Bio of Jens C. LECY (b.1849), Yellow Medicine Co., MN

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JENS C. LECY (1879)

Jens C. Lecy is One of the pioneers and substantial men of Sioux Agency
township is the gentleman who name heads this review-a man who came to
Yellow Medicine county poor thirty-five years ago and who by industry and
thrift has prospered exceedingly.

Mr. Lecy was born in Norway January 14, 1849. His parents, Christopher and
Helga (Borson) Lecy, died in Wisconsin, the former in 1903, the latter about
1883. Until he was twelve years of age Jens Lecy lived in his native land,
coming to America with his parents in 1861. Until a man grown he lived in
Adams county, Wisconsin, spending his boyhood days on the farm and engaging
in farming on his own account during the last four years of his residence
there.

In 1879, accompanied by his wife and baby, Mr. Lecy set out with a little
part of Wisconsin men in a search for new homes. They passed through
Pipestone and into the South Dakota country, but not liking the country
there, Mr. Lecy set out on the return, and in the month of June, 1879, first
saw Yellow Medicine county. He liked the looks of the country and decided to
remain. The first season was spent just over the line in Redwood county, and
then the family took up its residence in Sioux Agency township.

Mr. Lecy filed a pre-emption claim to the northeast quarter of section 4,
which is the present home place. He was poor, like most of the other
newcomers of the time, and had barely enough money to purchase material for
a little board shanty. He hauled lumber from Sacred Heart and erected as his
first home a 14 x 16 foot shanty, in which the family lived eight years.

The home was not yet completed when the famous October blizzard of 1889 came
with all its terrifying features, and the family suffered many hardships
during that memorable storm, as well as in those later in the season. The
oxen and cattle became lost in the storm and wandered away to the Redwood
river, but all were later recovered. During the long winter the family was
frequently sort of provisions, and Mr. Lecy on more than one occasion walked
over the snow to Sorlien Mills for flour. The only fuel was green wood, cut
from the Minnesota river when roads and weather permitted. Later Mr. Lecy
had other adventures in the wintery storms, and he has fought prairie fires
that threatened his home.

>From humble beginnings, Mr. Lecy advanced rapidly. His home place is well
improved, and he is the owner of 480 acres of Sioux Agency's fertile soil.
He has now rented out all his lands to his sons and has retired from active
work. Some of the fighting in the battle of Wood Lake occurred on Mr. Lecy's
farm, and on the place he has found many bullets, a gun, bayonet and other
evidences of the battle.

Mr. Lecy was treasurer of his township in 1884, and he has been road
overseer of his district. For many years he has been an officer of school
district No. 65, being now a director. He and his family are members of Rock
Valley Church.

Mr. Lecy was married in Adams county, Wisconsin, February 19, 1877, to Anna
Quam, who was born in Norway August 11, 1857. Of eleven children born as a
result of this union the following named seven are living: Ole, a Sioux
Agency township farmer, born November 25, 1879; Christopher, who with his
brothers Martin and Bennie farms the home place, born January 18, 1882;
Martin, born May 21, 1884; Norman, a farmer of Sioux Agency, born April 22,
1886; Bennie, born August 3, 1892; Josie (Mrs. Olai Homme), of Sioux Agency,
born October 25, 1888; and Emma (Mrs. Henry Iverson), of Sioux Agency, born
September 18, 1890.

The deceased children of the family were: Henrietta (Mrs. Thomas Iverson),
born December 11, 1877, died June 4, 1904; Albert, born September 19, 1895,
died November 29, 1896; Harold, born November 3, 1894, died November 27,
1894; Alma, born November 27, 1898, died November 7, 1909.

Source: A History of Yellow Medicine County by Arthur P. Rose; Published
1914