John M. Tostberg, engaged in general farming and stock-raising in
Carlinville township, was born in the township where he now resides on
the 17th of September, 1866, his parents being Charles and Minnie
(Cramer) Tostberg, natives of Germany. His father emigrated to the
United States in his early manhood, locating in southern Illinois during
the pioneer days. There he worked as a farm hand, carefully saving a
portion of his meager earnings each month, until at the expiration of
three years he had acquired sufficient capital to enable him to purchase
forty acres of land, five of which were cleared, in Carlinville
township, this county. He applied himself so successfully to the
cultivation of his holdings that he later added to his tract at one time
twenty and at another one hundred acres, making an aggregate of one
hundred and sixty acres. This land he had improved from the time of his
original purchase, until at the time of his death on the 8th of May,
1900, he owned one of the fine homesteads of the community. He was
survived by his wife who passed away in 1906.
Reared on the farm
where he was born, John M. Tostberg passed the uneventful life of the
country youth. He attended the district schools of the vicinity until he
had a good knowledge of the common branches, after which he devoted his
attention to agricultural pursuits. He had already acquired a very good
understanding of the best practical methods of tilling the fields and
caring for the stock, as, in common with the majority of country lads,
he had been called upon to assist in the work of the farm from his early
boyhood. When he was thirty he took unto himself a wife and left the
parental roof in order to establish a home of his own. During the first
ten years of his domestic life he farmed as a renter, then bought eighty
acres in Carlinville township, upon which he has wrought extensive
improvements. Not only general farming but stock-raising engages the
attention of Mr. Tostberg, who keeps seventeen head of cattle, four
horses and annually raises twenty hogs.
On the 16th of October,
1895, Mr. Tostberg married Miss Katie Schwertfeger, a daughter of Henry
and Mary (Ship) Schwertfeger, both natives of Germany. Mr. Schwertfeger
came to Carlinville during the early days, working by the month until he
had accumulated sufficient capital to buy forty acres of land in Shaws
Point township, which he immediately set about to improve. The
cultivation of his land proved so lucrative that lie later augmented his
holdings by the addition of another one hundred and twenty acres. He
continued to operate his farm until his demise in February, 1905. The
mother, now seventy-five, continues to make her home in Carlinville.
Five children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Tostberg: Perry, who is
fourteen years of age; Henry, a youth of twelve; William, who is ten;
Charles, now eight; and Everett, a little lad of two.
In
politics a democrat, Mr. Tostberg is one of the township commissioners,
and while a resident of Honey Point township he served for three years
as road supervisor and he also acted as election judge. In religious
faith the family are loyal to the creed of the Evangelical church. A
good citizen, loyal friend and accommodating neighbor, Mr. Tostberg is
held in high esteem among the citizens of his township, many of whom
have known him from boyhood.
Extracted 17 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 528-529.
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