Fred Gerntholz

Early Pioneer, Fred Gerntholz, first came to Barnes County in 1873, coming to America from Germany in 1872 at the age of twenty-one. He came to Dakota Territory to Sanborn and worked in a lumber yard there. He homesteaded on the present Gerntholz farmstead located northwest of Sanborn around 1880. He continued to live in Anderson Township with the exception of two or three years following his marriage in 1886 to Hattie Luther of Wimbledon, North Dakota, when the couple operated a large bonanza-type farm located near Emden for August Luther, uncle of Mrs. Gerntholz.

Hattie Luther Gerntholz, born in Germany, came to America to Dakota Territory in 1880. Her parents, Carl Luthers, were early pioneers on a claim near Wimbledon in 1881. She worked in a boarding house at Jamestown prior to her marriage.

The early years meant a lot of hard work developing the land and buildings. Fred Gerntholz raised thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle. The present home was built in 1904 and another home was added to the farmstead in 1959 for the Gerald Gerntholz family.

Eight children were born to the Fred Gerntholz:

  1. Fred,

  2. Ernest,

  3. Hattie,

  4. Emma,

  5. Martha,

  6. Albert,

  7. Feliz and

  8. Louise.

Besides her family interests, Hattie Gerntholz had a keen interest in gardening and raising flowers.

Son, Felix Gerntholz and wife, Nellie .(Thompson) continue to farm the homestead with their son Gerald and wife Marian (Huether) and their three children, Gregory, Beth, and Steven. The Felix Gerntholz farm hosted the Barnes County Picnic in 1953.

Interest in livestock and grain farming, flower raising, 4-H, home and community continue to grow from the foundations set by pioneers Fred and Hattie Gerntholz.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 79