Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 57

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

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JAMES O. WOLD.

MRS. JAMES O. WOLD.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

property, consisting of one half-section of land. His barn, 46x50 feet, furnishes shelter for his stock and products and a good well, with windmill at- tached, supplies an abundance of good water.

Our subject was married, in 1863, to Miss Orine Andersen. Mr. and Mrs. Wold have been the par- ents of eight children, as follows: Andrew, now married and living in Eddy county ; Ole, at home ; Maria, now Mrs. K. Syverson, living in Eddy coun- ty; Jolin, farming in Eddy county ; Albert ; Annie, deceased : Christian and James. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Wold appear on another page. Mr. Wold is a member of the Lutheran church. He occupies a prominent position as a citizen and takes an active interest in local affairs. Politically he is a Repub- lican and a usual delegate to county conventions of his party and a recognized leader.

JOHN P. BRAND. No better illustration of the characteristic energy and enterprise of the typi- cal German-American citizen can be found than that afforded by the career of this prosperous and suc- cessful farmer, now residing on section 24, Moore- ton township, Richland county, North Dakota. Coming to this county with no capital except his abilities he has made his way to success through wisely-directed effort and he can now look back with satisfaction upon past struggles.

Mr. Brand was born in Germany, February 22, 1849, and in 1852 was brought to America by his parents, John and Catherine ( Maurrer) Brand, who first settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, remain- in gthere about five years. The family then re- moved to Manitowoc county, the same state, and located on a farm, where the mother died in April, 1890, at the age of sixty-six years. The father still survives and has reached an advanced age.

Our subject remained upon the home farm, assisting his father in its operation, until fifteen years of age, when he went to Kenosha county, Wisconsin, and worked upon a farm for five sum- mers. The following two years were spent in the pineries of northern Michigan, and at the end of that time he went to the Lake Superior region, where he remained until 1875. Returning to Wis- consin, he located in St. Croix county, where he made his home until coming to Dakota in 1879. He borrowed money with which to bring him to this state and purchased a horse on time of John F. Pape, of St. Croix county. He thus started in this state not only without means, but in debt. He took up a government claim in Richland county, on which he has since made his home. His well-directed efforts have been crowned with success and he is now the owner of a whole section of fine farming land in Mooreton township, upon which he has erected good buildings and made other valuable and useful improvements.

In St. Croix county, Wisconsin, Mr. Brand was married, June 28, 1875, to Miss Bena Bengart, who was born in Germany, October 15, 1848, and when

six years old accompanied her parents, Philip and Catherine (Jost) Bengart, on their emigration to the New World. For ten years they were residents of Manitowoc county, Wisconsin, and then spent some time in the Lake Superior country, after which they returned to Wisconsin and settled in St. Croix county, where the father died at the age of seventy years, and the mother at the age of eighty-one. To Mr. and Mrs. Brand were born the following children : John H., who is now a member of Com- pany I, First North Dakota Volunteer Infantry, and took an active part in the Manila campaign of the Spanish-American war; J. Leroy and Alice M., at home; and Henrietta L., who died at the age of six months.

THOR G. DAHL, one of the well known and .influential business men of Hillsboro, is engaged in the abstract business there and is also part owner of the Hillsboro Roller Mills. He was born in Bratsberg, Christian Sands Stift, Norway, Septem- ber 1, 1857, and was the youngest in a family of eight children.

Mr. Dahl's parents, Gunleik and Liv ( Bleka) Dale, were natives of Norway, and the mother still lives and makes her home there. Our subject was given a liberal education and prepared himself for teaching, and when nineteen years of age went to Christiania and completed a commercial course and then applied himself for about one year to office work. He then came to America in 1879 to try his fortunes in the New World and at once went to Freeborn county, Minnesota, and tauglit a Nor- wegian school in Albert Lea. He attended a high school in the city one year and with the education gained in his native land had a good start. He then went to Portland, Traill county, North Da- kota, in the spring of 1882, and spent four years clerking in a general merchandise store, during which time he secured a homestead in Steele county, that state. He went to Portland in 1885, after proving up on his land, and then began work for the Breed & Lennen Lumber Company, and was in their employ about three years, when he purchased the yard and conducted the business for about five years. He was elected register of deeds of Traill county, and with his family removed to the county seat, and served four years. He purchased a set of ab- stract books in the fall of 1894 and has since con- ducted abstracting. He purchased a half interest in the Hillsboro Roller Mills in February, 1897, a mill of seventy-five barrels capacity.

Our subject was married, in 1885, to Ingeborg E. Lee. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dahl, named as follows : Gerhard; Nora; Elmer, deceased; Inga; Lottie; Elmer and Roy, twins ; and Herman. Mr. Dahl is a member of the Lutheran church and in political sentiment is a Re- publican. He is prominent in affairs of his party and attends county and state conventions as a dele- gate.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

WILLIAM GRIBBLE, the leading merchant of Dickey, La Moure county, is a man of much ability and an influential citizen. He has been a resident of Dickey but a short time, but has attained a prominent place as a man of true worth in his community by his energetic efforts and active public spirit.

Mr. Gribble was born at Hazel Green, Grant county, Wisconsin, August 15, 1859, and was the third in a family of nine children, four sons and five daughters. His father, John Gribble, was born in England and came to Wisconsin in the late '30s, and was a merchant by occupation. He died in Sterling in 1893, aged eighty-one years. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of May Mid- dleton, and was also a native of England, and was married in Wisconsin.

Our subject grew to manhood in his native place, and after completing his education became a clerk in his father's store, and later secured a position as traveling salesman with Gunther & Han- son, fur hat and cap manufacturers of Mil- waukee, Wisconsin, in whose employ he con- tinued about eighteen months, and then returned home to take charge of his father's business. He went to Burley county, North Dakota, in 1882, in which place he filed claim to land and engaged in farming thereon for about seven years, at the end of which time he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness in Sterling, that county, continuously therein until 1893, when he engaged in the hardware and machine business and conducted the same for five years. He went to Dickey, La Moure county, in March, 1898, and purchased a stock of general merchandise, in which business he has prospered to a remarkable degree and now carries the largest and most complete stock in the northern part of the county.

Our subject was married, in 1891, at Sterling, North Dakota, to Miss Elizabeth Mayer, a native of Ohio, who was born in 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Gribble are the parents of three children, as fol- lows: John, William T. and Gladys. Mr. Grib- ble is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen of America and Knights of Pythias. Politically he is a Repub- lican.

WILLIAM CULLEN, who has devoted his maturer years to the pursuit of agriculture in Nor- man township, Cass county, is a man of ability and sound judgment and has met with unbounded suc- cess in this line. He has a fine estate and is one of the substantial farmers of his conununity, and has acquired his property by persistent efforts, and now enjoys the comforts of rural life and is es- teen of his fellowmen.

Our subject was born in Ontario, Canada, No- vember 12, 1857, and was a son of Robert and Margaret (Linton) Cullen. His parents were na- tives of Scotland and emigrated to America about

1835 and settled in Canada, where the mother still resides. The father was a teamster and died in Can- ada. They were the parents of eight sons and six daughters, of whom our subject and one brother reside in North Dakota.

Mr. Cullen was reared and educated in Canada and there learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed four years, and in 1881 went to Cass coun- ty, North Dakota, and settled at Fargo, and later moved to Davenport, where he followed his trade until 1889. He then began farming in Norman township and has continued thus engaged since that date and has met with remarkable success, and is now proprietor of a well-improved property includ- ing three quarter-sections of land. His residence is a fine brick structure, and he also has substantial barns and other farm buildings on the place and enjoys a comfortable competence from the well-cul · tivated fields.

Our subject was married in North Dakota, in 1885, to Marie Augedahl, a native of Norway. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, upon whom they have bestowed the name of Min- nie C. Mr. Cullen is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a Republican in political faith and lends his influence for good local government. He has assisted in the upbuilding and development of Norman township, and his success is well merited.

WILLIS A. JOY, attorney-at-law and dealer in loans and investments, is an old resident of Grand Forks city and county, and has been identified with the business interests of Grand Forks and vicinity for the past eighteen years.

Our subject was born in Hancock county, Maine, February 3, 1856, and was a son of Hamilton and Adaline (Jordan) Joy, both of whom were natives of Maine. His father was a blacksmith by trade. He was prominent in public affairs and served as city treasurer, first county treasurer, county com- missioner and selectman. He was born in 1816 and died in 1887. The grandfather of our subject, Ivory H. Joy, was also a native of Maine and spent his career there, and was also a blacksmith by trade.

Our subject is the only son reared to manhood and he was educated in Maine, attending Colby University at Waterville, graduating from the in- stitution in 1879. He remained in Maine and New Hampshire and was engaged in newspaper work at Great Falls, New Hampshire, as local editor of the "Free Press," and remained in the East until 1880, when he went to Chicago and engaged with the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Company in the superintendent's office. and taught in the night schools in the meantime. He remained there until May, 1882, and then went to Grand Forks and entered the office of J. G. Hamilton and began the study of law. He was admitted to the bar the fol- lowing year. He began to make farm loans in 1883

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

and now does an extensive business in that line. He was appointed postmaster in 1894 and served until July, 1898.

Mr. Joy was married, in February, 1883, to Miss Hattie E. Britton, of Winslow, Maine. Mr. Joy has been a life-long Democrat politically, and in 1892 was secretary of the state central committee.

JOHN E. BEATTIE, a well-known farmer re- siding on section 1, Mooreton township, Richland county, North Dakota, was born in Cortland coun- ty, New York, November 13, 1859, and there spent his boyhood and youth upon a farm, assisting in its operation and attending the schools of the neigh- borhood. On leaving his native county, in 1879, he came to Dakota, where for two years he worked at farm labor, while for the following ten years he was employed as clerk in a general store in Breckinridge, Minnesota. He also served as the first marshal of that town and filled that office for three years, at the same time acting as deputy sheriff of Wilkin county. Returning to Dakota in . 1892, he located upon his present farm in Richland county, and has since turned his attention to agri- · cultural pursuits with good results. He is a thorough and skillful farmer and a business man of more than ordinary ability. He is quite popular in the community where he resides and is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

In December, 1879, in Cortland county, New York, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Beattie and Miss Ellen Boynton, a native of Port Perry, Ontario, Canada, and to them has been born one child, Pearl.

EDWARD J. LANDER, one of the well-known business men of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and a member of the firm of E. J. Lander & Co., is en- gaged in the loan, real estate and abstract business, and has the most complete set of abstract books in the state. He is one of the originators of the Grand Forks Building & Loan Association, and for the last ten years has been its secretary. It was organized in 1886 and is one of the leading financial institu- tions of the city. He is a man of good business qualifications, and has a wide knowledge of men and the world, and has prospered since taking up his residence here.

Our subject was born in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois, September 12, 1860. His parents, Christopher and Jane ( Brown) Lander, were na- tives of England, and came to the United States in 1852 and settled in Rockford, Winnebago county, Illinois, and there the father engaged in milling, where his death occurred in February, 1869.

Mr. Lander is one of three sons now living. and was reared in Illinois and received a high-school education. He then engaged in the grain trade and as a bookkeeper for the Rockford Tack Company, and in 1882 came to Grand Forks, North Dakota,

and founded the business in which he is now en- gaged, the loan business, one of the most extensive of the kind in Grand Forks, which was estab- lished in 1882 in farm loans. The firm of E. J. Lander & Company was incorporated in 1897, of which Mr. Lander is president. They have charge of a large number of real estate holdings of 11011- residents, and are local representatives of E. H. Rollins & Sons, of Boston, Massachusetts.

Mr. Lander was one of the builders of the Grand Forks opera house, and was also one of the orig- inal stockholders of the old Second National Bank, and was later a director in that institution and served as vice-president of the same three years. His abstract books are the oldest and most complete to be found in the county, and he has a good busi- ness and deals extensively in real estate.

Our subject was married, February 28, 1884, to Miss Jessie K. Krouse, a native of Michigan. One son has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lander, upon whom they have bestowed the name of Miles K. Mr. Lander is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and politically he is a Republican, and has been iden- tified with that party since attaining his majority. He takes an active interest in affairs of a public nature and has held various local offices, including county commissioner, which position he held nine years. He is intelligent and energetic and is de- servedly popular with the people.

HON. EMIT S. LOVELACE, who enjoys an extensive business as a general merchant of Fort Ransom, Ransom county, is one of the pioneer busi- ness mien of that locality. He started with but limited means, and is now the proprietor of a well- equipped establishment, and also owns two hundred and forty acres of land on which his store building stands.

Mr. Lovelace was born in Clark county, Illi- nois, June 30, 1849, and was the third in a family of eleven children born to Captain Reason L. and Anna M. (Hadden) Lovelace. The father was of English descent and the mother of Scotch-Irish extraction, both descendants of Colonial families.

Our subject was reared to farm labor, and when about eighteen years of age removed to Stearns county, Minnesota, where he engaged in farming. He remained with his father until he was twenty- six years of age, the last two of the time being spent at cabinet work. He then went to Black Hills and prospected for gold there, and spent four years in Montana and Idaho, and then engaged in business in Minnesota, and in the spring of 1881 went to Valley City, Dakota, from where he walked down the Sheyenne river valley to his present location. He had three hundred dollars in money, and formed a partnership with H. Parsons, and they located a small general store in a 14x16 building on our sub- ject's pre-emption claim, about one-half mile east of the present location of his store. In 1875 he had driven cattle across the plains and had then camped

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

at Fort Ransom, where he found pleasant camping grounds and excellent spring water, and on his re- turn to the spot a mill was in course of erection, which decided him in choosing the place for per- manent settlement and investment. The store was started with a capital of five hundred dollars, and after a few months our subject became sole pro- prietor. The store was small, but it was at first thirty-five miles from a railroad station, three years later was reduced to seventeen miles, and was the trading point for the whole country round, and has steadily increased in patronage to the present time. He is extensively interested in valuable mining prop- erty in Oregon and Washington.

Our subject was married, in 1894, to Miss Betsy Peterson. Three children have been born to Mr. and MIrs. Lovelace, as follows: Florence E .; Philip J., deceased ; and Nora. Mr. Lovelace is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Modern Wood- men of America and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Politically he is a Republican, and was elected by his party as a state representative in 1896. This was one of the hardest fought political battles of Ransom county, but our subject was favored to the extent of carrying his own township, a strong Populist locality. He is an efficient worker for the advancement of his community, and is highly esteemed by those among whom he has resided for so many years.

FRANK M. BROWN. Stutsman county, North Dakota, is not without her well-regulated farms, and one of these carefully cultivated tracts is the property of the gentleman above named. He is extensively engaged in wheat raising in township 137, range 65, and has met with eminent success in his vocation. He also operates a steam threshing rig, and is the owner of a fine new outfit for this line of work. His home farm is one of the best improved in the locality, and every convenience of modern farming and the newest patterns of machin- ery are used to facilitate the work.

Our subject was born in Oswego county, New York, in August, 1862. He was raised in his native place on a farm and attended the common schools, and at the age of twenty-one years left home and went to North Dakota. He located at Edgeley, then known as St. George, in the spring of 1884, where he rented land, and he and his brother filed claim to government land. Our subject took the southeast quarter of section 10, in township 137, range 65, and later took asa homestead the northwest quarter of section 10, township 137, range 65. He erected a 12×16-foot shanty in which he lived alone three years, and also built a stable 12x16 feet. His brother took government land on the southwest quarter of section 10, township 137, range 65. Our subject erected a larger dwelling about 1888, and has since built a complete set of farm buildings of the most approved style at a cost of two thousand dollars. He has a convenient residence, barn, two

granaries, and all machinery for the economical con- duct of the place, and for the past twelve years has operated a threshing outfit and has at present 'a twenty-horse-power steam rig. He has lost crops by hail and fire and met with many other discour- agements, but has been successful in most of his work, and is now one of the substantial men of that region, and is the owner of nine hundred and eighty acres of land, of which he cultivates about seven hundred acres. He has ten acres of forest trees and his place is one of the pleasant farms of the locality.

Our subject was married, in 1888, to Miss Flor- ence L. Hart, of Oswego county, New York. Mrs. Brown's father, A. A. Hart, was of English-Scotch descent, and was a miller by trade. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Brown, as follows : Eva, born May 11, 1894; and Ella, born March 13, 1899. Mr. Brown is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Politically he is a Democrat, and is a man who keeps pace with the times, and is well known and highly respected in his community.

JOHN POTTNER and his sons, Frank J. and Charlie J., conducting an extensive grain farm in township 148, range 67, in Eddy county, were among the first settlers of that locality, and their present farm bears evidence of careful management and tillage. They have worked together to build up their estate and are now the fortunate owners of a well improved tract. The sons have the manage- ment of the place at present and the father is passing his declining years in the enjoyment of the com- forts of a pleasant country home.

John Pottner was born in Germany October 1, 1825, and came to America in 1848. He was a butcher by trade and followed that business during the greater part of his career. He located in Mil- waukee, Wisconsin, and in 1883 came to Eddy conn- ty, North Dakota, with his family. He was mar- ried, in 1848, to Miss Sabina Frank, and the fol- lowing children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Pottner : John P., one of the early settlers of North Dakota, and now residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Joseph P., a resident also of Minneapolis ; George J., resid- ing in Pendleton, Oregon; A. J., engaged in farm- ing in Wells county, North Dakota; Frank J., on the home farm in Eddy county ; Charlie J., also on the home farm in Eddy county ; Sabina, at home ; Thresia, now Mrs. Dave Mattison, of Seattle, Wash- ington; Minnie, now Mrs. Steinbeck; and Mae, at home. The family was among the first settlers of Eddy county to locate in township 148, range 67, and there they erected a claim shanty, 14x24 feet, on government land, to which they had entered claim. After about three weeks a wind and rain storm visited that section and the roof of the shanty was torn off, and after the family had taken refuge in the cellar the entire shanty was blown to pieces. The first crop raised was in 1884, and the following

JOHN POTTNER.

MRS. JOHN POTTNER.

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. COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

year the crop and ox team, sixty tons of hay, some machinery and the sod stable were destroyed by, prairie fire. Drouth killed the crop in 1886 and they lacked one hundred and eight dollars of returning their seed, and also worked for others to pay the threshing. 1887 was a good year and they raised seventeen bushels per acre on three hundred acres ; frost destroyed the next year's crop, and frost and drouth affected the yield in 1889. 1890 and 1891 were excellent years for grain raising and 1897 was almost a complete failure year. Such discourage- ments were met and bravely battled with and Mr. Pottner and sons now have a farm of eleven hun- dred and twenty acres, with five hundred acres under cultivation. They have a complete set of farm buildings and machinery necessary to the conduct of a model farm. They followed cattle raising ex- tensively from 1886 to 1891 and during the winter of 1891-92 lost seventy head of stock by disease and blizzards. They have lost fifteen head of horses in Dakota, some valued at two hundred dollars. The management of the place is now in the hands of the sons, Frank and Charlie, and they have successfully conducted the farm and carefully look after every interest, while the father does not now have the care and responsibility attached to the work.

The mother, Mrs. Sabina Pottner, died July 17, 1895, at Minneapolis, Minnesota. The family are members of the Catholic church. They are men of strong political views and are identified with all political parties, each in his own belief, and are highly respected throughout that region. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Pottner will be found on another page.

ABRAHAM ABRAHAMSEN, ex-county treasurer of Grand Forks county, is one of the prominent merchants of Grand Forks, and is well known and highly respected for his energy and in- tegrity.

Our subject was born in Norway, in June, 1853, and is a son of Nels and Lena Abrahamsen, both of whom were natives of Norway. The mother died in her native land in 1859 and the father and family came to America and located near Milwau- kee, Wisconsin, and later moved to Racine county, Wisconsin. The father died in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1894.

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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 57

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