George W. Krum 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 1054-1057

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

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GEORGE W. KRUM, of whom a portrait is presented on another page, is one 
of the most prominent men of Claremont, and is one of the wide awake 
and wealthy citizens of Brown county. He is a fine type of our self-
made men, having begun for himself with nothing but the tools which 
nature gave him, and from his eventful life he has reaped a rich reward 
in a financial as well as other ways. Mr. Krum has an extensive 
business in the handling of real estate, insurance, and other agencies, 
and is the possessor of some of the finest land in the county and 
supervises the conducting of a large farm near Claremont. 

Our subject is a native of Kent county, Michigan, and was born August 
2, 1844. He was the oldest of three children born to Abraham and 
Theresa (Holmes) Krum, both of whom are deceased. The family is of 
Holland extraction, and our subject is the sole survivor of the family. 
He resided on the home farm until 1874, when for six years he "roughed 
it" in Texas and Colorado, living the life of a trader among the 
Indians and ranchers. He went to Iowa in 1880, and engaged in farming 
there until the spring of 1881, when he went to Dakota. He had made and 
lost several fortunes during the years which had passed after leaving 
home, and he settled in Groton, Brown county, and farmed for a few 
years. When Claremont was platted in 1886 he went as agent for the town 
site, and erected the first building, which is his present office, 
since which time he has engaged in the real estate business. From time 
to time he purchased land, and is now an extensive land owner, and 
cultivates about four hundred acres. He is the only real estate man of 
northeastern Brown county, and as an agent for eastern parties has 
charge of about twenty-eight farms, this with his real estate business, 
insurance, and sales of organs, sewing machines and bicycles occupies 
his entire attention. One of the pleasing features of his extensive 
sales during the past two years, and one which indicates the bright 
prospects for Brown county, is the fact that the land is sold mostly to 
residents of the county, who have tested the resources to be found 
there and are satisfied there is a great future for the state of South 
Dakota. 

Although a man of genial nature, and of a social turn, our subject 
still remains unmarried. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and 
the Methodist Episcopal church. He has served his community as a member 
of the village board, and at present is chairman of that body. 
Politically he is a Populist, prohibitionist and equal suffragist. He 
is a man of progressive, enlightened views and stands firmly for his 
convictions, and favors reform movements. In business life he has met 
with remarkable success, due wholly to his own efforts. He is a man of 
good business qualifications and excellent judgment, and his advice is 
sought and counsel heeded. He is a valued and respected citizen and a 
representative man of the community in which he makes his home.