Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 177

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 177

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Our subject was married, in 1877, to Miss Helen Barker. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hovey, named as follows: Arthur R., Herbert E., deceased, and Edna M. Mr. Hovey is chair- man of the township board and politically is a Re- publican.

PETER SCOTT, the popular register of deeds of Bottineau county, and a resident of Bottineau, was born in county Lesje, Gudbrandsdalen, Nor- way, June 16, 1874, and was reared on a farm. His father, Paul Scott, was an infantry captain in the Norwegian army and is still living. He has been in the army since he was eighteen years old, and as an officer and soldier has a high reputation. Peter Scott, the grandfather of our subject, was a farmer and a man of character and standing. Captain Scott married Gertrude Nyhus, whose par- ents were engaged in the cultivation of the soil. She bore him four children and died when his oldest boy, Peter, was six years old. The bereaved soldier kept his family together and sent them to school

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for the next seven years. Peter at this time was a manly lad and desired to make a way for himself. He went into a store at Lesje, where he worked two years for his board and two years for wages. In 1891 he went into the southern part of Norway and engaged with a mercantile firm for two years. He determined about this time to seek a home in America, and June 16, 1893, he landed in New York City on his nineteenth birthday. He was alone in a new world, but he knew his fortune was to be found here by industry and courage. He spent some time in Chippewa and Barron counties, Wis- consin. For two winters he worked in lumber camp. In the spring he was on log drives and in the summer on neighboring farms.

Mr. Scott made his first appearance in Bottineau county in the spring of 1895 and did farm work the following summer. In the fall he worked ten weeks with a threshing machine crew. In the winter he worked with W. H. McIntosh & Com -. pany, in their general store and also in the Patrons' Exchange. In this latter establishment he was a clerk until the fall of 1897. He had learned the English tongue and as he was fluent in the three Scandinavian languages, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish, he was regarded as an invaluable clerk. In 1897 Mr. Scott returned to the employment of McIntosh & Company and spent the next two years with them. November 5, 1899, he was appointed register of deeds in place of F. A. Thomas, resigned. The appointment was bestowed upon him by a unanimous vote, and he is now serving to the satis- faction of the patrons of the office. He is a Re- publican and for a young man he is exerting much influence in political matters. He is quite a fra- ternal society man and is a familiar figure in the gatherings of the Odd Fellows, the Modern Wood- men of America and the Knights of the Maccabees. In this last order he has served as commander for four terms. He belongs to the Lutheran church and is recognized as a man of character and much promise in the community.

Mr. Scott and Miss May L. King were married February 12, 1900. She was born in Canada and is of English blood. She is a lady of much char- acter and education and was a teacher in the public schools for five years preceding her marriage. She began teaching when only sixteen and retains her in- terest in everything that relates to the public school. Mr. Scott owns a farm of two hundred acres and his wife has a quarter-section in her own right, so that she may justly regard herself as an equal partner in the matrimonial firm. Her father died in Canada and her mother removed to Manitoba with three children: May L., Florence L. and Al- bert. Presently the mother brought her little family to North Dakota and settled on government land and lived in a claim shanty for a few years. They passed through pioneer experiences in good shape. Mr. and Mrs. Scott are both young and full of life and energy and face the future bravely and hope- fully as they have a right to do.

HENRY W. WALLACE, widely known as a merchant and agriculturist, is a pioneer settler of Pembina county, and one of the first to establish a mercantile business in the town of Drayton. He conducts the harness business there and also deals in horses and has extensive farm land near there and also Minnesota lands in the Red river valley. He operates the farm near Drayton and leases the lands in Minnesota and is one of the progressive and energetic men of his community.

Our subject was born in Ontario, Canada, No- vember 12, 1856, and was the fifth in a family of nine children born to Hugh and Margaret (Met- calf) Wallace, both of whom are deceased. The father was Scotch and the mother of English de- scent. At the age of sixteen years our subject began work as a harnessmaker, and in 1878 quit the bench and started for Manitoba and from there came to Pembina county, North Dakota, and filed on land in section 25, in Drayton township. and devoted himself to farming. He shipped a carload of horses from Mason City, Iowa, in 1888 and this was the beginning of a business which he has since con- ducted with remarkable success. He has brought into the country a class of farm horses well adapted to general work and his sales average over two hundred and fifty head per annum. He established the first harness shop in the town of Drayton and continues in that business. His farm near the city comprises one half-section and he is actively en- gaged in its improvement and cultivation and has made a success of that line of work.

Our subject was married, in 1882, to Miss Lot- tie Larter. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, named as follows: Edna H., Hattie M., Reginald L. and Earl H. Mr. Wallace is active in affairs of a public nature and has served as alderman of the first ward in the town of Dray- ton. In political faith he is a Republican and a delegate to county conventions of his party and an earnest worker for party principles.

ELIS THORWALDSON, postmaster and mer- chant of Mountain, Pembina county, North Dakota, is the pioneer merchant of that village, and is well known as a progressive and energetic citizen. He was born in Iceland, September 22, 1867. On another page of this work will be found a portrait of Mr. Thorwaldson.

Our subject worked at home when a boy and was tutored in Iceland and in 1881 emigrated to America and located in Pembina county, North Da- kota, and remained in Akra township one year and then went to his brother's farm in Cavalier county in the Pembina mountains, and there followed farm- ing for about three years, after which he worked at farm labor for others about two years, and in the fall of 1887 went with his brother Horace to the Pacific coast. He worked in a furniture store in Seattle, and upon the introduction of the electric street railroad in that city worked as motorman

Tia Thorwaldson

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for two years. He established a grocery business in Seattle in 1890, which he conducted two years, and then sold his business and went on a visit to his relatives in North Dakota. Upon his arrival there he stocked a country store in partnership with his brother, Stig, and in January, 1894, purchased a small stock and store building in Mountain, Pembina county, of P. Johnson & Company, and continued the business on a small scale for a time, but has increased his stock and now carries the most com- plete stock of general merchandise in the village, his stock being valued at $6,000. He also owns two hundred and fifty acres of land in Pembina county, and one hundred and sixty acres in Cavalier county, and has made a success of his career and earned a good competence by faithful efforts and good management.

Our subject was married, in 1894, to Miss Hattie Snowfield. Mrs. Thorwaldson was born in Iceland September 14, 1862, and emigrated to America in 1879 with her father, her mother having died in her native land. Mrs. Thorwaldson went to Duluth, and remained there three years and in 1882 joined her father in Thingvalla township, Pembina county. She attended the Grand Forks University when it was established, and in 1885 taught school at Mountain and followed the work six years in that vicinity, and is one of the oldest instructors in west- ern Pembina county. She was appointed postmis- tress of Mountain, in 1891, and held the position until her marriage to our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Thorwaldson are the parents of six children, named as follows : Willmar H., Octavia S. and Elizabeth T. (twin girls), Sidney T., Alfred S. and Elfreda M. (twin boys). Our subject takes an active interest in all matters of a public nature and is serving his second term as chairman of the township board and fourth year as school director. He holds men- bership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in religious belief is identified with the Lutheran church. Until 1896 he supported the Democratic party in politics, but owing to the money question became a Republican and is a man who keeps pace with the times and wields an influence for good local government, and his success socially and financially is well merited.

COLONEL JOHN D. BENTON, a prominent attorney-at-law and extensive land owner and gen- eral farmer, of Fargo, North Dakota, is one of the pioneer settlers of the state and his name is readily recognized as a member of the well-known firm of Benton, Lovell & Bradley. He is connected as di- rector with the Merchants' State Bank and is a man of rare ability and force of character.

Our subject was born in Courtland county, New York, April 2, 1842, and was a son of Dublev and Mary ( Spencer) Benton, both of whom were natives of New York. His father was a farmer, as was also the grandfather, Stephen Benton, and both died in New York.

John D. Benton received a liberal education in his native state, attending the Cortland Academy and Al- bany Law School. He was engaged in various oc- cupations and entered the Albany Law School in 1874, graduating from that institution two years later. He was admitted to the bar in New York, and went to Fargo, North Dakota, in 1878, where he at once began the practice of his profession. He was associated with Judge Thomas, and also established an office at Deadwood, North Dakota, which he discontinued in 1883. Ile was elected sheriff of the county, with office for two years, in 1886, and then the partnership with Judge Thomas was dissolved, Thomas being appointed United States district judge, and after the expiration of his office as sheriff, he formed a partnership with C. F. Amidon, which continued until 1896, who was upon the death of Judge Thomas, appointed to suc- ceed him. Then the firm of Benton & Bradley was established, and in 1898, V. R. Lovell entered the partnership, the firm taking the name of Benton, Lovell & Bradley. Mr. Benton was president of the Merchants' State Bank for six years from 1892, and for the past twenty years has conducted farming on a large scale. Every enterprise to which he has turned his attention has met with the most pleasing results.

Our subject was married, in 1879, to Arlone A. Babcock, a native of New York. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Benton, as fol- lows: Mary L. and Dudley C. Mr. Benton is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, having passed the thirty-second degree and the Mystic Shrine.

He was a candidate for the United States senate in 1892 and has always taken an active part in the af- fairs of his county and state and on many occasions his voice has been heard in support of the princi- ples which he advocates. He is a forcible speaker and able attorney and stands high in his profession. Politically, he is a Democrat.

GEORGE W. HARRISON, the present well- known commissioner of insurance of North Da- kota, and a prominent citizen of Bismarck, was born in Defiance county, Ohio, September 15, 1867, a son of David and Louise ( Heskett) Harrison, both natives of Belmont county, that state. The father was for thirty years superintendent of the Wabash railroad between Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Toledo, Ohio, and resided in the former city. He died in 1884, at Hicksville, Ohio, where the wife and mother still continues to reside. To them were born three sons, two of whom are now living, the older being W. C. B. Harrison, who was a member of the In- diana legislature and is also well known through- out that state as a man of brilliant literary attain- ments and with marked qualities as a statesman and party worker. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a relative of President William H. Har- rison.

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Our subject was educated in the graded schools of Hicksville, Ohio. During his youth he learned the art of printing and later engaged in the publi- cation of the "Hicksville Independent" with W. C. B. Harrison, his elder brother. At the age of eighteen he went to Goshen, Indiana, where he ac- cepted a position on the "Daily News" with Thomas A. Stare, and a year later associated himself with Congressman Joel P. Heatwole on the "Northfield ( Minnesota ) News." While there he was united in marriage with Miss Myrtie E. Allen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Allen, and three children bless their union : Lorane, George, Jr., and Fay Ruth.

Mr. Harrison was the founder of the "Daily Register," the first daily paper of Austin, Minne- sota, and later was a member of the "Minneapolis Tribune" staff, in the interest of which paper he was sent to North Dakota during the Harrison presidential campaign. Shortly before the famous Roach senatorial election in North Dakota, Mr. Harrison accepted the city editorship of the "Fargo Argus," under Major George K. Shaw's manage- ment, and when the legislature convened was de- tailed as staff correspondent at Bismarck. His keen political conception of conditions and his able forecasting of events during that long struggle over the United States senatorship won him a reputa- tion as well as many friends. After the close of the session he purchased the "Lisbon Star" of C. E. Johnson and changed its name to the "Free Press," and the paper at once took rank among the foremost weekly journals of the state. His carefully writ- ten and pointed editorial utterances were soon felt by the people of his county and state and his friends were not slow to reward his worth as a Republican, for he had the satisfaction of being the unanimous choice of his party for the position of commissioner of insurance. He was nominated in the Fargo con- vention of 1898, bv acclamation, and was elected by over ten thousand majority to succeed Hon. F. B. Francher, who was elected on the same ticket as the chief executive of the state. This is the first office ever held by Mr. Harrison and the only one to which he has ever aspired. He has been a life-long Re- publican, in fact his political principles are heredi- tary, being a descendant of the old Harrison fan- ily. He has fought his own battles in business and political life and has achieved a success worthy of emulation by young men who have to make their own way in the world. He is an able journalist and as a public official is meeting with marked success.

LAWRENCE N. TORSON, the able state's attorney of Pierce county, has made his way to the front ranks of his profession in North Dakota, by dent of close application and natural ability. He is a resident of the city of Rugby, and is regarded as one of the ablest members of the bar not only of Pierce county, but of the state.

Mr. Torson was born in Waupaca county, Wis- consin, July 16, 1859. Ilis parents, Brynjulf and

Maria (Nelson) Torsen, were both natives of Nor- way, born in Kragrero. The father was a shoemaker by trade. He came to America in 1844 and settled in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, but later went to Wau- paca county. There our subject was born, the eighth in a family numbering nine children. He was reared on the farm and attended the country schools, and took a course in the high school of La Crosse. At the age of fifteen years he began teach- ing and followed that calling for twelve years, both in Wisconsin and Minnesota, having located in Moorehead, Minnesota, in 1885. He began the study of law in Moorehead in the office of O. Mosness, and was admitted to the bar in 1887. In 1888 he went to Mayville, North Dakota, and worked in the law office of Robertson and Welch for two years. He came to Towner, North Dakota, in 1889, and practiced law for seven years. While there he was appointed county superintendent of schools in 1890, and elected to that position in 1892 and again in 1894, serving five years. In the fall of 1896 he was elected state's attorney of McHenry county. He resigned the following summer and came to Rugby to accept the office of state's attorney of Pierce county, to which he had been appointed in July, 1897. ' He was elected to the same office in 1898, and is now a candidate for re-election in 1890.

Mr. Torson was married, in 1882, to Miss Mary Myhron. Mrs. Torson was born in Winchester, Wisconsin, in May, 1860, a daughter of Ole Myh- ron, who was born in Norway in 1809, and came to America in 1844, becoming an early settler in Wis- consin. To Mr. and Mrs. Torson four children have been born, named as follows: Maria, born in Wis- consin February 16, 1884 ; Thomas B., born in North Dakota June 25. 1888: Joseph M., born in North Dakota March 28, 1892, and Mina L., born in North Dakota June 7, 1895.

Mr. Torson is a Republican in politics, though he had been a Democrat prior to 1896. He is a man of broad views and deep penetration. He is a stanch supporter of the public school system, and has always taken a deep interest in educational matter. He has conducted teachers' institutes in Cavalier, Griggs and McHenry counties. He was chosen chairman of the delegation to the state con- vention at Fargo May 16, 1900. Ilis portrait will prove an interesting addition to this work.

MAGNUS BRYNJOLFSON, attorney-at-law in Cavalier, Pembina county, is one of the most promising members of his profession in North Da- kota. He enjoys the distinction of being the first Icelander to be admitted to the bar in America and is widely known as a prominent attorney, his suc- cess proving his ability. His life history includes no striking incidents, but he has gained his knowl- edge by unceasing application and without means has gained an assured position in his adopted land, and a review of his career will be of interest to the readers of this work.

LAWRENCE N. TORSON.

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Our subject was born in Skjeggstodum, Skag- afjardar-syslu, Iceland, May 28, 1866, and is the sixth in a family of seven children born to Bryn- jolfur and Thorun ( Olafsdottir) Brynjolfson. The mother died in 1891 and the father now resides with our subject. The family came to America in 1874 and was a member of the second Icelandic colony to emigrate to this country. They landed at Que- bec in October and went to Kenmount, north of Toronto, Canada. Our subject's father soon lo- cated in Halifax county, Nova Scotia, with about ten other families and cleared a small farm in the wilderness, where he lived six years. The Ice- landie settlement in Pembina county, North Da- kota, came to the notice of our subject, and the fam- ily started for the west and spent the winter at Dut- luth and in April, 1882, arrived at Pembina. Our subject worked on his father's farm at Beaulieu township, and his only schooling was received dur- ing eighteen months in the schools of Canada, but in 1887 he had gained a fair knowledge of the Eng- lish language by home study, and entered the law office of G. H. Megquier, at Pembina, and read law there six months. He was appointed deputy clerk of courts in 1888 and held the position two years, during which time he continued the study of law in spare hours and September 9, 1889, was admitted to the bar. He formed a partnership with Daniel J. Laxdal, in the fall of 1890, and an office was es- tablished at Cavalier and this became the pioneer firm of that city. The partnership was dissolved in 1892, since which time our subject has continued his practice alone and has met with unbounded suc- cess. Careful research is given every case entrusted to the care of our subject and this, in part, is ac- countable for his success.

Mr. Brynjolfson was married, in 1898, to Miss Sarah Halldorson. Mrs. Brynjolfson is a native of Iceland and came to America in 1881. She is a graduate of the Grafton high schools and prior to her marriage was one of the well-known instructors in the schools of Pembina county. Mr. Brynjolfson is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and Independent Order of Foresters. Po- litically, he is a Democrat and stands firmly for the principles of his party. He is a strict anti-fusionist and is a member of the state central committee and has served two years as chairman of the county central committee. He is intelligent and progress- ive and firm in his convictions.

HON. ANDREW H. LAUGHLIN. As an all around prominent man of Ransom county, there is probably no one of its citizens who more justly deserves the title than Mr. Laughlin. Being a man possessed of executive ability, success has invariably followed his labors and he enjoys a comfortable income and a high reputation. He is enterprising and progressive and works for the better interests of his community. He has resided in Ransom coun- ty since its early settlement and is proprietor of one

of the finest stock farms in the Northwest, and is president of the Ransom County Farmers' Institute. His residence is in section 24, township 134, range 56.

Our subject was born in Green Lake county, Wisconsin, November 11, 1848. His ancestry is of Scotch-Irish on the father's side and German- French on the mother's, and the Laughlins are connected with the settlement and development of the state of Vermont. Our subject's father, John Laughlin, was a graduate of the college at Peacham, Vermont, and his active life was devoted to teach- ing. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Permelia Bovee. The family became resi- dents of Wisconsin in 1846, and there our subject was born and raised, devoting himself to agricult- ural pursuits until twenty-seven years of age. He then taught school for a time and January 28, 1882, arrived on the Sheyenne river, Dakota territory, where he secured about eight hundred acres of land and began farming. He erected his residence on the farm in 1883 and added other equally good improve- ments. He invested in the farming implement busi- ness, in the firm known as Laughlin, Palmer & Com- pany, which for four years was considered the lead- ing implement firm throughout Ransom and ad- joining counties. At the first general election in the fall of 1882 he was elected register of deeds, which position he filled for four years, and about the same time opened a real estate and loan office, and during those pioneer times won the reputation of being the most extensive business man of Ran- som county. He became sole owner of the imple- ment business in 1886, and was directly responsible for the erection of the Lisbon Cheese Factory in 1889, which is the oldest factory of North Dakota now in operation. The stock interests of North Dakota next engaged his attention and in 1893 he invested in some thoroughbred Galaways, for which he paid thirteen thousand and six hundred dollars, and he now has a herd of about fifty. This has been his most profitable source of income of late years and in 1897 he sold forty cattle for the sum of four thousand dollars.

Our subject was married, in 1883, to Miss Marion J. Dunbar, who died in 1886, leaving two children, Lulu and Leigh. The son was a page in the house during the last session of the legislature. Mr. Laughlin married Miss Eliza Sargeant, in 1889. One child was born to this union, named Dell. Mr. Laughlin was elected commissioner of agriculture and labor of North Dakota, in 1894, and is present appointed as supervisor of the census. He was elected as state representative in 1898, and served as chairman of the committee on military affairs. He introduced house bill No. 36, pertaining to state banking affairs, and he originated house bill No. 29, which has received national attention, "a bill pro- viding that county treasurers furnish fidelity bonds at the expense of the county." He also introduced house bill No. 117, creating the office of dairy and food commissioner. He is a strict prohibitionist,

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and politically stands with the Republican party and has served in the central committees of both state and county. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Ancient Order of United Workmen and Ancient Order of Foresters and of the Yeomen.

CLARK C. DALRYMPLE, residing on section 35. in Hillsboro township, Traill county, conducts one of the most extensive and best-known estates in North Dakota. He is a young man of superior business qualifications and his judicious manage- ment of his farming interests has placed him among the solid men of the state. He now owns and op- erates two thousand acres of land, which furnishes a handsome annual income.

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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 177

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