Charles Zehnpfening Biography


	This biography appears on pages 927-928 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	CHARLES ZEHNPFENING, one of the representative business men of 
Parkston, Hutchinson county, is a native of the beautiful city of 
Madison, captial of the state of Wisconsin, where he was born on the 
20th of August, 1868, being a son of Frank and Margaret (Bauer) 
Zehnpfening, to whom were born twelve children, of whom the eight 
surviving are as follows: Catherine, who is the wife of Lawrence Bowar, 
and Theodore, Edward, Bertha, Harry, William, Henry and Charles. The 
father was born in Germany, in the year 1839, and when he was six years 
of age his parents emigrated to America, locating in Dane county, 
Wisconsin, where he was reared and educated, eventually engaging in the 
shoe business in the city of Madison, where he remained until 1880, 
when he disposed of his business interests there and came to South 
Dakota, entering homestead and tree claims in Hutchinson county and 
turning his attention to agricultural pursuits, in which he has since 
been successfully engaged. He is a Democrat in his political 
proclivities and both he and his wife are devoted communicants of the 
Catholic church. 

	Charles Zehnpfening, the immediate subject of this review, 
received his early educational discipline in the public schools of his 
native city. and was about twelve years of age at the time of the 
family removal to South Dakota, where he completed a course of study in 
the high school at Mitchell. Upon attaining his legal majority he 
purchased a quarter section of land in Hutchinson county and thereafter 
devoted himself to its improvement and cultivation for six years, at 
the expiration of which, in 1895, he located in the thriving town of 
Parkston, where he established himself in the grain business, forming a 
partnership with A. H. Betts, president of the Truax & Betts Elevator 
Company, of Mitchell. The subject has gained a high reputation as an 
energetic and reliable business man, being progressive in his methods 
and being successful in his chosen vocation. He is a stanch Republican 
in politics and both he and his wife are communicants of the Catholic 
church. He is a member of the board of education of his home town, and 
is thoroughly public-spirited in his attitude. 

	In 1889, Mr. Zehnpfening was united in marriage to Miss Anna M. 
Puetz, of this county, and they are the parents of six children, 
namely: Dora A., Herbert P., Frank T., Clara T., Fred L. and Carl M.