Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 113

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago, G.A.Ogle
Number of Pages: 1432

USA > North Dakota > Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life > Part 113

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Our subject was reared and educated in Ger- many in the high schools of that country, and had just completed his education when he removed with his parents to the United States, and remained with his father and went with him to North Dakota, when he took land as a pre-emption in section 12, in Hun- ter township, and later a homestead claim in section 18. He proved up on these claims, and then pur- chased the land on which he now resides. He has devoted his career to farming, and is the fortunate owner of three sections of well-improved land.

Our subject was married, in 1880, to Elizabeth Teubert, a native of Racine county, Wisconsin. Mrs. Gunkel's parents, Gunther and Elizabeth ( Kocher ) Teubert, were natives of Germany and Belgium re- spectively, and came to America about 1852, and set- tled in Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Gunkel are the parents of three children, named as follows: Carl G., Amanda L. and Iza V. T. The family are mem- bers of the German Lutheran church, and are highly respected in the community in which they reside. Mr. Gunkel assisted in the organization of his town- ship, and has filled all the local offices, and is at pres- ent chairman of the township board. He holds membership in the Modern Woodmen of America. Politically he is independent.

WILLIAM O. WARD is an ex-soldier and prominent farmer of township 139, range 80, in Burleigh county, and he also owns considerable city property in Bismarck, and has made a success of his work in North Dakota. He was born on a farm in Erie county, Pennsylvania, May 3, 1839.

The father of our subject, Jeremiah Ward, was a mechanic, and also operated a small farnı. He was a native of New York state, and the grand- father of our subject. Shadrick Ward, was born in Vermont, and was a hotel keeper. The Ward family has been in America many generations, and were

736

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

among the first settlers in Massachusetts. The

mother of our subject bore the name of Emma Loomis prior to her marriage, and she was a native of Pennsylvania, and her people came from Connect- icut. The parents were married in Pennsylvania and our subject was the eldest in their family of ten children. He was raised on a farm, and had limited school advantages, and when he was sixteen years of age removed with his parents to Delaware county, Iowa, where the father followed his trade, and in 1858 the family went to Minnesota and settled in Freeborn county, and the father was engaged at his trade and our subject conducted the home farm. He left home at the age of twenty-one years and worked at farm labor for others, and October II, 1861, enlisted in Company F, Fourth Minnesota Regiment. They garrisoned forts in Minnesota during the winter of 1861-62, and in the spring were sent to St. Louis, Missouri, and then arrived at Shiloh to engage in the last day's fight, and our sub- ject also participated in the siege of Corinthi, battle of Iuka, battle of Corinth, and in numerous long marches and skirmishes, and in the Yazoo Pass ex- pedition, where the regiment had the hardest fight- ing of any during its service. He then went through the battle of Vicksburg, and after the siege was taken ill with fever and ague and went home on a short furlough, and again joined his regiment at Chattanooga after the battle there, and then took part in the Atlanta campaign and the battle of Al- toona. He was with Sherman on his march to the sea, and was discharged at Savannah, Georgia, and returned home December 28, 1864. He remained at home one week only, and then enlisted in the United States Veteran Volunteers, and was sent to Washington, D. C., and was in the Shenandoah Val- ley at the time of Lee's surrender. He was dis- charged in New York city, February 6, 1866, hav- ing served four years and three months. After his return from the war he followed farming in Minne- sota until the spring of 1872, when he went to James- town, North Dakota, and there located, but lost the land and then went to Bismarck and settled east of the town and started farming and stock raising. He went to the Black Hills with thirty-five head of stock and a wagon and oxen in March, 1876, and when about half way there Indians stampeded the cattle and took them away, but they were regained the next day, and this battle with the Indians cost the life of our subject's brother, and two others of the party were wounded, and in the evening the Indians again took the cattle. On the way back they again encountered Indians and one man was wounded. Mr. Ward returned to Minnesota, and then later went again to Bismarck and located on his present ranch. He began cattle raising and dairying, and has had an extensive ranch for cattle raising there. His home ranch is located three miles up the river from Bismarck, and our subject and son now have three hundred and fifty head of horses, having sold the cattle interests in the spring of 1900. They have two thousand one hundred sheep, and make

this the principal business of the home ranch, the horses being kept on another ranch which they own about ninety miles up the river from Bismarck. They have one thousand and seventy acres of land in the home ranch, and have two sets of buildings thereon. Mr. Ward has five tenement houses in Bismarck, and is one of the wealthy men of his community.

Our subject was married to Miss Florence Man- ley, December 13, 1868. Mrs. Ward was born in Pennsylvania, and taught school in Minnesota. She is a daughter of H. M. Manley, a native of Penn- sylvania, and a farmer by occupation. Mr. and Mrs. Ward are the parents of six children, named as follows: Jennette, Isabelle, Ralph, Aldyth, Mi- lan and Birlea. Mr. Ward is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and the North Dakota Sheep Breeders' Association, of which society he is vice-president. He has held various local offices, and is a man of active public spirit, and politically is a Democrat.

CHARLES V. BROWN, an energetic and well- known citizen of Cathay, Wells county, has em- barked in various enterprises in North Dakota, in all of which he has met with success. He is now the owner of over nine hundred acres of land in that vicinity, and also conducts a farming implement business in the town of Cathay.

Our subject was born in Champaign county, Illi- nois, in 1859, in the town of Mahomet. His father, T. M. Brown, was a general merchant in Mahomet. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Deboralı Mitchell, was of American descent, and her people came to America from England prior to Revolutionary times.

Mr. Brown was raised in Mahomet and attended the public schools, and at the age of eighteen years began work in his father's store, and remained there until 1881, when his father disposed of the business. In the spring of 1882 our subject went to James- town, North Dakota, and worked in the office of "The Jamestown Alert" a part of the time for one year, handling the circulation of that sheet. Dur- ing the time he was thus employed he took land in Wells county, near Cathay, and built a shanty, and began the improvement of his farm, and worked in Jamestown. He took up his residence permanently in Wells county, in the spring of 1883, and re- mained in Sykeston. He was elected county clerk and register of deeds in 1884, and was the first to fill that office in the county, and in 1885 he took the census of Wells county, the first census taken, and the inhabitants numbered one hundred and eighty- two. Our subject served in county offices three terms, and in 1891 established the implement busi- ness at Sykeston in partnership with D. J. Lloyd. He continued in business there two years, and in the spring of 1893 the firm established the business at Cathay and Fessenden, Mr. Brown taking the Cathay business under his supervision and Mr. Lloyd assuming charge of the business at Fessen-

737

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

den. Their store building was moved to Fessen- den, and the residence of our subject was moved to Cathay. The partnership was dissolved in 1897, and the Fessenden business sold to H. L. Biseker. Mr. Brown was among the first business men of Cathay, and the building was the second business building in the town. He has a well-developed farm of nine hundred and sixty acres, and engages chiefly in grain raising, but of late has given some attention to stock raising.

Our subject was married, in 1887, to Miss Eliza- beth Moore. Mrs. Brown was born and raised in Illinois, and was a daughter of John Moore, a pio- neer of Illinois, and later of North Dakota, who conducted a hotel in Carrington. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Brown, as follows : Floyd Hawthorn, born April 16, 1889; Deborah, born January 1, 1895; and Charles Rudyard, born March 13, 1899. Mr. Brown was a member of the constitutional convention at Bismarck in 1889, and has taken an active interest in the organization of state and county, and is widely and favorably known. He was among the first settlers of Wells county, and in the early days was station agent for the Northern Pacific Railroad at Sykeston for about four years. He held various county offices, and is an efficient and popular man. He was engaged in loaning money for Graves & Vinton, of St. Paul, Minnesota, in early times, and was well acquainted with that region.

JAMES B. JEMISON. Among the gentlemen who are engaged in agriculture in Gardner town- ship, Cass county, none are more useful in sustain- ing and extending its farming interests than Mr. Jemison. He is one of the substantial and success- ful agriculturists, and a man well versed in the best and most approved methods of operating a farm.

Our subject was born in Grenville county, On- tario, Canada, July 27, 1860. His parents, Jolın and Mary A. (Harvey) Jemison, were natives of Ireland and Canada respectively, and the father was born in county Cavenaugh. He came to Canada when a child of three years, in 1820. He was a farmer by- occupation, and was a son of William Jemison, who settled in Grenville county, Canada, and lived to the advanced age of one hundred and three years. The father of our subject is still liv- ing and the mother died in 1873. Our subject had two brothers and five sisters, and two sisters are now in North Dakota.

Mr. Jemison was reared and educated in Canada, and followed farming there until 1878, when he went to Cass county, North Dakota, and settled in Mapleton township, where he rented land and re- sided until 1884, when he moved to Gardner town- ship and purchased land on section 32. He has made his home there since that date, and has thor- ouglily improved the land.

Our subject was married in Ontario, Canada, in 1894, to Ida L. Greer, a native of Grenville county,

Canada. Mrs. Jemison's parents, Robert and Jane (Edwards) Greer, were natives of Canada. Her father is deceased and mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Jemison are members of the Congrega- tional church, and are highly esteemed in their com- munity. Mr. Jemison is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and is prominent in lo- cal affairs of his township. He has served in va- rious township and school offices, and is instrumental in raising the educational standard in his commu- nity. Politically he is a Republican.

PAUL LARSON, an agriculturist of promi- nence, whose residence is on section 13, Grafton township, in Walsh county, is one of the enterpris- ing sons of Norway who have done so much to ren- der the wilderness of the great Northwest a fit hab- itation for civilized men and a land of unequaled prosperity and progress.

Mr. Larson was born in Norway, July 13, 1849. At the age of seven years he accompanied his par- ents to America. The family settled in Dane county, Wisconsin, near Madison, the capital of the state, and lived in that locality for three years. They then went to Emmett county, Iowa, and there our subject grew to manhood on the farm, and learned the arts of the successful farmer. At the age of twenty-five years Mr. Larson came to Dakota territory, arriv- ing in Traill county, in July, 1874. There he worked out at farm labor for four years. In 1878 he came to Walsh county, reaching there in June, and took up land in section 16, Grafton township, and this farm has since been his honie.

Mr. Larson was married, in Walsh county, to Ingorberg Hellerud. Mrs. Larson was born in Rice county, Minnesota, and she has cheerfully done her share in the work of making for them a comfort- able and pleasant home. To Mr. and Mrs. Larson eight children have been born, named as follows: Lewis, Albert, Gustave, Ole, Eli, Tilda, Julia and Emma. Mr. Larson has always been a stanchi sup- porter of the common school system and has taken a great interest in educational matters. He is at present a member of the board of school directors. He has been a most successful farmer, and has im- proved his estate by the erection of substantial buildings and numerous conveniences for the proper prosecution of agricultural pursuits. He is now the owner of four hundred acres of valuable land, and is one of the substantial and prosperous citizens of Walsh county. He is respected for the many good deeds he has done, and is held in high esteem for his uniform integrity and fairness in all his dealings.

CRIST S. RAMBERGET, one of the earliest settlers of township 149, range 67, in Eddy county, has gained a fine estate by dint of energetic efforts, and is among the well-known and highly esteemcd citizens of that locality.

Our subject was born near Christiania, Nor-

738

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

way, in 1855, and was a son of Simon and Girthy (Iver) Ramberget. His father was a blacksmith by trade, and followed the same throughout his ca- reer. Our subject was reared on a farm, and at- tended the country schools, and at the age of eighteen years left home and worked at farm labor six years, and then entered the Swedish army, where he remained two years, and later engaged in farming for a short time. He came to America in 1884, and settled in Steele county, North Dakota, where he spent one year and then resided in Coop- erstown, North Dakota, one year. He went to Eddy county in 1886 and filed claim to land in section 3, in township 149, range 67, and erected a claim shanty thereon, 12×14 feet, and a sod barn, and with a team of oxen, one cow and a plow began farming. He remained on his pre-emption six years, and in 1892 removed to his homestead in section 10, and there has built a complete set of good farm build- ings, including a fine residence and commodious granary and barns. He is now the owner of six hundred and forty acres of land, and has about eighty acres of good pasture and good hay land, and about four hundred and forty acres under cultiva- tion. He engages in wheat and flax raising, and during the threshing season operates a threshing machine, which he has followed since 1895 with success.

Our subject was married, in 1885, to Miss Jo- hanna Bymoen, who was born and raised in Norway, and was a daughter of Andros Byomen, who came to America in 1884, and was one of the prosperous farmers of North Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Ramber- get have been the parents of eight children, as fol- lows: Simon; Mary, deceased; George, Albert, Julia, Elmer, Mary ; and one child who died in in- fancy. Mr. Ramberget takes an active in the well- fare of his community, and is well known as a public- spirited citizen. He is a Republican in political sentiment and is strong in his convictions.

FRANK RUSSELL. The present prosperity enjoyed in Cass county is due in a large measure to the efforts put forth to this end by the pioneer set- tlers of that region. Prominent among the first to take up residence on the wild lands of that locality is the gentleman above named. He has resided in Webster township for the past twenty years, and his farm evidences careful tillage and a thorough knowl- edge of his vocation. He is surrounded by all the comforts of country life, and many of the luxuries, and his home is a model in every particular, and he is accounted one of the solid men of Cass county, the direct result of a well-spent career.

Our subject was born in Kennebec county, Maine, February 24, 1849. His parents, Samuel B. and Hannah ( Potter) Russell, were natives of Maine, and his father was a ship carpenter by trade and followed the same and also farming in Franklin county, Maine, until 1878, when he removed to Still- water, Minnesota, and after two years spent there re-

moved to Cass county, North Dakota, and later en- tered a homestead in Steele county, North Dakota, where he resided many years, and then returned to Cass county. He died in Amenia in 1889, and the mother of our subject died in 1887. They were the parents of three sons who reached maturity, and two daughters who died in Maine. Two sons reside in North Dakota, and one in California. The grandfather of our subject, George Russell, was a native of New England, and died in Maine.

Our subject was reared and educated in his na- tive state and resided there until 1872, following farming, and in that year went to Washington county, Minnesota, and after three years spent there returned to Maine. He went to Cass county, North Dakota, in 1878, and entered a pre-emption claim to land near Amenia, and also took a tree claim on which he now resides. He removed to the farm which is his present home in 1881, and was the second settler in the township. He has followed farming there continuously since that date, and has thoroughly improved the place. He has a fine res- idence, groves, fruit trees, and vegetable garden and other improvements and has devoted himself to his calling.

Our subject was married, in 1885, to Susie A. Cummings, a native of Maine. Three sons and one daughter have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Russell, named as follows: Carl E., Ethel M., Lester S. and Wayne F. Mr. Russell assisted in the organization of his township, and was one of the first officers of the same and has filled most of the township offices, always working for the interests of his community. Politically he is a Republican and stands stanchly for party principles.

ALBERT C. WELDON, an energetic and pros- perous farmer living on section 17, Center township, Richland county, North Dakota, was born in the town of Macomb, Macomb county, Michigan. Sep- tember 8, 1856, and is the only child born of the union of Benjamin F. and Betsy Ann (Green) Wel- don, natives of Nova Scotia and New York, respect- ively. The father died in Macomb county, at about the age of forty-one years, and the mother passed away in Osceola county, Michigan, at the age of seventy-six.

Albert C. Weldon was reared and educated in his native place, pursuing his studies in its public schools, and he early became familiar with all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He continued to follow farming in Macomb county, Michigan, until 1882, when he came to Richland county, North Dakota, and took up a homestead in the western part of Dwight township. After resid- ing there about a year, however, he went to Sargent county, this state, where he spent six years, return- ing to Richland county in the spring of 1890, since which time he has resided upon his present farm in Center township. He now owns a well improved and highly cultivated farm of four hundred acres,

ALBERT C. WELDON AND FAMILY.

741

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

upon which he has built a pleasant residence and good outbuildings. He is now serving as clerk of Center township, and is one of the popular and in- fluential citizens of his community.

Before leaving Macomb county, Michigan, Mr. Weldon was married in Lenox township, September 1, 1877, to Miss Miriam Fuller, who was born in that township, September 1, 1855, a daughter of John and Mary A. Fuller, and by this union three children have been born, namely : Orville B., Myrtle E. and Charles E. A family group portrait is shown on another page.

MORRIS O'CONNOR. Comparatively few of the first settlers of Eddy county have remained on their original farms to enjoy the results of well- directed labor, but this gentleman has made his home in township 148, range 66, since the early days of the settlement of that region, and has gath- ered about him a good estate, and a competence to tide him through his declining years. He is a man of energetic spirit and keen observation, and has made a success of his vocation in Dakota, and is highly esteemed by his fellow men.

Our subject was born on a farm in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, December 29, 1843, and was a son of Thomas and Elizabeth ( McCam) O'Con- nor. His parents were natives of Ireland, and his father came to America when a boy, and was a farmer by occupation, and the mother came to this country about 1830. Our subject was the second in order of birth in a family of six children, three sons and three daughters, and he was reared on a farm in his native state, and received his education at the country school. He resided in the oil regions of Pennsylvania, and naturally drifted into the oil well business, and after attaining his majority did contracting several years digging wells. He en- listed in Company E, Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cav- alry, September 9, 1862, and served till June 17, 1865. He was in Sheridan's cavalry, and partici- pated in the battles of the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Chancellorsville, Petersburg and Gettysburg, and was wounded July 16, 1863, and was disabled a short time. His horse was killed during the en- gagement. After his return from the war he con- tinued in the oil well business, and in 1873 went to Wisconsin, where he also followed well digging, and several artesian wells, two of them located at Prai- rie du Chien, Wisconsin, are his work. He soon drifted into farming, and continued his residence there until 1883, when he went to Eddy county, and "squatted" on land which when surveyed was found to be the northeast quarter of section 7, in township 148, range 66. He erected a claim shanty and did his first farming with ox teams, and he was an en- gineer by trade and followed it in the early days. He added to his acreage from time to time, and was the owner of five or six quarter-sections of land at various times. On his home farm he has a com- plete set of good farm buildings, and has all ma-

chinery for the economical conduct of the place. He has watched the growth of that country, and has aided materially in its development.

Our subject was married, in 1868, to Miss Susan Rhoads, who was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and was of German descent .. Mrs. O'Connor's peo- ple were among the early settlers of Pennsylvania, and her grandfather was one of the prisoners of the Indians in the Wyoming valley massacre in Penn- sylvania. Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor are the parents of the following children: Elizabeth, now Mirs. W. C. Schwoebel; George, clerking in a general store in New Rockford; Frank, a machinist in Oil City, Pennsylvania ; and Henry, in Pennsylvania. Mr. O'Connor is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a man of practical ideas, and in political sentiment is independent.

ALFRED D. FROST. The maturer years of this gentleman have been devoted to the pursuit of agriculture, and he has met with marked success and is now the owner of a fine farm of six hundred and forty acres in township 150, range 72, in Wells county. His residence is located in section 35, and his home is pleasantly located and comfortable in every particular.

Our subject was born on a farm in Ottawa county, Michigan, in 1851. His father, Oliver Frost, was an American by birth, and followed farm- ing as his occupation. The family have been in America many generations and served in the Rev- olutionary war, as did also members of the family of our subject's mother. The mother was of American birth and bore the maiden name of Margaret Thompson.

MIr. Frost was the second in a family of five chil- dren, and was raised on the home farm and at- tended the country schools. He assisted with the work, as his father died when our subject was but twelve years of age. When sixteen years of age Mr. Frost left home and followed farming and lun- bering in Michigan for six or eight years. He went to Texas in 1877 and from there to Manitoba, and in 1869 began railroading on the Canadian Pa- cific Railroad, and remained in Manitoba six years. He went to Devils Lake, North Dakota, in 1886, and railroad work on the Great Northern between Devils Lake and Great Falls, Montana, claimed his attention during two summers. From 1887-92 he resided in St. Paul and there engaged in teaming, and in the summers of 1892-93 did grading for the Soo line between Valley City and Portal, North Da- He located his homestead in Wells county, in 1893 and the following year became a permanent resident of the place. He erected a small house, which he he has since improved and enlarged, and his residence together with a large barn, machine shed, granary, and the usual farm buildings complete a good farm. He has a grove covering two acres of land, and the farm is well adapted to general farming. He cul- tivates about four hundred and seventy-five acres of

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 113

Author: Publication date: 1900 Publisher: Chicago, G.A.Ogle Number of Pages: 1432

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago, G.A.Ogle
Number of Pages: 1432