Jacob D. Steiner Biography


	This biography appears on pages 788-789 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (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.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here 
	Inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door 
	is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm


	JACOB D. STEINER, representative of Grant county in the eighth 
general assembly of the state legislature, is the owner of a finely 
improved farm of four hundred and eighty acres, in Bigstone township, 
and is one of the prominent and highly respected citizens of the 
county, being also president of the Evangelical Mutual Insurance 
Company, the most important corporation of the sort in the state.  

	Mr. Steiner is a native of the Badger state, having been born in 
Dodge county, Wisconsin, on the 12th of June, 1861, and being a son of 
John B. and Agnes (Caflich) Steiner, both of whom were born in 
Switzerland, where they were reared and educated under the beneficent 
influences of that fair little republic. In his native land John B. 
Steiner learned the trade of harness maker and saddler, to which he 
devoted his attention for some time. In 1851 he immigrated to America, 
and finally located on a farm in Dodge county, Wisconsin, becoming in 
the course of time one of the substantial agriculturists of that state 
and commanding unqualified confidence and esteem in the community in 
which he has so long lived and labored He still resides on the old 
homestead farm. which has been the abiding place of himself and his 
devoted wife for more than forty-five years. His mother who was born on 
Christmas day of the year 1807, resides in his home, and in her 
venerable age is accorded the utmost filial care and solicitude The 
subject of this review is the second in order of birth of a family of 
nine children, of whom all are living.  

	Hon. Jacob D. Steiner was reared on the old homestead farm and 
under the gracious environment of a good home, while his educational 
advantages were those of the excellent public schools of his native 
county. At the age of twenty-one years he entered upon an 
apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, becoming a skilled artisan in 
the line and being engaged for a number of years in the work of his 
trade at Lomira, Wisconsin, while he also attained success in his 
operations as a buyer and shipper of grain. He continued to make his 
home in Dodge county, Wisconsin, until July, 1891, when he came to 
Grant county, South Dakota, and in February of the following year 
purchased two hundred and forty acres of his present farm, having later 
added to the original tract until he now owns four hundred and eighty 
acres, as has been already noted while he has the major portion of his 
fine ranch under effective cultivation and devoted to diversified 
farming, while he also raises live stock of excellent grade, being 
recognized as one of the energetic and capable business men of this 
section and having his farm equipped with good buildings and the best 
of improvements in other lines. In 1901 he was elected to the 
presidency of the Evangelical Mutual Insurance Company, and has since 
served in this responsible position the company having its headquarters 
in Milbank, the county seat, and having issued policies covering over 
three millions of dollars. It is thus one of the strongest and most 
popular local mutual companies in the state, and its affairs are 
managed with consummate skill and honor.  

	In politics Mr. Steiner has ever given an unswerving allegiance 
to the Republican party, in whose cause he has shown a lively interest. 
He has held various local offices, and in the county convention of his 
party in 1902 he was nominated by acclamation for representative in the 
state legislature, and in the ensuing election was elected by more than 
five hundred majority. He was a most logical and particularly eligible 
candidate and has fully justified in his course the wisdom shown by the 
voters of the county in according him this honorable preferment. He has 
been clerk of the school board of his district for six years and at all 
times has manifested a deep concern in all that touches the welfare and 
material progress of his county and state. Mr. and Mrs. Steiner are 
prominent and zealous members of the Evangelical Association, and at 
the time of this writing he is class leader and trustee in the church 
of this denomination at Bigstone City.  

	On the 13th of November, 1890, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. 
Steiner to Miss Amanda Korte, who was born and reared in Dodge county, 
Wisconsin, being a daughter of Fred M. and Mary (Merten) Korte and of 
staunch German ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. Steiner are the parents of five 
children, namely: John A., Edwin W., Roy J., Allen C. and Edna M., and 
all are being afforded the best available educational advantages.