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The life record of Christian Seifert is another example of the fact that this country offers opportunities to all those who seek for and know how to make use of them, and that the man of foreign birth enjoys the equal opportunity with the native son in making these advantages the basis of his success. Mr. Seifert owns a farm of ninety-nine acres on section 10, Mooresville township, Livingston county, and is a native of Switzerland, leaving the land of the Alps for the United States in 1872, when he was about thirty years of age to seek the greater chances of the new country. He was born in Sevelen, in the canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland, June 5, 1843, and is a son of Mathias and Martha (Dudler) Seifert, both of whom spent their entire lives among the mountains of their native land and were buried in their native earth in St. Gallen.

Christian Seifert attended the excellent schools of his native country in the acquirement of an education and discontinued his lessons at the age of fourteen years. He began to earn his own living as a cow herd and followed this occupation for two summers. He then learned the trade of carpentry and followed that occupation until he decided upon removal to the United States. After arriving in this country he worked for three years as a bricklayer and by thrift and industry succeeded in accumulating sufficient means to buy a part of his present farm, beginning with acquiring forty acres. Settling upon the land which was an undeveloped tract he cleared the timber and as he gradually brought his land under the plow acquired additional acres. On coming to this district he had to contend with many hardships and struggles for after buying his land there was left to him only a total of six dollars, and this sum he had set aside to buy provisions. But the tax collector came a few days after he had made settlement, and took with him all the cash at hand. Finally, however, by extreme hard work and careful expenditure he succeeded in his undertaking and worked himself into a more comfortable position. He now engages in general farming, making a specialty of cattle raising, having a herd of twenty-one head. When he began his farming operations in this section he had but one cow. He now owns a valuable farm of ninety-nine acres, all of which is under cultivation and planted to such cereals as are best adapted to soil and climate. In the course of years his labors have been attended with success, and he is considered to be one of the prosperous agriculturist, of this section today.

In April, 1863, when still in his native country, Mr. Seifert was united in marriage to Miss Rosalia Bonderer, a daughter of H. Peter and Catharine (Probst) Bonderer, both of whom spent their entire lives in Switzerland and found their last resting place in Vattis, Canton St. Gallen. Mr. and Mrs. Seifert have four children: Peter, living in California; Martha, the wife of Adolph Lazer, a farmer of St. Joseph, Missouri; May, the wife of Milton Sprague, living in Mooresville township; and Christian, Jr., a farmer of Sampsell township, who married Ina Donegan and has two children. Our subject has twenty-two grandchildren. The family live in a pleasant residence which was erected by Mr. Seifert upon his property. He also has built most of the other farm buildings thereon and instituted a number of other valuable improvements and provided the necessary equipment for running a modem agricultural enterprise.

The political affiliations of Mr. Seifert are with the democratic party and he has supported this organization since being admitted to United States citizenship. His success has been largely attributable to his indomitable courage under adverse condition, his unfaltering industry and his energy, but he himself gives credit largely to his faithful wife, who, shared all of his hardships and assisted him in all of his endeavors, working unceasingly to bring about his present prosperity. Both Mr. and Mrs. Seifert are highly esteemed in this locality and enjoy the friendship and high regard of many who delight to honor them for their high qualities of character.

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