P. J. Tscharner Biography This biography appears on pages 848-849 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm HON. P. J. TSCHARNER. Hon. P. J. Tscharner, an attorney at law practicing in Lemmon, was born in Fountain City, Wisconsin, February 10, 1878. His parents, Lutzi and Mary (Messinger) Tscharner, were natives of Switzerland, the former coming to America when a youth of seventeen years, while the mother crossed the Atlantic with her parents in childhood. The former was identified with mercantile interests in Alma, Wisconsin, for a quarter of a century and was also prominent in public affairs there, filling the office of register of deeds in Buffalo county for seven years. He is now living retired in St. Paul. On completing a full course in the high school of Alma, P. J. Tscharner was graduated with the class of 1895 and subsequently continued his education by a year's study in the River Falls Normal. He next entered the law department of the State University of Wisconsin at Madison and was graduated with the class of 1901. While pursuing his course there he was honored by being chosen to represent the university in an interstate debate against the University of Iowa. Following his admission to the bar he opened a law office at Greenwood, Wisconsin, where he remained in active practice for five years and in 1907 went to Lemmon, South Dakota, locating there in advance of the railroad. He was made assistant state's attorney of Butte county and after the division whereby Perkins county was formed he became the first prosecuting attorney of the latter. In 1911 he was elected to the state Legislature by his fellow citizens, who appreciated his worth and ability and recognized his public spirit. So ably did he represent the district that in 1913 he was returned to the house and such was the goodwill and appreciation of his colleagues in the assembly that he was honored with election as speaker. In 1915 he was once more made representative from his district and was appointed chairman of the judiciary committee. He has been connected with much important constructive legislation and has left the impress of his individuality for good upon the history of the state. At the present time he is frequently spoken of as the logical candidate for congress from his district. In 1907 Mr. Tscharner was united in marriage to Miss Gaile Sheets, of Greenwood, Wisconsin, by whom he has two children, William Wendel and Robert Lucius. Fraternally he is identified with Lemmon Lodge, No. 151, A. F. & A. M., and the Knights of the Maccabees. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Presbyterian Church, to which his wife also belongs, and in social circles they occupy a prominent position. He is numbered among those who are recognized as leaders of public thought and opinion in this state. In considering questions of public moment he brings to bear the same power of clear analysis that he displays in preparing his cases for the courts, and his logical reasoning is just as strongly evidenced in his presentation of public questions as when he discusses legal problems before court or jury.