| SPOUSE | CHILDREN | ||||
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| Catherine Keller m. Nov 25, 1869 b. Mar 26, 1849 Jefferson Co. WI d. Mar 6, 1911 Kellerton, Hamlin Co. SD |
Rosa Lydia b. Apr 21, 1871 Jefferson Co. WI d. May 21, 1871 infancy |
Arthur George b. May 1, 1872 Jefferson Co. WI d. Apr 10, 1931 |
Edward Jacob b. Nov 17, 1873 Jefferson Co. WI d. Aug 13, 1877 young |
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Leonard b. Oct 11, 1875 Jefferson Co. WI d. Jan 14, 1876 infancy |
Rosa Barbara b. Jan 29, 1877 Jefferson Co. WI d. Feb 24, 1941 Kellerton Farm SD |
Flora Katherine b. Mar 6, 1880 Jefferson Co. WI d. Dec 25, 1963 SD |
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Mary Agnes b. Nov 7, 1881 Jefferson Co. WI d. Dec 29, 1964 |
William Benjamin b. Jun 22, 1885 Hamlin Co. SD d. Aug 19, 1925 Hamlin Co. SD |
Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" b. Apr 1, 1888 Hamlin Co. SD d. Jun 28, 1928 SD |
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John Robish was born more than 5 months before Wisconsin was admitted as a state to
the Union which was on May 29, 1848. |
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John Robish began farming in Wisconsin in 1869. In 1876 he bought a meat market
in Jefferson WI which he sold in 1883, when he moved to Hamlin County SD. There
he filed a tree claim on a quarter section. He permanently settled in Opdahl
Township where he planted 5 acres of trees and farmed 180 acres. |
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History of these German immigrants, an excerpt from Family Social History,
Term paper for Kenyon College course on Immigration by George N. Holloway. |
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| In 1878 Congress passed a law "to encourage the growth of timber on the western prairies... any person who would plant protect, and keep in a healthy growing condition ten acres of timber, might secure title to a quarter section". The Homestead Act of 1862 was the primary reason why this land was going fast. But it was not until after 1878 that this part of the prairie could be farmed profitably; since in that year the Winona and St. Peter branch of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad was rebuilt so that its terminus was at Watertown, S.D., approximately 20 miles from where John Robish filed his claims. Another railroad (Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pacific Railway Co.) had its western end at Watertown by 1884. | |||||
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Photograph of John G. Robish with Al Cover, hired man, and Clarence Feind. |
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Family of daughter Rosa Feind at the Kellerton farm circa 1909 John J., Alice, Mary, Edward Emil, Rosa Robish Feind with baby Earl, Nellie, Ernest, Wally, Clarence, and hired hand, Al Cover, at the barn door. |
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| Family photographs of
Grandpa John G. Robish and with
Feind children and grandchildren, standing between Rosa Robish and Clarence Feind.
Also in the picture are daughter Lizzie (Mrs. Buri), grandchildren Bob Feind
(squatting far left), Mary (Feind?), Earl Feind (tallest in back), and Walter
Feind (squatting far right). |
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Kellerton Church, across the road from the Kellerton farm, is the oldest continuously
used Evangelical Association/United Methodist Church building in South Dakota.
The marriage of John and Catherine's daughter Flora and Edward George Arnold
(1875-1951) was the first in the church and represented a union of the two families
that started the church, the Robishes (Kellers/Feinds) and Arnolds/Wendlings. |
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Kellerton United Methodist Church. Photograph from book commemorating the
Centennial (1893-1983) of the church. |
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Photograph of daughter Flora Robish Arnold with daughters of
Christian Julius Feind: Sarah Feind Reimler, Augusta Feind Wendling, and Lillie Feind
Reimler. |
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Kellerton Homestead House in 2003. |
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A great grandchild of daughter Flora and Edward George Arnold (1875-1951),
Kristi Noem, was elected 33rd Governor of South Dakota in 2018 and served
until 2025 when she was sworn in as head of the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security under President Trump to oversee his goal of the mass deportation of
illegal immigrants, which often bypassed the "due process rights" for all legal
U.S. residents who were not criminals or even accused of a crime, a protection
of the Constitution. The Trump administration vowed to continue the
"reign of terror" through 2026. She was born Kristi Lynn Arnold in 1971 in
Watertown SD. Her paternal grandparents were 50% German (Robish) and 50% French
(Arnold), and her
great-great-grandfather emigrated from Germany soon
after 1841. |
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On Dec 11, 1911, son William married Cora Wendling (1885?-1978). He died in
1925 and was buried in Zion Cemetery in Hazel SD. |
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Daughter Mary married Ralph Seipp (1881-1972) by 1912. They are buried in
Mouth Hope Cemetery in Watertown SD. |
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Sources: Donovan, Frank P. Jr., Mileposts on the Prairie, Simmons-Boardman, New York NY, 1950, p. 66. Dunn, Steve, "John and Catherine Robish" in Hamlin County, 1878-1979, Hamlin Historical Committee, Hamlin Co., SD, p. 364. Dunn, Steve, Transcript of taped communication to L.M.Holloway, Jul 3, 1977, citing interview with Evelyn Walther Wolfgram, granddaughter of Anna Margaret Robish (1835-1911) and John Walther. Hogstad, Marlys, Hamlin County, SD - Kellerton Zion Cemetery record list, USGenWeb Archives. Feind, Alice, ed., "History" in Kellerton United Meethodist Church, 90th Anniversary, 1883-1983, Hamlin Co. SD, 1983. Jefferson County WI, 1880 Census, Peter Robish (Census Taker). Robish, John George, account in Memorial and biographical record... South Dakota, A. Ogle, Chicago IL, 1898, pp. 1016 ff. Wennblom, Raymond J. (descendant of Arthur Robish, brother of Rosa Robish), "Descendants of: (Johann) Robisch", Bellevue WA, Dec 30, 1992; computer file submitted to LM Holloway, . |
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