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 1881, Cook county
From An illustrated history of Jackson County, Minnesota (1910)
WILLIAM J. C. SCHROEDER (1886), grain and dairy farmer of Petersburg township, has resided in Jackson county since he was five years of age. He was born in Cook county, Illinois December 5, 1881, the son of William and Maria (Meyer) Schroeder.
The family arrived in Jackson county March 24, 1886. William received a country school education and was brought up on the farm, working for his father and for other farmers until he was of age. Soon after reaching his majority he engaged in farming for himself two years, then hauled cream one year. After that he bought machinery and has since been engaged in business for himself, farming land on the northwest (quarter of section 27, Petersburg township. Mr. Schroeder owns stock in the Petersburg Creamery company and is a member of the German Lutheran church.
Mr. Schroeder was married November 20, 1907, to Mary Schulte, of Arcadia, Iowa. To them has been born one child, Ella, bom February 10, 1909.
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.
The printed record stops around 1910. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.