Martin Plahn makes his home near Avoca and is operating a farm, being a prominent representative of the agricultural interests of Knox Township. He was born in Holstein, Germany, on the 29th of November, 1843, and acquired his education in the schools of that country while spending his boyhood days under the parental roof. His parents, C. W. and Louise Plahn, were both natives of Germany and died in that country. Of their family of six children three are yet living, Sophia and Gustav being yet residents of the fatherland.

Martin Plahn spent the first twenty-three years of his life in the country of his nativity and in 1866 sought a home in America, attracted by the broader business opportunities of the new world, where competition is greater and advancement more quickly secured. Making his way into the interior of the country, he located at Davenport, Iowa, where he resided until 1974. He then removed to Shelby County, this state, where he operated a rented farm for three years and on the expiration of that period he invested his earnings in one hundred and twenty acres of land, to which he afterward added a similar tract, his farm then comprising two hundred and forty acres. The year 1891 witnessed his arrival in Pottawattamie County, where he purchased two hundred and twenty acres of land and in 1897 he added one hundred and twenty acres to this, making a total of three hundred and forty acres on section 21, Knox Township. This is appropriately known as the “Oaklawn Stock Farm” and its proximity to Avoca makes it one of the fine farms of the county, the advantages of town life being easily accessible, while those of rural life can at all times be enjoyed. He is one of the most prosperous tillers of the soil in this part of the state, his fields bringing forth rich crops and at the same time he is making a specialty of the raising and feeding of shorthorn cattle. For the past thirty-two years his entire time and attention have been devoted to general agricultural pursuits and his place is now one of the most productive farms of the neighborhood. The stock which he raises is of high grade and he makes large sales annually. He also owns one hundred and eighty acres in Washington Township, Pottawattamie County. Adele Vo

On the 31st of January, 1972, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Plahn and Miss lkmann, who was born in Germany, February 27, 1853, and is a daughter of Frederick and Julia Volkmann, who are natives of Germany, where they spent their entire lives. Their family numbered ten children and unto Mr. and Mrs. Plahn ten children have been born, namely:
Louise, at home;
Julia, the wife of John Lage, of Wayne County, Nebraska;
Ernest, of Pottawattamie County;
Lottie, the wife of Jesse Potter, also a resident of this county;
Ricklef, still under the parental roof;
Rudolph, still under the parental roof;
Helene, still under the parental roof;
Sophia, with her parents;
Johannas, with his parents;
One now deceased.

Politically Mr. Plahn is a Democrat and has served as trustee of his township for two terms and is now school treasurer. He and his wife are supporters of the Lutheran Church. They own a fine residence on Chestnut Street in Avoca, but his time and energies are still given to the farm and in the control of his business affairs he is meeting with very desirable success.