Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 72

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 72

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Our subject was born near Prague, Germany, August 22, 1849, and was a son of Franz and Rosa (Miller) Langer, both natives of Germany. The family came to America in 1852 and located at Watertown, Wisconsin, and later moved to Plain- view, Minnesota, where the mother died and the father still resides. Three sons and one daughter were born to this worthy couple, two of whom are now in Cass county, North Dakota.

Our subject was reared and educated in Wiscon- sin and Minnesota and followed farming in the last named state until 1877, when he went to Cass coun- ty, North Dakota, and entered claim to land near Casselton, which he improved and he now owns and operates four sections of land in that vicinity. He became a director in the First National Bank of Casselton in 1894, and was elected to the position of cashier about the same time and is now ably filling the same.

Our subject was married, in 1874, to Miss Mary Webber, a native of Germany. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Langer. Mr. Langer was elected to the legislature in 1890 and served one term in the lower house and was efficient in his work for the interest of his constituents. He was elected county commissioner of Cass county in 1892 and served six years and has also filled many minor offices, including town clerk and chairman of the town board. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has been a member of the Masonic order for many years. Politically, he is a Republican and is an earnest worker for party principles and lends his influence for good government.

ANDREW ANDERBERG, an industrious and thorough farmer, who is now successfully follow- ing his chosen calling on section 14, township 141, range 58 west, Barnes county, North Dakota, was born on a farm in Sweden, February 17, 1848, and is a son of P. and Hannah (Hanson) Anderberg, also natives of that country, where the father died when our subject was only eight years old. The son continued to live with his mother in his native land until 1869, when he sailed for the New World and became a resident of Washington county, Min- nesota. He worked in sawmills and upon farms in that county until 1878, which year witnessed his arrival in Barnes county, before the county was organized and when Dakota was still a territory. Here he has labored untiringly to make for him- self and family a home and prosperity has crowned his well-directed efforts, for he is now the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of as fine farm- ing land as is to be found in the county.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

In 1879 Mr. Anderberg led to the marriage altar Miss Hannah Piculell, of Washington county, Minnesota, who was born in Sweden in 1853. Po- litically, Mr. Anderberg is identified with the Re- publican party. In 1879 he was elected school treas- urer of district No. 6, and has served as such con- tinuously since to the entire satisfaction of all con- cerned. His upright, honorable life commends him to the confidence of all and he is justly deserv- ing the high regard in which he is uniformly held.

JOHN W. LARAMORE, an enterprising agri- culturist of Melrose township, in Steele county, furnishes a striking example of the results of well- directed labor and persistent efforts. He has met with many discouragements in his Dakota home, but despite these has risen to prominence as a wide- awake and progressive farmer and loyal citizen. He has a fine residence recently constructed on sec- tion 34 and has gathered about him the comforts and conveniences of a model farm.

Our subject was born near Frederica, Dela- ware, November 22, 1852, and was the seventh in a family of fourteen children born to John and Dorcas (Wyatt ) Laramore. The family removed from the state of Delaware when our subject was five years of age and settled on a farm near Brad- ford, Stark county, Illinois. When eighteen years of age our subject left the home farni and worked on the railroad as bridge carpenter for two years and in the fall of 1872 went to Minnesota and worked at teaming in Rice county. He spent the winter of 1873 in Missouri and the following season engaged in farming in Iowa and the second season farmed in Missouri. He removed further north on account of sickness in his family and later went to Utah, returning to Iowa in 1877 and remained in Marshall county until 1881, when he went to Fari- bault, Minnesota, and in the spring of 1883 went to Wahpeton, Dakota, and broke land for the in- coming settlers. He worked the following winter in the Minnesota woods and in the spring of 1884 shipped teams to Wheatland and arrived at Hope April 10 with a wagon load of household goods, a team and five dollars in money. His wife soon joined him and they lived in the wagon until a 10X12-foot house was built, he mortgaged his team to secure the lumber. He has since purchased ad- ditional land and is now the owner of one and a half sections. Lightning destroyed his barn and a fine running horse in 1893, entailing a loss of three thousand dollars, and in 1899 his pioneer house was burned and he has since erected one of the best farmhouses in the township and has placed other valuable improvements on the place.

Our subject was married, in 1873, to Miss Ce- lina Owen, a native of Minnesota. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Laramore, as fol- lows: Mamie, now Mrs. Klovstad, of Hope, North Dakota; Walter and Maude. Mr. Laramore is a member of the Masonic fraternity, in which he has

taken the. Scottish Rite and also holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Brotherhood of American Yeomen. In political sentiment he is a Democrat and is a man of strong convictions.

WILLIAM H. THOMPSON, a well-known farmer of Devillo township, has been a resident of Richland county nearly fifteen years. He makes his home on section 34 and has acquired a thor- ough knowledge of his calling.

Mr. Thompson was born in Van Buren county, Michigan, in the town of Keeler, May 19, 1862. He was reared in that county on a farm and edu- cated in the common schools of the locality. He continued to reside there until 1883, when he went to North Dakota and made his home with his 'sister in Devillo township. He has since been a continu- ous resident of that township. Two years after going to Dakota he rented the farm whereon he now resides, on section 34, and now operates five hundred acres of land. He has followed the pursuit of agriculture throughout his career and is one of the successful men of that vocation in Richland county.

Our subject was married, in December, 1885, to Miss Addie C. Olds, a daughter of Andrew J. Olds, of De Villo township. Mrs. Thompson was born in the same county in Michigan in which her husband was born. Three children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, named as fol- . lows: Lulu M., Lillian A. and Bertha I. Mr. Thompson is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is prominent in public affairs of local importance and has served as township clerk. He is a young man of industrious and careful habits and is held in the highest esteem by his associates.

ROBERT B. BLAKEMORE, one of Fargo's most energetic and progressive citizens, who is now successfully engaged in the insurance and real es- tate buiness, is a native of Kentucky, born in Christ- ian county, on the 14th of September, 1866. His parents, George B.and Clara (Gist) Blakemore, were natives of Virginia and Maryland, respectively. The father was a captain in the Confederate army during the Civil war and was in General Johnston's command. He participated in the battles of Chat- tanooga, Missionary Ridge, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain and the engagements of the Atlanta cam- paign. In early life the father engaged in mer- chandising and later was interested in the tobacco and cotton trade in New Orleans. He died in Louisiana in 1868, and his wife departed this life two years later, leaving our subject, their only child, all alone in the world at the age of four years.

Mr. Blakemore was educated in the schools of Kentucky and Maryland, attending first the military school at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and later St.

ROBERT B. BLAKEMORE.

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COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY.

John's' College, of Annapolis, Maryland. In 1883 he came to Fargo, North Dakota, and was employed as bookkeeper by a hardware firm for two years. He became interested in the real estate and insurance business with E. H. Dickon in 1885, and three years later succeeded to the business, which he has since carried on, meeting with marked success in the un- dertaking. He has also engaged in farming to a considerable extent.

In 1888 Mr. Blakemore was united in marriage with Miss Clara C. Taylor, a native of Maryland, who now presides with gracious dignity over their pleasant home in Fargo. Mr. Blakemore takes no active part in political affairs and has never filled pub- lic office, desiring rather to give his entire time and. attention to his business interests. He is a Jeffer- sonian Democrat and is all that title implies. He is, however, very popular among his follow citi- zens and is an honored member of the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Workmen and B. P. O. E. A portrait of Mr. Blakemore is presented on another page.

OLE A. HONG. The story of the wonderful resources of America, of the opportunities afforded honest industry to gain a footing in business and so- ciety, has attracted many natives of the Scandi- navian peninsula. They are found wielding the im- plements of the trades, opening up unsettled re- gions and bringing the country into high cultivation. Traill county, North Dakota, is not without her share of these men and prominent among this class is the subject of this review. Mr. Hong is a leading business man of Buxton and is a hardware and furniture dealer of that thriving village and one of its oldest settlers.

Our subject was born in Guldbrandsdalen, Nor- way, March 8, 1861, and was the eldest of thirteen children born to Amund and Marie (Stalsberg) Hong, both of whom reside on the estate Hong, in Norway, where our subject was born. The fan- ily tree traces back hundreds of years and some of the early records are preserved on sheepskin.

At the age of fourteen years Mr. Hong began learning the tinsmith's trade and followed it in the city of Hammar until twenty years of age and then crossed the ocean to seek his fortunes in the New World. He came alone to verify the reports of this country and the wonderful fertility of the Red river valley and finding a good business opening he es- tablished a hardware and furniture store at Buxton in 1887 and became one of the earliest residents of the village and has been identified with the up- building of the same. He enjoys liberal patronage and is well known.

Our subject was married, in 1881, to Miss Gurene Larson, a native of Norway, Mr. and Mrs. Hong have one adopted daughter, Agnes. Mr. Hong was deputy sheriff of Traill county four years and is one of the leading Republicans in the northeastern

part of the county. He attends county and state conventions and takes an active part in public af- fairs. He is a member of the Lutheran church and is deservedly held in high esteem by all with whom he comes in contact.

MARTIN E. LARSON. As a successful farmer, who is carefully tilling the soil of Sheridan town- ship, La Moure county, and gaining for himself a competence sufficient to tide him through future years and incidentally gaining an enviable reputa- tion, this gentleman is worthy prominent mention. He resides on section 32 and is well known through- out his locality. His early life in Dakota was beset with the usual trials of a pioneer, but he has sur- mounted the difficulties as they were presented and is now among the substantial men of that region.

Our subject was born on a farm in Green coun- ty, Wisconsin, November 19, 1860, and was the fifth in a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters, born to Erick and Amanda ( Evans) Larson. His father was one of the early settlers of Wisconsin, coming to America from his native country, Norway. He went to California during the Civil war and while there on a prospecting tour became ill and returned home, from which illness he died in 1877, in which year our subject's mother also passed away.

Martin' Larson attended the district school and assisted on the farm until 1882, when he went to La Moure county, North Dakota, and located land on which he settled the following spring. He and his brother, C. E. Larson, lived alone on the farm until 1888, when they dissolved partnership and each began farming for himself. He is now the fortunate possessor of three hundred and twenty acres of land on which he conducts general farm- ing and has met with success.

Mr. Larson was married, in Jamestown, North Dakota, January 24, 1889, to Miss Sarah E. Fryar, a native of Wabasha county, Minnesota. Mrs. Larson was the youngest in a family of ten children, four sons and six daughters, born to Thomas and Minerva (Phelps) Fryar and her birth is dated December 28, 1868. Her father was a native of England and came to America when eleven years of age and was married in the Empire state. He was a carriagemaker by trade. Mr. and Mrs. Larson are the parents of four children, as follows: Mary, Grace, Alice and Francis. Mr. Larson is a Republican in political faith, but does not take an active part in public affairs, devoting his at- tention strictly to his farm work and the develop- ment of that locality is due in a great measure to the efforts of such wide-awake and industrious citi- zens.

MAT MATTSON is one of the representa- tive business men of Eddy county and conducts the grain commission business at New Rockford,

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and is also engaged in general farming and is owner of extensive lands in that vicinity. He is a suc- cessful business man and influential citizen and highly esteemed.

Our subject was born in Sweden August 31, 1859, and was the oldest in a family of seven chil- dren. He was raised on a farm in his native land and received a common and high-school education, and at the age of nineteen years came to America and located at Red Wing, Minnesota. He was there employed in a clothing store as salesman three years, and in 1882 went to St. Paul, Minnesota, and was employed as clothing salesman six years in the United States Clothing House. He went from St. Paul to North Dakota, in 1888, and was engaged in clerking in the clothing house of Hohl & Hanson one year, and in the fall of 1889 entered into part- nership with D. Niven in the general merchandise business, under the firm name of Niven & Mattson, and conducted the business successfully till the spring of 1899, when Dowkes & Woodward became proprietors of the business. Mr. Mattson estab- lished the grain commission business in the fall of 1899 and solicits shipments of grain and deals in futures in grain, stock and provisions, and is suc- cessfully conducting the same. He owns one thou- sand acres of land nine miles northwest of New Rockford and cultivates six hundred acres. He engages in grain and stock raising, and his farm is valued at fifteen thousand dollars.

Our subject is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge and is prominent in the social affairs of the order and has represented his lodge at the Grand Lodge of the state for several years past. In political sentiment he is a Republican and is a man who keeps pace with the times and stands firmly for right and justice.

DR. WILLIAM C. SHURLOCK.

"Optima mors parca quae venit apta die." Propertius.

DR. WILLIAM C. SHURLOCK (deceased ) was born at Enon Valley. Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, on January 6, 1835. Died at Fargo, North Dakota, January 17, 1802. Attended Darlington Academy for a number of years, also Beaver Academy, Beaver county, Pennsylvania ; taught school in Darlington township for two or three years ; studied medicine with Dr. W. S. Cochrane, of Darlington, Pennsyl- vania, and attended lectures at Jefferson Medical College. Philadelphia : graduated from there in the year 1858. The same year commenced the prac- tice of medicine in Darlington, Pennsylvania, ; con- tinued there for sixteen years. Then moved to Beaver Falls, remained there for six years. Came to Fargo, North Dakota, in October, 1880.

He was enrolled and mustered into the service of the United States army for three years during the war, at l'ittsburg, Pennsylvania, on the 31st day of August, 1861, as captain of Company D, "Round-

heads," or One Hundredth Pennsylvania Volun- teers, commanded by Colonel Daniel Leasure. On the 28th of December, 1863, he was commissioned surgeon with the rank of major of Pennsylvania Volunteers : served as surgeon of the Fifty-First Pennsylvania Volunteers until the close of the war, was honorably discharged on the 6th day of June, 1865, at Alexandria, Virginia. - Was a member of the house of representatives of Pennsylvania in 1870, 1871, 1872 and 1873; was chief clerk of the house in 1874, 1877, 1878 and 1879.

He was a graduate of the class of 1858 of the Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia. He then returned to Darlington, Beaver county, Penn- sylvania, and entered upon the practice of his pro- fession. There he stayed until the echo of the first gun fired at Fort Sumter reverberated through Beaver county. He then thought it his duty to offer his services to his country. He raised a company of one hundred and ten men for the three-months service, but they were not accepted as the state's quota was filled. He kept his company together and when the time arrived he entered the service as captain of Company D, of the "Roundheads," or One Hundredth Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was in the taking of Port Royal and Beaufort, South Carolina, after which he was stricken down with disease with no prospect of recovering his health in that climate. On the recommendations of the surgeons of his regiment he was induced to resign on the 16th day of December, 1861. He went home and the change restored him to health and he again entered the service as assistant sur- geon in the One Hundredth Pennsylvania Volun- teers ; his commission dated July 15, 1862. He served with his regiment until December 28, 1863, when he was promoted to surgeon and ordered to report for duty to the Fifty-First Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers on the 9th day of March, 1864, and remained on duty as surgeon at the division hospital in the field, where he remained on duty until April 24, 1865, when he returned to his regi- ment and remained with it till June 6, 1865, when he was mustered out of service under orders of the war department for the reduction of the army, dated May 17, 1865.

Battles in which he participated were Port Royal, second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredricksburg, Vicksburg, Jackson, Blue Springs, Campbell's Station, siege of Knoxville, Widerness, Spottsylvania Court House, Cold Har- bor, North Anna, front of Petersburg, June 17th and 18th, Burnside's Mine. Weldin Railroad, Ream's Station, Poplar Grove, Church, Hatchie's Run. Fort Steadman, capture of Petersburg and fall of Rich- mond.

Brother Shurlock was a charter member of Far- go, now Auvergne, Commandery, and was a member thereof at the time of his death. He was also a member of El Zagal . Temple, A. A. O. Brother Shurlock was a man large physically, embonpoint, and equally large mentally. He possessed a wonder-

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ful fund of war reminiscences which he related in such an inimitable manner that he at once interested the most indifferent. He thoroughly believed in the German proverb, " Leben und lassen." Of the good things of life he had a peculiar appreciation and exemplified the ulterior meaning of the Egyptian saying, "Eat, drink and be merry, for to-morrow we die." He possessed the faculty of drawing men to him and enkindling in their hearts friendships that endure a lifetime.

He was eminently successful as a physician and his great skill in surgery was recognized and appre- ciated by his co-laborers in that professional field. At the time of his death he was president of the State Medical Association. His strong individ- uality, his genial qualities, his scholarly habits of thought impressed his associates and won their ad- miration and respect. He was a man amongst men, with faults and foibles that distinguished men from angels. These die with the body. Virtues, like the soul, live on, and by these we measure the man. " Virtue alone outbuilds the Pyramids ;

Her monuments shall last when Egypt falls.".

The niche which he occupied in life, there is no one to fill. Common men die and their places are filled as the water rushes in to replace the drop that is taken away. Not with those strong individu- alized souls, moulded either in clay, granite or that between; when death blasts them from earth the place they occupied still remains hollowed out in earth's life history. The soldier, the citizen, the physician has started on his pilgrimage with but the efforts of an earthly existence in his scrip to maintain hin. May his good deeds follow him and all else be left behind.

JAMES K. JOSLYN. The vast agricultural interests of Steele county, North Dakota, have been enhanced in a marked measure by the labors of such citizens and farmers as the above named gentleman. He is one of the progressive and enlightened men of Melrose township and his pleasant home on sec- tion 35 is evidence of his good taste and his entire estate evidences good management. He is the owner of seven quarter-sections of land and every appointment of his home farm is of the most ap- proved and modern style.

Our subject was born in Orleans county, Ver- mont, November 30, 1847, and was the sixth in a family of seven children born to Peter A. and Alice (Sartwell) Joslyn. His parents were both born in 1808, and the fatlier lived to the age of eighty- three years and the mother died at the advanced age of ninety years. His father was a mason and plasterer by trade.

Our subject began farming when a boy and at the age of seventeen years began working for others and devoted his earnings to the completion of his education. After attaining his majority he taught one term of school and then accepted a position as fireman on the C. & P. R. R., which he held two

years, and when twenty-three years of age became engineer and run freight and passenger engines for nine years. He then decided to turn his attention to farming and accordingly went to Hope, North Da- kota, in the spring of 1883, and feeling confident of success in that region invested in six hundred and forty acres of land within a mile of the village of Hope, in Steele county. He rented out his land the first season and in 1884 lived thereon alone and followed farming, and also began the improvements, which, as circumstances permitted, he enlarged upon. He had not the means with which to pay in full for his land, and he is now the owner of an extensive tract, which he has fully improved. His resi- dence, completed in 1887, is probably one of the best farm houses in the county and is a modern structure and furnishes every convenience and comfort. He built a commodious barn in 1892 and during the past year has erected a twelve-thousand-bushel-capacity elevator in which to conveniently stores his grain to take advantage of the market. He has taken great care in the selection of grain for seed, and does an extensive business in furnishing the same to his neighbors.

Our subject was married, in 1885, to Miss Cora Rugg. Three children were born to this union, as follows: Howard, deceased; Ethel and Edna, the last two named being twins. Mrs. Joslyn died in 1893. Mr. Joslyn was married to Miss Augusta Gray in 1895. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Joslyn, as follows: Alice, Everett and Claude. Our subject is prominent in public affairs of local importance, and is chairman of the township board, and has been a member of that body since the organization of the township. He is a supporter of the Congregational church, and is a man of exemplary character. Politically he is a Republican, and is a strong advocate of prohibition. He is a man who studies the questions of the day, and will always be found standing for justice and right, and is a man highly esteemed throughout the locality.

CHARLES EDWIN NEWBY. The pioneer settlers of a country are the ones who mold her destiny, and to those who went to Richland county in the early days of her history much credit is due for the present solid prosperity of that region. Among those who labored for the upbuilding of that county the gentleman above named should be accorded a foremost place. He has improved his estate and added to his possessions, and is now one of the prosperous and enterprising farmers of Fair- mount township, wherein his land is located, and he makes his home on section 7.

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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 72

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