Eminent Homemaker
County: Butte
Anna (H. J.) Rehorst, Belle Fourche, was born Jan. 26, 1878, in Monticello, Iowa, the third among nine children. Her parents thought no sacrifice nor effort too great to endure to give their children an education. Education of her children, in turn, became the predominating ambition in her life.
After graduation from high school, Rehorst became a reporter on a Monticello newspaper, where she advanced to managing editor within three years.
She married Henry J. Rehorst in October, 1902.
Pioneering in the range country in the early days presented many problems to the young wife who had never lived in the country before. She had to contend with many adversities and hardships but succeeded in making a splendid home and raising a family of four children, all of whom have had the advantages of higher education. The Rehorsts in 1939 owned 1,000 acres of land in Butte County and a 240-acre farm in Meade County.
Since the early days, Rehorst gave continuous effort towards bettering the social life of her community. She was an active member of the Congregational Church and its affiliated organizations. The church and Sunday school were among the few community enterprises of those early years.
To fill the need of community spirit and cooperation, Rehorst assisted with the organization of the mothers club which was designed as an organization dealing with the problems of farm life. This was followed by the Farm Bureau of which she was chairman.
Butte County was organized for Extension work in 1914 and Rehorst and her co-workers made the most of this help in organizing Home Extension clubs for adults and 4-H clubs for the boys and girls.
Rehorst organized the first Home Extension Club in her community, became a 4-H leader, exhibitor at the county fair, chairman of the County Home Extension organization, secretary-treasurer of the county Extension Board and Chairman of the Northwest district of the State Federation of Home Extension clubs.
She went to Washington, D. C., in June 1936, as county delegate to the Country Women of the World conference.