Bartholomew-Jefferson County IN Archives Biographies.....Friedersdorff, Conrad J. 1859 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 24, 2007, 12:38 pm

Author: B. F. Bowen (1904)

CONRAD J. FRIEDERSDORFF.

   The name of Friedersdorff has become well known far beyond the borders of
Bartholomew county, because of the activity of the subject and other members of
the family as stock dealers. If stock is shipped from the farm of Conrad J.
Friedersdorff it is a guarantee of its high grade, for he has owned and sold
some of the best farm animals that have ever been raised in Indiana. He is a
business man, active, alert and enterprising, and it is to such men that the
county owes its development and prosperity. He was born in Jefferson county,
Indiana, April 12, 1859, his parents being Lewis and Amelia (Schirff)
Friedersdorff. A picture of farm life such as surrounds most farm boys of this
state would be representative of his own youth. There was no special event of
importance to vary the routine of the duties of the fields and of the schoolroom
for him during his boyhood days. At the usual age he began his education in a
school near his home and therein he remained until he had mastered the branches
of learning taught in such institutions. When still a youth he began work in the
fields, plowing, planting and harvesting from early springtime until crops were
gathered in the late autumn. As a self-made man he deserves great credit for
what he has accomplished. He started out in life on his own account, empty
handed, and today he is a proseprous [sic] resident of his adopted county,
owning one hundred and fourteen acres of arable and productive land in Rock
Creek township, not far from Elizabethtown. This is all under cultivation with
the exception of a tract of ten acres which is covered with timber. He raises
stock, making a specialty of hogs of the Ohio Improved Chester breed. He has had
twenty-one years' experience in this work and he is thoroughly well qualified to
take up hog raising and pass judgment upon the value of such stock. He has also
engaged in the raising of shorthorn cattle and he was the owner of the first
high grade pacing horse raised in Bartholomew county. "Alert" was a
standard-bred horse and had a record of a mile in 2:18. Mr. Friedersdorff now
raises draft horses, selling each year, and the price which he received has
varied from one hundred and fifty to three hundred dollars. Several times he has
sold yearlings for one hundred dollars. He feeds his farm produce to his stock
and he is especially engaged in the raising of hay, putting up each year a large
amount raised in fields covering from fifty to one hundred acres. His farm is
well fenced and tiled and is supplied with many modern equipments of a superior
order. Mr. Friedersdorff is also successful as a horticulturist, being engaged
in the raising of fruits, including grapes, cherries and berries. This supplies
his table with many delicacies in season and also -adds to his income, because
his fruits, owing to their excellent quality, size and flavor, find a ready sale
on the market.

   The home life of Mr. Friedersdorff has been most pleasant. He was happily
married on the 2d of September, 1881, to Miss Lotta Terry, a daughter of Frank
and Nancy (Tucker) Terry. The father was a native of Lebanon, Ohio, and came to
this state at an early day, settling at St. Paul, Shelby county. By occupation
he was a farmer, thus providing for the needs and wants of his family. His
political support was given to the Democracy. He died in the year 1862 when his
daughter, Mrs. Friedersdorff, was quite young. In the family were ten children.
Unto the subject and his wife have been born three children: Edgar, who was born
in 1884, is a graduate of the public schools of Grammar, with the class of 1900;
Jessie, born February 11, 1887, is yet in school; and Ray, born in 1889,
completes the family.

   The parents hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, contributing
generously to its support and taking an active interest in its work. Mr.
Friedersdorff is serving as one of the trustees of the church and is also a
school officer. He votes with the Republican party and takes an active interest
in everything pertaining to the material, social and intellectual welfare of his
community. He shows great care and sound judgment in the management of his
business affairs and certainly deserves great credit for what he has
accomplished. He has had no assistance, but has made his way unaided, and his
high moral worth has been indicated in his business transactions as well as in
other relations of life. He now has a fine home upon his farm, a brick residence
which he erected and which is surrounded by other modern improvements, all of
which indicate the progressive spirit of the owner.

   Lewis Friedersdorff, the subject's father, was born in Germany, October 16,
1836, and came to the United States when twenty-one years old, settling in
Dearborn county, Indiana. He there married Amelia Schirff, also a native of
Germany, and who came to this country at ten years of age. The year following
their marriage they removed to Jefferson county and in the fall of 1863 they
came to Elizabethtown and engaged in farming. Later they removed to Madison
county and in the spring of 1866 came to his present farm, comprising three
hundred and forty-three acres, located six miles east of Elizabethtown, on which
he has since resided. He has himself cleared fifty acres and now has two hundred
and ten acres under cultivation. In 1875 he erected a fine barn and in 1896
built his present large and handsome residence. He carries on general farming,
giving considerable attention also to stock raising. He was one of the first in
this section to engage in the breeding of shorthorn cattle, and has taken a
number of prizes on his display of stock at various fairs and stock exhibitions.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY
INDIANA

INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA

ILLUSTRATED

1904

B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/bartholomew/bios/frieders748gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/

File size: 6.5 Kb