Carl L. Balfany Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 587-588

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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CARL L. BALFANY, a prominent agriculturist of Clark county, South 
Dakota, is a son of the German Empire, whose honesty, industry and 
business tact has placed him foremost among the members of his 
community. He resides on a pleasantly situated and well improved farm 
on section 19 in Lake township. 

Mr. Balfany was born in Pomern, Germany, December 6, 1855, and was the 
eleventh in a family of twelve children born to Chrislieb and 
Wilhelmina Balfany, both of whom are deceased. Our subject farmed some 
in the old country and for six years was a soldier. He came to America 
in 1881 and for a few months was with his friends. He went to Clark, 
Clark county, in 1882, and upon his arrival had but three and a half 
dollars in money. He could not understand any but his own language, and 
it was hard for him to get along. His experiences during those early 
days among stranger, without means, and unable to make known his wants 
would fill many pages. He obtained work in the Clark House and soon 
filed on land, and began work as farmer. He is now the owner of four 
hundred acres and crops six hundred acres of land annually. He raises 
some stock and has been successful on his farm. His change in condition 
is one of which he may well be proud, and the township has every reason 
to accord him the highest praise. 
Mr. Balfany was married in 1884 to Mrs. Antoinette Johnson. Mrs. 
Balfany has one son, Adolph, by her former marriage. 

Our subject is a member of the Lutheran church, and also the Knights of 
Pythias lodge. He is a Populist in political sentiment, and favors 
state control of the liquor traffic and opposes equal suffrage. He 
holds a prominent place in his community, and is a self-made man, 
honest in meeting his obligations, and in his association with men, 
respected as a citizen, neighbor and friend. It is to such men that the 
country owes a debt of-gratitude for the part they have taken in 
transforming the wild lands of the Dakotas into thriving agricultural 
districts. He has worked with a will for the advancement of his 
community, and has aided in promoting the general welfare of the 
locality. He belongs to that class of intelligent men who grasp every 
opportunity in life for the development of even scanty resources, and 
bring about the best results. He never deems it necessary to owe his 
fellow man other than respect and good treatment, and is ever ready to 
lend a helping hand.