Biographies:  John IVERSON, Prairie Farm Township, Barron Co., WI 

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This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by:  
Victor Gulickson  <vic@indy.net>  25 July 1999	
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John Iverson, an early settler of Prairie Farm Township, now deceased, was
born in Norway, Dec. 25, 1839, and was there reared, attended the parish
schools, and grew to manhood. In 1867 he married Anna Stubdahl, the daughter 
of a neighbor. He started out with his wife and one son, Christ, for America, 
in the spring of 1869, and landed after a voyage of over a month aboard a 
sailing boat. Then he came overland to Iowa, where he had friends. After a 
short time he came to Menomonie, in Dunn County, this state, and there 
another son, Elmer, was born. In 1871 the family came to Barron County and 
settled on a homestead of 160 acres in Section 30, Prairie Farm Township. 
Prairie Farm Village had been settled for some years, and there was a store, 
postoffice and sawmill there, but in the vicinity where Mr. Iverson settled 
there were but two other families, those of Andreas Stensaas and Christ 
Woxen. For a time the Iversons made their home with Andreas Stensaas, who 
was living in an old lumber camp. In the meantime, Mr. Iverson put up a log 
cabin, 14 by 16 feet, and into this he moved his family. Then he set to work 
to establish a home and a farm. For a while it was hard to get along. In the 
early days there were no lumber yards, and the timber from which the 
buildings were built was cut and sawed by Mr. Iverson with the old-fashioned 
rip saw.  He also made his own shingles, built his own bob sleds and jumper 
wagon, with which they hauled their hay and grain which the family threshed 
with a flail on the barn floor. After Knapp, Stout & Co. put in sawmill, 
things improved faster. They made their own cradles with which they cut their 
grain. Sometimes Mr. Iverson walked as far as Menomonie to do his trading,
bringing provisions home on his back. His wife spun yarn to knit mittens,
socks and jackets for the family. Gradually the farm was developed. In time 
he put up a good set of buildings, got a good part of the land under 
cultivation, put up fences, and acquired tools and equipment. As a family 
man and a good citizen, Mr. Iverson was interested in church and school. He 
helped to organize the Norwegian Lutheran Congregation at Prairie Farm, and 
served as one of its officers.  He also served on the school board. After a 
long and useful life, he died Nov. 2, 1910. His good wife passed away, March 
14, 1906. In addition to the two sons, who were brought here, three daughters 
were born on this place: Mary, the wife of Louis Michaelson, of Glenwood 
City; Laura, the wife of John Stack, of Saskatchewan, Canada; and Emma, who 
is at home.

--Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr., & Co.,
1922, pp. 623-4.