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Daniels-Kemmerer
Entries: 10318 Updated: 2010-03-15 03:35:14 UTC (Mon) Contact: Beckie BJD97@juno.com
If you wish to quote from my work, please be so kind as to give me the credit! Thank you. Beckie Kemmerer Daniels
DANIEL METTLER
The biography of Daniel Mettler varies very little from that of many other
early pioneers who settled in the Eureka territory. His ancestry is traced back
to Frederick Mettler, a great-grandfather, who emigrated from Wurtenburg,
Germany, to the colony of Kassel, in South Russia, to escape military service
in his native country. At that time the Czarina of Russia had made the promise
that immigrants who helped to build up the country would be exempt from all
military service. His grandfather, Henry Jacob Mettler, followed in the
footsteps of his father, who died when young Henry was but seven years of age,
in tilling the soil of his native Kassel. His father, Andrew Mettler, emigrated
to America when young Daniel was only 16 years of age. Accompanying Andrew
Mettler to America was his wife and family consisting of 10 children, four
girls and six boys, one of whom was young Daniel. The cause of their migration
to America was the same as prompted their forefathers to leave Germany almost a
century before, namely, to escape compulsory military service, and to take up
free land.
The Mettler family arrived in Yankton, South Dakota, on the 31st of May, 1874,
and soon afterwards filed on three claims of land in Hutchinson County,
approximately 33 miles north of Yankton. A sod house and farm buildings were
soon constructed, and with the aid of a yoke of oxen, the land was soon made
tillable.
Young Daniel worked with his parents until he was 22 years of age, when he
married Margaret Huether. The Reverend Orth of Yankton, officiated at the
wedding. The newlyweds immediately filed on a homestead on 160 acres, and also
on a 120-acre preemption claim. However, on the 2nd of April, 1889, a prairie
fire ravaged large tracts of land in Hutchinson County, and completely destroyed
the Daniel Mettler farm home, all buildings, 55 hogs, all his machinery, and
about 1,000 bushels of grain, none of which was covered by insurance.
Sad and disappointed, Daniel Mettler decided to look elsewhere for a home.
Consequently, with the balance of his money, young Daniel purchased 18 head of
oxen and started out for northern South Dakota. Upon his arrival in Eureka, he
sold the oxen for $130.00 per pair, only a part of which was paid in cash. The
balance is still owing to him. He then purchased some lumber and hired some
carpenters and built a house on the corner where Market Street intersects the
present State Highway No. 10. Title to this property is still in the name of
the Mettler family. On July 4, 1889, the family arrived in Eureka and took
possession of the new home.
Mr. Mettler's first years in Eureka were spent as a stock buyer. For a time he
also bought grain in a flat house. In 1894, he purchased a one-third interest
in a general merchandise store, operated by Andrew Brandt. Mr. Mettler was
never active in conducting this business. Soon afterwards the business failed
and Mr. Mettler not only lost his interest in the business, but was also forced
to pay $1,100.00 toward debts owing to wholesale houses. However, he was not
discouraged but continued in his own business of buying grain for many years
afterwards. In 1893, he purchased a half section of land. Later he purchased
another 480 acres of land about three miles southwest of Eureka. Mr. Mettler
still has title to all this land except 320 acres, which he sold. At various
times he owned lots and houses in Eureka, and even caused a certain portion of
his lands be platted and added to the city under the name of Mettler's
Addition. He at one time owned the present Oster and Weixel elevators, as well
as owning an elevator in Hillsview. In conjunction with all these businesses,
he also bought live stock and wool, and sold farm implements.
In 1897, his wife died, leaving seven children. For a year he attempted to
carry on, but realizing his helplessness, he re-married. His second wife was a
widow, Mrs. Caroline Sinkbeil of Parkston, South Dakota, who at the time of her
marriage to Daniel was the mother of three children. To this second union was
born one daughter, Frieda Koelle, who is living in Eureka today.
The names of the children resulting from his previous marriage are: Margaret
Klein, Eureka, died in 1906; Emelia Heer, Denhoff, N. Dak.; Carolina Kafer
Schiermeister, Hazelton, N. Dak.; Christine Klifel, Lodi, California; Eva
Klifel, Modesto, California; Lena Bartel, Lodi, California; Reinhold Mettler,
Eureka, S. Dak.
The names of the step-children are: Adolph Sinkbeil of Zeeland, N. Dak., and
Mrs. H. D. Opp of Eureka, S. Dak.
Mr. Mettler retired from active business in 1920, after a long and successful
business career. He is in good health at the present time, except for
occasional sieges of eczema, and is living with his youngest daughter, Mrs. J.
G. (Frieda) Koelle. His wife died in 1936. He is 78 years old at this time.
The present economic depression and bank failures, as a result of which he lost
approximately $18,000.00, deprived him of many comforts in his declining years.
However, he is still happy and contented.
# Birth: 20 NOV 1858 in Kassel, Odessa, Russia 1
# Death: 8 SEP 1937 2
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1858 - 1937 (78 years)
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