Walter S. Walter Freer

As printed in 1910

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Walter Freer came to.Jackson county with Lis parents in 1874 and resided on the home farm until twenty-three years of age, receiving an education in the Heron l.iike school. He then moved to the village and bought the Pioneer hotel and a livery stable, and has tver since been in the livery business. Foi thi past seventeen years lie has followed the race circuit and has a fine string of horses. Mr. Freer owns four residences and a business lot in the village. He holds membership in the Odd Fellows and Modern Wondmen lodges. He is deputy sheriff of the county and has held the office several terms. He also served two terms as member of the village council.

Mr. Freer was married in Heron Lake February 2(1, 1886, to Nora Parro. a native of Minnesota. She died April 10, 180.1. aged 24 years. Two children were born to this union, of which one, Fred W., is living, having been born July 8, 1800. Mr. Freer"s second marriage occurred.July 10, 1805. to Miss Ida Weld. To them one child has been born. Margaret, born October 10, 1898.

JURGEN."CmVAriER (188.3) is one of the large land owners and.successful farmers of Sioux Valley township, of which precinct he is one of the early settlers.

Mr. Schwager was born in tiermany August 10. 1840. and spent the first eighteen years of his life in the Fatherland. He secured a common school education and learned the shoemaker's trade. He came to America with his parents in 1867 and first located at Davenport, Iowa. The family.v were without means and Jiirgen began working out. his first work in the new world being a job of hoeing onions at seventy-five cents per day. In 1871 his father and a brother rented a farm in Scott county, near Davenport, and for the next two.years our.subject lived on that farm, working for farmers in the iieigliboiliood. In 1873 our subject and his father rented a farm and in 1875 he married and took over the lease, conducting it on his own account until 1883.,

In the year last mentioned Mr. Schwager came to.Taekson county. For six years he rented a farm on section 17. Sioux Valley township. Then he bought the northeast quarter of.section 8, his present home farm, and has ever since made his home there. At the time of purchase there was not a tree or building on the farm and all the improvements have been made by him. He has prospered exceedingly and now owns 407Vi acres of choice land in Sioux Valley township, besides a quarter section of land in ilcLean county, Xoitli Dakota. He lias an elegant home and a well improved farm, drained by thousands of feet of tile. He is an extensive stock breeder. making a specialty of Hereford cattle.

Mr. Scliwager has been a director of the Sioux Valley creamery since its organization. From 1880 to 1900 he was township clerk and was assessor for ten years. He and his family are members of the German Lutheran church.

The parents of our subject were Claus and Anna (Messer) Scliwager. They came to America at the same time their son did, resided in Davenport and Durant, Iowa, and died in the latter town. They had three sons, Tim, of Durant, Iowa; Jurgen, of this sketch: Christ, of Martin county, Minnesota.

Mr. Schwager was married at Davenport, Iowa, December 30, 1875, to Anna Wiebener, who was born in (Germany and who came to America the year of her marriage. Her parents were Ehler and Margareta Wiebner. The former died in 187.5: the latter died at her daughter's home in Sioux Valle_v township in 1002. To ilr. and Mrs. Schwager have been born seven children, as follows: Emma, born October 19, 1876: Louisa, born November 15, 1877; George, born March 21_, 1879, died December 10, 1904: Amanda, born Jlay 7, 1881: Willie, born April 21. 1884; Bernie, born March 18, 1883, died May 4, 1884; Harry, born October 13, 1889.

As printed in An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.