Peter Wingen 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. Page 626

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

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PETER WINGEN. This name will be readily recognized by the citizens of 
McCook county as one of its well known, highly respected and 
influential citizens. His home is situated in Salem township, where he 
is doing quite an extensive general farming business. Ever since his 
settlement here in 1885, he has been identified with the interests of 
the community, and all matters pertaining to the civil government, and 
in every way relating to the welfare of his and surrounding counties he 
has taken an active and leading part. 

Our subject is of German descent. He was born in Washington 
county,Wisconsin, the third child in the-order of birth, and the first 
American born of the family of four children of Jacob and Catherine 
Wingen, both deceased. May 5, 1845, when he was sixteen years of age, 
he began working on a farm by the month, but his wages went to the 
support of the family. At the age of twenty years, he learned the 
shoemaker's trade and followed that vocation from 1866 to 1880, at the 
same time tilling his own farm. In 1880, he quit the shoemaking 
business and began to devote his entire attention to farming in 
Richfield township, Washington county. In 1885, he sold out his farm, 
went west and purchased a half section of land in Salem township, 
McCook county, South Dakota, for one thousand six hundred and sixty 
dollars and again started a general farming business. Since then he has 
lost some of his crops by hail and dry season, but on the whole, he has 
been quite successful with his farming in South Dakota and has no 
intention of looking farther for a more desirable place to live. 
Politically he is a Democrat and an ardent advocate of the policies of 
high license and anti-suffrage. For five years he assessed Salem 
township, and for seven years performed the duties of chairman of the 
school board. He was also once nominated for state representative. Mr. 
Wingen is a man of sterling qualities, is true to his convictions and a 
man who may be depended upon to carry out his ideas of justice and the 
wishes of his constituents. 

In 1872, our subject was united in marriage to Miss Mary Wolf, who died 
in the year 1 874, leaving her bereaved husband with two small 
children: Peter, who is now a school teacher and the present township 
clerk, and Susie, who is now married. In 1882 Mr. Wingen again married, 
the lady of his choice being Mrs. Lena Wolf, and to this union have 
been born seven children, upon whom they have seen fit to bestow the 
following names: Charles, Patrick, Annie, Henry, Katherine, Maggie and 
Elizabeth.