Heinrich Christoph August Santelman was born 8 April 1836 in Stederdorf, Germany to Hans Heinrich Christoph & Ilse Dorothea Friedericke (Ketzerau) Santelman. (Hans and Ilse were married in 1829 at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Stederdorf, Germany) He went by the given name of August most of his life.
August came to America in 1855 at the age of 17, with a brother, Henry, and was in Ottowa, IL until Sept 1856 when he came to Goodhue Co. Minnesota. He worked for 3 years around the county before come to the farm on Section 29 in the Hay Creek area.
August married Maria Meinke, dau. of Peter and Maria P. (Wiegersen) Meinke in Wells Creek, Goodhue Co., MN on 10 Oct 1859, by Rev. Chas. Hollinan. Marias parents lived with her and August.
August owned and farmed 200 acres of land. He was treasurer of the school board for 32 years and also served as school director. They belonged to the Methodist Church, of which Mr. Santelman had been a class leader for 10 years and supertintendent of Sabbath School. Church Records at the First Methodist Church of Red Wing, MN, show that August and Mary Santelman were received in the Hay Creek Church on 12 Jul 1877. August was appointed a Church official on 5 Sep 1891.
August and Maria reared 11 children, all born on the homestead in Hay Creek, MN. they spent 45 years on their homestead, 1859-1904. Maria died at age 69 in 1909, of la grippe, (flu).
August moved to Red Wing where he lived with his daughter, Mrs. Minnie (Henry) Holst until he died at age 90 years 1 mo. 11 days in 1926, with the exception of 4 years that he lived in Menominee, WI (1911-1915) when he married, at age 75, to widow Sophie Sczerck. She died in 1915 and August moved back with Minnie.
August was a lifelong Republican and took a keen interest in politics. August is buried next to his wife Maria in the Hay Creek Cemetery and they share a grave marker.
Surviving August were his children: Mary L. (Henry) Brase of Fargo, ND, Sophie L. (Oscar) Kruse of Brownton, MN, Henry W.(Ida)Santelman of Red Wing, MN, Emma L. (Lorenzo) Kruse of Red Wing, MN, August R. (Mary) Santelman of Frontenac, MN, Minnie (Henry) Holst of Red Wing, MN, William C. (Anna) Santelman of Red Wing, MN, George B. (Elizabeth) Santelman of Frontenac, MN, and Benjamin W. (Frieda) Santelman of Frontenac, MN.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Maria, who died 10 April 1909, an infant son, William, son Edward F. (Amelia) Santelman, who died in 1923.