Christoph Guenthner Biography

1210-1211

	CHRISTOPH GUENTHNER was born in Crimea, southern Russia, on the 
25th of April, 1853, but comes of staunch German lineage, since his 
grandparents on both the paternal and maternal sides. were natives of 
the kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, whence they removed to southern 
Russia, the father of the subject having been born in Russia, and his 
wife was born after the removal of her parents to the same district in 
Russia. Christoph Guenthner is one of the ten children born to Jacob and 
Katharine (Meyer) Guenthner, and of this number five are now living, 
namely: Elizabeth, who is the wife of Wilhelm Roth, of southern Russia; 
Jacob, who resides in Bridgewater, South Dakota; George A. and Mat, who 
are likewise residents of that place; and Christoph, who is the subject 
of this review. The father was a successful farmer in Russia and was 
prominent in public affairs in his district, his death there occurring 
when he was fifty-two years of age. His widow died at the age of eighty 
years, in Bridgewater South Dakota. 

	Christoph Guenthner was reared to maturity in his native province, 
growing up under the sturdy discipline of the farm and securing a 
common-school education. In 1874, in company with his brother Jacob, he 
emigrated to the United States, making the present state of South Dakota 
his ultimate destination. Both brothers took up homestead claims in 
Hutchinson county, five miles southwest of the present town of Freeman, 
and in the following year they were joined by their widowed mother and 
brothers George and Mat, each of whom took up land in the same locality 
as has the subject. Mr. Guenthner continued to devote his attention to 
the improvement and cultivation of his farm during the ensuing seven 
years, at the expiration of which, in 1882, he came to the newly founded 
village of Freeman, where he established himself in the hardware and 
implement business, in which he successfully continued for nearly a 
score of years, building up a large and prosperous enterprise. In 19O1 
he disposed of his interests in this line and purchased the general 
merchandise business of the firm of Dobler & Buechler, while in the same 
year he also secured a half interest in the only drug store in the town, 
with both of which concerns he has since been identified. His general 
store is well equipped in each department and is one of the leading 
establishments of the sort in the county, controlling a large trade 
throughout the tributary territory. 

	In his political proclivities Mr. Guenthner is an uncompromising 
Republican and he has been an active worker in the party cause. In the 
fall of 1893 he was elected a member of the board of county 
commissioners, and at the expiration of his term was re-elected, thus 
serving four consecutive years, being chairman of the board for three 
years. In the autumn of 1900 he was made the nominee of his party for 
representative in the state legislature, being successful at the polls 
and serving during the next general assembly with marked credit and 
honor to himself and his constituents. He and his wife are prominent 
members of the German Lutheran church, in which he holds the office of 
elder. In addition to his other interests Mr. Guenthner is the owner of 
four hundred and eighty acres of valuable farming land in Hutchinson 
county, and is known as one of its substantial citizens. 

	On the 18th of April, 1876, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Guenthner to Miss Elizabeth Haar, of this county, and they are the 
parents of ten children, namely: Ferdinand, who is associated in the 
management of the drug store in which his father is interested; Erhart, 
who is a student in the medical department of the Northwestern 
University, in the city of Chicago; and Rosa, Katy, Ella, Charlotte, 
Alvina, Leah, Ruth and Irene, all of whom remain at the parental home.