Magdalena and Peter immigrated to the United States in the 1890s. Here is a story about Peter and his family from the Eureka Centennial Book:

(Eureka Cen. Book) Peter Junker stayed with Phillip Kallenberger, who is the uncle of his wife, when they first settled in Eureka. In the year 1888, he was united in marriage to Magdalena Hirning, a daughter of Jacob Hirning. About a year later, he and his brother George, with their wives, set out for America, joining a party of forty families from Neuburg, South Russia.

They took passage on the Augusta Victoria, one of the largest ships on the ocean at that time. The voyage was to be made in six days, but a heavy storm was encountered at sea, and they landed in New York a day late. After going through the customary inspection, the immigrants bound for South Dakota, were put on a train. Several days later, the Junker families arrived in Eureka, where they were met by Philip Kallenberger, and uncle of Mrs. Junker. After visiting here for several days, Peter Junker and his wife took up their abode with Andreas Kallenberger, where they remained until the following spring. During the winter months, Mr. Junker inspected the country in search of suitable land, and finally located about eighteen miles south-west of Eureka. Here he filed on a preemption and erected a sod dwelling. On his arrival here, he had $330.00 in cash with which he purchased two oxen, a cow, wagon, plow and harrow. His first flax crop yielded 160 bushels, and was sold for 65 cents per bushel, which enabled him to buy another cow. Complete crop failures, due to drouth, were experienced in 1911 and 1926, while in 1905, a severe hailstorm wiped out everything. While much hardship had to be endured the early years, beter crops and advanced prices brought on higher standards of living in later years.

Mr. Junker recalls his experience in connection with the "Indian Scare" of 1890. "One night in December," he relates, "my family and I were in bed, slepping peacefully, when we were awakened by a loud knock at the window. Upon investigation, a man's voice excitedly demanded admittance. I complied, and he told us that the Indians had already crossed the Missouri River and were headed this way, killing and scalping everyone in their path. This put me in a trying situation, as my wife was still confined in bed with a baby only two weeks old. There was only one thing to be done, however, so I hitched up my team of horses and drove over to get my neighbor, Karl Bechtold and his family. We then returned to my farm, loaded my wife and child on the wagon and hurriedly drove to Eureka. After taking my wife out to her uncle, Philip Kallenberger, I returned to Eureka and at once went to the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company depot, and requested that they provide a train to take the women and children out of the danger zone. A few days later, however, we learned that Chief Sitting Bull and been killed and that order had again been restored."

Mr. Junker's wife passed away in 1897, leaving him with four small children, the oldest six years and the youngest eighteen months old. He was later remarried to Mrs. Eva Redmann, nee Schaeffer, who had two daughters. Four children were born to this union, thus making a total of ten children brought up by Mr. Junker. They are all living with the exception of one son, Henry, who at the age of twenty-four, died in action in the World War. He was mortally wounded on October 7, 1918, and passed away the same day. Those surviving are: Magdalena, married to Wm. Roemmich of Isabel, S. Dak.; Jacob, employed in a bakery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; John, residing near Eureka; Arthur, employed in a garage in Eureka; Bertha, married to Henry Delker, a farmer southwest of Eureka; Reieda, married to Reinhold Kary, of Eureka; Alfred, serving in the United States Army and stationed at San Francisco, California; Anna Redman, married to Jacob Hirsch, a farmer northwest of Miles City, Montana; Martha Redmann, married to Andrew Bauer, Napoleon, North Dakota.

Altogether, three of Mr. Junker's sons have served in the US Army, namely, Henry, John, and Alfred. John was in France during the World War and after the armistice, served for a year in the army of occupation. Alfred joined the Army seven years ago, during which time he served for two years in China. He is at present stationed in San Francisco, CA.

Peter Junker has always taken an active part in the Evangelical church, and has also held various public offices and positions of trust. He served as County Commissioner for Campbell County from 1912 to 1917, and for twelve years was deputy assessor. In addition he has held all the offices in his country school district. In 1894, he became agent and adjuster for the Evangelical Mutual Insurance Co. of Milbank, SD, from 1920 to 1926 was a director of this company. At the present time he is Justice of Peace for Eureka.

Mr. Junker retired in 1928, and took up residence in Eureka. His wife died in 1934, and since then his son, Arthur, and family have been living with him.

Mr. Junker's Citizenship; McPherson Cty Feb 16, 1899. Settled in Campbell Dec 10, 1903.

Our thanks to the Eureka Centennial Book and Dean Junker for the story above.