Jacob Cavegn Biography This biography appears on page 668 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (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 JACOB CAVEGN. If a response were made to a roll call that would ascertain the nativity of all of South Dakota's citizens, there would undoubtedly be found representatives of every civilized country on the face of the globe. From Switzerland, the beautiful land of the Alps, has come a goodly proportion, including Jacob Cavegn, who was there born on the 20th of March, 1872, a son of Julius and Christina Cavegn. The father, who devoted his life to farming as a means of support for his family, has now passed away, but the mother is still living. Jacob Cavegn was educated in the schools of Switzerland and in his youthful days assisted his grandfather upon the home farm. He remained in his native land until he reached the age of eighteen and then in 1890 came to the United States, where he joined his mother, who four years before had come to the new world. Settling in Iowa, he was for two years engaged in the sawmill business and in farming. He then came to South Dakota but after a short time returned to Iowa, where he remained until 1896. He then once more removed to South Dakota, where he took up his permanent abode. He first homesteaded in Roberts county but eventually sold that property and purchased his present place on section 26, Badus township, Lake county. He here owns one hundred and sixty acres of land upon which he is successfully engaged in stock- raising as well as general farming, keeping twenty head of cattle and forty head of hogs. His farm implements are modern in workmanship and greatly advance the labors of the fields. He accomplishes what he undertakes and is a progressive farmer of his district. In 1899 Mr. Cavegn was united in marriage to Miss Cecelia Burkler, a daughter of Joseph and Veronica Burkler, who were among the earliest pioneers of Lake county, settling on a homestead on section 27, Badus township. Joseph Burkler was called to his final rest on the 14th of June, 1909. To Mr. and Mrs. Cavegn have been born seven children, namely: George, John, Mary, Dora, Josephine, Martin, and Cecelia. The family hold membership in the Catholic church and in politics Mr. Cavegn is independent, voting for men and measures rather than for party. He has filled township offices 'and is always ready to aid in any movement for the benefit and upbuilding of his community and for the progress of the commonwealth. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen and is a stockholder in the Woodmen's Opera House Company at Ramona. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to come to the new world, for here he found the opportunities which he sought and which by the way, are always open to ambitious young men. In a land where effort is unhampered by caste or class he has steadily advanced and the fruits of his former toil class him with the representative residents of his community.