George Ludwig Henry Thern was born Oct. 15, 1874 in the Town of Liberty, Outagamie County. He was the youngest of a family of 6 boys and 5 girls. He worked hard helping on the farm of his parents. There was an 80 acre woods back of the house where he loved to take his dog and hunt.

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George completed his schooling in a one room schoolhouse built on land that had been donated by his father. He then went to work for his brother, John, who operated a grocery store in New London. He worked long hours as a delivery boy and clerk.

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After he was married he moved to Phillips where he had his own store. His love was for the country though, so he bought a few acres east of New London where he raised berries. He also worked at the brickyards and then on the railroad.

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With hard savings he moved to a larger place - the old fairgrounds - and converted the land for agriculture. When he began farming he had only a single plow that he guided by hand as the horses pulled it.

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He dragged the field with a spring tooth until the soil was suitable to use the disk and later a crusher. Most of the work had to be done by walking back and forth over the acreage. He did not stop until it was smooth and ready for seeding.