention ex- clusively to the buying and shipping of grain. In the following summer he associated himself with other prominent business men in the pur- chase of a series of elevators, twelve in number. operations being conducted under the corporate title of the South Dakota Grain Company, and Mr. Rempfer being made president of the com- pany at the time of its organization. The con- cern handles a large amount of business, having the best of facilities and being one of the most important of the sort in the state. The subject is the owner of. extensive tracts of valuable farm- ing land and is also interested in other business enterprises of important order.

Mr. Rempfer is an uncompromising Republi- can in his political allegiance and has been an ef- fective worker in the promotion of the party cause in this section of the state. In the autumn of 1900 he was made the candidate of his party for representative of his district in the legislature

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

of the state, and his able and straightforward course while a member of the legislative body at this time led to his being chosen as his own suc- cessor in the fall election of 1902, so that he is now serving his second term. He and his wife are active members of the Baptist church.

On the 16th of February, 1883, Mr. Rempfer was united in marriage to Miss Christina Krin, of Scotland, Bon Homme county, and they are the parents of four children, namely : Henry G., who is a student of telegraphy at Janesville, Wis- consin ; William C., who is a student in the State University of South Dakota, at Mitchell; and Helena and Emma, both of whom are attending the Parkston high school.

CHRISTIAN FRIEDERICH, a successful banker of the town of Tripp, Hutchinson county, was born in the southern part of Russia, on the 14th of November, 1854, and was there reared to the sturdy discipline of the farm, receiving a common-school education. In 1876 he emigrated to America, arriving in Yankton, South Dakota, on the 5th of May of that year. Shortly after- ward he took up a homestead claim four miles east of the present village of Tripp, Hutchinson county, and there he took up his abode and turned his attention to the improving of his farm, being dependent upon his own exertions for a liveli- hood. He was there engaged in farming and stock growing about ten years, and his success was cumulative, owing to his energy and good management. In 1886, when the town of Tripp was founded, he came here as one of the first settlers. He had learned the trade of shoemak- ing in his native land, and upon locating in the new town he opened a shoe and harness shop and thus became numbered among the first busi- ness men of the village. He carried on this en- terprise one year, after which he was employed as clerk in a local hardware establishment about six months. He then engaged in the buying and shipping of hogs and grain. In 1893 Mr. Friederich embarked in the hardware and farm- ing-implement business, which he continued about two years, in the meanwhile carrying on

the operation of his grain elevator and the shipping of hogs, with which enterprise he was prominently concerned until 1901, having built up an extensive and prosperous business. In 1897 the subject also established himself in the general merchandise business, and this branch of his enterprise he continued until the fall of 1899, when he disposed of his interests in the same. In March, 1903, he purchased the Tripp State Bank, and he is now devoting his attention primarily to the management of the institution, which stands in high favor and controls a large and representative business. He is a stalwart supporter of the Republican party, but has never sought or desired official preferment. He and his wife are prominent and honored members of the Lutheran church.

In the year 1875 was solemnized the mar- riage of Mr. Friederich to Miss Christina Vetter, who was born and reared in southern Russia, and of their ten children six are yet living, namely : Christiana, Jr., George, Edward, Carl O., Lydia and Leonora.

THEODORE A. SCHLIESSMANN, sen- ior member of the prominent mercantile firm of Schliessmann Brothers, of Tripp, Hutchinson county, was born in Portage City, Wisconsin, on the Ist of December, 1866. He is the eldest of the three survivors in a family of five children born to John and Mary (Kiehm) Schliessmann, the other two surviving children being Otto, who was born July 13. 1868, and who is associated with the subject in business; and John, who is assistant cashier of the Dakota State Bank, in Tripp. The father was born in Germany, about the year 1834, and when he was seventeen years of age he accompanied his parents on their emi- gration to America, the family locating in Port- age City, Wisconsin, where he learned the trade of butcher, to which he devoted his attention for a number of years, continuing to reside in Port- age City for some time after his marriage. In 1879 he came with his family to South Da- kota, and here he filed entry on homestead and tree claims in Bon Homme county, eight miles

931

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

south of the present village of Tripp, and there he developed a valuable farm, upon which he continued to reside until his death, which oc- curred in 1882. He was a Democrat in his po- litical faith and was a member of the Catholic church, as is also his widow, who now resides in the town of Tripp.

The subject of this sketch attended the public schools of Wisconsin until he had reached the age of twelve years, and such further discipline as has been his has come as the result of self- application and association with the principal duties of life. After the death of his father he and his brothers remained in charge of the home farm until 1890, in the meanwhile having pur- chased an additional quarter section. In 1888 Otto Schliessmann left the home farm, and dur- ing the following three years he was employed as clerk in mercantile establishment in Alpena, this state, and West Superior. Wisconsin. In the fall of 1891 he returned to his home and soon afterward became associated with the subject of this sketch in the general merchandise busi- ness which they have ever since successfully con- ducted. Under the firm name of Schliessmann Brothers & Company, their mother being the silent member of the firm, the business was car- ried on until the autumn of 1902, when the two active principals purchased the interest of their mother and have since continued the enterprise under the firm name noted in the opening para- graph of this sketch. The brothers are pro- gressive and reliable young business men and their success comes as a just reward for earnest and honest endeavor. In politics both are adher- ents of the Democratic party, and their religious faith is that of the Catholic church. All three of the brothers also hold membership in Tripp Camp. No. 5931, Modern Woodmen of America. The immediate subject of this sketch is a mem- ber of the board of trustees of the Catholic church, in Tripp, taking a deep interest in all de- partments of the parish work.

On the 30th of August, 1893, Theodore A. Schliessmann was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Rath, of Tripp, and they have three children, William O., Mildred M. and Ireine G.

Otto Schliessmann has been twice married. On the 14th of February, 1895, he wedded Miss Anna Mesmer, of Tripp, who died June 24,' 1897, without issue. On the 21st of May, 1903, he married Miss Marie Faust, daughter of John Faust.

JOHN L. PENNINGTON, fifth territorial governor, was a native of North Carolina, and a printer by occupation. He remained in his native state until his appointment to the governorship by President Grant in 1874. He served four years with credit, and continued to reside in Yankton until 1891, when he returned to the South and established himself in the newspaper business at North Anniston, Alabama. He died in 1900. Mr. Pennington before the war was a Douglas Democrat, and was a Union man dur-

A. D. LONG, county judge of Hutchinson county and one of the prominent real-estate men of the state, was born in Delaware county, Iowa, on the 22d of February, 1858, being a son of William H. and Abigail (Whitehead) Long, and the elder of their two children, his sister Hattie being now the wife of Dr. C. A. Bradley, of Beatrice, Nebraska. The parents of Judge Long were both born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and both removed with their respective parents to Laporte county, that state, when they were children, be- ing there reared to maturity and there married. Shortly after the consummation of their marital vows they removed to Delaware county, Iowa, as did also the parents of Mr. Long. He there pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of govern- ment land, which constituted the nucleus of his present magnificent landed estate, which coin- prises sixteen hundred and eighty acres. He has attained a high degree of temporal prosperity through his well-directed efforts, principally in the raising and dealing in live stock and in land speculation of legitimate order. For the past five years he has leased his land and lived in prac- tical retirement in Manchester, Iowa, being one

932

HISTORY OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

of the honored and influential men of the state and one of its sterling pioneers. While a stanch advocate of the principles of the Republican party from the time of its organization, he has never sought official preferment, though he has taken a zealous part in the promotion of the party cause.

Judge Long was reared on the homestead farm in Iowa, and his early educational advan- tages were such as were afforded in the public schools. He then entered Lenox College, at Hop- kinton, Iowa, where he was graduated as a mem- ber of the class of 1880. Later he completed a commercial course in the Upper Iowa University, at Fayette, and was matriculated in the law de- partment of the University of Iowa, at Iowa City, being there graduated in 1881. For the ensuing three years he was engaged in the practice of his profession at Earlville, that state, and at the ex piration of that period, in 1884, he came to Pierre, South Dakota, where for two years he devoted his attention to the real-estate and insurance business. He then went to the Black Hills, where he re- mained about six years, following various lines of enterprise. He then returned to his native county in Jowa and turned his attention to the breeding of blooded cattle from imported stock, the enterprise proving successful and gaining him marked precedence. In 1898 Judge Long came to Tripp. South Dakota, and established himself in the real-estate and insurance business, in which he has since successfully continued, his transaction having reached wide scope and importance. He has ever been an uncompromising Republican, and in 1900 he was elected to the office of county judge, for which position his professional train- ing and natural mental characteristics eminently fit him, and so ably did he discharge the duties of the office that in the election of 1902 no oppos- ing candidate was enlisted against him, his ma- jority being about thirteen hundred votes. He is the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land in Douglas county, two hundred acres in Delaware county, Iowa, and is known as one of the leading real-estate dealers in the state. He is a member of Square Lodge, No. 286, Free and Accepted Masons, at Earlville, Iowa, and of Ma-

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of South Dakota, Vol. I, Part 139

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen Number of Pages: 998

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 998