John J. Kloppen

KLOPPEN, GERTSDATTER, GRYTE, ANDERSON

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 2/1/2010 at 05:01:14

JOHN J. KLOPPEN

John J. Kloppen, who has met with gratifying success as an agriculturist and owns an excellent farm on section 2, Linden township, Winnebago county, was born in Norway, November 27, 1863, of the marriage of John J. and Carrie (Gertsdatter) Kloppen, lifelong residents of that country. He received his education there, but in 1884, as a young man of about twenty-one years, crossed the Atlantic to the United States. Although he had only seventy-two dollars in money he possessed valuable assets in his energy and his willingness to work and he felt confident that in this new country he could gain prosperity. He at once made his way to Winnebago county and after working as a farm -hand for five years, during which time he carefully saved his money, he was able to purchase two forty-acre tracts of land, one on section 2 and the other across the road on section 3. He has since added to his holdings from time to time until he now owns two hundred acres in a body. He has made excellent improvements upon the farm, which is in all respects one of the highly developed places of the township. He raises both grain and stock and his well directed labors return him a good income. He is financially interested in the Farmers Cooperative Creamery and in the Farmers Elevator Company of Thompson.

Mr. Kloppen was married in 1892 to Miss Sissel Anderson, who was born in Winneshiek county, Iowa, of Norwegian stock. The parents, who came to this country shortly after their marriage, lived in Winneshiek county for a time, but about 1882 came to Winnebago county. Her father, Arne A. Gryte, survives and is living five miles west of Lake Mills. To Mr. and Mrs. Kloppen have been born six children, namely: Galena M., Jensina A., Alfred J., Ingeborg M., Melvin C. and Gordon I., all at home. ,

Mr. Kloppen is a stanch republican and loyally supports the candidates and measures of that party at the polls. He has served acceptably for some years as a member of the school board and can always be depended upon to support measures calculated to promote the general good. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the United Lutheran church.

Source: History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol. II. Pioneer Publishing Company (Chicago), 1917. pp. 203-204.