Andrew J. Waltner Biography


	This biography appears on page 1227 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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	ANDREW J. WALTNER, cashier of the First National Bank of Freeman, 
Hutchinson county, was born on a farm in Yankton county, on the 19th of 
January, 1877, being a son of John and Mary (Krehbil) Waltner, of whose 
thirteen children ten are living, the subject being the only one of the 
number born in the United States. Jacob is engaged in farming in Turner 
county, as is also John; Benjamin is a resident of Freeman; Joseph and 
Jonathan reside in Turner county; Frances is the widow of Andrew 
Kaufman, of that county; Catherine is the wife of John Graber, of Turner 
county; Mary is the wife of Jacob Preheim, of that county; Caroline is 
the wife of Peter Graber, likewise of the same county; and Andrew J. is 
the immediate subject of this review. The parents of the subject were 
both born in southern Russia, to which locality their respective parents 
had removed from Germany. In Russia the father was engaged in 
agricultural pursuits until 1875, when he emigrated to America and cast 
in his lot with the pioneers of what is now the great state of South 
Dakota. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Yankton 
county, a year later buying an additional quarter section and eventually 
becoming the owner of five quarter sections, all being exceptionally 
arable and valuable land. He continued to reside on his farm until his 
death, which occurred September 10, 1898, at which time he was sixty-
five years of age. He was a man of impregnable integrity and was honored 
by all who knew him. His venerable widow now resides in the home of her 
daughter, Catherine, in Turner county. The father of our subject was a 
staunch advocate of the principles of the Republican party, but never 
sought office in the gift of his party. In his native land, however, he 
filled various offices of trust, having been for a number of years 
incumbent of the position similar to that of representative in the 
legislature in this country. He was a man of excellent mentality, was 
active and ambitious, and after coming to South Dakota became an 
extensive buyer of live stock, hides, etc., realizing excellent returns 
from his efforts in this line of enterprise. 

	Andrew J. Waltner passed his boyhood days on the homestead farm 
and after attending the district schools until he had finished the 
curriculum he entered Bethel College, at Newton, Kansas, where he 
completed the six-years course in four years' time, being graduated in 
the spring of 1899. He then passed one year as a teacher in the schools 
of Kansas, teaching six months in English and the remaining four in 
German, of both of which languages he has a thorough and technical 
command. In 1900 he engaged in the grain business at Mound Ridge, 
Kansas, where he remained two years, at the expiration of which, in 
1902, he turned his attention to the music business, which he followed 
for seven months and made a success out of it, his headquarters being in 
Mound Ridge, Kansas. In the autumn of the same year he disposed of this 
business and came to Freeman to accept his present position as cashier 
of the First National Bank, and he has proved himself a most faithful 
and able executive, being one of the leading young financiers of this 
section of the state. He is a Republican in politics, and his religious 
faith is that of the Mennonite church, in which he was reared. 

	On the 16th of November, 1899, occurred the marriage of Mr. 
Waltner to Miss Katie Wedel, of Mound Ridge, Kansas, and they have two 
children, Richard L. and Medora E.