Rev. Heinrich P. Unruh Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1336-1337 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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	REV. HEINRICH P. UNRUH, one of the popular and successful farmers 
of Bon Homme county, was born in Volhynia, Ostrog, Russia, on the 25th 
of February, 1865, and is a son of Rev. Peter and Mary (Siebert) Unruh, 
both of whom were likewise born in Russia, being of German lineage and 
speaking the German language. Their ancestors removed from Germany into 
southern Russia a number of generations ago. The father of the subject 
was engaged in agriculture and in service as a minister of the gospel in 
his native land until 1874, when he emigrated thence to America, and 
with his family located in Hutchinson county, South Dakota, being one of 
the first settlers in that section, where he took up two hundred and 
twenty acres of government land, the same being entirely unreclaimed and 
located in the vicinity of Silver Lake. His equipment upon coming to the 
county consisted of a few household effects, a wagon, a yoke of oxen and 
two cows. He began his career here in true pioneer style, the original 
family home being a rude sod house, but in due time he brought his land 
under profitable cultivation and made the best of improvements on the 
property, becoming one of the honored and successful farmers of the 
county, where he and his wife still maintain their residence, residing 
on the old homestead which has been their place of abode for the past 
thirty years. He is a Republican in politics and both he and his wife 
are members of the Mennonite church. To them were born ten children, of 
whom all are living, the subject having been the second in order of 
birth, while five of the number were born after the removal of the 
family to America. 

	Rev. Heinrich P. Unruh was a lad of nine years at the time of his 
parents' immigration to the United States, and had received his early 
educational training in the excellent German schools of his native land, 
while he supplemented this by attending school as opportunity afforded 
after coming to South Dakota, though the advantages were of course 
meager in the early days, while his services were much in requisition in 
connection with the work of the home farm. He continued to assist his 
father in the management of the homestead until he had attained the age 
of twenty-one years, when he initiated his independent career, having 
received from his father a gift of eighty acres of wild land in Turner 
county, this state, together with a yoke of oxen. He remained on this 
place two years, breaking the greater portion of the land, and then, in 
1888, disposed of the property and purchased his present homestead of 
one hundred and sixty acres, in Bon Homme county. The place was 
partially lmproved, and had a sod house, in place he continued to reside 
until 1901, when he erected his present commodious frame residence. Mr. 
Unruh cultivates three hundred and twenty acres of land, of which one 
hundred and sixty are rented. Be receives a nice income from butter, 
eggs, produce and stock, and nets from seven hundred to eight hundred 
dollars yearly from hogs. The farm has a good orchard, is well fenced 
and is one of the attractive and valuable places of the county, while 
the subject is known as an energetic and indefatigable worker and as man 
worthy of unqualified confidence and esteem, which are freely accorded 
him. In politics he supports the Republican party, and both he and his 
wife are members of the Mennonite church. 

	On the 18th of February, 1886, Mr. Unruh was united in marriage to 
Miss Lena Schultz, who was born in Russia and who is a daughter of Henry 
Schultz, who was one of the pioneers and successful farmers of Bon Homme 
county, where his death occurred in 1880. His wife is still living and 
resides in the home of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Unruh have eight 
children, whose names are here entered, with respective dates of birth: 
Benjamin, February 3, 1887; Peter, October 5, 1888; Susan, May 27, 1890; 
Jonathan, January 30, 1892, died September 9, same year; Anthony, 
November 12, 1893; Elizabeth, January 19, 1896; Anna, September 17, 
1897; and William, September 1, 1899. 

	In reference to his services as a minister of the gospel it may be 
said that Mr. Unruh was elected a minister by the members of the 
Mennonite church at Loretta, Bon Homme county, January 4, 1889, and was 
confirmed and ordained on the 15th of February following by Bishop 
Benjamin P. Schmidt. He has since then served in the Christian ministry 
without salary. He works faithfully for the sake of Christianity and is 
greatly interested in the education of young children, having himself 
been a teacher of the German language for some time at Loretta.