John Roth Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1281-1282 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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	JOHN ROTH, one of the representative farmers and stock growers of 
Grant county, was born in Hohenzollern, Germany, on the 22d of May, 
1858, and he is the son of Florian and Sophia (Beuter) Roth, both 
representatives of staunch old German stock. The mother died in Germany 
in 1858, and in 1887 the father came to America, and he now resides on a 
farm about three miles distant from that of our subject. In the family 
were three children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the only son. 
Fanny is the wife of Adna Woolsey and resides near Summit, South Dakota; 
and the younger sister, Josie, is the wife of John L. Roth, who resides 
near Rochester, Minnesota. 

	John Roth, whose name initiates this review, was reared in his 
native place, and received his educational discipline in the excellent 
national schools of Germany, where he continued to reside until he had 
attained the age of seventeen years, when, in 1875, he severed the ties 
which bound him to home and fatherland and set forth to seek his 
fortunes in America, depending entirely upon his own resources and being 
at the time unversed in the English language. That he has so admirably 
succeeded in making his way to the goal of definite prosperity and 
independence stands to his perpetual credit and stamps him as a man of 
energy, perseverance and inflexible integrity. He first located in Mower 
county, Minnesota, where he found employment at farm work, while he 
showed his ambition to advance in knowledge by attending school during 
the winter terms, making the best use of his advantages and soon gaining 
an intimate command of thc language of his adopted country. In 1879 he 
came to South Dakota, and in June of that year filed entry on his 
present homestead, which w as then thirty-five miles distant from the 
nearest railroad point, the little village of Gary, in Deuel county. He 
took up his residence on his claim and bent all his energies to its 
improvement and cultivation, the results of his efforts being evident in 
the attractive buildings and other improvements to be seen on the place 
today, including fine groves of trees, good fences, etc, while the 
entire tract is available for cultivation and yields good returns for 
the labors expended. He gives his attention to the raising of various 
cereals best adapted to the soil and climate, and also to the raising of 
live stock of excellent type. In 1892 Mr. Roth was one of the organizers 
of the Evangelical Mutual Insurance Company, of which he has been 
secretary from the start, having proved a most able and discriminating 
executive and giving no little time to the work involved in the handling 
of the affairs of the office, while it may be said that this is the 
largest mutual company in the state, now having policies indemnifying to 
the extent of more than three and one-half millions of dollars, while 
its business extends into diverse sections of both North and South 
Dakota. The political proclivities of the subject are indicated in the 
staunch support which he accords to the Republican party, and he 
manifests at all times and seasons the loyalty of a progressive and 
public-spirited citizen. Both he and his wife are devoted and zealous 
members of the Evangelical Association, and he is at the present time 
secretary of the local congregation, which has an attractive church 
edifice three-fourths of a mile west of his home. 

	On the 18th of February, 1882, were uttered the words which united 
the life destinies of Mr. Roth and Miss Sarah Haber, who was born and 
reared in Minnesota. and they had one child, Kate. Mrs. Roth was 
summoned into eternal rest on the 25th of September, 1883, at the age of 
twenty-seven years, and her remains were interred in the cemetery about 
seven miles east of the home farm. On the 23d of May, 1884, Mr. Roth was 
united in marriage to Miss Emma Loraff, who was born in Germany, and of 
this union have been born seven children, all of whom are living, 
namely: John F., Emma L., Fannie B., Wesley C., Caroline I., Reuben S. 
R., and Carl F.