Christoph Mettler Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1224-1225 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	CHRISTOPH METTLER, one of the prominent and highly esteemed 
business men of Menno, Hutchinson county, was born in southern Russia, 
on the 15th of August, 1860, being a son of Andreas and Magdalena 
(Schnaidt) Mettler, whose ten children are all living. The parents were 
likewise born in southern Russia but represented staunch German stock, 
since the respective families removed over the line from Germany into 
Russia in an early day. In 1874 Andreas Mettler emigrated with his 
family to America, and forthwith took up his residence in Hutchinson 
county, South Dakota, becoming one of its pioneers. Here he took up 
homestead and pre-emption claims, and later purchased additional land, 
eventually becoming the owner of a landed estate. In the fall of 1879 he 
engaged in the hardware business in Menno, in partnership with Jacob 
Schnaidt, and the subject of this review likewise became a member of the 
firm. In 1888 Mr. Schnaidt assumed the control of the lumber business, 
which had become a department of the enterprise, and our subject and his 
father were thereafter associated in the conduct of the hardware 
business until 1888, when they disposed of the same to give their 
attention to operation of their well-equipped flouring mill, which they 
had acquired about five years previously. Upon the death of his honored 
father, on September 26, 1901, the subject purchased the property and 
has since successfully continued the enterprise, which is a most 
flourishing one, having marked value as an acquisition to the industrial 
interests of this section. Mr. Mettler is a straightforward, energetic 
and progressive business man and public-spirited citizen, and he is held 
in the highest confidence and esteem in the community. He gives his 
support to the Republican party but has never been ambitious for 
political office, and both he and his wife are worthy members of the 
German Reformed church. 

	On November 28, 1883, Mr. Mettler was married to Miss Christina 
Pressler, of this county, and they have six children, all of whom remain 
beneath the home roof, namely: Christina, Christoph, Emanuel, Edward, 
Helmuth and Lydia.