1900 Joseph & Catherine move to Minnesota

Moving the family from Iowa to St. Cloud, Minnesota.

In 1900 Joseph and Catherine Studer made a decision which would effect the future lives of many generations. They decided to move to St. Cloud, Minnesota. The area around St. Cloud was certainly not the high quality farming land Joseph was accustomed to in Iowa. But it was a good place to raise a family and land was much cheaper than in Wesley.

Joseph decided that an equal amount of Minnesota land, plus the added bonus of cash was worth the upheaval of leaving the rich Iowa soil behind. Actually, the move was not wholly without reason. Joseph's sister, Margaret, had moved to Avon not more than fifteen miles from St. Cloud. Perhaps her land agent brother was able to assist her in securing a home in that area. 

Most of the family accompanied Joseph and Catherine to Minnesota with the exception of Mary, who had married Ed Huber. Mary remained in Iowa and helped her husband run the farm.

The first residence of the Studer family was a farm in Haven Township, just south of the Minnesota State Reformatory. Everyone did their share of work on the farm. It was during this time period that Joseph was involved in an accident that would eventually take the sight from one eye. While driving a horse drawn hayrack, Joseph was struck in the face by a tree branch that had bent back (possibly by one of the horses). Within several months he had totally lost sight in this eye. Because of this blindness, Joseph was unable to continue farming and left the farm to reside in the city of St. Cloud proper. A year or two later while walking on an icy sidewalk, Joseph slipped and struck his head on a water hydrant. As a result of this accident he lost the sight in his second eye. 

Joseph and Catherine Studer lived at several addresses in St. Cloud before building a home at 125 2nd avenue Northeast. In spite of the disadvantages of his blindness, Joseph remained very active in the community. He involved himself in the local real estate market as well as dealing in granite monuments and even herbs... (Grandpa?! Is Alpenkrauter "a herb" made into a schnapps or a patented stomach soother!?) Joseph eventually owned several investment properties on the East side of St. Cloud and was able to support himself quite well. 

Catherine passed away in 1915 at the age of 65. It is believed that Catherine (Hoffer) Studer died of colon cancer. Her daughter Mary, sons William, Albert and Eugene also died of colon cancer. Several of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren also have had disease of the colon. 

Joseph was able to survive her for sixteen years until he himself passed away in 1931 at the age of 81. Both Joseph and Catherine are buried in Calvary Cemetery, St. Cloud. Information about Joseph and Catherine's children.