John Bibelheimer Biography This biography appears on pages 1790-1791 in "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. JOHN BIBELHEIMER, the efficient and popular superintendent of schools for Walworth county, was born in southern Russia, province of Cherson, on the 22d of July, 1876, being a son of Heinrich and Katherina (Hirning) Bibelheimer, both of whom were likewise born in that part of the great domain of the czar, while both are of staunch German lineage. The father of the subject was engaged in agriculture or farming in his native land until 1890, when he immigrated to the United States, accompanied by his family, and after landing in New York came directly to South Dakota, arriving in Walworth county in April of that year. He and his wife now reside on a farm in Hiddenwood township, this county, and he has been prospered in temporal affairs and is one of the honored citizens of this section of the state. He is a Republican in politics and he and his wife are members of the German Baptist church. Of their thirteen children seven are living, the subject of this sketch having been the sixth in order of birth. John Bibelheimer secured his preliminary educational discipline in the village schools of his native land, and there became familiar with both the German and Russian languages. He was a lad of fourteen years at the time of the family arrival in South Dakota, and he continued to at- tend the public schools of Walworth county until he had attained the age of eighteen years, after which he was engaged in teaching for two years, his eligibility in a pedagogic way showing beyond peradventure that he had made good use of the advantages afforded him here, since he was unable to speak the English langt1age at the time he began attending school in the county. His success in teaching and his enthusiastic interest in the work led him to determine to definitely fit himself for the profession, and after taking a preparatory course of study in the Baptist College, in the city of Sioux Falls, he was matriculated in the State Normal School at Madison, where he completed a thorough course and was graduated as a member of the class of 1901. He thereafter taught one year in the schools of Walworth county, and in 1902 was nominated on the Republican ticket for the office of county superintendent of schools, being elected in November of that year, by a gratifying majority, while he has demonstrated the wisdom of the voters of the county in calling him to the office, for he is doing most effective work and greatly advancing the interests of the schools in his jurisdiction. He is a stanch advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party, his religious faith is that of the German Baptist church, in which he was reared, and fraternally he is affiliated with Bangor Camp, No. 39, Knights of the Maccabees, in Selby, where he now resides, being one of the popular young men of the county and one who has the high esteem of all who know him.