Uncle Serenus' Farming Career

His entry into the ministerial field was a late one. He must have been at least 35 years of age when he was taking seminary training. Before that he had been engaged in agriculture or related activities. It was he who tried raising purebred swine, using the Peterson farm as a base for this activity. Doubtless the hog house on the farm was a byproduct of this project. Also the building that uncle Carl used as a tool shed was originally a small sales pavilion — it was located in such a position that the swine could be easily brought from the hog house into it for the sales process.

I don’t know who successful this project was, at least it had been long abandoned when I first became aware of uncle Serenus. Perhaps during this period he also farmed, or helped in farming the Peterson or acres. It is certain the occupied the house on the farm in the early 1920s. I’ve seen pictures of my cousin Eugene and his dog playing in or near the house yard.

During the 1920s he also spent some time in Texas, possibly farming the land that uncle Carl had down there. Uncle Carl had purchased this land following the advice of some Lutheran minister who had previously bought farmland in the same general area. As it developed the minister really “made out” on his venture — oil was discovered on his property and he became wealthy. Uncle Carl’s land was leased for the oil rights, perhaps off and on, but no drilling was done, nor was oil found nearby, so he did not have the same good fortune as the minister.

Agriculturally the land did not compare in productivity to the Iowa farmland. Perhaps if he did farm the land, as I suspect he may have, that was the reason uncle Serenus gave up farming and gravitated to the ministry. While we were living on the farm, uncle Carl made at least one trip down to Texas to review conditions on the farm with his rented. I don’t think he got much, if any, net income from the place. Eventually in his later years he sold it and I think donated the receipt from the sale to one of the church activities he supported.

I should acknowledge at this point that uncle Serenus’ leaving the Peterson farm as he did to enter the ministry played a significant part in the history of the Strand family. His leaving left the house vacant for us to move into during the Depression. So I suppose I should be thankful that he followed the checkered career he did.