Compendium history and biography of North Dakota; a history of early settlement, political history, and biography; reminiscences of pioneer life, Part 95

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 95

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Our subject was married in Richland county, North Dakota, June 24, 1885, to Miss Olivia Nelson, who was a native of Norway. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Erickson, named in order of birth as follows: Inga, Edward, Theo, Annie, Oscar, Melvin and Alfred. Mr. Erickson has depended on honest industrv to gain a comfort- able competence and has been rewarded for his ef- forts sufficiently to entitle him to a prominent place among the substantial men of his calling in Rich- land county.

JACOB H. DENNING, the first settler of Nor- way township, Dickey county, is one of the repre- sentative agriculturists of that region, and has one of the finest estates in his township. He resides on the homestead farm, on section 35, township 131, range 60, to which he entered claim in the early davs and which bears no semblance to the wild country as he first beheld it. He has gained his comfortable circumstances by persistent efforts and is a worthy and highly esteemed citizen.

Mr. Denning was born on a farm in Holmes county, Ohio, October 29, 1850, and was a son of Jacob and Mary Ann ( Wiley ) Denning. His father was a native of Pennsylvania and was a boot and shoe manufacturer. He died when our subject was but six years of age and the mother survived him many years and died in Bloomington, Illinois.

Our subject moved with his parents to Stark county, Ohio, when he was one year of age and re- sided twelve miles from Canton, until he reached the age of nine years. when they removed to McLean county, Illinois, locating near Bloomington. Here our subject grew to manhood and received his schooling and in 1874 rented land on which he en- gaged in farming until 1879, and then purchased land and resided thereon until he went to Dickey county, North Dakota, in March. 1883. He filed claim to made his home there. He has added to his pos-

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sessions from time to time and is now the fortunate possessor of four hundred and eighty acres of land, on which he has placed improvements of the best character and is surrounded by modern conveniences and enjoys rural life.

Our subject was married in McLean county, Illi- nois, December 23, 1874, to Miss Mary Etta Price, a native of that place, who was born October 2, 1853. Mrs. Denning is a daughter of Burwell R. and Eliza- beth ( Bishop) Price, who were early settlers of Illi- nois. Mr. Price was a successful farmer and sheep grower. He died in 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Denning are the parents of seven children, as follows : Lillie May, Warren W., Annie B., Roy A., Ira P., Ina E. and Addison H. The oldest three children were born in Illinois and the four younger were born in Dickey county, North Dakota. Mr. Denning is a member of the Masonic fraternity and Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is active in matters of a public nature and casts his influence for good local government. He is the present justice of the peace and has held numerous township offices of trust and enjoys the confidence of the people among whom he has resided for so many years.

K. S. RAMSETT, junior member of the firm of Peterson & Ramsett, well-known merchants of Fingal, Barnes county, is a man of more than or- dinary prominence in the business work1 and is de- servedly popular among his fellow citizens. He first saw the light of day on a farm near Madison, Dane county, Wisconsin, April 29, 1854, and is a son of Sever K. and Britha (Johnson) Ramsett, both na- tives of Norway. At an early day the father crossed the Atlantic and took up his residence in Wiscon- sin, where he has followed the occupation of farm- ing with good success for many years. He now makes his home in Vernon county, that state. The wife and mother died in 1874. In their family were eight children, our subject being the second in order of birth.

During his childhood Mr. Ramsett, of this sketch, accompanied his parents on their removal to Vernon county, Wisconsin, where his primary education was secured in the district schools. He then entered the Viroqua high school and after graduation from that institution was a student in the State University of Wisconsin for one year. He then came west and worked for the Great Northern Railroad Company in the Red river country for a short time. Return- ing to St. Paul, Minnesota, he entered the Curtis Commercial College, where he completed his edu- cation in 1882. The same year he same to Bis- marck, North Dakota, and secured a position as elerk with the firm of Yerxa & Emerson, grocery merchants at that place, with whom he remained for two years. He then moved a short distance north of Bismarck and in partnership with his brother, Ed- ward, under the firm name of Ramsett Brothers, opened a store at Washburn, where on a small scale they engaged in the mercantile business until 1892,

since which time our subject has been a resident of Fingal and carried on his present business, first as a member of the firm of Peterson & Ramsett and on January 1, 1900, Mr. Ramsett became the sole proprietor. He has a large and well-selected stock of general merchandise-one of the largest in the county-and by fair and honorable dealing has built up an excellent trade, which is constantly increasing. In 1897 Mr. Ramsett purchased one-half of the town site of Fingal from the Soo Railroad Company.

Mr. Ramsett was married, in Washburn, North Dakota, in 1888, to Miss Bertha M. Cumberland, a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1860, and they have one child, Maurice L. Politically, he is an ardent Republican and sociallv is quite a prominent member of the Masonic order, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and American Yeomen. He started out in life with nothing but his own indomit- able energy and his accumulation of this world's goods is attributable to his perseverance, industry and sound judgment in business affairs. Through his persistent efforts he succeeded in getting enough money to complete his education and the same en- ergy and perseverance have marked his entire busi- ness career, enabling him to overcome all the diffi- culties and obstacles in the path to success. He is well known among his fellow townsmen for his re- liability in all trade transactions and justly merits their confidence and regard.

B. H. TRANGSRUD, one of the pioneer settlers of Norman township, Cass county, is a foreign- born citizen, but since taking up his residence in America has become thoroughly identified with American ways and customs and is a man of pro- gressive ideas and has prospered in his chosen call- ing. He has a fine estate and operates over a thou- sand acres of land, comprising the homestead farm of his father and his own land.

Our subject was born in Norway, November 14, 1849, and was a son of Hans and Bertie (Johnson) Trangsrud. The family emigrated to America in 1870 and settled in Mitchell county, Iowa, and from there in 1871 went to Cass county, North Dakota, and there the father and our subject each took land, the father as a homestead, and our subject now resides thereon. The father died in February, 1897, and the mother survives and presides over the house- hold. They were the parents of five sons and one daughter, who now reside in North Dakota, as fol- daughter, who now resides in North Dakota, as follows: B. H., in Cass county; Ammen, in Cass county ; Axel, in the same county; Bertha, residing in Cass county; Johanis, now in Ran- som county, and Arne, in Sargent county. The family are members of the Lutheran church and the father assisted in building the first church in that section, now known as the Norman Lutheran church.

Our subject was reared and educated in Norway and came to America with his parents and entered

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a pre-emption claim to land near the old homestead and has followed farming there continuously since. He has met with remarkable success in his vocation and the family now owns twelve hundred and forty acres of choice land, on which has been placed good buildings and all arrangements completed which make it a model farm.

Mr. Trangsrud has served on the school board and also the township board for the past three years and is a man of active public spirit and is highly es- teemed by his associates. He is a member of the Lutheran church and is a gentleman of exemplary character. In political views he is a Republican.

JOHN KASPER. Persistent efforts and strict economy, supplemented by honest dealings, have placed this gentlemen in possession of one of the valuable estates of Durham township, in Stuts- man county, and given him an enviable reputation among his associates. He has acquired a tract of four hundred and eighty acres, and when he took up his residence in North Dakota he had but twelve dollars and no other means with which to begin his labors for himself, but he worked for others and steadily began to move forward toward the success which has since attended him.

Our subject was born in Switzerland, in 1865, and was the younger of two children born to George and Frano (Beyash) Kasper. His father was a carpenter by trade and died when our subject was but twelve years of age, and the mother died when he was about nine years of age.

Mr. Kasper was raised in the village and at- tended the village school, and then, soon after the death of his father, began working at farm labor in the vicinity of his native place. At the age of fifteen years he came to America, and went from New York to Wisconsin. After working for others in that state for several years he went to Rockford, North Dakota, in 1886, where he worked two years, and then spent three years working in Jamestown. He then went to Durham township, Stutsman county, in the spring of 1892, and en- gaged in farming on the land belonging to his father-in-law, and the next three years rented land near Jamestown. He returned to Durham town- ship in the spring of 1896, and engaged in farming, and is now the fortunate possessor of a fine farm. He has about three hundred and eighty acres of his land under cultivation and has a well-improved and thoroughly-equipped He engages principally in grain raising, but is interested to some extent in the raising of cattle.

Our subject was married, in 1892, to Miss Mary Freid, who was born and raised in Wisconsin. Mrs. Kasper's father, Peter Freid, came to America fom Switzerland, and was an early settler in Da- kota and one of the foremost farmers in the coun- ty. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kasper, as follows: Louis P., born March 16, 1893; Charles E., born September 12, 1894;

and Ursula, born April 26, 1899. Mr. Kasper is a member of the Ancient Order of United Work- men, and in political sentiment is a Democrat.

THE GOOSE RIVER BANK, at Mayville, Traill county, was established in 1881 and enjoys the distinction of being the oldest institution of its kind in the county. It was incorporated as a state bank in 1891 and under the presidency of Chandler S. Edwards has become one of the sound financial enterprises of that section. The capital and surplus is sixty thousand dollars. N. K. Hubbard, L. B. Gibbs and J. A. Loomis founded it as a private bank.

CHANDLER S. EDWARDS, the present president of the above named institution, was born in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, November 13, 1863, and was the elder of two sons born to Rev. Dr. J. H. and Caroline (Starr) Edwards. His father now resides in the city of New York.

Mr. Edwards while engaged in academic work was forced to give up his studies on account of fail- ing health and at the age of seventeen years, in 1881, went to Traill county, North Dakota, where he accepted a position as bookkeeper on the Mayville farm and held the place until 1886. He then pur- chased a partnership in the bank with which he is now associated and became cashier and in 1893 be- came president. In company with Mr. Grandin, under the firm name of Grandin & Edwards, he also operates a general real estate and insurance busi- ness.

Mr. Edwards was married, in 1899, to Alice Crandall. Mr. Edwards is a young man of excep- tional business tact and executive ability and he en- joys the confidence of the business men among whom he resides. He is energetic, intelligent and pro- gressive and is one of the rising young men of North Dakota. Politically, he is a Republican and is a man of broad ideas and one who keeps pace with public events. He is also interested in large tracts of the best farming land in the Red river valley of North Dakota, which he rents and sells on the crop pay- ment plan to farmers in small tracts, which is of great benefit to the state by settling up lands with actual bona fide settlers. In fact, he has made a specialty of splitting up large tracts of land into small farms and selling to actual settlers. He is also president of the Portland State Bank, of Portland, North Dakota, and president of the Cummings State Bank, of Cummings, North Dakota, and a director in the Clifford State Bank, of Clifford, North Da- kota.

OLE O. HERBRANDSON. One of the well-cultivated tracts of Norman township, Cass county is ably conducted by the subject of this review. He was reared in Dakota, and has been identified with the progress and growth of the town- ship in which he resides since its early settlement,

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and is widely and favorably known as a farmer and citizen.

Our subject was born in Houston county, Min- nesota, October 28, 1858. His parents, Ole and Carrie Herbrandson, emigrated to America from Norway about 1850 and settled in Houston county, Minnesota, and resided there until 1872, when they removed to Cass county, North Dakota, and the father homesteaded land on section 14 of Norman township, where he still resides, and where the mother died in 1888. They were the parents of three sons, all of whom live in North Dakota. The family are members of the Lutheran church and are held in high esteem throughout Cass county.

Our subject was reared and educated in North Dakota, and has followed farming there continu- ously since attaining his majority, and is now pro- prietor of a well-improved estate. His real estate consists of two hundred and forty acres of land. and he has erected a complete set of good buildings on the place, and is recognized as one of the sub- stantial men of Norman township.

Our subject was married, March 29, 1882, to Miss Gunil Huffen, a native of Norway. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Herbrand- son, as follows: Caroline, Olava. Ole and Ma- tilda. all of whom are living. The family are members of the Lutheran church, and are esteemed highly in the community in which they make their home. Mr. Herbrandson is a wide-awake and energetic farmer, and his estate is well managed and improved, and he commands respect and esteem wherever he is known.

EBERHARDT O. FAUSETT. Among the better class of agriculturists, whose fine estates evidence good management and enterprise, this gentleman stands in a high rank. He resides in section 30, of Liberty township, Ransom county, and is surrounded by every comfort of a rural home. He is the owner of one section of land, and has acquired his property by the exercise of honest in- dustry and strict economy.

Our subject was born in Norway December 16, 1848, and was the eldest of nine children, born to Ole and Olive ( Hanson) Fausett at Jatrud, both of whom are now living in Iowa. The family came to America in 1866, settling in Mitchell county, fowa, and in 1872 our subject began in the hard- ware business in Lyle, Minnesota, and continued till the spring of 1881, when his business failed, and he saved but sixty dollars. He then went to Ranson county, North Dakota, and worked one year at Fargo at carpenter work, and in the spring of 1882 went to his farm to reside. Sickness visited his family, and he worked at carpenter work for another year, and also got fifty acres of land broke, and the second year from the proceeds of his crop purchased a team of horses for $400. He has since purchased three quarter-sections of land. His residence, 38x38 feet with a fine stone cellar, is well finished and is

valued at about $1,500. It is the finest dwelling in Liberty township, and was built by our subject. His barn is fifty-six feet square, and furnishes abundant shelter for stock and products. He keeps Durham and Hereford cattle, and makes a specialty of butter making.

Our subject was married, in 1872, to Miss Rande Hagen, who died in 1874, leaving two children, Olaf and Rosina, now Mrs. M. Johnson, of North Dakota. Mr. Fausett married Miss Oline Gold- burg in 1875. Three children were born to this union, as follows: Anna, deceased ; Nora and Ed- win, deceased. Mr. Fausett is a member of the Masonic fraternity and Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a communicant of the Lutheran church. He is active in public matters, and has served as township clerk, and assisted in the organi- zaion of the school and civil townships. Polit- ically he is a Populist, and an earnest worker for his party principles. He was a delegate to the na- tional convention at Omaha in 1892, and served on the platform committee, and was one of the organ- izers of the party in Ransom county. He was presi- dent of the first Farmers' Alliance of Ransom county, and is a man whose influence is felt through- out that locality. A portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Fau- sett appears on another page.

KNUDT A. JOHNSON, proprietor of one of the fine farms of Norway township, Steele county, is one of the men in whose coming to that section all who honor honest industry and good citizen- ship can rejoice. He is one of the earliest pio- neers of Steele county, and can recounty with un- erring accuracy many experiences and the early history of that region. He is the owner of a well- improved farm, and has gained his possessions by earnest efforts, and aided materially in extending and developing the vast agricultural interests of Dakota.

Our subject was born in Dane county, Wis- consin, April 3, 1855, and was the oldest in a fam- ily of four children. His parents, Osmond and Aase (Windloss) Johnson, were of Norwegian birth. When our subject was about twelve years of age the family settled in Worth county, Iowa, and there he remained at home until he attained his majority, receiving a common-school education. He went to Dakota on a visit to his cousin, Mr. Windloss, in the spring of 1880, and filed claim to land on section II, in Norway township. He built a small dwelling place, half dugout, and arranged a place for cooking outside, and with an oyster can for a coffe-pot and friendly gophers for com- panions he began a life not wholly devoid . of charms. After he had made his filings on his land his finances consisted of seven cents, and with himself and a team of horses to keep he saw but a few idle minutes. As he characteristically ex- presses, "In those days there was nothing to Da- kota but mosquitoes and distance. The distance

MR. AND MRS. E. O. FAUSETT.

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was unbroken by habitation of man, and the mos- quito was lank, and hungry for a taste of the sturdy pioneer." Mr. Johnson passed the first winter with Mr. Windloss, in the latter's shanty, and the following summer was joined by his mother, who took charge of the home.

Mr. Johnson was married, in 1883, to Miss An- toinette Anderson. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, as follows: Albert, Andrew, Christina, Oscar, Carl, Nettie, Betsey, Selmer and Hilma. Carl and Nettie are twins. Mr. Johnson is an active member of the Lutheran church, and is a man of exemplary character. He has held various offices in the county and township. He was one of the organizers of Norway township, and was then assessor for five years, and was chairman of the board of supervisors several terms and is the present township clerk, having held the office four years, and district clerk since 1896. He is well known as a Populist in political sentiment and is an ardent worker for reform principles, attending county and state conventions of his party, and is identified with all of the affairs of public interest. He is a man universally respected and esteemed.

AARON FAUST, a representative farmer of Barnes county, is a resident of section 4 in Hobert township, and is the owner of an extensive farm. He has acquired a comfortable income and a high reputation by his earnest efforts and strict atten- tion to. business.

Mr. Faust was born on a farm in Sweden, July 14, 1851, and was a son of Tora and Engh (Andersen) Faust. His father was a farmer and carpenter by occupation, and died in his native land in 1858. The mother emigated to America and settled in North Dakota late in life and died in Barnes county at an advanced age.

Our subject attended school and worked on his father's farm until 1871, when, in company with his brother Jacob, he came to America and located in Pennsylvania. He remained in Warren county, that state, three years, and then went to Stockton, California, where he worked at farming until 1880, and in the spring of that year went to Barnes coun- ty, North Dakota, then a territory. He filed on land as a homestead claim, and is now the owner of eleven hundred acres of land. He has met with unbounded success in the pursuit of agriculture, and has a well-improved estate.

Mr. Faust was married, in St. Paul, Minne- sota, in 1883, to Anna Holmquist, a native of Swe- den. Mrs. Faust was born April 27, 1861, and came to America in 1873. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Faust, six of whom are now living. Our subject is a member of the An- cient Order of United Workmen. He is a com- municant of the Lutheran church, and is a man of excellent character, and enjoys the esteem of his fellow men.

PETER MCKINNON. Richland has many energetic and wide-awake men among the younger members of its agricultural districts, and the gen- tleman above named occupies a prominent place in that class. His name will be readily recognized by the people of Antelope township as a prosperous farmer of section 26. He has been a resident of that county since his childhood days, and is highly respected throughout that locality.

Mr. Mckinnon was born in Lucknow, Bruce county, Ontario, December 22, 1866. His parents, Donald and Euphemia ( Mckinnon) Mckinnon, are residents of Antelope township, Richland coun- ty, and the father is a well-known early settler of that region. They were the parents of seven children, our subject being the second in order of birth. Peter Mckinnon lived in his native place until he was eleven years of age, when he went to North Dakota with his parents, and the family made their home in Wheatland, Cass county, about a year and a half, after which they moved to Rich- land county and settled in Antelope township. Our subject received a common-school education, and has devoted his life to the pursuit of agri- culture. He is now the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of land in Antelope township, and has a well-improved tract.

Mr. Mckinnon is a prominent member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and attends the Congregational church of Antelope. He takes an active part in church work, and is a man of pleasing address and social nature. Politically he is a Republican, and stands firmly for the princi- ples of his party. He has held all of the more important offices of his township, and in the fall of 1898 was elected county commissioner for a term of two years. His services have always been willingly given, and he is ever ready to advance the welfare of his community. Public enterprises meet with his hearty support when their feasibility is apparant, and he has attained a high place in the minds of his associates as a progressive and in- telligent young man.

CHARLES L. MEDBERRY, proprietor of one of the finest farms of Cass county, is an early settler of Addison township, and his name is closely connected with the advancement and de- velopment of the agricultural interests of his com- munity. He entered Dakota with a firm deter- mination to succeed, and is now one of the sub- stantial men of his calling, and is highly respected by his fellow men.

Our subject was born at Saratoga Springs, New York, August 1, 1841. His parents, Abner H. and Alma C. ( Bartlett) Medberry, were natives of New York, and the father was a farmer. He removed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1852, and from there to Dodge county, Wisconsin, where he died in 1877, the mother passing away the same year.

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Our subject was one of four sons and is the only one in North Dakota. He was reared and educated in Wisconsin and there engaged in farm- ing and followed the same there, and was also an engineer at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, until 1878. In that year he went to Cass county, North Dakota, and purchased railroad land in section 7 of Addi- son township, where he has since resided. He owns a section of land, on which he has placed modern improvements, and he enjoys the comforts of rural life.

Mr. and Mrs. Medberry are the parents of two sons and one daughter, named as follows: Lynn C., Bertrand and Maude R. Mr. Medberry is a man who keeps pace with the times and is interested in the welfare of his community, but has never sought nor filled public office, preferring to lend his influence in other directions for the upbuilding of the public good. He cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln, and has advocated the principles of the Republican party since that date.

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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 95

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