Emil F. Benjegerdes
Emil F. Benjegerdes, a resident farmer of Danville township, Worth county, his home being on section 23, was born on the old Benjegerdes homestead farm in Lincoln township on the 18th of January, 1892, and is a son of John D. and Christina (Hinch) Benjegerdes, of whom mention is made in connection with the sketch of G. H. Benjegerdes on another page of this work. Emil F. Benjegerdes, spending his youthful days under the parental roof, began his education in the district school near his father's home and afterward attended the Manly high school, from which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1911. He next entered the State Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa, where he pursued a special course in dairying, covering a year. Following the completion of his studies he worked for three years for his brother, P. Diedrich Benjegerdes, upon the old homestead, and in the spring of 1915 he began farming for himself. He rented eighty acres of land from his brother Henry and in 1916 he removed to his present place of residence, which had formerly belonged to his father. He rented the place for two years and in March, 1918, he purchased from his father's estate one hundred and sixty acres of this farm. His land is now carefully cultivated and improved and everything about the place presents a neat and thrifty appearance, indicating his careful supervision and his practical and progressive methods.
On the 3d of March, 1917, Mr. Benjegerdes was united in marriage to Miss Martha Troester, of Clayton county, Iowa, by whom he has a son, Irvin Henry. In politics Mr. Benjegerdes follows an independent course. He and his wife are members of the German Evangelical Lutheran church and are well known in the community where they reside, Mr. Benjegerdes having spent his entire life in Worth county. He belongs to a family that has figured prominently in connection with public activity and enterprise in this section of the state and one that has contributed in marked measure to agricultural development.
SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Pages 632 & 633
Transcription by Gordon Felland, 8/17/2006