John Leininger was born in Boone County, Iowa, on August 16, 1858. His wife, Louise, was born in Hannover, Germany, May 8, 1860, and was brought to the United States by her parents at the age of two years. After their marriage they farmed near his parents 8 miles northeast of Boone, raised a family of eight children (5 sons and 3 daughters) and built up a fine farm with all the necessary buildings and a beautiful eleven-room house.
In 1904 Mr. Leininger came to North Dakota and bought Sections 15, 16, and 17 in Kingsley Township, dealing with a land agent. At the same time he had Mr. Knut Olson (father of Howard, Rudolph, etc.) build three buildings on Section 17. One was about 16 x 20
the next about 16 x 40 (these two were to be used as granaries)
and the third about 16 x 30 (with a one-sided roof) which was to be used temporarily as a barn for 3 or 4 teams that were brought along from Iowa the following year when the family moved to Dakota (1905). The parents lived in the smaller granary and there the cooking was done. The next granary was used as dining room and dormitory for those children still at home:
(John W. , Emelia, Louise, Albert, Walter, and Marie.)
That same summer of 1905 the permanent home, a two-story, 8-room house, was built as well as a 30 x 40 foot barn with large haymow. This barn is no longer standing. In 1909 another barn the same size as the first was built about 150 feet south of the first one.
The land was all virgin prairie that Mr. Leininger owned and only about 60 or 80 acres had been broken up the preceding year.
By 1909 all the usable land on the three Sections had been broken up, and buildings erected on the west side of Section 15. One son, John, lived there and farmed some until he passed away. Then his son, Kenneth, took over and is still there.
In 1910 Mr. Leininger sold Section 17, intending to retire. In January 1911, he passed away and his wife, with the two youngest children, moved to St. Paul, Minnesota.
Written By Reverend Walter E. Leininger
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 327