JOHN KASDORF
John Kasdorf suddenly passed away Thursday morning, shortly after seven o'clock, at his home three miles north of Sturgis, at the age of 76 years, 10 months and 12 days.
John Kasdorf was one of Sherman township's oldest and most highly esteemed residents and has been for many years one of its leading agriculturalists. He was born Glendoln, Prussia, Germany, July 1, 1838, a son of Michael and Mary (Kasdorf) Kasdorf, who were of the same name but not related by the ties of blood. The son John, at the age of 17 years left his native fatherland for the United States, where he arrived in the spring of 1856, a stranger in a strange land, unable even to speak the English language. His first employment in the country was on a farm in the state of New York, moving from there to La Porte county, Indiana, in August, of 1856, where he secured employment on the Lake Shore railroad, and from there he went to Chicago and spent a year in that city. It was in the year of 1858 that he arrived in Sherman twonship, and this place has continued his home since those early days. He had only about $60 in money when he arrived here, and he worked first at farm labor and at threshing, thus accumulating a small capital, and he was also identified for some time with the carpenters' trade.
On the 6th of January, 1864, Mr. Kasdorf was united in marriage with Caroline, nee Peters, widow of the late John Grabe, who was born in Prussia, Germany, Sept. 5 1842, and she came to this country in the autumn of 1856. Mr. Kasdorf was a Democratic voter, and he has held many of the offices of his township, including this of justice of the peace, treasurer and supervisor, from 1882 until 1900, his incumbency in the latter office covering 18 years.
He was a member of St. John's Lutheran congregation almost since the days of its organization, and continued faithfully in this connection until his death.