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CLAY COUNTY ILLUSTRATED 



Plowing With Three Gangs on the John Olness Farm, Kragnes 



Mr. Gee arrived from England in 

 1883 and the next year bought the 

 first 80 acres of his present farm. 

 While cultivating this land he worked 

 part of the time for other farmers. 

 From time to time he bought more 

 land. His fine farm is a monument to 

 his industry and thrift. The illustra- 

 tions show the farm residence, sur- 

 rounded by trees, and part of the other 

 buildings. 



John Olness has farmed extensively 

 and successfully in Clay for over twen- 

 ty years. He came from Norway in 

 1888 and located at Kragnes, where he 

 was employed in a general store. Two 

 years later he became a partner and 

 later the sole proprietor of the busi- 

 ness. He was also engaged in the farm 

 machinery business and managed one 

 of the local grain elevators. 



After engaging in farming Mr. Ol- 



ness disposed of his other interests 

 and retired from the mercantile busi- 

 ness. He now has one of the best of 

 the big farms in the county and was 

 one of the leaders in growing diversi- 

 fied crops. Mr. Olness grows corn and 

 potatoes and fills out his thousand-acre 

 farm with small grains, alfalfa and 

 other forage crops. He is building up 

 a fine herd of cattle and has two full- 

 blood Holstein bulls. 



An accident to the negatives pre- 

 vents a proper showing of the Olness 

 farmstead. It is one of the best ar- 

 ranged and most complete in the 

 Northwest. All of the buildings are 

 lighted by electricity, the current be- 

 ing supplied by the plant on the farm. 

 The farm home has every convenience 

 of a city residence. All of the land is 

 in Kragnes township, and the farm- 

 stead is only a short distance north of 

 Kragnes station. 



Part of the Buildings on the John Olness Farm, Kragnes 



