John Henry Mundt Biography


	This biography appears on pages 469-470 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 HENRY MUNDT. 

	John Henry Mundt, the period of whose residence in South Dakota 
covers thirty-seven years, is a retired agriculturist now residing at 
Humboldt, Minnehaha county, who still has extensive landed interests. 
He has long been numbered among the leading and influential citizens of 
his community and has taken a prominent part in public affairs. His 
birth occurred in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany, on the 21st of 
October, 1853, his parents being Christian and Elizabeth (Jacobs) 
Mundt, who emigrated to the United States in 1868. The father passed 
away in 1898, at the age of eighty-three years, but the mother still 
survives and is now eighty-three years old. 

	John Henry Mundt was a youth of almost fifteen years when he 
accompanied his parents on their voyage to the new world, the family 
home being established at Giard, Clayton county, Iowa, on the 3d of 
September, 1868. He resided with his father and mother in Giard and 
worked with the former in a wagon shop until 1870. For two terms he 
attended the normal school at Galena, Illinois, while afterward he 
spent three years in a wagon shop at Postville, Allamakee county, Iowa, 
and for two years conducted a wagon shop for J. H. Schwenkee at Clayton 
Center. It was in the year 1878 that he came to South Dakota, reaching 
Sioux Falls on the 23d of March. He homesteaded the southeast quarter 
of section 34, township 102, range 52, Humboldt township, and there 
turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits, his efforts in 
that connection being rewarded with gratifying success. In 1884 he 
purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 35, Humboldt 
township, and he still owns two hundred and eighty acres on section 16, 
that township, as well as a quarter section of land north of Pierre, in 
Sully county, this state. On the 1st of March, 1914, he put aside the 
active work of the fields and has since enjoyed honorable and well 
earned retirement. Numerous other interests have claimed his attention, 
for he is a man of excellent executive ability and sound judgment in 
business affairs. He served as secretary of the telephone company and 
is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company, of which he acted as 
president for four years At the end of eleven years' service as 
secretary of the Farmers Mutual Fire & Lighting Insurance Company of 
Humboldt he was made president of the concern the business of which has 
increased tenfold under his able direction. In 1911 he assisted in the 
organization of the local branch of the German State Alliance and has 
since been its president. 

	On February 11 , 1882, Mr. Mundt was united in marriage to Miss 
Mary Niehaus, by whom he had the following children: J. C., a graduate 
of the State University of Iowa at Iowa City, who also pursued a course 
in the law department of the University of South Dakota at Vermillion 
and was admitted to the bar following his graduation therefrom in 1913; 
H. C., who is a graduate of the School of Law of the university at 
Vermillion; Alma; Emma; Ida; and five who are deceased. 

	In politics Mr. Mundt is a democrat and his public work has been 
felt as a potent influence in the local ranks of that party. In 
November, 1888, he was chosen county commissioner of Minnehaha county 
and held the office for three years, being reelected after an interval 
of six years and again serving in that capacity for a period of seven 
years. He acted as chairman of the county board in 1900 and 1906, also 
made a splendid record as justice of the peace and in 1882, at the time 
of its organization, was chosen assessor of Humboldt township. From 
1894 to the present time he has served continuously as school clerk. In 
1907 he was chosen to represent his district in the legislature, doing 
commendable work in the interests of his constituents as a member of 
the senate. For a number of years he also served on the township board 
and at different times acted as its chairman. He is moreover a valued 
member of the Commercial Club and is widely recognized as a leading 
citizen of his community, which owes its advancement and growth along 
many lines and in considerable degree to the zealous labors of John H. 
Mundt.