Family Farms -- stockholm sections 29 and 30

Kiron Kountry's Family Farms

Family Farms in Stockholm sections 29 and 30

 This aerial photo was taken 19900930. The plane is flying north over HiWay #39. The view is looking a little north of east. The road going north/south through the center of the picture is the 'Spirit Lake Airline' which was the main road from Denison to Kiron. The Boyer River located in the background in the valley flows to the right towards the villages of Deloit and Denison. Across the Boyer River was a grove of trees. The Providence Western Land Company which had obtained original title to most of this land also obtained title to these tree acreages. As a 'humanitarian consideration', they insisted that each Swede that bought land from them also buy 2 and 1/2 acres of trees for each 80 acres of prairie land. They knew they would need trees for fuel, shelter, posts, etc. By allocating the scarce trees in this manner, they hoped each prospective landowner would stand a better chance of being successful in this harsh environment.

Many of the landowners in this area moved to bigger farms as soon as they had the resources. Anders Johnson who owned what was the John Skarin farm in the 1940's, moved to 160 acres in Hayes township. His only living son Nils never married and eventually became Kiron's Hotel Owner. Samuelssons only had 40 acres of what was the Wienbrandts place in the 1940's. The Eriksons owned the other 40 acres. They both moved north along the Ida/Sac county border near the Arthur Baptist church. Blumgrens moved to the area west of Odebolt. Carl Johan Peterson bought 160 acres in the SE of Stockholm section 20, then sold it and moved his family to Alcester, South Dakota around 1905. Carl J. Clauson stayed here and increased his holdings by buying many of the acres from his neighbors. Peter Star went back to Swedebend and the Lawrence family briefly had title. Olof Lindberg, Kiron's first blacksmith, retired with his daughter's family on what is known as the Mauritz farm. The Johnsons of Johnsonville stayed until the 1940's. Mrs. Duncan, 'Misterhult's orphan girl', lost her husband but had a hired man named Lars Gunderson who kept her farm going until the early 1900's. Peter Nilsson, of which little is known, sold out to his neighbor Olof Larsson. Descendants of the Anders Hindrikson family married into the Hansohn family. Carl Frodig, part time Baptist pastor, continued to be the anchor of stability in this area until his death.

( additional pictures and story details here )


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