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from Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa by Manoah Hedge The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1906
J. C. Albertson has won the success which follows earnest application and honorable effort and, is now living on section 26, Cedar township, where he owns three hundred and twenty acres of land, constituting a valuable farm. Here in addition to tilling the soil he raises stock and his business is carefully conducted, resulting in success. He is a native son of Iowa, his birth having occurred in Jones county, May 19, 1859. His father, John Albertson, was a native of Ohio, whence he removed to Illinois in early manhood, living in Peoria county. He was afterward married there to Martha Young. He followed farming in Illinois for a number of years and in 1857 came to Iowa, settling in Jones county, where he resided for a few years, when he returned with his family to Illinois, again taking up his abode in Peoria county. About 1862 he enlisted for service in the Union army, and for two years was in the south. He died at Memphis, Tennessee, during the period of the war and was buried there. His wife survived him for a number of years. In 1870 J. C. Albertson, with his mother and other members of the family, returned to Iowa, settling in Wapello county near the farm on which he yet resides. He remained with his mother until he had attained his majority and the common schools afforded him his educational privileges. He was married in Cedar township, Mahaska county, February 17, 1886, to Miss Etta Van Buskirk, who was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and was reared in Iowa. Her father was Linford Van Buskirk; who came to Iowa from Ohio and opened up a farm in Cedar township, upon which he lived with his family, his attention being given to the development and improvement of his land. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Albertson located on the farm where they now reside. He owns here one hundred and sixty acres of land. He had secured this property in 1882 and kept "bachelor's hall" upon the farm for four years. He has since cultivated and improved the fields and has erected a good, neat residence, also built two good barns and outbuildings. He has bought more land from time to time and now owns three hundred and twenty acres of land in two tracts with two hundred and forty acres in the home place. He has surrounded this with a well kept fence and has drained it with tiling. He has also planted fruit trees and made the farm what it is today, a splendidly improved property. He feeds and fattens for the market a carload of cattle and a large number of hogs each year, and both branches of his business are bringing to him a good, financial return. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Albertson have been born three children, Linford C., Harlan and Ethel M. J. In his political allegiance Mr. Albertson is a democrat and has served on the school board for several years but otherwise has held no office. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen camp. Living in this county from his youth to the present time he assisted in tilling the virgin soil and developed from properties. His business integrity is above question and his genuine, personal worth stands as an unquestioned fact in his life. Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy