Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 189

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

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COL. C. A. LOUNSBERRY.

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the Cumberland river, Kentucky, in a battle with Morgan's forces, when they were start- ing on their raid into Ohio, but escaped from this imprisonment through inducing one of the enemy to desert. General Burnside sent out a force to re- capture him, under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel Robert Jacobs, afterward governor of Ken- tucky. At the close of the war his was the first regiment to leave Washington under the order mus- tering out the troops. He commanded the two regi- ments which took possession of Petersburg and re- ceived the surrender from the three committees sent out by the city council to surrender the city. Ma- sons will be interested to know that a member of the Masonic lodge, of which Washington was W. M., was placed at the head of each of these com- mittees and by those signs which one Mason may know another in the dark, as well as in the light, made themselves known to Colonel Lounsberry, then a master Mason, a member of St. Albans, Michigan. Masonry, received credit for the protection which was extended to the citizens. Greeley in his great work on the Rebellion calls attention to the fact that at Petersburg there was no disorderly conduct on the part of the soldiers who took possession. There was no drunkenness and in no single instance was private property disturbed nor public property injured. The war was over and under Colonel Lounsberry the Union troops became their pro- tectors. The mayor and common council and sixty citizens of Petersburg waited on General O. B. Wilcox and requested that Colonel Lounsberry be appointed provost marshal of the city, but this was refused on the ground that Colonel Lounsberry's services were invaluable at the front. He marched on with Wilcox and was present with the Army of the Potomac when Lee surrendered, as he was at Alexandria when Ellsworth was killed. He was at the first battle of Bull Run, heard the roar of can- non and rattle of musketry at Antietam, partici- pated in the battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Horse Shoe Bend, Kentucky, where the Colonel was wounded and taken prisoner, Blue Springs, Loudon, Lenoir Station, Campbell Station, siege of Knoxville, Fort Saunders, Thurley's Ford, Straw- berry Plains and Chucky Bend, Tennessee, the Wil- derness, Spottsylvania Court House (where he was again badly wounded ), Hatcher's Run, Fort Steadman, capture of Petersburg and siege of Petersburg, Virginia, from October 10. 1864. to April 3, 1865. During all these months there was an

not hour when the whistle of minie ball could not be heard, and casualties were of almost constant occurrence, while there were frequent sharp engagements. During most of this time Colonel Lounsberry was an aide or adjutant-general on the staff of General Byron M. Cutcheon, commanding the brigade. In recommending him for appointment as governor of Dakota in 1884 General Cutcheon spoke of him as having served under him as "sergeant, lieutenant, captain, adjutant-general and also of my staff, and

succeeded later as colonel and I regard him as the bravest soldier I ever saw."

After the war he went into the real estate busi- ne'ss at Fairmount, Minnesota. He and his asso- ciates had purchased the town site and became the founders of the bright little village. In September, 1866, he was appointed county auditor, Martin coun- ty, Minnesota, and in November was elected to the same position. He was re-elected in 1868, but hav- ing established the "Martin County Atlas," which he moved to Wells in 1870, he resigned and pub- lished the "Wells Atlas" till 1872, when he accepted a position on the "Minneapolis Tribune" and during the campaign of 1872 was engaged as a leading editorial writer on that paper, contributing articles, also, for the "Times," which after various changes became the "Journal." In 1872 he established the "Bismarck Tribune," the first newspaper published in North Dakota, with which he remained until 1884.

In February, 1876, he was appointed postmaster at Bismarck and held the position until Cleveland's election, when he resigned. During Harrison's ad- ministration he served as special agent of the general land office and had over four thousand cases for in- vestigation and many for trial in the states of North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, California, Washington and Oregon. His work was especially investigating the cases of alleged fraud held for cancellation under the Spark's administration of the general land office. Colonel Lounsberry was the correspondent of the "New York Herald," who furnished that paper with the fourteen-column account of the Custer massa- cre. He has repeatedly been employed by the as- sociated press, by the "Chicago Times," and all of the St. Paul and Minneapolis dailies for special service, and resigned his position as managing editor on the "Fargo Argus" to begin the publication of the "Record," which has been a success from every standpoint from the beginning.

There are many traits in the character of Colonel Lounsberry which deserves attention. He hates shams and the men pretending to be what they are not, no matter to what profession they may be- long or what profession they may espouse. It was noticed in him as a child when he declared he would not ride a stick and call it a horse, though he was willing to drag it by his side and continue to play with his associates. When he came home from a year in southern prison, it is related of him in the History of Cal- houn county, Michigan, that "he sought the first opportunity to re-enlist, declaring that he wanted to go back and pay his board bill, as he was indebted to the Confederates for a year's free entertainment." When in camp at Alexandria the Confederates came down one night and fired on the Union pickets. It was just before July 4, 1861. On the 4th Colonel Lounsberry, a lad of eighteen, and William H. Smith, of his company, shouldered their muskets, stole out of camp and through the pickets, and tak-

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ing the main road to Fairfax Court House, fourteen miles distant, where Beauregard's army was sta- tioned, fired on their pickets in broad daylight, kill- ing one and wounding another. They heard the long roll beat in the rebel camp, in ten minutes were surrounded by the enemy, but through the friendly offices of an old negro managed to escape and get back into camp. The colonel says he was as badly frightened as the rebels were when they opened fire on them. When wounded at first Bull Run he refused to leave the field and afterward fell into line with the fragments of a hundred broken regiments to assist in repelling that famous charge of the Black Horse Cavalry. At the time his regi- ment met Morgan's command in Kentucky the Colonel had command of the advance guard and though the numbers against him were overwhelm- ing, forgetful of danger, he stepped from shelter in the woods into the middle of the road, followed by Charles Benham of his company. Captain Chenault and a sergeant on the Confederate side followed their example. The four fired. Captain Chenault and Benham were killed, the Confederate sergeant was shot through both hips and Lounsberry through the right thigh, the ball passing through between the bone and the main artery. At Spottsylvania Court House his command consisted of Sergeant William Gleason, now of Jamestown, North Dakota, and twenty-five men. Twenty-two of the twenty-seven, including Gleason and the Colonel, fell under the murderous fire. It was a hand-to-hand conflict as to a portion of the men who clubbed their muskets when to load and fire was impossible. It was in this engagement that the tree, cut down by minie balls, exhbited at the World's Fair, was found. At Fort Saunders the conflict was also hand to hand and at one point of the angle of the fort the dead were five deep, and the Confederates claimed there was blood enough in the ditch to drown a cat. Each man of Colonel Lounsberry's command had from two to three muskets loaded and used them with terrible effect. Muskets were clubbed and in some instances the rebels were cut down with axes and in others bayonetted. Lieutenant Benjamin fired his artillery with deadly effect, even after the rebels had laid hands on his guns. The Colonel promises to make war reminiscences a feature later in the "Rec- ord." Twenty-two years after the battle at Spott- sylvania Court House his leg, weakened by the gun- shot received in that engagement, broke from his weight.

A portrait of this gallant gentleman and honored veteran of the Civil war appears elsewhere in these pages.

ALVA D. TOMLINSON, one of the wealthiest and most influential agriculturists of Eddy county, resides on his elegant farm in township 149. range 66. He stands in the front rank as a citizen of broad mind, exemplary character, and exceptional ability, and conducts an extensive farming and stock busi-

ness. Every arrangement has been made on his place by which the soil can be more easily tilled, and the products more perfectly garnered and disposed of, while the buildings for the comfort of the fam- ily and stock are of the best and his entire farm evidences prosperity and much care in its opera- tions. His portrait is a valuable contribution to this work.

Mr. Tomlinson was born in Howell, Livingston county, Michigan, May 16, 1844, and is a son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth ( Davis) Tomlinson. His father was a merchant in early life, and was later a farmer, and died when our subject was two years of age. He was born in Woodbury, Litchfield coun- ty, Connecticut, and was a man of wealth. He lost some fifteen thousand dollars on bonds for the state treasurer of Connecticut. The family origi- nally came from England. The mother of our sub- ject was of Dutch descent, and her people were farmers of New York.

Our subject was the youngest in a family of six children, and was raised in Howell, and received a liberal education. He later began teaching and de- voted eight years to that profession in Livingston, during which time he remained at home and assisted in the management of the farm. He assumed charge of his mother's farm in 1871, and followed farming thereon until 1880. He sold the farm in 1880 and moved to Bancroft, Michigan, where he entered into the mercantile business in company with his brother-in-law, Hiram Hemmanway. On account of failing health he disposed of his inter- ests in Michigan in 1882, and went to Eddy county, North Dakota, and located on section 17, in town- ship 149, range 66, and erected a claim shanty, 12×14 feet, and a sod barn. He filed claim to the land without seeing it and fortunately became possessed of some of the finest farming land in the state. He bought oxen and a wagon in Larimore, North Da- kota, and paid seventy dollars per thousand for lum- ber, and hauled it seventy miles overland to his farm. The Sheyerine river was a raging stream, and he had to float his load across. His nearest neighbor was fourteen miles, and the first year he had to go to Fort Totten to get his blacksmithing done, and his nearest postoffice was Brainard, eighteen miles distant. His wife joined him in the spring of 1883. traveling in the first train run north from Jamestown, and Carrington was the terminus of the road at that time. Our subject started a small store on his farm. and the first store established in the county, and he also conducted a lumber yard, and was the postmaster. His farm was headquar- ters for the stage line. He has added to his acreage from time to time, and is now the possessor of one thousand six hundred and forty-six acres of land, all but two hundred acres of which is under culti- vation, and he has a grove of four acres on his place: Ilis residence is a commodious and comfortable structure, and is in keeping with the other buildings of the farm, including three barns, an elevator with capacity of thirty thousand bushels, a tool house

ALVA D. TOMLINSON.

THE INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN GENEALOGY 440 South Dearborn Street CHICAGO ILL.

DUNCAN STEWART.

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with wings on three sides for machinery, and a sec- ond tool house, wind mills and other outbuildings, and he has five wells on the place, any one furnish- * ing a sufficient supply of water for farm use. He has numerous buildings on different parts of his ex- tensive farm, and annually operates about two thou- sand acres of land. He has made a marked suc- cess in Dakota, and his farm is the best equipped of any in the county. He engages principally in grain raising, but keeps some horses, cattle and hogs, and he has paid as high as one thousand dollars in a season for threshing alone. Our subject also loans money aside from his farming interests.

Mr. Tomlinson was married, in 1875, to Miss Lizzie Cole, who was born and raised at Pontiac, Michigan, and was of Yankee descent. Her father, Abraham Cole, was a farmer by occupation, and went from New York state to Michigan. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Tomlinson, Alva N., who was born at Howell, Michigan, on the home farm where our subject was born. His birth is dated June 15, 1878. Mr. Tomlinson served as as- sessor of Eddy county from 1888-94, and was a nom- inee of the Republican party in 1898 for county treasurer. He has attended numerous conventions of the Republican party, whose principles he advo- cates. He holds membership in the Masonic fra- ternity, Modern Woodmen of America, Ancient Or- der of United Workmen, Knights of Pythias and Brotherhood of American Yeomen, and has been president of the Old Settlers' Organization for sev- eral years.

BERT DOMPIER, confectioner, is one of the pioneer business men of Harvey, Wells county, North Dakota. Mr. Dompier was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in 1870. His father, Isaac Dom- pier, was a merchant in his early life, and was of French birth. The mother, whose maiden name was Lois Laware, was a native of Canada, and of French descent. She was the second wife of Isaac Dompier, and our subject was the fourth in her family of five children. He was reared on the farm, and when he was but five years old his father died, leaving the mother with a family of seven small children to support, two of whom were the children of his former marriage.

When Bert Dompier was thirteen years of age he began to work for wages on a farm. A year later he began driving a delivery wagon in Eau Claire and doing chores. At the age of fifteen years he found employment with a general store, driving a delivery wagon. A few months later he went to work on the "Eau Claire Free Press," contin- uing in that employment for fourteen months. He then went to work for the "Eau Claire Leader" as pressman, and learned that trade. For four years following he worked in the lumber woods of Wis- consin, helping to support the family at home dur- ing the entire time.

In the spring of 1891 Mr. Dompier came to

North Dakota and settled at the village of Towner. He filed a claim to government land and he and his brother went into the stock business, living in their claim shanty one year. They followed the stock business about eight years, having in 1898 a herd of over two hundred head of cattle and twenty horses. In 1898 he sold out his stock business and located in Harvey, and opened up a poolroom and sold soft drinks. This business soon grew into a confectionery business, which he still maintains. He has also added a line of stationery. He has suc- ceeded in business, and owns a lot 50×140 feet, with two good buildings in the best business location in the city.

Mr. Dompier is a Republican in political faith, and takes a commendable interest in all public mat- ters of general interest. He is known as an honor- able and fair-dealing business man, and is respected and esteemed by all. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World and of the Modern Woodmen of America.

DUNCAN STEWART, a resident of Omemee, Bottineau county, is generally recognized as one of the representative men of this part of the state, and well deserves honorable mention among those who have done so much to convert a wild prairie into the seat of a great commonwealth. He was born on a farm in Wellington county, Ontario, July 10, 1865, and was the first born of a family of seven children bestowed upon his parents. In his youth he was familiar with hard work, and had somewhat scanty opportunities for schooling. He made the most of what came to him, however, and by wide observa- tion and close study of human affairs has become a thoughtful and broad-minded man. When eight- een years old he left the farm and undertook the making of his own fortunes. His first work away from home was found in the lumber woods of On- tario and Minnesota. He spent nine winters in the lumber woods and seven summers on the rivers log- ging, and for a few months was a sailor on the great lakes.

Mr. Stewart came to North Dakota in 1887, leav- ing the railway at Hamilton, and walking to Wil- low City. On his arrival he took up a farm in town- ship '160 north, and range 75 west. He put up a claim shanty of sod and poles. It was twelve by fourteen feet, and gave but scanty protection from the wind and storm. It was good enough, however, for a beginning. That summer he hired the break- ing up of ten acres, and engaged himself in the building of the Great Northern from Minot west to Great Falls, Montana. In the fall he was busy threshing around Devils Lake, and in the winter went to the Minnesota lumber woods. In the fol- lowing spring he came to Olga, North Dakota, and bought a yoke of oxen, a cow, a wagon and a plow, and made his way overland to his farm. That year he farmed with his father, and worked hard, but their crops were a total failure. The same thing

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happened the next year, and in the fall he threshied through the Red river valley. He spent the winter hauling logs from the Turtle mountains. In 1890 he again put in a crop, but it failed. He worked in the valley again in the fall, and spent the winter in Montana, walking from Shelby Junction to Ka- lispell, Montana, one hundred and eighty miles. He worked for several months in a saw-mill in Flat Head valley, in that state. He had a good crop in 1891, his wheat running twenty-three bushels to the acre, and its results made him much easier in money matters than he had been at any time before. He worked as before on a threshing machine during the fall, and in the winter he put up a more satisfac- tory habitation on his farmn. He bought horses, and began farming on a more considerable scale. In 1892 his crops were good, and in the fall of 1893 he bought a threshing machine, and ran it for four years. He had a sixteen-horse-power steam en- gine and very complete separator, which was de- stroved by fire in 1896.

Mr. Stewart went into a commercial business in 1895 with George Rea, buying the general store al- ready established at Omemee by William Cole. In December, 1896, Mr. Rea disposed of his interest in the business to Walter Cairns, and the firm is now known as Stewart & Cairnes. This is the pioneer store of Omemee, and carries a large stock of mer- chandise and furniture. Mr. Stewart still holds his farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He is an in- dependent Democrat, and is a man of the very best reputation. In 1898 he was elected county judge, and is still serving in that capacity. He is winning golden opinions from all who have anything to do with him for the fairness of his judgments and the courtesy of his administration of this important office. Judge Stewart was united in marriage, in 1894, to Miss Annie McFarland. She was born in Wellington county, Ontario, and her father, George W. McFarland, was a farmer of Scotch blood. They are the parents of two children, Clifford A. and Jennie M. He is a Mason of high degree, and is also associated with the Brotherhood of American Yeomen. In whatever walk of life he may be met, he will be found an upright and genial gentleman. His portrait is a valuable addition to this volume.

GEORGE BILLIGMEIER, an enterprising and thorough business man and merchant of Harvey, Wells county, North Dakota, is a native of Russia, where he was born June 5. 1866. His father was a blacksmith and followed that occupation in Russia, to which country his father, the grandfather of our subject, removed from Wurtemburg, Germany. In 1873. when George Billigmeier was only about six years of age, his father and family came to America, and were among the earliest settlers of Bon Homme county, South Dakota. There our subject worked on the farm and attended school. At the age of nine- teen years he started out for himself, and for one year worked at blacksmithing. For another year

and a half he worked in the pump and wind-mill business at Scotland, South Dakota, and then clerked a few months in a hardware store. In 1893 he went to Eureka, South Dakota, and clerked one and a half years in a hardware store. He then taught a country school about six months, and in 1895 re- turned to Scotland and worked for two years in the pump and wind-mill business.

In 1898 Mr. Billigmeier came to Fessenden, North Dakota, and engaged in the hardware and furniture business with George Gackle,, the firm name being George Gackle & Company. He soon after sold his interest to Schlechter Brothers, and came to Har- vey, and in December, 1898, he and Mr. Gackle purchased the business of Smith & Dorn, and formed the partnership of Gackle & Billigmeier, in the hardware business. They started in a rented build- ing, 24×60 feet, with an addition 24x32 feet, but in 1899 they erected their own building, 44x60 feet, with an addition in the rear occupied by a tinshop and storage room. The upper story of the building is also used as ware rooms. Their stock at first was valued at eighteen hundred dollars. They now carry a heavy stock of hardware and furniture valued at seven thousand dollars, and also carry a line of har- ness, etc. They conduct the most extensive business in their line in the city and one of the largest in the county.

Mr. Billigmeier was married, April 7, 1898, to Miss Amelia Gross. Mrs. Billigmeier is a daughter of John Gross, a general merchant, who went from Germany to Russia, and thence to the United States and is now a resident of North Dakota. Mr. Bil- ligmeier is a Republican, and has been active in, the local public affairs of his county. He now holds the office of township supervisor. He is one of the pioneer business men of Harvey, and has witnessed the great development that has taken place in recent years in North Dakota.

ROLLIN J. TURNER, a prosperous merchant of Gladstone, Stark county, North Dakota, has been a resident of the state for eighteen years, and is the present efficient postinaster of Gladstone.

Mr. Turner was born July 16, 1850, at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and is a son of John D. and Matilda ( Harpan) Turner, natives, respectively, of Ohio and Pennsylvania. His father is dead, but his mother is still living at the venerable age of eighty-four. The elder Turner went to Fond du Lac while still a young man and engaged in farm- ing, and this was his occupation as long as he lived. He was the father of nine children, six boys and three girls, and all of these are dead but the subject of this article, two of his brothers and two sisters. Two of his sons laid down their lives as a sacrifice for the nation during the Civil war and are reverent- ly remembered by the new generation.

Rollin J. Turner was reared on the parental farm and resided at home until he had passed his eighteenth year. He was a student in the public

ROLLIN J. TURNER.

NILS P. NORDIN.

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schools of Fond du Lac, and when he reached the age of seventeen became an apprentice at the trade of joiner and builder. For the next ten years this was his occupation mainly in Wisconsin. And dur- ing the latter part of this period he was principally engaged in contracting and building. In the spring of 1882 he came to Gladstone and the following year he put up a store building, in which he opened a general store in 1884. In 1883 he brought his fam- ily west and they settled on a homestead one mile south of Gladstone. He has materially increased his holdings and now owns four hundred acres of choice land, one hundred and sixty of which are under high cultivation, the balance of his land being used as a pasture and meadow 'for a large herd of horses. He has erected a commodious and elegant dwelling house, planted trees and has put up barns and sheds sufficient to meet all demands of rural live in the Northwest. The family residence is nicely situated in a nook between the hills and Heart river. Several fine springs of good water rush out from the hill sides and give an abundant supply of excellent water for all purposes, inchid- ing the irrigation of the garden and groves.

Mr. Turner and Miss Mary H. Heathcote were married at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, December 20, 1871. She was born in New York and was brought to Wisconsin at an early age by her parents, Will- iam and Jane M. ( Wherry) Heathcote, both natives of the Empire state. Her father was an architect, and is still living at an advanced age. Her mother is dead. Mr. and Mrs. Turner are the parents of three children, two of whom, Claude C. and Vivian, are now living. Guy, the first born, died at the age of two years. Mr. Turner was the first assessor of Stark county, and was elected in 1884. He was appointed postmaster by President Harrison in 1887. and has held this position since that time, with the exception of one and one-half years. - He was ap- pointed by Governor Fancher a member of the state penitentiary board in 1898 and is still serving the state in that capacity. July 11, 1900, at a state con- vention held in Grand Forks, he was nominated for the position of commissioner of agricult- ure and labor and has bright prospect of election. He is a representative Republican and was chairman of the county central com- mittee of his party from 1886 to 1893. In 1894 and 1895 he was a member of the state central committee and is known throughout the state as an active and reliable worker for party in- terests and an honorable and intelligent gentleman. He is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters and is a popular character at all social gatherings. A portrait of Mr. Turner appears on another page.

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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 189

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