John Frieberg Biography This biography appears on pages 907-908 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm JOHN FRIEBERG. John Frieberg, a well known farmer and an ex-member of the state legislature, is a native of South Dakota, his birth having occurred on the 21st of June, 1871, upon the farm in Clay county which he now owns and operates. His parents, Lars P. and Anna C. (Johnson) Frieberg, were born in Sweden and the father came to America in 1868, the mother arriving in this country two years later. Mr. Frieberg filed upon the homestead which is now in pose session of his son in 1868. He was married in Sweden but came to this country two years before his wife and children. He worked upon steamboats and railroads for the first two years after his emigration and then farmed until 1899, when he retired and removed to Beresford, where is now living. His wife died in 1899. Six of the ten children born to them grew to maturity. The family record is as follows August, an attorney and a member of the state board of regents, lives in Beresford and the father lives with him. John, of this review, is the next in order of birth. Nelson, who was a banker of Herrick, this state, died in July, 1914. Matilda, who was a schoolteacher by profession, passed away in 1912. Emily is the wife of Jesse L. Wimple, a farmer of Lincoln county, South Dakota. Ida died in 1911. John Frieberg grew to manhood upon the homestead in Clay county and by attending the public schools until he was fifteen years of age gained a serviceable education. However, when a boy of eleven, he began to work in the fields and as his strength increased did more and more of a man,s work. When fifteen years old he put aside his textbooks and assisted his father on the farm until he purchased the homestead in connection with a younger brother, subsequently buying him out and becoming sole owner of the farm, which comprises one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Frieberg also owns, in connection with his wife. two hundred and forty acres of land, which he cultivates, and he derives a handsome income from his agricultural operations. Alfalfa and corn are his principal crops but he pays a great deal of attention to stock, buying and selling cattle and also feeding many head for the market annually. He was one of the first stockholders in the Citizens Bank & Trust Company of Vermillion, in which he is still financially interested, and was one of the organizers and is now president of the Farmers Elevator Company of Vermillion. Mr. Frieberg was married September 26, 1900, to Miss Minnie Bergren, a native of Clay county and a daughter of Daniel and Breta Bergren, both deceased, the mother dying when Mrs. Frieberg was an infant and the father in 1900. To Mr. and Mrs. Frieberg have been born three children: Orville W., thirteen years of age, who is attending high school in Vermillion; and Wallace A. and Burdette E., who are both in school and who are eleven and nine years of age respectively. Mr. Frieberg is a progressive republican and for fifteen years has been a member of the township board. He is much interested in the welfare of the public schools and has served upon the school board. During the sessions beginning in 1901 and 1903 he was a member of the state legislature and served his district well in the halls of legislation. He and his fame fly attend the Swedish Lutheran church and contribute to its support. His greatest pride is in his fine cattle and he has done not a little toward raising the standard of stock raised in Clay county. His efforts have been rewarded with material success and he has also gained the sincere regard of his fellow men.