Bios of Klein, John N. (b.1861) Wabasha Co., MN ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. If you have found this file through a source other than the MNArchives Table Of Contents you can find other Minnesota related Archives at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm Please note the county and type of file at the top of this page to find the submitter information or other files for this county. FileFormat by Terri--MNArchives Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm ========================================================================= This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920. Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some of the bios on her pages. Klein, John N. page 694), a prominent representative of the agricultural and stock raising interests of Highland Township, was born on his parents' farm in section 14, in this township, June 12, 1861, son of Bartholomew and Katherine (Shouweiler) Klein. He was reared on the home farm and educated in district school No. 37. He was obliged to begin work at an early age and became thoroughly initiated into all kinds of farm work. After the death of his mother in 1883 he and his three sisters operated the farm together for three years, and at the end of that time he purchased his sisters' interest and has been the sole owner. In 1909 he built a modern eight-room house, with an addition for a wash-room, and equipped with modern conveniences, including a bath, hot water heat, hot and cold running water and electric lights. He also erected a barn 40 by 62 feet, and now has the farm and buildings in excellent condition. He carries on general farming and is the only farmer in Highland Township raising Jersey cattle. So well has he succeeded that in two years he took the first prize at the county fair for improvement in this kind of stock. He is also a successful breeder of Chester White hogs and Percheron horses. In addition to this, he does considerable dairying. To his original 160 acres he has since added 40 lying across the road from his farm, has bought 240 acres in Glasgow Township, ten acres of woodland, and owns 160 acres in northern Minnesota, near the International Falls, in Koochiching County. Mr. Klein is a stockholder in the local telephone company and the Smithfield creamery. He has been a member of the town board for many years and assessor for five years, besides having served on the school board twelve years, from which it may be seen that he is not only active and successful in business, but is also a useful citizen willing to devote a part of his time to the public service. Fraternally he belongs to several orders, including the Woodmen, Samaritans and the Knights of Columbus. Mr. Klein was married in 1885 at Minneapolis to Elizabeth Bricher, daughter of John and Mary Bricher, her parents, natives respectively of Luxemburg and Bohemia, being early settlers in Wabasha County, where they followed farming. Mr. and Mrs. Klein have had eleven children, of whom eight are now living, namely: Frank, Joseph, Ernest, Ralph, Clarence, Adolph, Hazel and Lavina. Frank is assistant cashier in the Theilman Bank, and Clarence is a barber in Kellogg. Ralph enlisted for military service in the war with Germany. He was a member of the 28th Division of Infantry and was eight months in France, taking part in the actions in the Argonne sector and at St. Mihiel Hill. Frank also enlisted and was sent to Leavenworth and Camp Dodge, Iowa, where he served in the clerical department. The children who died were: Maggie, who was five years old; Mary, who died at the age of three, and Dorothy, who married Ed McGrath and died of influenza October 29, 1918. The family are members of the Catholic church.