YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY MINNESOTA
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Submitted to the Minnesota Biographies Project by:
Name: LaNaye Hennen
Email: henfarms@clarkfield.ruralink.com
Date: 29 June 2000
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"A History of Yellow Medicine County" by Arthur P. Rose,published in 1914

JOHN E. AFDEM (1879)

John E. Afdem, who resides in Clarkfield and farms adjoining farm lands, is
one of the prominent and successful men of his city.  He first came to
Yellow Medicine county thirty-five years ago, and that he has prospered is
evidenced by the fact that he is now the owner of 960 acres of the county's
soil, a section of South Dakota land, and a half section of land in North
Dakota.  Mr. Afdem engages in farming on a large scale and is a big stock
raiser, making a specialty of Percheron horses and Shorthorn cattle.

The gentleman whose name heads this review was born in Norway January 21,
1859, the son of Engebret and Annie Afdem.  The father immigrated from
Norway in 1866, lived respectively in Watonwan, Yellow Medicine and Redwood
counties, Minnesota, and died in the last named in 1902.  The mother died in
Watonwan county in 1888.

John Afdem crossed the water with his parents in 1866 and grew to manhood in
Watonwan county, Minnesota.  When twenty years old, in 1879, he came to
Yellow Medicine county and engaged in farming.  After a few years he located
in South Dakota, took a pre-emption claim, but resided there less than a
year.  Returning to Yellow Medicine county, he has since devoted his time
and energies to agricultural pursuits.

Mr. Afdem has also become interested in other business enterprises.  He is
treasurer and director of the Farmers Elevator Company of Clarkfield and a
director of the Clarkfield Telephone Company.  He and his family are members
of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

John Afdem was married in Yellow Medicine county May 3, 1884, to Ingeborg
Brekke, a native of Minnesota.  The children of Mr. and Mrs. Afdem are as
follows:  Annie (Mrs. Fagerlie), born November 25, 1886; Hilda, born
December 24, 1891; Edwin, born April 5, 1888; Arnold, born February 21,
1895; Marvin, born June 3, 1897; and Gladys, born March 11, 1903.