EVERETTE PUFFER

View Portrait of Mr. & Mrs. Everette Puffer

Everette Puffer is devoting his time and energies to the basic industry of agriculture. Farming constitutes the foundation of success in all life, and he who carefully and conscientiously tills the soil contributes to the world’s progress. On a farm on section 26, Pioneer township, lives Everette Puffer, who tills the fields and feeds his stock upon a tract of land of one hundred and twenty-five acres while altogether he operates two hundred acres. His homestead was also his birthplace, his natal day being April 24, 1879. The paternal grandfather was one of the first settlers of Cedar county and amid pioneer surroundings the father was reared, sharing in the hardships and privations that always constitute an element in frontier life. After attaining man’s estate he chose as a companion and helpmate for life’s journey Miss Arminda Boyles, who was born in Pennsylvania and gave him her hand in marriage in 1873. They began their domestic life upon a farm and to the usual duties of the agriculturist Mr. Puffer continued to devote his time and energies until his death, which occurred about 1894. His wife still survives him and is now living in Mechanicsville. Their family numbered three children: Ray, a farmer of Pioneer township; who is mentioned on another page of this volume; Mabel, the wife of Claude Harper, of Saint John, Washington; and Everette, who is the youngest of the family.

The last named was a youth of fifteen years at the time of his father’s death. He remained with his mother until he attained his majority and through the period of his youth acquired a good common-school education. After reaching manhood he and his brother farmed together until 1905 and then divided the estate, Everette Puffer receiving the old home. It was on the 15th of March of the same year that he was married in Emmetsburg, Iowa, to Miss Grace Kohl, who was born in South Dakota but was reared in Cedar county. Her father, Jesse Kohl, was a native of Jones county, Iowa, where he spent his youthful days. He was married at Storm Lake, Buena Vista county, to Miss Mary Scott, a native of New York, who in her girlhood days was brought to Iowa and here reared. Mr. Kohl carried on farming in Cedar county until 1906, when he removed to Phillipsburg, Kansas, where he now resides.

At the time of his marriage Mr. Puffer took up his abode on the farm, where he has since lived, his attention being largely given to the raising and feeding of sheep and hogs, his specialty being Shropshire sheep and Chester White hogs, selling three carloads of each annually. He cares for his stock after the most modern methods and therefore sends them to market in good condition and receives therefor a high price.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Puffer has been born a daughter, Mary A. The parents are widely and favorably known in this community where they have many friends. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party but aside from voting he has never been interested in politics, his purpose in life being to provide a comfortable living for his family that they may be relieved of the hardships that come through lack of financial resources. He therefore is bending his energies to the successful development of his farm and to his live-stock interests, and in this connection is making an excellent record.