George Paintner

George Paintner was born in Swansforf, Germany in 1869.  He came with his family to the United States A. in 1884 at the age of fifteen.  They settled in New York State.  He worked for a time in a tannery.  Later he came to St. Paul, Minnesota, working as a stave joiner in a brewery.

It was in St. Paul that he met Bill Steffin.  Together they came to North Dakota for spring threshing, at that time the bundles were stacked in the fall and threshed in the spring.  They worked for Howden's and Gartman's among others.  It was there he met Rose Gartman, whom he married in 1893.

George then took a homestead on Section 14 in Helena Township.  He broke the land with oxen, later buying horses and more land.  As their family increased he purchased three quarters of land from William Headlock and one quarter from Mr. Hyde of New York, also a half Section of school land.  Mrs. Paintner (Rose) died in 1922, and George in 1944.

Mr. and Mrs. Paintner had a large family of two daughters and twelve sons.  

  1. One son, Herbert, a twin of Robert, died at about two months of age.
  2. The oldest daughter, Mary, married Felix Pella, and lived all her life in Griggs County.  Mr. Pella still lives.
  3. Theresa married Emil Kuntz, and they lived for a time in the Jessie area, later moving to Butte, Montana.  Both are deceased.  

Following the two girls were 11 sons: 

  1. Joe
  2. Louis
  3. George
  4. Anton
  5. Robert
  6. Charles
  7. John
  8. Fred 
  9. William
  10. Twins - Lawrence and 
  11. Clarence

As of 1975, Joe, Louis, Charles and Fred are deceased.

There are 34 grandchildren, 84 great -grandchildren and 18 great-great -grandchildren, as descendants of Mr. and Mrs. George Paintner at the time of writing in 1975. 

Written By William Paintner

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976  Page 317