John Rieth

John G. Rieth, son of Tobias and Karoline Bohn Rieth, o was born in Green Township, Barnes County, North Dakota, on August 4, 1904. His parents came directly from Germany in the 1880's.

John grew up on the farm and attended the Green Consolidated School. He was very active in sports, especially in basketball, baseball, and football. In his last year of high school, he played with Baldwin Consolidated School, and they took the State Championship in Class B. Basketball. In 1942-43, he coached the boys' basketball team at Green School, and they came out second in tournament play.

Ida Kiser Rieth, daughter of Charlie and Mabel Kiser, was born April 23, 1911, at Wabash, Indiana. She came with her parents, four brothers and two sisters to North Dakota at the age of 2. She was raised on a farm in Green Township, and attended 12 years of school in the Green Consolidated School.

On October 23, 1934, John and Ida were married in the parsonage of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church. For two years, they worked for other farmers in Barnes County and in Minnesota. In 1936, they moved to Kathryn, North Dakota, on a farm owned by Melvin Larson. There, they got a start in cattle, and purchased some machinery.

Robert Eugene was born October 9, 1940. In October of 1942, they bought 3 quarters of farmland in Green Township. They also started in the dairy business, and built up to a herd of 33 milk cows. On June 2, 1944, John Curtis was born. Both boys attended Green School, and graduated from Valley City State College. Both are ministers in the Association of Free Lutheran Churches.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 205