In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1839
From History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people (1915)
James Bertholf, who has practically retired and who owns seven hundred acres of land in Lincoln township, was born on the 8th of February, 1839, in St. Joseph county, Indiana, near the city of South Bend. The city has grown much since that time and from what he can learn it now includes the farm where he was born. He was a child of three years when the family removed from that place and settled in Lee county, Illinois. A sketch of his father, Andrew H. Bertholf, appears elsewhere in this work.
In 185 1 the family removed from Lee county, Illinois, to Madison county, Iowa, and settled upon a farm which Mr. Bertholf of this review aided in cultivating as soon as old enough. There were scarcely any schools here at that time and most of his education was acquired in his father's log cabin. Until he was twenty years of age he worked upon the home farm and then spent two years upon
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As printed in History of Madison County, Iowa, and its people (1915). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1915. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.