Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 15

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 15

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).

"All that portion of Dakota territory bounded on the east by the line dividing ranges 53 and 54, and on the west by the line dividing ranges 57 and 58 west, shall compose the fourth council dis- trict, and be entitled to two councilmen.

"All that portion of Dakota Territory bounded on the east by Choteau creek and on the west by a line west of and including that settlement known as the Hamilton settlement, and also that portion of Dakota situated between the Missouri and Niobrara rivers, shall compose the sixth council district and be entitled to one councilman.

"All that portion of Dakota Territory situated between the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers and bounded on the west by the line dividing ranges 50 and 51 west, and bounded on the north by the line dividing townships 94 and 95 north, shall compose the first representative district, and shall be entitled to two representatives.

"All that portion of Dakota territory lying west of the Big Sioux river and bounded on the south by the line dividing townships 94 and 95, and on the west by the line dividing ranges 50 and 51, and on the north by a line drawn due east and west from the south end of Lake Preston, shall constitute the second representative district, and be entitled to one representative.

"All that portion of Dakota territory lying on the Red river of the North, including the settle- ments at St. Joseph and Pembina, shall compose the third representative district, and be entitled to one representative.

"All that portion of Dakota territory bounded by the Vermillion river on the west, and on the east by the line dividing ranges 50 and 51, shall compose the fourth representative district, and be entitled to two representatives.

"All that portion of Dakota territory bounded by the Vermillion river on the east and on the west by the line dividing ranges 53 and 54, shall compose the fifth representative district, and be entitled to two representatives.

"All that portion of Dakota territory bounded on the east by the line dividing ranges 53 and 54, and on the west by the line dividing ranges 57

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

and 58, shall compose the sixth representative district, and be entitled to two representatives.

"All that portion of Dakota territory bounded on the east by the line dividing ranges 57 and 58 west, on the west by Choteau creek, shall com- pose the seventh representative district, and be entitled to two representatives.

"All that portion of Dakota territory bounded on the east by Choteau creek, and on the west by a line drawn west of and to include the settlement known as the Hamilton settlement; and, also, that portion of Dakota territory situated between the Missouri and the Niobrara rivers, shall compose the eighth representative district and be entitled to one representative."

In the same proclamation the new executive appointed the following polling places for the use of the citizens in the various parts of the Terri- tory. To quote his own words:

"I do hereby establish in the aforesaid districts the following places for voting :

"In the first representative district, at the dwelling house of Thomas Maloney, and do ap- point as judges of election thereat William Matthews, James Somers and Thomas Maloney ; and also at the hotel of Eli Wilson, in Elk Point, and do appoint as judges thereat Sherman Clyde, William Frisbie and K. P. Ronne. In the second representative district, at the house of William Amidon, and do appoint as judges G. P. Waldron, Barney Fowler and John Kelts. In the third rep- representative district at the house of Charles Le May, in the town of Pembina, and do, appoint as judges Charles Le May, James McFetridge and H. Donelson; and also at the house of Baptiste Shorette, in the town of St. Joseph, and do ap- point as judges Baptiste Shorette, Charles Bot- tineau and Antoine Zangreau.

"In the fourth representative district, at the house of James McHenry, and do appoint as judges A. J. Harlan, Ole Anderson and A. Eckles. In the fifth representative district, at the house of Bly Wood, and do appoint as judges Ole Olson, Bly Wood and Ole Bottolfson. In the sixth rep- resentative district, at the office of Todd & Frost, and do appoint as judges M. K. Arm- strong, F. Chapel and J. S. Presho. In the seventhi representative district, at Herrick's hotel, in Bon Homme, and do appoint as judges Daniel Gifford, George M. Pinney and George Falkenburg. And in the eighth district, at the house of F. D. Pease, and do appoint as judges J. V. Hamilton, Benja-

min Estes and Joseph Ellis, and also at Gregory's store, and appoint as judges Charles Young, James Tufts and Thomas Small."

About this time the various candidates for the position of delegate to congress began to come forward and make efforts to capture that office.

Prominent among the settlers at that time was Captain John B. S. Todd, an ex-army officer and a relative of Mrs. Lincoln's, a man who was a leader in the movement toward organization, and filled a foremost place in the opinions of his friends and neighbors ; he was the leading candidate. The oppo- sition to him crystallized and settled upon A. J. Bell as their choice. Later Charles P. Booge, then in business at Sioux City, but who claimed a residence within the territory, announced him- self as a candidate for the same office.

The election, which was held Monday, Sep- tember 16, 1861, resulted in the election of Mr. Todd, who received 397 votes. A. J. Bell received 78 votes and Charles P. Booge 110.

The first territorial legislature, which was chosen at this election, met at Yankton, March 17, 1862, and continued in session until May 15, following. The membership was as follows:

Council-John H. Shober, H. D. Betts, J. W. Boyle, D. T. Bramble, W. W. Brookings, A. Cole, Jacob Deuel, J. S. Gregory and Enos Stutsman.

House-George M. Pinney,, Moses K. Arm- strong, Lyman Burgess, J. A. Jacobson, John C. McBride, Christopher Maloney, A. W. Puett, John Stanage, John L. Tiernan, Hugh S. Donaldson, Reuben Wallace, George P. Waldron and B. E. Wood.

On their organization the council chose the fol- lowing officers: J. H. Shober, president ; James Tufts, secretary; E. M. Bond, assistant secre- tary; W. R. Goodfellow, engrossing and enrolling clerk; S. W. Ingham, chaplain; Charles F. Picotte, sergeant-at-arms; E. B. Wixon, messen- ger, and W. W. Warford, fireman. The house, on organization, selected as their officers: George M. Pinney, speaker; J. R. Hanson, chief clerk ; J. M. Allen, assistant clerk; D. Gifford, enrolling clerk; B. M. Smith, engrossing clerk; M. D. Metcalf, chaplain; James or M. H. Somers, ser- geant-at-arms; A. B. Smith, messenger: and Ole Anderson, fireman.

The second general election was held Septem- ber 1, 1862, and in some parts of the territory considerable excitement prevailed. The board of canvassers gave the rival candidates for the posi-

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

tion of delegate to congress, William Jayne and J. B. S. Todd, 237 and 221 votes respectively, they for some reason throwing out the vote of Bon Homme and Charles Mix counties. The Red river valley apparently made no returns of this election. Governor Jayne was declared elected to congress, but a contest for the seat was instituted by Captain Todd before congress, and the latter, proving his case, was given the place.

Captain Todd served in the capacity of dele- gate to the national house of representatives dur- ing the years 1861 and 1863. He was succeeded by W. F. Burleigh, whose term of service was from 1864 to 1869; S. L. Spink, 1869-71; Moses K. Armstrong, 1871-75; J. P. Kidder, 1875-79; G. G. Bennett, 1879-81; R. F. Pettigrew, 1881- 83; J. B. Raymond, 1883-85; Oscar S. Gifford, 1885-88; and George A. Mathews, 1888-89, suc- cessively filled this high office.

Dr. William Jayne, the first governor of Da- kota territory, occupied the position of first mag- istrate for two years, being succeeded in 1863 by Newton Edmunds. In 1866 Andrew J. Faulk was appointed governor, and remained in that office until 1869, when he gave way for John A. Bur- bank. The latter's term of service was from 1869 to 1874. John L. Pennington, the next in- cumbent, served until 1878. His successor, William A. Howard, was appointed and quali- fied for the office. Governor Howard died April 10, 1880, while still in the gubernatorial chair, and Nehemiah G. Ordway, of New Hampshire, was appointed to filll the vacancy. The latter's termi of service expired in 1884. Gilbert A. Pierce, the next appointee, filled the position from 1884 till 1887, when he, in turn, made way for his successor, Louis K. Church. In 1889 Arthur C. Mellette became governor of the territory by appointment, and was the first governor of the state of South Dakota by election.

Of the secretaries of the territory of Dakota, the first one appointed was John L. Hutchinson, who continued in office from 1861 until 1865; he was succeeded by S. L. Spink. The latter held the position until 1869. During the latter year Turney M. Wilkins was appointed and held the office until the following year, when George A. Batchelder was appointed to the place. Edwin S. McCook was appointed in 1872. He was as- sassinated by Peter P. Wintermute in September, 1873. The next to fill the position was Oscar Whitney, who held the same from the date of his

predecessor's death until the appointment of his successor, George H. Hand, in 1874. The latter remained in office until 1883, when he was suc- ceeded by J. M. Teller. In 1886 Michael Mc- cormack was appointed Mr. Teller's successor, and was succeeded, in 1889, by L. B. Richardson, who was the last to be appointed to that office.

Presidential appointees who filled the import- ant office of chief justice during territorial days were: Philemon Bliss, 1861-64; Ara Bartlett, 1865-69; George W. French, 1869-73; Peter C. Shannon, 1873-81 ; A. J. Edgerton, 1881-85, and Bartlett Tripp, 1885-89.

Of those who acted as associate justices while the territory was in existence, the following is a list, with the date of their services. Many of them will be recognized as prominent members of the Dakota bar before and after their terms upon the bench, and others occupied more exalted posi- tions. They were: S. P. Williston, 1861-65; J. S. Williams, 1861-64; Ara Bartlett, 1864-65; W. E. Gleason, 1865-66; J. P. Kidder, 1865-75; J. W. Boyle, 1864-69; W. W. Brookings, 1869-73; A. H. Barnes, 1873-81; G. G. Bennett, 1875-79; G. C. Moody, 1878-83; J. P. Kidder, 1878-83; C. S. Palmer, 1883-87; S. A. Hudson, 1881-85; William E. Church, 1883-86; Louis K. Church, 1885-87 ;; Seward Smith, 1884; W. H. Francis, 1884-88; John E. Carland, 1887-89; William B. Mc- Connell, 1885-88; Charles M. Thomas, 1886-89 ;James Spencer, 1887-89; Roderick Rose, 1888-89; L. W. Crofoot, 1888-89; Frank R. Aikens, 1889. Of these Judge J. P. Kidder died while in office in 1883, and was succeeded by C. S. Palmer, of Ver- mont.

Of those who filled the important position of United States district attorney during the twenty- eight years of Dakota's territorial government the following is the roll, together with the years of their services : William E. Gleason, 1861-64; George H. Hand, 1866-69; Warren Coles, 1869-73; William Pond, 1873-77; Hugh J. Campbell, 1877- 85; John E. Carland, 1885-88; William E. Pur- cell, 1888-89, and John Murphey, 1889. William Pond died while in office in 1877.

During the same time the office of United States marshal was filled by the following parties : William F. Shaffer, 1861; G. M. Pinney, 1861- 65; L. W. Litchfield, 1865-72; J. H. Burdick, 1872-77; J. B. Raymond, 1877-81; Harrison Al- len, 1881-85, and Daniel Maratta, 1885-89.

The office of commissioner of railroads of the

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

territory was held successively by the following named: William M. Evens, chairman; Alexan- der Griggs and W. H. McVay, in 1886; Alex- ander Griggs, chairman, A. Boynton and N. T. Smith, in 1887; Judson LaMoure, chairman, John H. King and Harvey J. Rice. The latter were the last board prior to the admission of Dakota to a place in the federal union as a state.

The surveyor-generals during the same time were: George D. Hill, 1861-65; William Tripp, 1865-69; W. H. H. Beadle, 1869-73; William P. Dewey, 1873-77; Henry Experson, 1877-81 ; Cortez Fessenden, 1881-85; Maris Taylor, 1885- 89, and B. H. Sullivan, 1889.

The second legislature met at Yankton, De- cember 1, 1862, and continued in service until January 9, 1863. Its membership was as follows:

Council-Enos Stutsman, president; W. W. Brookings, Austin Cole, John W. Boyle, Jacob Deuel, D. T. Bramble, J. McFetridge, John H. Shober, J. Shaw Gregory and H. D. Betts.

House-A. J. Harlan, the speaker, who re- signed December 16, and was succeeded by Moses K. Armstrong; L. Bothun, J. Y. Buckman, H. S. Donaldson, M. H. Somers, Edward Gifford, J. A. Jacobson, R. M. Johnson, G. P. Waldron, Knud Larson, F. D. Pease, A. W. Puett and N. J. Wallace.

The third session of the territorial legislature was convened at the capital, December 7, 1863, and contined to transact public business until January 15, 1864. Its membership was made up of the following named :

Council-Enos Stutsman, president; J. M. Stone, G. W. Kingsbury, J. O. Taylor, M. M. Rich, John Mathers, Lasse Bothun, Hugh Comp- ton, Franklin Taylor, D. P. Bradford, J. Shaw Gregory and John J. Thompson.

House-A. W. Puett, speaker; L. Burgess, Ole Bottolfson, E. M. Bond, William Shriner, O. L. Pratt, John Lawrence, Henry Brooks, L. A. Litchfield, W. W. Brookings, Knud Larson, Washington Reid, P. H. Risling, E. W. Wall, Jesse Wherry, Peter Keegan, N. G. Curtis, Asa Mattison, B. A. Hill, Duncan Ross and Albert Gore.

The fourth legislature commenced its exist- ence at Yankton, December 5, 1864, and remained in session until January 13, 1865. The following named were borne on its roll of membership:

Council-Enos Stutsman, president; J. M. Stone, G. W. Kingsbury, J. O. Taylor, M. M.

Rich, John Mathers, Lasse Bothun, Hugh Comp- ton, Franklin Taylor, D. P. Bradford, J. Shaw Gregory and John J. Thompson.

House-W. W. Brookings, speaker; L. Bur- gess, I. P. Burgman, A. Christy, B. W. Collar, Felicia Fallis, J. R. Hanson, Peter Keegan, George W. Kellogg, P. Lemonges, John Lawrence, M. M. Mattheinsen, Helge Matthews, Francis Mc- Carthy, John W. Owens, G. W. Pratt, Washing- ton Reid, John Rouse, William Shriner, George Stickney, John W. Turner 'and E. W. Wall.

The fifth session of the Dakota territorial legislature convened at Yankton December 4, 1865, and adjourned the 12th of the following month. It had as members:

Council-George Stickney, president; M. K. Armstrong, Austin Cole, G. W. Kingsbury, Charles LaBreeche, Nathaniel Ross, Enos Stuts- man, O. F. Stevens, John J. Thompson, John W. Turner, A. L. Van Osdel and Knud Weeks.

House-G. B. Bigelow, speaker; T. C. Wat- son, E. C. Collins, William Walter, Michael Curry, Michael Ryan, James Whitehorn, H. J; Austin, Amos Hampton, Frank Taylor, James McHenry, Joseph Ellis, A. M. English, Jacob Brauch, H. C. Ash, S. C. Fargo, W. W. Brook- ings, Jonathan Brown, J. A. Lewis, Charles H. Mc- Carthy, William Stevens, Edward Lent, George W. Kellogg and Charles Cooper.

The sixth session convened December 4, 1866, and adjourned January 12, 1867. Its member- ship was as follows:

Council-Moses K. Armstrong, president ; Austin Cole, A. G. Fuller, G. W. Kingsbury, Charles LaBreeche, J. A. Lewis, D. M. Mills, Nathaniel Ross, O. F. Stevens, John J. Thomp- son, Jolin W. Turner, A. L. VanOsdel and Knud Weeks.

House-J. B. S. Todd, speaker; H. C. Ash, Horace J. Austin, D. T. Bramble, W. N. Colla- mer, Michael Curry, Hugh Fraley, Thomas Frick, I. T. Gore, William Gray, Hans Gunderson, M. U. Hoyt, Daniel Hodgen, Amos Hanson, R. M. Johnson, George W. Kellogg, Vincent LaBelle, Charles H. McCarthy, N. C. Stevens, William Stevens, John Trumbo, Franklin Taylor, Eli B. Wixon and Kirwin Wilson.

The seventh legislature was convened De- cember 2, 1867, and adjourned January 10, 1868. The following were the members.

Council-Horace J. Austin, president ; W. W. Brookings, W. W. Benedict, Aaron Carpenter,

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

R. J. Thomas, Hugh Fraley, R. R. Green, A. H. Hampton, George W. Kellogg, J. A. Lewis, Charles H. McIntyre, D. M. Mills and C. F. Ros- steucher.

House-Enos Stutsman, speaker; William Blair, William Brady, F. Bronson, Jacob Brauch, Jonathan Brown, Caleb Cummings, Michael Curry, F. J. DeWitt, Martin V. Farris, Felicia Fallas, I. T. Gore, Hans Gunderson, Amos Han- son, M. U. Hoyt, John L. Jolley, James Keegan, G. C. Moody, T. Nelson, Michael Ryan, Calvin G. Shaw, John J. Thompson, J. D. Tucker and Thomas C. Watson.

The eighth legislature met in session at Yankton, December 7, 1868, and adjourned January 15 fol- lowing. The roll of membership was as follows:

Council-N. J. Wallace, president ; Horace J. Austin, W. W. Benedict, W. W. Brookings, Aaron Carpenter, Hugh Fraley, R. R. Green, A. H. Hamp- ton, George W. Kellogg, J. A. Lewis, Charles H. McIntyre, C. F. Rossteuscher and B. E. Wood.

House-G. C. Moody, speaker ; Alfred Abbott, C. D. Bradley, G. G. Bennett, Calvin, M. Brooks, Jacob Branch, John Clementson, N. G. Curtis, J. M. Eves, J. Shaw Gregory, J. T. Hewlett, O. T. Hagin, John L. Jolley, A. W. Jameson, Hiram Keith, James Keegan, Lewis Larson, Knud Larson, J. La- Roche, Joseph Moulin, Charles Ricker, Enos Stuts- man, M. H. Somers and R. T. Vinson.

The ninth session of the territorial legislature was convened at Yankton, December 5, 1870. It continued until January 13, 1871. Its members were :

Council-Emory Morris, president ; M. K. Arm- strong, Joseph Brauch, W. W. Cuppett, Hugh Fraley, Silas W. Kidder, Nelson Miner, Charles H. McIn- tyre, J. C. Kennedy, W. T. Mckay, James M. Stone and John W. Turner.

House-George H. Hand, speaker; Charles Al- len,, V. R. L. Barnes, F. J. Cross, C. P. Dow, A. P. Hammond, John Hancock, William Holbrough, O. B. Iverson, H. A. Jerauld, James Keegan, J. LaRoche, Nelson Learned, A. J. Mills, E. Miner, Noah Wherry, R. Mostow, S. L. Parker, Amos F. Shaw, Philip Sherman, John C. Sinclair, Ole Samp- son and E. W. Wall.

The tenth legislature of the territory convened in regular session at Yankton, December 2, 1872, and adjourned January 10, 1873. The following named constituted the membership:

Council-Alexander Hughes, president ; D. T. Bramble, E. B. Crew, H. P. Cooley, J. Flick, John Lawrence, Nelson Miner, Joseph Mason, J. Gehon,

Charles H. McIntyre, O. F. Stevens, Enos Stuts- man and Henry Smith.

House-A. J. Mills, speaker; Samuel Ashmore, Ole Bottolfson, John Becker, Jacob Brauch, New- ton Clark, N. B. Campbell, Michael Glynn, William Hamilton, James Hyde, Cyrus Knapp, T. A. Kings- bury, Judson La Moure, E. A. Williams, Ephraim Miner, George Norbeck, Joseph Roberts, A. B. Wheelock, O. C. Peterson, Jens Peterson, Silas Rohr, Martin Trygstadt, J. W. Turner, John Thompson, B. E. Wood and W. P. Lyman.

The eleventh legislature convened at Yankton, December 7, 1874, and remained in session until January, 15, 1875, when it adjourned. The mem- bers were:

Council-John L. Jolley, president ; A. J. Austin, Jacob Brauch, Philip Chandler, Benton Fraley,. W. G. Harlan, John Lawrence, A. McHench, M. Pace, N. W. Sheafe, O. F. Stevens, Clark S. West and E. A. Williams.

House-G. C. Moody, speaker ; H. O. Anderson, George Bosworth, Hector Bruce, J. L. Berry, L. Bothun, Michael Curry, Desire Chausse, J. M. Cle- land, Patrick Hand, John H. Haas, Knud Larson, Joseph Zitka, H. N. Luce, W. T. Mckay, Henry Reifsnyder, Amos F. Shaw, C. H. Stearns, Ira Ellis L. Sampson, S. Sevenson, A. L. VanOsdel, M. M. Williaams, Scott Wright, James M. Wohl and O. B. Larson.

January 9, 1877, at Yankton, the twelfth legis- lature of the territory met in session and continued to transact the public business until February 17, following. As the country was rapidly filling up the number of members increased and the amount of business became of larger volume. This general assembly was composed of the following named gentlemen :

Council-W. A. Burleigh, president ; Henry S. Back, M. W. Bailey, William Duncan, Hans Gun- derson, Judson LaMoure, Nelson Miner, A. J. Mills, Robert Wilson, R. F. Pettigrew, J. A. Potter, C. B. Valentine and J. A. Wallace.

House-D. C. Hagle, speaker ; J. M. Adams, A. L. Boe, H. A. Burke, J. Q. Burbank (who was awarded the seat held by D. M. Kelleher, during the session), W. H. H. Beadle, T. S. Clarkson, G. S. S. Codington, W. F. Durham, A. G. Hopkins, M. O. Hexom, E. Hackett, D. M. Inman, Erick Iver- son, Charles Maywold, F. M. Ziebach, Hans Myron, John Shellberg, John Falde, D. Stewart, Asa Sar- gent, John Tucker, Franklin Taylor, John Thomp- son, C. H. Van Tassel and S. Soderstrom.

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

The thirteenth legislature held its session at Yankton, from January 14, 1879, until February following. The roll of members was as follows:

Council-George H. Walsh, president ; William M. Cuppert, M. H. Day, Ira Ellis, Newton Edmunds, W. L. Kuykendall, Nelson Miner, Robert Macnider, R. F. Pettigrew, S. G. Roberts, Silas Rohr, C. B. Valentine and H. B. Wynn.

House-John R. Jackson, speaker ; Alfred Brown, J. Q. Burbank, P. N. Cross, D. W. Flick, A. B. Tockler, John R. Gamble, Ansley Gray, Hans Gunderson, P. J. Hoyer, Ole A. Helvig, O. I. Hose- boe, A. Hoyt, S. A. Johnson John Langness, A. Manksch, J. M. Peterson, Nathaniel Whitfield, Mi- chael Shely, A. Simonson, James H. Stephens, D .. Stewart, Martin M. Trygstadt, E. C. Walton, J. F. Webber and Canute Weeks.

The fourteenth legislature held its session from January II, to March, 1881, at Yankton, with the following list of members:

Council-George H. Walsh, president; M. H. Day, Ira W. Fisher, John R. Gamble; John L. Jol- ley, J. A. J. Martin. J. O'B. Scobey, Amos F. Shaw, J. F. Wallace, John Walsh, G. W. Wiggin and John R. Wilson.

House-J. A. Harding, speaker ; James Baynes, F. J. Cross, G. H. Dickey, L. B. French, C. B. Kennedy, P. Landman, J. H. Miller, Knud Nom- land, V. P. Thielman, A. Thorne, P. Warner, S. A. Boyles, W. H. Donaldson, E. Ellefson, John D. Hale, D. M. Inman, Judson LaMoure, S. McBrat- ney, I. Moore, S. Rohr, D. Thompson, A. L. Van- Osdel and E. P. Wells.

On the organization of Dakota as a territory in 1861, Yankton was designated as the territorial cap- ital and the seat of the executive and legislative branches of the government. There the legisla- ture had up to this time held their sessions, but the fifteenth general assembly which met at Yankton, January 9, 1883, and remained convened until March 9, following, was the last to do so. The members of this general assembly were the following :

Council-J. O'B. Scobey, president ; F. N. Bur- dick, J. R. Jackson, F. M. Ziebach, F. J. Washa- baugh, S. G. Roberts, H. J. Jerauld, William P. Dewey, E. H. McIntosh, G. H. Walsh, J. Nickeus and E. McCauley.

House-E. A. Williams, speaker ; Ira Ellis, M. C. Tychsen, John Thompson, W. B. Robinson, R. C. McAllister, F. P. Phillips, G. W. Sterling, W. A. Reinhart. E. M. Bowman, G. P. Harvey, D. M. Inman, H. VanWoert, J. B. Wynn, B. R. Wagner,

John C. Pyatt, George Rice, W. H. Lamb, J. W. Nowlin, A. A. Choteau, O. M. Towner, B. W. Ben- son, L. J. Allred, and N. E. Nelson. This legislature had before them a bill authorizing the changing the seat of government of the territory to some more central and convenient point. This bill was passed by which was created a commission for the purpose of selecting and locating the new capital. This committee was composed of the following named gentlemen: Alexander McKenzie, Milo W. Scott, Burleigh F. Spaulding, Charles H. Myers, George A. Matthews, Alexander Hughes, Henry M. De- Long, John P. Belding and M. D. Thompson.

The commission was convened in a session at the city of Fargo during the summer of 1883, to hear the different advantages of site as put forth by the various claimants for the capitalship. Excitement was rife, but after a long and patient hearing the board reached a conclusion, and June 2, 1883, lo- cated the future territorial capital at the, then, rising city of Bismarck.

According to the act of the legislature passed at the last session, as above narrated, and the action of the committee then appointed, the sixteenth as- sembly was convened at Bismarck, January 13, 1885, and continued in session in that city until March 13 following. A list of its members is as follows :

Council-J. H. Westover, president ; A. C. Huet- son, Wm. Duncan, John R. Gamble, A. S. Jones, B. R. Wagner, A. M. Bowdle, R. F. Pettigrew, Geo. R. Farmer, H. H. Natwick, C. H. Cameron, J. P. Day, A. B. Smedley, V. P. Kennedy, F. J. Washa- baugh, S. P. Wells, Chas. Richardson, J. Nickeus, C. D. Austin, D. H. Twomey, G. H. Walsh, Jolın Flittie, Judson LaMoure and P. J. Mclaughlin.

House-George Rice, speaker ; Ole Helvig, Jolın Larson, Eli Dawson, Hans Myron, A. L. Van Osdel, Hugh Langan, J. P. Ward, J. H. Swanton, A. J. Parshall, Mark Ward, C. E. Huston, H. M. Clark, P. L. Runkel, J. M. Bayard, H. W. Smith, W. H. Riddell, Jolın Hobart, J. C. Southwick, V. V. Barnes, J. A. Pickler, J. T. Blakemore, G. W. Pierce, M. L. Miller, G. H. Johnson, M. T. DeWoody, E. Hun- tington, F. A. Eldredge, A. L. Sprague, E. W. Mar- tin, H. M. Gregg, A. McCall, E. A. Williams, W. F. Steele, Henry W. Coe, J. Stevens, S. E. Stebbins, P. J. McCumber, H. S. Oliver, T. M. Pugh, E. T. Hutchinson, W. N. Roach, C. W. Morgan, J. W. Scott, D. Stewart, H. Stong, H. H. Ruger, P. McHugh.

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 15

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