Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 182

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 182

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).

HON. JAMES T. BLACKLOCK, deputy col- lector and inspector of customs at Walhalla port of entry, North Dakota, is well known throughout that region as a business man of excellent qualifications and a worthy citizen. He is a native of Galt, On- tario, Canada, and was born August 9, 1857.

Mr. Blacklock was the only child born to James and Annabel (Stuart) Blacklock, and his father died while our subject was an infant. The mother mar- ried a second time when our subject was about three years of age, and he resided with his mother and stepfather until he reached the age of twenty years, and was occupied at farm work and carpentering, and then began farming for himself. He sold his land interests in 1882, and came to Dakota, and soon after went to Wennipeg and there worked three years at carpenter work. He became foreman of a farm near Portage la Prairie, Canada, in 1885, and in 1887 went to Bathgate, Pembina county, North Dakota, and located on rented land, and soon purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land about three miles south of Bathgate. He en- tered the employ of the Farmers' Alliance Elevator Company about 1891, and in 1897 engaged with the Minnesota & Dakota Elevator Company and was located at Hamilton, and in 1898 was again sta-

1268

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

tioned at Bathgate. He was with the Monarch Elevator Company in 1899, and during the past year his family have resided in Bathgate, but prior to that time lived on the home farm. In February, 1900, he was appointed to his present position and will remove to Walhalla in the near future.

Our subject was married, in 1878, to Miss Bar- bara Thompson, a native of Canada. Mr. Black- lock was elected by three parties to the lower house in 1894, and served as a member of that body, and successfully introduced many measures which have become important laws, and was instrumental in locating the Blind Asylum at Bathgate. He served as chairman of the apportionment committee, and was a member of the following committees: Ju- diciary, educational, engrossment, grain and ware- house and steering. He served ten years as chair- man of the board of supervisors of his township, and has always taken an active interest in public af- fairs of local importance. He was president of the Pembina County Fair Association two years, and also held the office of president of the Pembina County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and was the first to act in that capacity. He served four vears as treasurer of School District No. 35 of Ham- ilton, and in political sentiment is a Republican and upon the organization of the Republican State League was a member of the executive committee, and has attended many county and state conven- tions of his party. He is prominent in secret so- ciety circles, and is a Royal Arch Mason and grand marshal of A. F. & A. M. of North Dakota ; past master of Ancient Order of United Workmen, and court deputy four years of the Independent Order of Foresters. Mr. Blacklock is an exemplary citi- zen and a member of the Presbyterian church.

COLONEL HEBER MANSFIELD CREEL. In compiling a list of the prominent and influential men of North Dakota, a foremost station must be accorded Colonel Creel, of Devils Lake, Ramsey county. He is a man of the highest honor and is respected by all with whom he has to do. He is now acting as inspector and judge advocate general and he is also president of the State Military Band. His portrait, in these pages, is that of a quick- witted and intelligent gentleman and will be looked upon with interest by all who are acquainted with the subject of this sketch.

Our subject was born in Lafayette county, Mis- souri, on a farm, November 30, 1855. The family from which he is descended settled in Virginia in 1620. His grandfather was a colonel in the war of 1812, and his uncle, George Creel, was killed in the Mexican war. Stonewall Jackson's mother and Colonel Creel's grandmother were sisters. His grandfather, Dr. David Creel, was foreman of the grand jury which tried Aaron Burr for high trea- son. He is a cousin of Larry T. Neal, of Ohio, and a second cousin of Hon. George W. Manna-

penny, ex-commissioner of Indian affairs, who was a member of the commission who made a treaty with the Utes. The father of our subject was a lawyer and a classmate of Hon. Sunset Cox.

Mr. Creel spent his early life on the home farm and received his elementary schooling by private tutorship. He attended Kemper's Academy at Booneville, Missouri, for one year and Cooper In- stitute for one year, and then entered the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, Vir- ginia, where he remained two years and was then appointed by General John B. Clark from the seventh congressional district to the mili- tary academy at West Point, and graduated in June, 1877. He was commissioned second lieu- tenant in the Eighth Cavalry and the same year was promoted to the Seventh United States Cavalry and stationed in Dakota territory and served there five years, when he resigned, in July, 1882. He had charge of the government property and steamboat, "Dr. Burleigh," when Fort Rice was abandoned and the property moved to Fort Yates in 1878. He was with the expedition to locate Fort Meade. He surveyed Devils Lake in 1880, and made a topo- graphical survey of Fort Totten military reserva- tion. In 1881 he was in the Sitting Bull campaign and accompanied that noted warrior and his band to Standing Rock. An engineer officer, he built the military telegraph line from Fort Totten to Lari- more. He located the town site of Devils Lake in July, 1882, and the town was first named Creel City, but in 1884 was changed to Devils Lake. His familiarity with the entire country and his credibility as authority on all questions relating to it is evidenced by the fact that Mr. Creel was a witness before congress in 1882, maintaining that a tract of land laying north and west of Devils Lake, comprising 9.500,000 acres, claimed by the Chippe- was and recognized by the interior department, was the sole property of the United States. His testimony and letters to Messers. Windom, Plumb, Cox, Cockerell and Pettigrew elicited from Hiram Price, commissioner of Indian affairs, a lengthy an- swer. The bill opening this land, being too far down on the calendar, failed to pass, not receiving unani- mous consent. Shortly afterwards, Secretary Kirk- wood was succeeded by Senator Teller, who, with the legal department. sustained Mr. Creel in his po- sition and this land was thrown open by executive proclamation. Mr. Deering, of Iowa, chairman of the house committee, made an exhaustive report on this matter, embodying Lieutenant Creel's letter and po- sition, Senator Windom's endorsement and Mr. Price's reply. Our subject has been a resident of the city since its early days and he engaged in farm- ing extensively and owned and operated a fine estate for some years. He also dealt in real estate and loans and also followed the grain business. He has been aggressively active in all measures relating to his town and community and has a comfortable and pleasant home in Devils Lake.

Mr. Creel was chairman of the board of county

COL. HEBER MANSFIELD CREEL.

1271

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

commissioners in Ramsey county in 1885-1886 and register of deeds from January, 1889, to January, 1897, and was acting county surveyor from 1889- 1895. He was elected to the state senate in the fall of 1896 and is at present serving a four years' term. He was elected as an Independent Republican and was a nominee for congressman in 1898 on the fusion ticket. While a member of the state senate he introduced the bill requiring all applicants for marriage licenses to be previously examined by a board of physicians as to their mental and physical fitness for the marriage state. His bill was freely commented upon by prominent men and newspapers in the United States and England. The following were Mr. Creel's committee assignments : chairman of committee on emigration, member of committees on Indian and Indian affairs, cities and municipali- ties, military, public land and ways and means. He has served as chairman of the county Republican central committee and was a member of the state central and executive Republican committees. He was a member of the national committee for the Silver Republicans of North Dakota, being chosen to this office in 1897. In 1878, Colonel Creel, then a lieutenant in the Seventh United States Cavalry, was detailed by General Sheridan to escort the Northern Cheyenne Indians from the Black Hills to Fort Reno, Indian territory, later held at Sidney Barracks, Nebraska. He accompanied the Thorn- berg expedition four hundred miles in the Sand hills of Nebraska, after Dull Knife with eight hun- dred Northern Cheyennes. He wrote a grammar and dictionary of the Cheyenne or Tsistos language, also a work on the sign language of the North Amer- ican Indians, which was published by the Smithso- ninan Institute, Washington, D. C. He is now a director of the Chautauqua Association.

Our subject was married, in Indian Territory, to Miss Alice H. La Rue, a native of Indiana. Mrs. Creel is a daughter of Richard La Rue, whose farm was a part of the city of Richmond, Indiana. Her mother was a sister of Hon. William Holman, for so many years the "watchdog" of the treasury, who secured an amendment to an appropriation bill, which obliged the Northern Pacific Railroad Com- pany to pay the cost of surveying the land granted to them. Her grandfather was one of the framers of the constitution of the state of Indiana. Mr. Creel is prominent in secret society circles and holds mem- bership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen of America and Ashur Zodiac of Fargo.

JOHN KELLY, residing on section 25, in town- ship 159, range 68, stands among the foremost ag- riculturists of Towner county. He operates a farm of three sections of land, about two thousand acres, in Towner county, and also. owns land in Ramsey and Rolette counties. He is one of the substantial citizens of North Dakota, and has manifested the

true spirit of American progress in his life and labors there.

Our subject was born in the city of Montreal, Canada, June 9, 1863. He was the youngest of five children born to Patrick and Margaret Kelly, both of whom were natives of Ireland. The mother died when our subject was about three and one- half years of age, and his aunt went to the home to care for the children and under her care our sub- ject was reared to manhood. When a youth of nineteen years he came to Bartlett, Ramsey county, North Dakota, in March, 1883, taking the trip to that point by rail, and then went by stage to Devils Lake, Ramsey county, where he settled on land sixteen miles north of Devils Lake. His three brothers had located there, and he remained there until 1888, when he grew tired of hauling produce so far to market and in the spring of that year pur- chased a half-section of land where his home is now located. He has since added to his posses- sions from time to time, and now has one of the most extensive farms of the county, and has gained his possessions single-handed and enjoys a com- fortable income.

In 1890, as soon as he had established a perma- nent home in Towner county, Mr. Kelly was mar- ried to Miss Margaret Considine. Two children have blessed this union, who bear the names of Mar- garet Katherine and William Francis. Mr. Kelly is a member of the Roman Catholic faith, and he also holds membership in the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a stanch Democrat, and is an advocate of prohibition. He is an exemplary citizen, industrious and progressive, and possesses a capacity for well-directed labor that has placed him in the front rank in his calling.

DAVID HENDERSON HOUSTON. Much has been said of the wonderful resources of North Dakota, but too much cannot be said of the men who have developed these resources and cultivated and encouraged to the utmost its wealth-producing elements. Of these worthy men, none in all North Dakota is more deserving than D. H. Houston, whose fine residence is on section 25, Hunter town- ship, Cass county, near the village of Hunter.

Mr. Houston settled in Cass county, near Hun- ter, in 1879. He had moderate financial means, but immediately set about building for himself a com- petent fortune in his new home. He entered both a homestead and a tree claim, and also purchased land till his holdings aggregated eight hundred acres. Since that time he has added to his pos- sessions until his landed estates now cover five sec- tions, all of which is under cultivation, yielding an- nually from fifty thousand to sixty thousand bush- els of grain. Nor are the productions of his farm remarkable in quantity only. Mr. Houston has for many years given special attention to the produc- tion of a superior article of seed wheat, and the

1272

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

yield and quality of Houston's blue stem seed wheat attained an enviable reputation throughout the state. Stock raising has also been given a share of the attention of this modern agriculturist. He has constantly sought in the breeding of stock to de- velop the best grades for practical purposes, and his success has become a part of the history of the county. His farm machinery is of the best manu- facture and modern pattern, and includes a steam thresher, a dozen or more binders, and other farm machinery in proportion, and on the farm is an ele- vator with a capacity of thirty thousand bushels for handling his grain.

Mr. Houston is a native of Scotland, and traces his ancestry by a clearly defined line of descent, as far back as 1160, to the Houstons who held a baro- nial entailed estate in Scotland. Our present sub- ject was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1841, and the next year came with his parents, Peter and Mar- garet ( Henderson) Houston, to the United States. They lived for about a year in New York city and then moved to Albany, New York state, and lived there about two years, and in 1847 settled in Co- lumbia county, Wisconsin, and in that county both parents died. The father was a contractor and builder, but in later life followed farming. There were six sons in the family, three of whom are now living, and Mr. Houston's two brothers still reside in Wisconsin. The father acquired the title of "Honorable" under appointment by the governor, and on account of valuable services rendered the people of Wisconsin in the sale of a land grant do- nated by the Milwaukee Railroad Company for the benefitof the railroad farm mortgagors.

Our subject was reared in Wisconsin, and re- ceived the education afforded by the schools of that state. He followed farming and seed growing there until, in 1879, he removed to Dakota and be- gan the career that will be briefly described in the following lines. His marriage occurred, in 1888, Miss Annie Laura Pencille, of South Troy, Minne- sota, becoming his wife. Mrs. Houston is a daugh- ter of Professor Pencille, who for more than thirty years has been well known as a leader in musical circles. Mrs. Houston is lady of much refinement and culture, and her acquirements in music are of a high degree; singing and playing on piano and guitar, and when traveling with her husband she earned the appellation of "The North Dakota Song- stress." Mr. and Mrs. Houston have one child, David Henderson Houston, Jr.

Mr. Houston has not found farm life unsuited to an active mind. He has, in addition to his ex- tensive farming, found time to perfect many pho- tographic inventions. In 1861 he began his ex- periments in photography. In 1867 he patented his first camera, and in 1881 invented the arrangement involving the basic principles of the kodak camera, and sold the patent to George Eastman, of the ko- dak company, for five thousand seven hundred dol-

lars, from which an immense business was built. In 1894 he had issued two new patents covering new principles over those of the 1881 patent. The ba- sic principles of these later patents were also incor- porated in a more modern kodak camera, and upon which Mr. Houston receives a royalty. He is now engaged in perfecting more photographic and other inventions, and is a regularly registered patent at- torney, practicing directly with the patent office at Washington, D. C. In addition to his other quali- ties Mr. Houston is endowed with ability as a lit- erary man. He is the author of a number of pro- ductions of merit, his poems and verses having at- tracted much attention throughout the state. He is gifted with rare descriptive powers. His Red river valley poem, and his war song, "On to Cuba," the words and music of which were both written by himself, have passed through several editions. Mr. Houston is a man of rare social qualities, surround- ed by all the conveniences and comforts of modern life, and his home is characterized by an air of genu- ine hospitality and good cheer. Mr. Houston, with Mrs. Houston and their son, David, attended the International Exposition at Paris, France, in the summer of 1900, and visited relatives in Scotland. Our subject is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

CHARLES H. BURKE, a prominent agricult- urist and influential citizen of Grand Forks county, resides on section 31, Johnstown township, and was one of the pioneers of that township.

Mr. Burke was born in Penobscot county, Maine, April 17, 1850. His parents were Daniel and Sa- rah (Ellis) Burke, and were both natives of New Hampshire. The father, who was a farmer by oc- cupation, moved to Maine after marriage, and passed the remainder of his life there, dying in 1873. The grandfather, James Burke, was a native of Massa- chusetts, afterward removing to New Hampshire, where he died. His father was born in Ireland.

Charles H. Burke had two brothers and four sisters. One brother enlisted in Company A, Thir- tieth Maine Volunteer Infantry, and died in the ser- vice in 1865. Besides our subject, the only one of the children living in North Dakota is Mrs. Hazen B. Eastman, of whom mention will be found on an- other page of this volume. Charles H. Burke was reared and educated in Maine, and followed farming there until 1882. In that year he came to Grand Forks county, North Dakota, and filed a claim to land in section 31, Johnstown township. The land was in its wild and native state, but he set to work courageously to develop its resources, and by good management and constant energy he has today one of the most valuable estates in the county. He is the owner of five and a half quarter-sections, and has added improvements and conveniences and modern equipment adequate to the demands of farming in the northwest.

Mr. Burke was married in Big Rapids, Michi-

CHARLES H. BURKE.

1275

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

gan, January 24, 1889, to Mrs. Elizabeth Owen, formerly Miss E. Seitzinger, who is a native of Canada. To Mr. and Mrs. Burke one child has been born, namely, Daniel H. Mr. Burke is inde- pendent in his political views, supporting such men and measures as he deems best adapted to the gen- eral welfare. He is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, and is held in high esteem for his many virtues and his adherence to justice in all the de- tails of life. A portrait of Mr. Burke appears on another page.

JOHN NUETZEL. Honest industry is not without its reward. This gentleman began farming in township 148, range 66, without means, and is now among the substantial men of his community, and his present comfortable circumstances have been reached by his persistent efforts and un- daunted courage, amid business losses, and his ca- reer has been one of unusual business activity.

COAT OF ARMS.

Our subject was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1883. His early ancestors, in the seventeenth centu- ry, Burnhart Nützel and Kuno Von Nützel, were prominent knights in the province of Prussia in the early part of the thirty years' war, from 1618-48. These forefathers risked their fortunes and estates with the Swedish king, Gustavus Adolphus, and united with the Duke Bageslaw Von Pommern, to free north Germany of the Austrian army under General Wallenstein. At the battle of Lutzen, Saxony, Gustaf Adolph and Bernhart Von Nützel were killed and the battle lost. Kunon Von Nützel was forced to leave the country and lost his title, castle and estates, and settled in Gold Cronach, prov- ince of Ovorfranken, Bavaria, where he entered civil life. The father of our subject, Henry Nuet- zel, went to the village of Wirsberg, Germany, in 1824, and there accumulated a fortune. He owned a brewery, malthouse, hotel, stables, meat market, land and other valuable property. The mother of our subject was of German birth, and her father was a wealthy farmer and owned about ten thou- sand sheep.

Our subject and one sister were the only children born to this worthy couple, and he was raised in the village, and during his boyhood days was taught to work. He received a good education in German .

and French, and worked with his father until about 1859. He traveled over Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Turkey, Russia, Poland, Prussia, Holland and France for a pleasure trip, and then returned home, and when he was about twenty-four years of age he assumed charge of his father's vast busi- ness, and the father retired from active business. Our subject sold his interests in 1862 for twelve thousand dollars, and after settling all accounts and giving his sister her share of the property he had but two thousand dollars with which he came to America. He located at Indianapolis, Indiana, and worked at the meat business one year, and in 1863 established a market and packing house for him- self, and did an extensive business in wholesale sausage manufacturing. He went security for a man, and during the panic of 1873 lost his business, saving but four thousand five hundred dollars. He went to Jamestown, North Dakota, in 1877, and pur- chased the meat business of ex-Sheriff McKechnie, and followed the business there five years, and pros- pered, but his entire plant was destroyed by fire in 1881, at a loss of three thousand dollars, with no insurance, and in the same year he settled in Eddy county on a farm. He had but two horses, and no other means or help to start farming, and he is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land, all of which is under cultivation, good build- ings, trees, machinery, nine horses, fifteen head of cattle, hogs, and all without any encumbrance.

Our subject was married, in 1859, to Miss Mar- garette Hoffman. Mrs. Nuetzel was born and raised in Germany, and was a daughter of John Hoffman, a brewer and farmer of Germany. Mr. Nuetzel is a member of the Lutheran church and the Modern Woodmen of America. Politically he has associated himself with the Republican party since 1898.

JOHN C. WEEKES. In the various business enterprises of Mandan and vicinity in Morton coun- ty, this gentleman has taken a leading part, and much credit is due him for the enterprising spirit which he has always displayed. when public im- provements were under way. He is now engaged in active business pursuits in the town, and also has extensive farming and stock dealing interests near there.

Our subject was born on a farm in Brentford, Canada, in 1858. His father, James Weekes, was born in England and came to America about 1852. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Palmer Charity, and was born in England. Mr. Weekes was the youngest in a family of six chil- dren, and was raised on a farm in Iowa, where the family settled when he was a child, and he was educated in the public schools, and at the age of twenty-one years left home and engaged in the butcher business at Yankton, South Dakota. He was engaged there and along the Missouri river several years, working for a government contractor.

1276

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

He went to Mandan, North Dakota, in 1881, and established a meat market there which he conducted two years, and in 1883 moved onto a ranch twenty- five miles from there up the Hart river, and he has since conducted catle raising. He resided on the ranch until 1898, and then removed his family to Mandan, and has resided there since that date. He now owns a ranch of one thousand three hundred and sixty acres, and engages mostly in cattle rais- ing, and also sheep raising extensively, and has owned as high as one thousand eleven hundred sheep, and now has four hundred cattle. He erected a livery barn in Mandan in 1898, and this is the largest establishment of the kind in North Da- kota west of the Missouri, and he has room therein for about ninety horses, and he also engages in horse raising extensively.

Our subject was married, in 1882, to Miss Julia Meagher, a native of New York city. Mrs. Weekes is a daughter of James Meagher, and she is of Irish descent. Mr. and Mrs. Weekes are the parents of seven children, named as follows: George, Ma- rian, Harry, Nellie, Julia, Roy and John. Mr. Weekes was elected sheriff of Morton county in 1898 on the Republican ticket, which position he is now filling, and is an efficient and popular officer, and discharges his duties with rare fidelity. He has received the nomination for sheriff for 1900- 1902. He has held various local offices, and is actively interested in the general welfare of his com- munity, and is deservedly held in highest esteem by all. Mr. Weeks is prominent in secret society circles, and holds membership in the following or- ders: Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of the Maccabees, Knights of Pythias, . Modern Woodmen of America, Woodmen of the World, Brotherhod of American Yeomen and Ancient Or- der of United Workmen. He was among the ear- liest settlers of Morton county, and established the first meat market in Mandan, and has met with un- bounded success in each of his business ventures.

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 182

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