George and wife Sophia came to Minnesota about 1855. They worked and lived on the Powers farm at Cottage Grove for two summers. In 1856 they came to Princeton, and picked out their homestead. They went back to the Powers farm for the summer, came to Princeton in the fall and lived in Princeton that winter. They had three children, two came with them from New York State and George Henry was born at Cottage Grove. In the spring Grandfather George went to the homestead and built his first house which was about four miles from Princeton.

There were a great many Chippewa Indians living in this territory, because of the many lakes and heavy timber, filled with fish and game. The Indians proved to be very friendly, but Grandmother never did overcome her fear of them. The Indians always give everyone a name that seems appropriate to them. They called Grandmother "Margaret", which they said meant "Little Duck".

Their homestead was heavily timbered and had very rich fertile soil. There was a small deep pond on their land; also a good sized lake bordered it on the east. Grandfather built the house near the pond and overlooking the lake.

The Indians told them they were expecting war with the Sioux Indians, but told them to not worry because they would let them now in plenty of time to get into Princeton to the Fort. They had lived on the homestead about five years. Three children had been born there. The youngest was about eight months when the chief came and told them it was time for them to go into the Fort. Grandmother was sweeping the floor. She said she dropped the broom in the middle of the floor and grabbed the by, telling Grandfather to hurry. They let all the livestock out to take care of themselves, grabbed the essential things and drove into Princeton. I think they had oxen instead of horses at that time. The government sent more soldiers to Princeton and the Indians settled their differences without war, but Grandmother was so frightened she thought she could never go back to the homestead to live. I think it was while they were living in Princeton in a nice new frame house that Grandfather. It was the first frame house to be built in Princeton, the other buildings were of logs. He them built a larger house nearer the road and a greater distance from the lake on the homestead. This house is still standing(1959), altho quite dilapidated, because it has been lived in for a quite a few years. The roof is as straight as the day it was built...

Grandfather developed a good business of the cranberries that grew on several acres of low land that surrounded the lake...je also made a business of making coal out of wood by burying it and burning it. He had a large heard of cattle which pastured in the forest; there were no heard laws, also many hogs ran free and fattened on the acorns from the oak trees. There more children were born to them after returning to the homestead. When the youngest child was eight years, Grandfather died following an accident in which he was thrown from the wagon and one of the large wheels passed over him injuring his spine...

Cora Bockoven Jensen, March 26, 1959 authored this.

Note: Flat gravestone indicates his middle initial "C", most places indicate "Henry" as his middle name.
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George Bockhoven, one of the pioneers of Mille Lacs county, was born in New York in the year 1818. He came to Princeton with his family in 1856, and settled on a farm on section thirteen. He was married in his native State to Miss Sophia Brooks, the event taking place in 1850. Of nine children, the result of this union, seven are living ; Nancy M., George H., John F., Lafayette D., Cora E., Leonard, and Lemuel.
Source: History of the Upper Mississippi Valley
Contributor: AGHH