Lewis V. Schneider Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1094-1095 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.


	LEWIS V. SCHNEIDER, one of the most prominent and highly honored 
business men of Salem, McCook county, was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, 
on the 28th of December, 1860, being a son of Joseph and Frances (Ringl) 
Schneider, of whose children eight are living at the present time. The 
father of the subject was born in Austria, where he was reared to 
maturity, there learning the trade of cabinetmaking. As a young man he 
emigrated to the United States, and passed a number of years in the 
state of New York, where he followed the vocation of carpenter and 
builder. About 1855 he came west to La Crosse, Wisconsin, as one of the 
pioneers of the place, and there he followed contracting and building 
for some time, also devoting no little attention to work as a 
millwright, through which association he was finally led to engage in 
the milling business. In 1890 he sold his milling interests in Sheldon, 
Minnesota, where he had resided for a number of years, and came to South 
Dakota to pass his declining days with his sons. He died in October, 
1897, at the age of sixty-seven years. His widow now resides with her 
daughter, Mrs. Frances Roop, of Salem, this state. Joseph Schneider was 
a Democrat in politics, but was not deflected from its original 
principles by the heresy of free silver. He was a member of the Lutheran 
church, as is also his widow, who was born in Austria.  

	The subject of this review secured his early educational raining 
in the common schools of the pioneer epoch in Wisconsin, having attended 
school in a little log building of the most primitive type. At the age 
of thirteen years he secured a position in a general store at La Crosse, 
Wisconsin, working the first year for his board and clothing and being 
thereafter advanced in salary from year to year, as his value increased. 
He retained this clerical position seven years and then, in the spring 
of 1881, came to the territory of Dakota, being one week en route. His 
financial resources were represented in the sum of about five hundred 
dollars, which he had saved from his earnings, and after returning to 
LaCrosse to make a final settlement of his affairs preliminary to taking 
up his permanent abode in what is now South Dakota, he returned to Sioux 
Falls, in May, 1881, driving through from Valley Springs, where the 
railway train had been compelled to stop, by reason of the damage done 
to the roadbed by heavy storms. He finally reached his destination, 
having been compelled to ford numerous swollen streams and to encounter 
other annoying obstacles. Upon his arrival he entered the employ of 
Frank Kunerth, a prominent general merchant of Sioux Falls and one who 
stands high in Masonic circles. In December, 1881, Mr. Schneider engaged 
in business on his own responsibility, entering into partnership with P. 
L. Runkel, and coming to Salem. Here they erected a store building and 
on the 27th of the following March formally opened the same for 
business, having a stock of general merchandise. The enterprise 
prospered and in June, 1889, Mr. Schneider purchased his partner's 
interest and soon afterward admitted his brother Henry to partnership, 
while in 1890 his brother Joseph also became a member of the firm. On 
the 2d of March, 1899, to meet the exigencies of the constantly 
increasing business, the firm was incorporated as the Schneider 
Brothers' Company, under which title the business has since been 
continued, the establishment of the company being one of the best 
equipped department stores in this section of the state and commanding a 
large and widely extended trade throughout the surrounding country. In 
addition to a full and select line of general merchandise the company 
also conduct an extensive trade in the handling of farming implements 
and machinery this department having been an adjunct of the business 
since 1882, while in the connection it may be noted that our subject 
sold the first binder ever sold in the county. In 1892 Mr. Schneider was 
prominently concerned in the organization of the McCook State Bank, of 
Salem, of which he was chosen president, retaining this office until 
1897, when he disposed of his interest in the institution. In 1895, in 
company with his two brothers, he purchased the Salem flouring mill, and 
in 1892  they established in connection with the same a modern heating 
and electric-lighting plant, supplying public facilities in these lines, 
and at that time they effected the organization of a stock company, 
known as the Salem Milling, Lighting and Heating Company, under which 
corporate title the enterprise has since been successfully conducted. 
Since its organization Mr. Schneider has served as its president.  

	Since 1896 Mr. Schneider has been aligned with the Republican 
party, while prior to that time he was a sound-money Democrat. In 1896 
he was persuaded to accept the nomination of the Republican party for 
state senator from his district, but met defeat in the Democratic 
landslide which prevailed in this section in that campaign. In 1888 he 
was chairman of the Democratic central committee of his county, and 
later served as councilman and mayor of Salem. He and his wife are 
members of the Presbyterian church. He is a prominent and valued member 
of the Masonic fraternity in the state, and was a member of the building 
committee which had the supervision of the erection of the fine Masonic- 
temple in Yankton, being also a member of the board of trustees, as is 
he at the present time. His Masonic affiliations are briefly noted as 
follows: Fortitude Lodge, No. 73, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; 
Chapter No. 34, Royal Arch Masons; Constantine Commandery, No. 2, 
Knights Templar; Oriental Consistory, No. 1, Ancient Accepted Scottish 
Rite, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree; and El Riad 
Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He also 
holds membership in Salem Lodge, No. 106, Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows; the Knights of the Maccabees and the Ancient Order of United 
Workmen.  

	On the 28th of August, 1883. Mr. Schneider was united in marriage 
to Miss Emma Jehlen, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and they have one child, 
Mae.