John Henry Verfurth
Bisbee
Arizona, The Youngest State,1913

John Henry Verfurth, whose activity in business has not only 
contributed to his own prosperity but has also been a factor 
in the development of Bisbee, is now conducting a large fuel 
and feed business in that city and is also interested in the 
Arizona Grocery Company.  He has other business relations 
connecting him with important financial and commercial 
interests and the community is glad to number him among 
its business men who energy and enterprise are factors in 
its up building.

Mr. Verfurth was born in Iowa in 1869, a son of John Henry 
and Mary (Wynhoff) Verfurth, natives of Germany.  The father 
was seven years of age when he came with his  parents to America 
and the mother crossed the Atlantic in her infancy.  Upon 
reaching maturity John Henry Verfurth, Sr. took up land in 
Iowa and farmed there until his death in 1876.  He was 
survived by his wife until 1891.  They had a family of nine 
children: Kate, who married Fred Luth, of Iowa; Annie, the 
wife of William Rhodes in the state of Washington; Mary, who 
married John Polison of Illinois; Henry of Mesa Arizona; Dora, 
the deceased wife of Elmer Warren of Washington, Theo who died 
at the age of thirty-two years; John Henry of this review; 
Ella who married Milton Johnson of Washington; and Elizabeth 
the wife of William Ashley also of Washington.

John H. Verfurth was reared in Iowa and acquired his education 
in the district schools of that state.  At the age of nineteen 
years he came west, settling at Longmont Colorado, where he 
spent eight months upon a ranch.  At the end of that time he 
returned home but after a few months removed to Washington 
where he worked at various occupations for four years.  
Eventually, however, he turned his attention to agricultural 
pursuits, taking up land near Creston, which he improved and 
cultivated for six years.  After his marriage he disposed of 
his holdings and went to British Columbia, where he mined and 
engaged in various other occupations until he came to Bisbee 
Arizona in 1899.

Mr. Verfurth began his career here as a miner in the copper 
mines and after a year and a half obtained a position as 
driver of a grocery wagon, engaging afterward in the draying 
business for himself.  He gradually rose in the business world, 
and eventually became connected with the grain, feed and fuel 
business in which he still engages.  Today he is at the head 
of the Independent Fuel and Feed Company one of the two large 
enterprises of the kind in the city.  Mr. Verfurth owns a two 
story concrete brick business block on the main street of 
Bisbee and has extensive property holdings including three 
residences which he rents.  He is a stockholder in the Citizens 
Bank and Trust Company and since coming to Bisbee has figured 
as one of its most enterprising citizens.  In addition he owns 
an eighty acre farm in the Salt River Valley, well improved and 
developed and upon this he raises fine crops of alfalfa.  His 
harvests in 1912 amounted to two hundred and fifty tons, which 
he marketed in Bisbee at twenty dollars per ton.

On December 16, 1895, Mr. Verfurth married Miss Josie Bogart, 
a native of Oregon and a daughter of John W. and Katherine 
(Allen) Bogart, pioneers in that state, who crossed the plains 
with ox teams from Missouri in the early days.  The father died 
in Oregon in 1910 but her mother is still living in that state.  
In their family were five children: Anna, the wife of Thomas 
Fountain, of Elmira Oregon; Ida, who married Thomas Cook, of 
Lebanon Oregon; William, whose home is in the state of 
Washington; Josie, now Mrs. Verfurth; and Lillie who married 
Dan Worby also of Washington.

Mr. and Mrs. Verfurth have two children: Ralph, born 
September 18, 1896 and John Henry Jr born September 20, 1912.

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