WABASHA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
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Biography transcribed & donated to Wabasha County, MN Bios by
Barbara Koska Timm.  For more information, please check
out her site "Biographies and Historical Sketches of Wabasha County,
Minnesota" at <http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio>.
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			HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY


            TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL MATTER, STATISTICS, ETC.
                   GATHERED FROM MATTER FURNISHED BY 
                       INTERVIEWS WITH OLD SETTLERS,
        COUNTY, TOWNSHIP AND OTHER RECORDS, AND EXTRACTS FROM 
                FILES OF PAPERS, PAMPHLETS, AND SUCH OTHER 
                     SOURCES AS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE. 

                                   ALSO A 

                        HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY

                                  CHICAGO:
                      H. H. HILL & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS.
                                     1884




  Befort, William, farmer, has lived on section 30, Chester, since 1867, at which time he became 
 possessed of one hundred and twenty acres. His was a hard struggle to secure a home. At the time of 
 this purchase his capital consisted mostly of hope for the future. He paid down one hundred dollars of 
 the one thousand dollars which was the price of his land. With a yoke of oxen and a wagon he went 
 on and raised a crop, and by industry and prudence himself and wife have secured a good home. He 
 has purchased eighty acres more of land, and has erected comfortable and handsome buildings. Mr. 
 Befort is a native of Luxemburg, born in the village of Gravenmacher, in August, 1827. At twenty-five 
 he crossed the Atlantic and engaged in farm labor in Sheldon, New York. After spending three years 
 in opening up a farm in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, he returned to New York. In 1865 he came to 
 Minnesota and worked two years for a farmer in Hay Creek, removing hither as above related. He 
 paid as high as twenty-four per cent interest for money to tide him along. With his own hands he cut 
 logs for his first house. He is a member of the Mazeppa Catholic church, with all his family, and has 
 always been a democrat. He was married February 5, 1860, to Anna Develli, a native of Belgium. 
 Eight children have been born to them, as follows: William, January 2, 1862; Mary C., November 16, 
 1863; Anna M., May 15, 1867; John P., March 30, 1869; Catharina, February 13, 1871; Elizabeth C., 
 May 21, 1873; Francis N., August 12, 1875; Agnes M., January 9, 1878.