Bernard Peschong Biography


	This biography appears on pages 359-360 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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				BERNARD PESCHONG. 

	Bernard Peschong, who owns six hundred and forty acres of 
excellent land in Grant county, was born in Ozaukee county, Wisconsin, 
December 16, 1856, a son of Peter and Katherine Peschong, both natives 
of Germany, the former born in 1832 and the latter in 1833. The father 
went to Wisconsin in 1845 and in that state grew to manhood. For a 
number of years he worked on a farm in Michigan but later took up a 
homestead in Wisconsin and there resided upon his farm until the death 
of his wife in 1866. He then sold one hundred acres of land and 
returned to Michigan, where he remained for a number of years. He 
passed away in 1910. He was a member of the Roman Catholic church and 
gave his political allegiance to the democratic party. He was 
successful in business and all who knew him held him in high respect. 
In Wisconsin he was united in marriage to Katherine Pioron, a daughter 
of Peter Pioron, who settled on a farm in Wisconsin about 1848. To this 
union seven children were born, five of whom survive: Bernard; Louis, 
who is a priest and is the head of St. Francis Seminary at Milwaukee; 
Kate, who is with her brother Rev Louis; Elizabeth, who is now a sister 
in Notre Dame Convent in Michigan City, Indiana; and John, who is a 
priest and is stationed near Milwaukee. 

	Bernard Peschong received his education in Wisconsin and partly 
completed a course in preparation for the priesthood but his health 
would not permit him to continue his study. In 1880 he removed to 
Lincoln county, South Dakota, and on the 3d of April of that year 
purchased a relinquishment of one hundred and sixty acres, upon which 
he resided until 1903. He then removed to Grant county, where he now 
holds title to six hundred and forty acres of excellent land. He 
erected a commodious residence and also built a granary and improved 
his barn. He carries on genera] farming and stock-raising and is 
meeting with a gratifying measure of success in both branches of his 
business. When he came to South Dakota his capital was only five 
hundred dollars but his industry and enterprise have enabled him to 
gain financial independence. 

	Mr. Peschong was married in 1883 to Miss Elizabeth Krell, who was 
born in Wisconsin and is a daughter of Peter Krell. Her father settled 
in that state in 1849 and continued to reside upon the farm until his 
demise. Mr. and Mrs. Peschong have become the parents of eight 
children, seven of whom survive. Peter, who is on his father's farm and 
who is a member of the Knights of Columbus; Agnes, the wife of Joseph 
Loehrer, a farmer of Grant county; Rose, the wife of Stanley Farley, 
who conducts a hardware store in Milbank; Nicholas, who resides at home 
and who is a member of the Knights of Columbus; Anna, who is a school 
teacher; Anthony, at home; and Loretta, who is attending school. The 
sons Peter and Nicholas, are considered the best baseball players in 
their county. 

	Mr. Peschong is a republican and has served on both the school 
board and the town board and was town treasurer but has not taken a 
very active part in politics as the management of his farm demands the 
greater part of his time. He and his family are communicants of the 
Roman Catholic church and do all in their power to aid in the work of 
that organization.