Jacob D. Steiner, born on June 12, 1861, in Dodge County, Wisconsin, was a prominent farmer and respected citizen of Grant County, South Dakota. He owned a 480-acre farm in Bigstone Township and served as president of the Evangelical Mutual Insurance Company. Steiner moved to South Dakota in 1891 and built a successful farming and livestock operation. A dedicated Republican, he held various local offices and was elected to the state legislature in 1902. Married to Amanda Korte in 1890, Steiner was also an active member of the Evangelical Association, contributing significantly to his community’s development.
Jacob D. Steiner, representative of Grant county in the eighth general assembly of the state legislature, is the owner of a finely improved farm of four hundred and eighty acres, in Bigstone township, and is one of the prominent and highly respected citizens of the county, being also president of the Evangelical Mutual Insurance Company, the most important corporation of the sort in the state.
Mr. Steiner is a native of the Badger state, having been born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, on the 12th of June, 1861, and being a son of John B. and Agnes (Caflich) Steiner, both of whom were born in Switzerland, where they were reared and educated under the beneficent influences of that fair little republic. In his native land John B. Steiner learned the trade of harness-maker and saddler, to which he devoted his attention for some time. In 1851 he immigrated to America, and finally located on a farm in Dodge county, Wisconsin, becoming in the course of time one of the substantial agriculturists of that state and commanding unqualified confidence and esteem in the community in which he has so long lived and labored. He still resides on the old homestead farm, which has been the abiding place of himself and his devoted wife for more than forty-five years. His mother, who was born on Christmas day of the year 1807, resides in his home, and in her venerable age is accorded the utmost filial care and solicitude. The subject of this review is the second in order of birth of a family of nine children, of whom all are living.
Hon. Jacob D. Steiner was reared on the old homestead farm and under the gracious environment of a good home, while his educational advantages were those of the excellent public schools of his native county. At the age of twenty-one years he entered upon an apprenticeship at the carpenter’s trade, becoming a skilled artisan in the line and being engaged for a number of years in the work of his trade at Lomira, Wisconsin, while he also attained success in his operations as a buyer and shipper of grain. He continued to make his home in Dodge county, Wisconsin, until July, 1891, when he came to Grant county, South Dakota, and in February of the following year purchased two hundred and forty acres of his present farm, having later added to the original tract until he now owns four hundred and eighty acres, as has been already noted, while he has the major portion of his fine ranch under effective cultivation and devoted to diversified farming, while he also raises livestock of excellent grade, being recognized as one of the energetic and capable business men of this section and having his farm equipped with good buildings and the best of improvements in other lines. In 1901 he was elected to the presidency of the Evangelical Mutual Insurance Company, and has since served in this responsible position, the company having its headquarters in Milbank, the county seat, and having issued policies covering over three millions of dollars. It is thus one of the strongest and most popular local mutual companies in the state, and its affairs are managed with consummate skill and honor.
In politics Mr. Steiner has ever given an unswerving allegiance to the Republican party, in whose cause he has shown a lively interest. He has held various local offices, and in the county convention of his party in 1902 he was nominated by acclamation for representative in the state legislature, and in the ensuing election was elected by more than five hundred majority. He was a most logical and particularly eligible candidate and has fully justified in his course the wisdom shown by the voters of the county in according him this honorable preferment. He has been clerk of the school board of his district for six years and at all times has manifested a deep concern in all that touches the welfare and material progress of his county and state. Mr. and Mrs. Steiner are prominent and zealous members of the Evangelical Association, and at the time of this writing he is class leader and trustee in the church of this denomination at Bigstone City.
On the 13th of November, 1890, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Steiner to Miss Amanda Korte, who was born and reared in Dodge county, Wisconsin, being a daughter of Fred M. and Mary (Merten) Korte and of stanch German ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. Steiner are the parents of five children, namely: John A., Edwin W., Roy J., Allen C. and Edna M., and all are being afforded the best available educational advantages.
Source: Robinson, Doane, History of South Dakota: together with mention of Citizens of South Dakota, [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen, 1904.