USA > North Dakota > Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life > Part 126
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Our subject was married in Geauga county, Ohio, July 25, 1869, to Miss Surrilla A. Payne, who was born in Geanga county, Ohio, October 24, 1848. Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nye, as follows: Carl E. and Charles A. The elder son died in Geauga county, Ohio, at the age of six years. Mr. Nye is highly respected in his community, and is a man who keeps pace with the times, and is strong in his convictions of right, and well merits his suc- cess.
STEINER O. LEE, a diversified farmer, resid- ing in township 148, range 65, has made a success of his vocation and is entitled to special mention as a man of excellent character and enterprise. He is a foreign-born citizen, but has become thoroughly identified with American customs and methods and is a man of practical nature and broad mind and as such is highly esteemed in his community.
Our subject was born in Numedal, Norway, on a farm, in 1851. His father, Ole K. Lee, was a farmer by occupation and came to America with his family in 1861 and settled in Iowa, and later moved to Freeborn county, Minnesota, where his death oc- curred. Our subject attended the common schools in his native land and after coming to America he remained at home on the farm many years and fol- lowed farming in company with his father. He en- gaged in farming on his father's place during 1881, anu 1882 was spent on another farm in Minnesota, and the following year he went to North Dakota, lo- cating in Cass county, where he bought land and be- gan farming. He had no teams or machinery and nothing on which to depend but his own labor and he farmed the first four years with oxen. He visited Eddy county in the fall of 1893 and removed his family to township 148, range 65, taking one hun- dred and sixty acres of land from the government, on which he built a 12x18 shanty and began farm- ing there. He had three horses, some cattle, a few sheep and a little farm machinery, and the first crop was good. He has experienced losses from hail and other causes, but in the main has prospered and now has a farm of three hundred and twenty acres and engages in wheat and flax raising, and also has taken some interest in horse raising. His land is made to yield abundantly and he is enjoying a good income.
Our subject was married, in 1881, to Miss Mary Larson, who was born in Mitchell county, Iowa, and was raised in Minnesota, and her father was an old settler of Dakota. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lee, as follows: Lena, born
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March 25, 1883; Stella, born April 19, 1885; Mar- tha, born August 21, 1887; Rosa, born December 16, 1889; LeRoy, born July 18, 1894; and Mabel, born February 11, 1897.
Mr. Lee has taken an active part in public af- fairs wherever he has resided, and while living in Minnesota served as supervisor in his township four years and was school clerk some two years, when he resigned the office, and he was active in Repub- lican affairs and attended every county convention since attaining his majority, and since taking up his residence in Dakota has attended numerous state conventions of his party. He was elected on the Republican ticket as assessor in Cass county, North Dakota, and also served as school clerk in that coun- ty four or five years, and in his present township has served as school clerk since 1894. He is a member of the Lutheran church.
"THE WALSH COUNTY RECORD," the Re- publican organ ot Walsh county, is ably conducted by A. L. Woods, one of the founders of the journal. The paper was established in April, 1890, by E. H. Pierce and A. L. Woods and September 1, 1899, Mr. Pierce retired from the partnership.
A. L. Woods is a native of Maine and was born in Waldo county June 21, 1856. He was reared and educated in Maine and attended the Maine Cen- tral Institute and Bates College of Lewiston, grad- uating from the last named institution in 1880. He taught school in Massachusetts six years and then came to North Dakota as principal of the Grafton schools, in 1887, and filled that position four years. He established the "State Educational Journal" in 1889, which he published for ten years and then sold the same to the "Western Teacher," of Milwaukee. He was elected county superintendent of schools in 1892 and served four years. Mr. Pierce managed the "Walsh County Record" most of the time until his retirement, when Mr. Woods purchased the en- tire plant and now has control. Mr. Woods pub- lished a work on civil government for North Da- kota in 1897, which is now used in all the public and normal schools.
Our subject was married, in Massachusetts, în 1885, to Miss Clara Small, a native of Cape Cod. Four sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Woods. Mr. Woods is a member of the Masonic fraternity in all its branches and is now generalissimo of the Grand Commandery. He has made a success of his newspaper work and the "Record" now has a circula- tion of one thousand and fifty, is published weekly and is the Republican paper of the county.
THOMAS HEATH. The farming and stock raising interests of North Dakota have a worthy representative in the person of Thomas Heath. He has resided in Kinyon township, Cass county, many years and has developed a fine farm and is among the substantial men of his calling. He is a man of
excellent character and integrity and well versed in his vocation, and he is a hearty supporter of all proj- ects which tend to the protection and upbuilding ot the better interests of his adopted land. His home in section 31 is supplied with every convenience known to modern farming.
Our subject was born in Devonshire, England, December 7, 1852, and was reared on the farm there till he attained his majority, when he came to Amer- ica and settled in Rochester, New York. He re- mained there five years and in the spring of 1879 went to Dakota and purchased a farm in Reed town- ship, Cass county, on which he resided six years and then disposed of his interests there and removed to the farm on which he now resides in Kinyon township, Cass county. He has placed valuable im- provements on the place and engages in general farming and stock raising, being interested largely in the raising of sheep and cattle. His labors have met with success and he is now the fortunate pos- sessor of eight hundred and twenty acres of well improved land.
Our subject was married, in New York City, April 14, 1878, to Miss Fannie Burrows, who was born in Devonshire, England, May 30, 1854. Mr. and Mrs. Heath are the parents of three children, as follows: Annie G., Frank B. and Walter A. One child, Thomas Spurgeon, died at the age of two years. Mr. Heath takes an active part in all mat- ters pertaining to local government and has served as justice of the peace. Mr. and Mrs. Heath visited their native land during the winter of 1898-99 and had visited there seven years prior to that time. He has prospered through industrious habits and care- ful methods and enjoys a goodly fortune. Mr. and Mrs. Heath take an active part in religious work and are identified with the Free Methodist church.
HENRY HANSON, an ex-soldier and promi- nent early settler of Liberty township, Ransom coun- ty, has a fine estate in township 136, range 55, and resides on section 24. He possesses four hundred and eighty acres of land, most of which is under cultivation, and has prospered in his chosen calling.
Our subject was born near Bergen, Norway, in January, 1842, and was the second child in a family of four sons born to Hans and Matilda ( Henderson) Hanson. The family emigrated to America in 1859. and located in Winneshiek county, Iowa, and there our subject worked at day labor and farm work until 1861, when he obeyed the call for volunteers and en- listed in Company G, Twelfth Iowa Volunteer In- fantry. The first battle was the capture of Fort Don- elson, then followed the battle of Shiloh, where he was taken prisoner and it was three months before he was paroled, the time being passed mostly in Macon, Georgia. After the expiration of his first enlistment he re-enlisted as a veteran in the same company, and participated in the siege of Vicksburg, Nashville, Tupela and Spanish Fort, and a number of other engagements. He was discharged in 1866
MR. AND MRS. HENRY HANSON AND SON.
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after four years of brave service, when he returned to Iowa, and purchased land and engaged in farm- ing there until the spring of 1880, when he went to North Dakota. He entered a homestead claim to land in what is now Liberty township, and became one of the earliest settlers of the locality. His fam- ily joined him in the fall of 1880, and a permanent residence was established. He has placed valuable improvements on his farm, and now has a fine estate.
Our subject was married, in 1866, to Miss Julia Hanson. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hanson, as follows: Lena, deceased; Al- bert, Hannah, deceased; Edward, deceased; Ed- ward, Charles, Louisa and Fremont. Mrs. Hanson died April 21, 1899. Mr. Hanson is a member of the Lutheran church. He is prominent in local affairs, and takes an active interest in educational work. Politically he is a Republican, and has at- tended numerous county conventions of his party, and is an earnest worker for the principles advo- cated. He is a man who is well known and enjoys the highest esteem of his fellows. A portrait of Mr. Hanson will be found on another page.
ANDREW O. MORCK, one of the pioneers of Morton county, North Dakota, enjoys prosperity and a comfortable home near Mandan and has been identified with the upbuilding of that locality. He has a good farm and also follows carpenter work in the town, and is widely known as a man of energetic spirit and honest industry
Our subject was born on a farm near Christiania, August 27, 1842. His father, Ole Aass, was fore- man in the pineries and had charge of several saw- mills there. The mother was of Norwegian pa- rentage. When our subject was three years of age the family moved to about three miles west of Chris- tiania, and there our subject grew to manhood and attended the country schools and received a good education. He assumed charge of a large farm ad- joining the farm on which he was born when he was seventeen years of age and made a success of his work there and remained six years. He came to America in 1866, landing at Quebec, and then went to Chicago and began carpenter work and remained in Chicago one vear and then went to Rochester, Minnesota, where he followed his trade one and a half years. He then went to Kandivohi county, Minnesota, and there engaged in farming about six years, taking a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres and followed grain raising. He then returned to Christiania, Norway, on a visit, but on account of settlement of property there remained six years and then returned to America in the spring of 1881 and went direct to Morton county, North Dakota, and worked at his trade in Mandan and soon afterward began farming. His sons were soon large enough to assist on the farm while he followed his trade in the town of Mandan, the family residing in the town or on the farm as was necessary for the work.
Our subject was married, in 1865, to Miss Mary B Jahr, who was born and raised on a farm. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Morck, who are as follows: (). J., deceased ; Edward, Os- car, Minnie M. and Hilua R. The youngest child was born in Christiania, Norway, and the other chil- dren are of American birth. Mr. Morck was elected clerk of courts in 1896 and re-elected in 1808 and is now serving in that capacity. He is prominent in local affairs and well merits his high standing and success in North Dakota.
WILLIAM MANN. Among the better class of agriculturists of Cass county, North Dakota, whose intelligence and true citizenship are recognized throughout the country, the gentleman above named is entitled to a prominent position. He has resided in Gardner township many years and has rendered liberal aid in the advancement of the financial and social interests of his community, and his home in section 7 is one of comfort and pleasant surround- ings and extends charitable hospitality.
Mr. Mann was born in the southern part of Devonshire, England, September 19, 1852, where he was reared and educated and continued his resi lence till 1885. He followed farming in his native coun- try and in February, 1885, emigrated to America with his family and went direct to North Dakota. He settled at once on the farm in Cass county. where he still resides, and has followed general farming with great success. His farm is known as "the Stidston farm." and is now in possession of nine hundred and sixty acres of land in Gardner and Webster townships. He has erected a complete set of good buildings and made everv arrangement by which the labor of farm life may be lessened and the produce of the same be more easily disposed of, and the appearance of the estate evidences painstaking care and modern methods.
Our subject was married, in Devonshire, Eng- land, April 15, 1878, to Miss Mary Heath, a native of Devonshire. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mann, named as fillows : Annie Blanche, Percival W., Gertrude Mary, Ethel Heath, Kate Andrews, Edith Hilda, Florence Geraldine, Harold Wesley, Esther Ann and Ruth Cleife. Mr. Mann has served as notary public and justice of the peace for many years and has taken an active interest in public matters. He is a member of the school board and works for a higher educational standard. He is a member of the Free Methodist church and takes a prominent part in the affairs of that denomination. The community owes such men a debt of gratitude for their labors in North Dakota.
OLE A. BRECTO. Among the many prosper- ous farmers of Wells county who have attained a high standing in their calling and have surmounted many of the difficulties which beset a pioneer may be mentioned the gentleman whose name appears
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above. He is successfully pursuing farming in township 149, range 71, and was among the earliest settlers of the western part of Wells county and has aided materially in its development and advance- ment.
Our subject was born on a farm in Columbia county, Wisconsin, February 17, 1857. His fathe Ole Anderson Brecto, was a native of Norway, and came to America and settled in Wisconsin and was a farmer by occupation. Our subject was the sec- ond in a family of seven children and was raised on the home farm and attended the country schools. He operated his father's farm for ten years previous to taking up his residence in North Dakota. The farm consisted of one hundred and sixty acres, one hundred acres of which was cultivated and the bal- ance was timber and marsh land. Our subject was the first to experiment in tobacco raising in Colum- bia county and conducted the farm successfully. He went to North Dakota in 1887 and took a pre- emption and tree claim in Wells county and erected a claim shanty and lived therein alone the first year. He had three horses, a plow and wagon and some machinery, and hauled supplies from Sykeston, fif- teen miles. He lost sixty tons of hay in 1887 by prairie fire and in 1889 the frost destroyed his crop ana hail destroyed the yield in 1807. His barn was burned in 1897, with a mower and binder and twen- ty-five tons of hay, but despite these discourage- ments he has gained a good property and now owns one hundred and sixty acres of land and operates four hundred and eighty acres annually. He has a full set of good farm buildings and machinery, cat- tle and horses and engages in wheat and flax rais- ing.
Our subject was married, in 1888, to Charlotte Maria Stokes, a native of Norway. Mrs. Brecto was a daughter of Jacob Stokes and she came to America in 1888. Six children nave been born to Mr. and Mrs. Brecto, as follows: Oscar Julius, Mable Margie, Albert Thorwald, Chester Orlando, Elmer Hamlin and Darwin Royal. Mr. Brecto and wife are members of the United Lutheran church and Mr. Brecto is a member of the Brotherhood of American Yeoman, Homestead No. 341. He was also selected as a delegate to the Republican county convention at Harvey and Fessenden, in 1900. Mr. Brecto is active in local affairs of a public nature and has served as school director and clerk in Ger- mantown district, Wells county.
HON. ELI D. McINI › RE. This gentleman is one of the leading and influential farmers of Gard- ner township, Cass county. His residence is located on section 31, where he has lived since 1890 and has gathered together a competence for his declin- ing years. He is a man of broad mind and active public spirit and in all matters pertaining to the civil government or in any way relating to the welfare of his community he has taken an active and leading part.
Our subject was born in Welland county, On- tario, March 25, 1851. His father, Malcolm McIn- tyre, was a farmer by occupation and our subject was reared on his father's estate and received a com- mon-school education. He remained at home till the spring of 1880, when he went to North Dakota and entered claim to one hundred and sixty acres of land in Raymond township, Cass county, which he sold a few years later and then purchased his present farm in section 31, of Gardner township. He has resided thereon since 1890 and has followed general farming. he was engaged in the machinery busi- ness at Mapleton, North Dakota, for about three years, but aside from this has devoted his attention entirely to farming. He has a complete set of good buildings on his place and modern methods and ma- chinery are used in the work incident to farm life.
Mr. McIntvre was married, in Welland county, Ontario, March 5, 1893, to Miss Margaret Sherk, a native of that county. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. McIntyre, upon whom they have bestowed the name of Malcolm. Mr. McIntyre was elected to the first North Dakota legislature and served one term, during which time he did very ef- ficent work for the better interests of his commun- ity. He is a man of strong convictions and adheres to the right and to his friends and enjoys the con- fidence of the people among whom he resides. He affiliates with the Republican party and is stanch in the defense of party principles. He holds member- ship in the Masonic fraternity.
CHARLES SULLIVAN, residing on section 14, of Berlin township, is one of the substantial and influential farmers of Cass county. He has a pleas- ant farm of three hundred and twenty acres and is widely and favorably known. He has spent his en- tire career in the pursuit of farming and is thor- oughly versed on the most approved methods of op- erating a farm.
Our subject was born in Berlin, Wisconsin, June 18, 1858, and was the eleventh in a family of twelve children born to James and Ellen (Cummins) Sulli- van. His father was a mason by trade and both parents died in Wisconsin.
Charles Sullivan was reared in the village of Berlin and received a common-school education and lived there till the spring of 1877, when he went to Cass county, North Dakota. He worked out at farm labor four years and then entered claim to one hun- dred and sixty acres of land on section 14, of Ber- lin township, where he has since resided. His place is well improved with good buildings and other con- veniences and he has doubled his acreage since tak- ing up his residence there.
Our subject was married, in Cass county, North Dakota, May 27, 1882, to Miss Margaret Spencer, a native of Indiana. Mrs. Sullivan was the elder of two children born to Thomas and Mary Jane Spen- cer. Her mother died in Cass county, Indiana, when about twenty-four years of age. Mr. Spencer is an
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old resident of Cass county, North Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan are the parents of seven children, named as follows: Martha J., James T., Charles E., Katie, Fred, Harry and Alice. Mr. Sullivan has taken an active part in local affairs of a public na- ture since taking up his residence in Dakota, and has served as chairman of the board of supervisors of Berlin township as school officer and president of the school board. He is neld in high esteem and is a member of the Ancient Order of United Work- men.
ANDREW I. KOEHMSTEDT, proprietor of the "Courier-Democrat," published in Langdon, Cavalier county, is one of the able newspaper men of that region. He nas devoted his entire career to this business in various places and he has a bright and widely circulated sheet and enjoys prosperity.
Mr. Koehmstedt was born in Waterloo county, Ontario, Canada, July 3, 1860. He was reared and educated in Canada and there learned the printer's trade, and remained in Canada until 1881, employed at his trade. He then came to the United States and was engaged in his work in several places until 1887, when, in December, of that year, he came to Langdon, North Dakota, where he has since resided and since 1894 has been sole proprietor of tl- "Courier-Democrat."
The "Courier" was established in 1885 by C. B. C. Doherty and the "Democrat" was established in1 1888 by A. I. Koehmstedt. These papers were consolidated in February, 1891, and in April, 1894, Mr. Koelumstedt became sole proprietor of the plant. The paper is Democratic politically and now has a circulation of about eleven hundred copies.
Our subject was married, in Cavalier county, North Dakota, to Miss Cecelia Fischer, a native of Ontario. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Koehmstedt, who bear the following names : Lorraine, Elenora, Frederick, George and Leo. Mr. Koehmstedt is a man of broad ideas and excellent capacity as a newspaper man and his success and high standing are well merited.
WILLIAM M. BAKER is one of the pioneer farmers of Dakota and he is now successfully en- gaged in that pursuit in township 138, range 78, in Burleigh county. He was born in Clinton coun- tv, Indiana, on a farm, in 1862.
The father of our subject, Andrew Baker, was born in Germany and came to America with his family and is an old settler of North Dakota. Th. mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Catherine Hengst, was born in Germany and her father was a farmer in Indiana and died in 1879.
Our subject was the seventh in a family of twelve children, eleven of whom grew to maturity, and when he was eight years of age he removed with his parents to St. Clair, Missouri, where the fa- ther engaged in farming and our subject grew to
manhood. He had a limited education and at the age of nineteen years left home and worked in Illi- nois one year and in the spring of 1883 went to South Dakota and entered a pre-emption claim to land in the northern part of Brown county, thirty miles from Aberdeen, and there erected a claim shanty and began farming. He did carpenter work in that vicinity and in 1884, with a yoke of oxen, began farming his land and lived alone in South Dakota until the fall of 1885, when he disposed of his interests there and then, with a team of mules and a wagon and some farm machinery, went over- land to Emmons county, North Dakota, where he took land as a homestead and thereon built a shanty and engaged in farming there until the fall of 1892, when he sold his farm and went to Mckenzie, North Dakota, and farmed there five years and in the fall of 1897 purchased the farm on which he now resides, in township 138, range 78, in Burleigh county. He engages in diversified farming and has made a suc- cess of his calling and now has a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres and operates three hundred and twenty acres and has a well improved farm.
Our subject was married, in February, 1888, to Miss Lucinda A. Clark, a native of Illinois. Her father, Samuel Clark, was a cooper by trade and also followed farming, and her grandfather was of German descent. Mr. and Mrs. Baker are the par- ents of four children, as follows: Wesley R., born in 1888: Edward E., born in 1890: Herbert G., born in 1891; Delia I .. born in 1893. The home is a pleasant one and Mr. Baker is highly esteemed as a citizen of active public spirit. He is now town- ship treasurer. Mrs. Baker is a lady of high char- acter and has been a member of the Baptist church since she was sixteen. She is a good wife and mother and is much beloved by her friends. Mr. and Mrs. Baker are members of the I. A. H. church, conducted by D. C. Cook, of Chicago.
MONS MONSON. Many natives of the Scan- dinavian peninsula have been attracted to America by the story of its wonderful resources and the op- portunities afforded honest industry to attain a po- sition in business and society. They are following trades, opening up unsettled regions and bringing the farm lands into high cultivation. Cass county, North Dakota, is not without her share of these men, and one who occupies a foremost place in this number is Mr. Monson. He has a pleasant farm in section 4, of Raymond township, and is highly re- spected by his fellow men.
Our subject was born in Sweden April 22, 1851. He was reared in his native country and remained there till 1874, when he sought his fortunes in the new world. After a short stay in New York he proceeded to Morehead, Minnesota, in July, 1874. and was there employed about three and a half years and then entered claim to land as a homestead in Raymond township, Cass county, North Dakota. He has made his home there since that time and
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