John Arend Biography


	This biography appears on pages 893-894 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JOHN AREND. 

	John Arend, a carpenter and painter, whose enterprise and 
industry constitute a valuable contribution to the industrial activity 
of Yankton, where his ability wins him many important contracts, was 
born in Yankton county, on the Jim river, three miles east of the city, 
November 11, 1859, his parents being Henry and Anna (Kaiser) Arend, 
both of whom were born in Germany. Coming to the new world, they 
settled first in Minnesota, but afterward removed to Tama county, Iowa, 
where they spent a brief period. In the month of June, 1859, they 
arrived in Yankton and Mr. Arend secured a claim three miles east of 
the present city of Yankton. More than half a century has since come~ 
and gone and wonderful changes have occurred in that time transforming 
into a thickly populated and prosperous county the wild region into 
which they came. Around them for miles stretched the unbroken prairie 
and one had to go long distances to mill and market. Owing to the 
frequently manifested hostilities of the Indians a company of 
volunteers was formed under Captain Tripp and Henry Arend and his 
eldest son Christopher enlisted in that organization, which became 
known as Company A. They were enlisted for three years and at the time 
of the Indian scare the family removed into Yankton to enter the 
stockade and obtain protection furnished by numbers. After the fear of 
an Indian uprising was passed and Mr. Arend's term of enlistment in the 
volunteer company had expired he returned to his claim and preemption 
and continued to carry on general agricultural pursuits throughout the 
remainder of his life. Year after year saw the fruitful results of his 
labors in good crops that attested the practical and progressive manner 
in which he tilled and developed his fields. He was a very thrifty, 
energetic man and made his property a most valuable and desirable one. 
Upon that farm he remained until his death. which occurred May 16, 
1893, when he was seventy-two years of age. He had for a few years 
survived his wife, who died on the 22d of January, 1890. They had a 
family of seven children, four sons and three daughters: Margaret, the 
wife of Robert Buckhart, living in Yankton; Christopher, a veteran of 
the Indian wars, who died in Rogers, Arkansas; Jacob, who is now living 
retired in Sioux City, Iowa; Katie, the wife of C. K. Madara, a 
resident of Yankton; Henry, who is living retired in Yankton; John, of 
this review; and Annie, who makes her home in Seattle, Washington. 

	John Arend was reared upon the old home farm. He had the 
distinction of being the first white child born in Dakota territory and 
every phase of pioneer life, with its hardships and difficulties and 
later its advantages, is familiar to him. He was educated in the 
country schools, which he attended to the age of sixteen years, and he 
worked upon his father's farm until twenty-one years of age, early 
becoming familiar with all the duties and labors incident to the 
development of the fields and the care of the crops. After attaining 
his majority he rented a farm and soon afterward purchased one hundred 
and twenty acres of farm land, which he carefully cultivated until 
substantial success rewarded his efforts. In 1894 he sold out and 
removed to Yankton, where he took up carpentering and painting as a 
contractor. He has developed an excellent business in the meantime and 
is busy the year round, employing about eight men. His business is well 
established- and he is widely and favorably known, his entire time 
being devoted to the management of his industrial activities. 

	In 1888 Mr. Arend was married to Miss Lillie Harrison, a native 
of Iowa, and they have a son, Harry R., now a resident of Nebraska. Mr. 
Arend votes with the democratic party, but has never sought nor desired 
office. He owns an attractive residence at No. 509 Mulberry street and 
also has considerable other city property, having made judicious 
investments in real estate. No history of the territory would be 
complete without mention of him-its firstborn native son. He has 
watched with interest its development as the years have gone by and has 
lived to see remarkable changes, transforming a broad, uncultivated 
prairie district into one of the thriving, growing and prosperous 
states of the Union.