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There had been two barns, the horse barn and the cattle barn. The cattle barn, built in 1880, had been burned in a fire. The horse barn had been demolished. The chicken coup had also been demolished. Almost the only thing that remained was the family farmhouse where I had spend much time when I was a boy. However, the farmhouse was in terrible condition as can be seen from this photo I took of it.
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2591 330th Road
Corner of Quebec Road
Orient, Iowa 50858-8098
At least the house has a great future as a set for monster movies.
The house is located exactly two miles south and one mile east of Orient, Iowa.
This house was built I believe by Axel Jacobson (1843-1935) who came to America from Sweden in 1862. The farm consisting of 80 acres was a homestead. His three children, Wesley, Elmer and Henrietta, inherited the farm after he died. Wesley was my grandfather.
Celebrate Golden Wedding
I sit here near Creston, Iowa, celebrating with Axel Jacobson and his mate, born a Cassel, a Golden Wedding Anniversary the 6th of January, in the circle of children, grandchildren and other relatives, among them a niece from Kisa, a missionary Mrs. Elizabeth Oberg and many friends.
The couple celebrating their golden anniversary received in their honor flowers and valuable gifts, most of them in gold. Many telegrams of good wishes were received and there were many speeches.
One friend from many years past remembers, among other things that the honored couple not only lived in a happy marriage for 50 years, but that they lived in the same place the entire time, where they won respect and love as well as an honored position in the community. Axel Jacobson was born in Follings in Kisa Parish on December 1, 1843. At the age of 24, he caught the outbreak of "America Fever" and left from Haggarp, Rumskulla Parish, where his parents lived at that time, to the big country in the West, where he arrived in the summer of 1867. After a short time of living in Andover, Illinois, and then Fairfield, Illinois, he left for Creston, Iowa where he bought land, started to till the land and build a house to begin his own homestead.
He married Carrie Cassel January 6, 1866. She was born in New Sweden, Iowa on August 14, 1862. She was the youngest daughter of the Methodist pastor, P. Cassel, who, with family arrived in America in 1845 and made his home in Jefferson County the same year in that part of the country which was later called New Sweden. He and his family were the first Swedish homesteaders in Iowa.
It answers one question which I had been wondering which was whether he actually built the house and the barn on the farm. The barn had 1880 painted near the top. The house is still standing but is in somewhat run-down condition.
Here are more family history and photos: