Christian Rempfer Biography


	This biography appears on pages 929-930 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	CHRISTIAN REMPFER, representative from Hutchinson county in the 
state legislature and recognized as one of the most prominent and 
influential business men of Parkston, was born in southern Russia, on 
the 18th of July, 1859, and was there reared to manhood, securing 
excellent educational advantages. In 1880 he severed the ties which 
bound him to home and fatherland and emigrated to America, believing 
that here were afforded superior opportunities for the attaining of 
success and independence through personal endeavor. From New York city 
he came westward to South Dakota, which was at that time still an 
integral portion of the great undivided territory of Dakota. He 
remained for a short interval in Yankton, which was at the time the 
capital and most populous city of the territory, and then removed to 
Scotland, Bon Homme county, where he secured a clerical position in a 
grocery, being thus employed about two years, within which time he 
filed claim to a homestead in Douglas county. In 1885 he came to 
Hutchinson county, where he has ever since retained his home. Upon 
taking up his residence here he turned his attention to agricultural 
pursuits, in which he was successfully engaged about eight years. In 
the autumn of 1893 Mr. Rempfer removed with his family to the village 
of Parkston, having previously disposed of his live stock and grain, 
from the sale of which he realized four thousand dollars. It was his 
desire to engage in business of different order, and, feeling the need 
of more technical knowledge in regard to business methods, in the 
autumn of 1894 he entered the Dakota University, at Mitchell, where he 
completed a commercial course, after which he returned to Parkston, 
where, in the spring of 1895, he engaged in the handling of 
agricultural implements and machinery. He developed marked executive 
and business ability and his enterprise was attended with most 
gratifying success. He continued the same until the 1st of January, 
1902, when he disposed of his mercantile interests and turned his 
attention exclusively to the buying and shipping of grain. In the 
following summer he associated himself with other prominent business 
men in the purchase of a series of elevators, twelve in number, 
operations being conducted under the corporate title of the South 
Dakota Grain Company, and Mr. Rempfer being made president of the 
company at the time of its organization. The concern handles a large 
amount of business, having the best of facilities and being one of the 
most important of the sort in the state. The subject is the owner of 
extensive tracts of valuable farming land and is also interested in 
other business enterprises of important order.

	Mr. Rempfer is an uncompromising Republican in his political 
allegiance and has been an effective worker in the promotion of the 
party cause in this section of the state. In the autumn of 1900 he was 
made the candidate of his party for representative of his district in 
the legislature of the state, and his able and straightforward course 
while a member of the legislative body at this time led to his being 
chosen as his own successor in the fall election of 1902, so that he is 
now serving his second term. He and his wife are active members of the 
Baptist church.  

	On the 16th of February, 1883, Mr. Rempfer was united in marriage 
to Miss Christina Krin, of Scotland, Bon Homme county, and they are the 
parents of four children, namely: Henry G., who is a student of 
telegraphy at Janesville, Wisconsin; William C., who is a student in 
the State University of South Dakota, at Mitchell; and Helena and Emma, 
both of whom are attending the Parkston high school.