John R. Stofferahn Biography


	This biography appears on page 524 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JOHN R. STOFFERAHN. 

	John R. Stofferahn is a successful and representative 
agriculturist of Minnehaha county, residing on section 19, Humboldt 
township. His birth occurred in Benton county, Iowa, on the 1st of 
January, 1873, his parents being John and Minnie Stofferahn, who 
emigrated to the United States from Germany and were married in this 
country. The father followed farming in Benton county, Iowa, for 
several years and subsequently spent five or six years as an 
agriculturist of Carroll county, that state. On the expiration of that 
period he removed to Ida county, Iowa, where be carried on farming for 
eighteen years and then took up his abode in Minnesota, living' in 
Lakefield for one year. In the fall of 1901 he came to Minnehaha 
county, South Dakota, purchasing three quarter sections of section 29 
and one quarter section of section 20, Humboldt township. Later, 
however, he disposed of his South Dakota lands and bought a half 
section in North Dakota, where he spent the remainder of his life, 
passing away in 1914. His widow yet makes her home in that state. 

	John R. Stofferahn started out as an agriculturist in Iowa on his 
own account when eighteen years of age and at the end of six years 
devoted to farming and stock-raising took up his abode in Dickinson 
county, that state, where he remained for one year. In the spring of 
1902 he came to Minnehaha county, South Dakota, locating in Humboldt 
township, where he owns four hundred acres and where he has resided 
continuously since. In 1908 he undertook the raising of pure blooded 
Durhams, beginning with three cows-which he has increased to thirty six 
head. He borrowed seven thousand dollars in order to purchase his 
present place but has now completely discharged the indebtedness and 
has a beautiful country home and one of the finest barns in the entire 
county. All the improvements on the property were made by him. Until 
quite recently he has always been engaged in threshing, abandoning that 
work in 1913. Success has attended his undertakings and he is now 
numbered among the prosperous and esteemed citizens of his community. 

	In 1896, in Iowa, Mr. Stofferahn was united in marriage to Miss 
Adelia Kuehl, by whom he has the following children: Edward, Hilda, 
Viola, Annie, Harry, Johnnie and Ernest.