From History of Walworth County Wisconsin, Vol. 1, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 
publ. 1912 - Pages 750 - 751
 
JOHN AGERN.  Success has come to John AGERN, a worthy citizen of Lake Geneva, 
because he has worked for it along legitimate lines and has dealt honorably 
with his fellow men all along the line.  He is a man who has at heart the 
interests of his county and state, having never cared to spend his days in 
other than the Badger state.
 
Mr. AGERN was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, April 11, 1860.  He is the son of 
Knute and Bertha AGERN, both natives of Valders, Norway, where they grew up 
and were married, and from there they emigrated to the United States in 1856 
and settled at Manitowoc, following farming in that vicinity, and through 
their industry and close application, became very comfortably established.  
Knute AGERN met death suddenly by drowning in the year 1862 when his son John, 
of this sketch, was a baby.  There were six children in this family, namely: 
Oliver, Carrie, Thomas and Bertha were twins, John, and Emma.
 
After the death of the father of these children the mother married Ole 
SEVERSON and the subject of this sketch lived with his mother and step-father 
until he was fourteen years old, at which age he left home and worked out at 
farm work.  He found it hard, but the discipline was good and contributed, no 
doubt, to his later success.  When about seventeen years old he went to 
Minnesota where he worked on a farm for two years, then spent nearly two years 
as a traveling salesman for the McCormick Harvester Company.  In November 
1881, he went to Chicago where he spent the winter and in 1882 he came to Lake 
Geneva, Wisconsin, with C. C. BOYLES, and became foreman of his place along 
the southeastern shore of Lake Geneva.  He remained with Mr. BOYLES for a 
period of twenty-six years, giving the utmost satisfaction, having been 
specially fitted for such work.  In the fall of 1907, Mr. AGERN purchased the 
BARLOW farm from Mr. BOYLES and he lived there successfully engaged in general 
farming and stock raising until June 1911.  He had lived on the farm all the 
time Mr. BOYLES owned it.  Upon the last mentioned date Mr. AGERN sold his 
farm and purchased three houses and lots in Lake Geneva, two on Wisconsin 
street and one on Chester street.  He lives in the latter, renting those on 
Wisconsin street which are very desirable dwellings in every respect.
 
Mr. AGERN was married on November 2, 1884, to Emma ACKERMAN, daughter of 
George and Elizabeth ACKERMAN.  She was born and reared in Chicago and lived 
there until her marriage.  She received a good education in the schools of 
that city.  To Mr. and Mrs. AGERN two children have been born, namely: Bertha 
Elizabeth and Florence Rosamond.  They are both graduates of the Lake Geneva 
high school and Bertha E. is now teaching in the public schools of Linn 
township.  Florence R. has also taught in the same school.  The latter married 
Matthew PATTON, superintendent of the E. E. JONES place, along the lake shore, 
and they live near Buttons Bay.
 
Fraternally, Mr. AGERN belongs to the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Mystic Workers.
 
Mr. AGERN is a man of fine physique and the possessor of great bodily 
strength.  He is a man of frank, genial and generous nature, and of a home-
loving disposition.  He is a purely self-made man, having started out in life 
when but a mere lad with no one to assist him, and by perseverance and grit he 
has succeeded until today he is very comfortably situated.

Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)