Bios of Kettner, John C. (b.1877) Wabasha Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Kettner, John C. (Page 400), cashier of the Farmers & Merchants State Bank
of Elgin, was born in Nicollet County, Minnesota, September 11, 1877, son
of William and Wilhelmina (Stolt) Kettner. The parents were natives of
Germany who came to America when young and single, and were married in
Illinois. In 1857 they came to Minnesota and located in Nicollet County on
a farm of which but little had been broken. There was work for a stout-
hearted pioneer, and William Kettner proved himself the man for the
occasion. The task took time, but he developed the land, erected
buildings, enlarged the farm to an area of 1,090 acres, and became one of
the prosperous and representative farmers of that community. There he died
on June 9, 1908, but his wife, who survived him, is still residing at the
old home. Of their ten children, five died in infancy, the survivors
being: Christian, now of Truman, Minn.; Louis W., living on the home farm
with his mother; Fred A., a resident of Truman; Mary, now Mrs. E. A.
Zimmerman, of Morgan, Minn.; and John C., of Elgin. The last mentioned,
the subject of this sketch, acquired his literary education in the public
schools, and subsequently completed a commercial and banking course in the
Gem City Business College at Quincy, Ill. Then returning to Nicollet
County, and became a candidate for the office of register of deeds of
Nicollet County. This was in 1900, and being elected, he served
subsequently through re-election for ten years. He was then elected
justice of the peace at St. Peter, which office he held for four years.
During this last period he was also assistant county surveyor for two
seasons, and for a year and a half deputy county treasurer. In the fall of
1914 he came to Elgin to accept the position of cashier with the farmers &
Merchants State Bank, and as such he has since continued, having proved
himself efficient both with the bank managements and the general public.
His ability as a man of affairs has been recognized by his fellow
citizens, and in 1917 he was appointed on the board of education to fill
the unexpired term of Dr. W. F. Bleifuss, and at the next election of the
board he was duly elected to the same position, which he has since
continued to fill. In 1917 Mr. Kettner was also elected village treasurer,
to which office he was re-elected in 1918, 1919 and 1920, being now its
incumbent. His public service has given general satisfaction, and he has
taken his natural place as one of the leaders in the community. On June
21, 1904, Mr. Kettner was married at St. Peter, Minn., to Augusta Olson,
who was born September 7, 1876. He and his wife have one child, Rosalie
Estelle, who was born July 5, 1906, and is now a student in the public
schools. The family are members of the Lutheran church, and in politics
Mr. Kettner is a Republican.