Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 121

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 121

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Our subject was born in Germany, May 10, 1850. His father, William Kautt, was born in Germany, in October, 1817, and came to America with his family in 1853 and settled in McHenry county, Illi- nois, where he followed farming. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Maria Figen, and was of German descent, and was born in the same place as our subject. The mother died in America when our subject was but five years of age, and he was the second child in her family. The father afterward remarried and our subject had several half brothers and sisters.

Mr. Kautt was reared on a farm in McHenry county, Illinois, and attended the country schools and the Catholic school at Johnsburg, Illinois, and remained at home part of the time until he was twenty-four years of age. He and the family went to Dakota county, Minnesota, in 1865, and our sub- ject assisted his father and also worked for others, and in 1874 he left home and went to Minneapolis and worked in a lumber mill two years, and in 1876 went to Kavanaugh county, Michigan, where he worked for the government in clearing out a chan- nel into Eagle harbor one summer, and then went into the lumber woods and was thus employed sev- eral years. He then spent one winter at bridge work in Duluth, and from there went to North Da- kota in the spring of 1878, and went to Fargo where he purchased a team of horses with his savings, and then "squatted" on land and the team he afterward found was mortgaged and the sheriff took them away. He went to Tappen, Kidder county, in 1880, and took government land and built a claim shanty and made a home on section 22, in township 140, range 71, and then worked on the Troy farm at twenty dollars per month, and then hired breaking

done on his own farm. He also worked on the Northern Pacific Railroad at section work and on the construction train, and in the fall of 1883 began permanent residence on his place, but he and his wife worked out the first year. Then followed years of success and failure each in turn, and it was not un- til 1896 that his success was assured. He now en- gages in grain farming and stock raising and dairy- ing, and has met with unbounded success in diversi- fied farming, and now has one hundred and sixty acres of well-improved land.

Our subject was married in the fall of 1883 to Miss Maria Ludwick, who was born in Austria, Germany, and came to America in October, 1880, with relatives who became early settlers of Dakota. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kautt, who are named as follows: Annie, Louisa, Katie, Willie and Lena. Mr. Kautt is a Democrat in political sentiment, and is an earnest worker for party principles and has attended numerous county conventions.

HENRY G. FISH, M. D. This gentleman en- joys the distinction of being one of the oldest resi- dent physicians and surgeons of North Dakota, and he has endeared himself to the people of that state, and especially the citizens of Cass county, as his labors have been in that locality for the past twenty- one years, his home being at Wheatland. He is thorough, painstaking and conscientious and enjoys a large practice.

Our subject was born in Somerville, New Jer- sey, June 3, 1850, and was a son of Henry C. and Clara (Jones) Fish, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Massachusetts. His father was a Baptist minister, and was pastor of the First Bap- tist church of Newark, New Jersey, twenty-six years. He died in 1877. The grandfather of our subject, Rev. Mr. Fish, was also a Baptist minister of Halifax, Vermont, and died at the age of ninety- three years. He was a prominent temperance worker of that state. Our subject has one brother, Fred S., a leading attorney of South Bend, Indiana, and he is chief counsel for the Studebaker wagon works. He also has a sister, a resident of Newark, New Jersey.

Henry G. Fish was reared and educated in New- ark, and graduated from the military academy and the high school of Newark, New Jersey. He was engaged in business in New York city from 1867-72 with S. S. Slater & Sons, cloth manufacturers, and operated a branch store at Philadelphia. He began the study of medicine in 1874, and the following year entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, graduating from that institution in 1877, and began the practice of his profession in Newark, New Jersey, where he continued two years, and in 1879 went to Wheatland, Cass county, North Dakota, where he at once established himself in practice, and lias followed the same there continu- ously since. He has met with phenomenal success

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in general practice, and was surgeon for the North- ern Pacific Railroad Company for thirteen years, and is associated with Dr. M. L. Shanks in the hos- pital of Casselton. He was coroner of Cass county for ten years. He is a member of the Cass County Medical Society, and organized the old Red River Valley Association in 1879 or 1880.

Mr. Fish is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Ancient Order of United Workmen and Brotherhood of American Yeomen. He was one of the organ- izers of Wheatland township, in 1879, and was the chairman of the first board of supervisors. He was major and surgeon of the Third United States Vol- unteer Cavalry, known as Grigsby's Rough Riders, and was at Chattanooga for the season of 1898 in the Hispano-American war, and resigned in August on account of ill-health. Politically Mr. Fislı is a Re- publican, and has served as a delegate to 'many con- ventions of his party and has been a member of the county central committee.

HON. WALTER A. LAIDLAW, cashier of the Citizens' State Bank of Langdon, is one of the most influential men of Cavalier county, and is well- known for his intelligence, active public spirit, and thorough appreciation of the wants of his locality. He came to North Dakota in an early day and has been identified with all matters which pertain to the improvement of the locality in which he makes his home. He is a gentleman of excellent business qualifications and a character of the highest order, and he has been called upon by his fellow-citizens to occupy various official positions, and in every in- stanice has proven his efficiency and gained the con- fidence of the people. He has wide financial inter- ests in North Dakota, including extensive farming tracts and one of the well-to-do and substantial men of Cavalier county.

Our subject is a native of Ontario, and was born in the village of Glen Williams, Halton county, Sep- tember 28, 1862. He passed his boyhood days in his native place and was given a liberal education, and at the age of seventeen years went to Manitoba and engaged in the farming implement business and in 1884 came to North Dakota, and took up his permanent residence in Langdon, Cavalier county, in 1888. He engaged in the implement business here until 1895, when he disposed of the business. Since the organization of the Citizens' State Bank in 1893 Mr. Laidlaw has been cashier of the insti- tution and under his guidance the bank has become one of the solid financial concerns of the locality. Our subject owns one thousand, three hundred acres of land, and has gained a comfortable fortune in North Dakota.

Mr. Laidlaw was married in Davenport, Iowa, to Miss Ida Hewes, a native of that state. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Laidlaw, named in order of birth as follows: Walter J., Charles S., William McKinley, and Marion. Our subject was elected to the state senate in 1898 on the

Republican ticket and served one term, and did very effective work while a member of that body. He was elected treasurer of Cavalier county in 1892, and discharged the duties of his office faithfully and well.

JAMES T. DODDS, principal of the Fessenden high school, has devoted the greater part of his ca- reer to educational work, and is an able instructor and popular with the people. He was born on a farm, in Ontario, Canada, in 1868.

The father of our subject, Charles Dodds, was born near Rockburghshire, in southern Scotland, and came to America at the age of fifteen years, and was a farmer by occupation near Seaforth, Ontario. Our subject's mother, whose maiden name was El- len Torrance, was born in the northern part of Ire- land. Eleven children were born to this worthy couple, our subject being the second in order of birth. He was reared on his father's estate, and attended the country school until 1880, in which year he lost his right arm by accident. He attended the Seaforth Collegiate Institute at Seaforth, and graduated from that institution in 1888, and then attended Clinton Model School. He began his work as a teacher in 1889 and followed the same three years in the country schools, and then at- tended Ottawa Normal School, graduating in June, 1893, after which he taught the graded school, and in 1894 accepted the position of principal of No. 3, Gray School, near Brussels, Canada, where he con- tinued four years. He went to Wells county, North Dakota, in 1897, and taught the Harvey School three months, and in the fall of 1898 accepted his present charge, as principal of the Fessenden High School.

Mr. Dodds is a young man of excellent ability, and his time and attention are given wholly to his work, and he has gained a position commendable in every way as a teacher and citizen. His physi- cal disability did not prevent him from attaining a high educational standard, and he is classed among the earnest teachers who are aiding in raising edu- cation to its proper position among the people of that state. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Canadian Order of For- esters. Politically Mr. Dodds is identified with Re- publicanism.

CHARLES H. WILLIAMS, who with his son, Hector C., conducts a farm of three hundred and twenty acres of land in Colgate township, is one of the pioneer settlers of that region, and is well known as an intelligent and well-to-do agriculturist. He was born in Ontario, Canada, June 24, 1833.

Our subject's parents, Daniel and Catherine (Howell) Williams, were of Welch and English- Irish extraction respectively, and were the parents of seven children, of whom our subject was the youngest son and fifth child in order of birth.

When seventeen years of age Mr. Williams came

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with an older brother to the Michigan woods, and was engaged at lumbering during fourteen years during which time he purchased and improved a farm in Saginaw county, Michigan, upon which he finally settled and followed farming solely, but on a small scale. He lost heavily in the great Michigan fire, October 8, 1871, and in 1872 went to Grant county, Wisconsin, where he followed farming. He came to Tower City, North Dakota, October 6, 1880, and spent that fall finding a satisfactory location. After selecting the farm on which he now resides he returned to Wisconsin and in the spring of 1881 moved his personal effects to his farm and erected a 12×16 foot shanty, which was soon enlarged to the pretentious dimensions of 16x24 feet, which was known for many years as the largest house in the township. Our subject was the first settler of Col- gate township and his buildings were the first erected. Wild game was plentiful at the time and he has dined from bison, has hunted grouse, and has seen geese in such large flocks and so tame as to pay little lieed to a team driven among them. Tite crops were uniformly good until 1888, when in August of that year they were frozen and had to be burned on the ground. The succeeding crop was lost by drought, and it was not until 1891, the great crop year, that prosperity again seemed at hand, since which time the crops have yielded a good in- conie.

Our subject was married, in 1856, to Miss Sarah Harris, a native of Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Will- iams have been the parents of eight children, as fol- lows: Leonora, now Mrs. W. C. Gray, of Cass county, North Dakota; Benjamin T., engaged in the implement business in Wisconsin; Edward G., deceased; Daniel, a telegrapher in Wyoming ; Charles L., a resident of Steele county : Yager, de- ceased ; and Hector C., who is at present conducting the home farm. Mr. Williams assisted in the or- ganization of Steele county and Colgate township, and served as chairman of the first board of trustees of Colgate township, which office he held six years. He is a stanch Republican, and during the campaigns he is a representative leader of his party, and lends his influence by voice and pen for the principles of Republicanism, and is a well-known attendant of county conventions.

HUGH A. McCONVILLE, one of the early settlers of Cass county, has gained the esteem of his fellow men by his earnest labors and sound busi- ness methods and he is successfully conducting the affairs of the Beidler Robinson Lumber Company, of Wheatland, as their manager. He has resided in Wheatland nearly fifteen years, and is well known as a capable business man and exemplary citizen.

Our subject was born at Barrie Mills, LaCrosse county, Wisconsin, September 12, 1858. His par- ents were Terrence and Margaret (Collins) Mc- Conville, the former a native of County Down, Ire- land, and the latter of Toledo, Ohio. His father

was a youth of fourteen years when he came to America in 1845, and he located first in New York city and from there went to Wisconsin, where he en- gaged in business and is now a resident of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Four sons and three daughters constituted the family of children, and our subject is the only one in North Dakota.

Hugh A. McConville was reared and educated in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and there began life as a newsboy. He worked through the east in 1876 and finally engaged as a clerk in Michigan and later went into the pineries of Michigan. He came to Casselton, North Dakota, in 1881, and entered the employ of Wallace Grosvenor in his lumber yard and in 1884 went to Wheatland as manager of a branch yard, and later, when the business was sold to the Beidler & Robinson Lumber Company, he assumed the position of manager, in which office he still remains.

Our subject was married in Cass county, North Dakota, in 1883, to Julia B. Henderson, a native of New York. Mr. and Mrs. McConville are the parents of two children, as follows: George T. and Margarette. Mr. McConville was town clerk seven years and is a member of the school board, and is active in public affairs of his community. He holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was grand master of North Da- kota in 1895-6. He is a Republican in political faitlı and stands stanchly for the principles of his party.

PETER P. SWANSON. The name of this gen- tleman will be readily recognized as that of one of the prominent business men of Harvey, Wells county. The firm of Jenson & Swanson, of which he is a member, is one of the oldest established houses of the town and conducts a prosperous agri- cultural implement business.

Mr. Swanson was born in Sweden on a farm in 1854, and was the son of Swan Paulson, a merchant miller of Sweden, who passed his life in his native land. The grandparents of our subject on the paternal and maternal sides lived to an advanced age.

Our subject was the sixth in a family of ten children and was raised on a farm and assisted with the work and attended the country schools. At the age of seventeen years he left home and followed the life of a sailor on a merchant vessel two years and during this time visited Norway, Denmark and England, and in 1873 landed at Baltimore, Mary- land, and at once went to Illinois. He worked at farming two years and in 1876 went to work in the Marsh Harvester factory and was thus employed five years. He went to South Dakota in 1881 and settled in Bowdie and worked in that vicinity seven years. During 1894-95 he was engaged in travel- ing for the Acme Harvester Company in North and South Dakota. and in 1896 went to Harvey, North Dakota. He established the machine busi- ness at Harvey in partnership with O. L. Jenson,

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under the firm name of Jenson & Swanson in the all of 1896 and this was the first establishment of the kind in the town. They have increased their stock and now occupy a main building 24x60 feet and have a machine shed of the same dimensions which is filled with machinery. They enjoy a liberal patronage and have built a successful busi- ness. Mr. Swanson has a fine farm of four hun- dred and forty acres on which he has a complete set of farm buildings, and he is also interested in the First Bank of Harvey.

Our subject was married, in 1896, to Miss Nel- son. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Swanson, as follows: Arthur, Roy, Myrtle and Elmer. Mr. Swanson is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a gentleman of act- ive public spirit and was instrumental in locating the Harvey Milling Company at Harvey.

AUGUSTUS L. WENTWORTH. Probably no man has been more intimately associated with the farming interests of North Dakota than to gen- tleman whose name heads this personal history, and his name is closely connected with the annals of Traill county, in which he operated for many years as a successful agriculturist, and is now the owner of extensive farm lands, which he has divided into half-section farms and rents, while he has his home in Kelso.

Our subject was born in what is now Knox county, Maine, February 7, 1830, and was the oldest son and second child in a family of ten children born to Leonard and Mary (Arnold) Wentworth. The family was of English origin, and Governor Went- worth of New Hampshire colony was a member of the family.

Our subject was reared on a farm in Maine, and worked also in the woods, and at the age of twenty- one began work as shipwright. When about twenty-five years of age he purchased a hundred- acre farm and devoted himself to agricultural pur- suis, and upon the death of his father-in-law Northern Pacific Railroad bonds passed into his hands, and these being worth but sixteen cents on the dollar, he decided to go west and select the bonded lands, paying from three and a half to five dollars per acre. In this manner the family secured one thousand four hundred acres of land, and of this our subject and wife owned three hundred and fifty acres in Hillsboro and Kelso townships, in Traill county. The land was located by our subject and his brother-in-law, Mr. L. S. Safford, in 1875, and in the spring of 1878 our subject again went to the farm and passed the summer and then took govern- ment land as a tree claim and pre-emption on sec- tion 6, in Kelso township, and in June, 1879, removed there with his wife and family. He built a home on his pre-emption and operated the farm until 1892. He built on the banks of the Elm river in section 33, and about 1889 took up a residence in Kelso vil- lage. He now owns over one thousand acres of

land, which is divided into half-section farms. The village of Kelso is on his land, and near there he has opened to the public about twenty acres of native timber on the banks of Elm river, and this consti- tutes one of the most beautiful spots on the Elm. The river and several small lakes make it an ideal picnic spot, and it is a popular resort for miles around.

Our subject was married in September, 1855, to Miss Olinda Safford, a native of Maine. Mrs. Wentworth died January 19, 1891. She was a true helpmeet, and mourned by her family and a large circle of friends. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth, as follows: Mary C., now Mrs. P. J. Casserly, residing in Hillsboro town- ship, Traill county ; Benjamin S., the only son, now residing in section 33, in Hillsboro township, and one of the leading farmers of that locality. He has A fine farm well improved, and a fine new residence adorns it. Jennie C., deceased ; and Luella S., now Mrs. A. L. Heikes, residing in Chicago. Mr. Went- worth was the first postmaster of Safford postoffice, established in 1881, where the village of Kelso now stands. He was elected county commissioner for the second district in 1895. Politically he is a Re- publican, and has seldom been absent from state and county conventions. Mr. Wentworth is loyal and determined in his adherence to the right and to his friends, and is one of the most important factors in the social and financial interests of Traill county. Portraits of Mr. Wentworth and his son, Benjamin S., will be found in connection with this sketch.

EDWEN EVENSON. The vocation to which this gentleman has devoted his career is one of the honorable callings of man, and he has met with unbounded success in his undertakings. Mr. Even- son is an agriculturist of sound practical knowledge and experience, and his estate in Farmington town- ship, Walsh county, is one of the best tilled and in- proved places of the locality. He is an old settler of his township, and since taking up his residence there has striven to further the better interests of the community as well as add to his personal posses- sions, and is well and favorably known. His hand- some residence is in section 24, and the other build- ings of that place evidence the thrift and prosperity of our subject, and the care which he bestows upon the operation of his farm.

Mr. Evenson was born in Norway, June 10, 1855, and resided there until about twenty years of age. After attaining his manhood he emigrated to Amer- ica and went direct to Hamilton county, Iowa, and was employed there six years at farm labor. He came to Dakota in April, 1880, and entered claim to land in Farmington township, Walsh county, as a homestead, and in Martin township, as a tree claim, been a resident of Farmington township. He now owns five hundred and thirty acres of land, and all the improvements of his place have been placed there by himself, as the land was wild when

AUGUSTUS L. WENTWORTH.

B. S. WENTWORTH.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY 'AND BIOGRAPHY.

he first began operations thereon. The losses and experiences of pioneer life in the Northwest were his, as is incident to that time and place, but amid these drawbacks he has prospered and now enjoys the reward of honest and earnest efforts.

Our subject was married, in Walsh county, North Dakota, to Miss Christina Johnson, a native of Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Evenson are the par- ents of six living children, named as follows : Josie, Edward, Robert, Selma, Hannah and Caspar. Two other children, Robert, who died at the age of nine months, and Henry, who died when five months of age, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Evenson. Our subject is a man of strict integrity of word and deed and is highly esteemed by all.

HON. WILLIAM ENGELTER. In the list of pioneers of Norton county, who are identified with her progress and upbuilding, may be noted the name of William Engelter. He resides on his fine estate in township 139, range 85, and has a thor- oughly improved farm and is surrounded by all that goes to make country life pleasant.

Our subject was born on a farm near Darmi- stadt, Germany, May 22, 1836. His father, William Engelter, was a stone mason and farmer, and our subject was raised in Germany and in 1852 came to America with an older brother. He landed at New York and went to Buffalo and there worked in a shoe store to learn the trade and remained four years, and then went to Chicago in 1856 and entered the employ of a commission firm, remaining in their employ until the breaking out of the war. In 1862 he enlisted in the Seventy-second Illinois Infantry, andwas a member of Company A,and was sent south and joined Grant's army. He was engaged at Champion Hill, Vicksburg, Spanish Fort, Nash- ville and Franklin, Tennessee, and was a member of the Seventeenth Corps. He was mustered out at Vicksburg, Mississippi, August 11, 1865, after over three years of active service, and received but one wound, and that was through an accident at the hands of a comrade. After the war he returned to Chicago and entered upon his former duties with the commission firm and was general manager and purchaser for them and in their employ many years. He went to New Salem in the spring of 1884, and entered claim to government land near the town, and thereon began farming and placing improve- ments. The family soon joined him, and he built a small house, and engaged in agriculture and made a success of the same. He started on raw prairie and now has a farm of eight hundred and eighty acres, a set of good buildings, grove, plenty of small fruits, all machinery necessary, and keeps from fifty to eighty head of cattle, and has met with success in stock raising and general farming, and is one of the substantial men of his township.

Our subject .was married, in Chicago, May 3, 1868, to Miss Christena Prebeck, who was born in Germany, and came to America with her brother in 36

1861. Mr. and Mrs. Engelter are the parents of five children, as follows: George, manager of Man- dan Mercantile Company's business at New Salem, was born February, 1869; William, born in October, 1871, manager for the same company at Richardson ; Charles, born in September, 1873, now residing at home; Annie, born in February, 1875, and Henry, born in March, 1877, is the present postmaster of New Salem, North Dakota. Our subject was elected school officer and township officer in the early days, and was county commissioner eight years. He has served one term as representative in North Dakota, and is an efficient and popular officer. He is a Republican politically and has at- tended county and state conventions as a delegate and is active in party affairs. He holds membership in the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

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Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 121

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