John Cederstrum Biography


	This biography appears on pages 657-658 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	JOHN CEDERSTRUM .- This gentleman, who is engaged in farming and 
stock raising in Dayton township, Lincoln county, South Dakota, hails 
from Sweden, and, like the majority of his sturdy nationality, 
possesses in an eminent degree the attributes essential to a high order 
of American citizenship. He was born on November 30, 1847, being the 
son of Ludwig and Anna Cederstrum, both natives of Sweden, the father a 
farmer by occupation and a man of sterling worth in 'his day. By reason 
of the death of his parents, which occurred when he was a small boy, 
the subject was early thrown upon his own resources and for a number of 
years gained his livelihood as a farm laborer. He continued to work in 
this way until about twenty-two years old, when he decided to leave the 
land of his birth and seek for better opportunities in the great 
country across the sea, of which he had heard and read so much, and to 
which many of his friends and countrymen had already emigrated. 
Accordingly in 1869, with twelve companions, he set sail for America 
and in due time landed at Quebec, Canada, and thence proceeded to Red 
Wing, Minnesota, and a little later to the city of St. Paul.  

	Shortly after his arrival at the latter place Mr. Cederstrum 
secured employment on the Northern Pacific Railroad, where he worked 
about one year, and during the ensuing sixteen years he was similarly 
engaged with the Chicago & Northwestern and other railroads in the 
course of construction. He continued railroad work in various states 
until the fall of 1871, when he came to South Dakota, locating at Sioux 
Falls, where he remained about ten years, removing in 1881 to Lincoln 
county and purchasing land in Dayton township, which he has since 
cultivated and otherwise improved. Mr. Cederstrum has reduced the 
greater part of his place to tillage and in addition thereto rents land 
of his neighbors, also works at intervals at railroading, especially 
during the seasons when his presence is not particularly needed on the 
farm. He devotes his attention to general agriculture, raises 
considerable live stock, and though not as large a land owner as some 
of his neighbors; his efforts in the main have been crowned with 
success and he is today in very comfortable circumstances.  

	Mr. Cederstrum has been a member of the town-board for several 
years, has served on the local board of education and takes an active 
interest in public and political affairs, being a zealous supporter of 
the Republican party, but in no sense an aspirant for official honors. 
He was married in the year 1881 to Miss Cecelia Peterson, a native of 
Sweden, the union being terminated by the death of his wife after six 
years of happy wedded experience. Mrs. Cederstrum departed this life in 
1887, leaving one son, Melvin L., an intelligent and enterprising young 
man, who is now his father's able assistant on the farm. Religiously 
the subject is a member of the Lutheran church, in which faith he was 
reared and to which he has always remained true, his wife having also 
been identified with this communion. Mr. Cederstrum is a loyal citizen 
of his adopted country, a great admirer of its institutions, and 
combines all the qualities and attributes of the up-to-date American 
except in the matter of birth. Honorable in all his dealings, faithful 
to his every obligation and earnest in his endeavors to advance the 
interests ,of his fellow men, he is much esteemed by all who know him, 
and occupies a conspicuous place among the representative citizens of 
the township and county in which he lives.