Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 194

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

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FRANK J. EBERL, a well-known and progres- sive farmer of Kidder county, whose home is lo- cated in township 140, range 72, was born in Wis- consin March 1, 1868. His father, Michael Eberl, was born in Germany and was a brewer. He came to America in 1860, and in Wisconsin was married to Lydia Fermling. She was also a native of Ger- many, coming to America in 1860. They were the parents of nine children, of whom Frank J. was the eldest. He was reared on the farm and went to work at the age of eight years, receiving limited schooling. When he was eleven years old his mother died and the family scattered, the children working out for themselves.

Mr. Eberl worked out until 1886 in Wisconsin and in that year came to Kidder county, North Dakota. He worked in different parts of the county for the first three years, and in 1889 took a tree claim and started farming for himself. In 1890 he took a pre-emption claim, and in 1893 con- verted this into a homestead claim. His means were very modest to begin with, but he has worked hard, and by careful management and good judg- ment has developed an excellent property. He is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land, and annually operates about one hundred and eighty acres in crops. He has a complete set of good farm buildings, his barn and granary being the best buildings of the kind in the county.

Mr. Eberl is a Republican in his political views and has taken an active interest in matters of a public nature. He attends all the conventions of his party in the county and is a well-known party man. He is esteemed and respected throughout the county for his industry, integrity and good fel- lowship. He is a member of the A. O. U. W.

ELISHA B. TURNER, a farmer, and a resi- dent of township 161, range 76, was born on a farm in Middlesex county, Canada, March 13, 1859. His father, Era Turner, is a farmer and a Baptist preacher. He is a native of New Bruns- wick and is of English blood. His father brought the family to America. Mrs. Hellen (Haeman) Turner, the mother of Elisha B., was born in On- tario and was descended from Dutch ancestors.

Mr. Turner is the second in a family of twelve children and was reared on a farm and was early set to hard farm work. When only twelve years old he was sent into the fields with a plow and his was a youth of toil. He attended the country schools and had a fairly good education for the times. When twenty-two years of age he was mar- ried to Miss Ella May Johnston, in January, 1882. She was born in Kent county, Ontario, and her father was of Irish blood. Her mother was an English girl. Her father was a carpenter and a farmer and was always an honest and industrious man. Mr. and Mrs. Turner have a family of six children : Frederick A., Edith A., Charles V., Allen E., Fannie and Della. The oldest child was born in Manitoba and the others in this state. Mr. and Mrs. Turner removed to Brandon, Manitoba, in the spring of 1882, took government land and started farming. They lived in a tent the first summer and spent the winter on the north side of Turtle mountains. Mr. Turner spent six years in Manitoba, but was attended throughout with ill success. He gave it up in the spring of 1889 and transferred himself and family to Bottineau coun- ty, North Dakota, where he took up government land and started farming afresh with a cash capital of five dollars. He had six horses, a wagon and a plow. He put up a log shanty, 14x16 feet, with a sod roof-a hard proposition to make a liome out

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of the wilderness. But their hearts beat strong and true, and the skies were fair, and they have never had occasion to regret their coming to the state. He now owns a half section of land, with two hundred and thirty-hive acres under cultiva- tion. His house is one and a half stories high, with a foundation 16x22 feet, and an addition 12×14 feet back and face plastered. He has a. granary 16x24 feet and a lean-to 14×24 feet. His machinery is ample to his needs, and, though he is largely a grain farmer, he is working into stock and horses. He now has twelve horses and thirteen head of cattle and may be said to have made a success of farming. He is independent in his political rela- tions and is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters.

HON. JAMES JENNINGS, ex-representative in the state legislature of North Dakota and a thorough and progressive farmer, resides on his estate in Harvey township, Cavalier county.

Mr. Jennings was born in Yorkshire, England, August 22, 1852. When he was three years of age his parents brought him to America, and the fam- ily took up their residence in York county, Can- ada. There our subject was reared and received a common school education. He worked on the farm in York county until the spring of 1882, when he came to Dakota and took up land in Hope town- ship, Cavalier county. He remained there four years and then established his home in Harvey township on section 1, where he has since resided. He has a fine property, consisting of four hundred and eighty acres of excellent farming lands, en- hanced by the erection of good modern buildings and improvements consistent with up-to-date farm- ing.

Mr. Jennings has been active in public affairs since coming to Cavalier county and gives his sup- port to the principles of the Democratic party. He was elected to the state legislature in 1894 and served one term, with great credit to himself and to the benefit of Cavalier county and of the state. He is popular throughout the county and has many warm friends and admirers.

Mr. Jennings was married in York county, On- tario, to Miss Annie Hope. Mrs. Jennings is a native of Ontario and to this union six children have been born, namely : Elora, wife of George Welch; Ada, now Mrs. John Robinson ; ‘Gertrude, Henry, Olive and Albert.

GEORGE W. SPENGLER, a leading stock- man and farmer of Grand Forks county, resides on his estate on section 3, Inkster township, and is the owner of two thousand four hundred acres of land, one thousand six hundred of which is under the plow, five hundred in timber and well watered and adapted for the raising of stock.

Mr. Spengler was born in Readfield, Wiscon-

sin, July 2, 1860. He was the eldest in a family of six children born to Theodore and Lavina (Leiby) Spengler, who both now reside in Wiscon- sın. in 1879 Mr. Spengler decided to come to Dakota, and on reaching Fargo he engaged in farm work for a time near Hillsboro, in T'raill county. In 1881 he filed a claim to land in Grand Forks coun- ty, and the following year took up his residence thereon. He set about improving his land and for six years lived alone on his farmn. He succeeded in developing a farm of seven hundred and forty acres, but, not pleased with the location, he dis- posed of it and purchased land on Forest river and began to turn his attention more and more to stock. recently he has succeeded in consolidating his hold- ings entirely in Inkster township, and is now es- tablishing his home on the farm on Forest river.

Mr. Spengler was married, in 1888, to Miss Rachel Bagley, and to this union three children have been born, namely: Nellie, Walter D. and Pearl. Mr. Spengler adheres to the principles of the Republican party and is active in the cause of good government in his county. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., the I. O. F. and of the Masonic fraternity.

JOHN F. MORRISON, the popular county treasurer of Bottineau county, North Dakota, and a resident of Bottineau, is one of the most suc- cessful farmers of this portion of the state and has conquered success in the face of apparently insur- mountable obstacles. He was born on a farm in Canada, in 1866, and belongs to a good old Scotch family. His parents. Norman and Annie ( Nichol- son) Morrison, were born in Scotland, married there and came to Canada in 1840.

John F. Morrison is the seventh in a family of eleven children and was brought up on a farm. He attended country school and followed the mi- grations of his parents until he was twenty-five years old. They removed to Michigan in 1866 and made their home in Marquette county for some years. Their next location was in Blue Earth county, Minnesota, and here our subject finished his education in the Mankato schools. They went to Manitoba in the fall of 1872 and lived there for some fifteen or twenty years. Here Mr. Morrison struck out for himself and secured a position in a wholesale house in Winnipeg, which he held for some five years. In the spring of 1892 he appeared in North Dakota as a prospective settler and liking it located on a farm in Bottineau county, some ten miles south of the thriving young city of that name.

He was married, in 1888, to Miss Ellen Theresa Ferguson. She was born in Ontario, and is of mingled Scotch, English and German blood. Her people were born in America, though her grand- father was a native of London, England, and her grandmother of Scotland. She was a very suc- cessful schoolteacher in North Dakota and is a lady of much ability.

JOHN F. MORRISON.

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Mr. Morrison located on government land and put up a shanty of straw and logs. . He had an ox- team and a wagon, with twenty-five cents in money, which represented about all his total assets when he began business as a Dakota farmer. He spent much of 1892 and 1893 in Colorado and in 1894 harvested his first crop of two hundred and eighty bushels of wheat from thirty acres. 1895 was the great wheat year, when it ran forty bushels to the acre. The last four years it has averaged each year fifteen bushels to the acre. He has carried on a general grain and stock farming and now owns four hundred and eighty acres, with two hundred and thirty under cultivation. He has good build- ings and ample machinery, and some twenty-five head of stock. He is a Democrat and was elected county treasurer in 1898 by the Fusionists. He is an active worker in political affairs and is a Mason. He has faced prairie fires in the early days, spent nights in blizzards and knows every phase of pioneering by personal experience. A portrait of Mr. Morrison will be found on another page.

ROBERT COCHRANE. The gentleman whose name heads this article has been an exemplary citizen of Ramsey county, North Dakota, since 1889, and is an influential member of the community in which he resides.

Mr. Cochrane was born in County Antrim, Ire- land, and the date of his birth is July 18, 1868. He spent his boyhood days in the land of his birth. He came to America and settled in the province of Ontario, Canada, where he lived until 1889. In the latter year he came to Ramsey county, North Da- kota, where he was employed at farm labor for several years. . In 1893 he purchased a tract of land, comprising one hundred and sixty acres, in Dry Lake township, and has since made that his home. He has met with continued success, and has been able to increase his holdings, until he now owns four hundred and eighty acres of the best farming lands in the county, and he has enhanced its value by the erection of good buildings and the addition of many modern improvements and conveniences. He is held in high esteem by his fellow citizens, and is an influential and popular man in his town- ship and county.

JOHN RATTLE, a leading stock man and farmer of Pierce county, resides in township 56, range 73. He has a fine farm, an abundance of stock and a comfortable and pleasant homc.

Mr. Rattle was born in Warren county, In- diana, in 1858. His father, Joseph Rattle, was a farmer and was a native of France, as was also his mother, whose maiden name was Matilday Taylor. Our subject was the sixth in a family of ten chil- dren, and was reared on the farm and had little opportunity for schooling. When he was twenty

years of age he attended the Valparaiso school for one term. After that he started farming for luni- self. He also worked out for others on the farm from time to time until 1882. In the summer of that year he came to North Dakota and settled in Goose River valley, near Mayville, and by the fol- lowing year had his land ready for a crop, which turned out very fair. He farmed with success un- til 1891, when he sold out and came to Pierce coun- ty and filed a claim to a homestead six miles east of Rugby. He at once erected buildings and went into the sheep business. He kept from eight hun- dred to nine hundred head of sheep and at the same time carried on extensive farming operations. In 1897 he turned his attention more to cattle, and since that time has continued to increase his invest- ment in that line. He owns six hundred and eighty acres, well improved, with a grove of five acres, good buildings and modern farm machinery. He has two complete sets of good farm buildings.

Mr. Rattle was married in New York in 1898 to Miss Carrie McDougal, a native of New York state. They have one child. Mr. Rattle is a Re- publican and has been chosen to fill many local offi- ces and as a delegate to county conventions of his party. He is a member of the 1. O. O. F. and of the Good Templars.

TORGER G. NASS, a successful and substan- tial member of the farming community of the northeastern part of Nelson county, has for eight- teen years made his home in Dohlen township, his home being on section 23.

Mr. Nass was born in Norway August 25, 1858, and was the second in a family of eight children born to John and Ann Nass, both now deceased. When Mr. Nass was but fifteen years of age he served an apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade, and when he reached his majority he came to America, first making his home with an uncle in- Goodhue county, Minnesota. In 1881 he came to Dakota and worked on the railroad, spending the succeeding winter in the woods of Wisconsin. In the spring of 1882 he returned to Dakota and filed claims to land in Dohlen township, Nelson county, taking a homestead and tree claim. He erected a shack on his claim and proceeded to improve and develope his property. He met with success, and in 1893 and 1894 made many valuable and sub- stantial improvements on his farm in the way of buildings, etc. He is regarded as one of the most prosperous and enterprising agriculturists in the township.

In 1885 Mr. Nass was married to Miss Sevrene Nass. She assisted him in all the burdens of pioneer life, and, though her health failed and she suffered much during the last years of her life, she was cheerful to the last, her death occur- ring December 27, 1899. Her remains rest in the little church yard near the home she helped so ma- terially to establish and which was so long made

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cheerful by her presence. They had but one son, Johannas, who is now with his father at home. They expect to visit the scenes of Mr. Nass' youth during 1900.

GILMER H. LYKKEN, an agriculturist of much prominence in Walsh county, is a resident of Grafton township, his home being on section 10.

Mr. Lykken was born in Norway, March 15, 1854, and was reared in his native country, re- ceiving his education in the country schools and working on the farm. In the spring of 1872 he came to America, by way of Quebec, and first set- tled in Farmington, Minnesota. There he engaged in farming for himself and working for others for nine years, when he removed to Dakota and set- tled in Farmington township in Walsh county. He took up his residence upon a claim which he lo- cated in 1879 and proceeded to cultivate and im- prove his land. He placed upon it a good set of buildings and other conveniences, and resided there until 1896, when he sold out and moved to Grafton township and took up his residence on the farm where he now resides. He owns two hundred and seventy-five acres in Grafton township and four hundred and eighty acres in Farmington township, and is one of the substantial and pros- perous citizens of the county.

Mr. Lykken was married in Dacotah county, Minnesota, November 21, 1879, to Miss Ella Thoreson, a native of that county. Mrs. Lykken was born January 15, 1860. They are now the parents of seven children, named as follows : Henry, Carl G., Stephen, Esther E., Tilda L., Law- rence and John E. Mr. Lykken has held school offices both in Farmington and Grafton townships, and has taken much interest in educational matters. He has also been an active worker for the church, he and his family being members of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

ALEX. CHARLEBOIS, ex-county judge and merchant of Belcourt, is one of the best known men in Rolette county.

Mr. Charlebois was born in Canada in the province of Quebec, January 27, 1864. He was the second child in a family of five children born to Frederick and Petronille (Bissonette) Charlebois. The mother is still living in Canada. The father was drowned when Alex. was about seven years of age, and the family was left with a small farm from which to obtain their support. The mother kept them together, however, and all were given a fair education. At the age of fourteen years Alex. went to work in a general store, and when eighteen years of age he came to the United States, finding employment in the wholesale department of the Boston store in Chicago. There he remained four years and then spent a year and a half at Aurora, Illinois. He came to Dakota in 1887, arriving in the

Turtle mountain district in March. He filed a claim to government land south of Belcourt and settled down to develop a farm. He succeeded ad- mirably and in 1888 was elected county assessor. In 1889 he entered the employ of a mercantile house in Belcourt as a clerk, and the following year was elected county judge. He resigned, however, be- fore the expiration of his term of office, and re- turned to his duties as clerk at Belcourt. In 1894 he became a partner in the firm, and since that time the business has been greatly increased, and line of farm machinery being added in 1897 and a lumber yard having been established the year before. They do an extensive business and are meeting with marked success.

Mr. Charlebois married Miss Christina Brenner in 1893. Mrs. Charlebois is a native of Dakota territory. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Charlebois, three of whom are now living. Mr. Charlebois is a Republican in political views, and is influential in the ranks of his party. He has taken an important and leading part in public af- fairs in Rolette county.

CHARLES KONO, sheriff of Stark county, was born in Germany, September 29, 1859. His father, Carl Kono, was a farmer, and came to America when Charles was five or six years of age. The family left Hamburg, landed in New York and proceeded to Wisconsin, where the father began farming. He was killed by a runaway team when our subject was nine years of age. Charles Kono thus began his career when a mere child, as he at once hired out at herding sheep at one dollar per week and board. He later worked at farm work and his school advantages were very limited. The county schools were very inferior and the farm work occupied the greater portion of his time.

In 1882 Charles Kono came to North Dakota, stopping first at Gladstone, April 29th. At that time there were only side tracks west of Mandan, and our subject took up government land and erected a shanty 10X12 feet, which blew down in a storm. He then erected another 12x16. He "bached it" most of the time for nine years. His team was a yoke of oxen at first and later he bought a team of mules. While at Gladstone, about two weeks after his arrival, he was attacked by the measles. He did not have the proper care and took cold before he had entirely recovered and was again confined to his bed and lost more than a month in this way, and was troubled with it so much that he was unable to but little work during the entire summer. He had to sleep in any place he could find, and at one time cut grass with a jack-knife for beds, carrying it two miles on his, back, in this way providing a bed for himself and another for a lady of the party. He was among the earliest pioneers of the county and for a time did a freighting busi- ness between the Northern Pacific and the Black Hills, carrying the first outfit to that region from

CHARLES KONO.

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Dickinson to Deadwood. He is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of valuable lands, half of which is cultivated annually and the balance in pasture. He followed grain raising for a few years, but now is engaged in stock raising almost ex- clusively.

Mr. Kono was married, in 1889, to Miss Bessie Birdsall, daughter of Joseph Birdsall. Her family have been Americans for many generations. Mr. and Mrs. Kono are the parents of five children, namely: Hattie, Edna, Perry Birdsall, Watson Charles and one unmarried, all of whom were born on the farm in Dakota. Mr. Kono is a Republican in political sentiment and has been active in po- litical matters in the county. He was nominated for sheriff in 1896 and was elected, although he had neither sought the office nor made a canvass for votes. He was re-elected in 1898 on an inde- pendent ticket, receiving a majority of all the votes cast, although there were two other candidates in the field. He is this year candidate on the Republican ticket for county judge and his faithfulness to duty and his long residence and popularity in the county will no doubt secure for him this honorable position. No man in the county is better posted upon the history and development of that section of North Dakota and no one is more favorably known in the county.

WILLIAM BARRY, a well-known farmer and public-spirited citizen of Grand Forks county, re- sides on his eight-hundred-acre farm in Oakwood township, his home being on section 2.

Mr. Barry is a native of county Galway, Ireland, and was born February 7, 1851. He was the tenth child in a family of thirteen children born to Robert and Barbara (Connolly) Barry, both now deceased. In 1870 the family came to America and settled in Wabasha county, Minnesota. Mr. Barry had re- ceived a good education in Dublin, and on arriv- ing in Minnesota he took up teaching, and at odd times followed farming. Losing his crops by chintz bugs in 1881, he came to Dakota, and after looking over much of the state, started on foot, in August of that year, to the west end of Grand Forks county, where he located the homestead and tree claim that has become his permanent home. He moved to this land in 1883, and the following year established a general store at Niagara. He returned to his farm in 1884 and has developed one of the most valuable estates in the county.

Mr. Barry was a Democrat and an active Alli- ance man until the organization of the Populist party, when he became one of the first to join its ranks. He was a delegate to the first state conven- tion of the party, was made chairman of the as- sembly, and became chairman of the first Populist state central committee. He was known as an or- ganizer and lecturer in every part of the state. He was elected county commissioner in 1890, and served two terms.

Mr. Barry was married, in 1884, to Miss Mary Nass, and to this union one child was born, William Robert, now deceased. Mr. Barry is a member of the Congregational church, and of the Modern Woodmen of America. He is esteemed as a citizen and respected by all.

ROBERT J. GARDINER. Among the gen- tlemen who are engaged in agriculture in Cleveland township, Nelson county, none are more useful in sustaining and extending its farming interests than Mr. Gardiner. He is one of the substantial and suc- cessful agriculturists and has a pleasant home in section 14.

Our subject was born in Lanark county, On- tario, Canada, January 13, 1867, and was the fourth in a family ot eight children born to William L. and Jeane (Cuthbertson ) Gardiner, both of whom live in Canada. The family settled in Lambton county when our subject was two and a half years of age, and the earliest recollection he has of farm life is stump grubbing. When of age Mr. Gardiner went to North Dakota, and he had but a few dollars, and in July, 1888, he filed a homestead claim and tree claim to land in sections 14 and 15 and the fol- lowing spring went on homestead for permanent residence. He built a small shanty and a year later a small frame house, and for ten years he did his own cooking and claims he is the prize cook of the locality. He took his stock to Lakota for winter shelter and during two winters attended school and during the summer months he did all his farm work alone, with the exception of harvesting his grain. He now owns a section of land and crops about four hundred acres, and in 1896 he erected a stone basement barn and has good improvements on the place.

Our subject was married, in 1898, to Miss Isa- bel Campbell, who went to Dakota with her parents in 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are the parents of one daughter, yet unnamed. Mr. Gardiner is a member of the Ancient Order of United Work- men. He is now serving as township clerk and is actively interested in the general welfare of his community. He is a member of the Republican party and is prominent in party affairs, and since 1894 has served as a member of the Republican county central committee. and is a leader of his party in the northwestern part of Nelson county. Mr. Gardiner is honest and industrious and well merits his success as a farmer and high standing as a citizen.

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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 194

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