Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 44

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 44

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).

Our subject was the second in a family of five children and was reared on a farm and received very little country schooling, it being necessary for him to assist in the support of the family. He was early put to work, and at the age of twenty years learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed in southern Wisconsin fourteen years. He later lived in Rio, Wisconsin, and in 1879 went to Stutsman county, North Dakota, and entered claim to land in section 26, township 141, range 64, upon which he erected a 14x20-feet shanty and a board barn. He improved the farm and worked at his trade in Jamestown, and in 1882 moved to section 28, town- ship 143, range 65. He erected buildings on the place and otherwise improved the farm and also worked at his trade more or less for some time after locating there. He now owns four hundred and eighty acres of land and cultivates about two hun- dred and forty acres, aside from land which he leases, controlling in all about five to six hundred acres annually. He engages in grain raising and is interested to some extent in the cattle raising in- dustry, and keeps about sixteen to eighteen head. His farm is admirably adapted to stock raising, and

has about two and a half acres of fine forest trees. He has erected a complete set of substantial farm buildings, and is supplied with all modern and necessary machinery and other conveniences for les- sening the labor incident to farm life. His land yielded thirty bushels of wheat per acre in 1891, and he has made a success of grain raising.

Our subject was married, in 1871, to Miss Helen Van Kleek, who was born in Wisconsin state and reared in Dane county, Wisconsin. Mrs. Smith taught school in Wisconsin five or six years, and is a lady of rare attainments. The Van Kleek family have been in America many generations, and her father, James Van Kleck, was formerly a farmer in New York and later settled in Dane county, Wisconsin. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, as follows: Georgiana, Carl Hiram, Ernest Walter, Mintie Belle and Will James. The four older children were born in Wis- consin and the last named in North Dakota. Mr. Smith is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He is a man of true worth and is highly esteemed throughout his township. He takes an active part in local affairs and has held numerous school offices. Politically he is a Republican and has been identified with that party since 1862, and stands firmly for the principles of the same.

Three of the oldest children have made a snc- cess of teaching, and have obtained a good educa- tion in the new country, Georgiana holding a first- grade certificate for a number of years. Carl H. is a natural machinist, a great reader and close rea- soner. Mintie B. has taught continually for over six years without scarcely any vacation exceeding a couple of weeks between terms. Ernest W. is engaged in the harness trade for the past four years. Will is on the farm and takes great pride in fine horses and turning over a good clean furrow.

GEORGE I. FOSTER, the first clerk of the court of Cass county, North Dakota, and an honored pioneer of this state, who is now engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Fargo, was born in Hillsdale, Columbia county, New York, December 29, 1837, a son of Albert and Clarissa M. ( Maxson) Foster, natives of Connecticut. Both died in New York. By occupation the father was a farmer.

Our subject was reared in the Empire state, and after attending its common schools for some time became a student in Homer Academy. On leaving there in August, 1861, he joined the boys in blue to assist in crushing the rebellion, enlisting in Com- pany D, Seventy-sixth New York Volunteer In- fantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Po- tomac. He participated in the second battle of Bull Run, and the engagements at Gainesville, South Mountain and Antietam, but was never wounded. On account of disability, however, he was mustered out in December, 1862, as second lieutenant of his company.

Mr. Foster remained in New York until 1864,

272

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

when he came to Yankton, South Dakota, and took up land. For some time he was employed in the office of the surveyor-general at that place and also served as deputy United States marshal and was clerk of the territorial legislature from 1864 until 1874. He continued his residence in Yankton until 1871, when he went to Pembina, Pembina county, North Dakota, as clerk of the third district court, having been appointed to that office at Yankton in 1869. Subsequently he returned to New York, but in February, 1872, again came to this state, and this time took up his residence in Fargo, where he has since continued to make his home. He served as clerk of the court until 1883, thirteen years in all, and has taken a very prominent and active part in the development and upbuilding of Cass county. He was appointed clerk of the supreme court in 1870 and served in that capacity for five years, and has also filled several city offices of honor and trust. In 1876 he became interested in the insurance busi- ness and since his retirement from office has given his entire attention to that and the real estate busi- ness, meeting with good success in both branches.

In Illinois, Mr. Foster was married, in 1873. to Miss Phila Smith, a native of Ohio, and to them have been born two children. The older, Charles S., is now second lieuenant in the Ninth United States Infantry, and is with the army in the Phil- ippine Islands, having participated in all of the im- portant battles of the Spanish-American war. Clara is the only daughter. Mr. Foster is a stanch sup- porter of the Republican party and its principles, and as a member of the county central committee has done much to advance its interests. Since 1863 he has been a Mason and is also an honored mem- ber of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is widely known and highly respected, and on the roll of North Dakota's honored pioneers his name should be among the foremost.

WILLIAM O. BAIRD, senior member of the firm of Baird & Dresser, of New Rockford, dealers in real estate, loans and collections, is one of the wide-awake business men of Eddy county, and has been closely identified with the financial interests of that region for the past ten years. He owns ex- tensive farm lands in that vicinity and conducts general farming and stock raising with eminent suc- cess.

Our subject was born in Bloomington, Illinois, December 3, 1861, and is a son of William F. and Anna M. (Offutt) Baird, both of whom were Amer- icans by birth, and the mother was a native of Ken- tucky. Our subject was the eldest of the living children, and was raised on a farmi. His father was an extensive farmer and also conducted the real estate business, and his son was given the ad- vantage of a liberal education. He attended the common schools and later spent two years at Hel- muth College, in London, Ontario, and in 1879 be- gan work with the Bloomington Nursery Company,

and was employed in their offices : bout three years. He began farming in Illinois in 188., and engaged in that pursuit five years, and in the spring of 1888 came to North Dakota. After two months spent at Devil's Lake he located at New Rockford and es- tablished a real estate and loan office, and also fol- lowed farming. William C. Dresser became his partner in January, 1896, and the firm is known as Baird & Dresser. The business has prospered, and they now conduct a general real-estate, collection and loan business. The firm owns and operates a large farm near the town, and Mr. Baird also owns seventeen hundred and sixty acres of land, divided into two farms, eleven hundred and twenty acres being two and a half miles from New Rockford, and the other six hundred and forty acres two miles further from the town. He engages in grain, cat- tle and horse raising, and general farming.

Our subject was married, in 1882, to Miss Mary Johnston, who was born and raised in Danvers, Illinois. Mrs. Baird's father, Levi Johmson, was a traveling salesman. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Baird: Charles E., born in Illi- nois ; and William J., born in Dakota. Mr. Baird is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Ma- sonic fraternity, Ancient Order of United Work- men, Modern Woodmen of America and Yeomen. He is an earnest worker for the welfare of his com- munity, and was elected clerk of courts in 1889 and served one term. He is an independent voter in political matters, and is a man who keeps abreast of the times and lends his influence for the best local ·government.

THE UNION NATIONAL BANK, of Grand Forks, was organized during the summer of 1890, with Luthur B. Richardson, president; David H. Beecher, vice-president ; and Sidney Clarke, cashier. Mr. Richardson continued as its president until 1894, when he removed from the state, and Mr. Beecher succeeded to that position, and Charles F. Sims became vice-president, Sidney Clarke remain- ing as cashier. The capital stock in 1890 was $50,000, and in 1892 was increased to $100,000. The institution does a general banking business in foreign and domestic exchange, and is one of the foremost financial institutions of the state.

DAVID H. BEECHER, president of the Union National Bank, was born in Rushford, New York, March 15, 1852, and is a son of Norman and Lois (George) Beecher, both of whom were natives of New York. His father was a farmer and followed that calling in Allegany county, New York, where he died, in Tioga county, in 1878. The grand- father of our subject, Joseph A. Beecher, was a native of Connecticut, and a farmer and teacher by occupation. He was a man of good education and was superintendent of schools in his county. He removed from Connecticut to New York and died in Tioga county in 1868. Our subject's great- grandfather, Amos Becchier, was a clock-maker by

Danicht Boucher

275

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

trade, and made the first clock used in Yale College. Our subject has three brothers who live in Mas- sachusetts and New York. Mr. Beecher was reared and his early education was received in Rushford, New York, and at the age of eighteen removed to Bing- - hamton, New York, where his education was con- pleted. In 1873, in company with his brother, H. M. Beecher, he purchased a wholesale supply house and conducted business until 1883, when he dis- posed of his interest to his brother and came to Crookston, Minnesota. He there engaged in the wholesale and retail drug business for four years, and in 1884 went to Park River, North Dakota, and in company with Sidney Clarke organized the Park River Bank, with a capital stock of $20,000. The following year that institution merged into the First National Bank of Park River, with a capi- tal stock of $50,000. The bank has prospered, now having a surplus equal to its capital, and during the panic of 1893-94 stood unshaken. The officers of the bank also own the bank at Milton, North Da- kota, established in 1889 as the State Bank of Mil- ton, also the Forest River State Bank, of Forest River, North Dakota, and Mr. Beecher is president of all of the banks. He is also treasurer of the Northwestern Fire & Marine Insurance Company, organized in 1899, with a capital stock of $100,000. He also handles a large amount of eastern capital and does a general investment business.

Mr. Beecher was married in 1878 to Effie Gif- ford, a native of New York. One daughter has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Beecher, Ethel Lois, who died at about one year of age. Mr. Beecher is a man of excellent business ability, having met with eminent success in all of the business enter- prises in which he has embarked. He is a man of strict integrity, and has made many friends by his push and energy. In politics he is a Republican. A portrait of Mr. Beecher will be found on another page.

WARREN E. HICKS, superintendent of schools of Dickey county, is a young man who has rapidly risen in educational work to a position of promi- nence. He is an efficient officer, and one with whoin all who come in contact are influenced for the up- building of the educational system of the state. He has devoted his life to the work, and his per- sonality is pleasing, which together with the ca- pacity and excellent training entitle him to his pres- ent position. He was one of the promoters of the State Industrial Training School at Ellendale, and was appointed president of the institution, which office he is ably filling.

Our subject was born on a farm near River Junction, Jackson county, Michigan, October 8, 1867, and was the third in a family of four children, two sons and two daughters, born to W. B. and Charlotte M. (Shaw) Hicks. The father was born in New York in 1834, and was a farmer by occupa- tion until the past year, when he engaged in the

farm machinery business at Frederick, South Da- kota. The mother of our subject was a native of New Hampshire.

When but a child Mr. Hicks accompanied his parents to Cass county, Missouri, where he attended school, and when ten years of age returned to Mich- igan with his parents and settled near Mason, in Ingham county. At the age of seventeen years he began teaching in that county and taught two years, and then entered the Ypsilanti State Normal, from which school he graduated in the class of '86. He then went to Frederick, South Dakota, where he was appointed principal of the village school, and acted in that capacity six years, five years of which time he also edited and published the "Frederick Free Press." He became principal of the Ellendale, North Dakota, high school in 1892, and filled that position until 1896, when he was appointed to serve an unexpired term as county superintendent of schools, and in the fall of 1898 was elected to that office on the Republican ticket.

Our subject was married, at Frederick, South Dakota, in 1892, to Miss Jennie Schraudenbach. Mrs. Hicks was born in Wisconsin, in 1870, and is a daughter of Edward and Advina Schrauderbach. Her father was formerly manager of the Frederick, South Dakota, Milling Company, and is now a flour broker, exporting that commodity to all parts of the world. Mr. and Mrs. Hicks are the parents of two children, as follows: Clarence and Marian. Mr. Hicks is a thirty-second-degree Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the auxiliaries of these orders. Politically he is a Republican and is a man of broad mind and keeps pace with matters of a public nature.

GUSTAV J. LOUBERGET. The farming community of Stanley township, Cass county, has an able representative in the person of Mr. Louber- get. He is yet in the prime of vigorous manhood and has resided in North Dakota from his boyhood days, and has been identified intimately with its growth and development and is proprietor of an ex- cellent farm, his home being located on section 3. He is a man of strict integrity and careful and methodical habits, and carries these characteristics into every detail of his life. He has made many friends by his push and energy and active public spirit.

Our subject was born in Norway, January 27, 1867, and came to America with his parents when he was but a few months old. The family settled in Rice county, Minnesota, and lived there till the spring of 1870, when they removed to Cass county, North Dakota, and settled in Barnes township, where the parents have since resided. Our subject was reared to manhood in Cass county, and edu- cated in the public schools, and assisted on the farm where he remained till the spring of 1891, when he began farming for himself in Barnes township, and

276

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

lived there till the fall of 1897, and then settled on section 3, in Stanley township, where he has since resided. He is now the owner of four hundred and fifty-nine acres of land, on which are good improve- ments, and he is enjoying the comforts of a pleasant country home. He has spent his entire career in the pursuit of agriculture, and is meeting with em- inent success. He and his brother, Ole Louberget, own the farm in partnership, and are classed among the substantial farmers of Stanley township.

Our subject was married in Barnes township, Cass county, April 17, 1891, to Matilda Hanson, who was born in Norway, August 23, 1875. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Louberget : Carl, Maria, Jennie, Henry and Mildred. One daughter died in infancy. Mr. Louberget pos- sesses a good capacity for well-directed labor, and is intelligent and progressive. He keeps pace with the times in public affairs, and stands for right and justice.

CAPTAIN JOHN L. JOHNSON, county judge of Traill county, is one of the most prominent and influential citizens of that part of the state. He was born in Hademarken, Norway, February 12, 1839.

The parents of our subject, Rev. Larse and Ag- netta (Johannson of the farm Skatum) Johnson, were natives of Norway, and the father came to America when our subject was eight years of age, and accepted the pastorate of Honges Synod church in Columbia county, Wisconsin. Our subject was the eldest in a family of four children, and is the only survivor of the family, and he grew to manhood in Wisconsin, and followed farm work there, and then entered Beloit College, and when about twenty years of age began handling insurance and farm machinery. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted in Com- pany H, Fifteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, with the rank of second lieutenant. Union City, Tennessee, was the first engagement, and then fol- lowed Island No. 10, after which he was forced to resign his commission on account of sickness, and return home, where he partially regained his health and at the organization of Company H, Twenty- third Wisconsin Infantry, he was elected captain by popular ballot and started again for the south, but was compelled to resign again on account of his health. After the war he was commissioned captain of the Eau Claire State Militia. He went to Roches- ter, Minnesota, in 1865, where he engaged in the machine business and conducted one of the most ex- tensive establishments of the kind in the state. He returned to Eau Claire in 1870, and served there as justice of the peace, and in the spring of 1885 went to Hillsboro, North Dakota, and followed his trade, lathing, and also served as deputy clerk of courts. He was elected to his present office as county judge of Traill county, in 1898, and is ably filling the position.

Our subject was married, in 1862, to Miss Jane Jesme, of Norway. Two children have been born

to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, named as follows: Mat- thias I., deceased, and Anetta J., deceased. Mr. John- son is a member of the Lutheran Synod church, and also holds membership in the Modern Woodmen of America and Grand Army of the Republic. He was assistant sergeant-at-arms at the fifth session of the state legislature, and has also served as justice of the peace and one term as alderman of Hillsboro. Politically, he is a Republican, and is a delegate to many county conventions of his party. He is keenly awake to the interests of his community, and has probably taken a more active part in public affairs than any other citizen of that locality and is de- servedly popular with the people.

REV. ANDERS WALD, pastor of Richland Norwegian Lutheran church, Immanuel church at Abercrombie, and the Lutheran church at Chris- tine, is a gentleman of much culture, and earnest, practical nature, and is very popular with his peo- ple. He has accomplished much since taking up his present work in that vicinity, and is deserving of much praise. He resides in Eagle township, Rich- land county, and is one of the honored citizens of his community.

Our subject was born in Norway, July 28, 1851. He was educated in his native land and resided there until about twenty-nine years of age. He graduated from the seminary at Hamar, Norway, and later studied different languages under private tutors, at the same time attending the high school at Fredrik- stad. He came to America in September, 1880, and was engaged in religious work in Rock county, Wis- consin, two years, and then entered the Theological Seminary at Red Wing, Minnesota, where he re- mained one year, and was also a teacher in the col- lege. He studied theology in the Theological Sem- inary at Madison, Wisconsin, and in the fall of 1884 was ordained to the ministry at Fergus Falls, Min- nesota, where he remained six and a half years. He was called to his present pastorate in 1891.

Mr. Wald was married in Norway, October 28, 1878, to Miss Constance Amanda Anderson, who was also a native of Norway. Mr. and Mrs. Wald are the parents of the following children: Aasta; Harold, Thore, Einar, Sigurd, Thorfin F. and Borghild. One other child, a daughter, died when about two years of age.

Our subject is president of the Fargo district of the United Norwegian Lutheran church. The dis- trict comprises sixteen pastorates.

EDWARD BLACKWELL, manager of the Gull River Lumber Company, at Cooperstown, North Dakota, is a man of much business ability. He was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, August 25, 1863.

Our subject's father, Charles Blackwell, was a native of New York, and was one of the pioneers of southern Wisconsin, He was a soldier in the Civil

277

COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

war, and died in a hospital at Memphis, Tennessee. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Jane Moon.

Edward Blackwell was the youngest of four children, two sons and two daughters, and he was reared and educated in his native city, and at the age of sixteen years went to Topeka, Kansas, where he accepted a position with the Kansas Lumber Company, remaining in their employ three years. He then returned to Wisconsin for a short time, and then went to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, where he was employed with the John McCullough Lumber Com- pany about one year, and then went to Sanborn, North Dakota, and from thence to LaMoure. He soon afterward traveled as lumber salesman through Nebraska, and in the spring of 1885 located at Cooperstown, accepting the position of manager for the Gull River Lumber Company, with which firm he has been connected continuously since. He has successfully conducted the business in that city, and is known as a man of good business principles.

Our subject was married in St. Clair county, Michigan, in 1887, to Miss Mary Davis, a daughter of William H. Davis, a farmer of that county. Two children have been born to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell, named Lillian and Ruth. Mr. Blackwell is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and Ancient Order of United Workmen. In polit- ical sentiment he is a Republican.

MARTIN E. JOHNSON, one of the well-to-do and leading citizens of Stanley township, Cass coun- ty, is engaged in the pursuit of agriculture in sec- tion 31. His life affords a striking example of what can be accomplished by persistent efforts and hon- est industry. He is a young man and has spent the greater part of his career in North Dakota, and since attaining his majority has gained many friends by his push and energy.

Our subject was born in Norway, February 22, 1860, and in the summer of 1867 he came to Amer- ica with his parents, and a home was made in Hous- ton county, Minnesota. After four years spent there the family removed to Cass county, North Dakota, and settled in Norman township. Here they lived a short time, and then removed to Stanley township, where our subject grew to manhood and where he has since lived. He received a good education and has followed farming throughout his career. He has met with success, and is now the fortunate pos- sessor of three hundred and twenty acres of land, on which he conducts general farming. His place is well improved and bears evidence of careful man- agement and painstaking care in its operation.

Our subject was married in Norman township, Cass county, in 1885, to Miss Jennie R. Anderson, who was born in Norway, December 6, 1858. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson as follows : Lena K., Alfred, Mabel J., Ella R., Cora and Hilda M. In all matters tending to promote the general welfare and to develop the financial and

social interests of his community, Mr. Johnson has taken a hearty interest and has aided in the upbuild- ing and strengthening of good local government, and he is highly respected as a man and citizen. He has served his township as treasurer, and is also prominent in school affairs.

OLE J. HESTDALEN is a striking example of a self-made man. He has acquired wealth single- handed, and had nothing on which to depend upon for a start aside from his own efforts, but by constant and systematic labor has become one of the substan- tial men of Richland county, North Dakota. He is the owner of a fine estate in Eagle township, com- prising one thousand two hundred acres of well-im- proved land, and his home farm is in section 24.

Mr. Hestdalen was born in Norway, May 13, 1846. He was reared on a farm and remained in his native county until 1870. He left for America in April of that year, and landed at Quebec in May, and from thence went to Wisconsin. For the great- er part of eight years he was employed at farm labor and in the pineries, and in May, 1878, went to Rich- land county, North Dakota, and entered a clain to one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 24 of Eagle township where he still resides. He has improved his property with a complete set of farm buildings, and uses modern machinery and methods in his farm work, and is supplied with all the ad- juncts of a model country home.

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 44

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