BIOGRAPHIES:  Peter H. STAFNE, Vance Creek Township, Barron Co., WI

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Submitted by:  Vic Gulickson <vic@indy.net>  2 March 2005
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Peter H. Stafne, now deceased, a hard working, industrious man, who
developed a farm in section 12, Vance Creek Township, which is still in the
family, was born in Norway, and was there reared and educated. He married
Anna Uro, and there had three children: Thomas, now living on the home farm
here; Anna, the wife of Ole Everson, of Star Prairie, Wis., and Emma, the
wife of John J. Anderson, also of Star Prairie. As a young man he became a
tenant farmer in his native land. But as the children began to grow, he
desired for them the wider opportunities of America. In this he was
seconded by his wife. So he bid farewell to the scenes they loved so well,
and in 1881 set sail for America. In due time he reached Menomonie, Dunn
County, this state, and entered the employ of Knapp, Stout & Co., working
in their sawmill and in the lumber woods. In this way he earned enough
money to send for his wife and children in the spring of 1884. When they
arrived he secured 40 acres of land in section 12, Vance Creek Township,
covered with dense hardwood forest. He drove the family from Menomonie by
horse team, and left them with neighbors while he put up a small log cabin.
Much of the furniture for the little cabin was made on the place. He
brought provisions in from Prairie Farm Village on his back. Fortunately he
was within a mile of a road, but even after he made his way through the
woods to the road, the going was rough, and often obstructed. The first
year he was on the place he secured a cow. Two years later he got a yoke of
steers. For many winters, he worked in the woods, leaving his wife at home
to look after the chores and the children. He and his wife were both devout
people, and opened their cabin to meetings of the Norwegian Lutheran
Church. Social gatherings were sometimes held there also. As the years
passed, he achieved a well deserved success. He added 40 acres to his farm,
cleared and broke it, put up some good buildings, and successfully carried
on general farming and dairying. After a long and useful life, he died on
May 12, 1909, at the age of 63 years. She died in 1916 at the age of 72
years. Both were people of high integrity, and were held in the highest
esteem and respect. In addition to the children brought here, one,
Ingebret, now of Flint, Mich., was born here.

--Transcribed from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper,
Jr., & Co., 1922, pg. 497.

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