Surname: Kaiser

Biography of Hon. Leonard Renner

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Leonard Renner, born June 9, 1840, in Baden, Germany, was a respected farmer and politician in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. After emigrating to the U.S. in 1848, his family settled in Racine County, Wisconsin, where he grew up and received his education. Renner served honorably in the Union Army during the Civil War, participating in numerous key battles. In 1878, he relocated to South Dakota, where he developed a successful 960-acre farm in Mapleton Township. Renner was active in local politics, serving on the town board and in the state legislature, and was a dedicated supporter of education and community development. He was married to Catherine Kaiser, and they had four surviving children.

Biography of Vaclav Novak

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Vaclav Novak was born in Bohemia in March 1832 and became a notable violinist and music teacher in his homeland. After the death of his first wife and subsequent remarriage to Barbara Hurkova in 1861, Novak emigrated to the United States in 1870, settling in Yankton County, South Dakota. He purchased and cultivated 320 acres of farmland. Novak had a total of eleven children, four born in Bohemia and seven in the United States. He passed away on September 22, 1899, leaving a legacy of integrity and community respect.