SCHOMMER, JOHN                                       Given by John Schommer
  Anna C. Nelles Schommer                              Recorded by John Schmolke
  Piers, Rt. #4                                        March, 1937


      John Schommer was born Sept. 30, 1859, near Wayzata, Hennepin County,
  Minn, the son of Peter Schommer and Mrs. Elizabeth Weidenbach Schommer.

      He attended the grade shocol near Holy Name Congregation during the
  winter season until he was 18 years of age. He always worked with his
  father at home on the farm until his 18th year when he began working out
  with a carpenter. He learned the carpenter trade at which he worked
  whenever there was any work of that kind to be had. John's mother died when
  he was ten years of age.

      In 1881 his father, hearing of Father Pierz settling a German Catholic
  Colony in Rich Prairie, now Pierz (1937) decided to investigate. They like
  the country and John's father and one of his brothers each bought a tract
  of railtoad land in the vicinity of the present village of Lastrup.

      In 1881 John made a trip to Rich Prairie with a team of oxen and bouoht
  80 acres of wild grass land in Section 8, Granite Township, one and
  one-half miles east of the present Lastrup Village.  On this he built a
  board shanty and log barn. He bought another team of oxen and immediately
  began clearing, grubbing and breaking the land.

      John lived alone for about three years. Then he built a frame house and
  his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Desent, whose husband had purchased some land in
  the vicinity kept house for him for a few years. He then lived alone again
  until his marriage, with the exception of about three or four years when he
  was sick, during which time he worked at his carpenter trade in the
  vicinity of Minneapolis.

      On April 23, 1895 he married Mill Anna C. Nelles, daughter of Mr. Peter
  Nelles and Mithilda Mai Nelles who lived near St. Michaels, Minn.

      In 1897 he purchased 40 acres in section 17, Granite township,
  adjoining his farm. This land they used for pasturage. About the year 1907
  he purchased another 40 acres adjoining his land. In 1912 they sold their
  farm for which he was given a very good price, and bought the 160 acre Mike
  Praemer farm in Section 16, Granite Township, adjacent to their old farm.
  In 1919 they bought back 80 acres of their old farm which is located beside
  their present home farm. Of this they sold 40 acres to Mr. Ben Block who
  owns the adjoining farm.

      When they bought the Kraemer farm the only buildings on it were a log
  house and log barn, and only 30 acres were under cultivation. Now they have
  107 acres of land under cultivation and the balance is being used for
  pasture and meadows.  During the summer of 1913 they framed the log huse
  with lap siding and remodeled and enlarged it, making a seven-room house.
  They built several, board shed leansto the barn for their cattle. In 1915
  they built a frame granary, a hog barn and hen houce and in 1923 they built
  a 36 X 60 ft. frame barn, with high cement bottom.

      They have four horsed and 20 head of cattle of which twelve are milch
  cows, and two brood saws on the farm. They are interested in diversified
  farming.