Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 122

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

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EUGENE Q. POWLISON. This gentleman is well known as a pioneer business man of Wheat- land, and the present efficient postmaster. He is proprietor of a general merchandise store and is also owner of a fine farm near that city, and has pros- pered by the exercise of energy and prudence, and is one of the highly esteemed men of his community.

Our subject was born at Bentonville, Arkansas, August 21, 1849. His parents, Isaac and Elizabeth (Ford) Powlison, were natives of New York, and the father was a farmer by occupation. He re- moved to Michigan in 1834 with his parents and settled near Galesburg, where he grew to manhood, and from there removed to Arkansas in 1849, but returned to Michigan in 1852 and remained there until he went to North Dakota in 1882. His death occurred October 22, 1888. Five sons and four daughters were born to this worthy couple, all of whom live in North Dakota, with the exception of one daughter.

Eugene Q. Powlison was reared and educated in Michigan, and after attaining his manhood en- gaged in farming there until 1880, when he went to North Dakota and entered claim to land in Erie township, Cass county, which he improved and still retains. He is also the owner of land which he en- tered as a tree claim. Soon after his arrival in Da- kota he became a resident of Wheatland, and for many years purchased wheat for Barnes & McGill, and for each of the firms who succeeded them in that elevator until 1893, when he began purchasing for the Great Western Elevator Company and con- tinued until 1897. He then purchased an interest in a tobacco and confectionery store which he oper- ates in connection with general merchandise and furniture. He was appointed postmaster of Wheat- land in March, 1898, and has ably discharged the duties of that office since.

Our subject was married in Michigan, in 1872,. to Miss Sarah Wheeler, a native of New York.' Mrs. Powlison died in 1878, leaving two children, as follows: Sina and Flora. Mr. Powlison was. maried to Susie Mosher, a native of Vermont, in

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1881. Two children have been born to this union, as follows: Howard and Bessie. Mr. Powlison has served as clerk of the school board for nine years, and chairman of the town board three terms, and later as clerk of the town board. Politically he is a Republican, and stands firmly for the principles of his party. He holds membership in the Masonic fraternity, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. and Brotherhood of American Yeomen. His labors in Dakota have been crowned with success, and he enjoys the results of a well spent career.

PAUL WILLIAMS, county auditor of Pem- bina county, is one of the popular and efficient pub- lic officials of the county. He has resided in that locality for many years, and has an extensive farm in Liberty township, the homestead being in sec- tion 18 where he located in 1882. Mr. Williams has been identified with the educational affairs of that region almost continuously since taking up his residence there, and is a well known instructor, and a man of excellent education and character, and is deservedly held in high esteem.

Our subject was born in Prince Edward county, Province of Ontario, Canada, November 8, 1850, and is the fifth of a family of seven children who grew to maturity, born to Dr. Daniel Y. and Sarah (Trumpour) Williams. The father is of English extraction and resides in Canada at an advanced age, and the mother was of German descent. Our subject was reared on a farm and at the age of six- teen years entered Bellville University and contin- ued there until the year of his graduation, when he discontinued his studies and began teaching school. Subsequently he entered Ontario Commer- cial College, and completed the course of study with the class of '75. He then taught one year, and later went to the Pacific coast in the fall of 1876, and worked in the quartz mines, later prospecting for himself. In the spring of 1882 on his return trip to his home he changed his course of travel and ar- rived in Pembina, June 12, and soon afterward be- gan work on a farm in that vicinity and the follow- ing winter cut cord wood at Cavalier. In July of the first summer spent there he filed claim to land in section 18 in what is now Liberty township, and erected a frame shanty, and in the fall of that year was joined by his wife and children, and has fol- lowed farming to some extent since that time. He began teaching in the town of Cavalier and also taught thirteen terms of school in Akra and was identified with the educational interests of Pembina county until 1898. He began the development of his farm about 1885, and now owns four hundred and eighty acres, all of which is well improved, and is now conducted by the eklest son of our subject.

Mr. Williams was married, in 1887, to Miss Martha Loomer. Two sons have ben born to Mr. and Mrs. Williams, as follows: Alvah, who now conducts the home farm, and LaFayette. Mr.

Williams was elected county auditor of Pembina county in the fall of 1898, and has held the office since that date, and discharged the duties of his position with fidelity and increasing popularity. He is a strong temperance man, and a member of the Christian church, and politically is a Repub- lican.

BENJAMIN F. SCOVIL is one of the most useful citizens of Burleigh county, and is a pioneer settler of 'that locality, and has gained luis pos- sessions by honest industry and judicious manage- ment. He was born in Illinois, on a farm in 1840.

The father of our subject, Pulaski Scovil, was a silversmith by trade and also followed farming. He was descended from an English family who settled in America prior to the Revolution. The mother of our subject was of Scotch descent, and the parents were married in Illinois and our sub- ject was the only child born to this union. He has five half brothers and sisters.

Mr. Scovil was raised in Illinois and at the age of twenty years began farming for himself and re- sided there until 1883 and cultivated a fine farm of eighty acres. He enlisted in Company C, Eighty-fifth Illinois, in July, 1862, and was sent south to the Army of the Cumberland and was en- gaged in the battle at Perryville, Kentucky, Stone River, Murfreesborough, Chickamauga, Chatta- nooga, and was in the Atlanta campaign and taken prisoner July 19, 1864, and sent to Andersonville, where he was held one year. He saw three years of active service and participated in some of the hardest fought battles of the war, and after his discharge from the service he returned to Illinois and began his farming operations. He went to North Dakota in 1883 and settled in Burleigh county, and with a small start has become well to do. He built a shanty and had an ox team and with it farmed two years and met with varying success in raising grains. In 1887 he embarked in the mercantile business in Mckenzie and conducted a general merchandise store and was also appointed postmaster of Mckenzie in 1887. He built an elevator in that town in 1888, with a capacity of twenty thousand bushels and engaged in the grain business and in 1887 began dealing in stock and has continued in this line of business since that time. He has also followed stock-raising extensively and in 1898 built a sawmill in the southeastern part of Burleigh county on the Missouri river and has oper- ated the same each season since that date. He now has a farm of eleven hundred acres, seven httn- dred acres of which is under cultivation and lie lias all buildings and machinery for conducting a good farm and lease's most of the land.

Our subject was married when about twenty years of age to Miss Elizabeth May, a native of Illinois. Her father, William May, was a farmer by occupation and the family has been in America many generations. One child has been born to

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Mr. and Mrs. Scovil, who bears the name of Cor- delia. The daughter was born in 1868 and is now married. Mr. Scovil served as assessor in 1896 and 1897 and is actively interested in local affairs. He is a member of the G. A. R., and is widely and favor- ably known.

JOHN JORGENSON, who, in partnership with J. Sorenson, conducts one of the leading places of business in Harvey, Wells county, is a man of sound financial standing and is possessed of excellent busi- ness ability. He has varied business interests in and near Harvey, and has become well known as one of the active men of his community.

Our subject was born in Vernon county, Wis- consin, on a farnı, in 1865. His father, Andrew Jorgenson, was a native of Norway, and came to America in 1857 and settled in Wisconsin and fol- lowed farming throughout his career. The mother of our subject, who bore the maiden name of Oline Hovland, was born in Norway.

Mr. Jorgenson was the third in a family of eight children, and was reared on the Wisconsin farm and assisted with the work. He attended the country schools and three months in the grammar school, and, at the age of seventeen years, began for himself at farm work. He established in the creamery business when twenty-one years of age, but this did not prove successful after two years' work, and in 1890 he went to Nelson county, North Dakota, and clerked in a hardware store at Lakota three months, when his employer sold the business, and he then began clerking for Kent & Brown, gen- eral merchants of Lakota. He remained with them three and a half years, during which time he pur- chased an interest in a general store at Mapes, Nel- son county, consisting of a two-thousand-dollar stock, and in the spring of 1894 he moved the store to Harvey, North Dakota, and the business was conducted in company with O. L. Jensen, under the firm name of O. L. Jensen & Company until Sep- tember 1, 1896, when the firm sold the business to Herr, Herr & Company, and Mr. Jensen embarked in the machine business. Our subject then formed a partnership with Mr. Sorenson, in general mer- chandising, the business having been established by Mr. Sorenson in 1893, and was the first store in Harvey, and is the leading store of the town at the present time. They have added to the building to meet the needs, and now occupy a main building 40x78 feet, and have three commodious warehouses, their business being located in a desirable business part. They carry a stock of seventeen to eighteen thousand dollars, and have met with unbounded success. The firm own and operate four hundred and eighty acres of choice land near the town, and two thousand dollars stock in the First Bank of Harvey, of which Mr. Sorenson is vice-president. Mr. Jorgenson has a comfortable and well-fur- nished residence, and enjoys prosperity and busi- ness success.

Our subject was married, in the fall of 1804, to Miss Mary Johnson, a native of Coon Prairie, Wisconsin. Mrs. Jorgenson's parents were natives of Norway and Sweden, and emigrated to America from Norway, and her father, P. M. Johnson, is a farmer by occupation. Mr. Jorgenson was one of the pioneer business men of Harvey, and has wit- nessed the growth of that thriving town and aided in its upbuilding and advancement, and is favor- ably known as a business man and citizen. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and in political sentiment is a Republican.

HON. JAMES A. DOUGLAS, ex-county treas- urer of Walsh county, is a gentleman of excellent character, and is widely known and honored throughout his community. He is now engaged in the hardware and machine business in Grafton, and is successful in his business.

Our subject was born in county Tyrone, Ire- land, January 1, 1847, and is a son of James and Letitia (Mullholland) Douglas, both of whom were natives of Ireland, and their families were of Scotch descent. The parents died in Ireland, and the fa- ther followed farming during his career,

Mr. Douglas was reared and educated in Ire- land, and remained there until twenty-two years of age, and in 1870 emigrated to America and located in Ontario, Canada, where he remained fifteen years, and where he taught school and was engaged in the general merchandise business. He came to North Dakota in 1885, and purchased land near Park River and began farming, in which occupation he was engaged four years, and then took up his residence in Park River, and later established the first general merchandise store at Hoople, and also bought grain. He operated this store five years, and in 1892 was elected county treasurer of Walsh county, and re-elected in 1894. He removed to Grafton in 1892, and in 1897 engaged in the hard- ware business, and he is also interested in the ma- chine business in that city.

Our subject was married in Canada, in January, 1874, to Miss Annie Scott, a native of the same county in Ireland as Mr. Douglas. Eight children, seven sons and one daughter, have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, two of whom are now deceased. Mr. Douglas is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Order of Foresters and Knights of the Maccabees. . He was a member of the constitutional convention of 1889 from the third district, and also served one term as state representative, being elected in 1891. He is an old-line Democrat, and a leader of his party in Walsh county.

STATE BANK OF WHEATLAND was or- ganized in 1892 with a capital of five thousand dol- lars. The following officers were chosen: Ernest Mares, president ; A. E. Mares, vice-president, and R. A. Mares, cashier. They erected a fine bank

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block in Wheatland in 1894, which is occupied by the institution, and carry deposits of thirty-eight thousand three hundred and six dollars, and have an undivided surplus of two thousand seven hundred and three dollars. The bank does a general bank- ing business and is in a prosperous condition.

RICHARD A. MARES, cashier of the above named bank, has ably managed the affairs of the institu- tion, and is a gentleman of excellent ability, and connected with various financial interests in that locality.

Mr. Mares was born in Marquette county, Wis- consin, February 23, 1857, and was one of three children, two sons and one daughter, born to Robert and Hattie ( Mason) Mares, natives, respectively, of Michigan and New York. His father was a farmer by occupation, and settled in Wisconsin in an early day, and in 1863 removed to Winona coun- ty, Minnesota, and in 1883 located in Cass county, North Dakota, and is at present a resident of Wheat- land.

Our subject was reared and educated in Minne- sota, and there learned the blacksmith's trade, which lie followed in Minnesota some time, and in March, 1879, went to Fargo, North Dakota, and from thence soon afterward to Bismarck, where he worked for the Bismarck Transportation Company. He re- turned to Cass county and located on a claim in Homes township, which he still owns, and farms two and a half sections of land. He is also inter- ested in the general merchandise business and the Wheatland Implement Company, both of Wheat- land, and in every enterprise in which he has en- gaged success has met his efforts, and he is now one of the solid men of North Dakota.

Mr. Mares was married in Ionia county, Michi- gan, in 1890, to Miss Alice Spaulding, a native of Michigan. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mares, as follows: Montie and Edna. Mr. Mares is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Ancient Order of United Work- men. Politically, he is a Democrat, and is firm in his convictions. He is highly esteemed by his fel- low men, and deservedly so.

HON. FREDERICK G. BARLOW, a promi- nent citizen of the village which bears his name, is a pioneer of Foster county, and is widely known as an able business man and public-spirited citizen who has aided materially in the growth of that re- gion.

Our subject was born in Coos, Coos county, New Hampshire, on a farm in 1839. He was of English descent, and his father was a farmer by occupation. The family settled in Connecticut in 1646. The parents of our subject removed to lower Canada, Quebec, and there he was reared and at- tended the country schools, and finished his educa- tion in Cookshire Academy. He began teaching school when twenty-two years of age, and followed this two years, and then worked on the home farm

until 1867, when he went to Wisconsin, and settled on a farm near Eau Claire. He also followed lumbering, logging and other mill work in Wiscon- sin. In 1883 he came to Dakota and settled on sec- tion 6, in township 147, range 66. The first season he spent in the land locating business, and lived at Carrington, and on his farm erected a 12×16-foot shanty. He began his farming in 1884, and his first crop was a good yield of excellent grade of wheat. The railroad was built through that local- ity in 1885, and the station of Barlow was named for our subject, as was also the postoffice at that place. Mr. Barlow began business operations in that town and dealt in fuel and also the wheat business, hand- ling large quantities of wheat for others. He op- erated a general store in Barlow from 1833 to 1839, and met with good patronage.

Our subject was married, in 1869, to Mrs. Harriet Beach, nee Stevens. Mrs. Barlow is of English descent. Mr. Barlow has ever been a man of prominence wherever he made his home, and in 1878 was elected to the Wisconsin legislature and served one term, and was elected to the first state legislature of North Dakota and served as a senator during 1889 and 1890, being placed in office on the Republican ticket. He was appointed county con- missioner in 1885 and was later elected to the same office. He was appointed the first postmaster of Barlow. Politically he is a stanch Republican, and has attended as a delegate every state convention with the exception of one, and lends his influence for the principles of that party. He has held numerous minor offices in his township, and is deservedly popular with the people.

EDWARD O. STORELEE, an energetic and prosperous farmer of section 18, Moore township, is one of the earliest settlers of that locality, and has. surmounted the difficulties which beset the pioneer settlers of a country, and taken a leading place among the well-to-do farmers of Ransom county. He conducts general farming and also owns a steam threshing and well digging outfit.

Our subject was born near Beloit, Wisconsin, in Rock Prairie, July 14, 1858, and was the fifth in a family of six children who grew to maturity, born to Ole O. and Joren Storelee. His parents were natives of Norway, and are deceased, Our subject lived in Wisconsin until about six years of age, and then moved to Fillmore county, Minnesota, where he was reared to manhood, working at farm labor. He went to Valley City, Dakota, in 1881, arriving there with a team of horses and a breaking plow. He had but forty dollars in money, and entered claim to a tree claim, being one of the first to secure land in the township, going at once to Ransom coun- ty. He had not sufficient funds to meet the expense of proving up on the land, and so turned it to a homestead, and thereon erected his buildings. He camped out on the prairie the first summer, and broke thirty acres of land, returning to Minnesota

EDWARD O. STORELEE AND FAMILY.

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for the winter. He again went to Dakota in the spring of 1882, and erected a 14×16 shanty, sodded on the outside, which was his home for about eight years. He worked some for others, and improved his farm, and good crops followed, bringing pros- perity. He erected a house and barn in 1891 at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars. The barn was destroyed by lightning in 1896, but the residence is one of comfort and convenient arrange- ment. He owns four hundred and eighty acres of land, and winters about thirty head of stock.

Our subject was married in 1882 to Miss Jennie Slitvol. Mr. and Mrs. Storelee are the parents of nine children, as follows: Jennie, Oscar, John Ed- vik, deceased; Ledea, deceased : Olga K., deceased ; Molvina, Olaf, Henry and Edvik. A group portrait will be found on another page. Mr. Storelee is a member of the Lutheran church. Politically he is a Republican. He is progressive and industrious and well merits his success.

R. H. COPELAND, a prominent attorney of Williston, is also engaged in newspaper work in that town, and is editor and publisher of the "Wil- liston Graphic." He is well known in Williams county, and is held in the highest esteem by his many friends.

Our subject was born in Kirkland, Ohio, in July, 1839. His father, Dr. William Copeland, was born in England, and came to America in 1839 with his family. He was a physician all his life and died in 1842. The grandfather of our subject, John Cope- land, was an officer in the British service. Our sub- ject's mother, Susannah Hedges, was born in Lon- don, and was left an orphan at an early age.

Mr. Copeland was the youngest in a family of six children, four of whom grew to maturity. He attended the common schools, and at the age of fif- teen years finished the printer's trade, at which trade he worked until 1859. He then established the "Sparta Democrat," at Sparta, Wisconsin. The paper was Democratic, and Mr. Copeland operated the same one year, and in 1861 founded the "Alma Journal," at Alma, Wisconsin. He conducted the same until 1864, and then disposed of the plant, and the paper is still published there. Mr. Copeland bought the "Wabasha Herald" in 1864, and sold it one year later, and in 1865 went to Eau Claire, Wis- consin, and established the "West Eau Claire Ar- gus," and in 1871 bought the "Eau Claire News," which he conducted four years. He went to North Dakota in 1882 and settled at Grand Forks, and was engaged on the "Grand Forks Plain Dealer." and in the spring of that year located at Villard, on the Mouse river. He established the "Villard Leader" in 1886. This was the first newspaper west of Devil's Lake and north of Washburn, and was con- ducted by Mr. Copeland until 1889. He went to Washburn in 1890 and founded the "Washburn Leader," and was there several years. He was state's attorney of McLean county three years. He

moved to Towner in 1894, and to Williston one year later, and then established the "Graphic." This was the pioneer paper of Williston, and was issued first July 2, 1895, and is published weekly. The paper is independent in politics and enjoys a good circu- lation. Mr. Copeland was admitted to the bar in 1890, and has built up a lucrative business in his profession.

Our subject was married, in 1860, to Miss Huntington, a native of Connecticut, and a grand- daughter of S. A. Huntington, of Connecticut, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Mrs. Copeland was a lady of high attainments, and followed teaching as a profession before her mar- riage. One child was born to Mr. and Mrs. Cope- land, a daughter, named Minnie, whose birth is dated 1862. Our subject is a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. He went overland to Dakota in the pioneer days, and experienced the hardships of life in the west before the settlers had transformed it into a thrixing farming and business district.

ROBERT S. LEWIS, vice-president of the Red River National Bank. of Fargo, North Dakota, has risen to prominence by dint of his own efforts, supplemented by the strictest honesty of word and deed. He came to Dakota with limited means, but is now one of the wealthy and highly esteemed citi- zens of the state.

Our subject was born in Tennessee, August 15, 1856. His parents were Josiah F. and Mary (Steele) Lewis, the former a native of Massachu- setts and the latter of Louisiana. His father was a college professor and was connected with the State Female Seminary. He removed to Minnesota in 1863, and was county superintendent of schools of Wright county for many years. Both parents died in Minnesota. Our subject and one brother, now superintendent of schools of Minnesota, are the only SO11S.

Robert S. Lewis was reared and educated in Min- nesota, and began his cereer as a clerk in Minneap- olis, which he followed one year, and in 1882 went to Fargo, where he entered the employ of the Red River National Bank as collector. He held this po- sition a year and a half and was then teller two years, after which he was promoted to the position of assistant cashier, and in 1891 was made cashier. He was in this position till 1897, and was then elect- ed vice-president, which office he ably fills at present. He has been a director in the bank many years. and he also owns and operates five thousand seven hun- dred acres of land in Cass county. He is secretary of the Fargo Packing Company, and in each of the enterprises in which he has embarked he has met with eminent success, and is one of the solid men of North Dakota.

Our subject was married in Minnesota, in 1879. to Alice Carpenter, a native of that state. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis,

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as follows: Roy C., Olive E. and Alice. He is active in educational matters, and is president of the board of education, and also of the board of direct- ors of the Agricultural College. He is a member of the various branches of the Knights of Pythias Lodge, and has passed the thirty-second and Scot- tish-rite degrees of the Masonic fraternity. Polit- ically, he is a Republican, and takes an active inter- est in party matters, and was a member and secre- tary of the state convention.

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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 122

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