History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918)

JOHN LANDRY, a well known farmer of Reseburg Township, operating a farm of eighty acres in Section 7, which is one of the finest farms in the township, was born at Bia Chaleur, Quebec, Canada, Oct. 30, 1851, son of Peter and Orlea Landry, the parents being of French origin. The father was a farmer by general occupation, but also for a number of years carried the mail over the stage coach line. He lived to the advanced age of 92, dying in 1906. He had survived his wife many years, her death having occurred in 1865, when she was 52 years old. They had a family of twelve children.

John Landry's first industrial occupation was in the construction department of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and he worked along the whole line, from ocean to ocean. In 1882 he came to Wisconsin and for ten years worked for lumber concerns, among them being the Eau Claire Lumber Company. Then in 1892 he came to Reseburg Township, Clark County, and bought 120 acres of land, of which his present farm is a part. At the time it was wild land and, like other early settlers, he first erected a modest dwelling and barn. As the years went by he cleared and improved his farm and has continued to do so until now he has a model establishment that is one of the show places of the township. His land is all cleared except fifteen acres and the buildings are of the best construction and kept in excellent condition.

 In 1912 Mr. Landry built a new brick residence of ten rooms and bath, with other modern conveniences, and in 1914 a modern barn, 40 by 80 feet, with running water, and stalls for eighteen head of cattle, two box stalls and six horse stalls. His cattle are of the Holstein breed, of which he milks seventeen cows. In 1916 he built a seventy-ton silo. Mr. Landry was elected township clerk in 1891 and served in that office for sixteen years.

He is a member of the Catholic Church. On Nov. 15, 1888, Mr. Landry was united in marriage with Dora Oesau, who was born at New Holstein, Wis., Jan. 23, 1861, daughter of Tjark and Margaret (Weber) Oesau. Her parents were natives of Germany. The father, a farmer, died in 1911, aged 76 years, and his wife in 1894 at the age of 59. There were eleven children in their family. Mr. and Mrs. Landry are the parents of four children: Wallace J., born Dec. 12, 1889, who is principal of the public school at Alma, Wis. Howard, born May 11, 1891, now attending the Northwestern Dental College at Chicago Harry, born March 14, 1893 and Belle, born April 9, 1895, who is a school teacher in Reseburg Township. All the children have a good education and have taught school.

John Landry's Farm Home in 1915. 

In 1895 he was a Camp Laborer and within twenty years, he was an Independent Farmer.