Surnames: Elfert, Minkel, John, Wiese, Kramer, Weber, Miller, Morehouse, Vallet

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) 05/20/1943

Elfert, Joe (86th Birthday - 17 May 1943)

An occasion for celebration was the 86th birthday anniversary of Joe Elfert, which occurred Monday, May 17. Relatives and friends surprised him on that evening.

Mr. Elfert, who was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, came to America at the age of 16. He and his mother joined two brothers and a sister already here and located in Iowa. For several years he worked in the brick yards and quarries and later helped break land for his mother, who had moved to South Dakota.

On May 25, 1883, he married Miss Christina Minkel at Mankato, Minn. He and his bride traveled in a covered wagon to South Dakota, near Alexander.

In 1904 the family came to Wisconsin and cleared a farm from solid timber and brush, two miles north of Dorchester, Wis. This Mr. Elfert sold and returned to Minnesota where he purchased another farm near Mankato, about 1913. In 1921 he retired from farming and lived in the city of Mankato where Mrs. Elfert died in February of 1924.

For a period of about 12 years, Mr. Elfert traveled and then bought a farm near Cherokee which he again sold and came to the village of Abbotsford where he has lived for the past nine years.

On Aug. 30, 1933, he was married to Mrs. Anna John, of Mosinee.

Mr. Elfert is in good health and is active. He works a large garden, a good portion of which he himself spades.

He has seven children: Mrs. Frank Wiese, Abbotsford; Mrs. Jake Kramer and Frank Elfert, Faribault, Minn.; Mrs. Frank Weber, Dorchester; Mrs. Leo Miller, Mora, Minn.; Mrs. Clara Morehouse and Mrs. John Vallet, St. Paul, Minn.

There are 25 grand children, seven of the grandsons are in the service; and 28 great grand children.