Parkston - South Dakota Genealogy

Biography of Christian Rempfer

History of South Dakota vol 1 title page

Christian Rempfer (b. 1859, southern Russia) was a successful businessman and state legislator from Parkston, South Dakota. After emigrating to the U.S. in 1880, he settled in Hutchinson County in 1885, initially focusing on farming before transitioning to business. In 1895, Rempfer established a thriving agricultural implement business in Parkston, later shifting to grain trading and co-founding the South Dakota Grain Company. An active Republican, he served two terms in the state legislature, starting in 1900. Rempfer married Christina Krin in 1883, and they raised four children, with the family playing a prominent role in local Baptist church activities.

Biography of Charles H. Lugg

Charles H. Lugg (b. 1862, Geneva, Minnesota) served as the superintendent of schools in Hutchinson County, South Dakota. Raised in Freeborn County, Minnesota, he began teaching at 19 after attending high school in Albert Lea and further studies at Valparaiso’s Northern Indiana Normal School. Lugg held various educational roles, including superintendent in Olivet and Parkston, before being elected county superintendent in 1902. A committed Republican and Presbyterian elder, he was active in community and fraternal organizations. In 1894, he married Mary A. Parrott, with whom he had two daughters, Laura and Esther.

Biography of Charles Zehnpfening

Charles Zehnpfening (b. 1868, Madison, Wisconsin) was a prominent business figure in Parkston, South Dakota, known for his work in the grain industry. After relocating to Hutchinson County with his family in 1880, he later acquired and farmed land before transitioning to the grain business in 1895, forming a successful partnership in Parkston. An active member of the Catholic Church, Zehnpfening was also engaged in civic affairs, serving on the local board of education. He married Anna M. Puetz in 1889, and they raised six children together: Dora, Herbert, Frank, Clara, Fred, and Carl.

Biography of John Schamber

John Schamber, born on March 6, 1856, in the Crimean district of southern Russia, was a significant figure in South Dakota’s public and business sectors. After emigrating to the U.S. in 1874, he settled in Yankton County, where he and his family became early pioneers. Schamber initially worked on a farm before moving into the business sector, establishing himself as a leading merchant in Freeman. He later became involved in banking, founding the Exchange State Bank of Menno. A committed Republican, Schamber served as Hutchinson County Treasurer, a state senator, and ultimately, South Dakota State Treasurer. He was also active in his community and the Lutheran church. Schamber married Maria Kayser in 1881, and they had ten children.

Biography of John Doering

John Doering, born February 2, 1868, in southern Russia, became a prominent businessman in Parkston, Hutchinson County. Son of Gottlieb and Juliana (Lempke) Doering, he emigrated to America at age twelve. The family settled near Parkston after a year in Menno. Educated briefly in South Dakota, Doering married Louisa Eberhard in 1892 and established a grist mill in Parkston. He later transitioned to the grain business and agricultural implements. In 1897, he co-founded the South Dakota Grain Company, managing multiple grain elevators. A respected Republican and community leader, Doering owned significant land and served on Parkston’s city council.

Biography of John S. Mueller

John S. Mueller, a prominent businessman in Parkston, Hutchinson County, was born in southern Russia on March 24, 1870. His parents, Johann and Wilhelmina (Hass) Mueller, emigrated to America in May 1881, settling in South Dakota. Johann, a homesteader and pre-emption claimant, lived there until his death in 1898. John S. Mueller attended public schools and an academy in Scotland, South Dakota. After various employments, he served as deputy county treasurer and county auditor. In 1901, he became assistant cashier of Hutchinson County Bank, later co-founding Parkston Land and Implement Company. A Republican and Lutheran elder, he married Elizabeth C. Gall in 1892, and they had six children.

Biography of Rev. John J. Reiland

Rev. John J. Reiland, born May 9, 1868, in Luxembourg, was the pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Parkston, Hutchinson County. His family emigrated to Wabasha County, Minnesota, in 1869. After studying at St. Francis Seminary in Wisconsin and the Propaganda College in Rome, he was ordained at the Gregorian University on October 28, 1891. Father Reiland served in White Lake and Aberdeen before taking charge of Sacred Heart Church in Parkston in 1897. Under his leadership, a new church building was constructed, and the parish included a parochial school managed by the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Biography of Alvin M. Shaw

Alvin M. Shaw, who is incumbent of the responsible executive office of cashier of the Delmont State Bank, of Delmont, Douglas County, is recognized as one of the able young business men of the county, where he is held in high esteem and is personally popular. He was born on a farm in Joe Daviess County, Illinois, on the 3rd of February, 1876, being a son of Henry and Mary E. Shaw, of whose seven children four are living, namely: William H., who is cashier of the Hutchinson County Bank, at Parkston, this state; Ora P., who is a grain … Read more