Charles J. Koch Biography


	This biography appears on pages 341-342 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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				CHARLES J. KOCH. 

	Charles J. Koch, a well known farmer of Grant county, has also 
given considerable time to his work as treasurer of the Evangelical 
Insurance Company, a mutual concern doing an extensive business in 
North and South Dakota. He was born in Manitowoc county, Wisconsin, 
January 5, 1866, and is a son of Frederick and Albertina (Trapp) Koch. 
The paternal grandfather, Ludwig Koch, died in Wisconsin and the 
maternal grandfather, Leopold Trapp, who was a farmer by occupation, 
also passed away in that state. Both were natives of Germany, as were 
the parents of our subject. Frederick Koch was born in 1831 and died 
June 1, 1912, while his wife, who still survives, was born in 1845. He 
became a resident of Wisconsin at the age of sixteen years and she at 
the age of ten. There they grew to maturity and there their marriage 
occurred. He followed farming in the Badger state until 1883, when he 
removed to Minnesota. He gained a competence and was one of the 
respected residents of his locality. His political allegiance was given 
to the republican party and his religious belief was that of the 
Evangelical church, in the work of which he took an active and helpful 
part. To him and his wife were born seven children: Charles J.; Fred 
W., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; George H., an 
agriculturist of Grant county; John and Ed., who are farming in 
Minnesota; Jennie, the wife of Fred Koehntopp, who is farming in 
Minnesota; and Arthur, who resides upon the old homestead in that 
state. 

	Charles J. Koch was educated in Wisconsin and Minnesota and early 
in life began assisting with the work of the home farm. He has 
continued to follow agricultural pursuits and is a progressive and 
representative farmer. While living in Minnesota he also dealt in land 
to some extent. In 1909 he removed to Grant county, South Dakota, 
purchasing six hundred and eighty acres of good land which he has so 
improved that it is now one of the finest and best developed farms in 
the county. He raises chiefly small grains and hogs and derives a 
handsome income from his agricultural pursuits. He is a director and 
the treasurer of the Evangelical Insurance Company, a state mutual 
company and one of the largest in Dakota. They have at present about 
eighteen million dollars insurance in force and their policy-holders 
are largely wealthy farmers of the Dakotas. The company started as a 
small church insurance company but its policy has always been based 
upon sound business principles and it has grown steadily and rapidly, 
becoming one of the leading concerns of the kind in the northwest. Mr. 
Koch gives a great deal of time to his duties as treasurer of this 
organization and is proving a very capable official. 

	Mr. Koch was married in 1890 to Miss Emma Lenz, who was born near 
Red Wing, Minnesota, and they had two children: Sadie, who married 
Henry Lind, a farmer of Grant county; and Grace, at home. The wife and 
mother passed away in 1905 and in 1907 Mr. Koch married Miss Emma 
Liebing, a native of Grant county and a daughter of Henry Liebing, one 
of the first settlers of that county. To this union two children have 
been born: Verna, who is attending school; and Floyd. 

	Mr. Koch is a republican and has held various local offices, 
including that of town treasurer, which he has filled since his removal 
to the county. He is also a member of the school board. He is very 
active in the affairs of the Evangelical church, of which he is an 
influential member, and is always ready to cooperate in movements 
seeking the moral welfare of his community. He is a man of great mental 
vigor and energy and of excellent judgment and he has carried forward 
to successful completion all that he has undertaken.