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NORTH DAKOTA BOOK OR AUTHOR

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NORTH UAKOIA S 1 A 1 L LIBRARY

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Watford City Golden Jubilee.

NORTH DAKOTA STATE LIBRARY

BISMARCK 58501

MAR 9 - 1972 An Early McKenzie County Threshing Scene Left to right: Paul Zerk, Unidentified, John Farness, Ole Olson, Don Lester, Elmer Crowl, Art Kieson, Frank Tank, Tom Palmer, Unidentified, Joe Plein, Helmer Peterson, Children Unidentified.

Watford City MM

Golden Jubi

Watford City, North Dakota

50 Years of Progress

June 20, 21,22, 23, 1964

1914-1964

-fr

NORTH DAKOTA STAiE LIB BISMARCK

Greetings to Our Readers

A half century ago the place where the city of Watford City now flourishes was wind swept

prairie. There were no trees, no houses, no fences, no telephones, and no roads. Cattle grazed where

we now find prosperous looking homes and fields of golden grain. From the few small homes and

business places, which marked the beginning of Watford City, a fine city has grown and prospered.

This historical book has been compiled that the present generation may know the joys and sor­

rows experienced by our forefathers through the years of drought and the years of plenty. The

high ideals of those early pioneers have endured through the years and now shine forth in the

fine men, women, and children who are the citizens of Watford City and McKenzie County.

Information for this book has been furnished by some of the pioneers and by others in sym­

pathy with the project. It cannot be said that all statements, stories, and dates are entirely cor­

rect. Many who furnished data had no written record and gave the information from memory.

Should mistakes be made, and no doubt there are some, please be kind and know that the ama­

teur writers did the best they could with the material furnished.

The histories of many early settlers do not appear as no information concerning them was avail­

able.

To those who so generously purchased advertising space, to those who furnished pictures and in­

formation, and to the McKenzie County pioneers themselves we say, sincerely: "Thank you—You

have made this publication possible."

Golden Jubilee Book Committee

Thekla Rosing's Homestead Shack East of Watford City

Mrs. Ole Amundson and Mrs. Pete Vildmo Having Tea

Dedication loHH

HOMESTEADERS 1 IB COUNTY U.0

TO THOSE STURDY PIONEERS WHO ENACTED

THE FIRST CHAPTERS OF THE HISTORY OF

WATFORD CITY AND McKENZIE COUNTY AND

TO THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN'S

CHILDREN THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED.

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To the Pioneers

Through untamed grasses on verdant soil To unlimited skylines the pioneers came, In the face of a blizzard or scorching drought, To build a new frontier on prairie claim. Theirs was the courage and strength of faith That sweat and toil on God's green earth And sowing seeds on a virgin land Would lay the foundations for future birth;— That new generations here would grow From the dauntless toil of the pioneer's hand To a better life as we see it now In a prosperous epoch throughout our land. Today has been built on the yesterdays Of the noble women and men who stood Unconquered by trials in their rustic life And taught us a lesson in brotherhood. The pioneer's tools were the scythe and plow; The sod house a refuge from atmosphere Of hail and blizzards, or hungry wolves, And hazards of living from year to year. Yet the fortitude of our pioneers Has left us a lasting heritage; And in looking back on these fifty years Their cenotaphs glow on history's page! Far above marks of material gain Are the heartfelt tributes of well earned praise To the old timers here in their golden years . . . Or the unsung pioneers in lonely graves!

Elvina Granlie McNamara

William Kummer Breaking Sod in 1908.

On a Government Claim

Mr. and Mrs. Maxim Karpyak and Girls in 1911

111 say a few words if only I can And tell you about my excellent plan. You find me out here on West River Plain Farming with horses on a government claim.

Hurrah for this country, the land of the free Home of the grasshopper, chinchbug and flea. Oh I'll tell of its joys and sing of its fame While dragging one foot on my government claim.

Then come to this country, there's room for you all Where the winds never cease and the rains never fall Where the sun never sets but sweetly remains Until it burns up the crops on our government claims.

The walking plow's gone, and the sulky plow too, The plow horses went to the foxes and zoo. No more shocking at night, no more stacking of grain 0 how happy I feel on my government claim.

At threshing there's not a sixteen man crew My wife cooks a meal now only for two. The grain scoop and shovel are near obsolete We auger or blow it with the greatest of speed.

Our tractor eats gas, our horses ate oats The tractor wears out, where the mares raised some colts. The tractor makes surplus of grain to the sky While people who are hungry have no money to buy.

Hurrah for this country where blizzards arise Where the sun never sets and the hopper never dies Come join in the chorus and sing of his fame The Honyock who's still on a government claim.

-Author Unknown

Table of Contents

PAGE

I. TITLE PAGE 1

II. GREETINGS TO OUR READERS 2

III. DEDICATION 3

IV. TO THE PIONEERS 4

V. ON A GOVERNMENT CLAIM 5

VI. HISTORY OF WATFORD CITY 7-9

VII. NORTH DAKOTA, THE GOOD YEARS 9

VIII. IN THE DAYS GONE BY 10-11

IX. THE NORTH DAKOTA HYMN 13

X. REMEMBER WHEN 14

XI. RARE PERSONALITIES 15 & 18

XII. THE MADSON GRADE 19

XIII. McKENZIE COUNTY COURT HOUSE 20

XIV. EARLY BUSINESSES 21-28

XV. CHURCH HISTORY 28-37

XVI. THE SOD BUSTERS 38

XVII. AGRICULTURAL STABILIZATION AND CONSERVATION OFFICE 39

XVIII. McKENZIE COUNTY EXTENSION WORK 41

XIX. McKENZIE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. 41

XX. WATFORD CITY BANDS 42

XXI. WATFORD CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY 43

XXII. McKENZIE COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 44

XXIII. FIRST SUNDAY SCHOOL 45

XXIV. GOOD SHEPHERD HOME 46-47

XXV. McKENZIE COUNTY FARMER 48

XXVI. WATFORD CITY PARK 49

XXVII. ORGANIZATIONS 50-61

XXVIII. FAMILY HISTORY 64-265

XXIX. SCHOOL HISTORY 266-295

XXX. SCENES OF YESTERYEAR 296-299

XXXI. GOLDEN JUBILEE COMMITTEES AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 300

XXXII. INDEX TO ADS 301

XXXIII. INDEX TO BIOGRAPHIES 302-303

History of Watford City "History is a pageant, not a philosophy"

—Birrell

Before the railroad came into McKenzie County, it

was known as the Island Empire, almost entirely

surrounded by rivers—the Missouri, the Little Mis­

souri and the Yellowstone. The inland village of Scha-

fer was the county seat. By 1914, the Great Northern

Railway had penetrated to within five miles west of

Schafer. The plan had been to build the railroad due

east thru the Badlands east of Schafer and connect

with the railroad at New Rockford, but for reasons

best known to the railroad company, they decided to

discontinue building at this point. They would how­

ever, build down into the beautiful valley where Scha­

fer lay, if Mr. Charles Schafer would cooperate. The

railroad company would very much like to have the

land occupied by Mr. Schafer's ranch site. The reason

for desiring this location was to obtain possession of

the two big springs of water there. Mr. Schafer did

not feel that he could give this water up and so re­

fused to sell. Impending war in Europe may also

have contributed to the decision not to continue build­

ing at this time.

The Northern Land and Townsite Company, which

is a department of the Great Northern Railway Com­

pany, then bought land from Dave Scollard, which he

had homesteaded, and platted what is now the original

townsite of Watford City. Mr. Scollard's homestead

shack stood on the hill just west of the townsite and

was there until recently. The lovely home of Mr. and

Mrs. F. G. Gludt, now graces the spot.

The townsite company advertised that lots would be

sold on a certain day in June, 1914, and on that day

there was an exodus out of Schafer and the surround­

ing country. Practically every man for miles around

and many women attended this sale and most of the

lots along the two blocks of the main street and some

residential lots were sold. Building began immediately.

Many business places and homes were moved from

Schafer though it continued to be a nice little village

as long as the county seat remained there.

A school and churches were established early. The

old school house still stands up on the hill and looks

much as it did when first built in 1916, but it is now

used for county purposes. The Lutheran, Catholic, and

Presbyterian were the first churches established.

In June, 1915, the village of Watford was incor­

porated. Dr. V. G. Morris is given credit for the name

Watford, remembering his old home in Watford, On­

tario, but a year later the word City was added be­

cause of confusion in mail, express and freight with

the town of Wolford. So we have Watford City. The

first election for village officers was held on June 7,

1915, and Trustees George Johnson, H. P. Lundeen,

and J. P. Christensen were elected. 0 . L. Cassady

was treasurer, J. J. Martin, clerk. Some of the first

projects to come before the new board were the

purchase of a light plant and protection against fire.

All of the buildings in the new village were built of

wood and fire was a major hazard. Two chemical en­

gines were purchased at a cost of $725.00 for the two.

The light plant cost $1,500.00. A village marshal was

appointed and he was paid $10.00 a month. During

these early days there was a need for a pound master.

Cattle and horses were running free and were damag­

ing gardens and yards. Some of the first ordinances

found necessary had to do with prohibiting swine and

chickens within the village limits, the location of hitch­

ing posts, the removal of hay stacks from main street

and doing away with chimney jacks. Curfew was at

nine o'clock.

In March, 1917, an epidemic of small pox broke

out and Dr. Morris and Dr. P. O. C. Johnson, who was

just starting to practice had their hands full. The epi-

demic continued through the summer and into the

winter. Several houses and the Stevens Hotel were

quarantined and declared pest houses. Signs were post­

ed, schools were closed, gatherings prohibited and dogs

killed. There were no fatalities among the patients but

some were very ill.

From the very beginning, a band and a baseball

team were organized and kept alive by the enthusiastic

participants by their own efforts and a little aid from

village funds. The tourist park was opened in 1928.

Up to 1928 the village had been supplied with water

from two public wells and privately owned wells and

cisterns. Then in 1928 the first petition for a water

works system was received by the village board of

trustees. The Ladies Commercial Club, out of which

has grown the present Watford City Woman's Club,

was responsible for bringing the matter of water works

before the village board on several occasions and each

time the question of bonding the village for this pur­

pose was brought before the voters and each time

voted down. In May, 1931, another election was held

and this time carried, that bonds in the amount of

$15,000.00 be sold for the purpose of installing a

water works system.

At about this time it was thought by many that a

commission form of government would be better and

in March, 1934, the voters so decided and at a May

election, Dr. H. U. Winner was elected the first may­

or. Alderman, 1st. Ward, S. C. DeTienne, and C. D.

Grantier; 2nd. Ward, R. H. Putnam and W. A. Schoen-

lein; 3rd. Ward, J. P. Christensen and W. J. Robinson.

In the meantime it had been discovered that the

$15,000.00 planned for the water works was not

sufficient and another election for the issuing of

$30,000.00 in bonds for this purpose was held and ap­

proved. So at least we were on the way to having a

waterworks system. The thirties were years of depres­

sion, when many people were out of work and the

PWA was established by our government. Much of the

work on the water works system was accomplished

with PWA labor. And, of course, water meant sewer­

age. So we went on issuing more and more bonds and

using as much PWA labor as possible. The first part

of the water works system was accepted in July, 1936,

but many extensions have been made since then. Work

on the sewer system was begun in March, 1937, and

completed that same year. It was also a PWA project.

Another PWA project was a hospital building. Un­

der the supervision of the city council it was complet­

ed and accepted in October, 1940, but for lack of

funds it could not be equipped and staffed.

The county seat removal question had been placed

on the ballot at several elections. Alexander, Arnegard,

and Watford City were all trying to win it away from

Schafer. In 1940, petitions were again circulated with

Alexander and Watford City being the contenders. Aft­

er a hot campaign a special election was held on No­

vember 5th, 1940, at which time Watford City won by

the narrow majority of 137 votes. Alexander protested

the election but the protest was denied and in April,

1941, the county commissioners passed a resolution de­

claring Watford City to be the legal county seat. They

were then faced with the problem of finding space into

which to move the county seat offices. The courthouse

at Schafer was unfit to be moved and there seemed

to be no suitable place at Watford City until someone

came up with the idea of using the new hospital build­

ing. It had continued to be an expense though not in

use. Insurance had to be kept up on it and it was

necessary to have a watchman to protect against van­

dalism, besides there were other expenses. Some of the

firms to whom money was owed on the building were

threatening suit. The city had no money with which

to meet these demands so the building was sold to the

county to be used for a courthouse. The selling price

was $4,000. This amount covered the indebtedness

against it. The county had to do some remodeling and

to add vaults before moving into the building and

the final removal was not accomplished until July 1941.

This building is now considered inadequate and prob­

ably before many years a new courthouse will be in

the planning.

8

J. P. CHRISTENSEN'S STORE

The original two blocks of business have stretched out

and overflowed onto adjoining blocks and along high­

ways. We have a county fair. The Chamber of Com­

merce and other service clubs and lodges are very ac­

tive and a credit to our town.

Watford City is now celebrating the first fifty years

of its existence. They have been growing, formative

years. It has now reached maturity and the time has

come to pass it on to the next generation to continue

the work. What will happen when the year 2014 ar­

rives? We "Old Timers" would like to know.

Ethel M. Robinson

This has taken you over about thirty years of Wat­

ford City's early history, just touching the high lights.

During that time and since it has made a steady growth,

always forging ahead, even during depression and war

years. Elsewhere in this book will appear the names of

all the good men who have served on the village and

city boards. They deserve more credit than ever given

to such services. In searching the proceedings we find

that they must have had many a headache over mat­

ters that were brought to their attention. In May, 1947,

the board at that time passed a resolution creating a

Planning Commission pursuant to a Session Law passed

in 1943. This commission consists of five persons

appointed by the board with the mayor, the city at­

torney, and the city engineer as ex-officio members. It

lightens the work of the board and gives more time for

the consideration of changes and improvements.

During recent years much has been accomplished

for all to see and enjoy. We now have paving and

sidewalks and garbage disposal. Many additions have

been made to the city limits and comfortable homes

have been built. Our school is one of the finest in the

state and our churches have grown and expanded. We

have two lovely well-cared for parks, a swimming pool

and play ground, hospital, a public library, city hall

and a home for the aged. Our fire department is still

a volunteer organization and very efficient. The equip­

ment provided by the city is up-to-date and no serious

fire losses have occurred for some time. The face of

the main street has changed entirely. The frame build­

ings have gradually disappeared and been replaced by

or remodeled into fire proof modern places of business.

NORTH DAKOTA, THE GOOD YEARS (Taken from the Time Magazine, April 3, 1944)

Across the jagged Badlands, over the rolling plains of stubble wheat, and even in Watford City (pop. 1,087), there were still solid patches of snow. But the miracle had happened. Throughout North Dakota, the big thaw had come. The hard-bitten men who farm the northern tip of the one-time poverty-stricken U. S. "dust bowl" had survived a decade of dust, drought, WPA, grasshoppers and mortgages. Now, after a three-year spell of war and golden weather, they could af­ford a little fun in town.

At the City Bar's wide wooden counter, McKenzie County farmers, their jeans heavy with cash, drank up to 40 cases of beer a day. At Christensen's Hardware Store, they stripped the shelves nearly bare. They played poker, guzzled, loafed and had Doc. Winner put gold in their teeth.

Lean, grizzled old Lawyer W. S. Taylor, sat back from making out income tax returns (at $3.00 each), and pulled on his pipe. "These boys are really making the dough this year. When the Lord gets around to raining on this land, it'll raise anything."

Dr. Harry Ulysses Winner, the county's only dentist, was booked up solid for seven weeks. He had his lunch brought in and worked in his laboratory at night. The two cages of the First International Bank were so crowded that Cashier O. N. Stenehjem greeted depositors at his own desk. Said he: "Our main trouble is finding a place to invest all this money."

In the Days Gone by

BACHELOR GIRLS CLUB—1913

BACK ROW, L.-R.: Nannie Bakke, Maude Larson, Francis Shafer, Leona Zeller, Bessie Jacobson, Theresa Anderson, Nan Frazee

FRONT ROW, L.-R.: Amanda Richardson, Ethel Robinson, Mrs. Gibb Jones, Bessie Madson, Lillie Hagen

4th of July Celebration in Watford City in 1916. Leona Zeller's Decorated Car—1st prize

4th of July in Watford 1915.

10

Earl Stedman packing sod (breaking) with two horses and two oxen in 1910 near Berg, east of Watford City.

THE BERG BASEBALL TEAM IN 1912.

FRONT ROW, L.-R.: Paul Sigurdson, LeRoy Johnson, Billie Wizel, Alfred Bernson, Haaken Severson, Johriie Budd

BACK ROW, L.-R.: Ole Anderson, Eddie Stedman, Earl Stedman, Joe Lockerum, M. Stedman BACKGROUND: George Cram

II

H. H. Johnson's Homestead Shack— 1910

Ethel Robinson's Homestead Shack 1910

Joe Bricker's Homestead Shack—1910

M. L. Stedman's Homestead Shack in 1909. This shack was plastered inside and out with clay butte cement.

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i Krf Shoe Bar Ranch East of Watford City

The North Dakota Hymn

JAMES W. FOLEY

James W. Foley, one of North Dakota's most be­

loved poets, wrote the words to the North Dakota Hymn

on two sheets of hotel stationery in the Park Hotel in

Watford City on October 17, 1926. W. S. Shirk was

then the proprietor of the Park Hotel, the Traveler's

home.

As Mr. Foley was driving from a picnic site under

the trees in Oakdale Park on the side of Killdeer

Mountain across the plains and valleys to Chandler's

Crossing of the Little Missouri, he was so inspired by

the natural beauty that when he checked into the

Park Hotel in Watford City he composed the words

to the North Dakota Hymn. He had been invited to

speak at the McKenzie County Teachers' Institute.

The next morning, as he came down to breakfast,

he handed Miss Minnie Nielson, who was then the

State Superintendent of Public Instruction, two sheets

of hotel stationery. "'There it is," he said.

At 9 o'clock the McKenzie County Teachers' Institute

convened. Its members for the first time heard the

North Dakota Hymn sung by a local quartet to the

music of the "Austrian Hymn."

That same evening Superintendent of Williston

Schools Harry E. Polk hastily assembled a 35-voice

choir which presented the new song to the opening of

the Williams County Teachers' Institute.

The words, then had been born of an automobile

drive through the Badlands. The new music followed

afterwards. Strangely enough, it was composed by ac­

cident.

NEW MANAC.EM.NT

PARK HOTEL THE TRAVELERS HOME

WATFORD CITY, N. D.

PARK HOTEL THE TRAVELER'S HOME

WATFORD CITY. N. D.

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A photostatic copy of the hotel stationery

13

Remember When S. R. Wood and Co. sold a 5 lb. can of Bell Coffee for $1.50. F. J. Steffeck was County Supt. of Schools. J. Zeller sold a complete set of granite and copper ware for $8. each. Walla and Vildmo held their free Saturday auctions with T. G. Courser as auctioneer. The business section received its first electric lights on Dec. 28,1915. Motor cars sold for $100. J. P. Christensen sold "Henney Make" buggies. The Watford Hotel and Cafe provided hot baths on Wednesday and Saturday

nights. James W. Douthitt was manager. The Watford Dramatic Club presented the "Man From Borneo" on Mar. 23, 1916. Mennenga and Chase sold Aprol gingham at 7 % cents per yard. The Walk Over Shoes with the star on every heel for ladies were popular. Ford and Chaussee sold corset covers for twenty-five cents. E. S. Ferguson opened "The Owl" in 1916. The Watford City Orchestra was in frequent demand. Detroit Vapor Stoves worked like city gas. Green and Klepstien operated the bowling alley in 1916. The frame Watford City school was built at a cost of $7,500, in August, 1916.

Harris Rude was principal. J. H. Hinds managed the City Dray Lines. Three hundred chairs arrived for the Watford City Opera House operated by C. A.

Barrett. The 4th of July celebration of 1915 lasted for three days. The town's name was only Watford. Lundin Bros, sold two ten cent cigars for eleven cents. Mr. O'Brien organized the Watford Cornet Band in March, 1915. J. J. Martin sold the Happy Farmer tractors at $550. The graphonola was in most front rooms. The Peaceful Valley Whist club was organized with H. B. Johnson and Misses I. W.

Higgins, E. C. Ingram, R. A. Rickstad, L. B. Hildee, and R. B. Eames; Messrs. J. B. Johnson, H. H. Johnson, H. E. Conant, 0 . A. Luken, A. E. Hively, and J. P. Christensen.

THE BANNON CASE

The worst tragedy that ever occurred in this area was in February, 1930, when Charles Bannon murdered the six members of the Albert E. Haven family who farmed about five miles northeast of Watford City. It created national acquaintance. Charles was a hired man for the Havens and apparently he started on his murder rampage after a quarrel with the eldest boy. He shot and killed Mr. and Mrs. Haven and their four children to death, clubbing some of them to death. He then buried their bodies in the yard and the hills surrounding the farm. After confessing the crime a year afterwards, an angry mob seized him and lynched him from the Shafer bridge. Sheriff S. A. Thompson tried to save the life of the prisoner from the angry mob but was overpowered. This was the 16th and last lynching in N. Dak. All six members of the Haven family are buried in the Schafer cemetery at Watford City. His father was tried for the crime as accomplice and was sentenced to life impris­onment.

J. S. Taylor, Charles Bannon, Earl Gorden, Charles Jacobson

14

Rare Personalities

CARLA BECKEN

Carla Becken, who walks in partial darkness and stillness, was born in Westby, Wisconsin, May 21, 1896. Despite her severe vision and hearing handicap, she writes a weekly news column in the McKenzie County Farmer. She gathers all her material by telephone and without taking notes. When she is ready to write her column, she completes it in one session at her typewriter. She also writes the news for the Good Shepherd Home. Com­menting dubiously on her unusual memory Mrs. Becken said, "If it is better than average, it is due to training in mathematics." She received her B.S. degree with a major in math from the University of Minn, in 1926. She also gives the once-a-month Bible study lessons for the Garden and Banks Ladies Aids. She lives alone in Watford City.

DORA B. ERICKSON

Dora B. Erickson was declared the "N.D. Mother of the Year" in 1957 when she was 80 years of age. On May 1, 1957, she went to New York City to compete for the national title. She belongs to that fast disappearing gen­eration that came West to live in a one-room shack and with seven small children taught school and did all her own work. She represents all that made the West grow and prosper, whether in Montana, or N. D. Mrs. Erick­son is a retired school teacher and Deputy County Supt. of schools in McKen­zie County. Presently she resides in the Good Shepherd Home in Watford City. She is 87 years of age and enjoys good health. Her sense of humor is delightful and her spirit is utterly indomitable.

HELEN JOST

Helen Jost, a polio victim since she was five years of age, taught school for thirty-eight years in McKenzie County. She was born at Alma, Wisconsin, and has been wearing braces since she was ten. Prior to this time, she crept. She graduated from the Alma High School at Alma, Wis­consin, and received her standard teaching certificate from the Dickinson State Teachers College. Miss Jost remembers pouring water down the cracks by the school windows with the hopes it would freeze to keep out the cold wintry air. Many times during the winter months she slept in the school at night and by morning the water in the pail had frozen. She was also an excellent batter when playing baseball. One of her pupils did the running for her. She is highly esteemed by all her former pupils and a great inspiration to all. She lives in Watford City.

15

County Officials

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McKENZIE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS—L.R.: Emil Degerness, H. Madison, L. Powell, T. Anderson, A. J. Briar

States Attorney—E. ANTHONY

Judge and Clerk of Court—E. DAY

r-Auditor—Q G. WEHRUNG

Register of Deeds—G. SANFORD

Treasurer— L. McMAHEN

County Judge and Ex-officio Clerk of Dist. Court—C. RUDE

16

MURPHY EKLUND, Alderman 1st Ward

RICHARD CHRISTENSEN, Alderman 1st Ward

1 iff

DONALD STEVENS, Alderman 2nd Ward

1

mwrJk GRANT DAY, Alderman

2nd Ward

WALLACE JOHNSTON, Alderman 3rd Ward

City Officials

ARNE SANFORD, Mayor

WILLIAM TSCHETTER, City Attorney

PHYLLIS RATCLIFFE, City Attorney

JEAN WOLD, Treasurer

ERVIN MANGEL, Alderman 3rd Ward

KATHRYN HOSTLER, City Auditor

FRANCIS HARMON, Police Chief

LEONARD SANFORD, Supt. of Water, Street

and Sewer

NILS DAHL, Assessor

WILLIAM MALONEY, Police Magistrate

17

TEDDY OMLID

Teddy Omlid, assistant cashier at the First Interna-national Bank at Watford City and whose height meas­ures 4' 4", was born on March 10, 1933, at Watford City. He graduated from the Watford City High School in May, 1952, and began his employment with the bank in November, 1952. For the first few months after his graduation, he worked for the Farmers Union. He received the Distinguished Service Award as the outstanding young man in Watford City at the annual laycee's awards banquet in 1962. He is an avid golfer and has served as the official scorekeeper for the local high school basketball games since 1949 and the chain man for football since 1952. He lives in Watford City with his parents and sister.

ERLING ROLFSRUD

Erling Rolfsrud, an outstanding writer, teacher, and lecturer, was born on a farm near Watford City. He graduated from the Watford City High School and received his B.A. degree from Concordia College at Moorhead, Minnesota. He has served on the staff at NDSU and at his alma mater, Concordia. Presently he is teaching English at Alexandria, Minnesota. He has written over 500 stories and articles and for over twenty years was the editor of the "Top Drawer" in the North Dakota Teacher. He has written fourteen books of which his latest is The Story of North Dakota. His first North Dakota book, Lanterns Over The Prairies was published in 1949, a second volume fol­lowing the next year. Two books of children's fiction— Gopher Tails For Papa and Boy From Johny Butte portray the horse and buggy, and Model T days in western North Dakota. His Brother To The Eagle was the first booklength biography of Carl Ben Eielson, the state's aviator hero.

18

BRUCE QUALE AND JOHN ANTHONY

DAKOTA

CLOTHING

MEN'S AND

BOYS7 WEAR

WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

BRUCE and CONNIE QUALE

The Madson Grade

THE MADSON GRADE—THE MILLION DOLLAR FILL

One of the longest and biggest dirt filled railroad grades in the country is the Madson railroad grade or as it was commonly called in the early days "the mil­lion dollar fill." It is located about one mile west of Watford City.

In 1914 the Great Northern Railroad had planned on building its main line through Watford City to New Rockford, North Dakota. Guthrie and Reiley, two contractors from St. Paul, Minnesota, were hired to construct this grade across the Madson Flat. The land at this time belonged to the late Fred Madson, fath­er of Anders Madson of Watford City.

Work began in 1914 with steam shovels, dump cars, horses, mules, and scrapers. A log trestle was built and log piling was driven into the ground. Two years

later when the grade was completed, it was ninety feet high and nearly one mile long.

Frank Sullivan, a former hotel operator and livery stable manager in Watford City, worked on this huge project.

After the railroad reached Watford City, its con­struction eastward was curtailed by World War I, as other modes of travel were on the horizon.

A feeder line to this railroad was the "Wild Cow" as it was known then. This line was built north of Watford City and brought in supplies to Watford City in the early days. It was not in operation too long but many of the old timers recall when it was in operation. Remains of the track can still be found embedded in the ground.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Madson, owners of the land

NORTH DAKOTA

CLARENCE H. DAHL., Prop.

DAHL'S

JEWELRY CERTIFIED WATCHMAKER

# 8353

Master Watchmaker

American Watchmaker Institute

Ultrasonic Watch and Jewelry Repairing and

Engraving

BULOVA AND WYLER WATCHES KAYNAR DIAMOND RINGS

Phone 2051 Watford City, N. Dak.

CLARENCE H. DAHL, Prop.

STATE LIBRARY 62576 19 mcMlfiRri?"

McKenzie County

Court House "All Things Obey Fixed Laws"

—Manilius

The First Court House

The history of the court house of McKenzie County is closely associated with the history of the county seat. After being petitioned that a new court house be or­ganized Governor E. V. Sorlie appointed the following officers to serve until an election could be held. Com­missioners, A. F. Nohle, chairman, Frank Banks, and John Shaw; Auditor, B. W. Dimmick, Treas., G. W. Millhouse; Register of Deeds, Halvor Moe; Sheriff, Frank Poe; Superintendent of Schools, S. M. Starr; County Judge, F. S. Kellogg; Clerk of Court, W. S. Graham; Coroner, Joseph J. Wanka; Public Admin­istrator, A. W. Mann; Constable, Alfred Honstain; Assessors, A. Stensatter; Charles Calbrick and C. F. Sweeley; Surveyor, William Jansen. No one was ap­pointed State's Attorney as there was no attorney in the county at that time. The governor then called a meeting of the commissioners to convene at Williston on April 20, 1905. He disregarded the wishes of a convention held at Cartwright earlier which had named Stone House located near the mouth of Timber Creek and belonging to Joe Strand as a preference for the court house and designated the "Bird Head Line Camp" a temporary court house and the site as Alexander. Rental for the use of the little log building was one dollar per month.

Hi HEW The Court House from 1913—1941

There followed much dissatisfaction and political contention centered around the location of the county

seat and at the general election held in November,

1906, Schafer was declared the winner and the per­

manent seat. The county records were moved into a building at

Schafer known as the Broo building for a temporary court house and later into a building owned by Mundy and Gonion. This last building was destroyed by fire in 1908 and it became necessary to find another loca­tion for the county records. The Broo building was for sale for $700. and the commissioners resolved to buy it. The county already owned a lot in Schafer townsite and paid Mr. Charles Schafer $25.00 to move the Broo building onto it, later purchasing two more lots adjoining to provide room for expansion. The porch was enclosed and used for the Commissioner's meetings and improvements were made on the interior. A stone jail, which still stands, was built near by and an office for the sheriff was connected with it.

After the arrival of the railroad and the settlement of Watford City, the county seat removal question again began to be agitated with Alexander again a contender but this time against Watford City. After a heated campaign and election in November, 1940, Watford City was declared the winner by a small mar gin. For a time the records were kept in both places Schafer and Watford City. TITe purchase of the un used hospital building in Watford City had been com pleted but vaults had to be built and other changes made. Temporary vault and office space was furnished to county officials by business firms of Watford City, namely: First State Bank, First International Bank, Farmers Union Oil Company and J. P. Christensen and company.

On June 1, 1941, final removal and occupancy of the new court house was completed. The old building at Schafer was sold and razed.

The Present Court House

20

Early Businesses "Light Gains Make Heavy Purses"

—Chapman

CHRISTENSEN'S HARDWARE STORE J. P. Christensen purchased the stock of the Star­

ling Hardware at Schafer in 1913. In 1914 he moved that business to Watford City into the building which now houses the Christensen Funeral Home.

In 1921 J. P. Christensen bought the controlling in­terest in Kristianson Brothers Hardware and incor­porated the business. He was also associated with Oluf T. Lee at one time.

J. P. cnnstensen's Hardware Store in 1925 with 0. C. Parks, J. P. Christensen and Even Kristiansen.

Even (better known as Ed) was associated with the store until the Christensen family bought him out in 1936. Ralph became active in the business in 1931.

The building, which was a landmark, was razed in 1956 to make way for a new, modern hardware store. The upper story of the building provided office space and a large hall served as both auditorium and thea­tre for many years. In the early days community func­tions such as basketball games, home talent plays, tra­veling vaudeville shows, and dances were held there.

THE PLEASANT VIEW HOTEL Mrs. Minnie Kopischki, who operated the Pleasant

View Hotel, came to Watford City from Williston in the early 1920's. On the first floor she had a variety store which was always a popular place for the young­sters in town. They were always intrigued by the little bell that would ring when they entered the door. The second floor contained the hotel rooms. Sometime in the 1930's she left Watford City and moved to the West Coast. Shortly thereafter the hotel was razed. It was located where the present creamery is today.

"MA" ANDERSON CAFE Mrs. Jorgen "Ma" Anderson was the operator of a

cafe and also had roomers upstairs. She established her first place of business on the vacant lot south of Lund-in's Drug Store. Later she moved west from there. She was extremely good hearted and if the customers were penniless she would provide them with a meal just the same. Mr. Anderson was a carpenter.

WATFORD TELEPHONE AND ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY.

Articles for incorporation for the Watford Telephone and Electric Light Company were filed with the Secre­tary of State on March 13, 1915. The company was financed by local capital and in all respects was run in the interests of Watford City and the adjacent coun­try.

Peter C. Moe was the first operator.

J. P. Christensen's First Store

FIRST LIGHT PLANT

THE WATFORD HOTEL Henry Franke was the landlord of The Watford Hotel

in 1915. His prices were always moderate and had excellent rooms. It was always known as a nice place to stop.

AL BIGGER, FEED BARN This feed barn was run in connection with the

Emerson Hotel and was a popular place for farmers to put up their teams.

21

GONION &

NEWMAN

A

H IROLFSRUD

HOTEL & CAFE

^ B A U E R -BLACKSMITH

1 SHOP

DR. McESSY

DR. STARLING I

BOVEY-SHUTE

LUMBER CO.

MUNDY REAL ESTATE

FORD &

CHAl SEE

IDR. -MORRIS

J

BAUER BARBER

FARMERS STATE BANK

T -

LEE & l

CHRISTENSEN IMP. CO.

LEE & | J. P. CHRISTENSEN

HDWE. CO.

S. R. WOOD &

CO.

HOMM & GREEN

LIVERY BARN

DIXON, LUMBER

COMPANY

FRANKE HOTEL

& I CAFE

WATFORD CAFE

RYAN I BLACKSMITH

SHOP I

0 TOWN PUMP

LUNDIN BROS.

VIKING HOTEL

DIETRICH BILLARDS

TANK & KRUEGER

MENNENGA &

CHASE

ZELLAR &

POST OFFICE

CONVERSE & BODDY

WATFORD GUIDE

McKENZIE COUNTY

BANK

WATFORD SUPPLY CO.

LLANO ESTACADO POOL HALL

HIVELY MILLINERY X

MARTIN &

CHAUSEE

LOSK BROS. I

HOMM JEWELRY I

WALLA & VILDMO

o w

r o

0

Ii

1 LIGHT PLANT I .

SULLIVAN LIVERY

SOUTH

22 Watford 1915

BOVEY-SHUTE LUMBER COMPANY This building was moved to Watford city from Wil­

liston in 1915 in three sections. The company had for its agent Mr. M. R. Fritz. This building today houses Byerly's Insurance and to the west of it is the Great Plains Lumber Yard.

BUCKLIN BROS., FEED BARN Ross and Alton Bucklin in 1915 operated this busi­

ness.

W. C. HOMM, JEWELER Mr. W. C. Homm had a nice line of jewelry and

in addition was a practical watchmaker.

H. L. STARLING, DENTIST Dr. Starling had an office in Watford City in 1915

and also a farm three miles east of town.

THE EMERSON HOTEL This was the first hotel to be built in Watford City.

The proprietor in 1915 was Mr. M. 0 . Sullivan.

SCOLLARD AND BENSON, BARBERS Scollard and Benson operated the first hair remov­ing establishment in Watford City. D. G. Scollard placed a chair in the Watford Pool Hall in 1914 and in 1915 was associated with Arthur Benson.

THE HARNESS SHOP John Miller was the manager of the harness shop.

In addition to carrying an excellent stock, he also did harness and shoe repairing.

THE STANDARD OIL

John "Jack" Garvey was the founder of this cor­poration. He maintained one tank station in town in March of 1915.

D. B. McKEE, HOUSEMOVER Mr. D. B. McKee was one of the early housemovers

in this area. He moved many of the buildings from Schafer to Watford City.

TANK & KREUGER Tank and Kreuger were the first butchers in Wat­

ford City. They maintained a neat little shop.

LOSK BROS. CLOTHIERS This firm was composed of Charles and Jacob Losk

in 1915. They had previous experience in the line of clothing and furnishings.

THE WATFORD RESTAURANT The Watford Restaurant was conducted by Jas. Ack­

ers in 1915.

OLE RYAN, TAILOR Mr. Ryan was an excellent workman and in addition

to doing cleaning and repairing, constructed suits of clothes.

WINTER-TRUESDAL-AMES CO. This company maintained an elevator in Watford

City in the early days. A. D. Frazier was the agent.

OLE GULLICKSON, CONTRACTOR Mr. Gullickson was a carpenter and builder and

some of the best buildings in Watford City were built by him.

HOMM & GREEN, FEED BARN This was the largest barn in town and would ac­

commodate 100 teams.

AXEL SANDMARK, CONTRACTOR Mr. Sandmark was another one of the men who

, M.^»

The Farmers Co-operative Elevator was the first elevator to be built in Watford City. It was built in the fall of 1914 and was operated, as the name implies, by an association of farmers. Mr. R. J. Folven was the manager. He was an experienced grain buyer and had a farm south of town.

helped build Watford City. He was a general carpenter.

THE WATFORD GRAIN COMPANY This was the second elevator to open its doors for

receiving grain.

P. THOMPSON, PLUMBER Mr. P. Thompson was the first plumber in Wat­

ford City. He has been in continuous business for the past thirty-five years.

23

THE WATFORD GARAGE Newman and Gonion had one of the best garages in

this section of the state in 1915. The main building

was 50 x 80, besides the repair and machine shop. These gentlemen were the agents for this section of the state for the Ford auto and from this fact it was said that they were the ones that put the "ford" in Watford City. Peter C. Moe was one of their able assistants.

THE FARMERS STATE BANK The Farmers State Bank was one of the Adam Han­

nah line banks and was ably managed by Cashier George W. Nelson in 1915. The bank building was new in March, 1915.

The Watford Guide Office in 1916

THE WATFORD GUIDE When they first considered the advisability of es­

tablishing a newspaper at Watford City, they said, "Just an ordinary country print shop will never do for that place." Then began the construction of probably the best arranged and most expensive building de­voted exclusively to housing a newspaper plant in the state. It was 24 x 48 with hard maple flooring, plate glass, and all that went to make a light, ventilated

place. In the basement was the heating plant and en­gine for driving the presses. The first floor had a com­posing room, stock room, and front office. The lobby was tiled and was entered by means of a swinging door. Mr. W. S. Graham was the editor.

SOUTH WATFORD TOWNSITE CO. Mr. E. D. Partridge was the manager for this com­

pany. Their lots adjoined the original townsite and were moving as was everything else in Watford City in 1915.

GUST AHLQUIST, TINNER Mr. Gust Ahlquist was one of the busiest men in

Watford City in the early days. He did a lot of both outside and inside work.

J. P. JOHNSON, CONTRACTOR Mr. J. P. Johnson was of great assistance in 1915

with the construction of some of Watford City's up-to-date buildings. He was always glad to furnish any­one with information about any building contempla­tion.

E. 0 . MUNDY, REAL ESTATE Mr. E. 0 . Mundy was one of the best boosters Wat­

ford City had in 1915. He not only was in the real estate business but also dealt in horses and farm loans.

FORD & CHAUSSEE, FURNISHINGS: This firm was composed of Miss Delia Ford and

Mrs. J. B. Chaussee. They sold women's and children's furnishings, notions and millinery.

JAMES RYAN, BLACKSMITH James Ryan operated a well-equipped power shop

and was one of the busiest men in town in the early days. He was an all-around practical blacksmith and woodworker.

OLE HOLM, DAIRYMAN Mr. Ole Holm's farm adjoined the town and he was

in an excellent position to operate a dairy for Watford City. He had to add to his dairy from time to time.

E. W. McESSY, M. D. Dr. E. W. McEssy came to Watford City shortly

after Dr. Morris. He enjoyed a good practice and was formerly at Granville and Arnegard.

SCHMITKE DRAY LINE William Schmitke was the first man in Watford

City to engage in the drayline business.

VIKING HOTEL AND CAFE Hegdal & Anderson were the proprietors of this

hostelry and they had one of the neatest eating places. It was well heated and lighted.

LLANO ESTACADO POOL HALL

This was always a popular place in town. J. C.

Richardson was proprietor.

24

",»?;-> $0(p&-w»-m\wB&

TONY SCHONLIEN, WELL DRILLER One of the first well drillers in this area was Mr.

Tony Schonlien. He and his assistants drilled the first well in Watford City. This was located behind Lundin's Drug store.

MRS. ARCHIE HIVELY In 1915 Mrs. Archie Hively opened her doors to her

confectionery and millinery establishment which was located on Main Street, next to the J. J. Martin & Co., an impliment business.

CONVERSE & BODDY, LAWYERS: This legal firm was composed of the Hon. C. C.

Converse, a member of the legislature of this district, and M. V. Boddy. They were one of the leading law firms in this part of the state.

GEORGE JOHNSON

George Johnson was the man of affairs in 1915

around Walla and Vildmo Store. He was always where

the boosting was the "thickest."

W. G. LEFEVER, AGENT W. G. Lefever looked after the Great Northern's

interest at this point and was always the right man in the right place. Always courteous, he made friends with all patrons of the road.

W. H. DIXON LUMBER COMPANY W. H. Dixon of Tioga was the main officer of

the company. A. L. Dinkle, the agent, was a good citizen and handled all comers in an impartial man­ner. This yard did business in all parts of eastern McKenzie County. This building today houses the Wat­ford City Dime Store operated by Gertrude Ohnstad.

J. C. ZELLER, HARDWARE Mr. J. C. Zeller was one of the first business men

in Watford City. He moved his store over from Schafer in 1914 and remained in this business for over 40 years. In addition to conducting a first-class hardware store, he was the first postmaster. Both his store and stamp dispensary were enjoying a liberal patronage in 1915.

J. J. MARTIN & CO., MACHINERY This firm was composed of J. J. Martin and J. B.

Chaussee and were well known in this county, having "grown up with the county" while holding down-claims. They handled farm machinery of all kinds.

NEWMAN & HAGEN, ICE Roy Newman and Oscar Hagen supplied ice to the

cafes, hotels, and homes in 1915. They chopped ice down at Sandy Crossing on Cherry Creek and stored it in a large ice house in Watford City.

LUNDIN BROS, DRUGS In 1915 Watford City had one of the nicest drug

stores. The interior of their store was finished in ma­hogany, show cases had granite bases and their soda fountain was of marble and granite. Fred L. and Hill P. Lundin, both registered druggists, were the operators. Mr. Hill Lundin is still in the business.

V. N. DOKKEN, V. S. This gentleman came to Watford City from Leeds,

N. Dak. He was a graduate of the leading veterinary college of Denmark and practiced in Minnesota and Leeds, for eight years prior to his arrival here.

WATFORD BRICK CO.

Mr. A. N. Swiggum was the manager of this con­cern which manufactured cement brick and building blocks.

T. G. COURSER, AUCTIONEER This silver-tongued gentleman probably cried more

public sales than any other auctioneer. He also oper­ated a farm close to town.

WATFORD POOL HALL Mr. William Deitrich was the proprietor of this pop­

ular place of recreation. He maintained three excel­lent tables, sold confectionery, cigars and soft drinks.

THE WATFORD SUPPLY CO. This was a $25,000 corporation whose building in

1915 was being constructed. The second story was to be used for a theater. Barrett was manager.

25

McKENZIE COUNTY BANK The McKenzie County Bank was one of the oldest

banks in the county. Its president was Mr. W. D.

THE PIONEER MERCHANTS: MENNENGA AND CHASE

McKenzie County Bank Bank Statement May 1, 1917

McClintock of Rugby, North Dakota. The affairs of the bank were looked after by Vice

President 0 . L. Casady and Cashier George Gullickson. They were two of the most pleasant and obliging gen­tlemen that ever gazed through a teller's window. Their resources as of May 1, 1917, were $193,501.05. S. 0 . Dundas was notary public. His commission expired on February 8, 1922.

WALLA & VILDMO, MERCHANTS One of the older mercantile firms in the county was

operated by Peter Vildmo and Jens Walla. They also had a general store at Farland which was northwest of Watford City. They were gentlemen of whom the city was most proud. This store is presently operated by the Lerfald's.

The building in the immediate background is the Walla & Vildmo Store. Arne Berg is hauling wheat.

S. R. WOOD & COMPANY This firm dealt in general merchandise and had

stores at both Watford City and at Schafer. S. R. Wood was a "live wire" in the business world and had one of the best arranged and stocked stores in this part of North Dakota.

J. J. BAUER, BLACKSMITH Watford City was fortunate in 1915 to have two

good power blacksmith shops. Mr. Bauer had his equipped with modern machinery and handled all clas­ses of work.

G t O . D JOHNSON I -"• G E N E R A L M E B t H A M P I S t

•«••• The former Mennenga & Chase Stores

Mennenga and Chase were the first to open their door to the public in 1914. This was before the rail­road reached Watford City. Later the store was taken over by George D. Johnson and is presently a dry goods store operated by Morris Frazee.

Fred Mennenga and D. E. Chase composed the early firm.

The children are Erling, Mrs. Ben Veeder and Mrs. Sidney Veeder

ROLFSRUD RESTAURANT & LODGING HOUSE The Rolfsrud Restaurant and Lodging House was

started in 1914. Nils and Rikka Rolfsrud were the own­ers. Meals were 25$, overnight lodging 35$ and private rooms were 50$. This building was located where the present Bible Presbyterian Church is.

HAGEN DAIRY Watford City was supplied to a considerable extent

with milk from the Hagen Dairy. Mr. O. W. Hagen increased his dairy herd to meet the demands.

GEORGE W. BAUER, BARBER Mr. Bauer came to Watford City from Schafer, the

county seat, as did so many of the good men at that time. He was a first-class workman and helped keep the citizens looking smooth on the face.

CITY DRAY LINE Henderson Bros, and Jack Hinds managed the dray

line in 1915. They had the reputation of being able to haul everything that was loose at the "other end." Jack Hinds was the manager.

26

DR. MORRIS, WATFORD'S FIRST DOCTOR

L.—R.: Henry Deutschle, Dr. Morris, and Florence Alton, nurse at Schafer.

Dr. Morris was the first doctor in Watford City. Prior to his arrival in Watford, he was practicing in Schafer. He was instrumental in naming the town.

Dr. Morris' Residence in Watford

Congratulations to

Watford City

ZELLER HARDWARE

50 YEARS OF SERVICE TO WATFORD CITY AND AREA RESIDENTS

PHIL WEISER, Owner

Congratulations to Wa t fo rd Ci ty

on Its 50th Anniversary. W e Wish

You Continued Growth m the Years to

Come.

Production Credit Finances the Many Needs

for Agriculture

FOR YOUR FARM

YOUR HOME

YOUR FAMILY

SEE THE

PRODUCTION CREDIT

ASSOCIATION

WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

S. G. BYERLY, Branch Manager

OFFICES AT:

MANDAN, DICKINSON,

BEULAH, MOTT,

WISHEK

27

NORTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE CO.

ALICE FRAZEE, Operator

Morris Frazee by the Telephone Bldg.

Dakota Western Telephone Company established a

telephone office in Watford City in 1916. This company

was acquired by Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. on

April 1, 1918. Florence Lanz was an operator at that

time.

In 1918 Watford City had 83 telephones. Alice

Frazee became the operator in October, 1919. She

retired at the age of 65 in August, 1928. By that time

the telephones in Watford City and the surrounding

area had increased to 112.

By 1938 the 112 had become 132 and Watford City

was one of the first towns in North Dakota to have

dial telephone service installed. No operators were

needed locally and Williston answered the long dis­

tance calls. The number of long distance had increas­

ed from one in 1918 to three.

In 1948 the total telephones were 277 and in 1958

with the discovery of oil in McKenzie County this

total had become 902. Today the total is 1077.

Before 1953 most of the service work was handled

out of Williston. In 1953 V. C. Highness was appointed

manager at Watford City. In 1955 F. G. Gludt replaced

Mr. Highness and a combination man was added to

the staff, p . A. Hartel presently fills this position.

28

GTA

ELEVATOR

CONGRATULATIONS TO

WATFORD CITY

ON YOUR

GOLDEN JUBILEE

Church History "Faith is a higher faculty than reason."

—Bailey

OUR CHURCHES

The pioneer settlers of the Watford City area in establishing their new homes accepted the tasks con­nected with the continuation and extension of the Christian faith. This effort was made physically visible through the establishment of a number of church congregations in the rural areas and within the grow­ing town. The congregations first met in homes and schools. Most of them constructed church buildings which were later remodeled, enlarged or replaced as the needs of the congregations were met.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

On July 18, 1909, a group of people met following a service of worship in the Smith school house about two miles north of Watford City to organize a Pres­byterian Church. The organizing minister was the Rev. G. A. Hill, pastor-evangelist for the Minot and Mouse River Presbyteries. Other small congregations had been formed in the Shafer, Keene, Lakeview and Elkhorn Valley areas.

Among the early members of the group which had its beginning at the Smith school were Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Buchanan, the Joe Lawlars, Mr. and Mrs. John Lawlar, Mr. and Mrs. John Bruins, Mr. and Mrs. Har-vy Wehrung, and Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Redding.

By 1914 the congregation moved to Watford City

and had called the Rev. W. B. Cowgill to serve as their minister in conjunction with the other small par­ishes scattered in the county.

In Watford, as it was known at the time, the Pres­byterians met in the school house, the town hall and homes. But it was apparent that a church building was needed as the congregation grew. Late in 1914 plans were made to build on a lot purchased from S. M. Starr. The wood frame building completed in 1915, and still located at the corner of Second Street West and Third Avenue, served as the center of Presbyter­ian activity for nearly fifty years.

After the departure of Mr. Cowgill in September of 1921, the history of the Presbyterian Church is one of marked contrasts. Between 1931 and 1933 a manse was erected adjacent to the church building. In 1938 a controversy that rocked and divided the Presbyterian Church nationally, struck the Watford Congregation.

This period of history was also punctuated with fre­quent changes of ministers, many of whom were semin­ary students at the time. Messrs. W. F. Grundy, D. K. Myers, Atkinson, James Ford, and Roke were among those who served for varying lengths of time until 1941.

By 1942 it was no longer possible to keep the church open. As a result the Presbyterian Church en­tered a coma from which it did not arise until 1947.

With the resurgence of activity in Watford City fol­lowing the war, two attempts were made to open the church. Seminary student, Russell Tate, was called to serve for a short while as was Mr. Kohaley. But these ventures met only partial success.

Another student, Mr. Al Abbott, came in 1953. Fin­ally new life began to flow in the veins of the con­gregation. The old church building was renovated and an addition made to cover the entry and provide a church office.

After Mr. Abbotts' departure, the Rev. Robert Stover was called in 1954 to serve the parish as its first or­dained minister in residence in 12 years. During this period the manse erected during the thirties was razed. A new one was built in 1956.

It was not long until the church building itself was beginning to become inadequate. Finally, after five years of planning and preparation, a new church build­ing was constructed and completed on 4th Ave. in Nov. of 1963 and dedicated in December of that year.

The history of the Presbyterian Church parallels closely the history of the community. The Rev. James E. Zeek is the present pastor.

29

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH

The effort to organize a Lutheran Church in Wat­ford City was started within the first year of the es­tablishment of the town. The first service of this con­gregation was conducted on February 6, 1915, at the Nels Rolfsrud Hotel by the Rev. E. E. Eidbo of Arne-gard. The congregation was accepted as a member of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ameri­ca. It accepted the offer of the Great Northern Town-site Company of a lot upon which to erect a church building. Early services were held at the Ole Gullick­son and Anton Osing homes. On May 9, 1915, the decision to build was made and work on the basement began by the middle of the following month. Rev. E. E. Eidbo remained as the pastor until 1922.

The Rev. G. A. Hanson succeeded the Rev. Eidbo and served the congregation until 1929. At about this time the Salem congregation divided with about half of the members joining First Lutheran in Watford City

Dedication of the Luth­eran Church in 1915

Present Church

and the others joining with the Spring Creek congre­gation.

From 1929 until 1934 the congregation was served by Pastor E. C. Tollefson who worked with Pastor 0 . J. Malkewick. Pastor Malkewick resided in Wat­ford City but served rural churches north of Watford City. On January 1, 1934, a reorganization of Luther­an congregations placed Garden, Banks, and Garden Valley in a parish served by the Rev. 0 . B. Erickson; First Lutheran, Farland, and Spring Creek were placed in the parish of Pastor Mickelsen; and Wilmington, Zoar, Cherry, and Timber Creek had as their pastor, the Rev. G. A. Hanson who resided at Arnegard. Since 1929 a residence has been provided for the pastor of the congregation. The first one was purchased from Oluf Lee (301 3rd Ave. W) and was used until the

dedication of a newly built home at 508 NE 4th St. on September 21, 1957. The following pastors have

Pastor and Mrs. E. E. Eidbo

resided in Watford City and have ministered to the con­gregation: E. C. Tollefson (1929-1934), K. S. Mickel-son (assistant pastor) (1932-1934), Carl K. Lien (1934-1940), Rolph Norman (1940-1945), Milo En-gelstad (1945-1950), Johan Bergh (1951-1953), Al­bert Grender (1953-1960), Gabriel Gabrielson (1960-1961), Carl Jenson (1961- ).

On October 28, 1945, the original church building of the First Lutheran Church burned. The basement of the structure was made ready as a place of wor­ship and was used until late in 1948. The new church building was begun in March, 1949, and the first services were held in December with -the formal dedi­cation taking place on January 1, 1950.

The Sunday School was started by Mrs. P. O. C.

Johnson at her home in Watford City in September

of 1915. The Ladies Aid had its beginning at the home

The Lutheran Church Fire, 1945

of Mrs. Ole Gullickson in March, 1915. The Lutheran Brotherhood was organized in March, 1937. The Luth­er League has been in existence since 1925. In 1937 the choir was organized under the leadership of Harold Njaa. Two from the congregation have entered the ministry of the Lutheran Church, Alvin Selid and James Stenslie.

30

Father Michael Dougherty, First Pastor 1913-1935

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First Catholic Church

Father Al. Simon, present pastor

EPIPHANY CATHOLIC CHURCH

The dedication of the new Epiphany Catholic Church in Watford City on

June 27, 1963, marked the 50th anniversary of the first assignment of a resi­

dent priest to the Watford City and Alexander area. Father Michael Dough­

erty was assigned as pastor in 1913 by Bishop Wehrle. Mass was held in the

homes of parishioners at the time or in Schafer Hall as there wasn't a church

building. Father Dougherty set up the Mother Parish of Our Lady of Con­

solation at Alexander. Watford City is the only remaining Mission of the five

original missions.

The Catholic people of McKenzie County were first served by missionary

priests who came once or twice a year to offer the Mass and administer the

Sacraments and care for the spiritual needs of the people. From 1907 to

1910 it was Father Sylverius Arsenault who found his way to McKenzie County

by ferry from Williston.

The first Roman Catholic parish was organized in 1911 and Father J. P.

Prendergast came from Williston once a month to offer Mass. He served all

of McKenzie County until 1913 when Father Dougherty arrived. Construction

of the first Catholic Church began in 1915.

Mrs. Wenzel Neubauer, a present member of the parish who was a charter

member and first president of the Ladies Aid in 1913, recalls that Father

Dougherty helped promote the first bazaar which included a chicken dinner

and supper at the Schafer Hall to raise money to build the church. It was a

very successful affair and a profit of $443.00 was the first money earned

toward the construction of the first church.

Father Dougherty served the parish for 22 years. He died on April 26, 1935,

from over-exertion while returning from a trip to the Badlands to offer Mass

at the CCC Camp located there.

Father Dougherty was followed by Father Joseph Caisse who was the

pastor for the next year. In May of 1936 Father Aloysius Galowitsch began

eight years of ministry in McKenzie County. The church was enlarged and

remodeled under his direction.

Father James Clarke arrived in July of 1944 and he was followed by Father

John Kuhn in July of 1947. A building fund for a new church was begun

at this time. Father Francis Ryan succeeded Father Kuhn from 1951 to 1952

and he was followed by Father Florian Fairbanks O.S.B. from 1952 to 1955.

Father Raymond Aydt was pastor from 1955 to 1957. He was followed by

Father Aloysius Simon who is the present pastor.

Plans for a new church were begun in 1960 and following the approval of

Bishop Hilary Hacker on July 11, 1962, ground breaking ceremonies were

held on Sunday, July 29, 1962.

St. Mary's Altar Society and a newly organized Men's Club contribute

to the spiritual and social welfare of the parish. Weekly catechism classes,

high school discussion club and adult study clubs provide religious education

to the parishioners.

June 27, 1963, marked the beginning of the second half of a century of

service of Epiphany Parish to the people of Watford City and McKenzie

County.

31

WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH

m

In the early part of 1923 the Rev. A. M. Wiley held a series of special meetings in Christensen's Hall. This aroused interest in the gospel and can be said to be the beginning of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Lat­er the Rev. J. F. Simpson, Wesleyan Methodist Con­ference president, came and organized a Wesleyan Methodist class. Pastor R. A. Wilson was the first minister sent here by the conference and ministered to both the Johnson Corners Church and the class in town.

The Rev. L. D. Harris came the following year and

ministered in this area for five years. During this time a Sunday School was begun with Mrsv John Richard­son as the first superintendent. These meetings took place in the A.O.U.W. Hall.

Many able preachers shared in the work. The Rev. Thomas Bailie came in 1928 and it was during his term that the church was organized in Watford City on August 19, 1932. In 1935 the Rev. Arthur Reisdorph came to serve and during his term the present church was constructed.

Pastor R. J. Sausoman came in 1939; Pastor L. D. Harris served his second term beginning in 1941; Pastor T. Bailie returned for a second term in 1951; Pastor Paul Davidson began his ministry in 1955 at which time separate pastors were secured for this church and the one at Johnson Corners. The Rev. R. 0 . Vermilyea came in 1958 and the present pastor, the Rev. Darrell Martin, began his work in June of 1963.

At the present time a building program is underway.

JOHNSON CORNERS WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH

Within a radius of eight to ten miles of the Johnson Corners area Sunday Schools were started with the fol­lowing superintendents; Williams School, Mrs. 0 . H. Olson; Croff School, Mr. Florence; Liberty School, Mrs. Zimmerman; Joice School, Mr. E. E. Parrish; Sandstone School, Mr. M. E. Jones; Lake View School, Koeser School and Louis Kuntz home, Mr. Jacob Klamm and at the Weidman's home, Mr. B. G. Bucklin.

The first camp meeting was held at the Williams Grove on June 13, 1916, with the Rev. Gilbertson as evangelist. These services continued for about six years.

In 1921 the Rev. A. M. Wiley, an evangelist from Dickinson, heard of these camp meetings and came to

see if he could be of any assistance. In 1922 he was engaged for the camp meeting which was victorious and many expressed a desire for permanent work here. The Rev. Wiley brought this matter before the Dakota Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church­es at Aberdeen, S. Dak. The conference authorized their president, the Rev. J. F. Simpson and the Rev. Wiley to make the trip to McKenzie County and investigate the needs and possibilities there. They stayed over Sunday holding services at schools near Croff and Watford City. The Rev. Wiley decided to remain for a series of meetings and this is considered to be the real beginning of the Wesleyan Methodist work in McKen­zie County.

The church was officially organized on March 8, 1924, with a membership of 47. After one year the Rev. L. D. Harris succeeded the Rev. Wilson and build­ing of the church was immediately begun.

In the 40 years of service the following pastors have served the parish: Rev. R. A. Wilson, 1922-1924; Rev. L. D. Harris, 1924-1928; Rev. and Mrs. Thos. Bailie, 1928-1935; Rev. A. T. Reisdorph, 1935-1938; Rev. Raymond Sausoman, 1939-1941; Rev. L. D. Harris, 1941-1951; Rev. and Mrs. Thos. Bailie, 1951-1955; Rev. Ellis Sollie, 1955-1958; Rev. A. L. Cretsinger, 1958-1960; Rev. B. D. Veeder is the present pastor.

32

GARDEN VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

The territory in and about the valley of the Tobacco Garden Creek was settled largely during the years be­tween 1903 and 1907. Most of these early settlers were of Scandinavian birth or descent and in their former homes belonged to the Lutheran Church. Naturally the establishment of a church was one of the first con­siderations after the little homestead shacks had been built.

The leader in this movement to organize the con­gregation now known as the Garden Valley Lutheran Church was the Rev. Bernard Tollefson who for many years was a Lutheran pastor at Hatton and Goose River, North Dakota. He came to McKenzie County to take up a homestead and to rest for a time after his long continued service in the church. He brought his family here in 1905. The meeting for organizing the new congregation was held in August, 1905, at the Rev. Tollefson's home. This organization was complet­

ed on September 24, 1905. The charter members were as follows: Martin Iverson, Ole Adolph Vick, Adolph Seim, Albert Stensatter, H. L. Moe, Crist Karlstad, Hans Karlstad, and Olaf Karlstad. The three last named joined the congregation at Banks.

In the late fall of 1905 Pastor B. Tollefson died after a brief illness. His remains were taken across the Missouri River on a sledge because of the unsafe ice and sent to his old home near Hatton.

The Rev. N. J. Lunde came to serve the congregation, conducting services in the homes or in the open as there were no school houses, or public buildings of any kind in the neighborhood. At the annual meeting held at the I. Sanford home on December 27, 1909, arrangements were made to fence the church site lo­cated on the I. Sanford homestead and which had been donated by Mr. Sanford. At this meeting a building committee was appointed consisting of M. A. Wold, O. C. Tollefson and I. Sanford. This committee soon reported that lumber for a building 26 by 32 would cost $500.00. The church was built in 1910.

The first children baptized in the congregation were Julia Thompson, daughter of John and Karoline Thompson, and Edgar Iverson, son of the Mr. and Mrs. Martin Iverson. This was on June 25, 1905.

The first wedding was that of Nels Brekke and Belle Larson on November 9, 1911.

Although the little church building still stands near the banks of the mighty Garrison Reservoir, this little church organization, like that of so many small coun­try churches, has been dissolved and reorganized into the Garden Valley Cemetery Organization.

Pastor Olaf Berget of Watford City was its last minister.

BANKS LUTHERAN CHURCH

The first services, conducted by Pastor I. Buckne-berg, were held at the Ed Satter home on Oct. 15, 1905. The congregation was organized on July 7, 1907,

with M. L. Holey as pastor. This organization meeting was held at the Gust Peterson home. The first of­ficers were: President, M. L. Holey; Secretary, Ed Satter; Treasurer, H. J. Karlstad; Trustees, Lewis Lar­son, Ole Askviken and Gust Peterson. Through the years the Banks congregation has been connected with different congregations at different times to form a parish served by one pastor. At present the Banks Con­gregation belongs to the Banks Lutheran Parish con­sisting of the Banks, Garden, Farland Congregations. Land on which the present church and cemetery are located was donated by Carl Pederson. A basement was built first in which the congregation worshipped and some years later a building was added. Some not­able firsts in the congregation are: First baptism (Steve Karlastad) Jan. 4, 1906; First burial (Olaf Karlstad) June 23, 1907; First wedding (Henry Johnson and Anna Peterson) Dec. 23, 1907; First Confirmed (Kris-

33

tine Askviken) May 22, 1910; First service in base­ment church, Dec. 24, 1907; First service in new church, Nov. 27, 1927; The present Sunday School was organized in 1947. In the summer of 1906 the Ladies Aid was organized with a total of three mem­

bers. This organization continues active to this day and is now known as the ALCW. The congregation is served today by Pastor Lyle R. Nielsen, the fifteenth pastor to serve the Banks Congregation. This congrega­tion is a member of the American Lutheran Church.

GARDEN LUTHERAN CHURCH The Garden Congregation was organized on January 31, 1909, at the home of S. N. Rikustad. Officers elected were: President, S. N. Rikustad; Secretary, L. J. Lar­son; Treasurer, P. G. Vildmo; Elders, Rachel E. Larson, S. N. Rikustad, Nils Hy­stad, and Trustees, Knut Okland, Nils Aagvick, and Anton Alstad. The congrega­tion was first served by layman J. B. Falkanger with Pastor M. T. Berntson coming in the fall of 1909. The land on which the present church stands was given by John Smith. On August 23, 1914, the first services were held in the new building. How­ever, it was not until 1917 that the inside was finished. From time to time improve­ments were made; chancel furniture, 1920; steeple, 1924; the present pews, 1926; full basement, 1944; stained glass windows, 1951. Some notable firsts are: First baptism (Marelius Rolf son) Dec. 15, 1909; First wedding (Hans Okland and Kris-tine Storboe) Nov. 27, 1910; First confirmed, (Alfred Hystad, Isak Hystad, Henry Thompson, Lena Thompson, Hjalmer Rud) March 27, 1910. The present Sunday School was organized in 1947. The Ladies Aid was organized on Jan. 31, 1909 with 14 members. This organization is still active and is now known as the ALCW. The congregation is served today by Pastor Lyle R. Nielsen, the fourteenth pastor to serve the congregation. This congregation is a member of the American Lutheran Church.

FARLAND LUTHERAN CHURCH

On January 23, 1909, a meeting was held at the home of Jens G. Walla to or­ganize a Norwegian Lutheran Congregation, now known as the Farland Lutheran Congregation. The first officers were: President, L. W. Larson; Secretary, Jens. G. Walla; Treasurer, Ole Wold. The congregation was first served by layman J. B. Falkanger with Pastor M. T. Berntson coming in the fall of 1909. Land for the church was given by Jens Walla and the building was constructed in 1913. Notable firsts in the congregation are: First baptism (Theresa Berntson) August 13, 1910; First confirmed (Melvin Walla) Jan. 6, 1918; First wedding (Melvin Walla and Ida Johnson) Sept. 21, 1943; First burial (Mrs. Teddo Arends) March 8, 1914; The first Sunday School was started in 1930. The Ladies Aid was organized on Jan. 20, 1909, with five members. The congregation is presently being served by Pastor Lyle R. Nielsen.

FAITH LUTHERAN After a series of preliminary meetings the Faith Lutheran Church was formally admitted into the Evangelical Lutheran Church by the Rev. Humlie of Arnegard. Later, in conjunction with the other two churches of the Keene parish the church be­came a member of the American Lutheran Church. The Rev. Harold O. Void was instrumental in organizing the church. He served as the pastor for five years. Then Rev. Duane K. Sorum became the pastor. In the beginning services were held at the Williams School. Later the Rawson church was purchased and moved to its present location about eight miles south of Johnson's Corner. The church was dedicated on July 30, 1961. What is unique about the church, although it has such a small membership, is that it has always been self-supporting. Presently there are 37 con­firmed and 72 baptized members, 38 Sunday School children and 12 women in the Ladies Aid.

34

CLEAR CREEK LUTHERAN CHURCH

CLEAR CREEK LUTHERAN CHURCH

The Clear Creek American Lutheran Church was or­ganized on August 19, 1906, by Pastor Invald Buckne-berg. The first officers were Anton Anderson, secre­tary; Ole Ryan, treasurer; J. I. Berg and Emil Har­lem, trustees.

The Ladies Aid was organized in the Ole Ryan homestead shack on the land where the church is now located. The cemetery was dedicated in 1909.

The church was first called the Clear Creek Nor­wegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation. Church

services and records were in Norse. In the twenties services and records changed to English. Some family names listed for the first years were Berg, Ryan, Anderson, Erickson, Signalness, Sigurdson, Eide, Rolfs­rud, Jonsrud, Olson, Skavlan, Skaar, Harlem and Van Dyke.

The late Rev. Haktor Moe was installed on June 26, 1921. Soon work began on the long hoped for church building. The church was dedicated in October, 1926. The Aid was happy to serve refreshments on the home made tables in the basement and didn't mind the dirt floor.

Pastor Moe labored through the depression years and during the World War II period when the com­munity reared its young men. He began to fail in health and retired in 1942 after having served the Keene parish for 21 years.

In 1943 Pastor Thvedt was installed. Church work revived and services became regular again. Mrs. Thvedt

helped the ladies join the Women's Missionary Federa­tion and the Aid forged ahead.

Pastor Larson served from 1947 and plans were car­ried out to divide the parish.

Pastor Sherve served in the new smaller parish from 1950. The present parsonage at Keene was built. Furnishings added to the church were a piano, a bap­tismal font, hymn book set and the altar made of hundreds of pieces of native cedar and other woods by William Van Dyke.

Pastor Void was installed in 1955. On August 19, 1956, the church celebrated its 50th Anniversary. The first PTR Mission was held during Pastor Void's stay and the merger with the American Lutheran Church.

Dunae Sorum, Clear Creek's present pastor, has led an extensive educational program with classes for every group and age. He has encouraged lay mem­bership participation in all activities and church work is moving forward.

MRS. DAHL'S SHACK

PASTOR CARL JENSEN

SPRING CREEK CONGREGATION

The Spring Creek Congregation was organized on March 6, 1914, at the Einar Dahl home by the Rev. M. L. Holey. The first services were held in Mrs. Dahl's shack in 1911. The ladies were seated in the shack, the men outside, and the minister stood in the doorway to give his sermon. The following served as the first officers; Trustees, Einar Dahl, Haakon Amborj, and Knut Hovet; secretary, V. N. Dokken and treasurer, Einar Dahl.

In 1911 the Rev. E. E. Eidbo was called and he was succeeded by Pastor G. A. Hanson who served until 1929. In 1922 this congregation joined the Watford City and Salem parishes. Pastor E. C. Tollefson succeeded Pastor Hansen in 1929 and soon plans were formulated for constructing a church building. Peder Wik donated the site. With the help of Ladies Aid funds, a basement was erected in 1931, which is still in use.

The following have served as pastors since Rev. E. C. Tollefson's resigna­tion in January, 1934; Pastor Mickelson, C. K. Lein, Rolf Norman, Milo Engelstad, Johan Bergh, Albert Grender, and Gabriel Gabrielson. The pres­ent pastor is Carl Jensen.

One of the congregation's sons, Hans Nelson, is in the ministry and is serving a parish near Aberdeen, S. Dak.

35

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

The First Baptist Church was organized on March 7, 1955, at the home of the Rev. Bill Simmons, the first pastor, and the man most responsible for bringing the church into being. The Rev. 0 . R. Delmar, who was Superintendent of Missions for both Montana and North Dakota at that time, and is now serving as pastor of the North Hill Baptist Church in Minot, was the moderator of the organizational meeting and Mrs. Ken­neth Maloney as clerk. There were fourteen charter members.

When oil was discovered in McKenzie County, peo­ple from various parts of the country moved into this

area. Among these groups were people who felt the need of a Baptist Church in Watford City. With the help of the Home Missions Board, the church building located at the corner of 4th Avenue and North Main was purchased in 1955 and is still serving as the meet­ing place.

The Rev. Bill Simmons served as pastor until October, 1956. In November of the same year, the church called the Rev. Casey Perry and he served until September of 1959. In January of 1960 the Rev. E. H. Cook was called as the pastor and he served until October, 1961. In April of 1962 the church called the Rev. M. D. Wad-ley to serve as pastor and he is serving in that capacity at the present time.

The church has a Sunday School enrollment of 32 and a resident membership of 25. The church recent­ly organized a Women's Missionary Union which is now sponsoring a Sunbeam Band including ages four and eight. The First Baptist Church is happy to be a part of the Watford City community life.

immm

BIBLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The Bible Presbyterian Church was organized in 1938. This church came out of the Presbyterian Church because of the trend towards modernism which had crept into the national council of which the First Presbyterian Church of Watford City belonged.

Seventeen members were enrolled with G. W. Williams as leader. Meetings were held temporarily at the Williams residence. As the congregation grew, services were held in the A. 0 . U. W. Hall. Later the Rolfsrud Hotel was purchased and re­modeled into a church. Services were held there until 1962. Many of the mem­bers had moved away and so services were discontinued. The Rev. Ted Engstrom was the last pastor. Other pastors of the congregation were the following: Gordon Nicols, R. Y. Russell, Landers Campbell, Hayes Henry, and James Martin.

AFTER SERVICES

The Watford City branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized on July 3, 1960, under the direction of Elmer Foutz, who was then the West North Dakota District President.

The branch is still active and meetings are held in the homes of the members. Sunday weekly meetings are held in the home of Dr. Glenn Mais-ey and the M.I.A. meetings are usually held in the home of George Wright on Monday evenings.

The branch has regular weekly meetings which include a sacrament meet­ing, a Sunday School for all ages, primary instruction for children under twelve, and a mutual improvement association meeting for the youth. There is also a relief society organization for women and a priesthood meeting for all male members over twelve years of age.

The Watford City branch is a part of a large organization. It operates under the direction of a district president who in turn is under the mission president, Grant G. Woolley.

In the past ten years the church has built chapels in Williston, Minot, New Town, Bismarck, and have plans for a second building in Minot.

KEENE FIRST LUTHERAN

Pastor and Mrs. I. Buckneberg

Charter Members of the Ladies Aid; Mrs. I. Wahus, Mrs. C. Brenna, Mrs. S. Martinson

KEENE FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH

On April 6, 1905, the Rev. N. A. Larson of Minot came to have services and

help organize a Lutheran Church at Keene. The first meeting was held at the

Thomas Quale home. The congregation was organized at the second meeting' on

April 30,1905, at the T. E. Charlson home.

There were 14 members who signed the constitution. They were Swend Martin­

son, John C. Brenna, Nels Quale, Carl C. Brenna, Thomas Quale, Peter S. Hallan,

Edward Gibertson, William A. Ove, Tina Peterson, Marie Fevig, Harold Thor-

lackson, Lodvig Brevig, G. S. Thorlackson, and Ole Paulson.

The congregation was called "The First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church

of McKenzie County." A committee of John Brenna, Peter Hallan, and William

Ove were to select a site for a church and cemetery.

The ladies who were present at the April 6 meeting decided to have a meeting

to organize a Ladies Aid. They were to pay ten cents each meeting and give an

article for a sale.

The Rev. I. Buckneberg was installed as the first pastor on July 28, 1905. Serv­

ices were held in homes and schools.

In January, 1910, a committee of Swend Martinson, Thorkel Wollan, Peter

Hallan, Thomas Quale, and Andrew Wisness were selected to see about building

a church. Hans Engelson's bid of $1125.00 was accepted. The corner stone was

laid on September 18, 1910.

In July of 1912 the church was destroyed by a tornado and the present church

was built in 1913.

The two United Lutheran Congregations of West Prairie and Antelope joined

with Keene in 1919.

The 40th Anniversary was celebrated in 1945 with pioneer Pastor I, Buckne­

berg and Pastor Waldo Ellickson as guest speakers.

The pastors who have served are I. Buckneberg, 1905; M. Skonhovd, 1914;

N. I. Evenson, 1914; Hector Moe, 1921; I. M. Thvedt, 1941; David Larson, 1947;

A. G. Sherve, 1950; Harold Void, 1955; and Duane Sorum, 1960.

SALEM LUTHERAN CHURCH

The Salem Lutheran church was organized about 1917 about ten miles south of Watford City. Some of the

early day members were Engebrit Sondrol, Gust Johnson, Michel Thorsrud, Ole Loken, Peter Wik, Sam Enge­

bretson, Emil Norgard, Carl Norby, Odin Benson, Haakon Ambjor, Ole Haavelsrud, and the Kampestad and

Haverberg families.

The first pastor was the Rev. Eidbo, who also had a congregation in Watford City, Spring Creek and Arne-

gard. He served his churches driving a horse and buggy, and some of the Salem parishioners would regularly

fill his buggy with hay and oats for his horse, and food for him, as pay was very small.

At first services were held in the homes of its members, and then a one room house was moved to the Gust

Johnson farm where services were held until the congregation dissolved in the winter of 1928-1929. Later, the

building was added to the Johnson home. When the congregation dissolved, some of the parishioners went to

Spring Creek and some to the Watford City churches. They left their little parish, building a fence around the

cemetery.

37

The Sodbusters

The young couple set out in December for the hills of McKenzie. Since almost no snow had fallen they drove a wagon loaded with lumber for the new home they would build. The black horse Eric had bought, and the white one Marit had purchased with her hired-girl savings so she and her new husband could have a team of their own, starting life together in this Land of Promise.

Not long after leaving Minot, they stopped for the night at the shanty of a fainthearted homesteader who had decided to quit and go back East. From him they bought a cow at a bargain price. Eric and Marit tied the cow behind their wagon the next morning, and con­tinued toward Eric's claim.

Crossing the Missouri River brought no problem for it was frozen over. But in the trackless and jumbled breaks beyond the river bottomlands, the two drove up a coulee and found their team could neither turn nor pull the wagon further, for steep bluffs surrounded them.

So Eric and Marit unhitched the horses. They teth­ered the cow to a leafless tree and milked her for a warm and nourishing drink before they tackled the job awaiting them.

Then they carried the lumber, piece by piece, to the top of the bluff; they took the wagon apart and car­ried it, piece by piece, to the pile of lumber. Next they put the wagon together, loaded the lumber back upon it, hitched the horses, tied the cow behind, and went as far as they could.

Four times they cheerfully unhitched, unloaded, took apart, carried by hand and shoulder, re-assem­bled, re-loaded, and re-hitched before they reached Eric's claim with their lumber.

They moved into an abandoned ranch cookhouse in the neighborhood. Nearby homesteaders helped them build their house and they all rejoiced in an open win­ter, spared of cold and snow. By the end of January Eric and Marit were established in their own little frame house.

In spring when pasque flowers lifted lavender cups to the warm sun, the white horse suddenly died. But in Eric's dugout stable, a wobble-legged calf gave first promise of the herd that would graze on Eric and Marit's American farm.

To their house came many landseekers, and Marit fed them, often having only a milk-and-flour porridge to set before them. And Eric would take the menfolk out to the barn or the haystack to sleep while the women and children bedded on the floor of the little

house. One summer day a young father and mother came

pushing a baby buggy to Marit's door. They had walked the forty miles from Ray, their firstborn often lulled asleep in his jogging buggy as the long prairie grass swish-swooshed under the feet of his parents.

They left the baby with Marit, and they borrowed Eric's wagon, and then the two, husband and wife, pulled ,the wagon by hand as they hauled sod for their first home in the New Land. Years later, they would move out of their sodhouse into the two-story frame house which today shelters their eldest son.

Soddies and tar-papered shanties soon appeared on every quarter of land in Eric and Marit's neighbor­hood. The homesteaders gathered often in one anoth­er's tiny houses to visit, to have a cup of coffee, and occasionally for a worship service held by an itinerant minister. On one such occasion, the reverend gentle­man was preaching when a sow suddenly joined the congregation; she had jumped through a cloth-screened window of the sodhouse. In evacuating the unwelcome porker from her domain, the mortified housewife broke a broom over the back of the sow.

Eric broke sod with his remaining horse and two borrowed oxen hitched together. He and his neighbors planted small fields to No. 1 Hard, oats, barley, and flax. They threshed their first crops with horse-powered equipment, and hauled the grain to Ray. Some, ^i th sodbusting spirit, enlarged their fields de­spite hard years. Others, like the man who had sold Eric the cow, could not bide the persistent wind, the shackling of winter storms, the too-many-miles from a doctor. So they left untenanted their shanties and soddies—and in them the children of the sodbusters often explored and played.

When the Great Northern built eastward from Mon­tana, Eric established one of the first business places in Watford City, and the buggy-pushing father hauled many a wagon load of grain to the new hunchbacked elevators here.

While in the long perspective of history, Watford City is very young, only a few of its founders remain among us this day. The early builders of this com­munity faced adversities and hardships difficult for some of us to comprehend. These builders were the ones who remained to work after the unwilling and complaining deserted. These of the overcoming spirit knew that "Comes the day, comes the way."

May we who are the inheritors of the Erics and Marits grow in their spirit!

ERLING NICOLAI ROLFSRUD

38

BACK ROW, left to right: Jane Ann Samuelson, Barbara Jor­genson, Borgne Renbarger, Ann Fisketjon, and Ruby Hildre.

FRONT ROW, left to right: Margaret Muri, Ralph Jost, and Julia Knutson.

J. L. WHEELING of Sidney

AGRICULTURAL STABILIZATION AND CONSERVATION OFFICE

What is now the Agricultural Stabilization and Con­servation Service (ASCS) was first established in 1933 under the name of Agricultural Adjustment Agency (AAA). In later years it was also called the Produc­tion Marketing Association (PMA).

In the years following World War I the nation ex­perienced a declining market in agriculture due to a surplus without a market. In 1929 the bottom "fell

out" of the stock market and we had depressed mar­kets resulting in low income for farmers. Subsequent­ly, the New Deal came into being and brought relief in many ways through WPA, PWA, etc.

Farm Programs were enacted by Congress to help stabilize the income of farmers and several of these programs have been assigned to the ASCA for ad­ministration.

The first office was located in the old bank building across the street from the present location of the First International Bank of Watford City. The ASCS office is now located just west of the city limits.

The County Extension Agents were secretary-treasur­er to the County Committee of the old AAA Program. Then about in 1938 the County Committee selected their own secretary-treasurer who was responsible to them for the supervision of the farm program. County Extension Agents who served as secretary-treasurers were E. A. Hendrickson and Ralph Welch. After this, M. C. Rude, who is now postmaster at Watford City, was secretary-treasurer for a number of years. Others serving in that capacity were Lorraine Wollan Bowl-by, Selma Jore, and Julia Knutson. In 1953 the office manager position was established. Managers who have served are Otis M. Olson, Marvin J. Thill and at pres­ent, Ralph Jost.

The first County Committee consisted of Frank Erickson, Grief Coates, and 0 . K. Holm. The present committee is Henry Bauman, Helge Sherven, and Frank Skorpil.

J. L. Wheeling of Sidney has served the McKenzie County Committee the longest of any one individual, a total of 26 years. 0 . K. Holm, deceased, served twenty-one years. As nearly as can be determined, oth­ers serving on the County Committee throughout the years in addition to those already named are Tom Lof-tus, Morris Lee, A. H. Swenson, Paul Odermann, Peter A. Nygaard, Lloyd Powell, Axel Danielson, Arthur Wood, Arthur Mogen, Jerry Orf, Arthur Johnson, and Ralph Jost.

WATFORD CITY RADIO AND TV

OSCAR LYNNER

Watford City, N. Dak.

MOTOROLA ZENITH

39

Farmers Co-Op Elevator Company FIFTY YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IN WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

THE OLD CO-OP ELEVATOR BUILT IN 1914

This Farmers Co-op Elevator was organized on March 26, 1914, and the elevator was built the same year.

This old elevator had a capacity of 35,000 bushels. The cost of building at that time was $20,000.

Directors at that time were Jens G. Walla, J. C. Zeller, Eli E. Smith, J. C. Shelly, S. A. Thompson, Ole K. Holm, R. J. Folven, John Bruins, and Oscar Hagen.

THE NEW CO-OP ELEVATOR BUILT IN 1964

The new Farmers Co-op Elevator of Wat­ford City was constructed by the Hogenson Construction Co. of Minneapolis at a capacity of 100,000 bushels and at a cost to the 400 stockholders of approximately $145,000.

This elevator has a 50 ton scale and 60 ft. platform as well as a molasses mixing feed plant.

The elevator is expected to open for busi­ness in March, 1964.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS FRONT ROW, L.—R.: Einar H. Dahl, president; Knute Hagen, vice-presi­

dent; Fred Peterson, treasurer. BACK ROW, L.—R.: Lester Lillibridge, sec, Tom Okland, Director, Robert

Gallagher, manager.

40

McKenzie County Extension Work 1914-1964

KERMIT J. TOEPKE, County Agent

County agent work was established in McKenzie County in 1914 when the federal legislation passed the Smith Lever Act. This created the extension service. The job of county agent is to disseminate useful and practical information pertaining to agriculture and home economics and to encourage the use of this in­formation. Mr. L. H. Robbins was the first county agent. McKenzie County's population in 1910 was 5,720; in 1920, 9,544; in 1930, 9,709; 1940, 8,426; 1950, 6,849; 1960, 7,246. Watford City's population was as follows: 1920, 260; 1930, 769; 1940, 1,073; 1950, 1,371; 1960, 1,765. Farm population accounted for 83 per cent of the total population in the years prior to 1940 and has decreased to less than 45 per cent in 1960. During the years 1915-1928 three coun­ty agents were hired. They were M. B. Johnson, Paul Wagner, and Howard McNutt.

H. J. Siemens followed Howard McNutt as county agent in 1928. At that time there were five home-

makers clubs. A junior girls sewing club was organiz­ed at Arnegard under the leadership of Mrs. 0 . E. Anderson which was later led by Mrs. George Leiseth and her assistant, Miss Donehouer.

In 1930 E. A. Hendrickson became county agent. In 1934 Ralph K. Welch succeeded him. He was here until 1941. In 1941 Lyle Currie returned to McKenzie County and accepted the job as county agent.

From July, 1945, to March, 1947, Odd A. Osteroos was county agent. During this time the Yellowstone Soil Conservation District was organized.

From March, 1947, to April, 1950, John Coles was county agent. During these years 4-H Clubs increased to 17 and homemakers clubs to 17.

Kermit Toepke, present county agent, began exten­sion work in McKenzie County in 1950. At the present time there are 15 active 4-H clubs and 12 active home-makers clubs.

liTifnElSL

The McKenzie Electric Cooperative, Inc. The REA Building

The McKenzie Electric Cooperative, Inc. was organ­ized in February, 1945. The original incorporators were Telford Anderson, Einar H. Dahl, J. Garvin Jacob-son, Roy N. Johnson, J. L. Wheeling, G. F. Lindvig, Halvor Ambroson, 0 . C. Tollefson and Harold Rase. This constituted the first board of directors. Six of the first incorporators are still serving on the board. The first manager was Oliver Whitmer from 1945 to 1947. Howard Hanson served from 1947 to 1959 and Ivan Omlid from 1959 to the present time.

The McKenzie Electric Cooperative energized their first lines in the Alexander and Cartwright areas in De­cember, 1947. Since 1947 this expansion continued until all of McKenzie County and a large portion of Dunn County was electrified. In later years expan­sion was extended into Golden Valley and Billings

Counties of North Dakota and Wibaux and Richland Counties in Montana. At the present the McKenzie Electric Cooperative has 1,895 miles of distribution and transmission lines serving a total of 1,975 con­sumers.

Since the McKenzie Electric Cooperative was organ­ized, it has paid out over one million dollars in salaries to employees ($1,034,682.00),. plus thousands of dollars for other local services. It is also estimated that this organization has created a market for house­hold appliances, farm and commercial electrical equip­ment in excess of 12 million dollars in its service area.

The board of directors, manager, and employees of the McKenzie Electric Cooperative are proud of their accomplishments and take great pride in the belief that they have contributed to the economy of this area.

41

Watford City Bands 'Music Exalts Jof

-Armstrong

WATFORD CITY CORNET BAND, JULY 4,1916

The Watford City Cornet Band was organized in 1915 under the able direction of Mr. O'Brien. All of the members are not identifiable. Fred Lundin is playing the trombone, Hil Lundin the saxophone, Ed Strand the baritone horn, and Frank Allex the drum.

Leona Zeller's decorated Model T Ford is directly behind the band.

The band was in existence for a number of years and played for special occasions in Watford City and in the county.

WATFORD CITY COWBOY BAND, 1953

BACK ROW, L—R.: Owen Hostler, Vince Stenehjem, James Stenslie, Ruth Skadron, Ralph Christensen, Qarol Olson Perry, Arvild Skjelvik, Lyle Staley. FRONT ROW, L.—R.: Jack Zeller, Archie Olson, Dell Evans, Orville Larson, Bud Drovdal, Wally Croff, and Lyle Luttrell.

The Watford City Cowboy Band was organized in 1945 with Lee Stenehjem as director. It is still in ex­istence and plays for rodeos and celebrations of all types.

CONGRATULATIONS

FOR

50 YEARS OF PROGRESS

WATFORD CITY

COMMUNITY BENEFIT

ASSOCIATION

42

Watford City

Public Library 'Reading is the key to all knowledge"

MRS. T. J. BOE, LIBRARIAN

As early as 1927 Watford City established its first public library. Dr. H. U. Winner and M. A. McClung set up the library from personal home libraries and the solicitation of used books. Located in the waiting room of Dr. Winner's office, it was referred to as the Masonic Library, and it was a popular and much ap­preciated project by Watford City residents.

In 1931 it was moved to Christensen's Hardware Store, having grown to 2,000 volumes. The library con­tinued to expand and in 1935 was moved to the Det-ienne Bakery with Cora Luttrell as librarian.

In 1938 the library was moved to the old city hall and Leonard Hetland officiated as librarian. For seven years this was its location.

In 1945 it was taken over by the Woman's Club and moved to the Odd Fellow's Building with Mrs. Bessie Strand at the desk.

When the new Civic Center was built in Watford City, special quarters were allowed for the now rapidly growing library. A library committee was set up and Mrs. Theodore J. Boe was elected librarian.

Now, in 1964 there are some 5,050 books on hand. The library is open from 2 to 5:00 p.m. five days a week, except Tuesdays when it remains open to the public from 7 to 9:00 p.m.

Of inestimable value to the entire community, it bears out the slogan "Books are our friends; come let us read."

The history of the librarian, Mrs. Theodore J. Boe, will be found elsewhere in the book.

s & s MOTORS

"BOB" SANFORD, Owner

For

Ford — Mercury — Falcon — Comet

Sales and Service

FORD TRUCKS

DIAL 3021

WRECKER SERVICE

MASSEY-SALES

FERGUSON SERVICE

333 N. Main Watford City, North Dakota

43

McKenzie County Memorial Hospital "By Medicine, Life May Be Prolonged."

McKENZIE COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

The McKenzie County Memorial Hospital officially opened its doors on March 10, 1952. The efforts of many community spirited individuals in Watford City and the surrounding areas in McKenzie County were finally realized when their dream of a hospital came

Curtis Anderson, Dr. Lamal's first patient after hospital officially opened.

The pest house in 1917.

true. The residents of McKenzie County realized that something must be done to im­

prove the medical facilities in the area. A hospital cooperative was organized in 1935 under the supervision of the Federal Security Administration. Funds were solicited and an application for a federal loan applied for. It was denied in Wash­ington, D. C.

A WPA project in which a building was constructed also failed to develop into a hospital. That building is now used as a court house.

In 1945 plans for a hospital again were developed. A great deal of interest was shown and on March 4, 1946, the articles of incorporation were formulated and signed. Mr. Oluf Erickson was elected president of the hospital board.

Many fund raising drives were held and many problems had to be solved. In July, 1947, land was purchased for the hospital, an architectural firm hired and Federal aid applied for.

Finally on March 10, 1952, after more problems the hospital was ready. The first hospital superintendent was Mrs. Royce Gravert, RN. Mr. Herbert Kempf replaced her in July, 1952. From March, 1953, to May, 1954, Mrs. Alice Machado was superintendent. She was replaced in June that same year by Richard Warr. Mr. Larry Sievers arrived in July, 1955, to become superintendent. He has held that position since then except for a year when he went to Quincy, Wash., and Mr. Allen Anderson was the superintendent.

After having many problems, etc., local management was considered. This was assumed on September 1, 1959. A $25.00 a plate hospital benefit dinner was held on November 8, 1959. Over $4,500.00 was collected to help get the hospital started under the direction of the hospital board.

Records indicate that the hospital was operating satisfactorily, income was in­creasing and that the patient load had increased so that there were patients in the halls at times. The financial picture looked bright enough by December 7, 1960, to start thinking about an'addition to the present structure. Funds were received from the Hill-Burton fund, Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare, Bureau of Indian Af­fairs and the local community.

Excavation for the hospital addition began in June, 1963. When finished in June, 1964, the hospital will have beds for 26 patients, a new administration area and entrance plus many other new and modern facilities. Members of the present board are Halvor Rolfsrud, president; James Dundas, vice-president; Oscar Knudt-son, treasurer; Mrs. Gust Johnson, Mrs. Howard Konkel, Orville Hagen, John Klamm, John Larsen, Eugene Anthony, John Rogness, and A. W. Nelson. Mrs. James Zeek is the secretary for the board.

McKenzie Danielson was the first baby born in the new hospital and Curtis Ander­son, son of Mr. and Mrs. Telford Anderson, was Dr. Lamal's first patient after the hospital was officially opened.

The pest house, which was a quarantine area during the small pox epidemic in Watford City in 1917, was located in the old Rolfsrud Hotel. This today is the Bible Presbyterian Church. It was used for only a few months and was under the super­vision of the late Dr. Vaughn G. Morris, who was instrumental in the naming of the town. At that time Watford City was without a hospital. The two men in the above picture are the Ferguson brothers. One of them operated "The Owl," a con­fectionary store in Watford City for a number of years:

McKenzie County has made great strides in the past fifty years with its. medical services. In -addition to the hospital, Watford City has an up to date clinic which accommodates several doctors. Watford City also has two practicing dentists and one optometrist.

44

L. TO R., BACK ROW: James Walker, Sarah Alafsen, Mrs. James Walker, Mrs. Peter Goergon, Peter Goergon, Benton L. Carr, Leroy Carr; FRONT ROW: Harry Dingwall, Lillie Mae Carr, Wilbur Carr, Owen Ashby, Mrs. Elijah Ashby, Mrs. Benton Carr, and Or­ville Ashby.

GRASSY BUTTE

The picture on the left is the first Sunday School or­ganized by the American Sunday School Union south of the Little Missouri. These families represent the Methodist, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Christian, and Seventh Day Adventist churches.

The people on this picture are some of the early pioneers in the area north of what is now Grassy Butte. The picture was taken and developed by Mike Hayes, and was taken in front of the Hayes Brothers home on a Sunday afternoon in 1910.

Since there were no churches of any denomination in the area at that time, the families found sociability and spiritual fellowship in worshipping together. The ladies brought basket dinners, the children played games, and the men visited or played horseshoe. Some of the other families who often came were Paul Red-lins, Percy Walkers, Tom Carrolls, Lyle and Mike Hayes, Mike Gresz, Anton Greszs, and Mrs. Mary Crist and sons. Mrs. Crist was the first to drive the

pony express from Fayette to a postoffice named for herself. Their duties included not only delivering the mail, but purchasing supplies for people, and also op­erating a bus route for those who wanted to travel.

The ladies not only served as Sunday school teach­ers but also as neighborhood doctors and midwives. The men often found it their duty to officiate as cor­oner and coffin maker, not to mention their daily routine of blacksmith, barber, veterinarian.

All of the old timers have passed away. Most of the children still live in McKenzie County. Leroy Carr was killed in an auto accident; Harry Dingwall resides north of Grassy Butte, Wilbur Carr near the Indian Hill School south of Williston; Lillie Mae Carr, Mrs. Frank Hible, Thief River Falls, Minn. The Ashbys mov­ed back to Indiana. Truman and James Walker, and Harry Dingwall are grandchildren of the James Walk­ers. Bromley Carr and Mrs. Jerry Orf are a son and daughter of the Benton Carrs.

E^S^^PWS^

WE SALUTE WATFORD CITY ON ITS 50th BIRTHDAY. WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO THESE CITIZENS WHO, THROUGH THE YEARS HAVE WORKED HARD AND SUCCESSFULLY TO BUILD A FINE COMMUNITY—AND WHO NOW ARE PLANNING FOR EVEN GREATER PROGRESS IN THE FUTURE.

WE, OF NORTHWESTERN BELL, ARE PROUD OF HAVING HAD A PART IN THIS PROGRESS AND LOOK AHEAD TO A GREATER FUTURE WITH CONFI­DENCE.

F. G. GLUDT, Manager

NORTHWESTERN BELL OF NORTH DAKOTA 45

> A I A I

"This is the home where love abides" THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

History of the Good Shepherd Home

As a result of a county wide meeting called by the McKenzie County circuit of the American Lutheran Church on January 16, 1960, plans were formulated for the organization and construction of a retirement and nursing home for the elderly to be known as the Good Shepherd Home. This meeting was called by the pastors of Lutheran churches in the county headed by the Rev. Harold Void of the First Lutheran Church of Keene. Other pastors participating were the Rev. Ho-bart Skilbred, Rev. Carl Nelson, Olaf Berget, and Gabriel Gabrielson. The Board of Directors of the Arnegard Old Peoples Home headed by Olaf Norstag was present and took part in the organizational pro­ceedings for the new home. As a result of this meeting a committee was elected to proceed with fund raising, securing a site, and making plans for the construction of the new home. Elected on this committee from the delegates in attendance from the various congrega­tions were Dr. P.O.C. Johnson, 0 . N. Stenehjem, Murphy Eklund, Oscar Knudtson, Lee Stenehjem, Iv­an Omlid, Mrs. Sidney Veeder and Mrs. John Braaten. A site for the building was acquired consisting of eight acres of land adjoining Watford City on the east and an architect, Leslie Blake of Williston, was hired to prepare plans for the building. In July of 1961, The Good Shepherd Home became associated with the Bethel Corporation of Williston to secure their man­agement experience in the planning and management of retirement homes. This association has continued to the present and has been a mutually advantageous arrangement.

A steering committee was elected representing the Arnegard Old Peoples Home, the Bethel Corporation, and the Good Shepherd Home consisting of the following individuals: Olaf Norstag, Pastor H. S. Skil­bred, Sidney Swenson representing the Arnegard Home; Dr. Casper B. Nervig, Paul Berge, Gilman Wang rep­

resenting the Bethel Corporation, and Lee Stenehjem, Murphy Eklund and Ivan Omlid representing the ori­ginal finance committee.

A permanent Board of Directors of the Good Shepherd Home was set up in order to negotiate to secure a loan for the home, carry out the sale of bonds and to con­tinue fund raising in addition to centralizing the re­sponsibility and administration for the home. Lee M. Stenehjem, was named president, Murphy Eklund, vice-president, Ivan Omlid, secretary-treasurer, and Sid­ney Swenson and Paul S. Berge, directors.

In March, 1962 contracts were awarded covering the major construction for a forty four bed combina­tion retirement and nursing home that would be built to specifications as outlined by the State Health Depart­ment totaling approximately $315,000 to the Quality Construction Company of Williston for the general construction; Dickinson Plumbing and Heating Com­pany for the plumbing contract; and B & K Electric of Dickinson the electrical contract. Conlins Furniture of Bismarck was later awarded the furniture contract. In­cluding architectural fees, site, furnishings and con­struction costs, almost $400,000 was spent in making the Good Shepherd Home a reality. These funds were raised in the following manner, $115,000.00 from the sale of First Mortgage Bonds, $150,000.00 from a loan from the Bank of North Dakota, $125,000.00 from gifts and memorials from residents of McKenzie County. $10,000.00 remains to be raised in gifts at this date. A special gift of $38,500.00 was made by Mr. and Mrs. Jalmer Thorson, long time residents of the Raw-son community and placed in a trust fund to be used for operational purposes.

The Good Shepherd Home was designed from the original meeting of the Board of Directors and the Architect in early 1960 to provide a real home for the elderly residents and to avoid all "institutional type"

46

furnishings. This has been achieved primarily by di­viding the living areas in three separate wings to pro­vide for no more than fifteen in each wing. All living areas are on one floor level to provide comfortable living and efficiency in operation. Visitors who enter the main lobby area see first a pleasant reception and lounge area with a reverently furnished chapel adjoin­ing the lounge area. A large, well lighted dining area occupies the middle portion of the main area. Next to the dining room is the food service area including the kitchen which is completely tiled for cleanliness and maintenance. The food service also includes a dish washing area, walkin cooler, dumbwaiter to basement, food storage, and employee dining room. Also hous­ed in the large center area is the craft's room, public rest rooms and administration offices.

The three wings of the home have similar facilities. Each has single and double rooms with attached bath­rooms, central bathing facilities, and a small lounge. At the junction of these wings is the nurses station, clean and soiled utility room, examining room, barber shop and beauty parlor, ahd linen storage. The base­

ment area contains an approved Civil Defense bomb shelter, laundry, boiler room, resident storage area, janitor room, ladies locker room and general storage.

On December 28 and 29, 1963, over 1300 people attended an open house event prior to the opening of the home to residents. Lady representatives from all of the churches of McKenzie County acted as guides and conducted tours throughout the building during the two day event. Visitors to the home remarked about the harmonious blend of colors and tasteful furnish­ings.

On January 6, 1964 eight residents were admitted to the home. These first guests were Mrs. Olaf Erick­son, Mrs. Thea Anderson, Sigvart Peterson, Mrs. Mary Eashburn, Mrs. Gurina Bolken, Mrs. Elizabeth Sivert­son, Mrs. Dorothea Strom, and Aslak Kringlak. This number increased to twenty six by mid-February.

Mr. L. J. Totdahl is the administrator and heads the staff of twenty workers. The home is open to all de­nominations and will serve a great need throughout McKenzie County and western North Dakota.

LUTTRELL'S MOBIL SERVICE

Mob i l u b r i c a t i o n

2 IIIIIIIIIIlj minium

minim

Congratulations to Watford City on Its Golden Jubilee

RICHARD LUTTRELL, Prop.

47

History of the McKenzie County Farmer The McKenzie County Farmer, official newspaper

of McKenzie County, had its early beginnings as the

Schafer Record, first published in 1908 at Schafer by

H. W. Franklyn and W. S. Graham. Graham later

took over the business and in 1915 constructed a new

building in the fast growing town of Watford and be­

gan publishing a second paper, The Watford Guide.

The record was discontinued early in the 1920's and

in March, 1928, Graham sold The Guide to the McKen­

zie County Farmers Publishing Company of Arnegard.

The company was organized in 1917 by a group of

farmers and businessmen for the purpose of putting

out a newspaper which they named The McKenzie Coun­

ty Farmer. After purchasing The Guide, the opera­

tion was moved to Watford City. A short time later

the company also acquired the Arnegard Call. The

call was originally the Inland Empire at Berg by H. 0 .

Folkestad. It was moved to the first Arnegard town-

site in 1908 and renamed The Inland Call. In 1912

it was moved into the first new building on the present

Arnegard townsite. The name was later changed to

Arnegard Call. The Call was followed in Arnegard by

the McKenzie County Leader operated by Carl Feiring

who later sold out to Oscar Hagen and son, Ken­

neth. The Hagens moved the Leader to Watford City

about 1938 and eventually sold it to the McKenzie

County Farmers Publishing Company.

Another early-day newspaper which became a part

of the Farmer was the Alexander Chronicle, started in

1908 with Chris Clemmensen as publisher. The same

year it was taken over by E. B. Sessions and J. H. Mc-

Garry. McGarry later became sole owner and contin­

ued to publish the Chronicle until it went defunct dur­

ing World War II. The assets were purchased by

the McKenzie County Farmers Publishing Company in

1944 and the equipment moved to Watford City. This

left the McKenzie County Farmer the only newspaper

published in the county.

In the early days nearly every small community had

its own four-page, handset weekly. Primary purpose

was to provide an organ in which homesteaders could

make legal publication of their claim notices. One side

of the large sheets, which formed two pages of the

finished paper, were usually bought "ready printed"

with a weekly summary of world and national news,

an installment of a story in serial form, cartoons

and other items of general interest. The other two

pages were filled by the editor with local news and

advertising.

One of these early papers was the McKenzie County

Journal which commenced publication October 25,

1907, at Frish's farm near Charlson with 0 . E. Roning

as editor, and continued under various management

until J. C. Ellickson put out the final issue May 27,

1921.

One of the first managers of the McKenzie County

Farmer was C. J. Rapsavage, a former editor of the

Arnegard Call, who served as managing-editor from

1921 to 1926.

J. C. Leiseth, an apprentice under Rapsavage, be­

came manager in 1926, and in 1927 J. K. Brostuen was

hired as editor. He was followed by Carl John Carlson

in 1928 who was editor when the Farmer was brought

to Watford City and consolidated with the Watford

Guide.

James P. Curran replaced Leiseth and Carlson in

1930, serving as both manager and editor until 1933

when Leiseth returned as manager. Curran continued

as editor until D. Larin took over in 1934.

Leiseth resigned again in 1936 and D. W. Moffit

became manager-editor, followed by Blaine Whipple in

1942-1944. Leiseth again edited the paper for a few-

months in 1944 until Fred A. Shipman took over. Ship-

man retired at the end of 1960 and was replaced by

his son, Delbert C. Shipman, present managing editor.

Kenneth Larson has been working with the concern

since December 7, 1941.

48

The Watford City Park "Play eases the anguish of a torturing hour"

—Shakespeare

SI IffII

PARK BOARD

L—R.: Norman Sanford, Vince Stenehjem, Mrs. Lenora Loken, Manuel Hagen, Richard Luttrell

The Present Swimming Pool

The Watford City Park Board was organized in March, 1926. P. C. Vildmo, J. A. Labrant, and George Bauer were the first elected park board officers.

The Park Board first acquired the property east of town known to all as the tourist park. During the 1930's the board built a few tourist cabins. These were rented to tourists and the income was used to pay for a caretaker. The tourist park had many trees, shrubs and flowers which made it a beautiful park.

In 1945 J. P. Christensen donated the land which constitutes the present park. This was a coulee, weed patch and a collector of refuse for many years. Through the farsightedness of the board there was extensive dirt moving and the area was made into a ball park. Ledges were built for parking cars.

On September 27, 1947, Ross Luttrell offered a resolution to establish a recreational system to be sup­ported by a mill levy to carry on recreational activities. Resolution was adopted and the recreational sys­tem has been in effect since.

In 1950 the ball park was lighted for night ball games. This proved to be very beneficial in later years for both baseball and football.

In 1951 two cement tennis courts were added and in 1954 the wading pool was constructed. In 1958 several civic minded citizens began a swimming pool project. The pool was built and paid for almost in its entirety by donations and through fund raising ac­tivities. In 1959 the bathhouse was completed. The entrance posts to the park were dedicated to Ross Luttrell and J. P. Christensen, two pioneers who were instrumental in the development of the park.

One of the first swimming areas near Watford City was located at Sandy Crossing which is one-half mile south east of Watford City. It was in use during the 1920's and 1930's. The Woman's Club built the bath­houses. The Sandy Crossing swimming hole was also an ideal place for washing cars.

The Sandy Crossing Swimming Hole

I. 0 . 0 . F.

The Independent Order of Oddfellows is a nation­wide fraternal organization having as its motto Friend­ship, Love, and Truth. Its basic activities include visit­ing the sick, relieving the distressed, burying the dead, and educating the orphan. This organization has been in existence for 145 years.

Schafer Lodge #133 is proud to be a small segment of this order. It was instituted in Schafer on December

20, 1909. The first officers were C. C. Converse, John Chaussee, Ernest Campbell, A. N. Cooper, and M.

A. McCarty. The lodge was later moved to Watford City and has been active at all times. The present membership is 93. Donald C. Lester, Lupean Fancy, Clyde McCarty, Peter C. Moe, Iver Eide and Arne Tol­lefson are the honorary members. The lodge is proud of any small part it may have had in the development of Watford City.

49

Organizations "To Serve Us Seems Their Only Aim"

—Spires of Oxford

WATFORD CITY WOMAN'S CLUB

This club was organized in April of 1915 and was first called "The Ladies Commercial Club." It was or­ganized at the home of Mrs. A. D. Frazier. There were ten charter members. They were president, Mrs. V. G. Morris; vice president, Mrs. A. D. Frazier;

secretary, Mrs. Omar Cassidy; Treasurer, Mrs. Clint Randall. Others were Mrs. George Gullickson, Mrs. John Richardson, Mrs. William Dietrich, Mrs. H. Lundin, Mrs. Hill Lundeen, and Mrs. Frank Gonion.

Gaining a membership of 40, this club was federated

WATFORD CITY WOMAN'S CLUB, 1940 FRONT ROW: (left to right) Mrs. Vince Stenehjem, Mrs. Emil Miller, Mrs. Bessie Strand, Mrs. Angus Kennedy, Sr., Miss Lindquist, Mrs. J. P. Christensen, Miss Bloomquist, Miss Neuenshwander. BACK ROW: (left to right) Miss Letness, Mrs. Leonard Losk, Mrs. H. R. Tonning, Miss Ida Graham, Mrs. Harold Ellickson. Mrs. R. M. Christensen, Mrs. Charles Losk, Mrs. George Wooge, Mrs. M. A. McClung, Mrs. Ralph Welch, Miss Taylor, Miss Harrington, Miss Anderson, Miss Esther Buck, Mrs. W. Robin­son, Mrs. O. N. Stenehjem.

in 1919 and given the name of the Watford City Wom­an's Club. Two charter members of the federated club who continued to live here and were active for many years were Mrs. P. 0 . C. Johnson and Mrs. Charles Losk.

The aim has always been much the same, to "study to improve and civic service" as well as working to­gether with organized women in the entire U. S. toward the goal of a better community in which to live.

Some of the first things done back in 1919 were to purchase the first reference books, three volumes, for the school as well as a victrola with twelve rec­

ords. They raised $150.00 towards the purchase of a piano for the school and served hot lunches for stu­dents.

The women organized a unit to knit for the Red Cross in both World War I and II. The drinking fountain, on the corner of Lundin Drug Store, was put in by the club to accommodate both people and dogs in 1939. That was also the year they started the first kindergarten and helped maintain a library.

In 1941 they had their first flower show and this has been an annual affair since. They presently have 22 members.

WATFORD CITY WOMAN'S CLUB, 1964

FRONT ROW ( I ^ R ) : Mrs. Otto Tank, Mrs. Bessie Strand, Mrs. W. Robinson, Mrs. Maurice Davidson, Mrs. K. Borgen. SECOND ROW (L—R): Mrs. R. Molland, Mrs. Olaf Berget, Mrs. R. Strong, Mrs. P. E. Thompson, Mrs. V. Stenehjem. BACK ROW (L—R): Mrs. L. Stenehjem, Mrs. Wm. Maloney, Mrs. N. Dahl, Miss L. Aasen.

50

WATFORD CITY TOASTMISTRESS CLUB

FRONT ROW (L—R): Mmes. Bud Drovdal, H. Tonning, 0. Eklund, M. Eklund, V. Stenehjem, O. Berget. BACK ROW (L—R): Mmes. L. Stenehjem, J. Zeek, M. Nelson, G. Urban, R. Molland, J. Taylor, H. Wold, R. Sundfor, S. G. Byerly, D. Broderson.

WATFORD CITY TOASTMISTRESS. CLUB

The Watford City Toastmistress Club received its first charter on October 17, 1960, although an organizational meeting was held on May 16, 1960. At this meeting Audree Eklund was elected the

first president of the new club, with Jessie Le-vang chosen vice-president; Phyllis Ratcliffe, secretary; and Louise Yoast, treasurer. At the June 6, 1960, meeting Cora Wold was chosen as histor­ian. The charter members of the club are Audree Eklund, Vi Stenehjem, Cora Wold, Phyllis Rat­cliffe, Ruth Peterson, Cora Sanford, Van Malon-ey, Jessie Levang, Pat Taylor, Arlene Christensen, Anna Wisness, Louise Yoast, Harriet Dundas, Marian Stenslie, Judy Stenehjem, Jean Sundfor, Borgny Renbarger, and Marcy McGee.

Membership has changed over the years, but six of the original group still belong. Violet Steneh­jem is the incumbent president. The club has taken

part in a number of speech contests, has had a regional meeting in Watford City, and continues to move forward in speech techniques and com­munity betterment.

THE WATFORD CITY LIONS CLUB

BACK ROW (L—R): R. Luttrell, L. Stenehjem, M. Frazee, C. Leiseth, W. McLees, R. Lasater, C. Holman, R. M. Christensen, R. Christensen. MIDDLE ROW ( I ^ R ) : C. Olson, G. Schafer, W. Johnston, A. Nichols, S. Charchenko, R. Nordberg, D. Shipman, R. Molland, T. Omlid. FRONT ROW: J. Larson, R. Scott, H. Thorson, B. Drovdal, F. Gludt, R. Sten-berg, V. Stenehjem, G. Trafford, C. Rude, D. Stevens.

THE WATFORD CITY LIONS CLUB

The Watford City Lions Club was organiz­ed on April 24, 1952, for the purpose of pro­moting the theory and practice of good gov­ernment and citizenship; taking active inter­est in civic, social, and moral welfare of the community; uniting the members in bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual un­derstanding; providing for full and free dis­cussion of all matters of public interest, part­

isan politics and sectarian religion alone excepted; en­couraging efficiency and promoting high ethical stand­ards in business and professions.

Charter members of the club were Earl Aal, Johan A. Bergh, S. G. Byerly, Ralph Christensen, Wally Croff, S. 0 . Dundas, Murphy Eklund, Ray Heid, Dr. P. 0 . C. Johnson, Mervin Johnson, Oscar Knudtson, Levi Lar­sen, Richard Luttrell, Lawrence McMaster, Jorgen 01-and, Archie Olson, Ernest Raddatz, Reginald Reetz, W. Robinson, Martin Sanford, Arne Sanford, Lee Steneh­jem, Vince Stenehjem, Kris Stenslie, Kermit Toepke, Oliver Whitmer. S. 0 . Dundas was the first president

and Ray Heid was secretary-treasurer. Regular club meetings are held on the second and

fourth Thursdays of each month at 6:30 p.m. The meetings are dinner meetings and there is always some form of entertainment.

During the past several years the club has spon­sored a home talent show, which is familiarly known as the Lions Follies. The proceeds are used to help the local hospital, school and fair board.

Charter members still active are 0 . Knudtson, R. Luttrell, V. Stenehjem, L. Stenehjem, and R. M. Christ­ensen. F. Gludt is the current president.

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V. F. W. AUXILIARY

The McKenzie Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary No. 9005 was organized on May 10, 1947, with 32 charter members. The auxiliary was instituted and the new officers installed.

The elected officers were Dorothy Richardson, Presi­dent; Clara Helle, Sr. vice-president; Eleanor Weh-rung, Jr. vice-president; Audrey Coles, treasurer; Har­riet Lawlar, chaplain; Anna Wisness, conductress; Lauraine Lawlar, guard; Edith Grotte, trustee; Mary Ellyn Berg, trustee; and Olga Zitek, trustee.

The appointed officers were Cora Sanford, secretary; Valora Okland, historian; Vivian Signalness, pa­triotic instructor; Marilyn Evans, flag bearer; Esther Levang, color bearer; Lenora Loken, color bearer.

At present they have 41 members, nine of whom are charter members. They are Clara Helle, Estella Stavn, Marjorie Johnson, Esther Levang, Alma Luttrell, Dorothy Stevens, Adeline Nordeng, Lenora Loken, and Edythe Grotte.

The V. F. W. Auxiliary has been active in commun­ity projects. Few of the activities in which they have participated are Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Girls State, essay contests, loyalty day, teacher's day, Girl Scouts and sending Christmas presents and baskets to needy families. They remember all veterans and mem­bers with cards and gifts when ill and memorials to their departed veterans are sent to their national home in Eaton Rapids, Michigan.

1964 OFFICERS

SEATED, (L—R): Grace Christianson, Dora Markman, Alice Bond.

STANDING (L—R): Jeanette Erickson, Nora Syverson, Hilda Moe, Dorothy Sondrol, Violet Sharrick, Anna Degerness, Clara Dundas.

FRANCES REBEKAH LODGE # 97 Frances Rebekah Lodge #97 was organized at Scha­

fer on March 8, 1916. There were ten charter members. They were George F. Shafer, Charles Shafer, Mrs. Frances Shafer, W. J. Robinson, Charles C. Converse, Lester Krass, Mrs. Minnie Krass, J. P. Stevens, J. K.

Deihm, and the Rev. Wm. B. Cowgill. The first officers were N. G., C. C. Converse; V.

G., Frances Shafer; Secy., Minnie Krass; Treas., George Shafer; Warden, L. F. Krass; Conductor, W. J. Robin­son; Chaplain, W. B. Cowgill; Inside Guard, J. K. Diehm.

The lodge was dormant from January, 1921, until April 30, 1926. It was then reactivated and the charter was moved to Watford City. A degree staff from the Williston Loyalty Rebekah Lodge performed the ceremonies of initiation and installation. The lodge has been continually active since 1926 and has a present membership of 59.

They have helped send three local high school pupils on a United Nations pilgrimage to Washington, D. C. and New York City.

The 1964 officers are Dora Markman, Noble Grand; Grace Christianson, chaplain; Dorothy Sondrol, con­ductor; Esther Skaar, outside guardian; Jeanette Erick­son, secretary; Clara Dundas, musician; Alice Bond, Vice Grand; Nora Syverson, warden; Anna Degerness, flag bearer; Violet Sharrick, inside guardian; Hilda Moe, treasurer; Norma Campbell, district deputy pre­sident.

FOR ALL YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS

BYERLY INSURANCE WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

Automobile, Farm and City Property, Hail, Personal and Farm Liability

S. G. BYERLY JOYCE BYERLY

52

McKENZIE COUNTY HOSPITAL GUILD

•fr-/-iV''

1962 MEMBERS

FIRST ROW, L—R.: Mrs. Anna Raddatz, Mrs. Art Frederick, Mrs. Herman Johnson, Mrs. Monrad Olson, Mrs. Guy Judkins. SECOND ROW, L.—R.: Mrs. Joe Zitek, Mrs. Fred Mennenga, Mrs. Clara Dundas, Mrs. Art Vick, Mrs. Ernest Sondrol, Mrs. Magnus Walla, Mrs. Guy Judkins.

A "RIPPING" PARTY

L.—R.: Mrs. Mary Thompson, Mrs. Dave Wherely, Mrs. John Richardson, Mrs. T. J. Boe, Mrs. Kari Braaten. STANDING: Mrs. John Rogness, Mrs. Peter Omlid.

The McKenzie County Hospital Guild was organized on March 26, 1952, under the direction of hospital Superintendent Mrs. Elleanor Gravert. The following were elected officers; president, Mrs. Gust Johnson; vice-president, Mrs. R. M. Christensen; secretary, Mrs. T. J. Boe; treasurer, Mrs. Herman Anderson. The directors were Mrs. Dave Wherely, Mrs. E. Raddatz and Mrs. Bessie Strand. When the charter was formed and the constitution adopted, they had 35 members.

The guild does a tremendous amount of sewing for the hospital and has assisted in the purchase of fracture beds, oxygen tents, divider curtains, footstools, and bedspreads. One of the largest pieces of equipment they bought for the hospital was an electro-cardiograph. It cost $800 and they raised $795.

Mrs. Gust Johnson served as president in 1952-1953; Mrs. Vince Stenehjem in 1954-1955 and Mrs. E. Rad­datz from 1955 to the present time.

WATFORD CITY CHAPTER, ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR

FIRST ROW, L.—R.: Mrs. Kent Jackson, Erling Berg, Mrs. Fred Piper, Fred Piper, Mrs. Ruby Hildre. SECOND ROW: Mrs. Archie Olson, Mrs. M. C. Rude, Mrs. Nels Madson, Mrs. Bennie Botner, Mrs. Marion Loken, Mrs. Ethel Robinson, Mrs. Mary Ellsberry. THIRD ROW: Hugh Warford, Mrs. C. Goddard, Mrs. L. Anderson, Mrs. R. Christensen, Mrs. M. Knutson, Mrs. B. Kellogg, Norris Hildre.

The Watford City Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star was instituted on April 9, 1946, with a charter membership of 21.

Their activities include observing special occasions in social and educational ways, visiting neighboring chapters, and receiving visits from to promote friend­ship. They contribute to worthy causes such as the Peace Garden, educational and charitable projects. They help support a home for the aged members. Each year they send baskets to needy families at holiday time.

The year 1964 began well with Sister and Brother Piper installed as Worthy Matron and Patron assisted by Associate Matron Louise Yoast; Associate Patron, Erling Berg; secretary, Clara Kellogg; treasurer, Ethel Robinson; conductress, Maxine Jackson, associate con­ductress, Ruby Hildre; chaplain, Junice Botner; mar­shal, Hugh Warford; organist, Arlene Christensen; Ada, Marion Loken; Ruth, Ruth Anderson; Esther, Julia Knutson; Martha, Cecila Rude; Electa, Jessie God­dard; warder, Norris Hildre; Sentinel, Eva Madson.

53

PRESENT OFFICERS

SEATED, L.—R.: Mrs. Perrin Thompson, vice-presi­dent; Mrs. Clarence Rude, treas., Mrs. Norman Swenson, sgt. at arms; Mrs. Howard Wherung, chap­lain. STANDING: Mrs. Clarence Danielson, president, Mrs. B. Kellogg, historian, Mrs. Wm. Faulkner, sec­retary.

• <*mmT*my ii T I • N •TiJ FIRST OFFICERS

L.—-R.: Robert Sundfor, treas.; Morris Alls-house, vice-president; Ray Kemis, sec ; Roy Anderson, Dan Grantier, president.

L.—R.: Mmes. Mylo Eklund, Barney Norstog, Harold Rolfsrud, Carl Bolken, Vern Suelzle, Roger Harmon.

AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY

The American Legion Auxiliary was organized in 1921. There were 16 charter members. They were Mrs. Jorgen Anderson, Mrs. S. 0 . Dundas, Elidah Folven, Minnie Knecht, Florence Oder, Alice Rude, Lillian Rude, Lottie Rude, Mrs. Clyde Staley, Mrs. C. D. Smith, Mrs. 0 . D. Smith, Viola Thomas, Irene Vandergrift, Mildred Vick, and Gertrude Williams. Irene Vandergrift was the first president.

The first officers were president, Mr. Irene Vandergrift; vice-president, Mrs. Lottie Rude; secretary, Mrs. Viola Thomas; treas., Minnie Knecht. Mrs. S. 0 . Dundas and Alice Rude are the two re­maining charter members.

During the years they have sponsored baby clinics, sent sunshine boxes to the needy and ill, ordered and sold poppies, added hospi­tal equipment to the local hospital, conducted poppy poster con­tests, and participated in Memorial Day services. They also have sponsored a banquet on Veterans Day.

In 1927 it was decided to put on a home talent play. They chose, "The Arrival of Kitty." It was under the direction of Mrs. H. A. McNutt. They played two nights in Watford City to a full house and one night at Rawson, N. Dak.

Presently they have a membership of 66 members.

JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Watford City Junior Chamber of Commerce was organized on October 26,1955.

In June, 1956, they sponsored the first McKenzie County pageant and in 1957 the first Jaycee awards night.

In the nine years that the organization has existed, it has spon­sored many projects. Some of them are Get out to Vote Campaign, Vehicle Safety Check, the building and installing of garbage cans and racks for the local residents, fund raising for the public lib­rary, local hospital and swimming pool. Some of the projects have been for the benefit of the teen agers in the area and include jun­ior golf, junior bowling, the teenage rodeo, record hops and the building of skating rinks.

MRS. JAYCEES

One of the newer service clubs in Watford City is composed of a group of energetic young women known as the Mrs. Jaycees. Theirs is an independent organization and is affiliated with the Mrs. Jay­cees of N. Dak. Their purpose is to "participate in" civic activities and cultivate friendly relations and promote mutual understand­ing among wives of the members of the Junior Chamber of Com­merce.

Mrs. Jaycees were organized in October, 1957. One of the favorite projects has been buying equipment for the pediatric ward of the local hospital. The purchases have included a high chair, teeter babe, play pen and baby scale. They furnished a large wooden box for use as a toy chest. Terry-cloth slippers were made for other patients and holiday tray favors have been made by the members for various holi­days. Each April they sponsor the cancer drive. They meet monthly at the homes.

54

COUNCIL OFFICERS

L.—R.: Mrs. Dunae Hartel, secretary; Mrs. Carl Schultz, vice-president; Mrs. Myron Johnsrud, presi­dent; Mrs. Harry Bergee, treasurer.

McKENZIE COUNTY HOMEMAKERS CLUBS

The first homemakers clubs were organized in Mc­

Kenzie County in 1924 under the leadership of Paul

C. C. Wagner, who was then the county agent. These

clubs were located in the areas of Charlson, Hawkeye,

Schafer, Rawson, Watford City, Arnegard, Sheep Butte

and Loyal and were so named. Due to poor roads

and near isolation of some of the communities, most

clubs had little more than miscellaneous lessons and

no project lessons were given nor were they available.

The highlight of the club year was the homemakers

booth at the annual corn and potato show.

The first homemakers council Was organized in 1932

under the direction of E. A. Hendrickson, county

agent. Mrs. George Leiseth from the Arnegard Civic

League was its first president. Mrs. Jay Grantier from

the Banks Club was secretary. At this time there were

11 clubs. The purpose of the council was to assist

the county agent with homemakers problems and take

a more active part in the supervision of the work

throughout the county.

At present there are twelve active clubs in the coun­

ty with a total membership of 179 women. Each club

has a well rounded program of lessons in food, cloth­

ing and home management as well as miscellaneous

lessons. One of the more important activities of the

clubs is their participation with booths and floats in

the McKenzie County Fair.

McKENZIE MARINE CLUB

By the year 1958 the Garrison Dam had created a

sizeable body of water at the junction of the Big and

Little Missouri Rivers. Because of the topography of

the backwater area, numerous bays were formed and

a Watford City group of water enthusiasts picked the

Smith Creek area east of Mandaree in Dunn County

as the site of their activities. In compliance with the

rules and regulations of the Corps of Engineers who

control the taken area around the water's edge, the

Watford City Park Board entered into an agreement

with the corps whereby the newly organized McKenzie

Marine Club would be authorized to act on the board's

behalf as concessionaires of the designated camping

area.

The McKenzie Marine Club has a five member

board of directors, from which the president and vice-

president are elected. Meetings are held periodically as

necessity dictates. The club has sponsored boat shows

and barbecues and educational films on water safety,

fishing lore and even hunting provide variety of en­

tertainment at meetings. The entire membership shares

a mutual liking for, and a desire to promote, this

water resource.

This club is responsible for the hiring of a care­

taker, establishing facilities for public use and keep­

ing the area policed. They have further assumed the

financing, constructing, and maintaining of access roads

and contracting with the REA for electric power.

That western North Dakota is able to furnish a

reason for a Marine Club to exist would have seemed

fantastic in the last generation, hjit the dry land in­

habitants are fast becoming aquatic. On a typical week­

end between Memorial Day and Labor Day, there are

families in residence in their "cabanas" (trailers, cot­

tages, or tents), fishing, swimming, water skiing, visit­

ing or simply relaxing.

55

ENIGHED LODGE—SONS OF NORWAY

The Sons of Norway Lodge was first organized on February 16, 1922, under the name "Vinje Lodge #222." A group of men met at the Jorgen Anderson home in Watford City and elected the following officers: president, Jorgen Anderson; secretary, Rasmus Folven; treasurer, Peter Hallan. The lodge began with 25 mem­bers, men only. On April 19, 1922, they initiated twelve more members, nine of whom were women. The lar­gest initiation ever held was on Dec. 1, 1925, when 52 members joined.

The meetings were conducted in Norwegian and the minutes were written in Norwegian until the lodge dis­continued in February, 1940.

Each year, usually at Christmas time, they would have a lutefisk supper. In 1936 they made a profit of $3.52 on their supper. They also observe each 17th of May, Norway's Independence Day.

One year they sponsored a declamation contest and Wilma Van Dyke Eklund won first prize on her pre­sentation of "Sogne Kjeringa." A three-act play was

given by the members in 1937. Since so many of the members left this community

in the 1940's, the lodge was discontinued. In 1954 it was reorganized. The first meeting was held on Feb­ruary 26, 1955, in the I.O.O.F. Hall.

The Arnegard Lodge with the following members, Hans Holter, Sigrud Lund, and Olaus Evenson had asked the lodge to join them. Therefore, the name "Enighed" was taken.

Currently there is a membership of 113. The lodge meets regularly the first and third Tuesdays of the month at the Odd Fellows Hall in Watford City.

The officers are as follows: president, Mrs. Orville Hagen; vice-president, Mrs. Arven Helle; financial sec­retary, Mrs. John Anthony; secretary, Lillian Bergem; treasurer, Arnold Leiseth; counselor, Arnold Mork; social director, Clara Skaar; marshal, Clifford Skaar; assistant marshal, Henry Simonson; inner guard, Mrs. Ruby Hildre; outer guard, Roman Neubauer; trustees, Knute Hagen and Erik Prestangen.

ALL SET FOR A PARADE

"50 YEARS IN THE SADDLE"

Fifty years in the saddle is a group membership or­ganized for historical and social purposes. It was first organized in May, 1957, at New Town, North Dakota.

The first officers were as follows: president, Fred LaRocque; vice-president, Angus Kennedy; secretary, Andrew Johnston; treasurer, Bryant Kellogg.

At the present time there are over one-hundred members. The requirements are that a member must have been a working cowboy by 1907 and never was thrown from a horse, if he could help it.

The membership comes from no defined area. They are from western North Dakota and eastern Montana. A regular annual meeting is held as a social and busi­ness get-to-gether. Special meetings are called at any time by the elected officers for necessary business.

A book has been published on the experiences of ranch life by some of the members and a second book may follow in a few years to preserve as much as possible the early ranch happenings. The headquarters for this rather unique organization is in Watford City.

56

THE ROTARY CLUB

The Rotary Club of Watford City was organized during the spring of 1958, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Williston. This was the first new Rotary Club in North Dakota in 37 years.

Rotary Clubs are known for the strict classification rules governing membership and the ironclad attend­ance rules governing the weekly meetings of the club. Members not able to attend meetings of the local club are expected to try to attend elsewhere. The local club received its charter on June 24, 1958, with Williston and Dickinson clubs as hosts.

The first president was Dr. H. U. Winner. After Dr. Winner's injury in an explosion, Herb Lundin, as vice-president, took over the helm. Archie Olson was the first secretary, and Lee Stenehjem the first treasurer. There were 25 members at the first, with a member­ship now of twenty members. Olaf S. Berget was elect­ed president in 1959, and the next year Archie Olson became president. Loyde Peterson was president just a short time and when he left town, the duties fell upon the vice-president, James Taylor. Clarence Leiseth was the next president, and the Rev. James Zeek is now the president of the club.

ROTARY CLUB L to R: Robert Schur, Lee Stenehjem, Phil Weiser, Owen Host­ler, Arne Sanford, Del Shipman, Archie Olson, Bill Feeney, Murphy Eklund, Clarence Leiseth, 0. N. Stenehjem, Gerald Shafer, Olaf Berget, President James Zeek, Robert Molland, Dr. C. T. Moravec, Mervin Johnson, Bill Maloney, Dr. D. C. Oliver, and Max Borseth.

The Rotary Club has a number of achievements to its credit. Many foreign students have been guests of the club and people of other lands have been mem bers. Ilhan Bilgutay of Istanbul, Turkey, was a mem ber for a year, while he was with the local hospital A notable guest of the club on two occasions was Mr Henry Colbeck, of Watford, England, after which Wat ford City was named, together with Watford, Quebec Rotary Club demonstrates an international flavor in its activity. The club awards a scholarship to each high ranking boy and girl in the senior class every year. A "career day" has been sponsored in the local school, and other worthwhile programs.

The roster of members and their classifications are as follows: Robert Schur, electric light and pow­er; Lee Stenehjem, banking executive; Phil Weiser, hardware dealer; Owen Hostler, photography; Arne Sanford, auto dealer; Delbert Shipman, newspaper publisher; Archie Olson, creamery operator; Murphy Eklund, implement dealer; Clarence Leiseth, mortician; Odin Stenehjem; additional active, banking executive; Gerald Shafer, agriculture; Olaf Berget, education; James Zeek, Protestant pastor; Robert Molland, public school administrator; Dr. C. T. Moravec, optometry; Mervin Johnson, retail groceries; William Maloney,

restaurant business; Dr. D. C. Oliver, medicine; Max Borseth, retail clothing; James Taylor, practice of law.

ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE

The Association of Commerce was organized in October, 1936, at a mass meeting of business men and other interested people, called by Dr. H. U. Win­ner, Mayor. The first board of directors was 0 . N. Stenehjem, H. U. Winner, M. A. McClung, Clint Gran-tier, and S. 0 . Dundas. The first officers were 0 . N. Stenehjem, president, M. A. McClung, vice-president, and Hi Opgrande, secretary. The Association of Com­merce was preceded by a Commercial Club which had served a similar function for a decade or more.

The Association of Commerce has been active during the period of its existence in promoting a healthy cli­mate for the growth of the community. Some of their projects are the annual fall festival, community ap­

preciate days, McKenzie County Fair, and oil appre­ciation day. More recently they sponsored a business training seminar under the auspices of the Greater North Dakota Association.

Through the years it has taken an active part in the creation of the Theodore Roosevelt National Mem­orial Park and promoting tourist interest in western North Dakota.

The present officers are a Board of Directions: R. R. Schur, Wm. Tschetter, Mervin Johnson, Ray Sten-berg, Gerhard Schafer, Mrs. R. M. Christensen, Mrs. Oscar Ohnstad, Wm. Feeney, and Arvid Haugeberg. To them goes much of the credit for the Golden Jubilee.

57

L.—R.: Mmes. Louis Signalness, Angus Kennedy, Sr., Brooks Keogh, Harry Kruger, Leroy Perry, Anders Mad­son, Gordon Olson.

THE COW BELLES

The "Cow Belles" is the auxiliary of the "Cattle­men of Western North Dakota." The latter organization was organized in 1934 for theft protection of cattle and the advancement of the beef industry. The women at first attended these meetings with their husbands, and then in 1951 they organized their auxiliary and called themselves the "Cow Belles." Mrs. Louis Signal­

ness was one of the fourteen members who met to organize this in North Dakota, and Mrs. John Hanson of Bowman was the first president. The state member­ship is now over 500, with McKenzie County having the largest county membership. They are also members

of the National Cow Belles, which constitutes 41 states, a North Dakota lady being president of the national organization.

The local Cow Belles are District One members, with Mrs. Louis Signalness as the president. Mrs. Gordon Olson and Mrs. Leroy Perry are state directors. Mrs. Brooks Keogh is on the state council of education, and Mrs. Harry Kruger is on beef cookery, Mrs. Louis Signalness, historian, and Mrs. Art Jore is secretary and treasurer.

The Cow Belles have two business meetings regularly each year and social meetings as the occasion demands. Any woman interested in the cattle business is welcome to be a member.

FORT UNION LODGE #128

FIRST OFFICERS IN 1926

TOP ROW, L—R.: Marvin A. McClung, W. M.; Alvin M. LaBrant, S. W.; Howard A. McNutt, J.W.; Harry Winner, S.D.; Edward Ferguson, J.D. BOTTOM ROW, L— R.: Clyde Staley, treas.; Rasmus Folven, sec'y.; E. J. Bradrick, S.S.; Jens O. Nelson, J.S.; Guttorm Sund­for, Tyler.

OFFICERS FOR 1963-1964

BACK ROW, L.—R.: Hans Loftus, treas.; Richard Christensen, S.S.; Duane Neer, S.D.; Leonard Anderson, J.D.; Melvin C. Rude, sec'y. FRONT ROW, L—R.: Erling Berg, S.W.; Ted Omlid, W.M.; John Larson, J.W. Not pictured are William Bell, J.S. and Lee Stevens, Tyler.

Meeting dates for the Fort Union Lodge are on the second and fourth Monday of every month at the IOOF Hall. There are at the present time 100 members who belong to the Fort Union Lodge #128 in Watford City.

58

BADLANDS SADDLE CLUB

RODEO TIME IN THE BADLANDS

The Badlands Saddle Club was organized in May, 1955, and incorporated as a non-profit organization June 15, 1955, with membership open to any person interested in horses and horsemanship. Ben Baye do­nated a tract of land adjoining Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park for ten years at a lease price of ten dollars. Many members worked long and hard in promoting and developing the organization and in constructing club house, arena, corrals, and hillside seats. Alice Signalness made the big Saddle Club flag. Clarence Leiseth organized the drill team. The first officers were Ben Baye, president; Olaf Leiseth, vice-president; Mrs. H. W. Steffenhagen, s e c ; Clarence Danielson, Jr., treas. The directors were Fritz Berger, Carl Jorgenson, and Ben Johnston.

The first trail ride led by Ben and Ruth Baye was made August 7, 1955, and covered 22 miles. A steak fry and complete dinner was served at noon. Cooks were Ag. Kennedy, Red Hanna, Gordon Olson, Howard and Oliver Lange and Loren Hartman.

There have been two rodeos each year, the first be­ing held July 10, 1955. All were under Saddle Club management until 1963, one RCA show was held in June and one amateur show in September. The first four or five rodeos made money for the club as all stock was donated by club members. With the stock leased, everything has been done from breaking even to making $1,000. Herbert Lundin has served as rodeo announcer for most of the shows. Since 1961 the club has awarded trophies for horsemanship to outstanding 4H boys and girls.

The past presidents have been Ben Baye, Clarence Danielson, Jr., Herbert Lundin, and Bennie Baye.

Thelma Dundas, Alice Signalness, Clarence Daniel­son, Jr., Cecilia Rude, Ruby Hildre, and Inga Olson have all served as sec.-treas.

The present officers are John Patterson, president; Olaf Leiseth, vice president; Bill Christensen, sec.-treas. The directors are Fritz Hartman, Norris Hildre, Jim Johnston, and Howard Lange.

: • • ' • • ' • - .

CARL E. ROGEN POST # 2 9

MEMBERS OF THE CARL E. ROGEN POST #29 AMERICAN LEGION DRILL TEAM, 1963

L— R., KNEELING: J. Wallace Johnston, Melvin Lee, D. L. Kelly, Norman Swenson, Wallace Croff, Alfred Nordeng, Eugene Veeder, Lee Hanna, Christ Wehrung, and Tex Gludt. STANDING, L—R.: 0. J. Dundas, Richard Luttrell, J. Arnold Mork, Kenneth Loken, Arne Wollan, Trumen Grendahl, Marvin Thill, John Mathistad, Earl Quale, and Robert Holm.

The American Legion Post was named after Carl Edwin Rogen, a World War I volunteer from the Wat­ford City area. He was killed in action on October 5, 1918, while serving with Company I, 26th Infantry in France. He is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery at Meuse, France.

A temporary charter was issued to this post by national headquarters on August 18, 1919. The per­manent charter was certified by national headquarters on August 1, 1920, and by state headquarters on August 10, 1920. The charter members listed on the temporary charter application were H. A. Petrick, S. C. Malkewick, C. S. Benson, S. 0 . Dundas, W. C. Homm, Jacob Losk, Orlando D. Smith, H. M. Tho­mas, Hjelmer Anderson, Alan Vandegrift, I . C. Nelson, E. J. Anderson, F. R. Pollock, J. L. Colman, and Henry Allex.

The first post officers listed were W. C. Homm, Charles Kerr, Ed Folven, Sid Dundas, Alan Vande­grift, Edgar (Art) Vick, and Henning Lillikrantz. Mem­bership has grown from 62 during the first year to a high of 277. The present membership is 230.

The post is indebted to those individuals who strug­gled to keep the post alive through the many leans between the great wars. The end of World War II brought the return of many eligible veterans and a rapid expansion of post membership and its activities. The present post officers are Omar Wold, Herbert Thorson, Marvin Braaten, Gerald Shafer, Del Shipman, Jack Bazer, Truman Grendahl, and Grant Day.

The post is proud of its donations to and the spon­sorship of various community projects and programs throughout the years. Junior Legion Baseball, since its inception, has cost the post an average of $1000 per year. Substantial contributions have been made to the local hospital, Good Shepherd Home, Boy and Girl Scouts, swimming pool, and innumerable other smal­ler programs. Many large pieces of equipment have been purchased for the local school. Other programs the legion sponsors for youth are Boys State and ora­torical contests. As an example, community contribu­tions for the year 1958 totaled more than $4100.

The post is pleased to have been able to help make this a better community in which to live.

60

LELAND STENEHJEM THE EAGLE SCOUTS

L.—R., BACK ROW: John Larson, Curtiss Dahl, Byron Byerly, Cale Shipman. FRONT: Ellison Berg, James Luttrell, Curtis Frazee, Merle Mangel.

CARMEN WOLD

The first Boy Scout troop was organized in Wat­ford City shortly after the end of World War I for boys from 12 to 18 years of age. Trips were taken in those days as they are today, except that the trips usually involved hiking at least one way. On one oc­casion the scouts hiked all the way in from their Badlands camp, eating canned tomatoes on the way to quench their thirst.

Oscar Hagen was one of the first Scoutmasters along with Alan Vandegrift, J. A. Heib, Art Rude, and Kris Stenslie. The first charter was obtained in 1930 under the sponsorship of the Carl E. Rogen Post # 29. Today the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are under the sponsorship of the Lutheran Brotherhood and Presby­

terian Men's Club with about 85 boys enrolled. In 1961 the first eagle scout awards were made to

boys from Troop 382. There are a total of ten. They are all pictured above. This is an admirable record for a city the size of Watford City.

The following men have served as scoutmasters in addition to the before mentioned r Stuart Dundas, Clar­ence Holm, Orville Hagen, Odd Osteroos, Dwight An­derson, Leonard A. Borloug, Melvin Anderson, Richard Gellman, Eugene Anthony, Conrad Norstog, Larry Sievers, Theodore Omlid, and Oliver Whitmer.

George Urban is the present Cub Master and Bennie Suelzle is the Scoutmaster. Norman Hearonemus was the past Cub Master.

GEORGE URBAN BENNIE SUELZLE

PICTORIAL REVIEW OF THE BANNON-HAVEN CASE

The barns on the Haven farm. The one with the ventilator is the one in which Bannon claimed the shooting took place.

Close up of the shed in which the bodies were exhumed. An re­shaped grave held five bodies.

Cave near Schafer where parts of the dismembered Haven bodies were found following the confession of Bannon.

The stone jail at Schafer where the mob broke in to get Bannon. This jail still stands and is used as a granary by the Fred Shafers.

M H'T'Hl - * « J mvy WKkfA

| P tf| army'ammaa" saw -" MLM't^SJ

(• mmff m WSS Wtf'tBtt 'Wvi

The cell from which Bannon was taken by the mob and lynched. A heavy bridge plank was used to drive the steel doors open while four men sat on the sheriff. The time was about 1:30 a. m.

The noose that snapped out the life of the confessed murderer. The bridge was about one mile from the scene of the murder.

James Curran, editor of the Watford City paper, holding the fatal noose.

62

Sheriff Thompson and Deputy sheriff Hallan who figured greatly in the case.

CONTEMPORARY SCENES

Ml

KAY VAN DYKE, MISS RODEO N. DAK, 1957 BARBARA KENNEDY, MISS RODEO N. DAK., 1959

SHMKT Qt% H

49"

Ji MATFORD onrff iSr, 280 M 285.

%L MRS. ART "TINY" JOHNSON CLARENCE AND JULIA LEISETH

ORVILLE HAGEN Former Lt. Governor

On Main Street LARRY VEEDER, N. D. Rifle Champion, 1953

DALEJORGENSON, Champion Rodeo Rider

PETE AURE "OIL TYCOON" and HALVOR ROLFSRUD

MARIAN WALLA Miss McKenzie County, 1961

63

Family History "Innumerable biographies are

the essence of history" —Carlyle

MR. AND MRS. NILS JORGENSON

Nils Jorgenson was born at Korgen, Norway, Sep­

tember 8, 1858. He and his wife Antonette with their

four children Tina, Nick, Ole and Arthur came to

America early in March of 1905. Their eldest son Nels

came to this country in 1900, and three other children

born in Norway died in infancy.

The Jorgenson family first settled at Christine, N.

Dak. While at Christine he met an old neighbor

from Norway, Peder Edwardson, and since they both

wanted land of their own they started west to find a

homestead. They traveled by train to Ray, N. Dak.,

and from there they went with team and buggy with a

"locater." In Keene Township they found two quar­

ters vacant, so the two fellows became close neighbors

for the rest of their lives.

After filing on their claims, both men returned to

Christine for their families. Since there were no dwell­

ings on these homesteads, both families lived for a

while in a tent. One time when the men had gone to

Ray to purchase lumber for two homestead shacks,

some cattle came to investigate this curious looking

shelter. It was a large herd of cattle so it was quite

a fearful thing for the women and children inside.

Mrs. Edwardson quickly had to remedy the situation

by firing her trusty sixshooter into the air. This same

herd was never known to return.

In a short time the men returned from Ray with

enough lumber for two 12 x 12 shacks. After the frame

was up they put sod around it, and this is what the

Jorgenson family lived in for about 10 years.

There was not enough time the first fall to dig coal

so the sod shack was heated by getting wood from

nearby coulees.

As the years went by there proved to be many times

of hardship and sorrow. Arthur died in 1908 of

diptheria at the age of 13, Nick died a few years later

of pneumonia at the age of 21, and Tina died of kidney

disease at the age of 24.

Nils Jorgenson farmed in the Keene community un­

til his death in 1923 at the age of 65 years. Antonette

Jorgenson died in 1935 at the age of 83 years. Of

the eight children two sons are now living. Nels of

Los Angeles, California, and Ole of Watford City, N.

Dak. 64

JACK WILLIAMS

Jack Williams was born in Oshkosh, Wis. 1861 and

came to Dakota at the age of 19. He first worked for

Alexander McKenzie. He worked on the construction of

the Northern Pacific Railroad bridge across the Mis­

souri at Bismarck. He worked as a deck hand on a

river boat up the Missouri to Fort Buford where he

spent some time haying for the post there.

In 1882 he arrived in Dickinson where he worked

as a fireman on the railroad. During the summer

he hauled buffalo hides from the range and that fall

he fired a work train during the construction of the

railroad from Dickinson to Glendive.

In 1884 he established a sheep ranch on the site

of the present village of Manning. During the severe

winter of 1886 he lost his entire flock of several

thousand sheep. Discouraged with the sheep business,

he sold his share in the ranch to his partner, Sandy

Robinson. In 1898 he moved to McKenzie County and

squatted on a ranch until 1906 where he homesteaded

in what was later known as the Croff area. Here he

lived until the family moved into Dickinson in 1930,

where he lived until his death in 1937.

In 1900 he married Josie Sutherland and a son Cur­

tis was born to them. His whereabouts are unknown.

After the death of his first wife he married a neighbor­

ing homesteader, Mrs. Harriet Aldrich, in 1913. She

was a widow with one daughter Violet (Mrs. David

Farrand) who now lives in Seattle.

Mrs. Bertram Johnson (Eleanor) and her husband

are farmer-ranchers near Gorham, N. Dak.

Mrs. Charles McDowell (Eunice) and her husband,

pastor of Methodist churches at Lisbon and Milner.

Roger and Floyd live in Panama City, Florida.

Jack was famous for his generosity.

MR. AND MRS. HAROLD OLSON HAUGAN

Harold Olson Haugan was born in Telemarken, Nor­

way, February 9, 1883. He came to America in 1900.

In the fall of 1902 Mr. Haugan, along with Ed Tov-

. shus and Ronning, boarded the train for Ray, N. Dak.

and walked from there south to the Lofland Store by

the Missouri River. They then hired someone to take

them across in a rowboat. The men then proceeded

on a long walk, this time to the "Two Trees." This was

a landmark which is near the Twin Valley Hall. One

of the trees is still standing.

Harold hired a boxcar to haul machinery and four

horses from Churches Ferry to Ray.

The wedding of Harold Haugan and Christine Gus­

tafson took place on a cold December day. Christine

Gustafson was born in 1882 at Vermeland, Sweden.

She went to Norway where she was employed by the

Norwegian-American Consul and others in Oslo. In

1906 she emigrated to LaMoure, N. Dak. and worked

for awhile before coming to McKenzie County to home­

stead. She contested a homestead which had pre­

viously been "squatted" on by Alfred Lindholm. This

contesting was administered by E. R. Brownson, a land

locater in Williston, by whom she was employed. She

also worked for the late Tad Uhlman who was run­

ning the Baker's Ferry on the Big Missouri River.

One incident which she never forgot was Dr. Doc-

torman's White car. After crossing the river on the

ferry he started for Williston in his new car. While

trying to make the hill the brakes didn't hold and the

car rolled backward. Dr. jumped out but the car went

to the bottom of the hill, rolled over and burned up.

That was the end of the new White car.

Mrs. Haugan related many exciting incidents in

homestead days. For example, the time someone tried

to-scare her out by shooting at her as she was coming

to spend the night at her shack. It was dark and

when the horse shied Mrs. Haugan was thrown into

the creek.

One thing Christine never talked about was "the

good old days." She passed away in 1947 and Mr.

Haugan died in 1946. t

One of the "boy meets girl" incidents Mr. Haugan

used to relate was about his wedding suit. The time

was late November and his suit had been missent to

Epping. On the way to Epping he was able to cross

the river by boat, but on returning the next day he

found the river covered by a layer of ice. He was

traveling by skis, so in order to get across the river

he lay down on his stomach on the skis and used his

hands for paddles, dragging his suit by twine.

Both Harold Haugan's and Christine Haugan's home­

steads are now owned by their son, Olaf.

JOHN W. OLSON

John H. Olson was born at Trondhjem, Norway,

February 22, 1864. He emigrated with his parents to

the United States in 1878 and lived near Sauk Center,

Minnesota.

Emma Charlotte Holmes was born Aug. 27, 1874, at

Stockholm, Sweden and emigrated to the United States

with her parents in 1881. John and Emma were mar­

ried at Sauk Center, Minn, in 1893 where they re­

sided for fourteen years.

They came to North Dakota and homesteaded at

Keene in McKenzie County in 1907. The family mov­

ed temporarily into a large tent while their log house

was being finished. However, on May 7 one of North

Dakota's freak snow storms arrived and they were

snowed in. A close neighbor, Fred White, already living

in a sod house, solicitously came to see how the Olsons

were faring and stood outside the tent door singing,

"We do not live, we only stay. We are too poor to

get away."

Nine children were born into the John Olson family:

Mrs. Ed (Jennie) Teslow, Grand Coulee, Wash.; Mrs.

Elvera Myers, Keene, N. Dak.; Oscar Olson, Keene,

N. Dak.; Reuben Olson, Keene, N. Dak.; Mrs. Howard

(Minnie) Mosholder, Keene, N. Dak.; Albert Olson,

Redmond, Wash.; Leonard Olson, Keene, N. Dak.;

Vincent Olson, Keene, N. Dak. One son, Norman,

was killed at Salmon, Idaho, while in the CCC.

THE FETVEITS

"Clint" "Mary"

Sam (Sveinung) Fetveit was born on July 4, 1876, in Telemarken, Norway and immigrated to America in 1902, arriving first at Ruby, N. Dak. In 1903 he filed on a homestead in the former Telemarken Valley 16 miles north of Watford City. Here he built a home­stead shack. In 1907 he broke up five acres of sod and seeded to Flax. Many hours were spent digging rocks and breaking the land.

It was here he met his homestead neighbor, Guri Karlstad. They were married in 1909 in the Tobacco Garden parsonage by the Rev. P. G. Arnstad. In the fall of 1909 they became naturalized citizens.

Guri Storbraaaten was born in 1878 in Valdres, Nor­way and in 1903 she left her home in Norway for Minnesota where she was married to Olaf Karlstad, arriving at their homestead shack on Dec. 23, 1904. Mr. Karlstad did not farm but ran the ferry in the summer and worked in the Minnesota woods in the winter. The young bride lived alone on the home­stead, where she cared for a cow, a horse, chickens, and a cat. In 1907 Mr. Karlstad was overcome by nat­ural gas while digging a well for a neighbor and was killed instantly. At this time Guri filed on her own homestead and two years later was married to Sam Fetveit.

Their children are: Margit, who is a registered nurse and lives with her parents and works in Kalispell, Mont.; Olaf, Phoenix, Arizona; Agnes, Mrs. Larry Bjorneby, Kalispell, Montana; Martin of Kalispell.

Most of the children graduated from the Watford City high school, and then the family moved to Kalis­pell in 1935, where the elder Fetveits still live on their acreage on Evergreen Drive.

ED TESLOW

Ed Teslow left Park River with little money in 1908 and traveled by emigrant train with Bill and Earl Van Dyke, unloading at White Earth. What a time crossing the river! They finally had to walk through heavy snow thirty miles. They even ended up playing out the dog and carrying him. They slept at "Slippery Camp" that night and he stayed with Bill until he could put up a sod shack on his own homestead. He had the walls up and was out gathering poles for the roof and a terrible blizzard came up—he ended up shoveling out the shack before he could put on the roof. He could thank his good neighbors for their help. Ed moved to Grand Coulee, Wash., and has six children.

Richardton in 1902 and settled on the HA Ranch, where Clint was foreman for the Converse Cattle Company. In 1904 they moved to the present Woodie Watson location, building the original log house. In 1909 they moved to Schafer but continued to run horses on the ranch. Ed Mundy and Clint formed a partnership and sold horses to homesteaders. Clint was deputy sheriff first and then sheriff from 1917 to 1919 with George Shafer as his deputy.

In 1913 Clint rode 45 miles to Williston one night so he could file on eighty acres just west of the Wat­ford City townsite. In 1915 the district bought three acres on the hill from Clint and built a four room school to replace the traditional "Little Red School House" the children had been attending with Ada Courser as teacher. Clint also served on the Grail School Board and also the Ideal Board.

In 1919 they moved to Fairview. Five years later Clint lost his eyesight in an accident. They moved to Buford in 1933 and to Williston in 1941. They celebrat­ed their 50th anniversary in 1952, and Mary Randall died in 1955 and Clint in 1959.

Clint was a charter member of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, and an honorary member of the Fifty Years in the Saddle Club.

They are survived by six children: James, Dickin­son; Larry, Williston; Mrs. Vern Foreman (Mildred) of Keene; Mrs. Lester Darr (Elizabeth) Fairview, Mont.; Richard, Phoenix, Arizona; and Mrs. Fred Sam-mons (Elinor) Seattle, Wash.

HOWARD E. BELL

Howard E. Bell was born in Illinois in 1888, and in 1908 came to Anamoose, N. Dak., where he taught school. He came to McKenzie County in 1912, taught the Veeder school, and filed him a homestead, where he is now living. The next year he brought his mother and a friend, Billy Mason to live with him. They made the trip in a covered wagon with a cow, calf, and some chickens. He also taught Liberty, Lookout, and Wil­liams schools, besides working at the Figure 4 and Henderson ranches. His mother and two nephews lived with him. He married Florence Hetzer in 1918.

They have five children, Pearl, Mrs. Ted Knight being the only one in N. Dak. Mary Jane, Mrs. Law­rence Butenuth, lives in Jennings, Mo.; Josephine, Mrs. Joe Spear, lives in Eureka, California; Joe and Harve live in Overland, Missouri. The Bells still live on the farm.

CLINTON RANDALL

Clinton Randall and Mary Reilly were married at

66

MR. AND MRS. KARL OLSON

Mr. and Mrs. Karl Olsen filed on a homestead in the Keene community in 1907. They were born and raised near Oslo, Norway. Karl first arrived in the United States in 1902. He worked at the Shadduck Military School at Fairbault, Minnesota for several years before returning to Norway in 1905. He married Emma Berg and they returned to the midwest Uni­ted States. They spent a short time in Minneapolis before coming to North Dakota. They arrived at Tioga, North Dakota by train, and from there they walked most of the way to the Rolfsrud farm. Likely there was an overnight stop at the Big Missouri River. As they walked over the hills to the Rolfsrud farm, they pushed the baby buggy with little son, Alfred. This was a favorite story of Mrs. Olsen in later years— pushing the baby buggy across the prairie.

The Rolfsruds helped homesteaders locate, etc. Karl soon had their sod house built on the homestead. They lived in this sod house until they were able to build a new house in 1915. He also farmed with oxen for a time before he could afford to buy horses.

The children are: Alfred, Keene, N. Dak., Ordean, Montevidio, Minn., Margaret (Mrs. Marcus Karlstad), Madison, California, Arthur, Philadelphia, Penn., Adolf, Umpqua, Oregon, and Ludvig, Willmar, Minn.

from Gulbrandalen, Norway. She homesteaded five miles south of Watford City in 1910.

Gustav Nesseth came to the United States from Trondjem, Norway in 1901 at the age of sixteen. In 1910 he homesteaded south of Arnegard.

Marit Stavem and Gustav Nesseth were married in Arnegard, N. Dak., on May 4, 1915, by Rev. Berntson. They operated a hotel and cafe in Arnegard for many years and in 1926 moved to Mrs. Nesseth's homestead south of Watford City.

They have four children: Jenny (Mrs. R. L. Haynes), El Monte, California, Hjalmer, Hay ward, California, Gustav Jr., Temple City, California, and Anna, (Mrs. Arno Wisness of Watford City.

Mrs. Nesseth passed away in 1946. At present Mr. Nesseth is making his home with a daughter, Mrs. Haynes in California.

MR. AND MRS. OLE L. BORSETH

Ole L. Borseth came to McKenzie County in 1909

MRS. JOEL LONG

Mrs. Joel Long and five sons came from Iowa and homesteaded in McKenzie County about 1910 and ear­lier. Two of the sons, William and George had come to North Dakota first. All homesteaded northeast of Watford City with the exception of Louis who home­steaded near Croff. Mr. Joel Long died in 1903. He had served with the Union Army in the Civil War and had marched under the leadership of General Sher­man when he made his historical march to the sea.

Covert died within a year after locating here; George in 1918; Mrs. Long in 1948; and William in 1955.

Joe is retired, but still lives on the farm. Louis is married to Alice Long. They have made their home in Watford City for many years.

MR. AND MRS. G. A. NESSETH

Marit Stavem emigrated to the United States in 1905

and homesteaded 13 miles south of Watford City. He was born in Rindalen, near Tronheim in Norway on December 15, 1888. At the age of 16 he came to Ber­wick, N. Dak.

In 1918 he was called into service during World War I. Upon his return from the Army he returned to his farm and farming.

He was married to Marie Hagen, a schoolteacher fron Pierce County, N. Dak. on July 18, 1919 at Wil­liston, N. Dak. They continued to live on their farm until 1953 when they retired and moved to Watford City.

In 1941 Mrs. Borseth returned to the teaching pro­fession and is still teaching. Mr. Borseth died in 1962.

They have four children: Mrs. Floyd Johnson (Elea­nor) , Billings, Mont.; Max, Watford City; Mrs. R. Bloomquist (Aileen), Bismarck, N. Dak.; and Ole Jr., Williston, N. Dak.

67

SIGVART PETERSON

Sigvart Peterson came to the United States from Lenvik, Norway in 1901.

In 1910 he homesteaded 1 1 % miles east of Watford City, in what is known as North Fork Township. The first years were spent in a 16' X 24' house. In 1916 he and his wife Lena built a new home.

The Peterson's had a large family of eleven children. They are Fred, of Watford City, Anker, Minneapolis, Minn., Annie, (Mrs. John Hawkins), Hubbard, Oregon, Viola, (Mrs. Niles Hanson), Usk, Wash., Louis, Sum­ner, Wash., Leif, Portland, Oregon, Mabel, (Mrs. Or­ville Moe) Minneapolis, Minn., Roald, Rome, Italy, Ethel, (Mrs. Paul Smith), Shelton, Wash., Alice, (Mrs. M. B. Hawley), Kemak, Texas, Ruby, (Mrs. Frank Howard), Idaho Falls, Idaho. Fred remained on the farm working with his dad.

In the middle forty's, Sigvart and Lena retired and moved to Watford City, turning the farming interests over to Fred and his family.

In February of 1959, Mrs. Peterson passed away. Sig remained living alone until 1962, when he moved in with his son Fred, who also had retired. In January, 1964, he moved into the Good Shepherd Home in Wat­ford City. He is 89 years of age.

The ranch is now leased to the Dale Jorgenson's of Watford City.

SVEN LILLESLET

Sven Lilleslet was born in Hallingdal, Norway, on Nov. 4, 1885. In 1908 he came to McKenzie County and filed on land in Garden Township. Farming and batching did not appeal to Sven, so after a few years he sold his land and had the distinction of working for the same company for 25 years in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He died in Minneapolis on July 4, 1959.

OLAF STAMNERS

Gertie Moe, with her sister, Clara, filed on home­steads east of Banks in 1893. They had come out from Minnesota where they were born.

Gertie married Olaf Stamner in 1905 and they later settled on their homestead at Banks. They enjoyed their homestead days and Olaf especially liked to tell about bringing the first tractor into McKenzie County.

They had five daughters. Leona, Mrs. Alf Eldevik and Grace, Mrs. G. Hagen, are living in Fargo and Pleasant Lake at the present.

The Stamners left in 1919 for Fargo to make their home, where Mrs. Stamner still resides. Mr. Stamner died in 1958.

MARTIN ALLEX I

Martin Allex I was born in Hungary in 1850. He met and married Johanna Chadin who was born in 1848 in Czechoslovakia.

In 1890 they came to the United States from Hungary with six of their children; Conrad, Frank, Mary, Martin, Lucas, and Louise. They settled in Minnesota, and here their two youngest sons, John and Henry were born.

In 1910, they came with their two youngest sons to homestead about nine miles southeast of Watford City. In 1917 they moved to Watford City. He did a lot of rug weaving for the local people which was a trade he had learned in the old country.

In 1931 Martin passed away at his home. Johanna lived until December 27, 1937 when she passed away in her sleep. At that time she was the oldest resident "of Watford City.

CARRIE, HENRY AND ED WADENSPANNER

Carrie, Henry and Ed Wadenspanner were born and grew up in Minnesota. About 1910 Henry and Ed came out to McKenzie County to homestead east of Schafer. Ed stayed on his homestead about a year before joining the navy. He was born Feb. 22, 1888, and in

68

May, 1918 he was killed in a mine accident in Montana. Henry and Ed's homesteads were joining each other.

Henry was born May 21, 1886. He remained a bachelor and farmed the homestead until his death April 7, 1942.

Carrie was born January 20, 1885. She attended nurses school and came to McKenzie County in 1912 to prove up her brother Ed's homestead. She also worked at the Stevens Hotel and restaurant in Schafer. On Dec. 9, 1913, she married Lucas F. Allex.

MR. AND MRS. LUTHER HAYNES

Clara Moe came with her sister, Gertie, to home­stead near Banks in 1893. She was married to Luther Haynes of Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1915 and came to settle on Clara's claim in 1917. They left the Banks area and their homestead in 1919 and went to Fargo, later going to Battle Creek, where Luther died many years ago.

They had twin sons who now live in Wisconsin, where Clara still resides. Frances lives in Battle Creek, and Ervin lives in Glendale, California.

MR. AND MRS. ARTHUR LEROY THORP

Arthur LeRoy Thorp was born in Michigan in 1887. He moved to Ortonville, Minnesota, when he was one year old. In 1910 he came to Belfield, N. Dak., where he worked until 1912 when he came to McKenzie County and homesteaded 24 miles southeast of Wat­ford City, in what is now known as "Rough Creek." "Ray", as he was known by all his friends, hauled all the lumber for his shack by team from Dickinson. This was in the winter, so it took him three days.

During the early days he also was a rural mail carrier. This he did by saddle horse.

In 1921 he married Isabel Thorp at Sidney, Mon­tana. It was always a family joke his marrying a girl with his same name.

Together they worked to achieve a good living. Mrs. Thorp was a real outdoor gal and helped her husband as much as possible.

By selling land to the government there was the gaining of rights in the government pasture for cattle. This enabled them to increase their cattle herd.

In October, 1953, Ray died. Mrs. Thorp remained on the farm with her son Bud until 1957 when she moved to Watford City. She died in 1960.

Dell and his family live on a ranch at Beach, N. Dak., and Bud and his family are continuing the oper­ations on the home ranch.

grant car. They settled in Walsh County. On November 2, 1902, he married Carrie Bertena

Sylvester, who was born on January 5, 1880, in east­ern North Dakota.

To this union two daughters were born. They are Elsie, Mrs. Philip Letcher of Yacolt, Washington and Agnes, Mrs. George White, of Watford City.

In 1907 Alfred and his family came to McKenzie County and homesteaded 25 miles east of Watford City.

Their nearest neighbor was Earl Henderson. In 1918 the family moved to Canada and lived with

Grandpa Sylvester on his farm. In 1921 they returned to the homestead where they lived until 1924 when they moved to Watford City, where Alfred found em­ployment, driving the bulk truck for the Texaco Oil Co.

Carrie died on March 4, 1926, and Alfred on Feb­ruary 26, 1936.

MR. AND MRS. ALFRED HAYES VAN DYKE Alfred was born in Iowa on Feb. 8, 1880, and

came to eastern N. Dak. with his parents on an immi-

ELMER E. HILDEBRANT

Elmer E. Hildebrandt was born in Green County, Wisconsin, on May 22, 1880, and moved to North Dako­ta in 1896 with his parents. He came to Schafer in 1902 with Roy Newman's father and brother, Earl. They trailed a herd of cattle from Groton, S. Dak., to the Newman Ranch on Cherry Creek. He worked as a ranch hand that summer and was alone through the winter taking care of the ranch.

That spring at high water time he met "Alec the Finn." He recalls the time when the Finn missed a cross­ing going across the creek and what a wet Finlander he was that time.

On November 24, 1904., he married Rose Gummer at Mayville. She was born on September 4, 1882, at Mayville. He brought his bride to his claim in Decem­ber of 1904. They lived in a small log cabin which had a dirt floor. They spent their first Christmas with Jack Williams.

He recalls the organization of McKenzie County and the mushrooming of Schafer. He started the Cherryview Hotel in 1905. The hotel was built of Cottonwood logs and in one corner there was a barber shop. The first barber was J. K. Diehm, followed by George Bower, Levi Hannah, and others.

They leased the hotel at intervals but spent most of their years in McKenzie County in the hotel.

They left North Dakota in 1934 and settled near Trout Creek, Montana, where Elmer cooked for the Forest Ranger Station. They observed their Golden Wedding in 1954. Mrs. Hildebrant died in 1958. He lives in Thompson Falls, Montana.

Their children are Maurice, Eveline, Guy, Alice, Maude, Alma, Clarence, and Martha.

69

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM T. WHEELER

William T. Wheeler was born at New Hampton, Iowa,

on May 25, 1880, and came to America with his par­

ents in a covered wagon and team.

He worked on various ranches in the Bismarck

and Plaze area.

In 1903 he and his brother Arthur decided to go

into the cattle business at Blue Buttes east of Watford

City. While getting settled they were trapped in a

blizzard. They turned the wagon box upside down and

sought shelter by this means. The first winter was

very hard and they lost most of their cattle. They then

went back to Bismarck.

On January 12, 1910, he married Essie Arnold.

They farmed near Driscol, N. Dak., but the Blue

Butte country was always uppermost in his mind. He

came back and filed on NWVi Sec 10, Twp. 150, Range

95 on August 8, 1910.

After harvesting and selling their crop on the farm

at Driscol, they loaded four wagons, trailing a top

buggy, three milk cows and two colts. They headed

for the homestead with $90.

They crossed the Fort Berthold Reservation, the

Missouri at Washburn and forded the Little Missouri

at Elbow Woods. They camped at the old Ben Man­

ning buildings while they cut and hauled logs to

build a 15 by 19 shack. They like so many pioneers

experienced both good and bad times.

Their children are Marian, Mrs. Reuben Olson of

Keene, N. Dak; Helen, Mrs. Everett Hively of Salem,

Ore.; Joe of Keene, N. Dak.; Grace, Mrs. Ernest Shan­

non, of Miltonvale, Kansas; Frances, Mrs. Ercil Davis,

of Sheridan, Ore.; Edna, Mrs. Glendon Olson, of Wat­

ford City; Stella of Grafton, N. Dak.; Leslie of Keene;

Anna, Mrs. James Pinkerton, of Tryon, Nebraska; Eun­

ice, Mrs. Lloyd Rockeman, died in November, 1963;

Constance, Mrs. Elmer Bruins, of Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. EARL HENDERSON

Earl Henderson was born in Minnesota and came to

Dakota Territory in 1886 with his parents. His fath­

er homesteaded near Richardtson, starting with four

horses and 18 head of cattle. Four head of steers

soon grew old enough to use on a gang plow and

the Hendersons used a plow without a seat because

the seat cost $12 extra. The boys walked barefoot be­

hind the plow because shoe leather was high.

In 1901 he and his brother Esle came to McKenzie

County working on ranches until 1903 when they es­tablished their own ranch on Bear Den Creek. He had both horses and cattle and reached his peak in ranch­ing in 1926 having 800 horses and 700 head of cattle. VT was his brand.

In 1909 he married Miss Olga Isaacson at River Falls, Wisconsin. Five children were born to them. They are Mary, Mrs. Albert Marschke, now deceased; Edna, Mrs. "Bud" Perry, Sr. of New Town; Grace, Mrs. Har­old Critils of California; Fern, Mrs. Milton Degree, of Minot. His only son, Allen, was accidentally killed from a fall with a horse in 1944. Mrs. Henderson died in 1921.

In 1926 he married Bessie Olson of Keene, N. Dak. They are now retired and live at 121 SW 2 in Watford City.

2 9f,

THE IVER L. JOHNSON FAMILY

Iver L. Johnson was born in Red Wing, Minnesota, in 1881. In 1909 he married Amelia S. Falkenhagen who was born in Galesburg, N. Dak., in 1889.

They came to McKenzie County in 1913 and home­steaded ten miles south of Watford City on Section 11 - 148 - 99. Jane Falkenhagen Matson, Charotte Fal­kenhagen Schoeder, Amelia's mother, Amelia, Dallas, Lawrence, and Leonard all came by train. Iver and Henry Falkenhagen came in the emigrant car to Wil­liston. They all crossed the Missouri on the ferry.

In 1937 they moved to Fairview, Montana. Iver died on September 2, 1953. He was preceded in death by one son, LeRoy Eugene.

Their other children are Dallas of Watford City; Lawrence and Leonard of Fairview, Montana; Floyd of Billings, Montana; Ernest of Great Falls, Mont.; Raymond of Sidney, Mont.; Mammie, Mrs. Lloyd Fin-saas of Fairview, Mont.; Kenneth of Fairview, Mont ; Ervin of Miles City, Mont.; Gordon of Sidney, Montana.

70

'•Jf1

MR. AND MRS. MAXIM KARPYAK

Maxim Karpyak was born in Russia in 1876 and came to America in 1901.

Katherine Bosievska was born in Poland in 1880 and came to America in 1900. They were married in Phil­adelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1901.

While living in Cleveland, Ohio, a friend, John McBride, of McKenzie County wrote and urged them to come and homestead. In the spring of 1910 Maxim came to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead about four miles east of Schafer. His wife and two small daughters, Helen, 4, and Eva, six months, joined him that fall.

The trip from Cleveland was made by train to Wil­liston and from there to Schafer by stage.

Their first home in McKenzie County was made of sod. They later built a frame one.

In 1912 a son, Adam, was born and in 1914, a daughter, Mary.

After proving up his homestead, he returned to Cleveland, Ohio, where he died.

In 1915 Mrs. Karpyak and her four children moved to Watford City where she started the town's first laundry. She continued in this business until 1936. She died in 1944.

Their children are Helen, Mrs. Axel Anderson of Sidney, Montana; Eva, Mrs. William Ewen, of Wat­ford City; Adam of Watford City; Mary Randall of Wilmington, Delaware.

days.

In June, 1913, he and Henry Adams filed on land

in Bear Den Twp. They each built a shack and bought

a team of oxen from Croff for $35 a piece and

started to cut and haul out cedar posts. In 1914 he

went to work for Jack Williams, "The clown of the

community." He recalls the time when they were both

far from the farm and when they came into camp

one evening, Jack did not want to ride home and do the

chores. So Mr. Risser went to the ranch and did the

chores. Mrs. Williams wanted to know where her

husband was. Mr. Risser told her and she said, "He

knew I wanted to go to church tonight You'll have

to get up the driving team and take me to church."

The next morning when Elmer got back to camp Jack

had a good laugh and asked how he got the Mrs. to

church.

Elmer Risser was later joined by two brothers,

George and Ben.

In 1921 he bought his first threshing rig, an Ad­

vance Steam engine and a Autman Taylor separator

and was in the threshing business until 1941.

He traded land in 1919 and moved to his present

site. His brother joined him in 1937 and in 1942 his

nephew, John Kirkland.

^ 1 "

ELMER RISSER'S HOMESTEAD SHACK

Elmer Risser was born near Hershey, Pa., on Novem­ber 11, 1891, and went to Cando, N. Dak., in 1912. One of the prettiest sights he ever saw was the yellow wheat fields of N. Dak. He worked through the harvest season and up until November when a blizzard arose. They camped in a tent on a wagon for three

THE OLE MATHISTADS

Ole Mathistad was born at Sill, Gudbransdalen, Nor­way, in 1884. He came to America in 1902 and worked for the railroad at Larimore, N. Dak.

In 1906 he came to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead, working for Jack Williams while proving up his land. Later he lived in Williston where he married Julia Jathen.

She came to Williston from Black River Falls, Wis., in 1905. She was employed at the Northwestern Bell Telephone Office for four years.

After their marriage they moved back to his home­stead where they lived until his death in 1957.

They had three children. They are Norman who op­erates the home place where Mrs. Mathistad lives; Edwin of rural Watford City and June, Mrs. Arnold Peterson.

R. W. MAXAM FAMILY

* * - ; * •

THE MAXAM GARDEN

R. W. and Eva Maxam filed on a homestead in Section 21 in North Fork Township east of Watford City in either 1907 or 1908.

They had one son Harold and a foster daughter Monaca Hanson. They had one daughter Ethel.

The Maxams loved gardening and always had a lot of vegetables for sale. Their flowers were of the best.

Mr. Maxam was a photographer before coming to McKenzie County and continued this hobby driving many miles with his horse and buggy taking pictures of homesteaders and their families. Many of his pic­tures appear in this book.

Mr. Maxam served as clerk of Grail School Dis­trict and also clerk of North Fork township board.

Both Harold and Monaca Hanson taught rural schools in this area.

After Mr. Maxam's death in 1922, Mrs. Maxam and Ethel moved to Michigan, her home state.

Mrs. Maxam and Harold are dead. There is no pre­sent information about Ethel or Monaca Hanson, who is Mrs. J. Van Buskirk.

JIM MALONY

GETTING READY TO GO

Jim Malony was born in Olivia, Minnesota, in 1883. His father had immigrated from Ireland and,his mother from Quebec, Canada. He came to McKenzie County with his brother Ed and filed on a homestead in 1910. A year later he returned to make his home on his claim.

Malony was married to Leda Clark in 1922. To this union was born one son, Arlie, who resides in Minnea­polis, Minnesota, with his family.

Mr. Malony has spent most of his life in McKenzie County and is now making his home at the Good Shepherd Home in Watford City. 72

JULIUS BREDESEN

Julius Bredesen was born at Solor, Norway, in 1863. In 1888 he came to the United States and spent some time in the lumber camps of Wisconsin and Min­nesota before coming to Horace, N. Dak., to work on farms. He left for McKenzie County in 1906 and fil­ed on a homestead north of Watford City.

Mr. Bredesen served as church janitor for many years. During the early days his home was always open to the Ladies Aid and for other church activities.

Mr. Bredesen was admitted to the Arnegard Old People's Home in 1951. He died three years later at the age of 91 years. He never married.

Severt Kambestad was born at Thor, Iowa, on Jan­uary 1, 1891. He filed on land in McKenzie County in 1912. In 1919 he joined the army and was sent to France. After the war he went to the West Coast and worked as a logger in Washington.

He retired in 1953 and bought a farm northeast of Seattle where he is now living. It was mainly stump land but he cleared it and has a few head of beef cattle and also raises berries. He keeps up with the news of his old town and remembers with pleasure the early years he spent in McKenzie County as a home­steader.

SEVERT KAMBESTAD BY HIS SHACK

ONE OF THE EARLY BASEBALL TEAMS—RECOGNIZE ANYONE?

MR. AND MRS. LAWRENCE McMASTER

Lawrence McMaster was born and reared in Red

Wood Falls, Minnesota, and Mrs. McMaster, the for­

mer Lydia Remele, was born and reared in Sleepy

Eye, Minnesota.

The prairies and fertile cropland of North Dakota

had drawn the Remele family from their home in

Minnesota to North Dakota. They felt, however, that

they would soon return and let their children complete

their education. They were so taken by the excitement

and adventure of homesteading that they too became

pioneers in McKenzie County. It was here that Lydia

Remele met her future husband, Lawrence McMaster,

and they were married on August 31, 1909. Their

first home, a small sod shack, was located about two

miles west of Schafer. It was here that their daughter,

Violet, was born.

Before Mr. McMaster's marriage he was teasingly

called "the school mom" and later recalled many

adventures with his friend "Vinegar Bill" Mennenga.

Later their second daughter, Gladys (O'Meara)

was born and then the family moved to a farm in

Garden Township. There Violet and Gladys started

school at the Rolfson School. Their brother, Donald,

j oined them later.

Later they moved to another farm two miles from

Watford City and there Maxine (Gullickson) and

Jack were born. In 1928 Lawrence decided to leave

the farm and went to work in Watford City as a grocery

man. He became manager of his business and stayed

with it until his retirement in 1958. At his side during

these 25 years was always his wife, Lydia, who be­

came well known in the county as an able clerk and

bookkeeper in his store.

Lawrence died in Billings, Montana, and left be­

sides his wife, a family of five children, thirteen grand­

children and ten great grandchildren.

Mrs. McMaster and Donald still live in Watford City

at 303 W 2.

Presently she clerks in her son's store, The Gamble

Store, in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. JACOB (JACK) CHERNENKO

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Chernenko were both born and

reared in Russia. He served three years in the Russian

army as a blacksmith and as an artillery man.

On October 23, 1908, they were married in Russia

and came to America in 1909 on the ship, "Domin­

ion." The voyage took them 14 days. They came di­

rectly to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead

near Grassy Butte. On this homestead they built a

one-room sod house and here eight children were

born.

When their youngest daughter was two years old,

they built a large log house. When they moved into

it in 1926, they all felt so "free." The children were

older by now and needed the extra room.

In addition to farming, Jacob had a blacksmith on

his farm. During the day he and his wife would be

working in the fields side by side and then at night

he would be sharpening plow shares for his neigh­

bors. He also did much shoeing. His children recall

turning the handle to the blower to keep it burning

while he was busy at the anvil.

Mrs. Chernenko was known for her "green thumb."

She raised very large gardens for her family needs.

She would be working in the garden early in the

morning long before anyone was up. Then she would

go in and serve breakfast and then be ready to join

her husband in the field.

They are now retired but still live on the old home­

stead. In 1958 they observed their Golden Wedding.

Their children are Mrs. Ann Warner of Grand

Forks; Mrs. Mary Sterling of Watford City; Elizabeth,

Mrs. Wm. Brown, of Watford City; Leona, Mrs. Frank

Chapados, of Fairbanks, Alaska; Helen, Mrs. Elwyn

Walker, of Miles City, Mont.; Prince of Long Beach,

Calif.; George and Alec of Grassy Butte, N. Dak.

Mr. Chernenko is 82 and his wife, Helen, is 79.

They have lived on the same place for 55 years. They

say it is hard to transplant old roots.

73

THE JACOB EIDE FAMILY THE NORDBYS BREAKING WITH OXEN

A fire that destroyed most of their possessions at

Wilmington, Minnesota, was a contributing factor in

the decision of Jacob E. Eide and his family to locate

in western N. Dak. where newly-opened homesteading

land was available.

Mr. Eide and Peter Stenehjem came to McKenzie

County arriving by train to Williston. Then they fer­

ried over the Missouri River on a cable drawn ferry.

Both men filed on homesteads northwest of Arnegard.

After a house had been erected on their homestead,

Mrs. Eide and their five children arrived in August,

1906. The children were Iveda, Ellin, Ola, Iver, and

Sigrid. They made the trip from Williston in a spring

wagon. Justine and Inger were born in McKenzie

County.

Since the Eide home was near the well-traveled

road to Williston, many pioneer ranchers and home­

steaders found it a convenient over-night stopping

place.

The Wilmington Lutheran congregation was first or­

ganized at a meeting in their home. This congregation

is still in existence in Arnegard and is very active.

In 1915 Jacob Eide was elected county judge of

probate for McKenzie County, an office he held until

his death in 1928. He also was director of the Grail

School District and assessor in the unorganized dis­

tricts for many years.

Mrs. Eide, the former Ingeborg Hefte, died at Camas,

Washington, in 1961 at the age of 94. She was very

active in the Ladies Aid at Arnegard and was also a

midwife in the early days.

Their children are Mrs. C. H. Evanson of Camas,

Wash.; Elling and Iver of Tacoma, Wash.; Ola of Ar­

negard; Mrs. A. J. Evanger of Camas, Wash.; Mrs.

Harold DeWitz of Caledonia, Minnesota; and Inger

of Juneau, Alaska.

74

Mr. Asgaudt Nordby was born on a farm by Lilla-

sand, Norway, in 1873. As a young man he worked on

his father's farm, in the forests, and later as a seaman

and served two years in the Norwegian army.

In 1904 he came to America and worked as a car­

penter in New York City, in the steel mills in Pitts­

burg, and on farms in Wisconsin and in Minnesota.

In 1906 he was lured to N. Dak. to secure some

free land. He and some friends, Jensen, Aagerson, and

Scholien came to western N. Dak. where he home­

steaded north of Watford City.

His first house was a 10 X 12 ft. shack with lum­

ber on the inside walls, a shed type roof with tar

paper and sod. For heat and cooking there was a small

laundry stove. The furniture was all homemade and

boxes nailed to the walls served as cupboards. The

barn was a dugout in the side of a hill.

For the first five years he used oxen to break the

soil.

Mrs. Nordby, the former Katherine Johnson, was

born in 1883 at Lillisand, Norway. Before coming to

the U. S., she clerked in a store and did domestic

work. Asgaudt and Katherine had been corresponding

and he told her of the good life in N. Dak. and of the

new home he had for them. She was quite taken by

his letters and decided to come to the "Last Frontier."

They were married at the home of Pastor P. G. Aren-

sted at Tobacco Garden. Mr. and Mrs. T. I. Bergee

were their witnesses. Their life became very busy with

homestead improvements and rearing a family.

They had 4 children. They are Thormod of Bremer­

ton, Wash.; John of Port Orford, Ore.; Margot, Mrs.

Nils Omlid, of Watford City. One daughter, Anna, died

in infancy due to burns received when their home

was partially destroyed by fire.

They retired in 1946. He died in 1952. She later

married T. I. Bergee and died in 1963.

MR. AND MRS. CHRIST KARLSTAD

Mr. and Mrs. Christ Karlstad came to the Twin Val­ley Township in 1904 from Minnesota. They home­steaded two and one-half miles east of Banks.

During the first hard and lonely years of home-steading, it helped Mrs. Karlstad to have her sister, Mrs. Con Sax, close by and Christ's brother, Hans, who was one mile to the south.

They spent much time hunting, trapping, and raising fruit trees.

Their son Andrew took a correspondence course in taxidermy. He became quite proficient in this art.

The small fry were always interested in going to the Karlstads as they had a large victrola with all the cylinder shaped records and the large speaker horn. This was all very fascinating to them.

They had two sons, John and Andrew. Mr. Karlstad died in 1926 and his wife in 1937.

MR. AND MRS. E. B. HIESTAND

In 1949 they moved to Watford City. Mr. Hiestand became one of the custodians at the city school. This position he held for five years. Mrs. Heistand com­pleted the last seven years of teaching at the Schafer School. She retired in 1956 after 25 years of teaching.

Mr. Hiestand died on August 22, 1959. Mrs. Hies­tand makes her home in Watford City at 204 E. 4.

MR. AND MRS. PETER NYGARD AND FAMILY

Peter and Karoline Nygard were born in Norway and came to America in 1904. They settled in Barton, N. Dak., where they lived until they homesteaded 13 miles south of Watford City in 1911.

They had 13 children. Those living are Christine Falkenhagen of Fairview, N. Dak.; Constance Pearson and Myrtle Naugle of Bremerton, Wash.; Cole and Melvin of Seattle; Oscar of Watford City.

Mrs. Nygard died in 1935 and Mr. Nygard in 1950.

Elisha B- Hiestand was born on July 12, 1888, in Rossburg, Ohio. As a child he moved with his parents to Tennessee where he grew to manhood. His father, a United Brethren pastor, died when Elisha was 13.

In 1910 he enlisted in the army and was discharged in 1913. In 1916 he came to Minot and worked on a farm and in the summer of that same year he came to Watford City.

He married Ruby Rosenkrans on Sept. 20, 1917. They began housekeeping in a 16 X 24 ft. claim shack on the Little Missouri River 21 miles south east of Watford City.

The first years were hard. Ruby taught school in a small bunkhouse which was called the Olson School. This was a nine mile round trip.

The Hiestands had a difficult time in securing water. Many unsuccessful diggings were made. So water was hauled from the river in barrels and allowed to stand over night to settle. In the morning there would be half a barrel of clear water to use; the rest was river mud.

She recalls the fun that was held at the old time quilting parties and the Homemaker Clubs. Turkey picking time always brought on much merrymaking, as everyone would get together and help "pick" and «r>* " r m .

MR. AND MRS. MARTIN FALKENHAGEN

Mr. Falkenhagen was born in Red Wing, Minnesota, in 1880 and lived in Galesburg, N. Dak., until he and his wife became members of the Nygard's immigrant caravan that traveled to McKenzie County in 1911.

Mrs. Flakenhagen was born in Norway and came to America with her parents the Peter Nygards in 1904.

Mrs. Falkenhagen recalls that her homestead house was a dugout with a gable lumber roof covered with sod.

It had dirt steps leading down to the one room which was their home for 4 years. Christine was a fine shot with her 22 rifle and provided many guests with a prairie chicken dinner.

In 1938 they moved to Watford City and in 1948 they moved to Fairview.

They had 5 children. They are Connie of Fairview, Mont., Elmer and Kenyon of Portland, Ore.; Lynn of Vancouver, Wash.; Harriet, Mrs. Richard Dahl, of Medford, Oregon. Connie is Mrs. Olof Haldorson. Martin died in 1962.

75

MR. AND MRS. PETER OMLID

Peter Omlid was born in Snaasa, Norway, in 1885.

He came to Halifax, Canada, in 1905 and worked in

Winnepeg and Edmonton doing carpenter work. For

two years he worked in Alaska and ten years in Wash­

ington.

He came to Watford City in 1919 to visit his sister,

Mrs. Arne Berg. He returned to Norway in 1921 and

married Ellen Stovra in Snaasa.

Mr. and Mrs. Omlid and son Nils returned to the

U. S. in 1923. After a short visit at the Arne Berg

home, they moved to Seattle and lived there for two

years. They returned to Watford City in 1925 and pur­

chased the Otto Berg homestead. The Omlid family

moved back to Washington in 1933 where they lived

in Soap Lake and Seattle. They returned to their farm

in 1936. In 1946 they sold their farm and moved to

Watford City where Mr. Omlid continued in the trade

of carpentry.

They are members of the Spring Creek Lutheran

Church and Mrs. Omlid is a member of the Spring

Creek Ladies Aid.

The Omlids had five children. They are Nils, Inga,

and Theodore all of Watford City. Two children died.

They were Arnold in 1933 and Edith in 1953.

MRS. CARL DANIEL FALKENHAGEN

Mrs. Margaret Erickson Falkenhagen was born in

Norway and came to America when she was eight

years old.

Her husband came to America from Germany work­

ing his way on a sailing vessel. He died at Galesburg,

N. Dak.

In 1913 she came to McKenzie County with her two

children, Henry and Charlotte, and her brother Iver

Johnson.

She was preceded by three sons to McKenzie County.

They were Martin, Carl and John. They all home­

steaded near Watford City. John claims he filed on

his homestead without seeing the land as it was cover­

ed with three feet of snow.

John and Carl live with their children.

NELS TOVSRUD

Nels Tovsrud was born in Eggdahl, Norway, in 1888. He came to the United States in 1905 and homestead­ed in McKenzie County in 1909.

In June, 1914, he married Irene Sullivan at Schafer. They had four children: Robert, Myrtle, Gordon and Norman. She died in 1922. He lives in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. EIVIND H. SKJELVIK

Eivind H. Skjelvik was born in Borte, Mo, in Tele­

marken, Norway, on April 14, 1888. For six years he

transported tourists in horse-drawn vehicles from Dal-

en, Telemarken, to Odda, Hardanger.

In June, 1912, he left Norway for America having

planned on sailing on the ill-fated Titanic. However,

he was unable to secure passage and had to wait for

the next ship. When he arrived at Williston, he was

met by his old friend, Knut Norstog from Norway. He

lived with him until he had filed his claim nine miles

south of Watford City.

In 1913 he secured lumber and built his house

which was 12 X 14.

In 1915 he met his future wife, Anne Louise Hart-

hold of Joice, Iowa. She was born on July 23, 1891,

near Joice, Iowa. She came to McKenzie County to visit

her brother Carl and sister Amanda. While visiting

here she met Eivind Skjelvik at the July 4th celebra­

tion in 1916. This began the courtship. One evening

Eivind and a friend came to call on her and her sister

and wanted to take them to a show with the horse and

buggy. As a joke Eivind's neighbor had hitched up a

bronco horse to the buggy. When they started to go,

excitement began. The buggy overturned but Eivind

rescued his sweetheart, tipped the buggy up and con­

tinued on to the show.

On July 16, 1919, they were married at the parson­

age in Arnegard by the Rev. Eidbo. They lived on

Eivind's homestead until 1921 when they moved east

of Watford City. In 1952 they moved into Watford

City and continued to farm until 1956. Then they

rented the farm.

They had one daughter and three sons. They are

Henry of Watford City; Agnes, Mrs. Arthur M. John­

son of the Banks community north of Watford City;

Ernest of Watford City; Arvild of Rupert, Idaho.

Mr. and Mrs. Skjelvik are members of the First

Lutheran Church in Watford City.

76

MR. AND MRS. PEDER BERGEM

PEDER BERGEM'S HOMESTEAD SHACK

Peder Bergem was born in Tingvoll, Norway, on November 13, 1882.

In May, 1906, he immigrated to the United States and arrived in McKenzie County and worked for his broth­ers Louis and Ole who were engaged in ranching. He also filed on a homestead that same year.

In 1914 he made a trip back to Norway and returned in October of the same year. The railroad was just com­pleted to Watford City at that time and he rode on the locomotive on their test run from Arnegard to Wat­ford.

In 1920 he made another trip to Norway and on July 2, 1921, he married Marie Wenger from Eidsvoll in Oslo, Norway. They came back to the homestead that summer and started farming. Two children were born, Lillian and Paul.

The Bergems are members of the Farland Church. Peder was a member of the Farland school board and township board.

He died on January 14, 1937, after a long illness. The family has continued to farm. Paul is now farm­ing the old homestead. Lillian is employed at the post office in Watford City."

MRS. ANNA HAVERWOLD

Mrs. Anna Haverwold, the former Anna Jackson, came to McKenzie County in 1918 from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, to teach school. Her first school was the Timber Prong School. Some of her pupils that are still living in this area are Mrs. Herman (Catherine) Johnson of Arnegard, Olaf Satter, Mrs. George (Martha) Lundeen and Bill Ewen. Then she taught the Nelson School. There she had Myrtle Day, Mrs. A. C. (Mabel) Nelson, Mrs. Arvin (Bernice) Helle, John Johnsrud, Mrs. Oscar, (Olga) Wold, Andrew Johnsrud, and Mrs. Grant (Ellen) Rud. Then she taught the Schafer School. Some of those pupils are Mrs. John (Alice) Johnsrud, Buster Nelson, and Frances Sanburn. There were about one dozen families in this town at the time.

Anna Jackson married Lars Haverwold and they moved to a farm about 12 miles southeast of Watford City. They had two daughters, Mrs. Don, (Dorothy), Stevens and Mrs. Larry (Elaine), Rydiger of Minnea­polis. Lars died in 1926. In 1928 she married John Haverwold. One daughter was born to this marriage. She is Mrs. Duane, (Shirley), Davidson of Devils Lake. In 1935 John Haverwold died and the family moved to Watford City where they have lived since. Anna Haverwold has been employed in the county wel­fare office since 1941.

SCHAFER'S

SUPER VALU

* *««•• * • • " • • .

Congratulations to Watford

City on Its 50

Years of Progress

SCHAFER'S

SUPER VALU

WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

PHONE 51

77

MR. JENS MELBY

Jens Melby was born in Feiring, Norway, on March 3, 1889. He immigrated to the U. S. in May, 1908, and came to Horace, N. Dak. where he was employed on various farms.

In 1912 he came to McKenzie County and was em­ployed at the Jens Walla farm in the Farland com­munity. He recalls that 51 years ago he and Ira Walla drove with a single buggy to the site where Watford City is now and the only ones residing there were Oscar Hagens and Dave Scollards. The railroad was being built at that time.

He filed on a homestead by Demmick Lake in 1913. In 1917 he was drafted into the army. Since the

army did not have clothes or quarters for the soldiers, he did not leave Watford until March, 1918. There were 600 men from McKenzie County who left at that time and they were stationed at Camp Dodge, Iowa. From Camp Dodge he was transferred to a camp in Texas where he was with the medical corps.

He was discharged in 1918 and came back to McKenzie County. In 1926 he bought his present farm in Farland Township.

He bought a threshing machine in 1925 and con­tinued to thresh for the neighbors each fall until 1940.

In 1949 he took a trip to Norway and Sweden. He visited his birthplace and many other historic sites and with many of his relatives.

Jens Melby is still residing on his farm. He is an active member of the Farland Church, the American Legion, and the Odd Fellows Lodge.

He is unmarried.

JULIA HAVERWOLD

Julia Haverwold was born in Norway in 1859. In

Nov., 1905, she came to McKenzie County with her

six sons, Robert, Albert, August, Paul, Lars, John,

and one daughter, Jessie. She filed on a homestead

about three south of the Banks postoffice. Her husband,

L. P. Haverwold, was a legislator from Benson County

from 1891 to 1895. He died at Leeds, North Dakota.

The Haverwold family came from Leeds, North Dako­

ta, to Ray by train. Robert, who was the oldest, brought

the cattle from Ray to Banks on foot, a distance of

30 miles. Alfred Stensatter, another early settler of

the Banks county met the Haverwold family at Ray

and brought them to Banks by team and sleigh. They

lived at the Dave Gamache place until spring when

they built their own house.

Mrs. Haverwold was always willing to go out in

all kinds of weather to help care for the sick or to

bring a new baby into the world. Her services were

very much needed in the early days. She was a

charter member of the Banks Church.

About 1926 she sold her farm and after a trip to

Norway she returned to Watford City and lived there

until her death in November of 1937.

LAWRENCE KUMMER

Lawrence Kummer was born at Stearns County,

Minnesota, on July 8, 1869. On March 29, 1894, he

married Minnie Beilke, who was born at Greenbay,

Wisconsin.

Later in their married life, his wife's health was

failing. And so through a neighbor who had gone to

N. Dak. for his health, they decided to move to McKen­

zie County. In the spring of 1911 they homesteaded in

McKenzie County. They had to live in a tent at first

until a house was built. The family lived in the tent

until fall. During this time one of their daughters

was born. When they finally left the tent, they moved

into a sandstone house. This was a great treat for

the entire family. This house is still in use today and

is occupied by Ransel and Albert Kummer.

He farmed and raised cattle until his death on July

22, 1946. His wife died on June 26, 1963, at the age

of 89.

Tille, Mrs. M. T. Peterson, Leta, Mrs. Emil Bellin,

and Irene, Mrs. Ernest Pittsley had a triple wedding on

Nov. 20, 1920. On October 28, 1949, Emma, Mrs. Veed­

er, and Christina, Mrs. Milton Siebold, had a double

wedding. Annie, Mrs. Dennis George, and Gertrude, Mrs.

Carl Turnquist, and Henry all live in McKenzie County.

Irene lives in Idaho. Two sons died in infancy and

one daughter, Mrs. Ed. Williams, died in October,

1946.

§f8tL

The City of Watford City wishes to express sincere congratulations and best wishes to the community for its fifty years of progress.

Mayor Arne G. Sanford

Alderman J. Wallace Johnston

Alderman Murphy Eklund

Alderman Ervin Mangel

Alderman Richard D. Christensen

Auditor Cathryn Hostler

Alderman Donald Stevens

Treasurer Jean Wold

Alderman Grant A. Day

Assessor Nils G. Dahl

Attorneys Ratcliffe and Tschetter

Fire Chief Ervin Mangel

Engineer Albert Nelson

Health Officer Dr. A. H. Lamal

Chief of Police Francis Harmon

SPW Leonard Sanford

Police Mag. William Maloney

Park Commission

Chm.: R. A. Luttrell Clk.: Lenore Loken Supt.: 0 . Jacobsen Mem.: 0 . V. Stenehjem Mem.: Norman Sanford Mem.: Manuel Hagen

79

MR. AND MRS. BARNEY LARSON

Barney Larson and Fredrika Stavem emigrated from

Gulbransdalen, Norway, in the early 1900's. They

knew each other in Norway but did not get married

until they came to McKenzie County. They home­

steaded in Cherry Township and to this union one

child was born. This was Bernice, Mrs. Borge Fisket-

jon, of Watford City.

Mr. Larson was killed when he was only 25 years

old. As he was hauling freight from Williston and go­

ing down the "Skadron Hill," his coat became caught

in the wagon wheel which caused the wagon to go

over him. The life of a young widow in those days

was very difficult. She worked in her brother-in-law's

cafe in Arnegard. This was the Nesseth Cafe and Hotel.

Little Bernice was often set in an empty nail keg

while her mother worked as a waitress.

Later Mrs. Larson married Nils Lundsten of Arne­

gard. They had one son, Irvin, who lives in La Crosse,

Wisconsin. Mr. Lundsten died March 4, 1964.

Mrs. Lundsten died at the age of 36 leaving a boy

aged 7 and a girl aged 12.

There were three sisters that homesteaded close to­

gether in Cherry Township. They were Mrs. G. A. Nes­

seth, Mrs. G. T. Lee, and Mrs. Barney Larson.

MR. AND MRS. HELMER KNUTSON

Helmer Knutson and Thea Olson were born at Bard-ufoss, Norway. They came to McKenzie County in 1910 and settled on a claim 23 miles east of Watford. They did not have as much as a shack to move into when they got here. They stayed with Johanna Amundson for a few days. Helmer bought a shack and moved it and they moved in. It was a one-room affair, but the furniture did not take much room. It consisted of one homemade bed, two chairs, cookstove, shelves and a few dishes. They also had a set of Panama silver. They did not have as much as a horse and had to walk for their mail and groceries at the Croff Store. It was three miles from their home but in those days

everyone was good at walking. They left the farm in 1954 and moved to Watford

City. Helmer died on Sept. 27, 1963. Mrs. Knutson still lives in Watford City. They have one daughter, Bernice, Mrs. Lewis Johnsrud of Drain, Oregon. They have five children.

HELMER CUTTING GRAIN IN 1923.

MR. AND MRS. AXEL SANDSMARK

Mr. and Mrs. Axel Sandsmark came to Schafer, N. Dak., by way of lumber-wagon and stagecoach from Williston in 1912. Mr. Sandsmark had a homestead on Cherry Creek in Ideal Township where he brought his bride.

Axel and Inga Sandsmark were Norwegian immi­

grants. He came to the farm country of southern Min­

nesota in 1898. A year later he and friends were

lured to the West by opportunity ads in the Minneapo­

lis papers. As their train pulled into Glendive, they

witnessed a Vigilante lynching from the depot plat­

form. His more impressive friends boarded the train

to Minneapolis, while Mr. Sandsmark took employ­

ment on "the W Bar Ranch in the Yellowstone Bottom­

lands. He later worked west into Montana sheep coun­

try at Two Dot and Big Timber. He returned to Min­

nesota and tried a winter in the North woods and

then decided to take up the carpenter trade. He worked

in Minot and Grand Forks. He met Inga Nybakken in

Minot. She arrived in this country when she was 18 and

lived in Webster, S. Dak. before moving to Minot.

After their marriage they took up residence on the

homestead where they farmed for 32 years. In 1944

they retired and moved to Watford City.

They had five children. They are Garvin of Denver,

Colo.; Alfhild, Mrs. Smaltz, of Bismarck; Thelma,

Mrs. Art Bottman, of Billings, Mont.; Albert (Lt. Col.

A. I. Sandsmark) is with the armed forces in Africa;

Ella, Mrs. Robert White of Redondo Beach, California.

Mrs. Inga Sandsmark died in Sept. of 1957 and was

followed by her husband in November of 1963.

80

Edgar Veeder's Claim Shack

Edgar A. Veeder was born on October 5, 1894. In 1906, the doctors told his father, Ben Veeder, he must move west because of his health. Ben filed on a home­stead, and in the spring of 1907, he, and his two old­est sons, Eddie and Henry, along with his brother Herb, came by two immigrant cars loaded with their belongings, to White Earth, N. Dak., which was the nearest railroad at that time. From there they came by team and wagon to the homestead.

As the railroad would only allow one person to an immigrant car, and having no money to buy fare, Ed­die and Henry stowed away on Ben's car. Boy like, they had to see what was going on, so they found a crack in the car wall and enlarged it with their jack-knives. Two wide eyed boys saw the west for the first time, through the crack in the wall of a freight car.

When they arrived at the homestead site, they began building a sod house and a small barn which was to be their new home. Several years later a stone house was built.

Eddie's first schooling was in a sod school north of the homestead, then the Sandstone school, which is still standing.

At the age of twenty-one, Eddie filed on a home­stead in what is now Bear Den township, and soon af­ter, was married to Cornelia Harrison.

Their sons and daughters all reside in western North Dakota. Cleo, in Killdeer, N. D.; Edgar and Eugene live on farms in the Bear Den township. One daughter, Dorothy, Mrs. Gene Lawlar, is on a farm north of Wat­ford City, and Vernice, Mrs. Frank Crimmins, is on a farm near White Earth.

1884. At the age of 12, he was forced to become the breadwinner in the family, as a result of his father's death. At fifteen he became a telegraph operator, and in 1900 he landed at Mayville as night operator for the Great Northern.

He was married to Carrie Scollard, of Mayville, in 1906. In 1909 they decided to follow Greeley's ad­vice and "go west." They took homestead a mile from where the city of Watford was founded. Although starting with horses he secured four large oxen, to do the heaviest work, and in 1912 cultivated and harvest­ed a crop with the oxen, on the land that became Wat­ford City the following year. The oxen, weighing a ton each, made a real sod-breaking team, he often said.

After several years of grain-farming, dairying and stock-breeding, he turned to certified seed potato grow­ing. In spite of many adverse conditions, McKenzie Co. potato seed ranked with the best in the nation.

For several years he operated the McKenzie Leader, first at Arnegard and later at Watford City, selling it in 1939. He was first elected to the legislature in 1936 and distinguished himself as a leader in the ranks of the progressives in the 1937 session. In 1930 he began to build a private irrigation plant on his farm, and the great possibilities caused him to introduce and pro­mote H. B. 125, an act which created our present water commission, in 1937. He was re-elected to the legislature in 1938 and became Speaker of the House in the 1939 session. In 1940 he was elected Lieuten­ant Governor and in 1942 was the Non-partisan League candidate for governor.

They had 6 sons and 2 daughters. William is in the insurance business at Idaho Falls, Idaho; Kenneth lives in Spokane, Washington; Orville of Arnegard. Orville like his father went into politics and served in the state senate in 1953 and 1955 and was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1960. He and his father are the only father and son to have served in this capacity. Dwight manages the Park Hotel in Watford City. Au-verne, Mrs. Chester Albert, lives in Missoula, Mon­tana. Jerome died of whooping cough in 1920 and Oscar died in 1945 and Carie died in 1961.

3 Ji v4

MR. AND MRS. OSCAR HAGAN

Oscar was born in Walcott, Dakota Territory, in

THE HAGEN CHILDREN

81

Congratulations to Watford City

on Your Fiftieth Anniversary

THE CARL E. ROGEN POST NO. 29 AMERICAN LEGION

OF WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

is proud to have been part of the progress of this community. Below is a picture taken in 1932 of some of the charter members of the Post.

FRONT ROW, L-R: Art Rud, Steve Detinne, G. W. Williams, Jake Losk, Henry Allex. SECOND ROW, L-R: Allen Vandergrift, Emil Miller, Clyde Staley, Bill Homm, George Mercier, Julius Brummond, Jens Nelson. BACK ROW: Olando Smith, and Sid Dundas.

The present officers are as follows: Commander, Omar Wold; First Vice Commander, Herbert Thorson; Second Vice Commander, Marvin Braaten; Adjutant and Finance Officer, Gerald Shafer; Chaplain, Jack Bazer; Service Officer, Grant Day; Historian, Del Shipman; Sgt.-at-Arms, Truman Grendahl.

VISIT OUR CLUB ROOMS WHEN IN WATFORD CITY

82

WILLIAM VAN DYKE

William Van Dyke, born in Iowa April 2, 1882, came

with his parents that year to Dakota Territory. He grew

up in Walsh County and married Ellen Cecelia Levang.

In 1907 Bill filed on his homestead. In November

he and his brother-in-law, Lewie Levang, came by rail

to White Earth with wagons and horses. The river

was freezing up and thick slushy ice hindered the

ferry. They reached Lewie's homestead and set up a

partly pre-assembled shack and slept in it the first

night.

For thirty-five dollars Bill built an A-roofed 14X16

foot house, with one window set across the corner that

provided a view to both south and east.

In April the wives, Celia and sister-in-law Olena

Levang, with two children each, came out to hold down

the claims. They reached Ole Jore's, near Chimney

Butte. Celia was awed by the tall buttes and wobbly-

kneed from swaying on the high wagon thru the

strange new hilly country. She asked "Does it look

anything like this where we're going?" Someone an­

swered "Oh, yah; kind of." And so it did when they

reached the house Bill had built. There were hills to

the west, but an eye-easing flat to the east. Three fine

springs provided an abundance of water for both

people and animals.

Celia milked cows and with the help of the cool

cellar she made firm sweet butter that she took by

horse and buggy to Croff, five miles to the west for

groceries.

One night when Celia and Olena were spending

the night together they were awakened by someone

chopping on the chopping block. Nervously they fum­

bled for the ready gun left there by Bill. One of them,

aiming towards the woodpile, whispered "If they chop

again I'll shoot!" No more sounds came. Later they

learned that frightening lone homestead women like

this was a popular prank for the juvenile delinquents

of the day.

Bill built a shop at once and did his own blacksmith­

ing besides welding and plough share sharpening for

others. He hauled logs and helped others build their

houses. He ran threshing rigs in the fall, often till

the snow flew. Each year he broke more of his land,

turning one furrow at the time. The first summer he

worked til the horses became tired, then turned them

loose to graze till they were filled up and rested.

One January day he and Lewie reached the Little

Missouri to haul logs. They were tired. All the trees

looked crooked. They ate their lunch before begin­

ning to work and found a surprise. Celia had mixed

alshohol, left since Christmas, with hot water and sugar

and packed warmly in a crockery jug. After lunch the

men felt much better and, lo and behold, all the trees

were straight! They took home good logs, including

two very straight thirty-foot ridge logs.

A big log room was added to the house. Soon after

its completion church services were held there and

many children were baptized by Pastor Buckneberg.

One day in 1909 Bill burst into the house to hurry

the family out to see an automobile drive by. Some­

one had brought neighbor Perkins to his ranch and had

had plenty trouble getting through with a car.

Once Bill was driving a steam engine up the bank

from the river ferry. He saw the ground cracking

away from the bank, threatening to slide him and en­

gine into the river. He gunned the engine and made

the grade. When he drove his own Rumley Oilpull

off the ferry the huge driver wheels gouged out the

banks on both sides. Bill was thankful for plenty of

power.

In 1913 Bill traded his homestead with its three

springs to Earl Henderson for Mrs. Henderson's home­

stead four miles west of Berg, that was near a new

school. The children had attended some school at the

three and a half mile distant Veeder School, but had

learned most of their reading and writing at home.

There the family grew up. Elda (Mrs. William Dodge),

Lillian (Mrs. Charlie Dodge), Wilma (Mrs. Murphy

Eklund), Lettie (Mrs. Donald Dodge), and Lester have

their homes in McKenzie. Willard lives in Prescott,

Arizona, and Raymond of Chicago, and recently passing

away.

Through the years the children visited often with

Bill and Celia who live in Watford City and operate

their farm.

83

THE LUNDIN FAMILY

Lundin Brothers, Fred A. and H. P., pharmacists,

opened for business in Schafer, N. Dak., in February,

1907, operating a drug and clothing store. They came

from the home state of Minnesota. Prior to the McKen­

zie County location, Fred served as pharmacist with

S. J. Creaser in Williston and H. P. at a pharmacy in

Fargo. Their parents, Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Lundin of

Litchfield, Minnesota, joined them in 1910.

As soon as the townsite of Watford was platted, lots

were bought for a business location and two homes, all

of which were built in 1914. One home was that of

Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Lundin, son Herbert, and daugh­

ters Helen and Constance. The other was the home of

the parents and Fred and is now that of Mrs. H.

R. Tonning, daughter of the senior Lundins. Mr. and

Mrs. Tonning became residents of Watford City in

1928, coming from Glenwood, Minnesota, where Mr.

Tonning was Superintendent of City Schools.

H. P. (Hil) continues to be active in the business

with time out for a winter vacation only. The Herbert

Lundins and son Herbert are living in Watford City.

The Harold E. Sperbers, Constance, and three children,

Harold E., Michael, and Helen, live in Sterling, Colo­

rado.

The family suffered the loss of mother and father,

the L. P. Lundins and Fred in the period from 1923

to 1928. Helen died at the age of two and Mrs. H. P.

Lundin in 1939 and Mr. Tonning in 1955.

Through the years the members of the family have

been active in all civic and community affairs. They

were instrumental in organizing and promoting the

band, agriculture exhibits and shows and have been

deeply interested in, and worked for, the betterment

of the school system. They were charter members of

the First Lutheran Church.

Lundin Brothers, Rexall Pharmacy and Clothing, oc­

cupies the original location today. In 1922 the first

store and three buildings to the south were destroyed

by fire. The building at the present time, 37 x 110 is

modern in every respect and the firm enjoys a healthy

patronage, appreciating the friendliness and coopera­

tion that have been extended during the fifty years of

service in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN JOHNSTON

John L. Johnston was born at Downsville, Wisconsin,

in 1886. His wife, the former Nora C. Hagenston, was

born near Ada, Minnesota, in 1894.

They met in Dazey, N. Dak., and were married there

in 1912. Both Myrtle and Wallace were born there.

In June, 1914, when Myrtle was only six months old,

she went to visit her folks, two brothers, Arthur and

Ernest, and two sisters, Mrs. Carl Olson and Mrs. Ben

Gunderson, who were all homesteading in McKenzie

County.

She was met at Ray by her father and brother Ernest

with a lumber wagon and team. They ferried across

the Missouri River near the White City flat. From

her first glimpse of this new country, she felt this

should be her home. In 1916 she and her husband

came to McKenzie County. Two years later John

homesteaded five miles west of Banks on the Missouri

River bottom. For a time he worked for Con Sax

hauling freight from Watford.

The children and she "held down the fort" by

splitting wood and grubbing sagebrush. They had a

cow that was old and only gave a gallon of very

blue milk.

They had many good times with dances in the Banks

Hall, card parties that lasted all night, and ball games.

Mrs. Johnston recalls the time Con Sax with his big

Mogal tractor turned over their first sod. He declared

the bull snakes were so large they lifted up the front

wheel of the tractor.

Their shack had a tin roof and when it hailed they

had a super percussion band. One day she and Ella

Renbarger got lost picking wild grapes. They couldn't

tell which way the river ran and Ella didn't even

know her own place.

Their farm was condemned under the Garrison Dam

Project and so they moved to Watford City. John died

in 1945. Myrtle lives in Tacoma, Wash., and Wallace

lives in Watford City.

Mrs. Johnston has been making her home in Glen-

dive, Mont., for 15 years.

84

s0*

Jaam Wa^bat asWfaT^

MR. AND MRS. C. R. DODGE

Charles R. Dodge who was commonly called "Cal"

was born on February 13, 1868, at Fort Athinson, Wis­

consin. His father was an ex-captain of the Civil War.

Mrs. Dodge was born Elsie Grace Alexander at Bell

Plaines, Iowa, on August 3, 1879.

Shortly after finishing high school, he went to Dead-

wood, S. Dak., and worked in the gold fields. During

his stay there he saw such notorious characters as

Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok.

Later Mr. Dodge went to Iowa and was married

there in 1898. They then came to Taylor, N. Dak.,

where he was employed on the Ed Blanchard ranch.

Later they moved to the Beirline place near the Kill­

deer Mts. where he worked for Wilcox and Richards.

They moved to the -S- Ranch near the Lost Bridge

where they lived for a time before moving to the

Dimmick Lake vicinity. All this time that he was look­

ing for a ranch site, his wife and family were at Dick­

inson. After he was quite well established at the Dim­

mick Lake site, he brought his wife, daughter Mabel

who was 18 months and son Charlie who was five

weeks old to the H. E. Camp in a wagon that was

drawn by horses. The distance was 100 miles.

The house that they built out of logs is still standing.

It is 63 years old.

During the winter of 1903-1904 they lost 125

head of cattle. This was a great loss for them.

Mrs. Dodge was an avid rug braider. At one time

she had braided over 200 rugs.

Mr. Dodge was instrumental in establishing the

Dodge School in 1908.

The Dodges ranched for 49 years.

In 1948 they celebrated their Golden Wedding.

Their children are Mabel, Mrs. Charles Kerr; Charles;

Myrtle, Mrs. Thomas Lawlar; William; Donald; Hel­

en, Mrs. Carl Jorgenson, and Lawrence and Edward.

In 1950 they sold their ranch to Angus Kennedy

and moved to Watford City. Mr. Dodge died in 1952

and she in 1956. He was a charter member of the N.

Dak. Stockmen's Assoc.

MR. AND MRS. GUTTORM SUNDFOR

Guttorm Sundfor was born in 1893 in Stavanger,

Norway, and in 1904 came to Fargo with his parents

and seven brothers and sisters. He continued his ed­

ucation in Fargo and worked there until 1914 when

he came to the Banks community to homestead. It was

there that he married Elsie Tollefson in 1917.

Elsie Angelica Tollefson was born in 1892 at

Hatton, N. Dak., and came to the Banks area with

her parents, the Rev. Bernard Tollefsons, in 1905. She

homesteaded not far from her parents and also not

far from the homestead of Guttorm Sundfor. They

were married at the Tollefson home and lived on their

homestead land until 1924. During this time two chil­

dren were born: Annabel, Mrs. Donald Stubb, Aber­

deen, Washington, in 1919; Robert of Watford City

in 1921.

They moved to Watford City in 1924 where Guttorm

clerked in the Losk Bros. Store during the 1920's and

was later employed in the Dept. of Agr. office in

Watford City.

Both were members of the First Lutheran Church

and sang in the Choir for several years.

Elsie Sundfor died in 1947. Shortly thereafter,

Guttorm moved to Washington state and made his

home with his daughter and son-in-law. In 1949 he

met Zalia Harbough of Lima, Ohio, who was teach­

ing a vacation Bible school on the West Coast. In

1950 he went to Ohio and married Miss Harbough.

They made their home in Lima until his death in 1959.

BILL McDANIEL

Bill McDaniel was born at Cochranton, Pa., and lived there until he came to McKenzie County in 1909. He worked for Shaw and Newman and also filed on a homestead south east of Watford City. He left Spring Creek with Shaw and Newman and went to the Fort Berthold Reservation in 1911. In 1928 Bill McDaniel and John Shaw went to Bengough, Sask., and bought land and ranched there with Fred Berger as foreman. In 1930 he went back to Pa. and married. He died in 1934.

DR. HARRY U. WINNER, D. D. S.

Dr. Harry U. Winner was born in Whitehall, Wis­

consin, and graduated from the high school at Black

River Falls, Wisconsin. He attended the University of

Wisconsin and Crane Institute in Chicago. He enter­

ed the University of Illinois college of dentistry and

was graduated from the Chicago College of Dental

Surgery.

He began his dental practice at Alexander, N. Dak.,

in 1922 and moved to Watford City in 1924.

He is a past commander and adjutant of the Ameri­

can Legion, first mayor of Watford City in 1934, a

former director of the Assoc, of Commerce, a Past

Master of the Masonic Lodge, and former president

of the Rotary Club.

He recalls the first time he saw N. Dak. It was while

he was bumming a ride on a freight train to work in

the harvest fields. He was so impressed with the West

that he decided to locate here.

During his early years of practice he had to use a

foot engine and flash light when removing teeth as

there was no running water or electricity.

Dr. Winner has been practicing dentistry for the

past 42 years. He and his wife reside at 109 Park

Ave. W. in Watford City..

MR. AND MRS. CHARLES KERR AND FAMILY

Mrs. Kerr, the former Mabel Dodge, was born in

1899 at Taylor, N. Dak. She is the daughter of Clar­

ence and Elsie Dodge who came here from Iowa.

She recalls that the neighbors and schools were few

and far between. The first school she attended was a

small claim shack of her uncle's, John Alexander. They

had three months of school in the fall and three in the

spring. There were six pupils. The teacher's name was

Jean Cameron. Her brother, Charlie, and she walked

two miles to school. The desks were long tables with

benches. She went to this school for one term and the

next one was a dug out sod house which belonged to

Grandpa Dodge. The front and sides were sod and the

back was in a hill. It was much warmer than a shack.

It was a mile from home. One morning when they ar­

rived at school they discovered that a steer had fallen

through the roof. The school was a wreck with the

desks and benches all broken. As a result the students

has a few days of vacation.

She also recalls how wild range cattle were in those

early days.

In 1912, a golden haired, freckled faced young man

by the name of Charles Kerr, was working at the Han-

ley Ranch. He was a popular young man and a real

bronco rider. One day he rode over to her place to

deliver a message to her father. This was their first

meeting and he became a steady caller.

Charles Kerr was born on May 26, 1894, at Han­

cock, Minnesota. He came with his parents to N.

Dak. in 1896. In 1917 he entered the army and was

discharged in 1918.

They were married on December 18, 1919, at the

bride's home. Her sister, Myrtle, and brother, Charlie,

were the attendants. The Rev. Cowgill was the pastor.

One of their friends proved to be a traitor, as he

was keeping in close touch with a charivari gang which

was gathered at the school. The newlyweds were sus­

picious of this and so they used a white team instead

of the dark team they had planned to use. This fooled

the gang for a while as they thought the couple in the

sleigh were Myrtle and Charlie Dodge. They made

their getaway much to the distress of the charivari

gang and took a short wedding trip.

In 1920 they rented a place and began farming

and ranching. In later years they had accumulated

1167 acres of land.

They had five children. They are Mildred, Mrs. Vince

De Domenico of San Francisco; Florence, Mrs. Harold

Johnsrud, of Watford City; Dorothy, Mrs. Gene Cole-

bank, of Williston; Charlet, Mrs. Melvin Killough, of

Texaco Camp at Charlson, N. Dak.; Betty Jane, Mrs.

John Kelly of Wolf Point, Montana. The Kerrs are married 44 years.

86

f\ i

MR. AND MRS. OLUF GRANLIE

Many of the early homes in Watford City were

built by pioneer homesteader Oluf L. Granlie who

came here in 1906 from Mo Ranen, Norway. Mr.

Granlie filed his claim seven miles northwest of Wat­

ford City. In 1912 he married Ester Marie Ostrom who

came here from Gunnarn, Sweden. Their two daugh­

ters, Nora and Elvina, were born in the original sod

house and their two sons, Oscar and Axel, were later

born in the large two-story home built by Mr. Granlie.

Nora, Mrs. Art Hovde, lives in Williston. Elvina,

commercial artist and author, resides in Watford City.

Oscar lives in Glendive, Montana. Axel, who was a

talented musician, died at the age of 26.

Mrs. Granlie died in 1944 and Mr. Granlie in 1950.

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM H. LILLIBRIDGE

William H. Lillibridge was born in 1871 in Lawler,

Iowa. His wife, the former Florence M. Flack, was

born in 1876 in Waukon, Iowa. They lived in Iowa

until 1900 when Mr. Lillibridge came to Erie, N. Dak.,

and operated a threshing rig. He was later joined by

his wife and son Harold.

In 1909 Mr. Lillibridge and Mr. Ed Green came to

McKenzie County and filed on a claim. They built a

house and shelter for the stock and were joined by

the rest of the family in 1910.

They had seven children of whom five are living.

They are Agnes, Lester, and Grace, Mrs. Sidney Croff,

of Watford City; Luella, Mrs. Leonard Parrish, of

Miltonvale, Kansas; Harold died on Dec. 25, 1957, at

Ft. Mead, S. Dak.; Lloyd perished in a N. Dak. bliz­

zard in 1917. Leonard does carpenter work.

OLE T. GRYTE FAMILY

Ole T. Gryte came with his parents from Tele­

marken, Norway, in 1861 when he was fourteen years

old. After a crossing of seven weeks, he arrived at

Quebec, Canada, and then went on to Blue Earth

County, Minnesota, where he was educated and later

confirmed in the Lutheran faith. In 1878 he drove to

Dakota Territory with a team of oxen and a covered

wagon. Mr. Gryte farmed near Hoople, N. Dak., and in

1879 married Ellen Rollefstad. Six children were

born to this union. In 1901 he moved to Lowry, Min­

nesota, where his wife died five years later. He with

his two sons, Theodore and Carl, and daughter, Enga,

Mrs. Art Frederick, came to McKenzie County in 1910

and filed on a homestead. In 1911 he and Mrs. Emma

Olson were united in marriage.

Mrs. Olson, who was widowed in Lowry, Minnesota,

came to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead

south of the Keogh ranch. Mrs. Olson had three chil­

dren by her former marriage. They are Clara, Mrs. S. 0 .

Dundas, of Watford City; Herbert, deceased 1924;

John of Yuba City, California.

Mr. and Mrs. Gryte had one son, Haaken, who mar­

ried Ida Hagen of Arnegard. They make their home in

Anchorage, Alaska.

The Grytes farmed near Berg until 1943 when Mr.

Gryte died at the age of nearly 95. Mrs. Gryte moved

to Watford City and died in June, 1950, the day before

her first great grandchild was born. Mrs. Gryte is

remembered by her grandchildren as a plucky woman

with an extraordinary sense of humor.

OLE P. HAAVELSRUD

He was born at Valdres, Norway, in November,

1881, and came to Benson, Minnesota, in 1905. In

1906 he came to McKenzie County and filed on land 7

miles southeast of Watford City. He built a large

house on this location. Many times there were

church services there.

He lived on his farm until 1953. He never married.

He died in 1953 at the age of 73.

87

ARTHUR C. NELSON

Arthur C. Nelson was born at Wheaton, Minn, in 1901. At the age of one he moved with his parents to Wheaton Township, which is located in the north­western part of Bottineau County, where they had acquired a homestead. Here he grew to manhood and received his elementary education.

During the flu epidemic of 1918 he lost both of his parents within three days, the surviving children, coming to McKenzie County to make their home with an aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Diehm. Art received the two years of high school offered in Wat­ford City and then returned to Wheaton to graduate from there in 1922.

Returning to Watford City he taught in rural schools of Grail District for five years. During that time he became interested in farming and ranching, gradually acquiring a sizeable unit with headquarters in the Garden community, which he still owns and operates in partnership with his son, Gerald. He was married to Mabel Skoglund, a teacher from the Garden com­munity.

About the only crop they were blessed with the first ten years were their three children: Gerald and his family live on the home farm; Phyllis, Mrs. Leslie Thorland lives in Watford City and Arlene, Mrs. Wes­ley Wold lives in the Garden community.

He has served his community in various capacities, serving on the First Land Use Committee, The Agri­cultural Adjustment Act of 1933, later being known as the Triple A, nine years as Garden township Clerk, 32 years on the election board, 8 years on the Grail School District board, which was the largest in the state, operating 44 schools at one time.

"A. C." is presently serving as chairman of the Arnegard-Alexander Soil Conservation District, and is also president of the Garden Lutheran Church.

EVEN KRISTIANSEN

Even Kristiansen was born in Norway in 1886 and left for America in 1905, arriving in McKenzie County where Even, Haakon and their father homesteaded in Moline township. They farmed until 1917 when they bought the Watford Supply Company, a retail hard­ware and undertaking business. They also operated a moving picture business.

Even's father died in 1920 and his mother in 1921. The same year they merged with J. P. Christensen.

In 1924 Even married Agnes Levang from Adams, N. Dak. and they had one son, who lives in Billings. They have four grandchildren. Even retired in 1956 and lives in Billings.

O. C. TOLLEFSON

The lure of homestead land brought the Rev. B. M. Tollefson and his two young sons, Olve and Edgar, to northern McKenzie County. Olve came to Ray by im­migrant car in 1904, crossing the Missouri river by ferry and arriving at his father's homestead on the Tobacco Garden creek. His mother and other children came shortly after. His father passed away the follow­ing year, leaving his wife and seven children, of whom Olve was the eldest, being then only 17. Upon the mother and Olve fell the responsibility of supporting the family in that underdeveloped area. Their home became a center of the social and religious life of the community. Rev. B. M. Tollefson had organized the Garden Valley Lutheran church before his death. Af­ter the church was built, 0 . C. was the organist and choir director for many years. He was active in com­munity affairs, and was County Treasurer in 1947 and 1948.

He was married to Mabel Jacobson on June 3, 1925, and to them were born four children, Millicent, Mrs. Rae Hendrickson of New Town; Alice, Mrs. Je­rome Simonson; Marjorie, Mrs. Lee Hanna, and one son, Carroll, all of Watford City.

Olve died in 1956 at his home in Twin Valley Town­ship and was buried in the Garden Valley cemetery.

O. C. Tollefson at right with Mahel Gunderson and Rev. Main in a home talent play at Banks Hall.

Mrs. Tollefson remarried recently and now makes her home in California, although often comes back to spend time with her children.

88

SERVING McKENZIE COUNTY SINCE 1908

**;

JOHN SKAAR

John Skaar was born in Alesund, Norway on July 29, 1882. He came to America in 1889 at the tender age of seventeen. He first went to Minnesota and worked on a farm. He related an incident concerning the first year he spent in America. He and a young friend decided to go to church one Sunday morning. It was the Catholic Church. When the priest began speaking in Latin it sounded so strange to them that they started to giggle. This would be an insult to any church. The priest ordered them out and took a broom and swept the dust out after them. Considering their youthfulness their behavior was quite typical.

John filed on his claim in 1904. Johanna Marie Nelson was born on a farm near

Harstad, Norway, in the Lofoten Islands, the land of the beautiful midnight sun on December 18, 1878. She was a member of a very devout family, reluctant to have such a young daughter journeying off to a strange land. Her grandparents had been in America years before; the Indians and settlers were fighting at the time and to them this land of opportunity wasn't too appealing and they were glad to return to Norway. She and Rikka Heidi filed on their home­steads together in McKenzie County and shared their meager living quarters. John Skaar and Johanna Marie Nelson were married at the Lutheran parson­age by Pastor Nicolae Neilson on March 1, 1906. They lived in a small house and it was here that Rikka Heidi and Nels Rolfsrud were wed. They knelt by a makeshift altar of two apple boxes nailed to­gether and covered with white tapestry as they were pronounced man and wife.

Mrs. Skaar was home alone one day with her six small children when a small group of Indians appeared on the hilltop, and soon they approached the sod house. She was alarmed, but she appeared with good­ies to give them. The Indians were pleased and quickly rode off. She also related an incident which occurred in the sod house while entertaining ladies aid one afternoon. They had a pig which had climbed close to a window; while peering inside the pig somehow lost his balance and fell into the room where the ladies sat. She hit the pig so hard that her valuable broom broke in two.

John and Jennie Skaar became the parents of eight children: Nels, a consultant engineer in Bismarck; John, passed away in 1951; Julius, a construction •worker in Kalispell, Montana; Mable, (Mrs. Wray Hosfelt) of Clarkston, Washington; Clara, (Mrs. Wal­ter Erickson) lives in Seattle, Washington; Lilly, (Mrs. Lloyd Forske), lives in Grenora, North Dakota; Neil is an F.H.A. supervisor in Jamestown, North Dakota; Harold farms the original homestead taking over when the elder Skaars retired and moved to Watford City in 1945.

Mrs. Skaar passed away in 1956, and John passed away in 1957.

McKENZIE COUNTY FARMER STAFF

STANDING, L.—R.: "Del" Shipman, Editor-Manager; Cale Shipman, Printer; Kenneth Larson, Foreman; Adam Wanner, Printer; Lyle Kraus, Operator. SEATED, L.—R.: Cleone Tweden, Bookkeeper; Goldie Green, News Editor.

PROVIDING NEWS AND PICTURE COVERAGE OF HAPPENINGS

IN EVERY AREA OF McKENZIE COUNTY WITH OVER 25

NEWS CORRESPONDENTS

McKENZIE COUNTY'S ONLY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN

WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARNE TOLLEFSON ... RUTH S. SHIPMAN _ AL. N. NELSON __ W. H. RIEK OSCAR KNUDTSON

President Vice President

— Sec.-Treas. Director Director

McKENZIE COUNTY FARMER PUBLISHING

COMPANY PHONE 3421 WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

89

ENGEBRETSON HOME

MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL ENGEBRETSON

In 1910, Louise Hanson, who was born in 1883 at

Willmar, Minn., took the stage from Williston to

Schafer to file on a homestead four and one half

miles south of Watford City. The same year Samuel

Engebretson, who was born in 1880 at Black River

Falls, Wisconsin, and his brother took an immigrant

car to Williston. They walked from there to Schafer,

and also filed on a homestead. Sam wore patent leath­

er shoes and as a result corns have been with him

since. Mr. Engebretson's homestead is eight miles

south and one mile east of Watford City. They were

married in December of 1914 and lived for almost

forty seven years on Mr. Engebretson's homestead

until they moved to their present home in Watford

City in September, 1961.

Their three children are Avis, Mrs. Harold Rogness,

lives on a farm near Watford City. This farm in­

cludes the Dorffler homestead and the site of Heath's

store—a social and shopping center for homesteaders

before Watford City existed. Orville is farming the

home place and Carol is a graduate student at Michi­

gan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE THOMAS

George 0 . Thomas was born in Greenleaf, Min­

nesota, on November 28, 1882. When George was

twenty two years old he went to Canada where he

worked at various jobs, and later moved to Williston,

which was just beginning, and worked for Doctor Ha-

GEORGE THOMAS FAMILY

gen as a cowboy. Later he went to Montana for Hagen

to work on his ranch there.

In 1912, George O. Thomas took a homestead about

8 miles northeast of Schafer.

Lilly Griebel Thomas was born in Tremplue County,

Wisconsin on November 24, 1895. Lilly came with her

family in 1910 to North Dakota to take advantage of

the Homestead Act. They settled on Demic Lake.

George and Lilly were married March 25, 1913. George

drove with the horse and buggy into Schafer to get

the license. When they asked and George told them

that he was thirty years old and Lilly was 17 years

old, the clerk smiled and said, "You'll have to go home

and get her old man, George; she isn't old enough."

So George had to drive back to Demic Lake and get

Anton Griebel.

In the spring of 1913 they moved on George's home­

stead. The first year that they lived on the homestead

they broke ten acres of land with a pair of oxen, and

the next year they broke an additional ten acres of

land using two ponies and two oxen. George hauled

his grain to Ray, Williston or Tioga and brought back

lumber for Mr. Starling at Schafer. It took three days

to make a round trip.

Five children were born while they lived on the

homestead; Florence, Hazel, George Jr., Lillian and

Clara. They lived on the homestead for six years and

then moved. They moved four times in the following

years. Six more children were born during these years;

Floyd, Roy, Esther, Marvin, Ralph and Vivian.

George then designated his original homestead for

range purposes because it was too rough for farming

and he was allowed an additional homestead of 320

acres. Eva was born on this additional homestead.

George bought another farm and then the depression

years began. They lost everything during the depres­

sion and George moved his family into Schafer so the

children could go to school. They lived on the hill

west of Schafer and Barbara was born. They moved to

Watford City, and they still live there.

90

K. O. STAVN FAMILY

IT 11 1

MR. AND MRS. KNUTE HAGEN

Knute Hagert was born at Spring Grove, Minn, on July 22, 1897. His mother moved to Denbigh, N. Dak. and filed on a homestead in 1907, where they lived for two years, and moved to Towner, N. Dak. where he worked on farms around Berwick, and clerked in a store there. His wages during the winter months on the farm, feeding cattle, hauling hay and general farm chores were $10.00 per month and top wages during the summer for haying, harvest, etc. were $35.00 per month.

He came to Watford City in the spring of 1918 and settled in Norstag township, where he has farmed ever since.

On November 9, 1923, he married Blenda Engebrit at Rugby, N. Dak. Mrs. Hagen was born September 17, 1903.

He carried mail on a Star Route between Cherry

Post Office and Mary Post Office for three years.

He leased an underground coal mine which he ran for

four years. At this time there was no bridge over the

Little Missouri River, only wagon trails through the

badlands where he carried mail, so he traveled by

saddle horse and an old Ford car. Most of the time the

river was high, and he crossed in a basket and ferry

much of the time during the spring break-up.

They live in Watford City and like it, but Knute is

still workmg his farm.

They have been members of the Spring Creek Lu­

theran Congregation for more than forty years.

OLE AND MARIE JONSRUD

Ole Jonsrud was born on Oct. 2, 1874, at Rakke-

stad, Norway, and came to Rugby, N. Dak., in 1904.

In 1906 he filed on land in the Berg community.

Ellen Marie Sonstegaard was born on August 20,

1870, at Rakkestad, Norway, and came to Rugby in

1905 and filed on land in the Berg community in 1908.

They were married at Berg on Feb. 25, 1908, and to

this union one son John Oscar was born. Ole passed

away in 1922 and his wife on Jan. 7, 1947. They were

charter members of the Clear Creek Lutheran Church

and took an active part in all its activities.

Their son John with his wife and three children

reside on the land he homesteaded in 1906.

K. O. STAVN FAMILY

K. O. Stavn was born at Flaa, Hallingdal, Norway on

January 30, 1876. He dreamed of the day that he might

cross the Atlantic Ocean to the "Land of Fame and

Fortune." He came to America at the age of 19, and he

stayed in New York for three years. He attended

night school to learn to read and write the English

language. He went to Joice, Iowa in 1898 where an

uncle lived, and learned the carpenter trade. He loved

to wrestle and won several championships.

On December 16, 1904, he married Clara Jose­

phine Peterson at Northwood, Iowa. In 1908 they moved

to Williston and Knute built a house where the West

Lawn School is now located. In the fall of 1910 he

filed on a homestead fourteen miles north east of

Watford City. He rented two teams of horses and paid

$2.00 for their use. He drove the first team with a

wagon load of lumber for a new home, and Mrs.

Stavn drove the second team with a small hayrack

carrying the belongings and children. They lived in

a tent for three weeks until the two room house was

built. Their first five acre field was plowed with three

oxen.

Mr. Stavn did carpenter work in Williston, Arne­

gard and Watford City. He was janitor in the Watford

City school for twelve years.

Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Stavn;

Hartwick who died in 1921 at the age of 14; Bernice,

(Mrs. Arvin Helle), and Clifford, who live in Wat­

ford City. Bernice remembers the day Clifford was

born. Her father wakened her very early in the morn­

ing and asked her to care for her mother who had

taken ill while he went to get help. She tried to give

her mother Castoria which was refused, and when

help came she was asked to go to the chicken coop to

gather the eggs. Upon her return, Rachel Larson, a

mid-wife handed her baby Clifford.

Mrs. Stavn died in March of 1960, and Mr. Stavn

passed away in June of 1962. They had eleven grand

children and nine great grand children.

91

REINERT NESS AND FAMILY

Reinert Ness and his wife Anna were born near Fitjar, Sonhorland, Norway. They immigrated to the U.S.A. in 1900, settling first near Colton, South Dakota. In 1908 they took a trip back to Norway and stayed one year. In 1916 the Nesses moved to Watford City, where they purchased the old John Wendike farm three and one half miles north of Watford City. Anna's brothers, Knut, Hans, and Tom Okland lived in the same area. Reinert's brother, Ole Ness came later to settle one mile east on the old Kirkeby homestead. Since a bachelor had lived in the house, it was not unusual to see small crawling creatures coming out from behind wood or paper on the walls when it was time to go to bed. One night when Reinert had been kept awake for hours trying to fight off the creatures, he lit the lamp, held it in .one hand while sitting on his knees in bed searching under the pillows and in the mattress and saying; "I think I should burn up this house." His good wife Anna came to the rescue a few days later by fumigating the house. That was the end of our enemies, the bed bugs.

They were members of the Garden Lutheran Church. Their daughter Hanna taught several years before

she was married to Alvin Paulson, and they now live in California. Thev have two sons. The elder Nessee moved to California in 1943. Mrs. Ness died in 1958. Mr. Ness makes his home with his daughter Hannah at 10640 So. Homage Ave., Whittier, Cal. He is now 85 and enjoys reminiscing about Watford City days.

EMIL BELLIN

Emil Bellin was born in Wisconsin in 1890. In 1912 he filed on a homestead in Bear Den Town­

ship and built a log cabin on the homestead. He started batching and breaking sod. The first post-office was Catlin. It was later transferred to W. B. Croff. Mail service was 3 times a week. He was mar­ried in 1920 to Leta Kummer. One son Arno was born in 1925. He lives in Watford City and is married to Dorothy Schoenlien. They have three children. Arno works for the Watford City Creamery.

92

MATT AURE

Matt Aure was born in Molde, Norway, in 1880, and came to the United States in 1901 at the age of twenty one years. He worked as a carpenter with J. M. Malme in and around Halstad, Minnesota. In 1906 Mr. Aure and Sivert Sivertson left for Landa, N. Dak. where they worked at carpentering. In 1907, they came to McKenzie County and filed on homesteads on adjoining land in the Blue Buttes area near Berg, N. Dak.

They first built a sod house on Matt's homestead and batched until Mr. Sivertson's wife and children arrived from Norway.

Mr. Aure raised a fair-sized herd of horses and a few cattle. There were spring wells on his land and lots of lignite coal. He lived alone until 1932 at which time he married Mattie Rundhaug of Wildrose, North Dakota.

Mr. Aure passed away September 7, 1948 at the age of sixty eight. His wife, Mattie resides in Watford City and still owns the homestead and an additional 320 acres. Also surviving is his step-daughter, Mrs. Elery Hystad of Arnegard, N. Dak.

For Your Auto Insurance Home Owners, Farm Liability Crop, Hail, Medical and Life

CALL:

R. HARMON Watford City, N. Dak.

Phone 6071

E D RIVER

EINAR H. DAHL

Einar H. Dahl was born in Ringbu, Gubrandsdalen, Norway in 1889, and left there at the age of fifteen aboard the "Saxonia", an old English battleship which had been converted to a passenger ship. This ship was reconverted again during World War I and was later sunk by the Germans. When he left Norway he intend­ed to stay in the United States for only ten years, "where you could pick dollars off trees." He could then return to Norway a rich man. He came in March, 1904, and went directly to central North Dakota to join his brothers. He worked on farms for six years before coming to McKenzie County. He filed on land in the Spring Creek area southeast of Watford City in 1910. Mr. Dahl recalls that when he and several other homesteaders arrived in Williston from Berwick, N. Dak. they hired someone with an old Model T Ford to take them to Schafer. All went well on the downgrade and level stretches of road but they all had to push going uphill. They then walked from Schafer to theif homesteads in Spring Creek. Having the only team of horses in the community, he often hauled lumber and supplies for the other homestead­ers.

Mr. Dahl remembers election day, March 15, 1920. The temperature was 25 to 30 degrees below zero, with deep snow and a strong wind. During the three day storm, cattle and horses drifted with the wind and their bodies were found only after the snow and ice had melted in the spring.

Mr. and Mrs. Dahl raised seven children: Olga, (Mrs. John Anderson), Charlson, Julia, (Mrs. Mar­vin Knutson), and Connie, (Mrs. Bruce Quale), Both of Watford City. Henry and Edwin who farm at Arne­gard and Williston respectively; Mathias, Los Angeles, California, and Einar Jr., Des Moines, Iowa. Mrs. Dahl passed away in April of 1954.

Mr. Dahl has taken an active part in community and state affairs. He is a charter member of Spring Creek Lutheran Church and served as Treasurer for thirty five years. The first worship services in Spring Creek were held in Mr. Dahl's homestead shack in July, 1911, and were conducted by Rev. M. Holey. Mr. Dahl served on the Norstag Township board; he was director of Grail School District; and he was county Commissioner for twelve years. He is pre­sently a director of the REA and has been a member of the North Dakota State Water Commission for twenty six years. As a member of this board, he has served under six governors—Governor Langer, Moses, Aan­dahl, Brunsdale, Davis and Guy.

Mr. Dahl married Anna Berg, a sister of his first wife in 1955. They still farm on his homestead, and spend the winter months at their home in Watford City. Today at the age of seventy five, Mr. Dahl says "I never felt better in my life."

• • • • • • • •

Formerly

Sullivan's Livery Stable

—Now—

WATFORD CITY

CREAMERY

GRADE A

DAIRY PRODUCTS

93

CHARLES J. RUSSELL, SR.

Charles J. Russell, Sr. was born in 1871 in Nebras­

ka. He met Anna Wright Soward who was born in

Grain Valley, Missouri in 1879 and marriage vows

were said June 1, 1899 at Lead, S. Dak. The Lead

City Fire Department participated in the wedding cele­

bration by giving the groom a ride on a hose cart.

At the time of their marriage, Mr. Russell worked

in a foundry of the Homestake Gold Mining Co., but

resigned from this company in 1905 when he entered

into partnership with the late Jim McLucas in raising

cattle and horses on the McLucas ranch in McKenzie

County.

As early settlers in McKenzie Co. Mr. Russell and his

wife continued in operating the McLucas ranch until

the livestock was divided between the partners and

the Russells took over a homestead 12 miles southeast

of Watford City, N. Dak. Charles later purchased the

H. E. Cattle Ranch nearby, continuing in the cattle

business until mid-1930. By this time he owned anoth­

er farm three miles north of Schafer, N. Dak. Charles

Russell liked round-up seasons most, participating in

many, and selling 4-year-old livestock at the Chica­

go market.

In the late 1930's, all the livestock was sold and the

Russells returned to Kansas City. Mr. Russell died

January 6, 1956. Mrs. Russell died June 18, 1963.

A son Charles J. Russell, Jr. resides in Leawood,

Kansas. Another son, Robert N. Russell, born on the

H. E. Ranch, resides in Kansas City, Kansas.

LEONARD CLAUD ROSENKRANS

Leonard Claud Rosenkrans and his wife, Ernestine

Filter Rosenkrans, homesteaded on the Little Missouri

River in 1915, just northeast of Roosevelt National

Park.

Leonard Rosenkrans was born in Wisconsin in 1865.

Mrs. Rosenkrans was born in Germany in 1866 and

came to the U. S. with her parents in 1872 by sailing

vessel. They settled near Forest City, Iowa and here

she was married to Mr. Rosenkrans in Nov. 1885.

Shortly after their marriage the young couple went

to S. Dak. where they filed for a homestead, but

drought and grasshoppers discouraged them and in

1898 they moved to Tennessee and moved to N. Dak. in

1910. They settled at Belfield and about 1914 Mr.

Rosenkrans heard of open homesteading lands along

the Little Missouri river and began to look into it

with the result that he and his son, Percy, filed home­

steads there. His place was right on the river banks

with an additional 160 acres allowed because of the

roughness of the land. Percy's place was up on top of

the buttes along the river spoken of locally as being

"Up on Top". Percy was accidentally killed the next

year after filing and his place was never proved up.

Mr. Rosenkrans developed the land into a small

ranch, raising cattle and also large vegetable gardens.

He lived here until his death in June, 1923. Mrs. Ro­

senkrans stayed on the ranch and in 1929 she mar­

ried Godfrey Marshall who died in 1934. She lived

alone on the place until 1942 when she moved into

Watford City. In 1948 she sold the ranch to her son-

in-law, Elisha B. Hiestand, She passed away in

Oct. 1957.

Ten children were born to the Rosenkrans family.

Irwin, Ernestine and Lillian died while the family

lived in Tennessee. Mildred lived in Illinois and died

there in 1925. Percy was accidentally killed near

Belfield in 1915. Vernon and James lived on the

ranch but Vernon left in 1926 and was accidentally

killed. Still living are Ruth, (Mrs. Martin Altman),

Paramount, Calif.; Ruby, (Mrs. Ruby Hiestand) Wat­

ford City; Frances, (Mrs. John Braaten), Arnegard;

and James, Roseau, Minn.

94

C. C. BERG MR. AND MRS. NILS DAHL

C. C. Berg was born in Sigdal, Norway in 1887 and

immigrated to the U. S. at age 21. He worked on

farms near Mayville until he was able to buy his own

place near Hillsboro where he married Anna John­

son in 1905 and to this union six children were born:

Inga, (Mrs. Gordon I. Olson), mother of two daugh­

ters; Ruby, (Mrs. Norman Hildre), mother of a boy

and three girls; Hilman, married Bernice Berg, par­

ents of a boy and two girls; Selina (Mrs. Ernest

Transtrom), mother of two boys. These four live on

ranch-farms near Watford City. Edna, (Mrs. Don

Gast), has a boy and a girl and Annice, (Mrs. Marvin

Thomas) has two boys. Mrs. Gast and Mrs. Thomas

live in Santa Monica, Calif.

In 1918 Mr. Berg moved his family to the Spring

Creek Community in McKenzie County where he had

bought a farm and built a home. In 1919 Cherry Post-

office was moved to their farm and Mrs. Berg was post­

mistress. This postoffice was established at the Olaf

Transtrom home in 1908, later was moved to Henry

Rud's store south of Watford City, then to Joel John­

son's farm and finally to the Berg farm in 1919 until

1930 when it was discontinued.

In 1948 the Berg's retired and moved to Watford

City to make their home. Mr. Berg passed away May

18, 1948 and was buried in the Spring Creek Church

cemetery. Mrs. Berg continued to live in Watford

City. In 1955 she was married to Einar H. Dahl and

they live on his farm in the Spring Creek area in the

summer and in Watford City during the winter.

Hilman Berg bought the home place in 1947 and he

and his family still live there.

Nils G. Dahl was born in Ringsbu Gudbrands-

dalen, Norway in Aug. 1888. At the age of 18 he came

to America and worked on farms near Berwick, N. D.

for about three years. Here he met Emma Skamfor,

who had come to live with a sister near there from

her birthplace of Hawley, Minn, where she was born

in Nov. 1896, and they were married in 1914. Mr.

Dahl had come to Schafer to file a claim on land and

by 1912 had proved his claim. In 1914 and 1915 they

purchased cattle and the machinery to produce their

first crops of wheat, flax and oats on approximately

80 acres of land. Their health remained good and the

only serious illness in the early years was the flu of

1918. In 1923 they purchased their first automobile.

In the following years which brought both good crops

and many drought years, they were able to secure more

land, cattle and machinery and in 1934 remodeled

their farmstead home.

Their children are Norman, Alma (Mrs. Manuel

Hagen) and Neil, all of Watford City and Gordon of

Billings, Montana and Esther (Mrs. Carmen Levang)

of Seattle, Washington.

In 1945 Mr. and Mrs. Dahl retired from farming

and moved to Watford City where they still reside.

Both are active and in good health.

Mr. Dahl recalls an experience he had on one of his

trips to Berwick in 1912. The travel accommodations to

Williston from Schafer were by mail travel. At that

time Dave Westland was the mail carrier from Scha­

fer to Williston and drove a two-seated horse drawn

buggy. It was a warm, spring day. As there was no

bridge across the big Missouri river, the crossing had

to be made on Roaum's Ferry. The area between the

river and Williston, a distance of about two miles, was

rough, rugged bottom land. When they reached the

ferry crossing that early afternoon they could see the

spring raise was coming in fast, but they started

across and when reaching the main channel saw the

bottom land was flooded. Mr. Westland decided to

leave his buggy and passengers at a high point.

95

i n RACHEL LARSON

m ^ Mrs. Elizabeth Rachel Larson Wf was born in Hemmes, Norway

. t ^ ^ . ^ ^ ^ J | in 1847. As a young widow, and with her two sons, Jul and Ragnvald she left Norway in

• ^asssssssssM 1892. The trip across the Atlan­tic took between five and six

weeks, and passengers were required to bring along their own food. The supply, due to the unexpected length of the trip, ran low before they arrived in New York.

Mrs. Larson first came to Wisconsin where two of her brothers resided; Jul remained with one of the uncles until he was old enough to make his own living, while the mother and Ragnvald journeyed westward, spending a few years in Minnesota and the later in Horace, N. Dak. In 1905 she and Ragnvold each filed on adjoining homesteads in Garden Township; their homestead shacks were built just across the line from one another.

Mrs. Larson continued to live on her homestead until the last few years of her life when she went to live with her son, Jul and family at Alexander, N. Dak. She passed away in 1942 at the age of 95. Ragn­vald passed away in his early twenties.

"Rakkel", as she was known to everyone, was a very essential person to these early people of the prairies, as she was the "Obstetrician" and served in this capacity as late as the middle twenties.

L. J. LARSON

L. J. (Jul) Larson was born in Hemnes, Norway in 1882, and at the age of 10 immigrated to America to­gether with his mother Rachel Larson and younger brother Rangvald. He remained with an uncle in Wis­consin until he was able to support himself. In 1902 he joined the army and was sent to the Philippines where he served three years. He was the bugler for his company. In 1909 he came to McKenzie County where he filed on a homestead. He continued to live on the homestead for several years. During part of this time, he served as mail carrier between Farland and Tobacco Garden. He was married in 1918 to Thilda Larson who had come here with her parents, Thea and Albert Larson in 1910 and settled seven miles north east of Alexander.

The Jul Larsons have two sons. In 1920 they moved to Alexander where Mr. Larson operated a garage for several years. He is a Mason and a Knight Templar. They are now retired and living at Alexander, North Dakota.

BEAUTY NOOK

AGNES MATHISTAD

WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

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MARTIN AND EVELYN SANFORD

MR. AND MRS. HOWARD THOMAS

Mr. and Mrs. Howard G. Thomas were both born at Andover, Maine, on December 30, 1879 and Febru­ary 13, 1886, respectively. Mr. Thomas served in the Spanish American War in the Philippines, and in 1904 married Alma Howe. They came to the Charlson area, where Mr. Thomas had filed on a claim near an uncle of his, Granville Bacon. In 1907 they moved to Minot, N. Dak.

In 1917 the family moved to Watford City where Mr. Thomas established a farm equipment business in partnership with a Mr. Schraeder. This venture was unsuccessful and Mr. Thomas then engaged in custom threshing, custom breaking and allied enterprises until 1920 wehn he took over the garage owned by Roy Newman. He successfully had the dealerships for Overland, Ford and finally Chevrolet automobiles and for various farm implement lines, including the International Harvester line. In 1928 he built the building now occupied by the 0 . K. Implement Com­pany, and in 1935 he sold out and moved to Ellens-berg, Washington, where he operated a Coast to Coast Store. In 1939 he retired and moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon, where he spent as much time fishing and hunting as possible. In July of 1954 Howard and Alma Thomas celebrated their Golden Wedding An­niversary at which all of their children and grand­children were able to be present. It seems worth men­tioning that Alma Thomas' graduating class were all living and sent their congratulations.

The following February, 1955, Mrs. Thomas died, and in August of 1957, Mr. Thomas passed away. Their youngest son, Wedell also died in November of 1958, at Kirkland, Washington. Vincent, Ruby and Walter were members of the second graduating class in Watford City. Vincent and his wife Frances are now located at Boulder, Colorado; Ruby (Mrs. Philip Sanford) lives in Portland, Oregon, and Walter and his wife Edna will be located at Westwood, Califor­nia by April 15, 1964.

CARL BERQUIST

Carl Berquist was born in Holland, Sweden, Janu­

ary 3, 1889. He came to the United States in 1905 to Bottineau county, and after a short stay he went to Butte, Montana where he was employed on ranches, and also worked for the Milwaukee Railroad.

In 1910 he filed on a homestead in Garden Town­ship. During the next four years he spent the winters in Minneapolis. It was there in 1916 that he was mar­ried to Miss Hanna Newman. Shortly after their mar­riage, they came out to live on his farm.

They had two sons, Clarence of Watford City, and Arden of Anchorage, Alaska. Mrs. Berquist passed away in 1929.

In 1939 Mr. Berquist married Dagny Gustafson of Arnegard. They have two daughters; Darlene (Mrs. Lee Stevens) and Cecelia, and twin sons, Ray and Roy.

CARL BERQUIST

CATHRYN AND OWEN HOSTLER

OWEN'S STUDIO

Portrait and Commercial

Photography

Watford City, N. Dak.

97

BENNIE GUNDERSON

Ole (Bennie) Gunderson was born Oct. 9, 1882 at

Chimney Rock, Wis. He lived in South Dakota and

Canada before homesteading in Twin Valley Town­

ship near Banks in 1906. For a time, his only sister,

Effie, was his housekeeper.

He made a little "pin money" working for neigh­

bors, one of whom was Peter Hagenstone, and there

met his future wife, Myrtle, the youngest Hagenstone

daughter, who, he always claimed, refused to marry

anyone who chewed snoose. Thereafter, he left his

snoose on a nearby r.ockpile when calling on her. The

shack on the hill was replaced by a two-room house in

a pretty valley and in April, 1914 they were married

at Schafer.

They were the parents of nine children. Their one

child, Peter, died soon after birth, and an infant was

buried with his mother when she passed away at the

age of 29, shortly before their new six-room home was

completed.

Their paternal grandmother took the two youngest

children, Claire and Donald, to Canada with her.

Bennie kept the other five with him and life became

a round of farming, chores, washing, cooking, mend­

ing and refereeing, but the two hardest jobs were to

keep handles on cups and enough dishes to eat on,

(whole sets of them, as well as the lamp chimneys

seemed to just disintegrate in the hands of his young

helpers) and getting his family dressed for their few

social appearances.

A couple times a year—the annual school program,

Christmas and maybe the 4th of July new clothes all

around were called for, so with a list of ages and the

help of Losk Bros, he tackled the job. The boys made

out all right because suspenders could be pulled up

or knicker cuff buttons moved to adjust the fit, but

he had one short fat, one medium and one tall skinny

daughter and buying by ages wasn't always success­

ful. However, the dresses were happily worn without

alteration, curls were made with a curling iron heated

in a lamp, and years later he was still wondering how

they could have looked so nice at home and so dif-

98

ferent in public.

Claire's illness caused him to sell his farm to a

brother in 1929 and move his family to Canada so they

could all be together. After two years, Claire and

Donald passed away within six weeks and he decided

to come home. He repurchased his homestead and

added to it, bought a band of sheep and some

cattle, and suffered through the dirty thirties with

everyone else. Drouth and coyotes caused him to

abandon the sheep business, but good times came

and he prospered.

Bennie didn't have much time to participate in

community affairs, but he couldn't resist an auction

sale, loved the water and fishing, and would have

thoroughly enjoyed the Garrison Reservoir so near

his home.

Ill health forced him to leave the farm shortly

before his death in April 1952. His survivors are

Stanford (Nampa, Idaho) Allan, (Cook, Minn.),

Dorothy, Mrs. Olaf Hamre (Helen) and Mrs. Palmer

Enderud (Effie) all of Watford City.

Sincere Congratulations

to Wat ford Ci ty on Your Golden

Jubilee

CLARENCE AND

ROBERTA JOST

Painting and Decora t i ng

WILLIAM ANTON SCHOENLEIN

William Anton Schdenlein, better known as "Tony"

was born February 14, 1885 at Richardton, North

Dakota. His first love of horses and cattle was real­

ized when as a youngster started working on the Bar-

S-Bar Ranch with its headquarters on the Little Mis­

souri River where the Lost Bridge now stands. He and

his saddle horse herded the cattle on the range before

the days of barbed wire. Tony was on two trail rides

from the Texas plains to the Killdeer Mountains;

the latter being the largest drive with 5,000 head of

Texas longhorns. On the last drive the rainy season

started the day the crew of 14 riders left Texas. After

three months in the saddle, the herd and the crew

with the remaining four riders reached the Bar-S-Bar

ranch.

Tony went to work on the Figure 4 Ranch breaking

horses, at 'which he was very skilled. "If you break a

horse's heart he's no good," Tony would say.

Tony filed on a homestead just over the line in

Dunn County in 1910. He built his log cabin near an

abundant supply of spring water which he piped

into his cabin and out to the stock tanks.

On July 18, 1917 Tony and Sadie Gudmunson were

married. Sadie was born January 26, 1889 at Stan­

hope, Iowa. They moved to the W. H. Clark farm

which joined Tony's homestead to give them more

land for ranching and farming. After seven years of

drought the Schoenlein's moved to their home in

Watford City.

A son Clifford passed away in infancy. In 1928 a

baby girl was adopted and named Dorothy.

Tony managed the H. Earl Clack Oil Company for

seventeen years until ill health forced him to resign.

He served as alderman for nine years when Watford

City still had its village form of government. In 1944

he accepted the position of Supt. of water and sewer

as well as the police duties. He retired in 1948, and

passed away in 1957. Mrs. Schoenlein still resides in

Watford City, as well as Dorothy (Mrs. Arno Bellin)

and their three children.

LEISETH

FUNERAL HOME

CALL 3111

DAY OR NIGHT

SERVICE

Heartiest Congratulations

to Watford City on its

Golden Jubilee

LICENSED EMBALMER AND

FUNERAL DIRECTOR

I 13 2nd Ave. East

Watford City, N. Dak.

CLARENCE AND

JULIA LEISETH

99

Jens Peter Christensen was born on Feb. 8, 1884,

at Fredrickhaven, Denmark. He came to this country in

1910 and worked in southern Minnesota as a carpen­

ter's apprentice and a few years later became foreman

of the Lovell Brothers Construction Company of Min­

neapolis. He also worked in Minot and Williston and

also supervised construction of the Poplar Indian

Agency School at Poplar, Montana. In 1909, he

came to McKenzie County, where he homesteaded six

miles southeast of the present site of Watford City. He

continued his work in carpentry, building rural

schoolhouses. On November 18, 1910, he married

Rekka Restad, who came from Molde, Norway in

1906. She attended college in Grand Forks before

coming to McKenzie County in 1909 to file on a home­

stead.

Mr. Christensen purchased the stock of the Starling

Hardware at Schafer in 1913. In 1914 he moved that

business to the new town of Watford, four miles east

of Schafer, into the building which now houses the

Christensen Funeral Home. In 1921 J. P. bought the

controlling interest in Kristianson Brothers Hardware

and incorporated the business. Ed was associated with

the store until the Christensen family bought him out

in 1936. Ralph became active in the business in 1931

and the elder Christensen spent his time improving

his farm.

"Jim" was a man who had great foresight as to the

possibilities of Watford City and McKenzie County,

serving on the village board, and after the city was

incorporated, on the City Council. He donated proper­

ty for park purposes which has been developed into a

fine recreational facility with lighted ball field, beau­

tiful swimming pool, tennis courts and playground.

He was also instrumental in getting an airport desig­nated to the city during World War II. Mr. Christen­sen himself became a licensed pilot at the age of 60.

100

The old two-story building which was a landmark

was razed early in 1956 to make way for a new modern

hardware store.

They had two children: Ralph, who has been a

lifelong resident of Watford City, and Agnes, Mrs.

Milton Highland, died in 1950.

After the sudden death of her husband on Oct. 24,

1944, Mrs. Christensen continued her residency in

Watford City, but spent considerable time traveling,

at one time taking a trip to Norway and Denmark.

They were charter members of the Lutheran Church,

and Mrs. Christensen of the Ladies Aid, remaining

active in church affairs until her death in 1956.

Theirs is a heart-warming story of the much talked

about free enterprise system we enjoy. From his hum­

ble beginning as an apprentice, "Jim" built his busi­

ness to the point where it became a family corpora­

tion, including management of a theatre and funeral

home in addition to the hardware store.

The elder Christensens had a great love for the

United States and the freedoms they gained through

citizenship. They worked untiringly for their church,

their community and state development.

On Mrs. Bakke's Homestead

MR. AND MRS. OSCAR BAKKE

Nannie Peterson Bakke arrived in McKenzie Coun­ty in 1911 with her mother Matilda Peterson, via the Schafer stage which at that time was operated by Allex and Westlund. Dave Westlund was the driver

on that particular trip and the temperature on that day was thirty below zero. Mr. Westlund carried a few old fur coats that were used as needed in the winter. There was no railroad here and Watford City had not as yet been platted. Schafer was the County seat and a very busy place.

Miss Peterson, a young girl of twenty, and having had experience in typewriting and short-hand, had little trouble in obtaining employment. The next four years were spent working at the Bank, Courthouse and Abstract office. In 1913, she filed on a home­stead, a quarter section of land five miles northeast of Schafer. Improvements had to be made on the land and a shack built.

Transportation consisted mostly of horses in this new country and very few automobiles were seen. She relates that during the time the claim shack was being constructed it was necessary for her to go out to the homestead and speak to the carpenter. She borrowed a saddle horse from Billie Homm for the trip. This horse was in the habit of stampeding, which she wasn't aware of, and he galloped all the way until they got into Kurt's yard. He stopped and she dis­mounted and walked the rest of the way to the home­stead, which was not too far. She also walked all the way back to Schafer leading the horse.

She lived on the homestead during the summer, going back and forth on horseback to Schafer to work.

On Feb. 22, 1915, she married Oscar Bakke, a drug­gist at Moorhead, Minnesota. She and her husband returned to Schafer, and lived on the homestead for several years. In 1924 Mr. Bakke decided to work at his profession and he went to work for his former employer at the Neshiem's Drug Store, Moorhead, Minnesota. In 1926 the Bakke's moved to Watford City, N. Dak., and Mr. Bakke was employed at Lundin's Drug Store until his death February 28, 1939. The Bakke's have two children, Claude M. Bakke, in busi­ness in Watford City, N. Dak., and Marian M. Bakke of Oakland, California.

Mrs. Bakke's First Crop

THE JAKE DAHL FAMILY

Jake Dahl was born in Trondhjem, Norway, on Dec. 1, 1873. He came to this country with his family when he was eight years old. He came to western N. Dak. in 1891 where he was employed by a govern­ment surveyor for the next four years, working near the Standing Rock Reservation and in Williams and McKenzie County. This experience enabled him to work as a "Land Locator" for many of the home­steaders, headquartering at Ray.

During the next ten years, 1895-1905, he worked at different times for pioneer ranchers, Frank Banks, John Frish, Jay Grantier, John Goodall and Dan Man­ning. He was one of the first to file on a homestead in Twin Valley township, where he was township super­visor for many years.

Before he began farming, he had a horse ranch in partnership with Ben Knight. The main recreation of these two bachelors was hunting deer, coyotes and wolves, and riding to the neighbors for social gath­erings. One day he caught a couple of young wolves and took them home in his shirt and raised them until they were half grown. Their playful ways turned into thieving ways and he had to get rid of them.

Several years after his marriage to Christine Folke-dahl of Iowa, he moved his family out of the old log shack with its dirt roof to a new log house built in 1908, which was the family home until 1940. Jake Dahls became a stopping place for many homesteaders from the south who hauled grain to Ray and Wheel-ock with oxen and horses.

Horses were the only means of travel until he bought a used Richmond car, the first in the vicinty, in 1910. It wasn't always so dependable, however, as the passengers sometimes had to push or walk up hills.

About 1910 the Senechal family established a small town, White City, on the banks of the Big Missouri, about a mile and a half north of the Dahl farm. Boats built by the Senechals carried grain and supplies up

101

and down the river. Trips to Williston were made by boat until 1914, when Watford City was started. White City was then abandoned. The site of the town and the Dahl farm are now covered by the waters of the Garrison Reservoir.

During the early twenties, Jakes became the sales­man for the RCA radio, and owned the first one-tube set in that part of the county. People would come for miles to listen and marvel at this new invention. At a 4th of July celebration at Banks, Con Sax and Jake gathered a bunch of men at the house to hear the Dempsey-Gibbon fight broadcast from Shelby, Mon­tana, which was the first Championship bout heard over radio.

Jake continued with mixed farming on his home­

stead with horses until tractors were available.

Jake died on Nov. 2, 1941 and Christine, the pioneer

wife and mother who shared and endured the good

and hard times of the early days, died on Sept. 7, 1945.

Surviving is the daughter, Ruth, Mrs. Edgar Iverson,

who has many pleasant memories of the "horse and

buggy days."

MR. AND MRS. J. E. STRAND

John Edward Strand was a native of Iowa, the son

of a Lutheran minister. He attended Luther Academy

at Albert Lea, Minnesota, and in 1905 graduated from

Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. He taught a term of

school at Clifford, North Dakota, and then decided to

come West. He filed on a claim near Arnegard in 1907

and while living on it he served as Postmaster at Arne­

gard. He was Assessor for the Second Commis­

sioner's District in 1909 and assisted in the offices of

County Treasurer and Clerk of Court at Schafer. In 1910,

he bought the Abstract & Title Company and in 1912

he was elected to the office of County Clerk of Court,

and served in that capacity for twenty years as well as

caring for his abstract business. He played on base­

ball teams and with bands of the community. He was

given the nickname of "High Pockets" and since he

was a tall man and often wore an old short sweater

the name was appropriate. He passed away in 1935.

Miss Bessie Shaw, also a native of Iowa, was born

in Polk County. She is a graduate of Luther Academy

and it was there that she first met her husband. She

taught rural schools in Iowa for a time and then came

to Rolla, North Dakota to teach. She and another teach­

er, Miss Jacobson, came to McKenzie County and filed

on adjoining homesteads about six miles north of the

present site of Watford City. They built their shacks

close to the dividing line and so were company for

each other. Miss Shaw immediately established a

school in her shack and had four or five pupils. The

stage from Williston to Schafer stopped at the nearby

Johnstone ranch and dropped mail daily. She recalls

that a mother of one of her pupils came to visit her and

asked if it was necessary for the teacher to follow the

prescribed course of study. Could she just teach her

boy reading, writing and figuring enough so that he

could make out orders to Sears & Roebuck for her.

The young ladies proved up on their homesteads in

the summer of 1908, and that fall Bessie went to Glas­

gow, Montana, where she taught for two years. In

1911, she became the wife of J. E. Strand at Sioux

Rapids, Iowa. They came at once to Schafer and set

up housekeeping in two rooms at the rear of his ab­

stract office until their house in Schafer was ready. In

1928, they moved to Watford City and Mrs. Strand con­

tinues to live there.

Her daughter, Elizabeth, has an executive position

in Monterey Park, California. She is married and has

two daughters. Carroll is an attorney and an abstractor,

and lives in Bowman, North Dakota. He was elected

to the office of County Justice of the Peace at the

last election. He is married and has two daughters and

two sons.

102

MR. AND MRS. VICK

Geo. Arthur Vick came to western North Dakota in

1908 with his mother and brothers from Raymond,

Minnesota. They established a cow outfit on Tobacco

Garden Creek. In 1916 he bought out his brothers'

interest in the ranch.

In the spring of 1918, he enlisted in the army and

took part in the Meuse-Argonne offensive in France.

He returned home in the spring of L919 and in the

fall married Anne Sundfor, who had come from Fargo

to teach school in McKenzie County.

They had a family of five boys and four girls, all

of whom have attended high school in Watford City.

Three of the boys are engineers, David, with the 3M

Company in St. Paul, Alan with the I. B. M. Co. in

Rochester, Minnesota, and Kenneth, with the Bureau

of Reclamation at Redding, California. James is man­

ager of grain elevator in Townsend, Mont., and Donald

is on the home place. Two of the girls went into the

nursing profession, Margaret, Mrs. Robert Johnson,

of Evanston, 111., and Doris, Mrs. C. 0 . Parsons, of

Dickinson. Marion, Mrs. E. J. Fitzroy is a private

secretary for General Electric Co. in Pittsfield, Mass.

Elizabeth, Mrs. H. 0 . Thompson, Williston, was a

primary teacher before her marriage.

Art carried the mail on the Banks route for nearly

30 years, but kept his interest in cattle and ranching.

He kept the mail going by using cars, sleds, wagons,

horseback, walking and skiis. He was so regular that

one patron said she could set her clock by the time he

reached her mail box.

One cold morning with the temperature at 40 below,

the old Model A would not start. Art hooked the team

to the car and with Anne behind the wheel they

started out. Going down an incline, Art slipped and

fell. The horses kept going, the car kept rolling with

a frantic Anne inside. Art managed to roll away just

in time. Art passed away in August, 1962. Anne still

resides in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. FRED MADSON

Both Fred and Christine Madson were born in Den­

mark, coming to Taylor, N. Dak. as young people. He

first worked on a gravel train and later bought a team

of oxen and a wagon and picked buffalo bones. He

homesteaded at Taylor in 1880. He came to McKenzie

County in 1902 and bought 40 acres of land a short

distance west of Watford City, when it was still a wind

swept prairie. The land is still referred to as the

Madson flat.

They had six children: Nels, deceased; Anders of

Watford City, Bill, of Salem, Oregon; Nora, Mrs. Har­

old Taylor, of Portland, Ore.; and Frank of Taylor, N.

Dak. Fred died in April of 1930 and his wife about

twenty years later. They are both buried in a rural

cemetery at Taylor.

GEORGE D. JOHNSON

Among those who were active in the building of

Watford City, was George D. Johnson. He was born in

Nennah, Wise, on Sept. 22, 1883, and in his youthful

years clerked in a clothing store there. In 1908 he

came to Williston and spent a year as a salesman in a

clothing store there. In 1909, he came to McKenzie

County and took up a homestead. He was also manager

of a general store at the old Farland postoffice. When

Watford City was established, he became manager of

the Walla and Vildmo general store. In the spring of

1916 he embarked in business of his own. This store

is presently owned and operated by Morris Frazee.

Mr. Johnson was a staunch republican and was

elected the first chairman of the village board in

1914-1915.

He married June Johnson, a school teacher in Wat­

ford City. She was Ralph Christensen's second grade

teacher.

After discontinuing their business in Watford City,

they moved to Baldwin, Wisconsin.

103

MR. AND MRS. NELS MADSON MR. AND MRS. OLUF ERICKSON

Nels Madson, the eldest son of the late Fred Mad­

sons, was born on January 28, 1886, at Taylor, N. Dak.

coming with his parents to McKenzie County in 1902.

His wife, the former Eva Christiansen, was born on

March 12, 1886, at Fergus Falls, Minnesota. She gradu­

ated as an R. N. from the St. Lukes Hospital School of

Nursing there.

In 1910 she came to McKenzie County for her

health. She did not intend to stay, but as homestead

land was available, she took up a claim. She had her

shack built in 1911 and lived in it during the summer

months. She spent the winter months at Flaxton, N.

Dak., where she worked as a nurse for her brother-in-

law, Dr. A. J. Paulson.

During the summer of 1911 she met Nels Madson and

became his bride on Dec. 1, 1913. For 28 years they

owned and operated a cattle ranch near the Diamond

C. Crossing, which is about thirty miles southeast of

Watford City. She recalls the seeding time in the

early days here when they didn't have grain drills or

even regular end-gate seeders. They managed to seed

by broadcasting from the wagon bed.

In 1942 they sold their ranch and moved to Watford

City. Mr. Madson died in 1956 and was laid to rest in

the Schafer cemetery.

Mrs. Madson resides in her home at 406 E. 2nd in

Watford City. She is a member of the Presbyterian

Church.

Mrs. Madson is a talented painter and one of her

prized oil paintings is a western scene.

Oluf Erickson was born on November 25, 1874, near Ontario, Wise. He went to rural schools and later to Luther Academy in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He married Dora Swanson on October 10, 1900. They met at a Temperance Society convention. She was born near Sparta, Wisconsin, on Dec. 29, 1876.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Erickson taught rural schools in Wisconsin. During one season the enrollment in her room exceeded forty pupils. She walked 31/2 miles across the fields and wooded hills to school, and was paid $26.00 per month. In addition to teaching, they also farmed and operated a general store in Wiscon­sin.

They came to McKenzie County in 1919 and settled on a farm in Squaw Gap; where Mrs. Erickson taught the Squaw Gap school. She remembers well the day one of her little girls drank kerosene instead of water by mistake. Luckily Mrs. Erickson had milk along for lunch, which she gave to the girl. This produced vomiting and the girl rallied.

In 1927 they moved to Watford City when Mrs. Erickson was appointed deputy Supt. of Schools, which position she held for a number of years. Mr. Erickson became manager of the Co-op. cream station at this time and five years later he was sworn in as County Treasurer. The crops were poor and eggs sold for five cents a dozen and butterfat was down to eleven cents.

Two local institutions were very dear to Mr. Erick­son, which he was instrumental in organizing, and these were the McKenzie County Hospital and the Farmers Union, the latter which he served as secre­tary of, for over thirty years.

During the many years that the Ericksons lived in their big white house across the street from the court­house, they took in some fifty farm children who came to town to attend High School. Each child re­ceived the same attention as they gave their own, with help for their studies, doctoring when they were sick, and gave of their love and interest.

Seven children were born to them. Oswald, a re­tired rancher lives at Sidney, Montana; Ralph, a phar-

104

macist, in Superior, Wisconsin; Leif, an attorney, lives in Helena, Montana; Morris, killed in an auto acci­dent in 1940, was one of the youthful leaders of the Farmers Union; Evelyn, a graduate nurse, is married and lives in Newark, California; Esther, a home econ­omist, is married and lives in Morgantown, W. Va.; Donald, a vocational agricultural instructor, lives in Rugby, N. Dak.

Mr. Erickson died on January 20, 1963, and was laid to rest in Schafer Cemetery at Watford City. Mrs. Erickson resides at the Good Shepherd Home in Wat­ford City.

John Dahlgren answered the "Call of the Land" in

the year 1905 when he came to McKenzie County and

homesteaded in the Banks area. Here he married

Anna Lindgren, who like himself had migrated from

Sweden.

Combining their two homesteads, these two people

shaped and molded this land into a thriving farm. To

them seven children were born, the youngest boy

dying at the age of six. There were many rough times

for this couple—drought, grasshoppers, and hail took

their toll. To supplement their income, John at one

time was a mail carrier across the Missouri River.

This route was later discontinued because the crossing

of the river on the ice breakup and in flood stage was

just too dangerous.

Firm believers in education, John and Anna en­

couraged and helped their children obtain an educa­

tion—first high school and then college. The two

eldest girls had to attend high school 38 miles from

home and made that trip several times in wagon or by

sleigh. This struggle to educate their children proved

worthwhile, however, as four of their five daughters

even now teach school.

Sadly, just as this couples hard work showed signs

of lessening, Anna died suddenly in 1937, while the

two were on vacation. A bewildered and lonely man

without her, John sold his farm to his youngest daugh­

ter and her husband in 1942. He then moved to La-

Crescent, Minn, where he built a home, living among

the trees he loved so well, until his death in 1950.

Their daughter, Mable, Mrs. Albrecht, lives in La-

Crescent and teaches nearby; Agnes, Mrs. Harry Swan­

son, lives in LaCross and teaches there; Cora, Mrs.

Henry Wold, lives just out of Watford City and

teaches in Alexander; George Dahlgren lives in

Homer, Alaska, and is in the fishing and carpenter

business; Gladys, Mrs. Glen Willits, lives in Belton,

Mo., where she and her husband are in church work;

Helen, Mrs. Einar Broderson, still lives on the home­

stead farm started long ago by John and Anna. There

are eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.

SHERMAN R. WOOD

Minnesota has furnished a large quota to the citi­

zenship of N. Dak., among whom is Sherman R. Wood,

who was one of the progressive merchants of Watford

City. He was connected with the Farmers Lumber Com­

pany. He was born at Pleasant Grove on July 16, 1870.

He received his early education there and later gradu­

ated from a business college in Grand Rapids, Michi­

gan. In 1909, he homesteaded near Schafer. Here he

established a general store and in 1914 moved to Wat­

ford City. He helped organize the Farmers Lumber

Company.

In November, 1894, he married Olive Howard of

Tracy, Minnesota. They had one child, Hiram, who

was born in Tracy in 1899. He served as treasurer of

Schafer School district. He was a member of the

Presbyterian Church and a charter member of the

United Workmen Lodge at Watford City. He was well

known and his varied interests made him a control­

ling figure in the public life of the area in which he

lived.

LAURA F. WA1TE

parents in 1907 and was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Brown of Berg in 1914.

In 1915, they filed on a half section homestead in the Blue Buttes area. It was rough pasture, so they had to rent farm land. This was later sold to Frank Keogh.

They moved to Oregon in 1923 but came back to McKenzie County a few years later. They bought a farm 23 miles east of Watford City where they lived until 1947 when they sold out to Clint Loomer. In 1947, they moved to Watford City. Mr. Stedman served as sheriff, for two terms being elected in 1947. He has also operated county equipment but is now retired, liv-in at 307 W. 3.

They had five children: Orville, who died in 1941; Allen, of Sidney, Montana; Grace, Mrs. Emil Christ­ianson, of Watford City; Helen, Mrs. Harold Haugen of Chamberlain, South Dakota; and Cordia, Mrs. Oscar Granlie, of Glendive* Montana.

The Stedmans will never forget the winter of 1936 and the depression years.

One of the early homesteaders in the Watford City area was Laura F. Waite, who was born on July 28, 1875, in Chicago. She graduated from High School and began teaching at 17. Later she attended teachers college in Chicago. In 1906, she married Dr. George Casvaw, a pharmacist, and moved with him to Ome-mee, N. Dak.

In 1909, they filed on a homestead eleven miles northeast of Watford City. After the death of Dr. Casvaw she returned to Chicago and continued to teach.

On December 20, 1930, she married Arthur G. Waite. She died on May 26, 1944. Her niece, Mrs. Arno Wisness, lives in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. EARL STEDMAN

Earl Stedman was born on Nov. 26, 1894, at Frank­fort, S. Dak. He came to McKenzie County with his

THE VEEDER HOME

MR. AND MRS. BENJAMIN VEEDER

Benjamin Wemple Veeder, the son of Benjamin and Marth Veeder, was born in Covaskill, Wisconsin, on Feb. 7, 1864. He journeyed with his parents to Minn, by ox cart when he was only a year old. He was reared on the Ben Baer farm near Sauk Centre, Minn. When Ben was six years old, his mother died; however, his father later remarried. Young Ben vividly re­members the Indians who roved the lake area near their home.

Ben met Antonette Marie Vole in the early 1890's. They were married at Getty, Stearns County, Minn, on Dec. 21, 1893. His father, who was the local justice of

106

the peace, performed the ceremony. Antonette Vole, was born at Prague, Czechoslovakia, on May 7, 1869. She imigrated to America in 1890. After their mar­riage they lived on a farm near Grey Eagle, Minn.

In the fall of 1906, Ben came to McKenzie County where he filed on his homestead two miles east and one mile south of Johnson Corner. His two eldest sons came with him in 1907, and upon their arrival at the site, they pitched a tent to live in while they constructed a sod house. When the house was finished, Ben sent word back to Minn, for the rest of the family.

During the early days on the homestead, Ben con­ceived the idea of growing a large garden, to sell to neighbors and townspeople, as fresh vegetables were scarce. This garden became a means of livelihood as well as food for the family. Along with gardening, Ben farmed and raised cattle and horses. He was renowned as a horse trader and was always in the mood to make a swap.

In 1915, he purchased a steam threshing machine which he operated for about eight years. During these following years, he expanded his homestead by buy­ing or renting additional land from homesteaders who moved away. In the mid 1940's, they bought a house in Watford City and lived there during the winter months. It was at this residence in Watford City where he died on March 6, 1948, at the age of 84. His wife Antonette, lived at this same residence until her death on January 31, 1952, at the age of 83.

To this union were born eight children: Edgar A., who died on August 21, 1961; Henry, of Watford City; Sidney, of Watford City; Bennie H., a Wesleyan Metho­dist minister, of Williston; Clara, Mrs. Clara Nulph, of Spokane, Wash.; Ella, Mrs. Frank Jones of Watford City; Lillian, Mrs. Edwin Koeser, who resides near Schafer; and Lila, Mrs. Olaf Gravos of the Arnegard community.

May 17th Celebration

MR. AND MRS. NILS ROLFSRUD

Nils Halvorson Rolfsrud was born at Sigdal, Norway, October 6, 1878. He and his cousin, H. Lindbo, came to America in 1900. They worked in Minnesota for three years and studied at night school.

Rebecca Johanna Heide was born October 11, 1875, on the island of Grytoia, near Harstad, in north­ern Norway. When she arrived in America in Septem­ber, 1901, the first news she heard was that President William McKinley had been assassinated. Rebecca be­came acquainted with Johanna Brevness and they worked as maids in Grand Forks and Minot hotels. Seeking homesteads, the two went by rail to Ray. From there, in company of Nils Rolfsrud, Pete Tanne-berg, and Alex Anderson, they drove in a wagon to McKenzie County. The two young women washed their handkerchiefs in Clear Creek and decided to live by the stream—each filed on claims adjacent. Later, Miss Heide married Nils Rolfsrud and Miss Brevness be­came the wife of John Skaar.

Misfortune came to Nils Rolfsrud in the fall of 1905 when he and Pete Tanneberg were digging coal. An embankment caved in upon the two, killing Tanneberg, and crippling Rolfsrud for life. Other homesteaders found the two men and one, John Ble-gen, set Rolfsrud's fractured leg with two boards. They reached the nearest doctor at Ray after 4 days in a hay-filled wagon. The "doctor" searched a physician's manual for instructions.

The only housing Rebecca could find was a single-walled lean-to in a saloon—and here she cared for her husband until spring when she brought him back to McKenzie.

Now handicapped in his efforts to farm, Nils earned some income by "locating." In his wagon, he would

107

transport settlers to claims. E. 0 . Mundy of Schafer supplied him with land seekers to locate.

The Rolfsrud home early became a stopping place for such landseekers, and also a place where neigh­bors gathered. In the accompanying picture is a group gathered there for a "17 of May" (Norwegian Inde­pendence Day) celebration. In this home that pioneer Lutheran pastor, the Reverend Ingvald Buckneberg, often preached to assembled Norwegian newcomers.

Nils Rolfsrud took his family to Norway for a nine-months' visit. Upon his return in 1914, he built a hotel in Watford City, and also continued farming. But his health never mended and he died at the age of 42, in 1920. After rearing five children, Rebecca died in 1935.

Two of these five are now Watford City residents: Halvor, the former state legislator, farms in the Clear Creek community, and the husband of Agnes (Sidney Veeder) farms near Croff. Rena (Mrs. B. H. Veeder) lives at Williston where her husband is a Wesleyan Methodist pastor. Erling, author-educator, resides at Alexandria, Minnesota. Hanna (Mrs. T. J. Weltzin) is the wife of a Lutheran pastor at Viking, Minnesota.

MR. AND MRS. LARS JOKSTAD

Lars Larson Jokstad was born in Sigdal, Norway, April 29, 1868, and came to the Berg community in McKenzie County in 1906. He became an American citizen in 1911. Kjersti Rolfsrud, his wife, was also born in Sigdal, Norway, July 13, 1867. They were married at Prestfoss, Norway, April 17, 1891. Three children were born to this union. Lars, passed away in 1902. Kjersti, the mother, contracted a cough which developed into TB and she passed away in Minneapolis, Minn, at the age of 52, in 1918. Hilda, a nurse, is living in Detroit, Michigan. Halvor lives in Sacramento, California, where he is a carpenter.

In 1907, Kjersti, Hilda, and Halvor, arrived in Quebec, Canada. The best food they had along to eat was a good piece of Spi-Kjod (dried beef), which they had taken along from Norway. They traveled by wa­gon from Wheelock, crossing the Missouri ferry, The first thing after arriving at Uncle Nil's place was to look up Hilda's father who had arrived the year be­fore. A half mile away, he was living in a dugout on the side of a hill with good old North Dakota stone for frontage. Hilda's cousin, Halvor Rolfsrud, was just a small boy then with dark hair and good-looking. He sat on his father's lap for supper. (No politics then)

Kjersti Jokstad received her Naturalization papers October 20, 1913. She endured many hardships. She

once traveled up to Montana to buy some horses for resale. On her way back her horses balked at crossing a frozen river. Kjersti, undaunted, filled her skirt with gravel and sprinkled it on the ice so her horses would cross. When she knocked on someone's door for lodging, she was greeted with a gun. When they learned she was harmless, they let her in.

Lightning struck Kjersti's shack, stunning her, but she got out in the downpour and walked to the nearest neighbor. Hilda saved her father from freezing to death in a well. While drawing water from the well with a rope, his cap fell off and while trying to re­trieve it, he slipped on the ice and fell into the well. Hilda ran for help and they pulled him to safety.

Lars died in 1914 at the age of 47. Hilda, (Jorand Ranghild) Jokstad spends most of her vacations on the old farm and in Watford City. She rents her farm­land to Halvor Rolfsrud.

Breaking Sod

MR. AND MRS. LOUIS HOFFMAN

Mr. and Mrs. Hoffmann came by train to Watford City in the spring of 1916, bringing with them six Hol-stein cows, a team of horses and their household goods. They filed on 80 acres and later bought an ad­ditional 160 acres. The homestead shack was 10x10, and they had a sod barn. The homestead was 21/2 miles south of the Schafer townsite. One son, Leonard, now operates the original homestead, with added land.

Ten children were born, Victor, Leonard, and Don­ald, all still residents near or in Watford City; Luella, Beulah, Viola, Eveline, LeRoy and Ray are scattered throughout the western and southern states. One son died in 1935. Mr. Hoffmann passed away in May of 1948. Mrs. Hoffman now resides in Springville, Utah.

108

MR. AND MRS. ANDERS MADSON

Among the early cowboys and ranchers in the Wat­ford City area was Anders Madson who was born in 1888 in a dugout southeast of Taylor, North Dakota. He was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Madson.

In 1902 he came to McKenzie County with his par­ents and started a ranch a few miles west of Watford City.

In 1911 he heard about a couple of girls who were staying at the home of Bill Clarke, a homesteader. So one day he went to call on them. Bill told him he could take his pick. That fall he took one of the girls, Bessie Christiansen, to the Sam Rhoades' home where she roomed while she taught her first term of school. The snow was deep and it was cold and Bessie had no overshoes. So she wore his. She didn't want to be seen with them on, so she kicked them off before they got to the Rhoades' home. Sam Rhoades came out and let out a big oath and said, "You must be a Minn, dogie, no overshoes on." Thereafter he always referred to her as the "Minnesota Dogie."

Mrs. Madson was born at Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and graduated from the Moorhead State College at Moorhead, Minnesota, in 1911. That same year she taught the Rhoades School south of Watford City and the next year she taught the primary grades at Schafer. Among her former students are Theodore Kellogg, a lawyer at Dickinson, Marie Mennenga, Grace Randall, and Clara Courser.

In 1912 Mr. Madson filed on a homestead adjoin­ing the old ranch, A year later he and Bessie Chris­tiansen were married in a bachelor shack occupied by Ethel Mangold and Lillie Christiansen. The late Rev. Cowgill performed the ceremony with Lillie Chris­tiansen and Tony Schoenlein as witnesses. Their honey­moon consisted of a buggy ride from Schafer to his homestead, a distance of ten miles.

In 1917 he and his brother Nels sold their cattle to

Lem Burns and bought an interest in the Birdhead Ranch in partnership with Frank Banks. Mr. and Mrs. Madson lived on this ranch for 35 years.

Mr. Madson is a charter member of the "50 Years in the Saddle Club" and served as its second president. They were honored at the Little International Live­stock Show at NDSU in Fargo in 1950 and by the State Farm Bureau in 1959 for distinguished and meritorious service to North Dakota agriculture.

His picture was hung in Morrill Hall at NDSU in 1950, the 35th picture in the "Hall of Fame," for being the man of the year in agriculture and ranching.

The Madsons were blessed with two daughters. Phyllis was born on the homestead on January 7, 1915. She lives in Florence, Montana, and is married to Archie Holms. Bernada, Mrs. Oren Forthun, deceased, was born on June 25, 1920.

Mr. and Mrs. Madson observed their golden wedding on Dec. 15, 1963, and live at 317 4th Ave. E. in Wat­ford City.

MR. AND MRS. CONSTANTINE SAX

On June 13, 1900, Louise Satter and Constantine

Sax were married at Glenwood, Minnesota. Their love

of wide-open spaces and their faith in God and new

country sparked them to homestead in Twin Valley

Township, McKenzie County, in 1902. Foreseeing the

needs of fellow homesteaders, they built a store and a

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post office on their homestead. This was named Banks

after one of the first ranchers in that area, Frank Banks.

Building the store was perhaps the easiest part;

keeping it stocked was another thing. Mr. Sax, known

as Con or Tony, established ferries at Spanish Point

and below the Knutson Hill in order to haul goods

to meet the many needs of his General Merchandise

Store. Often, when the river was bad, he would be

gone for a week at a time. Mrs. Sax, with no family

for three years, needed her faith in God and the

friendship of her neighbors during these busy and

sometimes fearful times.

Mr. Sax met the needs as they arose; he built a

blacksmith shop and was later instrumental in getting

a bank at Banks. He built a hall in this friendly, busy

little town where all community activities took place.

Later a ball diamond, which was used until 1950, was

laid out in a cow pasture a half mile from Banks. Mr.

Sax managed the baseball team most of 20 years; and

Mrs. Sax, with her little ones in the car, was an avid

fan. Later the little ones became almost a baseball

nine, just two girls to spoil it, although they could

swing a wicked bat with the seven brothers.

Mr. Sax did not speak Norwegian, but he still con­

versed with ladies who came to sell him cream and

eggs or to barter for dress goods and high-topped

shoes. Never did he turn away customers just be­

cause they didn't have the price of a can of beans; and

he served as a doctor, without a degree, to many in

time of need.

They were charter members of the Banks Lutheran

Church, organized in 1907. Mrs. Sax was helpful in

getting the first Ladies Aid started in 1908 and was a

member her entire life.

Her family in Minnesota often worried about her

hardships and large family until she wrote this poem

for them:

"I'm a little country lassie,

I can iron, churn, and bake;

Wash the dishes, feed the poultry,

Mix a famous Johnny Cake;

Ride the horses down to water,

Drive the cows to pastures green;

I would not exchange my station

For the throne of England's Queen."

Mr. and Mrs. Sax were postmaster and postmistress

at Banks until they moved to Watford City in 1944.

They took an active part in the community here as

earnestly as they did at Banks until Con passed

away at the age of 89 in 1960, and Mrs. Sax at the age

of 83 in 1962.

MR. AND MRS. BUCKLIN

Mr. Bucklin was born in Tracy, Minnesota, coming to the Blue Butte Township of McKenzie County in 1908. He married Anna Griebel at the Manning Horse Ranch, now owned by Halvor Rolfsrud, in 1910. This ranch home was the only building large enough for the wedding said the Rev. Cowgill.

In 1913 they moved to Watford City to live in a two room shack in Holm's first addition. Mr. Bucklin brought four horses with him so he hired out as a teamster. One of his first jobs was to dig cellar holes under the present Lundin Drug and Frazee's Store. The Frazee site was the first grocery store known as "Woods and Company." Mr. Bucklin's mother was a share holder and helped to operate it. The four horses were kept busy hauling lumber from Arnegard, which was then the end of the railroad. Oats were hauled to feed the horses and mules working on the railroad grade. Mr. Bucklin sold McCommons Products for many years.

Anna Briebel Bucklin was born in Wisconsin in

1889, coming to this community to homestead in 1909.

Anna was one of ten young ladies who homesteaded

in the Berg community. This homestead girl was more

fortunate than the other nine gals because she figured

she captured the most eligible bachelor for miles

around. After they were married and he came to live in

the 8 x 12 shack, they built on two more rooms. Ber­

nard dug the coal to heat the house—it was all free,

and all you needed was a pick and a strong back.

Anna recalls getting lost on a windy, foggy morn­

ing, on her way to work in Charlson, finally arriving

back at her shack after walking in circles. Walking was

not new to Anna, often walking to the store for gro­

ceries. She figures the walking was good medicine, es­

pecially when you were miles from a doctor.

Mrs. Bucklin has been a widow for five years, living

alone in her home in Watford City, among her many

110

friends, ever looking ahead, but also enjoying looking back with fond memories of her pioneer days.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN C. RICHARDSON

John Richardson came to McKenzie County in 1898

and worked as a cowhand in helping drive a herd of

Texas steers. In 1903 he returned to Texas and mar­

ried his old schoolmate, Elizabeth Kent. This time he

traveled back with his bride by train, although a ride

with a team of bronchos and buckboard proved quite

thrilling. Three corral gates had to be opened to usher

them into the area in Red Wing territory and to the

log house which was to be their new home.

The Richardson family moved to Schafer in 1905

where John operated a livery stable. They moved to

Watford City in 1914, where John was on the police

force, and also the first brand inspector. Mrs. Richard­

son does not know what she would have done without

her close friend, Mrs. Dietrich. Of course, she'll never

forget the hard winter of 1903 and 1904. It was a real

challenge after having been reared in Texas. Such

things as a three day trip to Medora on business and

pleasure made life quite endurable.

They had six sons: Clint who was killed in an air­

plane crash in 1962; Austin, Berkeley, California; Kas-

per, Tulsa, Okla.; Donald, Missoula, Mont.; Kenneth,

Louisville, Kentucky; and George, still living in Wat­

ford City.

Mrs. Richardson, a widow since 1955, lives in the

same house her husband bought in 1914, but many

changes taking place.

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM H. RENBARGER

Mr. William H. Renbarger and his wife, the former

Ida Bonner of Grant County, Indiana, came to Ray,

North Dakota, from Marion, Indiana, in the fall of

1907.

For one year they rented a farm eleven miles south

of Ray. Then they moved to the "White City Flat" in

McKenzie County and lived on a X/4 section of land which

belonged to John Sylven. They remained there until

he bought a ^4 from John Thompson. They moved their

buildings onto this place and remained there for many

years. In later years they moved to Watford City

where they both died.

They were blessed with six children, of whom four

are living. They are Guy of Watford City; James W.

of Banks; Clara, Mrs. Ove Parks of Spokane, Washing­

ton; and Ethel, Mrs. Claude Capps of Spokane, Wash­

ington. Otto and Alva are both deceased.

Farmstead of Andrew Hoffman

Andrew Hoffman came to McKenzie County to file on a homestead in 1910. He arrived on April 28 com­ing as far as Williston from North Redwood, Minne­sota, and brought with him two cows, three horses and some machinery. Since accommodations were limit­ed, he and two other homesteaders walked from Wil­liston to Schafer. It was raining and he completely wore out a pair of shoes.

The homestead on which he filed is three miles east and four miles south of Watford City. Six children were reared on this homestead. They are Aloysious, Cleve, Elsie, Lucille, Florence, and Delores. They are all residents of Minnesota except Lucille, Mrs. Didrick Broderson, who is living on the old homestead which has been completely modernized.

MILLARD RICE

Millard Charles Rice was born in Clayton, New York, in 1893. He came to the Berg community with his parents in 1906 where they proved up a homestead. Mr. Rice spent many years of active farming with his parents and after their passing in 1931 and 1934 he continued to farm until 1945. Mr. Rice then moved to Watford City. He became engaged in the painting business. He retired in 1957 and has since that time enjoyed life to the fullest in fishing and other relaxing hobbies.

It is interesting to note that the Rice family was the first family in the Berg community to farm with a gas tractor.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN B. CHAUSSEE

John B. Chaussee, a former member of the business interests of Watford City was born in Deadwood, South Dakota, on October 27, 1882. He was reared in Dead-wood to the age of 15, at which time that place was a wild western town that placed him in an environment such as is usually found with the early settlement of a pioneer district. He attended the district schools and afterward went to Sioux City, Iowa, where he was em­ployed in the clothing store of Davidson Bros. In 1906 he arrived in Schafer and worked for the Bruegger Mercantile Co.

I l l

In October of 1915 he came to Watford City and joined John Martin in establishing the farm machinery and implement business.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN B. CHAUSSEE

On May 20, 1908, he was united in marriage to Miss Theresa M. Mangold of Omemee, N. Dak. Mrs. Chaus-see was born in Ellendale, D.T., and graduated from the South Dakota Normal School at Aberdeen and later taught school at Omemee. At Watford City she was associated with Miss Delia Ford in a ladies' and children's clothing store.

While a resident of Watford City, Mrs. Chausee served as organist for the Catholic Church and also played the piano for the silent movies put on by H. J. Larson in the Christensen Auditorium. They left Wat­ford City in 1917.

Mr. Chaussee was a Republican and served as Pub­lic Administrator of McKenzie County from 1907 until 1911. He was known all over the county as "Jack" Chaussee. A nickname always indicates good fellow­ship. It is a sign of warm friendship, and it was well known that Mr. Chaussee was held in high regard wherever he was known.

He died in 1944 and Mrs. Chaussee Anderson now lives at Bismarck. They had two children. They are Alfred of Bismarck and Dorothy, Mrs. John Halcrow, of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

HARRY L. STARLING, D.D.S.

Harry L. Starling was probably Watford City's first dentist. He was born in Indianapolis, Ind., on July 30, 1862. He attended high school at Red Wing, Minn., and later graduated from the dental school at the Uni­versity of Pennsylvania. In 1884 he moved to Fargo and remained there until 1914 when he came to McKen­zie County and settled on a ranch near Watford City. He maintained a small dental office in Watford City where he resided for the winter months. His summer months were spent on the ranch.

On June 2, 1902, at Fargo he was married to Miss Maud Kenyon, who was born in Wisconsin. She was a graduate of the Northwestern University of Evans-ton, Illinois. To Dr. and Mrs. Starling was born a son Kenyon whose birth occurred in Fargo on July 30, 1905.

In politics he was a Republican. The late N. Dak. Governor E. T. Burke appointed him as a state Dental Examiner.

MR. AND MRS. EDGAR GILSTAD AND FAMILY

Edgar Gilstad was born on May 8, 1886,, at Vik­ing, Wisconsin, and came to Berg, North Dakota, in McKenzie County in 1905. He served as a rural mail carrier from Berg to Grinnel in 1906.

He married Miss Effie Stedman on December 25, 1915, and they settled on a farm near Keene where they still reside.

They were blessed with thirteen children of whom twelve are living. They are Dorothy, Mrs. Floyd Pad­dock, born October 22, 1916, of Stockton, Califor­nia; Albert, born on April 5, 1918, of Billings, Mon­tana; Walter, born on May 12, 1920, of Minneapolis, Minn.; Lillian, Mrs. Harold Gravos, born on Septem­ber 5, 1922, of .Arnegard; Merrill, born on July 16, 1924, of Baker, Mont.; Myrtle, Mrs. Arnold Gravos, born on May 14, 1926, of Arnegard; Clifford, born on February 6, 1928, was killed in Korea in 1951; Nor­man, born on January 11, 1930, of Baker, Montana'; Geneva, Mrs. Frank Cornelia, born on March 16, 1932, of Sidney, Montana; Raymond, born on May 8, 1934, of Watford City; Eleanor, Mrs. Harold Metzler, born on March 8, 1936, of White Earth, North Dakota; Ilia, Mrs. Jon Prestangen, born on August 28, 1938, of Watford City; Ida, Mrs. Richard Olson, born on Jan­uary 7, 1941, of Watford City.

112

AUGUST DAHL

August Dahl was born in Vardo, Norway, on Aug­ust 16, 1869, and came to the United States in 1882 settling in Douglas County, Minnesota, and later in Polk County. In 1906 he returned to Norway where he was present at the crowning of King Haakon. He was married to Louise Reese in Trondhjem, Norway, on August 7, 1906. They came to the U. S. and settled near Bagley, Minnesota. In 1912 they came to McKen­zie County with their two daughters, Inga and Borg-hild, and filed on a homestead in Twin Valley Town­ship. Another daughter, Olga, was born on the farm. In 1937 they moved to Watford City where August died on May 14, 1939. Mrs. Dahl died on February 6, 1950, One daughter, Mrs. 'Borghild Judkins, lives at Libby, Montana, and two daughters, Mrs. Inga Schultz and Mrs. Olga Howard, reside at South St. Paul, Min­nesota.

MR. AND MRS. LARS NELSON

Mr. and Mrs. Lars Nelson came here in 1913, ar­riving in Wheelock, and from there the trek to McKen­zie County was by foot and wagon. Of course, they had to sleep in the open, waking in the morning to find five inches of snow as a blanket. The second night they spent in a livery barn, after crossing the ferry, arriving in Schafer the third night, where they slept in a hay stack, having supper in the Cherry View Cafe. They reached the Sondrol farm where they un­loaded their belongings. They filed on a homestead on the west end of what is known as the "Olson Flat."

One night when Mr. Nelson was away, a terrific storm came up and the mother and three boys, Elling, Leon, and Hans had to vacate the house. The roof collapsed and the house filled with snow. They moved into a house owned by Ole Boe until their new house could be built. Mr. Nelson lived on the homestead until 1921 when he moved closer to Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. OLAUS K. BEKKEDAHL

Olaus Bekkedahl was born in 1880 at Mekinock, N. Dak. and was married to Mavorite Smith in 1900. They arrived here in 1914 and filed on a homestead 16 miles south of Watford City. Here they lived until 1940 when they moved to Watford City and later to Kalispell, where they both died in 1959. They had six children, five of whom are living: Bernice, Mrs. Frank Kneifel in Illinois; Thelma, Mrs. Geo. Gunderson, in Dallas-port, Wash.; Alan in Kent, Wash.; Edna of Grafton.

MR. AND MRS. OLAF ASKVIKEN

Olaf and Beathe Askviken and four daughters im­

migrated from Norway in 1904. They were to leave on the S. S. Norge for which they had purchased tick­ets, and the day before, Grandfather Johannis Askvi­ken met them at Oslo with extra money so they could travel more comfortably on the S. S. United States. Imagine their surprise and the feeling they had when half way across the Atlantic, word came that the "S . S. Norge had been shipwrecked—no survivors."

They lived in Wisconsin three years and in April, 1907, the family came to N. Dak. to file on a home­stead. They arrived in Ray where they had to spend three weeks in the hotel as the River was unsafe to cross. To add to the worry, several places in Ray had posters DIPHTHERIA posted on their doors. They finally decided to cross the treacherous river, and Mr. Askviken crossed the river by jumping from ice floe to ice floe. Mrs. Askviken and the children were rowed across one at a time by John Dahlgren, postman, who carried mail from Ray to Banks. On this side of the river they were met by Mrs. Askviken's brother, Christ Karlstad. They lived with two other brothers, Hans and Olaf and their families, until their house could be built. A humorous story has been told about Sigurd, who, when a tiny lad, dashed into the house and in­sisted he "heard the sundogs bark."

The children are Karen, Mrs. Meidel Hilden; Kris-tine, Mrs. Aslak Lofthus; Janna, Mrs. Asle Haugen; Inga, Mrs. Albert Smeltzer, Sigurd and Olaf.

The above picture shows some of the Askviken children at the Wilcox school in the early years.

113

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM J. ROBINSON

William J. Robinson was born near Albert Lea, Min­nesota, and came as a small child to Portland and then to Mayville, N. Dak. He and Oscar Hagen came to McKenzie County in the summer of 1908. They had loaded a railroad car at their home town of Mayville, North Dakota, with the necessary household equip­ment and lumber to build their shacks. Billie's mother insisted that he must have milk, so a cow was included. She also added a "spook" or starter for bread making. They built Oscar's shack first and then moved over to Billie's location in the Farland Com­munity. They soon discovered they had used more than Oscar's share of lumber and there was not enough left to build Billie's shack. Lacking means for securing more materia^ they built the rear of the shack five feet high and slanted the roof down to it. Billie says he was popular with the neighborhood bachelors be­cause he made bread using the "spook" while they got along with soda crackers. It was not long before he traded the cow for a saddle horse.

While proving up, he worked in the Arnegard .Bank and later moved to the county seat where he served as Deputy County Treasurer. When election time came, he was told by the then politicians to stay at home and they would elect him Treasurer. The reason for keep­ing him out of sight was his youthful appearance.

Mrs. Robinson, the former Ethel Mangold, was born at Ellendale, D.T., and moved with her family to Ste­wart, Minnesota, where she grew up.

She came to Schafer on a vacation in 1908 to visit her sister, Mrs. J. B. Chaussee. She filed on a homestead in the Garden community about four miles from Schafer. One nice day in summer when she was preparing to walk to Schafer she emptied the ashes from her cook stove, not realizing they were hot or the danger of lignite ashes. In a short time, a prairie fire was galloping over the hills toward Judge F. S. Kellogg's big pasture. Men came from all directions to fight the fire and it soon was under control and put out. But not the danger and disgust felt by Mr. Kellogg who vowed to prosecute anyone so careless when grass was dry. When told it was a young girl, he responded with, "Oh well, we can't do anything about it then." She taught a three month term of school in the Parrish District near Croff and worked in the McKenzie Coun­ty Bank of Schafer. She became Deputy County Audi­

tor under 0 . P. Benson and remained in that position until her marriage to W. J. Robinson on February 4, 1915.

When Mr. Robinson's term of office expired, they moved to Alexander where he became associated

with the First National Bank. After twelve years he was returned to the office of the County Treasurer and his wife served as his deputy for the two terms allowed by law.

His last years were spent with the insurance busi­ness. He died Feb. 15, 1957.

GEO. GULLICKSON

Among those who contributed to the development of Watford City was George Gullickson who was en­gaged in the land and farm loan business. He also owned extensive land in the county.

He was born in Grand Forks in 1886. He received his education in Grand Forks, and worked as stenograph­er in law offices in Willow City for five years. In 1907 he came to McKenzie County and homesteaded near Schafer. He was also cashier of a bank from 1910 to 1915.

He married a school teacher, Harriet B. Johnson on Oct. 12, 1909, and they had two children, George, who is still living and Dorothy, who is deceased.

He was elected as a Justice of the Peace of Watford City and a charter member of the United Work­men Lodge. He also served on the Public Welfare Board from its start until 1963. He and his wife still live in Bismarck.

MR. AND MRS. OLE A. LOKEN

Ole Loken was born on March 7, 1887 in Valders, Norway, where he grew to manhood. In 1906, he and his sister, Mrs. Iver Reiten, came to this country and homesteaded southeast of Watford City. He married Marion Buchanan in 1915. Mr. Loken died in 1949 and Mrs. Loken still resides in Watford City.

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was 15 years old. They lived in Drayton and he went to business college in Michigan. He married Margaret Edwards in 1894.

They came to McKenzie County in 1906 and home­steaded southeast of Watford City. In the fall of 1907 a fire destroyed all the horses and he secured two yoke of oxen to do the farm work. Later the Buchanans bought a ranch on the Little Missouri. Mrs. Buchanan died in 1934 and Mr. Buchanan in 1946. They had six children, five of whom still live, Mrs. Marion Loken of this city being one of them.

OLE A. LOKEN FAMILY

They had six children, three of whom are still living: Kenneth of Watford City; Margaret, Mrs. James Rod-acker, of Mohall; and Isabel, Mrs. Roy Zilik, of New Orleans. One son, Arne. was killed in service in the Korean War.

JOHN J. MARTIN

John J. Martin was a senior partner of the firm Martin and Chaussee, a well equipped farm machin­ery and implement business at Watford City. He was born near Fremont, Ohio, on Jan. 18, 1884, where his father was also born.

After finishing his elementary education, he entered the Ohio Northern University at Ada, Ohio, and when his education was completed, he began selling books in Wisconsin. He gradually worked his way westward and reached N. Dak. in December, 1905, where he homesteaded in McKenzie County. He erected the first store .in Schafer hauling all the lumber from the saw­mill at Grinnell. In 1914, when Watford City was laid out, he joined J. B. Chaussee in organizing the firm of Martin and Chaussee.

He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Balsizer of Fremont, Ohio, in Sept., 1906. They were blessed with three children, Lewis, John, and Ethel.

Politically he was a Democrat and served as clerk of the school district when it comprised one-half of McKenzie County. His religious faith was Lutheran.

THOMAS G. BUCHANAN

Thomas G. Buchanan was born in 1866 in Ontario, Canada. He came to the U. S. with his parents when he

TOM BUCHANAN BUCHANAN SHACK

MR. AND MRS. OLE BERG

Ole Berg, who was born in Elverum, Osterdalen, Norway, on March 5, 1879, came to this country in 1903. He first came to Superior, Wisconsin, working witti several friends from Norway who also later home­steaded in McKenzie County. His name Bratberg in Norway was changed to Berg. He was married to Marie Nelson, who was born in Osterdalen, on Nov. 18, 1879, and had come to this country in 1905. They came to their homestead nine miles north-east of Watford City in 1906. They had five children: George, Browning, Montana; Martin, who died in 1936 from monoxide gas; Olga, Mrs. Leslie Sax, of Riverton, Wyo.; Ellen, Mrs. Stanley Peterson of Spooner, Wisconsin; Norman, who resides in Watford City.

Ole Berg died in 1944 and Mrs. Berg died in 1960. They are buried in the Garden Cemetery near Watford City.

This couple came here from Norway, thrilled with the thoughts of opportunities and perhaps wealth, but even when things were not quite as they had been told they never complained. They were content to remain here until the end and never went back to their home­land.

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MR. AND MRS. OLAF BECKEN

Olaf Becken was born in Gudbransdalen, Norway, in 1883, and at the age of 24 came to this country, after working in Norway as a shepherd boy. He spent five years in the lumber camps of Wisconsin, Idaho and Washington and came to McKenzie County in 1907. His first night in this community was spent in a shack of Mr. Westeberg and the second night in the Hilde-brand Hotel in Schafer. The thrill of finding un­claimed land was before him on a May morning, at which time herds of cattle could be seen, the owner of which later settled at Wibaux, Montana, naming the town. A shack must be built and lumber costing $26 was hauled from Williston, but it made a 10x10 shack, leaving enough scraps left over to build a bed, table, and three legged stool. A stove, skillet, kettle and water pail completed his household equipment. For his be­ginning farming, he bought a plow and a two-section drag, but flax broadcast by hand, produced the first harvest.

Olaf Becken was married in 1913 to Rebecca Rudrud, who was born in Westby, Wisconsin, in 1885. She taught rural schools in Wisconsin and also came to McKenzie County and proved claim to a homestead adjoining her husband's. Three sons were born to this couple, Elmer, Carl, and Oliver, all of whom served their coun­try on foreign soil in the second World War. Mrs. Beck­en died in 1938, and in 1940 he married Carla Bergh from Westby, Wisconsin. Olaf Becken died in 1958 and Mrs. Becken is residing in Watford City.

Mr. Becken loved to recall his pioneer days and al­though many of the hardships such as drought, hail, and grasshoppers had an impact on him, it seemed that fighting the humble mosquito was about the worst.

Life in a shack on the prairie did not bring boredom to this pioneer, and reading afforded him much plea­sure and later he developed the hobby of writing. Reminiscing thoughts and nature appreciation were touchingly and beautifully expressed also in many poems which he wrote in his native language.

MARTIN IVERSON

Martin Iverson was born in northern Norway on August 11, 1873. He received his education there and was a fisherman until he came to the United States in 1899. He lived with relatives near Aneta, N. Dak., and worked on neighboring farms for the next four years. In 1903 he sent for his bride to be, Gurine Tor­gerson, from Norway, and they were married Nov. 26 at Aneta. The same year they moved to Twin Valley Township and filed on land on the Tobacco Garden Creek. They built their own one-room house in the spring, which was to be their home for some years to come until a two story house was added.

For a while Martin operated a ferry several miles east down the river. Before he acquired a team and wagon, he thought nothing of carrying many pounds of supplies on his back from the ferry to his home.

MR. AND MRS. MARTIN IVERSON AND EDGAR

Before long he began farming like his homesteader neighbors. Their son, Edgar, was born June 1, 1905. A neighbor's daughter, Julia Thompson, and Edgar were tKe first babies baptized in the Garden Valley Congregation, of which the Iversons were charter members. Mrs. Iverson was also a charter member of the Ladies Aid. After the church was built Martin was "Klokker" for many years.

Mrs. Iverson had been a practical nurse's assistant in Norway, so when she came to this new frontier, where doctors and hospitals were so many miles away and impossible to reach at times, her services as a nurse became a very important part of life in the community. Whenever there was illness, death or birth, the first thought was to send for Mrs. Iverson. Upon being questioned about how many babies she had as­sisted into the world her answer was "I've lost count, but it must be dozens."

A farm accident in 1945, with a runaway team, caused serious injury to both Martin and Edgar. A broken leg and complications made it necessary for Edgar to rent out the farm for the next seven years. That same fall the family moved to Watford City, where Edgar was employed at several business places, and sold Farmers Union Insurance. He was married in 1950 to Ruth Dahl, and in 1952 again went back to farming at the old homestead. Several years later the land was purchased by the Government for the Gar­rison Reservoir. To replace this Edgar acquired other land near Watford City.

Mrs. Iverson passed away at the new hospital in Watford City on March 31, 1953, and three years later, on Nov. 31, 1956, Martin died at the Mercy Hospital in Williston, after a few months stay at the Bethel

Lutheran home there. The fall of 1956 Edgar had surgery at Rochester,

Minn., from which he never fully recovered, and was in ill health for the next six years. He passed away Sept. 12, 1962, after several months stay at the McKen­zie Memorial Hospital. His wife, Ruth, resides in Wat­ford City.

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ARNE TOLLEFSON

Arne Tollefson, son of T. P. Tollefson and Jonella Tollefson, pioneers of North Dakota, was born on Sep­tember 24, 1883, in Richland County, North Dakota.

He learned his primer in the Norwegian language from his grandfather. His schooling continued through rural school, the Fargo College and St. Olaf College.

His grandfather had a yoke of oxen called Dick and Bright. Arne learned how to drive the oxen by hanging on the handles of a breaking plow. All went well until the plow struck a buffalo bone, jumped out of the ground, and threw plow and driver.

He earned his first money, ten cents, riding a black bear down the Main Street of Christine, N. D. Later, in homestead days he was a farm laborer and a rural school teacher.

In 1922 he was elected auditor of McKenzie County. On June 23, 1924, he married Jean Juntington, born in Canada, reared in Pembina County, N. D. She was deputy Auditor in Williams, and McKenzie County. Arne was County Auditor for thirty-eight years. He retired in 1961.

Mr. Tollefson and his wife reside in Watford City. They hope that the pattern of the future years will be

that of this Old-English Prayer: "Give us, Lord, a bit of sun, A bit of work and a bit o' fun; Give us in all the struggle and sputter, Our daily bread and a bit o'butter; Give us health, our keep to make, And a bit to spare for the other's sake; Give us too, a bit of song, And a tale, and book to help us along; Give us, Lord, a chance to be Our goodly best, brave, wise, and free; Our goodly best for ourselves and others, Till all men learn to live as brothers.'

VAUGHAN G. MORRIS, M. D.

The first doctor in Watford City was Dr. Morris, who was born at Watford, Ontario, Canada, on May 5, 1879. He was educated in Watford and after grad­uating from high school, entered the Detroit College of Medicine and received his degree in 1905.

In 1906 he arrived in Schafer and remained there until 1914 when he moved to Watford City. He was instrumental in naming the town Watford for his old

home in Ontario. On June 17, 1908, he was married to Gertrude Scott

of Williston. She was born at Elk River, Minn., and graduated from the St. Cloud Normal School. She taught at St. Cloud, Minn, and at Minot. They had two children, Lucille and Walter.

Dr. Morris was McKenzie County's first coroner. He was a Mason and a charter member of the Modern Woodmen Camp at Schafer and of the Elks Lodge No. 1214.

MR. AND MRS. PAUL BRODERSON AND FAMILY

Paul Broderson at 25 came from the northern part of Norway in 1907 to McKenzie County in North Dakota where land was still available for homestead-ing. He settled on a claim in the Banks area north of Watford City.

For three years he labored on his homestead using oxen to "break" the sod and do the planting. Then, feeling that he had established a home, he went back to Norway and brought back his childhood sweetheart, Sigrid, whom he had married in March of 1911. Much to his chagrin he spent his honeymoon trip across the ocean violently ill in his room, while his bride—never before on the sea—roamed the ship at will, and en­joyed herself.

Faithful Sigrid worked side by side with Paul over the years, weathering crop failures, a bank col­lapse in which all their savings were lost but most of all mothering and caring for the six children that were born to them in their homestead cabin. At one time all six of them were attending grade school at the same time walking a distance of two miles. Sigrid had to bake huge batches of bread every other day to keep their lunch pails filled.

During the terrible drought of the thirties they decided to leave, and went to Washington in the fall of 1938 where they made their home on a farm near Kent. Here they lived happily in a land so like their native Norway, until Paul's death in 1960. Sigrid, an invalid in a wheelchair, then moved to Seattle to live with her youngest daughter. There she is today at 86, alert and very much interested in her family, and ac­tive in sewing and reading.

Their children are: Oscar, a public accountant of

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Paul Broderson and son Oscar with his oxen in 1914.

Rosamond, Calif.; Erling, a fisherman of Homer, Alas­ka; Einar, a farmer of Watford City; Sigrid, Mrs. Inge Sanford of Watford City; Didrick, a farmer of Watford City; and Ragna, Mrs. Kenneth Severson, of Seattle, Washington.

There are twelve grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

MR. AND MRS. ANTON GRIEBEL

Mr. Anton Griebel was born in Germany in Novem­ber of 1865. He came to America as a stow-a-way to escape the war in Germany and settled in Wisconsin where he met and married Miss Lesetta Hess, who was born in Waumadee, Wisconsin, on October 30, 1863.

In 1910 he came to McKenzie County to visit his daughter Anna who had homesteaded near Keene. He was so inspired by the free land available, he staked his claim that year.

Shortly thereafter his family joined him. Their home

in Wisconsin was a large frame house with hardwood floors and when Lilly, their daughter, saw their Mc­Kenzie County sod house for the first time she ex­claimed, "Chicken coop! Chicken coop!" They lived in the sod house for three years.

One day while Anton was digging the well, his shovel scratched against a small rock. After washing it, he noticed that it had an unusual shiny surface. Anton kept finding more and more of these rocks and finally decided that he had located gold in North Dakota. He washed and saved them until he had pails full. When Albert Hess his brother-in-law called on him, he in­formed him that he had found "fool's gold."

Mr. and Mrs. Griebel had eleven children of whom seven are living. They are Mrs. Anna Bucklin, of Wat­ford City; Arthur of Mezeppa, Minn.; Lilly, Mrs. George Thomas, of Watford City; Edward, of Wat­ford City; Louise, Mrs. Leo Elliot, Sr., of Spokane, Washington; Lorraine, Mrs. Henry Fox, of Fargo; Verna Alberts of Kalispell, Montana.

Mr. Griebel died on August 17, 1945, and Mrs. Griebel died in 1959 at the age of 95. Both were buried in the Schafer Cemetery.

CARL GRYTE

Carl Gryte was born at Hoople, North Dakota, on August 6, 1886. In 1901 he accompanied his parents to Lowry, Minnesota. There he attended grade school, graduated from high school and then went to Minn, where he attended one year of college.

He came to McKenzie County in April of 1910, and filed on a homestead. He recalls the difficult time farmers encountered when they hauled their grain to market. Watford City was not in existence in 1913 and so he would haul his grain to Arnegard and sometimes even to Tioga. He remained on his home­stead until 1942. At this time the government bought his farm for pasture. He then moved over to the Oberg land and later bought a half section. This he farmed until 1957 when he retired and moved to Watford Citv.

Breaking the sod east of Watford City

118

MR. AND MRS. GUY RENBARGER

Mr. Guy Renbarger was born on March 27, 1889, at Marion, Indiana. He was educated in the rural schools near Marion and came to McKenzie County with his parents Mr. and Mrs. William H. Renbarger in 1907 and settled in the Banks area north of Watford City.

On of his first jobs was helping in the construction of the Tanks, Tollefson, and Wilcox schoolhouses. In 1910 he operated the Nesson Ferry across the Missouri and later worked for Cap Seneshal on the grain boats. Mr. Renberger recalls the time they were unloading a tractor off the boat by means of a gang plank. By accident the tractor went backwards and forced the engineer to jump into the river. He couldn't swim, so immediately Mr. Renbarger threw a rope out to him and saved the man's life.

He was Postmaster at White City for five years. During this time there was a star route from Schafer to White City which operated three times a week.

He was united in marriage to Ella Degerness on June 4, 1916, at the Garden Valley Lutheran Church with Rev. Evanson performing the ceremony. Mrs. Renbarger was born on December 4, 1892, at Gary, Minnesota. She came to McKenzie County in 1915 to visit her brother Emil Degerness and her sister Inga Aasen.

In 1921 they homesteaded west of Banks. Later they bought the Walter and Francis Harmon land and con­tinued to farm and raise cattle. Presently they are liv­ing in Watford City and Mr. Renbarger manages the recreation center at Tobacco Garden.

They were blessed with five children. They are By­ron of Charlson; Orville of Keene; Adele, Mrs. Shan­non Ytterdahl of Nome, N. Dak.; Evelyn, Mrs. Her­bert Bruins, of Watford City; and Dean, who was killed in Germany on March 20, 1955.

CANNA STEELMAN AND FAMILY

they came to North Dakota to visit her parents Mr. and Mrs. Martin L. Bonner. They remained only a short time, but the pleasant memories of North Dakota were always with them and they were never quite satisfied with their old Indiana home after that.

Her parents Mr. and Mrs. Martin L. Bonner and brothers Jim and Howard came to McKenzie County in August of 1910 and took up a relinquishment on what was known as "White City Flat," later known as Seneschal. Mr. Bonner died in 1955, and Mrs. Bonner in 1959. Jim and Howard still ranch in the same area.

In 1917 Mr. and Mrs. Steelman sold their Indiana farm and settled on the flats near Seneshal north of Watford City.

Mr. Steelman died in November of 1945. Mrs. Steel-man lives in Watford City. They were blessed with two children. They are John of Banks and Margaret, Mrs. Norman Wold of Banks.

Canna Bonner Steelman was born on January 7, 1892, at Marion, Indiana. It was there where she pur­sued her early education and grew to womanhood. She married Frank Steelman in March of 1910. That spring

THE RUD HOMESTEAD

Hans Christian Rud was born in Lillihammer, Nor­way in 1880. As a boy of fifteen he came to this country with his mother. They first came to Grand Forks, which was then a small village. He worked for the railroad several years before becoming a building contractor.

He met and married Mina Kleven in Grand Forks. She was born in Norway also in the beautiful Gud-bransdalen Valley, in 1866, coming to America at the age of 18. She often talked of the long, stormy passage across the Atlantic. Seasickness, loneliness and nostalgia for the old home added to the difficulty of the language barrier. She had a card pinned to her telling her name and destination.

Mr. and Mrs. Rud spent 21 years in Grand Forks. Mr. Rud came to McKenzie County in 1906 with his son, Hjalmar, to find his claim. Lumber had to be hauled from Williston for a new shanty, crossing the

119

river on the Raums Ferry. Their hotel bill for the night's lodging in Alexander was $1.35 for bed and board.

County Surveyor, Bill Janson had to help them find their claim. Their fare at the table each day was pretty much rabbit, prairie chicken, bread and syrup. Hjalmar once commented, "We eat so much rabbit, I'm sure we'll all start hopping pretty soon." But they had a good time hunting, skiing, playing casino and hiking to Schafer. The first winter was very cold. Coal was hauled by Iver and Olaf Drovdal for most of the families.

Ruds had thirteen children, nine of whom are still living. Grant still lives on the old claim. Mr. Rud died in 1945 and Mrs. Rud in 1957. Their last years were spent in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. ROY MASTON

Roy Maston was born in Australia in 1886. He grad­uated from Valparaiso University with a BS degree, and came to homestead in the Banks area in 1911. The same year he married Marie Johnston. Their honey­moon trip was by horseback from Dickinson to the homestead, stopping overnight at three ranches on the way. No bridges over the river, of course, but luckily the river was low, so no need of a ferry either. Marie was born in Taylor, N. Dak., in 1887, and taught school in Stark County before her marriage and also in the Banks school for two years after they came to the area.

They lived in a log house, going to Banks three times a week for the mail. There were few neighbors and it was pretty much open range with few fences. Grain raised at first was hauled to White City and taken

by boat to Williston. They also raised Hereford cattle, horses and sheep.

Roy died in 1940 and Marie lives in Dickinson and works at her brother's store, the Western Trading Post. They have five children: Florence, Mrs. Casper Rich­ardson of Tulsa, Okla.; Sydney of Bend, Oregon; Gor­don of Cutbank, Mont.; Melba, married to a Chap­lain in the Army, right now stationed in the Philip­pines; Herbert still lives in the Banks area north of Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. THEODORE J. BOE

Both Mr. and Mrs. Boe were early day homesteaders in McKenzie County. He was born in Montivideo, Min­nesota, on July 16, 1883. He came to McKenzie County and took up a homestead near Arnegard in 1911. Mrs. Boe was born in Spring Grove, Minnesota, on May 13, 1886. She filed on a homestead in Ellsworth Twp., McKenzie County, in 1907. She was Anna Marie Braat­en before her marriage to Theodore Boe on September 19, 1912. They came to Watford City in 1917 where Mr. Boe operated Boe Bros., a farm machinery busi­ness. He was a partner with his brother Hans who managed the business in Arnegard.

The family moved to Rugby, North Dakota, in 1920 and moved back to Arnegard in 1921 and operated a business in Arnegard. Mr. Boe farmed and worked as a salesman for a number of machinery companies for many years.

In 1948 he ran for County Treasurer and was elected to that office. When he took office in May, 1949, they moved from Arnegard to Watford City where they still reside. He served in the Treasurer's office from 1949 to 1959 when he retired. He was Secretary-Treasurer of the State Treasurers Association and was the prime mover in getting legislation passed which eliminated the law whereby a Treasurer could hold only two consecutive terms. Mrs. Boe has been in the employ of the city as Watford City Librarian since 1958. They are members of the First Lutheran Church. They observed their golden wedding on September 19, 1962. They were blessed with three children.

They are Arlene, Mrs. Ralph Christensen of Watford City; Theodore of Spokane, Washington; Marjorie, Mrs. Harry Bergee, of Watford City.

120

KNUT OKLAND FAMILY Sod Barn on Newman Ranch

Knut Okland was born Oct. 11, 1883, at Bergen,

Norway. In 1902 he came to the U. S. settling first

in S. Dak. and later coming to McKenzie Co. in 1906

and homesteading five miles northeast of Watford City.

He married Theresa Johnson in 1907 at Williston. She

had come to the Farland area in 1906 from Oakes, N.

Dak. where she was born in 1884. She filed on a home­

stead, and later her parents came to the Hay Draw

community.

Knut's first home was a one room 12x12 ship lap

frame building and the barn was made of sod and

sandrock. His first well was dug by hand to a depth

of 11 feet. A few years later the level dropped and

had to be dug another 100 feet.

In 1936 the Okland family moved to Ellensburg,

Wash., where Mr. Okland died in 1955 and Mrs. Okland

in 1959. The Oklands had nine children, a baby, Clar­

ence, and Raymond being deceased. The others all live

in Washington, Bennie being a salesman at Ellsburg

and Agnes making her home with him. Selma is em­

ployed at Central College and Clara and Violet live

in Ellensburg. Tommy is foreman for a block company

in Seattle.

MR. AND MRS. ROY NEWMAN

Roy Newman was born in Stillwater, Minn., in 1880

and came to McKenzie County in 1903 with his father.

Elmer Hilderbrant helped them drive a herd of cattle

from S. Dak. to Cherry Creek, using a covered wagon

for shelter. A sod house was their habitation, half of

which was shared with their saddle horses. This was

known as the Newman Ranch. Later a partnership with

John Shaw was formed.

Roy married Dorothy Schiek, a Baptist minister's

daughter, who was born in New Jersey. She came to

this county to homestead in 1907. Five children were

born to this couple; Janice, now at home; Madeline

Trovaten, Williston: Virginia Thorson, Sparks, Nevada;

Betty Johnsrud of Minneapolis, and a son Royce died

at the age of 30.

One of the earliest experiences Mrs. Newman re­

members is a fall morning in 1909 when she and

her friend were visiting and noticed a yellow haze. A

Prairie fire! The ladies remained in the house and the

men finally got the fire under control after burning

from Hay Draw to Spring Creek, fifty miles. One

amusing thing about it was the half breed Indian who

lost a steer in the fire, but admitted that was a small

thing, but "please help me find my squaw."

The Newmans left the Shaw ranch to live on Roy's

homestead closer to Watford City when the children

were ready for school, and how cozy they were in

their three room log house. The excitement of seeing

the big railroad grade being built and other changes

were evident. Roy's children were always proud

of their Welsh ponies shipped from Wisconsin. In the

winter they pulled a sled covered with canvas, and

either bricks or a kerosene stove kept the children

warm.

Mr. Newman operated the first garage in partner­

ship with Frank Conion. Mr. Newman died thirty years

ago and Mrs. Newman and Janice still live in the

Newman addition of Watford City.

ALEX RAUTIO

Every community has its unusual character, and this

one had Alex commonly known as "Alex the Fin"

and his Johnny Dog with whom he shared everything.

This kind fellow came to the Shaw Ranch with John

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Shaw and filed on a homestead, but really having a

career as a traveling minstrel in the homestead days.

Riding the grub line from ranch to ranch, he avoided

work whenever possible. His arrival was enjoyed by

all, as the children found his pockets bulging with

candy and older folks enjoyed his bits of gossip. The

men felt sorry for Alex, giving him clothing at times,

but the women all agreed he usually outstayed his

welcome, as he did at the Newman ranch. Especially did

they hate seeing their good and rare food going to

Johnny, the dog. Indeed, Alex was witty, and the clever

answers he could give to where he got his "firewater"

for which he had a weakness, never really answered

much—just an "I don't know." Someone thought it

might be "tanglefoot" as his feet all seemed tangled

up in this condition.

One day Mrs. Newman thought it was time to

move on and told him so. Upon returning from town,

she called to her daughter and asked if "the old fool"

had gone. He answered pathetically, "I'se still here,

missus." Yes, Alex has gone to his final resting place,

but is still remembered.

FRED J. STEFFECK

Fred J. Steffeck, a former Superintendent of Schools

in McKenzie County, was born in Kewaunee, Wis­

consin, May 30, 1881, a son of Simon M. and Agnes

(Schleise) Steffeck.

Mr. Steffeck pursued a teacher's course in the Osh-

kosh State Normal School graduating in 1904. He

taught until 1908 when he returned to school. This

time he entered the Northern Indiana University at

Valparaiso, Indiana, where he received his Master of

Accounts degree. In the spring of 1909 he went to

Minot as Field Deputy Superintendent of Schools in

Ward County and continued there until 1910 when he

came to McKenzie County and homesteaded near Berg.

There he taught school while proving up on his home­

stead. His school was fifty miles from a railroad. In

the spring of 1912 he was nominated for Superintend­

ent of Schools in McKenzie County and in the fall

of that year was elected. He held this position for a

number of years.

He was united in marriage to Jessie A. Magee on

February 16, 1915. Professor and Mrs. Steffeck held

membership in the Roman Catholic Church.

OMAR L. CASADY

Omar L. Casady, who became cashier of the McKen­

zie County Bank of Watford City in 1914, was born

in Burlington, Indiana, on September 3, 1883.

He married Isabelle McClintock on June 1, 1910, at

Great Falls, Mont. Mrs. Casady was born at Neche,

N. Dak., and attended St. Joseph's School in St. Paul

and also Stanley Hall in Minneapolis.

Mr. Casady organized the Watford City Commercial

Club. He was prominently known in fraternal organi­

zations and was a member of the Episcopal Church.

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STRINMOEN FAMILY

Nora and Sofia Folkedahl came to McKenzie County from Iowa in 1910 to visit their sister Mrs. Jake Dahl. They decided to homestead and had two ten by twelve frame shacks built for them just a few rods from the Jake Dahl place. Nora began teaching the Senechal School that same fall and Sofia worked at the hotel in White City.

Nora returned to Iowa in 1911 and married Edgar Strinmoen. They returned to North Dakota where Ed­gar too filed on land joining his wife's homestead. Nora taught the Senechal, Tollefson, Banks and Timber Schools.

The musical talents of the Strinmoens, with Ed­gar's violin and Nora's organ, were very much in de­mand at social gatherings during those early days. The organ was often hauled many miles in wagon or sleigh.

Because of the drought of the thirties, they were forced to discontinue farming and sell their stock. They left for Iowa in 1937 where Edgar was employed in a store. He passed away on November 23, 1952. Nora re­turned to North Dakota in 1953 and made her home with a niece, Mrs. Edgar Iverson. In 1956 she returned to Iowa where she now makes her home at Decorah.

122

• • • • • MR. AND MRS. I. SANFORD

MR. AND MRS. M. L. STEDMAN

Mr. and Mrs. I. Sanford came to McKenzie County

from Fargo in 1905 and settled in Twin Valley Town­

ship. They had both come with their parents from

Norway.

The Sanfords have nine children: Leonard, Gudrun,

Norman, Arne, Inge, and Martin all of Watford City;

Philip of Portland, Oregon; Ruth, Mrs. Don Fisher of

Aberdeen, Washington; and Gerald of Las Vegas, Ne­

vada.

Mr. Sanford was the youngest person in North Dako­

ta to file on a homestead. The only equipment Mr.

Sanford had for farming when he came was a shot­

gun and two bird dogs. He was a city fellow and was

not familiar with farming so was known to wear a

tuxedo and a plug hat when walking behind the

sulky plow. They moved to Watford City in 1926. Mr.

Sanford served as State Representative from McKenzie

County in 1925.

JOHN ELLICKSON

John Ellickson, a former sheriff of McKenzie County, was born in Wisconsin. He came to McKen­zie County in 1905 and filed on a homestead. He was elected sheriff in 1912 and held this position for five years.

He was married to Christina Quale and they had six children.

He was a charter member of the Odd Fellows Lodge at Schafer, and was a member of the Lutheran Church.

Marion Stedman was born in 1868 in Wisconsin and

went with his parents to South Dakota where he later

married Carrie Bricker. They first came to Wheelock,

North Dakota, and homesteaded near Berg, east of Wat­

ford City.

It was in the spring of 1907 they crossed the river

by cable ferry boat. Their homestead was 47 miles

from a railroad. Their claim shack was 12 by 12 with

an earthen floor. Later they had a sod house, plastered

with butte clay inside and out. Oxen had broken up

the sod. In 1908 he bought a team of horses from

the Mule Shoe Bar Ranch. Flax was the big crop at

the time.

Their children all attended a sod school, taught by

Christine Erickson. Their children are Earl, Watford

City; Gladys, Mrs. P. M. Anderson, who died in 1957;

Eddie of Spokane; and Effie, Mrs. Edgar Gilsted of

Keene.

In 1912 they bought a Case threshing machine and

eight plows, breaking and threshing for many home­

steaders.

Mrs. Stedman died in 1940, and Mr. Stedman 2 years

later, and were buried in the Schafer cemetery.

MR. AND MRS. SEVERIN RIKUSTAD

Severin Rikustad was born February 9, 1856 at Fred-rickstad, Norway. Later he moved to Arendal on the west coast of Norway where he worked in a sawmill. On February 9, 1882, he married Mathea Arves at

123

Greaker, Norway. They moved to Kilesund and five

years later, June, 1887, they and their three children

sailed on a freighter for America. Their home this

time was at Horace, North Dakota, where they lived

until 1905 when they homesteaded in Tobacco Gar­

den Township.

Mr. and Mrs. Rikustad helped organize the Tobacco

Garden Lutheran Church.

Mr. Rikustad was a "jack of all trades" and even

pinch hitted as a dentist when a tooth needed pulling.

He was a great-nephew of Hans Nelson Hauge,

Norway's noted lay-preacher.

They had five children, two of whom are deceased;

Louise, (Mrs. Jens Walla), and Ludvig. Three sons

are still living; Nels, Christ and Carl, all of Watford City.

Carl lives on and operates the farm adjoining his par­

ent's homestead. Christ continues to operate the farm

he homesteaded on in Ideal Township. Nels lives in Wat­

ford City. There were eleven grandchildren; two of

whom are deceased, and eighteen great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Rikustad died January 13, 1913, and Mr. Rik­

ustad passed away in May of 1938.

MR. AND MRS. NELS RIKUSTAD

Nels Rikustad was born March 10, 1885, at Smaal-

ene, Norway. At the age of three years he came to

America with his parents. He grew up in the Tobacco

Garden Community and in 1907 homesteaded in Far-

land Township.

This land he farmed until recently when poor health

required his retirement and he and his wife moved to

Watford City. On December 10, 1918, he married

Astrid Volger, who was born in Oslo, Norway, April

19, 1898. They had four sons; Alfred, who lives on

his parents' farm; twin boys, Elmer and Willard. El­

mer resides in Glendive as does the youngest son, Ken­

neth. Willard passed away in 1960. They have one

grandchild.

1876. His father immigrated from Ireland and his

mother came from Quebec, Canada.

Mr. Maloney married Mary Fjeldahl in 1904,

and they moved to Lakota in 1908 and on to McKen­

zie County in 1910 where he filed on a homestead. A

year later the family moved to the farm which was

located fifteen miles northeast of Watford City. Three

children were born to them: Eddie, now in a Veterans'

Hospital; Gladys, (Mrs. Calkins), Watford City); Flor­

ence, who passed away at the age of nineteen.

Mr. Maloney purchased four acres of land on the

outskirts of Watford City in 194<8, and moved in a

house, he has continued to live here for the past six­

teen years raising berries, corn, and other garden

crops both to sell and to give away.

The above picture shows Mr. Maloney guiding the

plow; Stan Juktza guiding the oxen.

ED MALONEY

Ed Maloney was born in Bird Island, Minnesota, in

124

WILLIAM EWEN

William Ewen, in 1899, came from Canada with his

father, Tom Ewen and the latter's young counsin,

another Tom Ewen. Tom Ewen homesteaded by the

Big Missouri near Mendenhall. Since the two young

men were not old enough to file, they worked on

ranches until the time came when they could home­

stead, and this was two years later, in 1901. They

chose land about seven miles north of Schafer. A

little later William's brother Jack filed on adjoining

land.

In 1909 William Ewen was married to Miss Francis

Fitzgerald whose parents were the Peter Fitzgeralds.

They and a son, Gerald, had homesteaded in 1900, a

few miles farther north.

William Ewen helped organize the first Presbyterian

Church in Watford City, and was an elder in the church.

He passed away in December of 1928. Mrs. Ewen re­

mained in this area several years and then moved to

Tacoma, Washington, where she still resides.

Their children are: William J. of Watford City;

Francis, (Mrs. Ted Austin), Minot, N. Dak.; Martin,

Gordon, and Kenneth, all of Tacoma, Washington.

WILLIAM M. DAY SEVERIN P. LINSETH

William M. Day was one of the first homesteaders

in Cherry Township about five miles southwest of Wat­

ford City. As a young man he came to Esmond, N.

Dak., from Fond du Lac, Wis., where he was born and

had attended grade school. Before coming to N. Dak.

he worked on the railroad and also as a fireman on

the boats plying the Great Lakes from Duluth, Minn.,

to Buffalo, N. Y. In 1903 he married Mary Morstad

who was born at Faribault, Minn., in 1872. In

1904 he filed on his homestead here 'and then in 1906

he moved his wife and two small boys, Erven and

Grant, to his homestead. Later another boy and a

girl, Everett and Adelaide, were born here, also two

other children who died in infancy.

In the first few months they were here two thieves

stole all eight head of his horses. These two horse

thieves were to become the defendants in Criminal

Cases No. 1 and 2 in the Court records of McKenzie

County. He subsequently regained possession of all

but one of his horses.

Mr. Day hauled the lumber for his homestead shack

from Williston using horses to do the job. Then after

his farming operations began, all of his grain was

hauled there in the same way and supplies brought

back on the return trip. An overnight stop was made on

the way in, at what was then known as the "White

House" and the river crossing was made on the ferry

south of Williston.

In 1922 Mr. Day sold out most of his personal

property and moved his family to Watford City, rent­

ing out his farm and later selling it. He kept two

teams of horses and some wagons and other hauling

equipment with which he made his living for several

years. His only daughter, Adelaide, passed away in

Sept., 1936, and he in Sept., 1952. Mrs. Day passed

away in Sept., 1955. His oldest son, Erven, died in

1959. Two sons, Grant and Everett, served in the armed

forces during World War II and still reside in Wat­

ford City. Grant is Veterans' Service Officer and Deputy

Sheriff and Everett is County Judge and Clerk of the

District Court.

A team of oxen pulled the plow which turned the

sod on the Severin P. Linseth homestead in Bear Den

Township during the summer of Watford City's found­

ing.

On July 18, 1914, coming from Osakis, Minn., newly-

wed Mr. and Mrs. Linseth, began their homestead life

together. In 1910 Severin had filed for his homestead.

He was born at Vuku, Vardalen, Norway, Oct. 13, 1882.

Gudrun Heim, was born at Trondheim, Feb. 3, 1896.

In 1903 Severin came to the United States. Gudrun

arrived in 1912. After their arrival in White Earth

from Minn, he traveled by bicycle and she by mail

coach to Berg. Severin then rode his bicycle to the

homestead, borrowed a team and wagon from Jack

Williams and returned to Berg to get his bride. He and

his wife were charter members of the Wesleyan

Methodist Church at Johnson's Corners. Mr. Linseth

passed away August 12, 1959. Six of the Linseth boys

served in various branches of the armed services.

In 1963 Mrs. Linseth visited Norway flying by jet

plane in 8 hours over the same ocean on which she

traveled years before, the voyage requiring about two

weeks.

Mrs. Lingeth resides in her home in Watford City.

The twelve children all completed their grade school

at Williams School. Of the seven sons and five daugh­

ters, all are married except Lynn. Mrs. Linseth has

twenty-five grandchildren. Her children are Ruth, (Mrs.

Leonard Anderson) Watford City; Phillip, Minot; Es­

ther, (Mrs. Esther Gordon), Los Angeles, Calif.; Nao­

mi, (Mrs. Alfred Forland), Watford City; Omar,

ranching south of Watford City; Paul, on the

home place; Gerald, Sunnyvale, Calif.; Edith (Mrs. Eu­

gene Veeder), Keene, N. D.; Judith, (Mrs. Duane Neer),

Watford City; Lynn, farming and ranching with his

brothers; James, Paramount, Calif.; and Roland, a

senior at Marion College, Marion, Indiana.

125

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JENS G. WALLA

Jens G. Walla was born in Audubon, Minn., Nov. 17, 1871. He taught school for a number of years near Horace, N. D., and also attended St. Olaf College and Augsburg College. In 1904 he filed on a homestead in Farland Township and built his homestead shack. His sister, Pernilla, was with him this time.

A need was felt for postal service so in 1907 a post-office was built on his land and he became the post­master. It was named Farland. About a year later a general merchandise store was opened by Mr. Walla. Mr. Olaf Fritzvold was his partner for a year and then Pete Vildmo became his partner. This store was operated until 1914 when they built a store in Watford City and transferred their business there. The post-office was closed as a new one was relocated in Arne­gard. Lerfald's presently occupy the building in which Walla and Vildmo had their store in Watford City.

On Dec. 27, 1908, Jens married Louise Rikustad who had filed on and lived on an adjoining homestead. Her parents, Severin nad Mathea Rikustad, homesteaded in Tobacco Garden.

Many are the tales told of pioneer life, but Mrs. Walla said "At least I was not as lonely as most women, being the store and postoffice were just across the road."

The stage stopped at Farland on its daily run be­tween Schafer and Williston to pick up passengers and mail and change horses.

There were seven children born to this couple. All are living except a daughter, Julia, who died when but a few days old. Magnus, the eldest, lives on the original homesteads of his parents 10 miles northwest of Watford City; Selma, Mrs. Gunvald Gudbranson, lives in Pasadena, Calif.; Joseph is pastor of the A. L. church in Chester, Mont.; Eilert is a carpenter in Seat­tle, Wash., Inga, Mrs. Ingvald Thompson, is a school nurse in Sylmar, Calif.; and Ellen, Mrs. Neil Lewis, is a teacher in Torrance, Calif.

Mr. Walla retired from business due to poor health. He passed away in 1925. Mrs. Walla passed away in 1960. There are 17 grandchildren.

seth, arrived in Minot from Norway on May 17, 1905.

While there he married Elizabeth Staflin. In 1909 he

brought his bride to live on the homestead in Tobacco

Garden. The first sod was turned with two oxen and

a walking plow. They raised seventeen children, all of

whom are still living. Mrs. Helseth passed away in

April, 1950. There are 57 grandchildren and 9 great

grandchildren.

Lars, as everyone calls him, sold his farm in McKen­

zie Co. in 1946 and moved to a farm near Glenburn.

He lives there during the summer and visits his chil­

dren the rest of the year. His family has not scattered

too much. John lives on a farm near Glenburn, N. Dak.;

Clarence farms near Deering, N. Dak.; Selma, (Mrs.

L. Barlow) on a farm near Minot, N. Dak.; Lloyd,

Richfield, Minn.; Rudolph, Minot, N. Dak.; Melven,

Minot, N. D., Edna, Brooklyn Center, Minn.; Lil­

lian, Sherman Oaks, Calif.; Nina, Bloomington, Minn.;

Arnold, farm near Wolseth, N. Dak.; Ella, (Mrs. Fred­

die Blumhagen) farm near Drake, N. D.; Ivan, White

Bear, Minn.; Eva, (Mrs. George Johnson), Minot, N.

Dak.; Myrtle, (Mrs. Don Sjol) Los Angeles, Calif.;

Sylvia (Mrs. Dick Pykal) St. Louis Park, Minn.;

Viola, (Mrs. Ralph Larson), farm near Ryder, N. Dak.,

and Arthur, Bloomington, Minn.

OLD STRAW BURNER

BEN RISSER

LARS HELSETH

One of McKenzie county's early settlers, Lars Hel-

He was born near Hershey, Pa., on August 14, 1893. He came to Powers Lake, N. Dak., in 1914 and met his brother Elmer. He worked there through the harvest and threshing season. Then he bought 3 horses and left for McKenzie County. His first stop was at the Jack Williams' Ranch where his older brother, George, was working. George relinquished his homestead rights to Ben, who proved it. His first crop was in 1922. He did not get threshed until in December. He recalls so well all the good times they had at threshing time. He and his brother raise cattle and farm.

127

ELVIN R. JOHNSON THE REV. 0 . J. MALKEWICK FAMILY

Elvin R. Johnson was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on Nov. 14, 1910, and when he was three years old ar­rived in Arnegard, the end of the railroad at that time, with his family. As soon as he got off the train he said, "So hungry for potatoes." John Johnson, living in this area, met them with team and wagon and loaded all their personal goods and then they were off to their new home on the prairies.

Elvin's mother taught school for a number of years. In 1931 Elvin filed on a homestead on the Little Mis­souri River. Here he built a log cabin and lived, spend­ing his time cutting logs during the winter, also hunt­ing and trapping. Farming, of course, took most of his summer time.

In June, 1935, he married Marietta McLucas and in October they moved to the McLucas ranch. They bought additional land and have lived there since. Building a herd of Hereford cattle and feed supply for them has taken much of his time.

The Johnson's have two sons and two daughters. All attended Watford City High School and are all mar­ried. Eldin has an irrigated farm at Fairview, Montana, and Marvin is at home, helping with ranching and farm­ing on his own. Gail, (Mrs. Duane Schatz) lives in Lemon, South Dakota, and Sharian (Mrs. Eugene Turn-quist), lives on a ranch southwest of Arnegard.

HANS LOKKEN

Hans Lokken came to Spring Valley, Wisconsin, from Norway as a young man.

In 1913 he came to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead about seven miles southeast of Croff. He later moved to Watford City where he was associat­ed for a time with Tony Schoenlien as a tailor. He was also employed at Ryan's Tailor Shop.

Mr. Ryan was killed in an automobile accident in 1939.

The Rev. and Mrs. 0 . J. Malkewick and children, Joseph, Esther and Ruth, arrived in Watford City in October, 1916, where Pastor Malkewick had been call­ed to serve a rural Lutheran parish. Two older boys, Caspari and Samson, were attending Red Wing Acad­emy.

O. J. Malkewick was born in Skaanevik, Norway. In 1888 he came to Utica, Illinois, where he worked and while here he started a Sunday School and conducted services. The call to the ministry was strong and with the help and urging of friends, he entered the Semi­nary to prepare for the ministry. In 1895 he was mar­ried to Pernilla Samson, who had come from Uskedal, Norway. In 1898 he was graduated from Red Wing Seminary and was ordained in the Hauges Synod. He served in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, and Faribault, Minn., coming to Trail County in 1904.

As people moved westward to homestead, concern was for the spiritual well being of their families and Pastor Malkewick was called to serve five of these rural congregations, Garden, Farland, Timber Creek, Zoar and Cherry.

The winters in the newly settled country were long, cold and hard. The congregations were far apart. Pas­tor Malkewick drove his horses and buggy or cutter, often making his own trails over the hills to his parishioners. The fall and winter of 1918 was one of the most severe winters experienced. Across the pastor's almanac for 1918 in red letters is seen the word INFLUENZA, that dreadful disease which broke up so many homes in early pioneer life. The pastors with local Dr's. went from home to home ministering to the sick and dying, and burying the dead.

Pastor Malkewick enjoyed his ministry to the fullest extent. He had a deep abiding love for the people and it was evident that they loved and admired him. Mrs. Malkewick was a faithful helper and it can be said of both of them that they preached Christ in word and deed. Pastor Malkewick passed away in Oct., 1932. Mrs. Malkewick continued to live in Watford City until 1938 when she moved to Dickinson with her daughter, Esther. She passed away in Dec, 1948, and was buried beside her husband in the Garden Church­yard.

Joseph, Esther and Ruth grew up and attended grade and high school in Watford City. Joseph lives in Spo­kane, Wash.; Esther, (Mrs. Lionel Opgrande), in Dick­inson, N. D.; Ruth, (Mrs. Carroll Liane), in Billings, Mont., and Caspari in Tacoma, Wash. Samson passed away in 1962.

128

Congratulations, Watford City, On Your

50 Years of Progress

It Has Been Our Pleasure to Grow and Progress

With You Since 1925 When the High

Line Came to Watford City.

BfDDY KltBWATT

SCORES!

MONTANA DAKOTA UTILITIES COMPANY IN THE COMMUNITY TO SERVE

129

KNUTE HOVET

Knute Hovet was born Nov. 10, 1878, near Bux­ton, N. Dak. Selma Tweden was born June 6, 1888, in the same community. They were married Nov. 18, 1905. Their first winter together was spent at Leeds, N. Dak., and in the spring of 1906 they migrated to Bottineau County. In 1910 Knute and three of Selma's brothers came out to McKenzie County and filed loca­tions for homesteads on Spring Creek near the Little Missouri badlands. For Knute and Selma's brother, Peter, another trip out in the spring of 1911 was neces­sary to locate new claims.

In March of 1912 they moved out to make their home on the claim. From Williston they boarded the stage to Schafer. When they came to the Missouri River, they were frantic to find the water running deep over the ice, but the stage driver, Martin Allex, assured them there was no dange,r. So they trusted the horses and made the crossing without mishap.

At Schafer they were met by Selma's brother, Syver, who had a dugout dwelling on his claim, wheie they lived until they could build a shack of their own.

Cottonwood lumber was obtained from a sawmill on the Little Missouri river bottom. There being no road down the Badlands, they drove to a point quite close to the mill and from there walked down and walked back with lumber on their backs.

The Hovet's were active in the building of the com­munity, helping to found Spring Creek Lutheran congregation and Shaw School among other things.

They had four children: Serena, Lillian, Walter and Herbert. All children are presently living.

Knute passed away suddenly on April 21, 1934, and Selma continued to operate the farm until the spring of 1950 when she moved to Watford City where she lived until her death on April 9, 1953.

OLE ANDERSON

Ole Anderson was born in Spring Valley, Wis­consin, in 1885. He and his 7 brothers became orphan­ed when they were very young. In 1906 Ole filed on a homestead one and one-half miles southeast of the Berg Store.

For recreation he turned to baseball and was manager of the Berg team in 1910. He married Ada Rice in 1921.

They reared four children. They are Lola, at home; Darlene, Mrs. George Rice of Gary, S. D.; Norman and Curtis, at home. Mrs. Anderson died in June, 1950, and Mr. Anderson in November, 1960.

EDWARD T. JOHNSON

Edward T. Johnson was born Dec. 15, 1881, in Iowa and Bertha N. Mattison was born Jan. 5, 1889. They were married in 1908 and made their home in Iowa.

In 1913 Mr. Johnson came to McKenzie County and filed on a claim. On March 28, 1914, Edward, wife and son, Elvin, arrived in Arnegard. J. B. John­son met them and George Hanson, J. B. Johnson, Joe Neubauer and H. E. Conant helped build the house in four days. Edward was active with the threshing ac­tivity and Mrs. Johnson taught school for several years.

To this couple, five children were born after coming to North Dakota. Mr. Johnson died June 29, 1948. One daughter, Belle, preceded him in death. The other children are Betty, Mrs. Paul Mallow, in New Mexico; Rose, Mrs. Carroll Lawlar; Elvin, Ray and Norman who all live in McKenzie County. Mrs. Johnson spends the summers in North Dakota and during the winter spends her time in New Mexico.

IVER MATHISTAD

Iver Mathistad came to the U. S.. from Sill, Gud-bransdalen, Norway, and homesteaded in McKenzie County in 1913. He later relinquished his claim to An­ton Hagen and worked for J. T. Anderson for a number of years before renting land from him. He is still living on this land.

r" L.: /K\

Tver and Anton at Coffee Time

ANTON HAGEN

Anton Hagen was born in Norway in 1878 and came to America in 1904. He lived in Bonetrail and Williston before coming to McKenzie County. He lived on his homestead for a number of years and also worked for others until his retirement. He then made his home at the Bethel Home in Williston.

Mr. Anton Hagen died in 1961.

130

MR. AND MRS. FRANK KEOGH

Frank Keogh came to Dakota Territory from Ben­

son, Minnesota, with his parents, brothers and sisters

in 1892. The family settled near Hebron. In 1899

Frank and his brother, Jack, came farther west "to

look the country over" and decided to locate at the

site of the Keogh Ranch just west of the Fort Berthold

Indian Reservation and southeast of the former San­

ish location.

The brothers operated here as partners until 1905,

when Frank took a temporary leave of absence for the

J. E. Phelan Cattle Company (the old 75 Outfit) at

the age of 28. The headquarters for this operation was

the old Smith camp on the reservation.

In 1910 Frank returned and bought out his brother's

interest in their ranching enterprise. Jack later set­

tled in Montana.

During his years at the present ranch location,

Frank Keogh used the same brand which his father,

Patrick Keogh, had registered in the early '80's at

Helena, Montana Territory, a T with inverted T be­

side it, known as the T-up and T-down brand.

In 1912 he married Elizabeth Carney whose family

came from Arvilla, N. Dak. She was a schoolteacher

and had homesteaded at a site adjacent to the old

Goodall place. Mr. and Mrs. Keogh had two children,

Brooks and Betty. Brooks is well known in livestock

circles as he is the president of the National Stock­

men's Association.

In their later years they made their home in Wat­

ford City and Minot. Mr. Keogh died in 1955 and Mrs.

Keogh in 1957.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN T. FARNESS

Mr. and Mrs. John T. Farness and family moved to

Watford City in 1920 when John was offered and ac­

cepted a job as operator of the municipal light plant.

He continued in that capacity until 1927 when the

plant was discontinued. He also served on the fire

department.

Later he carried on with electrical work as a master

electrician in Watford City until his death in 1949.

Fred and Carl Rosner both studied for their master

electrician licenses under John Farness.

He was born near DeForest, Wisconsin, on April

15, 1877, and later moved to Appleton, Minnesota,

where he married Carrie Iverson in 1899. Mrs. Farness

was born in Oslo, Norway, on October 23, 1878, and

came to America, settling in Appleton, Minnesota.

While in Appleton, John worked at the flour mill as a

first class steam and electrical engineer.

In 1906 the Farness family homesteaded near Berg,

N. Dak., where they lived in a sod house until 1911

when a frame house was built.

In 1912 Mr. Farness organized several farmers for

the purpose of purchasing a Case steam threshing

machine and he farmed and threshed until moving to

Watford City in 1920.

Purchase of the Case steam threshing rig is interest­

ing. It came from Wisconsin to Tioga, N. Dak. Mr.

Farness took it across the prairies to the homestead,

but had to cross the big Missouri River by ferry boat.

The ferry snapped and cracked as the heavy rig was

driven on by Mr. Farness and the ferry operator was

frightened because he thought he would lose every­

thing into the river. However, they crossed safely.

Waiting on the other side was Theodore Gryte's

team of mules to help the rig up the embankment at

the ferry dock, but the engine climbed the bank on its

own power and headed for the Farness homestead.

This same threshing machine is still on the Farness

homestead today.

Later on Mr. Farness and family moved to Watford

City and his sons Louie, George and Grant remained to

operate the farm.

In 1934 Mrs. Farness died.

They have nine living children. They are Mabel,

Lillian and Lawrence all of Duluth, Minnesota; Grant,

Helen, Clara, and Marion of Minneapolis, Minnesota;

Florence of Fertile, Minn.; and George on the farm.

There are eight grandchildren. They are Marlene

Erickson, Laura and John Farness, Gene Borseth, Kirk

and Mark Carlson, and Cindy Farness.

131

MR. AND MRS. M. A. WOLD

Martin August Wold was born on Feb. 12, 1877, at

Elsven, Norway. His two sisters and two brothers had

gone to America in 1890 and liked it so well that a

brother returned to bring M. A., his parents and one

sister to join them. They came to Grand Meadow,

Minnesota, where he learned the English language

and completed his education. Later he went to Nor­

man County, Minnesota, to seek employment. There

he met Ida Oline Aasen who was born near Spring

Grove, Minnesota, on April 14, 1878. They were mar­

ried on April 7, 1899, at Gary, Minnesota. Mrs. Wold's

father, B. T. Aasen, and brother, Marius, and family

had already gone to N. Dak. to homestead. So they

decided to go also.

In 1907 M. A. Wold arrived in McKenzie County

and filed on a homestead in Twin Valley Township.

In the fall he brought out his family consisting of

Mrs. Wold, Hannah, Alfred, Maud, and Henry. They

also brought along 26 head of cattle, three horses, one

sheep, some chickens, a dog with puppies, a wagon, a

sleigh and a breaking plow. They came to Ray, N.

Dak., and were met by B. T. Aasen, who took them to

the M. B. Aasen homestead to wait until M. A.

brought the stock and machinery. Between the time

the family came and the emigrant car, the Missouri

River had frozen over and Mr. Wold had to wait

several days on the other side before the river was

_ '•* « • •» mil I In I I " * .

Part at left is the old log house

132

passable. He said several times if Mrs. Wold and the

children had been on his side of the Missouri, they

would have gone back to Minnesota right then. Mr.

John Harmon operated the ferry at that time.

B. T. Aasen had cut enough logs to build a house

for them.

At this time Ray, N. Dak., was their town and it was

a 54 mile trip. Also a general store, named White City,

was between their homestead and the Missouri River.

Church was held in homesteader's houses and

school was usually held in a centrally located home­

stead. Anders H. Wold's was used as such.

M. A. helped organize the McKenzie County Cir­

cuit of the Lutheran Church, helped organize the Twin

Valley Township, later served as supervisor, helped

build the Garden Valley Lutheran Church of which

both Mr. and Mrs. Wold were charter members. Mr.

Wold served as treasurer for some 30 years and Mrs.

Wold was active in the Ladies Aid.

Their first car was purchased in 1916. Then they be­

gan to commute to Watford City. In the winter of

1927 Mr. Wold and a son took two teams and sleds

loaded with grain to Watford City one day and returned

the next with lumber for a new house that was built on

the homestead in 1928.

Mr. and Mrs. Wold lived on the homestead until

1945. At this time they sold out and moved to Wat­

ford City.

Mrs. Wold died in May of 1957 and Mr. Wold in

June of 1962. They were both laid to rest in the Gar­

den Valley Lutheran Cemetery which is one mile east

of their homestead.

They were blessed with ten children, of whom

eight are living. They are Hannah C. Hellandsaas of

Seattle, Washington; Alfred B. of Salem, Ore.;

Maud, Mrs. Leonard Sanford, of Watford City; Henry

Wold of Watford City; Norman of Watford City; Ray­

mond of Watford City; Bernice, Mrs. Enoch Nordeng,

of Watford City; Mildred, Mrs. Norman Dahl, of Wat­

ford City. One daughter Emma and one son Gilbert

preceded them in death.

MR. AND MRS. ANTON BRENDEN

Mr. and Mrs. Anton Brenden, pioneer residents of this area, came to N. Dak. in 1912 from Dalton, Minn. They farmed near Alexander for a time and then moved to Schafer in 1925 where Mr. Brenden became custodian at the county courthouse. He held this position when the courthouse was moved to Watford City until he retired in 1954.

Anton Brenden was born on June 19, 1876, and his wife, the former Serina Nelson, was born on February 25, 1873. After their marriage in 1911, they came to North Dakota. No children were born to this union. In the 29 years that they spent in this area, they were held in high esteem by all who knew them. Serina Brenden was almost totally blind in the last 15 years of her life but was constantly cheerful, efficient, and undefeated by her handicap.

When they left Watford City after Mr. Brenden's retirement and moved to Rothsay, Minnesota, to live, their loss was felt by the entire community. She died on August 1, 1957, and Anton Brenden followed her in death a year later on Sept. 23, 1958. In tribute to their memory the following verse was written by their close friend and neighbor, Mrs. Elvina McNa­mara of Watford City.

IN MEMORIAM TO BRENDENS

She lived in shadow when her eyes Could not distinguish dark from light, And he her stumbling footsteps led Through every day, or restless night. Always her cheerful, kindly smile Brightened our lives . . . though we could see

Hers was the bright undying faith That reaches to eternity. We see her now; the searching hands Where each familiar object lies, And hear her say with joyous heart; "Anton and Dora are my eyes." Surely in heaven there is sight For one so brave in earthly pain. And there in a new and joyous sphere Her failing eyes can see again! He with his hand in hers can stand Safe and secure before the Throne. For surely God must have a place For these two saints among his own.

MR. AND MRS. ARNE BERG ASTRID AND ERLING

Having an older brother, Tarald, that had emigrat­

ed to the United States earlier, Arne Berg followed in

his footsteps. In 1909 he arrived from his homeland of

Snaasa, Norway, to Williston. When his brother, Otto,

arrived, the buggy with Buck took them across the

river towards Schafer, N. Dak., to look for home-

steading land. This trip was made in one day and

little did they know of the English language. Sam

Engebretson met them and they found good land just

east of the Shaw Ranch.

In the spring of 1911 the first shack was built with

the assistance of Martin Hildre who homesteaded

near by. Later a larger house was built. Stener Tofsrud

broke the first 10 acres of land. Flax was seeded.

Shortly before Christmas this was threshed by the

Charles Schafer rig operated by George Hanson. They

received 100 bushels.

In 1913 five oxen were purchased and they contin­

ued to break more land. The first wheat planted was

on the ten acre breaking. Flax on 35 acres of breaking

went seven bushels. This was hauled to Williston

which took three days and they received $1.03 a

bushel. On these trips lodging would be at the White

House.

Conditions were improving and in 1914 600 bushels

of wheat were threshed by the Carl and Martin Falk­

enhagen rig. In 1915 he went in partnership with

Peter and Olaus Tweden and bought a steam engine

threshing machine. In 1927 he sold his interest to

Christ Engem.

On a return trip to Norway in 1917 he married Miss

Emilie Omlid. They moved to Watford City in 1945.

They have two children. They are Astrid, Mrs. Orville

W. Hagen, of Arnegard, N. Dak., and Erling of Wat­

ford City.

133

ROBERT McNAMARA

Robert "Bert" McNamara was born on September 22, 1882, at Belmond, Iowa. There he was reared and educated.

In March of 1905 he was united in marriage to Miss Mildred Smith. Shortly after their marriage they came to Anamoose, N. Dak., where he found employ­ment in a grain elevator. This work was injurious to his health and he was told by his doctor to quit this type of work.

In 1907 he filed on a homestead three miles south and one half mile east of Watford City. Farming and living on this homestead improved his health.

In addition to farming, he hauled coal, moved build­ings, did road work and also some trucking. One building that he moved from Schafer to Watford City was the Jack Zeller building.

Mrs. McNamara died on December 16, 1928. Later Mr. McNamara was united in marriage to Elvina Granlie. He died on September 30, 1957, at the age of 75.

Mr. McNamara always celebrated St. Patrick's Day. He was the father of fourteen children of whom nine are living.

In 1945 they moved to St. Hilaire, Minnesota, where they still reside.

They have one daughter, Phyllis, of Jacksonville, Florida, and a son, Gordon, of Gunnison, Colorado.

HANNAH JOHNSON STRAND

In company with her sister Martha and a cousin Trond Bergum, she arrived in Schafer in the spring of 1911. Trond had a sister Mrs. Lauritz Stenslie of Arnegard, N. Dak. Then Martha, who later became Mrs. Einer H. Dahl, and Hannah filed on adjoining quarter sections in the Spring Creek area.

She taught school in the Ellsworth area. Since there was no school building, they had their classes in a log house belonging to Robert Byrne who later became Secretary of State in N. Dak. She lived with the Henry Wakefield family. Her pupils were Clark and Mabel Jenner, Victor and Roderick Wakefield and two chil­dren of the Martin family. Later on a school building was moved to a site near the Jenner Ranch. At that time two girls of the Earley family joined the list of pupils.

Years later a school was established in the Spring Creek area and was named the Shaw School. The classes were held in a house belonging to Ole Tweden. Her pupils were Mary, Hannah, Adeline Gudmunson, Clarence Gudmunson Danielson, Molly Thompson, Vernil and Clarence Christianson, and Serena Hovet. The following year they had school at the Sten Thomp­son shack.

After proving up her homestead, Hannah went back to Hillsboro, N. Dak., and married Gilbert Strand where they still live.

Mrs. Geo. Sook's Shack

George W. Sook was born at Buffalo, Minnesota, on Feb. 27, 1888, and farmed there for a few years. In 1912 he came by stage from Dickinson and filed on a homestead in Dunn County.

In October of 1919 he married Miss Grace Frazier who had filed on a homestead a few miles up the river across from Tom Christianson's ranch. Like everyone else he made roads, broke up sage brush bottom land to grow garden products and feed until 1936 when it was so dry the seed never sprouted. By this time he had a band of sheep and with summer feed dried up, in August he sold the sheep and moved to Thief River Falls. FIRST SHAW SCHOOL

134

MR. AND MRS. H. H. JOHNSON

Mr. Hans H. Johnson was born in Lanesboro, Min­

nesota, on June 24, 1874. He received his education in

Peterson, Minnesota, and at a business college in

Decorah, Iowa. In 1907 he came to McKenzie County

to prove up a homestead. He crossed the Big Missouri

River in a basket on a cable and came on the stage

from Williston to Schafer. At that time there was a

midway stage station, the White House Hotel, on this

side of the Big Missouri River north of Rawson.

He had a 1920 Ford car which he was able to drive

at great speeds over the prairie roads. Once he drove

over a sleeping cow and after he had passed over it

the cow stood up, shook herself and walked away.

Mrs. Johnson, Isabel Higgins, was born on October

31, 1877, in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated from

Lake High School there. She and her friends in Chi­

cago spent their leisure time planning to prove up a

homestead in North Dakota. Isabel and her friend

Emma Ingram were the only ones who did come. She

came to McKenzie County in 1909 and proved up a

homestead three and one half miles south of Watford

City. While homesteading she lived in a small shack.

The roof was poor and one night during a bad storm

the roof blew off. The rain soaked everything in the

shack. The only dry place was under the bunk, so

that was where she spent the night.

She purchased some tar paper to fix her roof. As

she was on the roof repairing it, a salesman rode up.

He asked her where she was from and she told him

"Chicago." He was positively astonished and said,

"This is the first time I have ever had the privilege

of conversing with a young lady from Chicago."

She brought along her piano from Chicago as well

as a race horse named Topsy and a buggy.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson were married at Williston.

North Dakota, on Nov. 19, 1910.

After farming for twelve years he served 2 terms as

county auditor for McKenzie County. Later he was

employed at the Co-operative Supply Company in Wat­

ford City. Mr. Johnson served for thirteen years as

treasurer for Ideal School District.

They had one daughter, Jean, Mrs. Arnold Winsness

of Watford City.

Mr. Johnson died on April 8, 1948, and Mrs. Johnson

died on July 11, 1962.

ALFRED R. "MISSOURI IKE" KRAUSE

Alfred R. "Missouri Ike" Krause was born in Clark

County, Wisconsin, on April 3, 1890.

In 1902 he came to McKenzie County with his

mother to visit his sister Mrs. Alvin Woodside who

lived north east of Watford City on the Nesson Flat.

He homesteaded east of Watford City in Bear Den

Township on June 25, 1913. He lived there for five

years.

On March 7, 1918, he entered the army and was

assigned to the heavy artillery. He served six months

in France.

He was nicknamed "Missouri Ike" by Mr. Pearson,

a Swede, at Crosby, N. Dak. This nickname has stayed

with him through the years.

Mr. Krause worked for Harry K. Adams of rural

Arnegard for 15 years. He also worked for Bill Chand­

ler and Woodie Watson.

He came to Watford City in the fall of 1953 where

he presently resides.

Threshing With "Missouri Ike"

135

ANDERS WOLD

Anders Hanson Elsven Wold was born at Kolbo,

Norway, on May 5, 1838, and his wife, Helena Maria,

was born in the same area. They had a family of three

sons and four daughters. They were Mathias, Helmina,

Peder, Carrie, Helena Marie, Martin August and Helga.

They chose to come to America in 1890. They pur­

chased land in southern Minnesota and reared their

children there. Three years later one son and Mrs.

Wold contracted typhoid fever and died within days.

In 1910 A. H. Wold decided to seek and explore

western North Dakota. One of his sons was there and

one of the others was about to go. So he came to Mc­

Kenzie County in 1910 with his son Peder and family.

He stayed with M. A. Wold and family until he

bought another homesteader's rights as he wished to

sell and leave. This land joined M. A. Wold's land on

the east. He lived in a house which he built and it was

also used as a school.

Later he moved in with his son M. A. Wold and

family. He used to walk the distance of 27 miles one

way to Ray, N. Dak., and back in one day. He was

known by his neighbors as a stately, honest and stern

man of deeply religious faith. He died at his son's

home on January 23, 1923, and was laid to rest in the

Garden Valley Cemetery. The only surviving member

of the immediate family is a daughter, Mrs. Helga

Nelson, of St. Paul, Minnesota. He has many grand­

children in McKenzie County and also in Minnesota.

MR. AND MRS. BRYANT KELLOG

Among the early ranchers in the Watford City area

is Bryant Kellog who was born on May 23, 1894, at

Sundance, Wyoming. His parents were natives of Ohio.

He attended school at Sundance, Alliance, Ohio,

and at Fargo, N. Dak.

Since he was interested in ranching, he began his

ranching operation in McKenzie County prior to the

first World War. By 1930 he owned 500 head of cattle

and 200 head of horses. Then the depression came

and this was a hard experience for him.

Mrs. Kellog, the former Clara Olson, was born in

Spring Valley, Wisconsin.

Her folks came to McKenzie County in 1904. Their

goods consisted of household supplies, two horses, two

cows, two heifers, two calves, and a few chickens. Their

homesite was located two miles west of Keene, N. Dak.

Every spring and fall her father would make a trip

to Ray, N. Dak., for supplies that would last them for

six months. Their nearest post office was at Schafer,

which was eighteen miles away.

In 1908 she started school in a sod shack. Her first

teacher was Miss Inga Ryan whose parents were her

neighbors. In 1912 her father donated the land for a

school. This school was then known as the Olson

School. By this time the country was well settled and

at times there were as many as thirty students who

attended this school. The school term consisted of

three months in the fall and four months in the spring.

As homesteaders proved up their claims, her father

bought several quarters of land; at one time he

farmed over 300 acres of wheat and had over 300 head

of cattle. He died in 1935.

After Mrs. Kellog finished the grades and high

school, she attended the Minot State Teachers College

and taught for two years at Hanks, N. Dak., and for

four years at Watford City.

In 1928 they were married and skipped the wedding

trip. They settled on the HE Ranch near Watford

City. They remained there for sixteen years when they

sold their ranch and moved to Watford City where

they presently reside at 115 4th Ave. West.

The late Governor George Shafer was their brother-

in-law. Francis Kellog Shafer lives at Bismarck, North

Dakota. Their history will be found elsewhere in the

book

136

MR. AND MRS. PETER C. MOE

the first landing field at Watford City. It is located east of Watford City.

He has been in business continuously since 1914. His hobbies are rock and relic collecting, fishing and photography.

Mrs. Moe is presently employed as a clerk at Christ-ensen's Hardware Store in Watford City.

Peter C. Moe, son of Peter J. and Carolina Torkelson Moe, came to McKenzie County from Hatton, N. Dak., on May 10, 1911, with his father, two brothers and sister.

As a teenager he was an amateur photographer and bicycled around the area taking pictures of the nat­ural scenes and of the homesteads. The pictures were in demand to send to friends and relatives left behind.

He filed on land next to his father's homestead when he became of age. Later he worked as a garage me­chanic in Schafer. When Watford City became a village, he started his own garage business here in 1911. Later when Watford had its own electric plant, Mr. Moe operated that part of the time.

He was married to Miss Hilda S. Lynner of Arnegard on September 15, 1917. Mrs. Moe is a charter member of the Ladies Commercial Club, a noble grand of the Rebecca Lodge, and was always active in girl scouts.

They have two children. They are Phillip M. and Joyce, Mrs. S. G. Byerly, both of Watford City.

Mr. Moe served several years on the city council and was mayor from 1927-1928. He was a member of the city board when the present park was planned and started.

Mr. Moe was one of the first flyers in this area. He bought a Ryan M-l from the Northrup Aviation Co. in Minneapolis in 1929. On March 23, 1930, Mr. Moe flew it to Hatton, N. Dak., to attend the funeral of Carl Ben Eilsen, the North Dakota pilot who had be­come famous as a friend of the people who lived in the far reaches of Alaska.

In 1934 Mr. Moe stored the Ryan; first in the old Hamm Livery Barn at Watford City, and later in a barn at Shafer farm. Fred Shafer became the owner of the plane and subsequently sold it to Clayton Worst, Jr., J. Albert Knoop and John Burns who transported it to the Clayton Worst farm near Fairview, Montana. There it was stored (again in a barn) until the North­west Historical Society Committee, headed by Dr. W. B. Huntley, Jr., purchased it.

Mr. Moe was instrumental in the establishing of

The M l Ryan in 1929

Richard Dahl's Homestead Shack

Richard Dahl came to McKenzie County in 1908 and filed on a homestead near the Christ Dahl place in 1909.

In the spring of 1909 he sowed wheat on the land which he had broken and received 55 bushels per acre. He surely thought that he was in the "Garden of Eden." He continued to break more land and put in about 200 acres in 1910-1911. When he had it threshed, he barely got his seed back. He then changed the name of the garden!

In 1911 he moved off the place near Christ Dahl and on to what they call the "Bench". He recalls the many problems the well driller had at this place. One time he dropped the crow bar down the well and Mr. Dahl with a rope around his waist and with his wife handling the team got the crowbar back up.

In 1928 he traded his farm to M. A. McCarty and moved to Watford City.

In 1947 he moved to Medford, Oregon, where he is

presently living.

137

PETER J. MOE'S HOUSE

City. In May of 1911 he

Peter J. Moe was a native of Norway. He came to McKenzie County from Hatton, N. Dak., in 1910 and filed on a homestead three and a half miles southeast of Watford

brought his three sons and daughter here.

Mr. Moe was a carpenter and helped many of the homesteaders in this area build their homes. He op­erated his farm with the help of his young sons.

His wife, Caroline, died before he came to McKenzie County. Mr. Moe died on April 21, 1938, after suffer­ing a stroke.

THE LAURITS R. LARSEN FAMILY

Mr. and Mrs. Laurits R. Larsen were born in Den­mark, but their youth was spent in Iowa.

They homesteaded five miles northeast of Watford City in April, 1910.

They were blessed with five children of whom three are living. They are Jennie, Mrs. Nels Selid, of Port­land, N. Dak.; Amelia of Mason City, Iowa; Earl and Clarence are both deceased; and Vernon of Minnea­polis, Minnesota.

In 1922 the Larsens left for Minnesota. They later settled at Stanley, N. Dak. They both are deceased.

She was baptized Amanda but is better known as Molly.

They were blessed with four boys and two girls. Five of their children are living. They are Bernice, Mrs. Hilman Berg, of Watford City; Herman of Killdeer, N. Dak.; Esther, Mrs. Harold Skaar of Watford City; Sten of Seattle, Washington; Kenneth of Williston, N. Dak. Their youngest son, Edward, was killed in a deer hunting accident north of Watford City on November 9, 1957. In 1955 they retired from active farming and moved to Watford City where they presently reside.

MR. AND MRS. STEN THOMPSON AND MOLLY

Mr. and Mrs. Sten Thompson came to McKenzie County in the fall of 1913. They like so many of the old timers filed on a homestead in the Spring Creek community which is southeast of Watford City. When they arrived in McKenzie County, Watford City was not in existence. Their town was Shafer.

Mr. and Mrs. Thompson had a foster child, Molly. She is today Mrs. f^ristofer Berg of Watford City.

Mr. Thompson died on July 3, 1914, and was the first one to be buried in the old Spring Creek Cemetery.

Mrs. Thompson died in 1950 and was the last one to be buried in the same cemetery.

MR. AND MRS. KRISTOFER BERG

Kristofer Berg was born in Snassa, Norway, on September 26, 1892. He came to McKenzie County in 1913 and filed on a homestead thirteen miles south­east of Watford City.

In 1924 he married Miss Amanda Thompson who was born in Ottawa, Illinois, on September 30, 1900.

MR. AND MRS. NELS SELID

Nels Selid was born at Valdres, Norway,

| and came to the Unit-i ed States in , 1905 to 1 Balfour, N. Dak.

In 1906 he home-1 steaded five and one half miles northeast of Watford City.

In 1915 he was united in marriage to Jennie Larsen. They had seven children. They are Ove of Fairbanks, Alaska; Alvin, a Lutheran pastor, of Spokane, Wash­ington; Norman of Fargo, N. Dak.; Harold of Willis­ton, N. Dak.; Orville of Minot, N. Dak.; Annie, Mrs. Alvin Amb, of Portland, N. Dak.; Dorothy, Mrs. Syril Hennenfent of Riverdale, N. Dak. Nels died in '58 ; his widow lives at Portland.

138

LUPEON FANCY

buried in the Charbonneau Cemetery. In 1937 Mr. Berg sold his land to the government and moved his family to Klaber, Washington.

They have four living children. They are Emil of Chehalis, Washington; Alice, Mrs. John Heezen of Ree Heights, S. Dak.; Charlotte, Mrs. Clayo Van Wagner of Denver, Colo.; Ida, Mrs. Evan Campbell, of Florence, Oregon.

Mr. Berg died in April of 1963 at a rest home in Chehalis, Washington.

Lupeon Fancy was born in Nova Scotia on Feb. 16, 1879, and came to Marlboro, Mass., in 1897 and lived there until 1902.

In Sept. of 1902 he came to McKenzie County ar­riving at Schafer with the mail stage from Williston. He received his final citizenship papers on Sept. 24, 1906 before Judge Goss in Williston. His two witnesses were Jeffrey E. Hanley of Schafer and G. B. Metzger of Williston.

He filed on a homestead about 8 miles northeast of Schafer and began to work for Jeffrey E. Hanley. He worked for him until 1917. He then went to his homestead near Fancy Buttes and lived there until 1939 when he went to work for Angus Kennedy, Sr.

Mr. Fancy recalls that Frank Poe was the first sher­iff in McKenzie County. He knew the Charles Shafer family, Frank Banks, Bob Wilcox, the Uhlmans, Ran­dall Brothers, Pete Johnston and many other old timers.

His cattle brand was bar over V on left ribs and on horses a bar over V on left shoulder. He does not own the brand any more.

He still makes his home at the Kennedy Ranch. He is 85.

OTTO BERG

Otto Berg arrived in McKenzie County in 1910 and was married thet same year to Miss Anna Skjermo at Williston.

On August 10, 1910, they filed on separate home­steads in the Spring Creek area. Martin Hildre, their neighbor, helped them build their shacks.

In 1917 he gave up his land and in 1923 Arne Berg bought his rights and later sold it to Peter Omlid. Skjermo's land was traded with Robert Norheim of Alexander for some land south of the community of Charbonneau. The family moved there in 1917.

In 1925 Ingeborg Anna Skjermo died and was

Olaus Tweden's Shack

Olaus Tweden came to McKenzie County in 1912 with his father, the late Ole P. Tweden. At that time McKenzie County was known as the "Last Frontier." At this time Mr. Tweden was twenty years of age and so he had to wait one year before he could file on a homestead. In 1913 he filed on land in the Spring Creek area and three years later when he had proved up on the land he had 320 acres of land. Most of this was for grazing.

Mr. Tweden recalls how bleak it was in those early days. Here and there one would see a black tar paper shack. In order to avoid some of the loneliness, the homesteaders would gather at someone's shack and dance. The shacks were usually about twelve feet square. Everyone would have a good time at these old time dancing parties.

They had a ball team called the "Spring Creek Ball Nine." This provided the people in the vicinity with a great amount of amusement.

In 1918 he was inducted into the United States Army, at Camp Custer, Michigan. He was discharged in April of 1919 at Ft. Sheridan, Illinois. He then came back to the "Last Frontier" in McKenzie County.

It was during the depression years that Mr. Tweden left this area for Washington state. Later he went to Alaska and proved up on another homestead at Homer on Kachemak Bay on the Kenai Peninsula. Afterwards he moved to Mountain View, suburb of Ancho­rage. There he worked for a number of years in civil service work.

Presently he and his wife live at Mountain View, Alaska.

139

/

MR. AND MRS. OSCAR FORLAND

MR. AND MRS. CLYDE STALEY

Clyde Staley was born Oct. 10, 1895, in Watertown, S. D. He moved to Clear Lake, S. D., and in the winter of 1916 he came to Watford City to visit his sister, Parney. While here he bought a relinquishment to a homestead southwest of Alexander in the Horsecreek Community. He returned to his home and in the Spring of 1917 joined the South Dakota National Guard where he spent two years. In June, 1919, he was married to MyrI Jarvis at Atkinson, Nebr. They came immediately to his homestead in McKenzie Co. They were met at the depot and escorted to their "Honeymoon Shack" in an open touring car. Their only mode of travel was an old horse and buggy loaned to them by Dutch Vierguts.

It was impossible to live on grasshoppers, however, so they secured a leave of absence. In August, Bill Shirk took them to interview Mr. Steffeck, then Co. Supt. and they both secured schools, Mrs. Staley at Banks and Clyde at the Rud Anderson school. They witnessed one of North Dakota's severest winters and were able to make it to Watford City only once before spring. Many experiences of that winter stand out in their memory, viz, Mrs. Staley's Angelfood, which Clyde served to Tony VonRuden, in her absence, and which Tony buttered and said it was the best bread he ever tasted. Mrs. Staley's pupils had been coming to school with the weird tale that the world was going to freeze up on Dec. 17. As they opened their outside door that morning about sunup, they were greeted with loud booms that reverberated from heaven to earth. At school an explanation was forthcoming from a school patron. It had rained during the night and by now you know that the warmth of the sun got busy splitting the crust of ice on the drifts causing those resounding blasts.

In 1920 Staleys moved to Watford City where Clyde was employed in George Johnson's grocery store and his wife taught the 4th and 5th grades. During the following years Clyde worked in the Security State Bank for Mr. LaBrant, was the Standard Bulk agent for over twelve years and owned the local Coast to Coast store for a number of years. The Staleys left here several times in the early days to look for "greener pastures," always returning to the "best community in 50 states."

They had two boys, both now married. They have eight grandchildren. Mr. Staley is presently employed at the post office in Watford City.

Oscar Forland was born in Suldal, Norway on April 18, 1870. As a young man of twenty two, he left his home and came to America. He first came to Iowa where he worked for twelve years. He then came with the many others to file on homestead land in McKen­zie County in 1906.

At Rohjtte, North Dakota he met the pretty Mathilda Olson, who was then living with two of her uncles there. This young lady, born of very poor parents, April 26, 1885, had left her home and friends at Haugesund, Norway and at the tender age of seventeen crossed the ocean. Mathilda's uncles strongly disap­proved of Oscar as a suitor for her, as he was a much older and a worldly wise man. They tried to end the courtship in numerous ways, but love won out and Oscar and Mathilda were united in marriage in No­vember, 1906. In 1907 the young couple left Rolette and came to McKenzie County to settle on their claim.

After the scenic beauty df the home they left in Norway, the prairie on which they settled seemed very desolate and barren, but with great determination and high hopes they started their new life. Lonely but busy were the days for the young wives of these pioneers. But all was not loneliness and work, for good times are told of when there was gathering of neighbors and fun was had by all.

The children born to Oscar and Mathilda Forland were: Olaf, Westfield, Mass.; Martha (Mrs. Eddie Hartel), Sacramento, Calif.; Melvin, passed away in 1940; Alfred, Watford City, N. D.; Herman, Puyal-lup, Wash.; Clarence, Spokane, Wash.; Leonard, Marys-ville, Calif.; Ann (Mrs. Olaf Fisketjon), Watford City, N. D.; Minerva (Mrs. Fabian Zimmerman), Taylor. N. D.

Oscar died at the age of 82 years on Dec. 7, 1952. Mathilda lived for the ten following years with her children. Busy and helpful to all around her was this gentle woman till the day she passed from this world, July 12, 1962. They were both laid to rest in the Gar­den cemetery at the Garden Lutheran Church yard.

JOHN B. JOHNSON

John B. Johnson was born in Iowa and filed on a home­stead south of Watford in 1906, where he farmed for a number of years. Liking car­pentering better, he went in­to that and built many homes, schoolhouses, and such around Watford City. He died in 1947. JOHN JOHNSON

140

OLE H. HAUGEN

Community. They were married on November 18, 1910, and farmed and ranched for many years.

Their son John C. was born on their farm on June 14, 1913.

Mr. Peterson was an early organizer and builder of rural schools and churches in this area. He is a deeply religious man.

Ole H. Haugen was born in Norway in 1883 and came to the United States in 1905.

He came to McKenzie County in 1913 and filed on a homestead south of T P Butte. With the assistance of Martin Quinell, they built his homestead shack.

Mr. Haugen will never forget the first time he. slept in his shack. He had made a "comforter" out of burlap material and filled it with straw. As he went to bed that evening, he thought that it would be terribly lonely. During the middle of the night he had a num­ber of "visitors." There were mice in the straw and this produced a merry time in his shack near TP Butte.

Later he secured three oxen and broke up 50 acres of land in one summer.

Mr. Haugen received all of his education in Norway. Nevertheless, he learned to read, write, and speak English very well.

He is currently living at 816 Summit Ave. East in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN P. PETERSON AND SON

John P. Peterson was born in Missouri on August 23, 1880, and was reared and educated in Minnesota. He came to McKenzie County in 1906. His folks had warned him that girls were very scarce in McKenzie County and that he would have a difficult time finding one. When he arrived in McKenzie County, he was very much surprised to find many fine young ladies. His folks did not realize that the young ladies were homesteading as well as the young men. By 1909 there was a shack on nearly every quarter of land in the county.

One of these homesteading girls became his wife. She was Miss Ingeborg M. Kjelstadlie. She was born in Norway on December 14, 1872. She came to the United States from England in 1906 settling at Minot. There she worked until 1909 when she came to McKen­zie County and filed on a homestead in the Farland

J. P. Peterson hauling oats in 1913

MR. AND MRS. OLE 0 . TWEDEN

Ole O. Tweden was born in Norway in 1851 and emigrated to the United States arriving at Iowa where he lived for several years.

When land was opened for settling in the Red River Valley, he left Iowa and came to Dakota Territory and settled near Buxton, N. Dak. There he farmed and reared his family. Later several of his sons moved to McKenzie County and filed on claims. In 1912 he came too and filed a claim in the Spring Creek area.

He was known as "Grandpa" Tweden to everyone. His claim shack was used as the first schoolhouse in the area. The first school was held in 1913. This was the beginning of Shaw School.

Since his shack was located on a hill, this became known as the "Grandpa Hill" and today it is still referred to by that name.

After proving up on his claim, he returned to his farm near Buxton. He made periodic visits to McKenzie County through the years.

He sold his claim in 1926. However, he could not forget the West, so he later disposed of his farm at Buxton and brought his remaining family to McKenzie County.

At the age of 82 he contracted pneumonia and died in March of 1933.

Mrs. Tweden died in 1938.

141

MR. AND MRS. GILFOY MR. AND MRS. HOWARD SHELLEY

Parney Staley Gilfoy was born at Clark, S. D., on Oct. 9, 1887. She moved with her parents to Water-town, S. D. When she was about twenty, she went to Minneapolis and secured work trimming hats in a millinery store. Later she came to Beach, N. D. where she was also employed as a trimmer.

In 1913, she was encouraged by a cousin, Scott Stephens, who had filed on a homestead here, to come to McKenzie Co. and file on land southwest of Alexan­der.

For a year she lived on her claim and worked in the Nameless Post Office, which was operated by Bob Stroud and was located about three miles east of Cartwright on what is now highway 23.

During that year her shack was demolished in a cyclone, which scattered her belongings and left her lying by her kerosene cookstove several rods from her shack. She was found and cared for by her good neighbors, the Murray Vanderhoefs.

This didn't dampen her pioneer spirit, however, for in 1914, she came to the new town of Watford City and started her own millinery store in a building where the Larsen Drug Store is now located. She later moved to another location and added drygoods, no­tions, and ready-to-wear. She operated her own busi­ness until her death in 1956.

She loved this country, which she had chosen to make her home, also its people and she won many close friends through her courageous and loyal spirit.

In 1926, she was married to Tom Gilfoy, who was employed by the North American Creamery Company. Her husband preceded her in death.

Mrs. Gilfoy's Claim Shack MILTON K. "HIGGINS"

Madison Ferdinand Higgins was one of the earliest homesteaders in Twin Valley township. He came with his family from Missouri and filed on his homestead, and also had the only general store in the area.

The Higgins' had two children: Lorna, now Mrs. Ernest Vick of Great Falls, Montana, and Milton, who is an attorney in Bismarck.

The elder Higgins returned to Missouri in the early 20's.

142

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Shelley were born in Northern Minnesota and were married at Backus, Minnesota, in 1910. Mr. Shelley had a brother in McKenzie County and since there was homestead land available in 1910, they decided to buy some machinery and ship it to Williston.

The first time they saw the present site of Watford City there wasn't one building, just a prairie dog town. Mr. Shelley's first job was working on the Wild Cow Railroad which brought needed supplies from the Missouri River to Watford City. Mr. Shelley hauled the first load of coal to Watford City in 1915 from their homestead mine. He supplied the town with coal for a number of years.

Mrs. Shelley recalls how welcome neighbors were in the early days. One Sunday when they had been gone visiting sixteen people came to visit them. It was an unwritten law of the community that you did not return home without a meal and the horses fed. The

THE POWDER PUFF

We Extend Our Heartiest

Congratulations to Wat ford City

on Its Golden Jubilee

ROSE LAWLAR, Prop.

chief requirement was to wash the dishes and leave some fuel by the stove.

Mrs. Shelley was the first teacher of the Wilcox School. She taught there two terms.

The Shelleys had four boys. They are Russell of Watford City; Kenneth of Rudd, Iowa; Keith of Ashe-ville, North Carolina; and Gordon of Dallas, Texas.

Mr Fisher was born in LaCrosse, Wis., on Aug-

STILLMAN RICHARDSON'S

Stillman Richardson and his wife Lena came to McKenzie County in 1906, where they filed on a homestead about fourteen miles east of Watford City. There were few schools or churches at that time and they circulated a petition and the result was the Joyce school, the first teacher being Cecelia Uhlman Staar, a later teacher being Frances Kellogg, later the wife of Gov. Schafer. Church was held in the homes as a rule although sometimes the schools were used, with Rev. Cowgill, a Presbyterian minister, being remembered as one of the first preachers. Many times he came to the Richardson's riding a bicycle.

A terrible blizzard in 1919 brought all of the pupils of the Joyce school to the Richardson's to spend the night. In 1920, they lost their house and belongings in a fire caused by lightning. Good neighbors and the Red Cross came to the rescue.

Living between two Indian reservations, overnight visitors were often Indians. They always left a gift of moccasins or beads and especially welcome at one time was a gift of potatoes.

Mrs. Richardson died in 1932 and is buried in the Schafer cemetery and Mr. Richardson died in 1946 and is buried at Livingston. They had five children: Min­nie, Mrs. Albert Hooseline; Edwin, who died in 1926; Adah, living in Oak Harbor, Wash.; Harry (Ted), of Livingston, Mont.; and Blanche, Mrs. Theo. Brue, now living in Livingston, Mont. The two eldest children were also homesteaders in McKenze County, along with their father and mother.

Sunday Gathering in 1920.

AUGUST AND ZAIDA FISHER

ust 24, 1891, and came to McKenzie County in 1908

and filed on a homestead in 1909 about seven miles

from the Uhllman Ranch.

In 1915 she married a cowboy, August Fisher. They

lived on her homestead until the buildings were destroy­

ed by fire. Then they bought land four miles west of

Watford City.

Mrs. Fisher recalls her first day in Williston in 1909.

She was wearing a large fancy hat and the wind was

blowing terrifically. Her hat went sailing down the

street with her brother running after it. When he se­

cured it, it was badly bent and dirty. Their mode of

conveyance was a four-horse lumber wagon which was

loaded with supplies. She perched herself on top and

they were on their way to her brother's shack. They

crossed the Missouri on a ferry, fed the horses and

ate lunch on an ant hill.

When they arrived at her brother's shack, she was

startled to see a one-room shack with a sod roof. Dur­

ing the night a terrible storm arose and partially de­

molished the roof. Her brother discovered a match and

an umbrella. They sat under the umbrella and sang,

"Carry Me Back To Old Virginia." At daybreak they

found the hayrack against the door. Her brother crawl­

ed out of the window and moved it. Then they went to

their sister, Mrs. August Jens, who was living at the

V W Ranch. Mr. Fisher died in 1949 and Mrs. Fisher lives on

the farm.

GEORGE BRUINS

George Bruins came to McKenzie County in 1907, when all he could see were prairie dogs and coyotes, but soon there were shacks here and there. In counting the homesteaders recently he counted eighty-five whom he had known, but was able to account for only nine living ones at this time.

He remembers the happy days of homesteading and the time they went to Williston after lumber—six of them. Coming back, the river was too rough to cross on ferry, and they had to camp for three days. The worst part was running out of food.

Finding a housekeeper and good wife was the fate of most homesteaders as it was for George Bruins, and they set up housekeeping on the homestead in Far-land Township. They lived there until they retired to Watford City in 1962, where they still reside.

Their children are Elmer, Watford City; Henry, Sid-ney, Montana; Dorothy, Mrs. Irv. Ulledalen and Math­ilda, Mrs. Hoglund of Chicago, Illinois.

143

MR. MRS. HANS OKLAND

The other five children and seventeen grandchildren are all residents of the state of North Dakota. Bertha is an associate professor at Minot State College, Lilly, (Mrs. Norman Rolf son) lives at Bismarck, Arthur is in business at Watford City, Hilmer farms in Schafer Township, and Clifford is employed in Minot.

MR. AND MRS. HANS OKLAND

Mr. and Mrs. Hans Okland homesteaded about 61/2 miles northeast of Watford City in Garden Township. Hans was born at Fitjar, Bergen, Norway on February 22, 1888. Mrs. Okland (Kristine) Storien, Bergen, Norway on March 28, 1889. Hans left his home in Norway at the age of fifteen for economic reasons. He spent one year as a cook's apprentice on board a fishing vessel between Norway and Iceland in order to earn enough for a passage to America. He worked on farms in South Dakota and in the eastern part of North Dakota until he was old enough to file on a homestead. Then, in the spring of 1909, he came to McKenzie County to the post office of Schafer where his brother Knut and his childhood friend, Marselius Rolfson, had already homesteaded.

Kristine, orphaned at the age of ten, was sent to live with relatives at Fitjar, Norway. She attended the same school as Hans. After he came to America, he urged her to come across the ocean to marry him. She had to wait until she reached the age of eighteen to be released from her guardians. She then left for America and arrived in 1907 at Finley, N. D. She worked as house maid in various homes in eastern North Dakota and in South Dakota. She came to Schaf­er to be married to Hans Okland on November 24, 1909.

Their wedding took place in the Lutheran parsonage in the Farland community. The ceremony was per­formed by the Reverend M. T. Berntson who had just arrived at the parsonage. They only had the bare nec-cessities in the line of furniture. Apple boxes were used for chairs on this occasion. The bridal party had travelled about fifteen miles in a horse drawn sled across trackless snow-covered prairie to the parson­age. Mr. and Mrs. Hans Okland spent the rest of their days in the Watford City community. They were mem­bers of the Garden Lutheran Church. Kristine died on April 29, 1949, and Hans died on September 14, 1955.

Their six children attended the public school of Wat­ford City. One son, Thomas, died on January 5, 1961, and a grandson, Thomas, was drowned on May 5, 1957.

GEORGE M. MANGOLD

Two young men living in Bottineau County heard that land was being opened for homesteading in McKen­zie County and thought it would be fun to go out there and live for a while and at the same time acquire a piece of land. In 1906 George Mangold and Dougal McMillan came to Williston by train, hired a team and driver and drove the fifty miles over the winding prairie trail to Schafer where they contacted Bill Jan-sen, a "Locater." He showed them land west of Shaf­er four and one-half miles and that Roy Neuman had under fence. They filed on adjoining claims there but did not take up residence until that fall when they built their little tar papered shacks and lived through one of the coldest winters Dakota has ever known, or so they said.

They walked to Schafer every day for mail and sup­plies and to visit with the folks. Time passed quickly and on August 5, 1907, they made final proof before Judge F. S. Kellog and became the owners each of 160 acres of land. Dougal later sold his quarter to George. George's homestead is located on highway 85 just south of and adjoining the present town of Wat­ford City.

He is a blacksmith by trade and lives at Phoenix, Arizona. His hobby is making articles such as lamps, candle sticks, ash trays, door knockers, etc. He has three children. They are Kenneth, Enid, and Betty. They are all married and reside in Arizona. His wife died in 1959. His sister Mrs. Ethel Robinson lives in Watford City.

144

*ff

k^ft Mr. and Mrs. Hjalmer Nel­

son were both born in Varm-land, Sweden, he in 1885 and she in 1883, and immigrated to this country in 1905 and 1906 respectively. He came to the Souris-Antler area, where he worked for his brother for a time before coming to McKen­zie County to homestead in

1906, establishing the farm which his son now oper­ates. Freda filed on a homestead in Garden township also, working at Wheelock for a time before coming to the area. She never forgot her experience of cross­ing the Missouri River to come to her homestead. It was about dark when she crossed by ferry and a thun­derstorm came up suddenly. She became lost in the thick timber, dropped her purse, and ended up spend­ing the night under a big tree. She often said it was the longest night of her life.

They were married in 1908 by Pastor Peder Arns-tad at the Arnstad home in Garden. They had four chil-dred: Agnes, Mrs. Al Flaten, of Springfield, Oregon; Ellen, Mrs. Grant Rud, of Watford City; Ann, Mrs. 0 . E. Olson of Montevideo, Minnesota, and Arthur W., on the home place.

Courage was an everyday word for the pioneer cou­ple as shown by the time Freda was hauling mail from Arnstads to Schafer. Cherry Creek was overflowing its banks, but she thought that the mail had to go through, so she drove the team hitched to a buggy into the* tor­rent and got safely across. How? One wonders!

There were many enjoyable times, visiting on Sun­days, staying the whole day, and of all the social ac­tivities perhaps "building bees" stand out. In fact, one granary on the home place was built by neighbors on a Sunday, and it is still in use. Hjalmer enjoyed horse-trading, and he and Ole Johnsrud were forever trying to "swap" each other out of a good horse.

As times improved and the "help" was growing up, Hjalmer became interested in politics. He had served on a school board, township boards, and other things, but in 1939, he was appointed to fill the vacan­cy in the State Senate left by the death of Se. John Brostuen, and he continued in office by election until his death. In 1940 Mrs. Nelson died suddenly.

As the years passed, Hjalmer continued actively in farming and raising livestock, until the mid 40's, when he more or less turned operation of his farm over to his son, selling the land to him in 1950.

Hjalmar and his wife and son went back to Sweden to visit in 1925, and Hjalmar made three trips back there later.

No doubt the highlight of Hj aimer's political career was being instrumental in getting the passage of a bill appropriating funds to build the sorely needed bridge across the Yellowstone River into Montana. He never realized the completion of the "bridge project" as in 1952, he passed away suddenly after a short ill­ness. A very fitting memorial to him was established in 1956, when the bridge was opened to traffic and names the "Hjalmer Nelson Memorial Bridge" in a ceremony greatly appreciated and never to be for­gotten by his family and friends.

LYSTAD TEXACO SERVICE

LYLE LYSTAD, Prop.

SAM'S ENCO SERVICE

SAM CHARCHENKO, Prop.

145

E. E. PARRISH FAMILY

E. E. Parrish filed on a homestead in what is now Pershing Township in McKenzie Co., in the fall of 1909.

Natives of southern 111., Edward E. Parrish was born Jan. 13, 1880, at Kinmundy and Mrs. Parrish (Celina Powell) on May 6, 1883, at Neoga. They were married Mar. 1, 1904, and three years later moved from 111. to Clear Lake, Iowa.

In the spring of 1911 the family came to their home­stead east of Schafer, N. D. They were encouraged to come, by friends, Oscar Stiner and his parents, the Joe Stiners, who had already filed on homesteads.

The three Parrish sons were born in three seperate states; Powell, in 111.; Lloyd, in Iowa; and Leonard, in N. D.

Leaving a thickly settled community and coming to western N. D. was quite a contrast and they missed-the longer growing season, the abundance of fruit and shade trees, and other plant life that flourished in the old home state. They were lonely sometimes, but never really wanted to go back.

Mr. and Mrs. Parrish are deceased. Mr. Parrish died Oct., 194S, and Mrs. Parrish, Oct., 1956.

Powell lives alone on the old homestead, Lloyd and family are on Oscar Stiner's homestead, and Leonard and family live in Miltonvale, Kansas.

J. I. BERG

Julius I. Berg and family immigrated from Spring Valley, Wis. in 1904. They were born in Solar, Nor­way. Mrs. Berg was born in 1868 and died in 1952. Mr. Berg was born in 1863 and died in 1945.

During the first summer on the homestead, all their household water was hauled in barrels by team from Clear Creek, where Oscar Jonsrud now lives. The same year they thought they had met their doom when the "Big Prairie Fire" swept through the county. With breaking up sod and many fire fighters, their place was saved. Their first Christmas tree was a large tumbling weed.

Their first school was held in the Anton Anderson shack, with Ingeborg Isaacson as the teacher, and with 10 pupils.

The Berg Post Office and store was established in the year of 1905, and discontinued in the early 40s.

The remaining members of the Berg family, name­ly Wm. K. Berg, Emma, and Lottie Berg Scott are living in San Diego, Calif.

146

U. S. D. A. CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST

McKENZIE RANGER DISTRICT WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

From 1. to r.: (FRONT) Arnold Winsness, District Ranger, Robert Richmond, Rge and Wldf Staff

From 1. to r.: (BACK) Gloria Jean Hedstrom, Clerk-Typist, David Filius, Rec. and Lands Staff

CONGRATULATIONS: to Watford City, N. Dak.

on Its 50th Anniversary

1964

CHUCK WAGON CAFE DEAN and KATHLEEN ETL, Props.

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MR. AND MRS. ALBIN KNUTSON

Albin Knutson was born on January 1, 1864, in Home City, Iowa. He came with his folks to Min­nesota where he was reared. Later he moved to Bot­tineau County, North Dakota, where he worked on ranches.

In 1900 he filed on a homestead near the Big Mis­souri River later known as "Shady Meadows." He first lived in a two-room log cabin and later built a four-room house. He built all his own buildings which consisted of a barn, garage, and a cattle shed.

He married Miss Gina Glomstad in 1906. She was born at LaCrosse, Wisconsin, on Mar. 24, 1875. They had two children. They are Albin Clarence, who has passed away, and Helen, Mrs. Norman Danielson of Watford City. The Danielsons have five children.

Mr. Knutson died on July 10, 1930, and Mrs. Knut­son remained on the farm until 1938 when she moved to Watford City. She presently resides at the Good "Shepherd Home.

'.

MR. AND MRS. BOTNER

MR. AND MRS. ARNE BOTNER

Mr. and Mrs. Arne Botner were born in Solar and Telemarken, Norway respectively. They came to Joice,

Iowa and were later married there. They were engaged in farming in Iowa until 1910, when they came to North Dakota to homestead, as did several other families from Joice.

They made the trip to Williston by rail, and crossed the Missouri River by cable ferry, and continued the rest of the journey by stagecoach. The treeless pra-ries, the howl of the coyote, and the rattlesnakes were a marked contrast to their former location, and most of the tar-paper shacks seemed to be situated behind hills making the country seem more forlorn.

These neighbors from Iowa built a school in their midst, known as Joyce School. This building also serv­ed as their church for a number of years.

The Botners had seven children, namely: Bennie, Elmer, Mabel (Mrs. Emil Sorenson), Emma (Mrs. Harold Tweden), and Agnes (Mrs. Hans Lofthus), all of Watford City. Oscar and Albert are deceased.

•i± SCOTTIE AND FRANK THOMPSON

Scortie and Frank Thompson, broth­er and sister, came from Missouri with their mother and all filed on home­steads in Twin Valley township.

Frank's remarkable sense of direction was really something. He was always able to find his way home even in a blinding snow storm, which was something in those days. Frank died in 1930.

Congratulations to Watford City

on Its Fiftieth Anniversary

McKENZIE COUNTY GRAZING ASSOC.

H. H. LUNDIN, President ROY BURNS. Vice President JOYCE M. BYERLY, Sec.-Treas.

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"Congratulations" From the

HILLSIDE MOTEL

"Your Home Away From Home"

Phone 3941

147

MR. AND MRS. MARSELIUS ROLFSON

Marselius Rolfson, at the age of 19, emigrated from Bergen, Norway, to Clark, South Dakota, in 1902. He arrived in Williston in 1906 and in a rig from the Hef-ferman Livery he spent one day in the Bonetrail area looking at various tracts of land. The next day he walked to Alexander and from there to the Harry Lan­don sheep ranch and then to Schafer. Here he, Mr. Kirkeby, Knute Okland, and Jacob Larson hired Billy Jansen, local land locater, to find them land. They went by buggy to the Demmick Lake area, then cir­cled north and west again and by evening they arrived at the place where the Cherry and Tobacco Garden creeks come within two or three miles of each other. Here they located on adjoining homesteads next to what is now known as Stoney Butte.

Ingrid Forland, the age of 22, emigrated from Suldal, Norway, in 1905, and arrived at Williston in 1906 in company with her brother and Mrs. Charles J. Anderson where they were met by Mrs. Anderson' husband, who had previously homeseaded near the Tobacco Garden Creek. After locating land in that area, she returned to Williston and filed. She spent the winter at Rollette County. The following spring she left for her homestead to stay. One of her neigh­bors was a bachelor, Marselius Rolfson. Romance soon blossomed on the prairie and in 1909 they were married. They then moved their two shacks together at a new location on her homestead. During the early days Mrs. Rolfson was a midwife.

The Rolfsons celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1959. Mr. Rolfson died in October of 1963. Mrs. Rolfson still resides on the same location and now at the age of 81 is still active in community affairs and proud of her pioneering experiences.

Mr. and Mrs. Rolfson had seven sons and two daugh­ters. One daughter, Myrtle, died in infancy and a son, Oscar, died at the age of 29. The oldest son, Marselius Jr., lives at Poison, Montana; Norman of Bismarck, N. Dak.; Albert of Coos Bay, Oregon; Arkjer of Wat­ford City; Marie, Mrs. John Skoglund, of Watford City, Erling of New Rockford, North Dakota, and Ras­mus of Watford City.

148

The Rolfsons Golden Wedding

MALONEY'S CAFE

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MALONEY'S CAFE

A Good Place to Eat

PHONE 2287 WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

MR. AND MRS. THORVALD MARSTEN

Mr. Marsten was born at Lorn, Gudbrandsdalen, Norway, on May 20, 1887, and came to the U. S. in 1909. He worked in the Red River Valley area until 1912 when he came to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead. He hired one of his neighbors to haul the lumber for a shack from Williston.

He recalls the winter of 1913 as being very mild. In fact, he helped his neighbors thresh flax on New Year's Eve.

He was united in marriage to Miss Emma Berg on October 15, 1913, at Williston. She was born on Feb. 14, 1891, in Snaasa, Norway, and came to McKenzie County in 1911.

Mr. and Mrs. Marsten recall how difficult some of the early years were. They had two cows that kept them supplied with all the milk, cream and butter. Some of this they would sell and then buy some of the other needed commodities. When they threshed their first crop of flax, they thought they were quite rich.

Their homestead was located near a main road. One evening he went to his neighbor to get some bread and he left a kettle of soup simmering on the stove. When he returned, it was about dark. He found a stranger sitting on his bed. This man had walked from Dickinson and was dodging the police. He was wanted for selling Mortgaged property. He stayed all night and next morning he was on his way north.

Mr. Marsten remembers so well the day when a gyp­sy couple came up to him while he was breaking sod. The lady told him his fortune and then wanted some money. Mr. Marsten refused to give her money. He cracked the leader whip .and the horses were off. The last thing he heard her say was, "You will never have a healthy day as long as you live."

They have six children. They are Ragna, Mrs. Inge Haugen of Eugene, Oregon; Edna, Mrs. Peter Klos-terman of Oakridge, Oregon; Olga, Mrs. Walter Hovet of Watford City; Thorlief of Seattle, Wash.; Agnes, Mrs. John Mathistad of Watford City and Ruby, Mrs. Clifford Haugen of Havre, Montana.

They are now retired and live in Watford City.

HERB'S BOATING CENTER

Boats, Motors, Trailers

Honda Motorcycles

McKays Water Conditioners

PHONE 6661 Watford City

Heartiest Congratulations on

Watford City's Golden Jubilee

HERB A N D EVIE BRUINS

149

LETTIE UHLMAN KELLOGG

Lettie was born in Roberts, Wisconsin, in 1890. When

she was ten, her mother, who remained in Wisconsin

until her husband was permanently located in Dakota,

put her on the train for Williston to spend her sum­

mer with her rancher father, James Uhlman. He met

Lettie at the depot with a team and wagon, took her to

the Birdhead Ranch where he was part owner of the

Morning Star Cattle Company. Here Lettie learned

her first lesson in self-reliance. Her father instilled

in her a love for livestock and ranching.

In 1915 Lettie married Thomas Kellogg, a Wiscon­

sin lumberman. While living in Wisconsin two chil­

dren were born to them. They are Millie Jean, Mrs.

Arnold Ceynar, of Arnegard and Thomas living on the

old Uhlman Ranch. Mrs. Kellogg and children returned

to the family ranch in 1933 which she operated for

many years. She has ridden the range and attended

countless roundups. Her favorite riding partner was

the late Emma Christensen Perry, another top cowgirl.

Lettie recalls how she brought home a mare and

colt, putting them into the corral and then going to

the house. Glancing out the window, she saw the mare

and colt headed for the prairie again. She ran to the

bam and mounted the first horse, which was equip­

ped with a man's saddle with long stirrups. Heading

the mare back, the running horse jumped a washout

and Lettie lit in front of the saddle on the horse's neck.

As she slipped around, her boot top caught on the sad­

dle horn, leaving Lettie hanging by her boots. With a

mighty effort of her free leg, she hooked it around

the horse's neck, raising herself enough to free the

boot, leaving Lettie to slip off the horse. She never

knew how she managed to still have the reins in her

hand, enabling her to stop the horse, mount and ride

home. Riding in a shocked condition, she could hear

the echo of her mother's words, "Some day that girl

will be thrown and dragged to death." Her mother

never knew how close her prediction came to being true.

Mrs. Kellogg now lives in Watford City and still en­

joys riding the range and spends many hours on her

favorite horse.

The Cook and Dishwasher at Crazy Man Creek in October of 1910

MR. AND MRS. H. L. MOE

Mr, and Mrs. H. L. Moe were natives of Trond-heim, Norway, where they were married in 1900. They left their homeland and settled at Superior, Wisconsin, where Mr. Moe worked at the carpenter trade. Two children, Lewis and Betsey, were born to thefn at Super­ior.

In 1903 they came to McKenzie County and Mr. Moe was elected the first Register of Deeds for McKenzie County. In 1906 the county bought a log cabin to be used as a court house. All records were kept at home, but would be carried to and from the meetings.

In 1907 they moved to Schafer and in 1918 they moved to a farm south of Watford City. Mr. Moe was Register of Deeds for ten years and then was engaged in the banking business in ArnegArd.

Their children are Dr. Lewis H. Moe of Stillwater, Oklahoma; Mrs. Betsy Jones of Williston; Mrs. Ella Leiseth of Eugene, Oregon; Mrs. Ann Sater of Brain-erd, Minn.; Mrs. Julia Olson of Wildrose, N. Dak.; Dr. Harold M. Moe of South Holland, Illinois.

Mrs. Moe died in 1932 and Mr. Moe in 1947.

150

MR. AND MRS. SIDNEY DUNDAS

Sidney Owen Dundas was born in Argyle, Minnesota,

and received his education in Argyle and at the Dakota

Business College in Fargo. He came to Watford City in

1915 where he was employed at the McKenzie County

Bank but left this position in 1917 to serve in World

War I. Upon his return to Watford City he resumed

his duties at the bank for several years until he

resigned to become manager of the Cooperative Supply

Lumber Co. In 1926 he was appointed postmaster and

he held this position until 1933 when he again became

manager of the lumberyard. He remained in this em­

ployment until the time of his death in 1959.

Mr. Dundas was married to Clara B. Olson in 1919

and four children were born to them. They are Jean

Carol, Mrs. R. D. Sundfor, of Watford City; Owen

James of Watford City; Robert Lee of Missoula, Mon­

tana ; and Stuart Olson of Helena, Montana.

Both Sid and Clara Dundas have taken an active

interest in the affairs of the community. Clara Dun­

das, who was born in Benson, Minnesota, filed on a

claim in the Berg area during the years 1915

to 1918. After a short term of teaching school and

working in the Berg post office, she moved to Watford

City and became assistant to Postmaster J. C. Zel-

ler. She again worked in the post office when Mr.

Dundas was postmaster. She has been active in the

First Lutheran Church Choir, Ladies Aid, the Hospital

Guild, the American Legion Auxiliary, Rebecca Lodge,

and the Past Noble Grands.

Mr. Dundas was a charter member of the fire de­

partment, the Lions Club, American Legion, and

was clerk of the Ideal School District for 25 years. He

was active in the Masonic Lodge, the Oddfellows, and

Past Noble Grands. During World War II he served as

chairman of the draft board and as mayor of the

town in the thirties. At the time of his death in

August of 1959 Mr. Dundas was on the Theodore

Roosevelt Park board and was a director of the Mc­

Kenzie Memorial Hospital.

Mrs. Dundas resides at 411 N. Main in Watford City.

FRAZEE'S CLOTHING AND

DRY GOODS STORE

Congratulations to Watford City

on Its 50th Anniversary

MORRIS AND OLGA FRAZEE

151

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4 *

MR. AND MRS. P. 0 . C. JOHNSON

Peter Omar Conrad Johnson was born near Glen-wood, Minnesota on January 10, 1883, the son of George and Maria (Munter) Johnson. His father had emigrated to the U. S. and settled down to farming in Pope County. Maria came to the U. S. at the conclu­sion of the Civil War, after her father had accumulated funds to bring his family, by service with the Union Army. Following the death of her husband from Typhoid Fever in 1888, Maria was able to keep her family together and encouraged her children to seek higher education.

Peter graduated from Glenwood Academy in 1901 and from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, in 1906. His mother hoped he would become a minister, so his studies were heavily weighted in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and English. Preferring a career in medicine, he was accepted at the University of Minnesota, but lack of funds forced him to accept a position as teacher at Denby, N. Dak.

On September 8, 1907, he was united in marriage to a childhood sweetheart, Hannah Dalager. Hannah attended the State Normal School, St. Cloud, Minneso­ta, and had taught school in cities adjacent to Glen­wood. She was the daughter of Hans and Ingeborg (Larson) Dalager.

Peter and Hannah returned to Denby where he was

now principal. On July 23, 1908, their first child, Phil­

ip O. C. was born. The following two years were spent

teaching at Arcock, N. Dak., after which Peter attended

the Univ. of N. Dak., obtaining his Bachelor of Science

degree in 1913. On August 16, 1912, the twins, Max­

well and Maxine, were born.

Peter continued his medical education at Rush Medi­

cal College, Chicago, graduating in the spring of 1915.

He served as house physician at Deaconess Hospital,

Minneapolis. Because of severe allergies in his eldest

child, he sought a drier climate and started the private

practice of medicine at Watford, on July 28, 1915.

Peter was kept busy with much driving in summer

by buggy and in winter by sleigh. Both were active in

civic functions and in the formation of the local Luther­

an congregation. Hannah organized the first Sunday

School which she continued to direct for seventeen years.

Dr. and Mrs. Johnson were active in all enter­prises that might improve Watford City and McKenzie County. Mrs. Johnson, in addition to her church work and providing for the needs of her family, found time to act as guardian for two other families who were under the authority of the County Public Administra­tor. Both families became useful citizens, and one minor took the name of Johnson upon reaching his majority.

A daughter, Judith, was born on November 21, 1920. Mrs. Johnson had a talent for painting and painted

many beautiful pictures in oils, pastels, and sketched with charcoal. These pictures are much prized by her family and friends. She gave much encouragement to young people in their search for education.

Dr. Johnson was active in local affairs and also took time to spend one term in the State Legislature where he helped secure appropriations for a bridge across the Little Missouri River. He felt his most important work was in keeping his patients well. He worked hard. During the First World War he was on the Draft Board and examined most of the local draftees. He was unusually successful in the treatment of influenza following the War and was blessed with good health so that in one month he was able to make rounds on those who were ill, getting by with only one full night's sleep at home undisturbed. The mortality figures for the County attest his medical acumen and devotion to duty.

For forty-six years the business community on

Main Street awaited Dr. Johnson's morning laughter to

tell them all was well. Not only was he their doctor

but their confidante and friend, sustained by a loving

wife and a feeling that he was doing good. His death

on May 26, 1962, occurred in the local hospital which

he had long promoted for his community. In June of

1962 he was presented, posthumously, the Dis­

tinguished Service Award from Luther College.

Mrs. Johnson expired on Feb. 11, 1963.

All four children graduated from St. Olaf College,

Northfield, Minn. The sons went into medicine and are

in active practice of their specialties of Internal Medi­

cine, Philip in Seattle, Wn., and Maxwell in Park Ridge,

111. Maxine (Mrs. J. E. McCloskey) heads the home

Economics Dept. in a Phoenix high school. Judith (Mrs.

••L. M. Stenehjem) continues to live in Watford City.

There are 10 grandchildren and three great grand­

children.

152

GILBERT GILBERTSON

Gilbert Gilbertson was born on October 18, 1883,

near Devils Lake, N. Dak.

In 1904 he went to Canada and proved up land and

returned to North Dakota in 1909.

Mrs. Gilbertson, the former Katherine Eberle, was

born on October 28, 1893, near Nebraska City, Nebras­

ka. She came with her parents and one sister to

Leeds, N. Dak., in 1900.

Mr. Gilbertson first came to McKenzie County in

1911 and filed on land twelve miles south of Schafer.

He then returned to Leeds and farmed there until

1912.

He married Katherine Eberle in June of 1912.

In 1913 he decided to go back to McKenzie County to

establish his home. He shipped all of their belongings

to Wheelock, N. Dak., the nearest railroad.

Mrs. Gilbertson and four-month old Josephine came

later. They arrived at Schafer by stage from Williston.

Dave Westlund was the stage driver and Mrs. Gilbert-

son recalls so well what a wild ride it was. His horses

were not too tame and ran nearly all the way. By 1914

the railroad came as far as Arnegard and this they

remember was a big improvement in transportation

facilities in this area.

Every quarter section of land had a shack and theirs

was 14 x 16 and had just one room. It had a tarpaper

and sod roof. In 1914 they dug a cellar and decided to

move the house. To make this task somewhat easier,

they removed the roof as it was made of sod. Shortly

after they had the roof off, they recieved their first

rainfall that they had had all summer. Mrs. Gilbert-

son and her baby sat under an umbrella to ward off

the rain. However, they soon had the roof replaced.

The Gilbertsons have four girls. They are Josephine,

Mrs. Roman Neubauer of Watford City; Irene, Mrs.

Oluf Nering of Michigan, N. Dak.; Grace, Mrs. Vernon

Lee of Watford City and Ruth, Mrs. Don Avery, of

Hacienda Heights, California.

MR. AND MRS. ERNEST ZINGLEMAN

Mr. Ernest Zingleman was born at Blue Grass, N.

Dak., on August 10, 1893. At the age of 13 he became

an orphan and then worked for a cattle buyer and later

farmed for himself between New Salem and Glen

Ullin.

Mrs. Zingleman, the former Mabel Ney, was born

and reared in Henderson, Minnesota. They were mar-

ried on April 2, 1915. They came to McKenzie County

in 1916 and settled on Mr. Zingleman's homestead which

was four miles east of the present Long X Bridge.

In 1926 they moved from the old homestead to the

Lon Morman ranch and in 1932 they moved to the

Rough Creek farm which became their permanent settle­

ment.

They were blessed with 12 children. They are Bud

and Don of Watford City; Earl of Pullman, Wash.;

Jack, Doris, and Bob of Seattle, Wash.; Betty of San

Leandro, Calif.; Dale of San Gabriel, Calif.; Lois of

Brighten, Colorado; George of Columbia Falls, Mon­

tana; Dorothy and Omar of Minneapolis, Minn.

Mr. Zingleman died on Feb. 12, 1952. Mrs. Zingleman

lives with her children.

Remember These Days?

153

JULIA JENSEN

Julia Ellefson Jensen was born at Telemarken, Nor­way on May 1, 1858.

At the age of ten she came to Minnesota with her widowed father, Elef Ellefson who was a carpenter by trade.

It is said that game was so plentiful that seventeen muskrats were killed with one shot from a musket.

An Indian revolt occurred about this time and some of the settlers were killed and others fled by ox cart to Mankota. When the Indians were subdued and captured, 33 of them were hanged at Mankato for their part in the massacre. A monument still marks the scene.

In the mid 1870's the James and Younger gang rob­bed a bank at Faribault. During the gun battle on the streets some men were badly wounded. The Young-ers fled to the West and were captured in a blazing gun battle near Madelia. Mrs. Jensen helped serve and care for the wounded on both sides.

On March 11, 1878, Jens Jensen and Julia Ellefson were married.

In later years Mrs. Jensen homesteaded one mile southeast of the Cherry Postoffice where she lived until 1920 when she returned to Minnesota. She died in 1933.

She had six children of whom four are living. They are Ed, George, Julia, and Emil.

MIKKEL THORSRUD AND GUNDER LANDMARK

Mikkel Thorsrud came to America in 1906 from

Valdres, Norway. His homestead is six miles south of

Watford City, where he came in 1907. Mikkel had

learned to be a cabinet maker in Norway, which later proved to be of value during the depression years.

He came to McKenzie County with a friend, Gunder Landmark. On their way from Ray to Banks, they could find no lodging, so spent the night in a haystack, which turned out to be a bed of prairie needles. In the morning they both looked like porcupines! Others filing on claims nearby were Ben Nyberg, Albert Thompson, 0 . K. Kambestad, and Gunder Landmark. The winter of 1907 was one of the coldest in history. Many cattle and even settlers froze to death. Ice even froze in a bucket on the stove during one of the three days blizzards. Mikkel and Gunder would have to dance a good jig to warm up enough to cook breakfast.

After a few successful years of farming, Mikkel re­turned to his old home in Norway, and there he mar­ried Gunhild Landmark of Aurdal, Valdres, Norway. Mikkel built a seven room house in 1915 which was equipped with electricity, a luxury in those days. They were active in the church and community affairs. Mik­kel was a member of the Grail School Board for many years, during which time 44 schools were built on the prairie.

Each fall Mrs. Thorsrud would can hundreds of quarts of fruit and vegetables from her garden and process many quarters of slaughtered meat, plus chick­ens and turkeys by the dozen. In addition to their own family, they usually had the job of boarding and room­ing the teacher.

The drought and depression forced Mikkel to return to the carpentry trade. In 1936 they rented out their farm and moved to Missoula, Montana, where all of their children graduated from the university. The three sons were all aviation pilots. Sverre lives in Kings-port, Tennessee; Edgar in Missoula, Montana; Garfield in Tucson, Arizona. Their daughter, Jennie, Mrs. Robert Coombs, lives in Walnut Creek, California. She at one time taught a rural school in McKenzie County.

Mikkel Thorsrud died in 1947.

Mrs. Thorsrud still resides in Missoula, Montana, and still owns the original homestead south of Watford City.

M. C Thorsrud Homestead

MR. AND MRS. ERICK NORDENG AND ENOCH

Erick Nordeng was born in Storsjoen, Ytre Rendal,

Norway, on March 3, 1881. He came to the U. S. on a

cattle boat in 1903 to work for friends at Osnabrock,

N. Dak.

In the lumber camps he became acquainted with

'Olaf Karlstad, who had already taken a homestead in

McKenzie County. He encouraged Mr. Nordeng to

come out here in 1906. This he did and he filed on a

homestead. They came to Ray and were taken across

the river by Martin Iverson in a row boat. Then they

walked to the Hans Karlstad homestead carrying rocks

in their pockets to protect themselves from the range

cattle.

He filed on a homestead in Twin Valley Township.

A neighbor Gilbert Johnsrud broke a few acres of

land for him with three oxen and a walking plow.

Rena Holm was born on July 30, 1883, in Bergen,

Norway and came to Hanley Falls, Minnesota, in 1888.

In 1910 she came to McKenzie County and filed on

a homestead. She brought nothing with her except her

clothing. A friendship which had started at Osna­

brock was renewed and in 1911 Erick Nordeng and

Rena Holme were married at the Garden Post Office

by the Rev. M. Holey. They continued to live on the

homestead and would haul their wheat to Ray, N. Dak.

Grandma Nordeng always said that Enoch was rear­

ed on a spoon, as his dad would go to Ray about once

a month and bring along only one bottle nipple. This

wouldn't last very long so he was fed milk from a

spoon.

Their children are Enoch of Watford City; Tilda,

Mrs. Paul Berge of Rawson; Alfred and Morris of Wat­

ford City and Mildred, Mrs. Walter Nelson of Minneapo­

lis. The Nordengs were members of the Banks Lutheran

Church. They moved to Watford City in 1945. Mr. Nor­

deng died on Dec. 28, 1957, and Mrs. Nordeng on May

31, 1959. They were buried in the Banks cemetery.

WATFORD CITY CLEANERS

Expert Dry Cleaning

Modern Methods

MANUEL AND ALMA HAGEN, Props.

WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

PHONE 3821

155

McKENZIE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. Watford City, North Dakota

ORGANIZED 1945

ENERGIZED LINES 1947

"Owned by Those We Serve"

DIRECTORS: TELFORD ANDERSON President EINAR H. DAHL Vice President ROY N. JOHNSON Sec.-Treas. R. C. SANNES Director HELGE SHERVEN Director C. W . EDWARDS Director J. L WHEELING Director ROBERT CHITWOOD - Director G. F. LINDVIG Director

EMPLOYEES: IVAN OMLID _ Manager MELVIN ANDERSON Office Manager O. J. DUNDAS Accountant OLIVE ROGNESS Secretary HOWARD KONKEL Custodian-Meters ROBERT FOLVEN Line Foreman LEO QUALE Line Supt. GERALD ROGNESS Lineman ARNE WOLLAN Digger Operator MELVIN LEE Apprentice Lineman HERMAN BERG Line Foreman LARS HAUGEN Lineman

Watford City, N. Dale Watford City, N. Dak Cartwright, N. D. Watford City, N. Dak. Charlson, N. Dak. Killdeer, N. Dak. Skaar, N. Dak. Alexander, N. Dak. Williston, N. Dak.

Watford Watford Watford Watford Watford Watford Watford Watford Watford Watford Killdeer, Killdeer,

City, N. Dak. City, N. Dak. City, N. Dak. City, N. Dak. City, N. Dak. City, N. Dak. City, N. Dak. City, N. Dak. City, N. Dak. City, N. Dak. N. Dak. N. Dak.

CONGRATULATIONS TO WATFORD CITY ON YOUR GOLDEN JUBILEE

156

MR. AND MRS. OSCAR MADSEN FAMILY

Oscar Madsen was born near Harmony, Minnesota. He came to McKenzie Co. in 1906 and homesteaded near Demmick Lake. Part of that time he worked at the Uhlman Ranch while proving up his homestead. During that winter he recalls that the snow was so deep that sticks were put up to mark the road.

Ethel Sarah Bond was born in England and at the age of 16, together with her parents and family, the Thomas Bonds, came to Black Hills, South Dakota, dur­ing the gold rush and remained there until 1903. They then came to McKenzie County in a wagon to home­stead in Twin Valley Township.

Ethel Sarah Bond was married to Arthur Bond, ••-,who a few years later, was killed in a train wreck when returning from France with a carload of pure i r e d horses for the Uhlman Ranch. Mrs. Bond was left a widow with three small children, Robert, Florence, and Amy, Mrs. Melvin Johnson.

In 1915 Oscar Madsen and Ethel Sarah Bond were married. They continued to live on his homestead for several ears. Later they moved to Arnegard where he worked as a carpenter and also in an elevator. He retired to take care of his wife when she became an invalid. They are now making their home in Watford City. Their children are Emil of Livingston, Montana; Lester of Ronan, Montana, and Dorothy of Mesa, Ari­zona.

"Ole"

OLE MELBY

Ole Melby was born in Ferring, Norway, in 1891, immigrating to America in 1911, coming to his sister's place, Carl Stenbergs. He filed on a claim 12 miles northeast of Watford City in 1912. Ole died in 1962. He was known by everyone as hard-working and kind —he loved animals and used horses many years after others used tractors.

R & T PLUMBING & HEATING CO.

WATFORD CITY NORTH DAKOTA

JONAS RESTAD AND LES THORLAND,-Owners

Rheem — Water Heaters and

Furnaces

Myers — Water Systems

PHONE 3151

157

I • MR. AND MRS. EMIL JENSEN

Emil Jensen was born in 1896 at Medelia, Minneso­

ta. His childhood was filled with so much hunting,

trapping, and fishing, he had little time for schooling,

which was a disappointment to his mother who had

her heart set on there being a preacher in the family

and he was supposed to be the one.

His brother, Ed, homesteaded on the Cherry Flats

in 1906 and four years later Emil, his sister, Julia,

and her husband, Oscar Sletten, joined in the home­

steading. Emil spent from 1917 to 1919 in the army

and was responsible for the health and welfare of 450

mules and horses. After his discharge he spent his time

on the homestead where he raised some grain, hay,

and cattle, but was most successful with Townley al­

falfa, grasshoppers, mosquitoes and rattlesnakes.

Edith Malmquist and Emil were married in 1921 and

from 1922 until 1946 this marriage was blessed with

ten strong, law-abiding citizens. They all graduated

from high school and those who wanted it, from col­

lege. They have all found their niche in life. Edith

and Emil are retired and spend their time getting

acquainted with their 28 grandchildren.

Since leaving the "Island Empire" his work has

taken him to five states and Alaska, but he still thinks

the meadow lark sings the sweetest song back home in

the Badlands.

JESS SHELLEY

Jess Shelley filed on a homestead northwest of Wat­

ford City in 1905 and brought his family out the next

spring. It was quite an experience crossing the creek

when the wagon wheel dropped into a hole, throw­

ing things in disarray and to top it off, it was raining

hard. Of course, the trip from Ray could not be made

in a day and camping out, sleeping in wet blankets

will be long remembered. At times the sod roofs be­

came soaked, with the result of never knowing when a

chunk would fall on the breakfast plate.

The family lived on their homestead until 1942 when

they left for Oregon. Mr. Shelley died in 1945. Mrs.

Shelley lives at McMinnvilte, Ore., with a daughter, Mrs.

Ed Fisher. She has been an invalid for four years.

Mrs. Carl Lynner is also a daughter and resides at

Velva.

MR. AND MRS. AXEL S. JOHNSON

Axel S. Johnson was born on Sept. 27, 1878, at Skara, Vastor-Gootland, Sweden. He emigrated to the U. S. in 1899 and came to Buffalo, Minn. Shortly thereafter he went to Galesburg, N. Dak. where he worked on farms.

In 1905 he and his brothers Otto and Algot came to McKenzie County and each filed on a homestead in Tobacco Garden Township. In 1911 he leased his homestead to Mr. Charles Skoglund and went to Cana­da and filed on a homestead in Alberta. He made his home there for three years.

While he was in Canada, a tornado struck the build­ings on his homestead at Tobacco Garden and destroy­ed the house, barn and granary. Only the sod house was undamaged.

In 1914 he moved back to the U. S. and was employ­ed as a carpenter in Minneapolis for two years.

On August 22, 1916, he married Clara M. Anderson who was born on March 28, 1890, at Ettebra, Blekinge; Sweden, and came to the U. S. in 1909.

In 1917 they moved to his original homestead in

Garden. Township where they lived until Mrs. John­

son died in July of 1954. Mr. Johnson died in February

of 1962.

They were blessed with four sons and three daugh­

ters. They are Clarence, Vernon and Mae of Watford

City; Arthur of Vancouver, Wash.; Grant of Battle

Ground, Wash.; Ida, Mrs. Robert Urbahn, of Grange-

ville, Idaho; Ethel, Mrs. Carroll Ruffin, of Seattle,

Washington.

158

MR. AND MRS. JOHN BRUINS

John Bruins was born in Drieborg, Holland, on Jan­uary 14, 1884. His earliest ambition was America—the land of plenty. In 1901 he realized his dream when only 17. He first settled at Renville, Minnesota. To eat all the eggs one wanted was really something. In Holland their large family could only have one egg a year and that was on Easter—one egg per person. He often said that he finished an eight year high school and college course, learned the language and read all the books they had in one week. He worked in the Minnesota woods and pedaled "everywhere" on his bicycle. While digging wells near Crosby, N. Dak., he heard of the McKenzie County homesteads and im­mediately he pedaled down on his bike to stake his claim in the winter of 1906.

The lady who became his wife was Agnes Bakken, a little Norwegian girl, born on October 16, 1886, in Gudbransdalen, Norway. She left her lovely native home at the age of 20 on Feb. 7, 1907, saying a tearful goodbye to loved ones. She endured a sea sick two week ocean voyage arriving at Pekin, N. Dak. Later she homesteaded near Watford City and worked part time in the Hildebrant Hotel in Schafer. Many were the teams and buggies that passed her little shack enroute to Schafer but it was the big, good hearted Dutchman who won her heart.

On Feb. 7, 1911, she and John Bruins were married

at Williston. She wore a lovely white hand-sewn, lace-

inserted gown and carried a bouquet of wax orange

blossoms. They lived on John's homestead which was

414 miles northwest of Watford City.

In addition to being a farmer, John was a self-

taught carpenter and brick layer. He also operated a

steam threshing rig from early September until Christ­

mas. He was a charter member and elder of the First

Presbyterian Church and treasurer of the Farland

School Board. The home was full of joy and hope and

their children have sweet recollections of toasting

chillblained feet around the glowing heater, playing

"Carrom" and listening to their father play hymns on

the piano and waltzes on the violin.

They reared six children. They are Marie, Mrs.

Leslie Smith of Wayne, Oklahoma; Lloyd of Arnegard;

Edwin of Orangevale, Calif.; Margaret, Mrs. Olaf Muri,

of Watford City; Herbert of Watford City and John

Jr. of Arnegard.

Mr. Bruins died in 1934 and his wife on February

5, 1963.

MR. AND MRS. CHARLES SKOGLUND

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Skoglund were married in

1901 at Wheaton, Minn., both having arrived from

Sweden several years before. Charles was born in

Vestergotland in 1864 and came to Minnesota with his

parents when he was seven.

His wife was born in Varmland in 1877 and came to

Wheaton, Minnesota, in 1886 with her father and

brother.

This young couple first came to Bottineau County

where they proved up her homestead in the Turtle

Mts. They moved to Souris in 1906 where he managed

an elevator and was rural mail carrier. They came to

McKenzie County in 1910 and filed on a homestead in

Garden Township. While they lived on the Axel John­

son farm in the summer of 1912, a tornado destroyed

all the buildings on the place. The granary in which

they were sleeping left the ground just as Mrs. Skog­

lund woke up and called to her husband to grab the

children. They managed to escape but with possessions

scattered all over the prairies. Mr. Skoglund scantily

clad went to a neighbor, P. G. Anrstad, for help.

They had 5 children. They are Lillian of Seattle,

Wash.; Mabel, Mrs. A. C. Nelson of Watford City;

Walter and John of Watford City and Eleanor, Mrs.

Alvin Bradley of Seattle, Wash.

MERVIN JOHNSONS PIGGLY WIGGLY STARTED IN 1948 BY BUYING THE BARNEY IVERSON BUSINESS

LOCATION IN 1948

NEW STORE IN 1958

Congratulations to Watford City, North Dakota

JOHNSON'S COMPLETE MARKET WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

160

CHARLES E. SHAFER MRS. CHARLES E. SHAFER

Charles E. Shafer, hunter, trapper, Indian trader, and rancher, was born on February 8, 1851, at Syra­cuse, New York. The family left New York a few years before the civil war, and settled on a farm in Wisconsin, Fondu Lac County. They traveled on the Erie Canal to Buffalo, took a lake boat to Milwaukee and drove to their destination by ox team.

Shafer left home in 1870 and served briefly as a postal clerk in Omaha, Neb. He was also a newsboy on the run from Omaha to Ogden, Utah territory. He later went to St. Paul, where his brother-in-law was on the medical staff at Fort Snelling. While there Shafer learned the harness trade.

During the winter of 1876-77 he hunted and trapped again in Otter Tail County. That spring he secured work in a store in Miles City, Mont., where he traveled by rail to Bismarck and by steamboat to Miles City via the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. In 1878 Shafer bought a herd of cattle in Gallatin Valley. One night while Shafer and his men slept, Indians rode in and stampeded the cattle, Shafer and his men were able to mill them to a standstill.

In 1882 Shafer was appointed Post Trader at the cantonment at Glendive, a town started in 1881. He traded with the Hidatsa, Mandan and Arikara Indi­ans at their camp north of Glendive. He learned the Hidatsa language which was helpful to him later. Shafer sold his cattle at Fort Keogh, getting prices from $50.00 to $75.00 per head. He also sold his ranch on the Tongue River for $400.00.

In 1881 he secured the release of a number of Hidatsa's who were arrested in Glendive, when others of the tribe told Chief Crow-flies-high what happened, he held Shafer in the highest esteem, declaring him the only true friend of the Indians, and the only man they could trust.

In the spring of 1883 he took land in the vicinity of the twin springs now the Shafer ranch. He first saw it while trapping on Cherry Creek and was attracted by the springs and the fine growth of Blue joint grass.

In the summer of 1884 Shafer was staying at his cabin on the ranch. Early one morning Crow-Flies-high rode up and demanded that Shafer vacate im­

mediately, claiming all that country belonged to the Indians, and that Shafer was trespassing. Shafer asked the Chief what he would do if he refused to go. The Chief angrily declared he would be back at day-break with fifty warriors, kill Shafer, burn his cabin, and take his horses. Shafer informed him he had better bring at least two hundred warriors because he had more than fifty cartridges for his rifle, and that he would kill at least one warrior for each cartridge, stating he would kill Crow-Flies-high first. The Chief rode away but weeks later returned and asked for a meal. He said Shafer was a friend of his and could stay as long as he wanted to. The Chief, always friend­ly after this, visited the ranch often but never stayed for a meal unless Shafer was present. Shafer was also appointed a game warden, limiting the Indians hunt­ing season to that fixed by law.

In 1890 he married Eva Diehm of Taylor, N. D., and they lived on the ranch until his death in 1930. He was the first permanent settler in the territory between the Missouri, the little Missouri, and Yellowstone Rivers. This was all Indian reservation at that time. He was engaged in horse and cattle raising. In later years he farmed extensively.

In 1900 he established the postoffice (being the second postoffice established in the county) at the ranch which bears his name. In 1904-05 he was active in promoting the organization of McKenzie County, and the next year he established the town of Schafer on the ranch site, which until 1941 remained the county seat of McKenzie County.

The Shafer family consisted of three sons and two daughters. The oldest son, George, graduated from the State University, was admitted to the bar, served as States Attorney of McKenzie County, Attorney General and Governor of the State. He resided in Bismarck until his death in 1948. Charles H. graduated from the State University, was admitted to the bar, practiced law at Mayville and Hillsboro until his death in 1954. Fred E., after graduating from the Williston High School, took charge of the ranch where he still lives. Mary Shafer passed away in 1903 and Catherine, now Mrs. E. R. Fairall, wife of a Dr., lives in San Benito, Texas. Mrs. Shafer lived at the ranch until her death in 1945.

CO-OP SUPPLY LUMBER COMPANY WATFORD CITY BUSINESS DIRECTORY

The Monitor Magazine "Nordves t en" believes the following firms to be thoroughly reliable and responsible

No others will knowingly be advertised herein

1921-22 DIRECTORY OF

Watford City North Dakota

* ^ ~ Compliments of the

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Say > riend:— unl >wu ever s top to think of the

numocr oi pcupie w.iu a t^p and read iiu.) • iin- iuulltUffj o ia iuia i a Ouiue anu your City d i r e c t o r y .'

Well, eacu one ui Uiut g r e a t a r m y , when tney read , tne lust . t i l ing t u a t ca icnes tneix eye is tne s t r ip of a u s wr i t i ngs a ^ o u t your i n t e r e s t i n g c i ty anu local i ty. ' iney s top and read luem j u s t a s you a r e doing, wnicn is na tu ra l ly tne Hrst s t ep t oward know­ing wnom to pa t ron ize .

LuutOi>r Untitling Alatr-rtel

Popula t ion a t the l a s t census 394, t aken d u r i n g schol vaca t ion , bu t ex­ceeds 500 dur ing school t e r m . Houses a r e in d e m a n d du r ing the scnool t e r m .

Have tfirpe e leva tors and a t rack buyer . Ie is conse rva te ly es t ima teu t ha t in the neighborhood of 500,000 bushels of w h e a t will be m a r k e t e d a t tnese e leva tors f rom th is season ' s c rop .

One flour and g r i s t mil l , owned and opera t ed by VicK B r o t n e r s , and is one of the g r o w i n g indus t r i e s o i .Nor thwestern N o r t n Dako ta .

H a v e n^ t a s ye t . a c re t ine ry , but the re a r e no less t nan l o u r c ream buying s t a t ions , one of wnicn du r ing tne niontn of J u l y pa idmore tnan :t>o.-uuu.uu l o r b u t t e r f a t .

H a v e some oo-odd bus inesses , in­cluding four banks and a n e w s p a p e r . The n e w s p a p e r pubLsne r is a pioneer in tne business in tne county and a pi­oneer se t t l e r , hav ing se t t l ed in IVic-Kenzie County d u r i n g the old r ancn -ing days . \V. y . G r a h a m is the puo-l isner .

The first house w a s bui l t in J u n e , 1914 and immedia t e ly fo l lowing the adven t of the ra i l road shor t ly a f t e r the first bui lding w a s erec ted , the aown g rew rap id ly . I t h a s been the te rmina l poin t since the ra i l road w a s built . When the line is completed we will h a v e a d i rec t line to New Rockford, F a r g o , Minot and o the r l a rge t r a d e c e n t e r s .

We have the cheapes t and bes t fuel in the world , a s the finest g r a d e of l ignite can be had from ou t -c ropp ing mines in any direct ion from the c i ty . We have an abundance of good w a t e r .

The f a r m e r s a r e go ing into po ta to ra i s ing extens ively and it is only a m a t t e r of a shor t t ime unti l we have a pota to warehouse . The da i ry in-d s t r y , too, will soon be d e m a n d i n g a c r e a m e r y and chese fac tory . The re i.s room for o the r indus t r i es including a s t a rch fac tory and a t a n n e r y .

W a t f o r d City ships out abou t 400 cars of g ra in , 100 ca rs of stock, and 4000-10 gal lon cans of c ream y e a r l y ; receives a b o ' t 100 car loads of va r i ­ous commodi t ies .

CO OPERATIVE SUPPLY CO. " l i t . i t i MbUr ia J a t i l ies .HUC P r i c e "

6*. u. DU.\ OAS, Manager

I 'ealei s in

JOHN JihKIlK MACHINERY

AMERICAN EXCHANGE bANK OF 'WATFORD CITY CAPITAL $20,000.00

General Banking -- A Farmers Institution

/ / BEN t 111 Hi ES(>,\. Cashier

The Farmers Store

We sell quality JJO< ds for less money.

We apreciate your bnsiness, and

are prepared to give you real service

i". o. TVEOEN. Prjifrirtr

P. G. Vildmo

Val la & Vi ldn io Dealers in

GROCERIES, DRY GOODS AND LADIES

AND GENTS FURNISHING GOODS

We are the oldest store in Watford City

WATFORD CITY ROLLER MILLS WICK BROTHERS, Manufa< turers

ORA HA M and WHOI.EWHEA r FLOUR

Lem UTJi-1 •» n,FI6*r to fV iCLUQ with nature's Say ^ own flavor

T ^ e W a t f o r d G u i d e W. S. G1!A IIA M, Publisher

Wei! Equipped Job Plant In Connection

THE WATFORD HOTEL S. y. CA TLIN, prof.

First Class Rooms and Board H a t E h r Hea ted , Electr ic L i g h t e d

Promt Service

G u e s t s a l l w a y s e a g e r to r e t u r n

THE PIONEER HARDW. STORE

y. C. ZELLER, Prof.

ANDERSON

BOARDING HOUSE Mrs. J. A ndrrson. Prof.

Keals by Day or Week. Prices REASONABLE and grt ALL you want to Eat of the best of everything

W A T F O R D C I T Y B A K E R Y Louis Gt kiflj- A ut Hon y. Prof's

Denty Lunch and Coffee House

Bread, Cakes, Pastries, Candy and

Soft Drinks

Eat With me there

We Beive best Mea l s in .he. City • at very r e n s o n a h l e p r i ce s

hardware and Furniture De Laval Separators

Majestic Ranges

Frank E. Fish Williston

Geo. F. Shafer y. S. Taylor, yr.

Fisk & Shafer Attornevs-at-Ln w

The Pelkey Shoe Shop

ED PELKEt. Prof.

Shoe, Harness and Auto Top

Repairing a Specialty

IDEAL POOL AND LUNCH HALL ffenry ffclgesen, Manager

J. C. RICHARDSON AGENT

CONSOLIDATED WHILES MILLS CO. 0FITAH

AftruNfar/arm nf Knit Underwear, Hosiery, blankets,

Sweaters, and Jackets

Can furnish complete outfit for the

whole family. Pioneer of McCenzie Co

CANDY, SOFT DRINKS AND CIGARS

Lunch Counter in Connection

THE HOTEL RANDALL

Marie Randall, Prop.

Rooms by Day or Week

One Dollar a Day and allow Special

Rates by the Week

W A T F O R D CITY, N O . D A K . " T h e H e a r t of tiie i s i and b m p i r e "

V I L L A G E O F F I C E R S ; — J . C. Zel ler , Cna i rman . S. O. D u n u a s , Cierk. O. L. Casauy , ' i r e a s u r e r . R. R. N e w m a n , J . J . Baue r . G. L. Gull ickson, J u s t i c e . Geo. Moli tor , Aiarsnai l . C. A . B a r r e t t , Assessor . J . C. Zeller , P o s t m a s t e r

C O M M E R C I A L C L U B Geo. P . S h a i e r , P r e s . , L a w y e r J . L. McRae , Treas . , B a n k e r . S. O. D u n d a s , S e c , L u m b e r m a n . J . P . Chr i s t i anson , M e r c h a n t Geo. D. J o h n s o n , M e r c h a n t P . G. Wildmo, M e r c h a n t R. R. N e w m a n , Banke r W . S. G r a h a m , Pub l i she r . W. S. Shirk , Banke r .

O F F I C E R S O F S C H O O L B O A R D : — Geo. F , Shafe r , P r e s i d e n t . W. S. Shirk , Clerk. S. O. Dundas , T r e a s u r e r H . L. Moe Chas . Benson

C H U R C H E S : — N o r w e g i a n L u t h e r a n , Rev. E . E .

Eidbo, P a s t o r . Cathol ic , F a t h e r D a u g h e r t y P r e s b y t e r i a n

V O L U N T E E R F I R E D E P A R T M E N T H. J . La r son , Chief. Chas . Aldr ich, A s s i s t a n t Chief. S. O. D u n d a s , S e c r e t a r y - T r e a s u r e r

A M E R I C A N L E G I O N : — Carl E . Rogen Pos t , No . 29.

D. L. Wi l l i ams , P o s t C o m m a n d e r O. D. Smi th , Vice P o s t C o m m a n d e r

Alan V a n d e r g r i f t , Pos t A d j u t a n t S. O. D u n d a s , P o s t T r e a s u r e r H . M. T h o m a s , P o s t Chapla in Jacob Losk, P o s t H i s to r i an H e n r y A l e x , - S e r g a n t a t A r m s

M c K E N Z I E C O U N T Y O F F I C E R S S. A. Thompson , Sheriff. I I . I I . Johnson , Aud i to r . P e t e r S. Ha l l an , T r e a s u r e r J o h n Skav lan , R e g i s t e r of Deeds L. M. Burkey , S t a t e s A t t o r n e y J . . E ide , J u d g e . E d w i n a Knech t , S u p e r i n t e n d e n t of

Schools Oluf Er ickson , Clerk of Cour t W m . J a n s o n , Su rveyor

C O M M I S S I O N E R S : — Sam S tubbs , Cha i rman . J . K. Broseuen . Alfred Nelson John M. Goodahl _ . H . G. Bent ley

R A I L W A Y T I M E T A B L E No 372 d e p a r t s a t 6 A. M. No 371 a r r ives a t 5 P . M. P a s s e n g e r Ra tes , Wat fo rd City Including W a r T a x , t o — A r n e g a r d , N . D. Rawson , N . D. Alexander , N . D., C a r t r i g h t , N . D F a i r v i e w , Mont . Sidney, Mont . L a m b e r t , Mont . Richey, Mont . Bainvi l le , Mont . Wi l les ton , N . D. Minot , N . D. :_ Grand F o r k s , N . D. St . P a u l , Minn. F a r g o , N . D. F a r g o , N. D.

N . D.

\ 28 .50 .70

1.23 1.40 1.87 2.89 3.78 2.46 3.05 7.74

15.80 20.70 10.88 20.70

D R I V I N G D I S T A N C E : — W a t f o r d City T o — Williston 48 Banks 22 Hnfflund 45 Tioga (55 Grassy Butte 32 Cherry 15 Croff 2.) Kildeer i>4 Minot 140 Fairview 57

Schafer 5 Berg 2C, Keene 28 Carlson 3h Sanish 50 Arnogaard __ 8 Rawson 14 Alexander 20 Charbenaux __27 Cartwright _-37

162 COMPLIMENTS OF CO-OP SUPPLY LUMBER COMPANY

THE HANS WELTZIN FAMILY

Hans Weltzin was born on August 31, 1883, in Suhordland, Norway. He came to this country in 1904 and spent two years in Montana, coming to McKenzie County in 1906. The claim shack was built at a cost of $15.00, 10 x 12, with the bed made from a board with hay as a mattress. Many trips were made by ski.

Miss Gurine Raaen of Nore Numedal, Norway, had come to file on an adjoining homestead, and they were soon married. Gurine was born on March 16, 1885, and came to America in 1907. Before coming to her homestead, she had worked north of Williston for three silver dollars every week, and learned to speak English. A log cabin was built for the Weltzins in 1909, which still remains a part of the home on the farm. Their furnishings in the house were modest— boxes for shelves, home made tables and benches. The stove cost $10 and is still in use. At first the only mattress which was bought was used only for company.

Mrs. Weltzin insisted on having animals on the farm, first buying cattle, then pigs, and always chick­ens. Machinery was bought as they could afford it, with a breaking plow being the first acquired, and later a three-section drag. One of the first years they purchased a wagon which is still in good shape. In 1908 when the harvesting of flax was in order, it was cut with a mower and Mrs. Weltzin went with the fork to toss the flax out" of the way lest it be trampled on by the horses. They mortgaged their cows in 1909 to get a binder. Little by little more machinery was added until they now have all modern machinery. Tractors have replaced the horses, which were always well-loved besides being so useful.

The Weltzins played an important part in the or­ganization of the Farland Church and are charter members. Mrs. Weltzin was the first president of the Ladies Aid and Hans acted as secretary for the church for 21 years.

Hans died on Feb. 25, 1960. Mrs. Weltzin continues

to live on the farm with two of the sons, John and

Severin. Their two other sons are pastors. They are

Theodore of Viking, Minnesota and Alfred of Ottawa,

Illinois. They have 11 grandchildren.

Congratulations to

Watford City, N. Dak.

on

Fifty Years of Progress

TALK THINGS OVER, GET THINGS

DONE . . . BY LONG DISTANCE

NORTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE

COMPANY OF NORTH DAKOTA

163

The Charles Losks and Son, Leonard

THE HISTORY OF THE LOSK BROTHERS

They came to McKenzie County in the spring of 1906—Moses Losk and family, Joseph Losk, Charles Losk, Jacob Losk, and sister Ann and husband Ben Goldman, and their family. They all took up home­steads in the Bull Flat Territory.

In 1914 when the railroad was extended to Watford City, Charles and Rose Losk, newlyweds, and brother Jacob moved into Watford City and opened a clothing store. Later Moses also moved into Watford City and operated the Economy Store. Brother Joseph opened a store in nearby Arnegard, and the Goldmans moved to Sidney, Montana.

In 1922 they built the fire-proof building on main street of Watford City and consolidated the three stores into one and called it The Losk Brothers Gold­en Rule. Moses and family moved to Los Angeles in 1924. The Goldmans soon followed them west with their children. In 1933 the Joseph Losks moved to Seattle, Wash., with their children. They were followed in 1940 by Jacob and his family, who moved to Butte, Montana.

This left the Charles Losks. They continued to op­erate the store in Watford City. All of their children attended and graduated from the Watford City Schools and went on to the Universities of N. D. and Minn.

The Losk and Goldman families took an active part in all the community and city affairs. Charles served as chairman of the town board of aldermen, as mayor, president of the Association of Commerce, and during World War I, was appointed chairman of McKenzie Co. Council of Defense, by Gov. Frazer. He served as Past Master of Fort Union Masonic Lodge, Noble Grand of the Schafer Lodge of Odd Fellows. The Watford City waterworks and sewer system were put in during the period of his chairmanship of the alder­men. Rose was active in the Eastern Star and Rebekka Lodges, and served as president of the Woman's Club.

Leonard lives in Portland, Oregon; Walter in New York; Rene, now Mrs. Samuel Nerenberg in Mill-brae, Calif., and Harry in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Their forty-two years in McKenzie Co. and thirty-four years in Watford City were the happiest and

most active of their lives. They enjoyed living among the fine people of Watford City.

In 1963 they celebrated their Golden Wedding An­niversary. They now live in Burlingame, California.

Their Golden Wedding Anniversary

Emil Degerness' Homestead Log House

EMIL M. DEGERNESS

Emil came to Twin Valley Township in McKenzie Co. from Gary, Minn., Nov. 17, 1910, and filed on a homestead north of the Banks post office in 1912. He stayed part of the time with a sister, Mrs. M. B. Aasen, and family until he built his homestead shack. He worked part of the time for neighbors but mostly on steam engines, during threshing time and also break­ing sod, in the spring.

On June 6, 1914, he married Anna Wold, who had come to N.D. with her parents, in 1910. They were married by the Rev. 0 . S. Holt at the bride's home. There were few buggies and no cars at that time, so the wedding trip was made to Ray, N. D., with a team and wagon. There they spent 3 days enjoying a circus, and having wedding pictures taken. They also brought home some furniture and household goods that had been ordered from Sears Roebuck.

To this union were born four boys—Howard, of Roseau, Minn.; Oliver M., of Salt Lake City, Utah; and Ervin, of Portland, Oregon. Arnold Degerness was born in 1922 and died in 1935.

Mr. and Mrs. Degerness lived on the homestead un­

til 1953, when they sold the farm and built a home in

Watford City, and are now semi-retired. Mr. Deger­

ness is presently serving as a county commissioner

from this district.

164

MR. AND MRS. M. C. FRAZEE

M. C. Frazee came to McKenzie County in 1905 from

his home in Indiana. He homesteaded one mile north

and one and one-fourth mile east of the present loca­

tion of Watford City. He first lived in a sod shanty on

the bank of Cherry Creek. He was one of the first

settlers in the vicinity and for the first months his

only companion was his large black and white dog.

During the first winter he would go to Williston for

supplies; he on skis and his dog pulling him.

In the fall of 1907 on Thanksgiving Day, he mar­

ried Pearl May Finley, who had come here from Min­

nesota that spring. Both she and her father, A. T.

Finley, had filed claims on their land. The couple

were married by the Justice of the Peace, 0 . G. Ros-

sing, and were only the second couple ever to be mar­

ried in McKenzie County.

Clifford moved his homestead and they lived on her

homestead one mile north of Watford for about

twelve years. It was here that their four children,

Alice (Mrs. Perrin Thompson), Esther (Mrs. Carl

Hystad), Morris, and Vance were born.

They then moved to Clifford's sister Anna's home­

stead which is presently owned by Carroll and Merrill

Lawlar. There they raised grain, always had a large

garden which they irrigated from the creek, and had

a large herd of Guernsey cattle. They sold milk in

Watford City for years. Some of their Guernsey bulls

were pretty mean critters. One time Clifford was going

to chase one of them with his Model-T milk wagon.

The old bull just wouldn't run and, after their little

bout, neither would the milk wagon.

Pearl died on April 4, 1938, and Clifford stayed on

the farm for a short while before he moved to Seattle,

Washington, where he lived for almost twenty-three

years. He returned to Watford just a short time before

his death on March 12, 1963.

MR. AND MRS. PERRIN THOMPSON

P. E. THOMPSON PLUMBING

&

HEATING Lennox Heating

American Standard

WATFORD CITY PLUMBING LIC. #1

SINCE 1927

Congratulations to Watford City for Your 50 Years of

Progress

165

MR. AND MRS. WENZEL NEUBAUER

Mr. Wenzel Neubauer was born on January 15, 1882, in Austria, Hungary. He came to America arriving at New Ulm, Minnesota, on May 5, 1896.

Mrs. Neubauer was born near Redwood Falls, Minnesota, on January 24, 1888.

They were married on June 25, 1907. In the fall of 1910 they came to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead near Schafer. That fall they built their shack which was 14 x 20 and also a sod barn.

Mrs. Neubauer recalls the night when it rained so hard they had water all over the shade, even in bed. At the time they only had tar paper on the roof boards.

She also recalls the time when the cold came so suddenly they could not build a brick chimney. So they had a stove pipe which projected through the roof. One cold winter day the wind was so bad it bent the pipe and all the smoke came into the shack. They wrapped the baby in a quilt and left for his folks who lived a short distance away.

One of the humorous experiences she remembers was the time Mr. Neubauer bought a gasoline engine. This was to pump the water. He set it up and it worked just fine. When it came time to stop it, he was be­wildered. He didn't know how to stop it. He yelled, "Whoa, Whoa." It still would not stop. However, with

some mechanical ability, he did get to stop it. In 1941 they retired from active farming and moved

to Watford City. Mr. Neubauer died on December 22, 1957. Mrs.

Neubauer resides in Watford City. They have four children. They are Sylvester of

Deer Lodge, Montana; Roman of Watford City; Gene­vieve of Los Angeles, California; Estella, Mrs. Clifford Stavn, of Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. JOS. NEUBAUER

JOSEPH NEUBAUER, SR.

Joseph and family came from Austria in 1896 and

came to McKenzie County in 1910 to homestead. Jo­seph died in 1945 and his wife died in 1923.

The children are: Anna, Morgan, Minn.; Margaret, Mrs. Herbert Kline, Pine River; Mary,. Mrs. Frank Rubey; Joseph, Watford City. Four children are de­ceased. | ££

MR. AND MRS. HENRY SWANSON

Mr. Swanson was born in 1859 in Norway and came to Minnesota when he was 19. He was married to Olive Anderson at Hamilton, North Dakota.

In April, 1913, Henry Swanson and his oldest son Helmer came to Williston from St. Hilaire, Minnesota. A. Guthrie & Company of St. Paul, Minnesota, had a contract with the Great Northern Railroad to work on various jobs in McKenzie County. The first assign­ment was on Wild Cow Creek between Williston and the present site of Watford City. This job was finished in about six weeks and the camp was then moved to Cherry Creek near the Seven H L Ranch. All this con­struction work was being done in anticipation of a branch of the Great Northern which never did mater-

Great Northern Work at Wild Cow Creek in 1913

ialize. In fact the project closed down in 1913 be­cause of World War I.

Henry and Helmer each filed on homesteads in the fall of 1913. They were located on claims on Wrights Flat by a well-known pioneer figure "Alex, the Finn." Homestead cabins were built and in 1914 Henry Swan­son brought his family here from St. Hilaire, Minneso­ta. Later on three of the Swanson daughters filed on homesteads near their parents.

The Swansons celebrated their Golden Wedding at their home in Cusick, Washington, in 1938.

Mr. Swanson died on January 31, 1945. Mrs. Swan­son is still living and is 95 years old. She resides with her daughter Mabel in Spokane, Washington.

110 Ton Steam Shovel Working on the Madson Grade in August 1914.

MR. AND MRS. PEDER TWEDEN

Peder Tweden was born near Buxton, N. Dak., on

December 5, 1883. In 1910 he came to McKenzie

County and filed on land in the Spring Creek area in

Norstog Township.

Mrs. Tweden, the former Ingeborge Hovet, was born

near Buxton on September 18, 1885. They were mar­

ried at Grand Forks on Nov. 30, 1908. Prior to their

arrival in McKenzie County, they lived in Bottineau

County.

In 1912 Martin Allex, stage driver, and a capable

one for his job, as he was not afraid of tough roads,

brought Mr. and Mrs. Peder Tweden and two daugh­

ters, Stella and Ida, from Williston and across the

river on the ice just a few days before it broke up.

They came to the "White House" where they had

lunch and continued on their journey until they

reached Schafer. There they stayed overnight and

waited until brother Syver came there and took them

to his house where they stayed until they built a

house on their land.

The Twedens had a large family—ten in all. They

all attended the Shaw School.

On December 7, 1933, Mr. and Mrs. Tweden were

pleasantly surprised with a party celebrating their

25th Wedding anniversary.

In 1938 Peder Tweden bought the Anton Alstad

farm and a surprise farewell party was given to them

by their many Spring Creek friends before they moved

to their new home in Kinning Township.

They retired from farming in 1956 and moved to

Watford City. The first death in the family came when

their son Julian died on October 2, 1958.

On November 30, 1958, they observed their Golden

Wedding.

Peder Tweden died on May 31, 1960, and Mrs.

Tweden on April 30, 1961. Their daughter Ida died on

December 8, 1962.

JOHN SHAW

John H. Shaw, a pioneer stockman and rancher, was one of the first county commissioners of McKen­zie County.

He was born on September 1, 1897, at Franklin, Pa. He acquired his education at the Cooperstown High School and the Grove City College in Pennsylvania.

Since he sought for^ the opportunities offered in the West, he journeyed to Cave Hills, South Dakota.

In 1900 he came to McKenzie County where he built a ranch at the source of Spring Creek about twelve miles south of Watford City.

Later he was united in marriage to Miss Artie Cargo of Pennsylvania. They had three children.

When the First National Bank consolidated with the Citizens National Bank at Williston in 1913, he became one of the directors, later on becoming presi­dent.

While on the ranch south of Watford City, Shaw, together, with several other ranchers, drove steers to Plaza, North Dakota, to be loaded for market swim­ming them across the Big Missouri River. In 1911 he moved his cattle to leased range on the Fort Berthold Reservation.

They later moved to Williston to make their home where Mr. Shaw was in the banking business. He also kept his ranching interests.

Mr. Shaw died on October 12, 1940, and his widow lived in Williston until the past year when she went to live with her children.

HOLTON "COYOTE CHARLEY" MORK

Holton "Coyote Charley" Mork came to McKenzie County as a young man, working with the railroad branch line in 1913, from Snowden to Watford City when it was being constructed. The freight ahead of the steel was all handled by horse and mule power.

The horse and mule power was used until railroad construction was discontinued at Watford City in 1914.

After construction work stopped, he operated the Ed Mundy farm, southeast of the city until his death in 1946.

"Coyote Charley" was barn and team foreman at the Schafer railroad camp, where the teams rested and fresh teams used to keep the supplies moving all along the railroad right of way, as construction went on summer and winter, where possible.

He acquired the name "Coyote Charley", when in the winter he had killed a coyote with a club when it came too close to a freight sleigh that Mork was with. The name stayed with him until his death.

167

PIONEERS IN PROGRESS

G. A. STENEHJEM AND O. N. STENEHJEM

We're in the "old t ime" category our­selves like the original homesteaders that carved out a civilization in McKenzie County under very difficult circumstances. W e started in the banking business in Arnegard on May I, 1910, and we have been in con­tinuous existence since that day serving the farmers, ranchers, and businessmen. During all these years, The First International Bank of Wat ford City has been known as "my bank" to the vast majority of the residents of McKenzie County. W e may be old in point of service and in our record of sta­bility but we are young in spirit and con­stantly looking for new ways to help the residents of Wat ford City and McKenzie County. We are proud to have assisted more of our farmers and ranchers in their credit needs than all of the other leaders combined. When you see a new house or an improvement being made in Wat ford City, or McKenzie County, The First Inter­national Bank very likely has had a part in it.

PLEASANT PEOPLE

168

OUR MODERN BUILDING

FIRST INTERNATIONAL BANK WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

Serving McKenzie County Since 1910

MR. AND MRS. JULIUS BRUMMOND

Julius Brummond was born at Hankinson and his wife, Ruth at Sparta, Wise. They were married in 1917 and lived in several places before coming to Watford City in 1922, in a Model T Ford. He managed the Coop Supply until his death in 1936. Following her husband's death, Mrs. Brummond entered into partnership with Parney Gilfoy in a store which lasted 7 years, selling her interest to Mrs. Gilfoy. Mrs. Brum­mond left Watford City and taught in Powers Lake until 1955. Mrs. Brummond now lives with her daugh­ter, Neva, Mrs. Bryon Renbarger, near Charlson, N. Dak. The Renbargers have four children.

The Brummonds were active members of the PTA, the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, the American Legion and Auxiliary. They were members of the Presbyterian church, where Mrs. Brummond was pianist for thir­teen years.

Mr. Brummond was an avid hunter. At the time of his death, he was president of the board of education.

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM A. OVE

William A. Ove came to this area, which was then Wallace County in 1903 to file on a homestead and build a shack. The following year his family left Wis­consin for their new home. Their first postoffice was at Banks, which was the Frisch Ranch. If no one was around one helped himself to stamps, leaving money, and then picking up the mail.

Other homesteaders coming from Superior were Halvor Moes, Bert and Tom Moes, Octave Geerts, Frank Rolla and Mr. and Mrs. Brenteson.

The Oves were instrumental in starting the First Lutheran Church and picked the location. In the fall of 1905 school was started in the Morton Anderson shack with Margit Olson, later Mrs. Charles Mogen, as teacher. Maxwell and Wilhelmina rode double on a pony across the prairie about six miles to attend this school. They were the only pupils who had attended school before and the only ones who spoke English.

Mr. Ove died in 1905 and was the first to be buried in the cemetery. Mrs. Ove used widow rights to file on another homestead joining the original, and in 1908 she married Ole Wahus. They continued to live on her homestead. During the early years this kindly lady helped many as a practical nurse and delivered many babies.

Wilhelmina taught school in McKenzie County and married Orville Thompson, making their home in Hawkeye Township, where they still live. They have one son, Harvey. Maxwell lives in Kalispell, Mont. The mother died at the age of 86.

<*m

Homestead Shack 1905

JOHN BLEGEN

John Blegen was born and raised in Wisconsin and came to McKenzie County in 1904 and homesteaded at Borg, N. Dak. He first built a sod shack, lived in that for several years. A one room shack of lumber came a few years later and then a log house and barn. It was quite a day when Mr. Blegen got his first Model T i n 1915!

In the spring of 1919 Eddie Blegen came from Wis­consin to live with his Dad at the age of 15. With all the buttes and hills, it was quite a thrill and to cross the big Missouri River by ferry at Sanish. It kept Mr. Blegen and Eddie busy breaking land and ranching.

In 1931 Eddie was married to Margaret Sivertson and they have three children, Raymond, Joanne, and Arlene, and six grandchildren, all of whom live in North Dakota.

In 1940 John Blegen died, and Eddie and family have since lived on the old homestead.

MR. AND MRS. ARTHUR FREDERICK

Enga Gryte filed on a homestead in McKenzie Coun­ty in 1910, returning to Minnesota, but coming back in the fall with nine other families to build claim shacks. The men shipped an emigrant car containing household goods, milk cows, horses, and farm ma­chinery to White Earth. The ladies moved into the first shack built, and then the men worked fast, so that all could get settled on their claims. They were six miles from the Berg postoffice.

Enga had attended a teachers college in St. Cloud, Minn, and in 1911 she taught her first school in Mc­Kenzie County. The school was a granary moved to a location near Demick lake. She had ten pupils, and teacher boarded with a girl who lived in a sod house. That fall she taught the Veeder school and had more than twenty pupils. She bought a buckskin pony and rode to her homestead for weekends.

She remembers the time they went to Williston for a teachers institute. When they reached the river it was too rough to row across, so they had to wait sev­eral hours. Finally they loaded tbemselves, all the suitcases and mailbags in the boat. The wind was strong, carrying them beyond their destination but their suitcases sank with the boat. They were rescued later, however, and dried out and on to the Institute they went.

Arthur Frederick and Enga Gryte were married in 1912, living in Minnesota for one year, but returning in 1915. They rented their farm in 1956 and built a house in Watford City, where they now live. They have two daughters, Orel and Evelyn, who are married and 5 grandchildren. Several oil wells have been drilled on their land.

THE BERGERON FAMILY

John P. and Orilla Bergeron and their six children arrived from Canada to a ranch owned by Eli Signal, nine miles north of Watford City on April 27, 1913. They crossed the ferry at the Roahn crossing.

A relative had written flowering letters about the wide open country, saying it would be a wonderful place to raise a family. This was difficult for the par­ents to see as they gazed on the one-room, low roofed log house, after leaving a modern home in the city. The adjustment was hard to make and they were in­deed lonely.

There was no school and the Bergerons went to Schafer and applied for books, desks, and a teacher, and started school in a one room tar paper shack. The first teacher was Mrs. Grace Hall Larson, now Mrs. Huber. And what a sight to see—the teacher riding horseback to school! The children had always gone to parochial school with girls and boys in separate schools, and to top it off, none of them could speak English as other children did. There were only two children besides their own at first, the Pete Johnstone family. However, as Watford City grew, this family became part of the community, attending the county fairs, church bazaars and all other activities.

John Bergeron owned and operated a coal mine and supplied most of the town residents with coal. He hired two and three men for this business all year round.

All of the children attended Watford City High School, although the first two only attended two years as that was all that was offered at that time, but they finished in Williston, Gabrielle also attended Minot Teachers College and taught rural schools in the area.

The family have many happy memories of their life on the prairies, but tragedy struck many times; Mr. Bergeron died in 1936; Mrs. Bergeron had an accidental death in 1942; Leo, a son, met with acci­dental drowning in 1942, and Rosair, another son, met death the same way in 1958. A daughter, Grace, Mrs. G. L. Vesser resides in Great Falls, Montana; Am­brose lives in Great Falls, Montana; and Gabrielle, Mrs. Al Peterson, lives in San Carlos, California. There are seven grandchildren.

THE BERGERONS 170

Residence of Carl Nordby

Carl Nordby, brother of Mrs. Knute Berg, came from Norway, and in 1912 filed on a homestead south­east of Watford City. After proving up, he went back to Wisconsin and returned to his homestead in 1920. He married in 1934, leaving McKenzie County, and is now living in Detroit Lakes, Minn.

HAAKON AMBJOR FAMILY

Haakon Ambjor came from Leeds, N. Dak. and homesteaded south of Watford City in 1911; his wife, Inger Norstog came from Grand Forks in 1910 and homesteaded in 1912. Theirs was the first frame home in the neighborhood, built in 1914.

They left McKenzie County in 1940 and Mr. Ambjor died in 1946. Mrs. Ambjor is still living in Seattle.

How well Mrs. Ambjor remembers an incident from her homestead days. Her brother, John Norstog, had gone by foot to the market twenty-five miles away to Farland. All they had left to eat in the house was a pound of lard, a few potatoes and some coffee. This they had lived on for sometime before he left, but before he got back, it had been nearly another week of potatoes fried in lard and coffee.

Five children were born to them, all of whom gradu­ated from Watford City High School, and all attended college. Knut died in 1933 in McKenzie County. Sverre and Trygve both live in Seattle, Wash.; Solveig, wife of Rev. J. E. Schweiss, lives in Portland, Oregon, and Gulberg, wife of Rev. A. W. Nelson, resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Through the years of hardship and experience has come an understanding of life's real meaning—that with faith in God and love for her fellow-men, she can best fulfill her mission here on earth, so expresses Mrs. Ambjor, in speaking of her homesteading days.

Sivertson's Shack Farm in 1918 MR. AND MRS. LARS ROTHIE

Sivert Sivertson was born in Norway, April 14,

1875. He came to the United States in 1905 to work

for his brothers who lived near Landa, North Dakota.

He came to live on a homestead in McKenzie County in

1907 when Berg was the post office.

He and a neighbor built a barn together. They lived

in one end of the barn and had their horses in the

other end the first winter.

In May of 1908 Sivert's father sent for his family to

come from Norway, his wife Elisebet and the four

children. They came to Ray, North Dakota, June 9, 19Q8.

It was a fifty mile trip crossing the Missouri River on

a cable ferry boat to McKenzie County. They spent

the first night in McKenzie County in an old house by

the river.

They lived at the neighbor's place until they built

a 16 x 28 foot house with a dirt floor. That fall the

three older children, (Hans, Anna, Sigurd) started

school at the Lone Star School. Christine Erickson was

the teacher.

In addition to Hans, Anna, Sigurd, and Mary there

were four more children born. They were Gunda,

Clara, Margret, and William. Mr. Sivertson died in

May 1944. Hans, Mary, and William have also passed

away.

Mrs. Sivertson is now 90 years old and she makes

her home at the Good Shepherd Home in Watford City.

Clara, Margret, and Sigurd all live in McKenzie

County.

OLE I. BERG

Mr. and Mrs. Ole I. Berg came to North Dakota from

Encampment, Wyo., in the year of 1907.

Mr. Berg was born in Solar, Norway, in 1859 and

immigrated to Blair, Wis. in 1870. Mrs. Berg was

born in Blair, Wis. in the year of 1871. In 1915 they

sold to Andrew Ceynar and moved to California.

Mrs. Berg passed away in San Diego in 1936. Mr.

Berg passed away in San Diego in 1944.

Andrew Rothie was born at Deerfield, Wisconsin, April 3, 1854 and came to McKenzie County in 1907 and homesteaded. Mrs. Anna Grinde Rothie was born at DeForest, Wisconsin, Feb. 4, 1864. They were mar­ried at DeForest on Oct. 14, 1887. He died Jan. 1, 1919, and she Nov. 2, 1940.

Lars S. Rothie was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dec. 2, 1891, and came to Berg P. O. with his mother on July 28, 1910, also a homesteader. Clara A. Hage-seth was born in Battle Lake, Minn, and married Lars Dec. 28, 1939.

The Rothies liked the west, and for a time Andrew lived in Grand Forks. He met R. J. Folven there and again here.

Lars filed for his homestead when he was 21 years old. In 1913 Arnegard became a railroad town. This was 30 miles from home so Lars hauled grain there, also lumber for a new home.

In 1958 their first oil well came in and three more later. On October 11, 1961, they moved to this beauti­ful city which is now 50 years old. They are members of the First Lutheran Church.

ANDREW CEYNAR

The Ceynar Brothers, Lewis and Andrew, filed on homesteads about the year of 1909. They came from Sauk Centre, Minn.

In 1912 Andrew Ceynar married Eda Berg and they had one son, Donald Ceynar.

Mrs. Ceynar passed away in 1920. Andrew died in 1949 at the a*ge of 65. Donald Ceynar died in 1957 at the age of 41 .

PETER SHAY JOHNSON FAMILY

This family came by covered wagon in the summer of 1904. They came to settle along the Tobacco Gar­den Creek in east part of Farland township. While there, the Johnson home served as a stop over for the stage from Williston on to Schafer. Mail was also left for the many homesteaders coming at that time. Later the family moved south of Arnegard, near the Burning Mine country. It was while they were living here two sons, Chris and Ben, died of influenza. Anoth­er son, William, lost his life in World War I. Soon after this the family moved on into Canada. Two daughters of this family married and stayed on. Te­resa, who became Mrs. Knute Okland and Clara who married Peter Johnston.

The Knute Oklands left to make their home in Ellensberg, Washington.

171

MR. AND MRS. T. 0 . GUNDERSON AND FAMILY

Thorvald 0 . Gunderson was born in 1880 at Chim­ney Rock, Wise, and his wife, Gina, was born in 1883, both of Norwegian parentage. It is interesting to note that Thorvald's maternal grandfather is buried in a mass grave at New Ulm, Minn., victim of the "New Ulm Indian Massacre" during the Indian uprising in the early 80's.

About 1885 both families moved west to LaMoure, N. D. and Thorvald and Gina were married in 1901. Shortly after, they moved to Canada where they lived on new homesteads near Camrose, Alberta for four years. Tents served as their first homes in the wilder­ness. One night they heard sounds of "tent pitching" all night long and looking out of their own tents the next morning saw they were completely surrounded by Indians who had come in from the surrounding ter­ritory for what they called "government pay day." Thinking the Gunderson tents were those of other Indians, they naturally stopped. Mrs. Gunderson was "scared to death" but later found out they were very friendly.

Two children were born in Canada, where they sur­vived smallpox, and in 1906 they returned to La­Moure. A year later they set out again with their three small children, and their worldly possessions— household goods, three horses, three cows, and $200 for their new home at Banks, north of Watford City. They had to assemble their covered wagons at Ray for the last part of their trip, ferrying across the Missouri River, following country trails past the homesteads of Tom Quale, where they borrowed their coffee pot even if no one was home, and Andrew Wisness and the Grantier Ranch, and M. F. Higgins Store, and finally they arrived at the sod house which had been the claim shack of Ella Skogheim, which served as the first home for the Gundersons. In a short time a home was built, which with additions and remodeling, is now the home of a son, Arthur.

As the years passed, six more children were born,

and as no one dreamed of going to hospitals to have

172

babies in those days, all at home, with the help of substitute doctors like Rachel Larson and Anna Bronolden.

Mr. and Mrs. Gunderson farmed in the Banks com­munity until 1947. Mrs. Gunderson and son Edgar died in 1950, and Mr. Gunderson has since re-married and lives in Syracuse, New York.

Their eight living children are: Mable, Mrs. Clif­ford Severson of Genoa, Wise.; Jessie, Mrs. Lester Greene La Crosse, Wise.; Alice, Mrs. Arleton Sax; Cora, Mrs. Arne Sanford; and Arthur, all of Watford City; Lillian, Mrs. Warner Quale, Bismarck, N. D.; Myrtle, Mrs. Arthur Rud of Tacoma, Wash.; and Edan, Mrs. Franz Nordstrom of Phoenix, Arizona.

MR. AND MRS. J. P. JOHNSON

Mrs. J. P. Johnson was born Sarah Till in Freeburg, Minnesota, in 1885, her father having come from England 12 years before. When Sarah was a young lady in 1907, she and her brother, Albert and sister, Lucy, now Mrs. Kinning felt the call of the west and came to North Dakota to take up a homestead in Mc­Kenzie County. Of course, their only way to get here was to take the stage from Williston and thence ferry across the Missouri River, and then walk to their shack. All the shacks on every quarter section looked pretty much the same, but how bare the country looked, with no water or trees—just prairie grass and it was full of needles!

In a short time this lady homesteader saw a young man getting water from a slough. Little did she rea­lize that a few years later, on St. Patrick's Day of 1915 to be exact, she would become his bride. He has come from Donnely, Minnesota, born in Sweden, but coming to this country when he was eight years old.

More than anyone, they will never forget their wed­ding day. Up at four o'clock in the morning and on their way to Williston. Sarah slipped off the hub of the wagon and sprained her ankle, but that didn't stop them as the ice was getting thin to cross the river. The wedding was performed by Rev. Monson and the next day they bought a few pieces of furniture and started for home. How glad they were that the ice held and they were on solid ground!

They have three children: Ida, Mrs. Melvin Walla, of Erskine, Minnesota; Adolph, of Williston, and Mildred at home, who works as seamstress in a shop in Williston. The Johnsons farmed on their homestead until 1950 when they moved to Williston. They will celebrate their Golden Wedding next year, after hav­ing enjoyed many happy years on the Dakota prairies.

Mr. and Mrs. Olaf Hansen honeymooning in Eastern Dakota, November, 1919.

M'F]? i t i f i - i / / /

irffc.

F iawwmmml-.

Furs to Buy First Tractor

Olaf Hansen, born Feb. 3, 1888, in Hone-foss, Norway, was bap­tized and confirmed in the Norderhov Church. He was educated in the Honefoss Schools, and grew to manhood in Norway. When

eighteen, Olaf crossed the Atlantic to America. Work­ing his way to Minnesota to his minister-uncle's farm near Elbow Lake, he helped farm during summer, and in winter worked in the North Woods.

"Wages were high in the Woods," Olaf reminisced, "$25. a month plus board and room!"

In 1915 Olaf went West, crossed North Dakota to McKenzie County to file on his homestead on Dim-mick Lake.

In 1918 Mabel Levang came to McKenzie County to teach the Olson School in the Blue Buttes District. Olaf a year later married the "school marm." The Hansens r e a r e d their daughters, Margaret Brown, Medicine Lake, and Arlene Holo, Flaxville, Mont.; Ila Mae Croff, Watford City, and Elinore Safratowich, Zeeland, North Dakota, at their Dimmick Lake farm.

They are members of the Clear Creek Lutheran Church, and it is Arlene who was the first baby baptized in the new Clear Creek Church.

The family sincerely enjoyed music. Their well-known orchestra played for countless dances through­out western North Dakota and eastern Montana. Olaf, always interested in community affairs, served on the School Board, the Township Board, the Blue Buttes Park Board, and was the Lake Area Game Warden. An ardent sportsman, he played third base on Berg's baseball team, excelled in skiing, skating, swimming, and wrestling, and enjoyed hunting ducks and geese that flocked to his lake each fall. Winter found him trapping mink and muskrat abounding there. In fact, his first tractor was bought with one winter's fur catch.

Steadfastly courageous, Olaf Hansen stayed with McKenzie County through good years and bad, for he maintained then, as he still does, that—"There is no finer place to live, anywhere, than McKenzie County."

MR. AND MRS. HALFDAN AMLIEN

Halfdan Amlien, known as Hank Amlien was born in Toten, Norway, and immigrated to America in 1910. He came to Minneapolis where he stayed for two months before coming to McKenzie County. He filed on a homestead in 1910.

He soon found out that someone else had filed on this piece of land. He then hired out to work at the Uhlman Ranch.

MR. AND MRS. HANK AMLIEN

During the year 1910 which was very dry they found it necessary to build a bridge part way across the river in order to get the cattle out to the ferry. This bridge was made from trees and logs which had to be staked down so they wouldn't float away. The cat­tle to be shipped were then driven across the bridge to the ferry and taken the rest of the way across the river.

In 1913 Mr. Amlien began farming with a team of oxen. He used his oxen to haul the logs from the Big Missouri for building a house in which he and his bride, the former Julia Kirkeby, of Norman County, Minnesota, set up housekeeping. These oxen were used to break up the land he wished to farm as well as to haul grain to White City and to the Uhlman Ferry. He farmed for two years with oxen but found them too slow for use on the binder and changed to horses.

He and his wife continued to live on the farm until 1943 when they sold their farm to Jim Renbarger and moved to Watford City. Mrs. Amlien died in 1952.

In 1953 Mr. Amlien and Ingeborg Amlien were married 'in Sidney, Montana. They reside in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. EDWIN R. SATTER

Edwin R. Satter was born May 6, 1877, at Morris, Minn., son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Satter.

He married Inga Thorgramson in Sept. 1899 at Morris, Minn., and in 1903, he and his family came to Banks community in McKenzie County and

, . „ . » , „ filed on a homestead MR. AND MRS. EDWIN SATTER j o i n i n g t h e C on Sax

homestead. They had five children, Pearl, Florence, Eleanor,

Royal, and infant daughter who died. Mr. E. R. Satter served as Town Clerk for many

years and helped in any way to improve the com­munity. He was an ardent sportsman.

He farmed on his homestead and in 1923, the Sat-ters and son Royal moved back to Morris, Minnesota and lived on a farm in Stevens County. EoVin died in 1962, and Mrs. Satter preceded him in death in 1944.

173

MR. AND MRS. KNUT TEXLE

Knut Texle was born in Numedal, Norway, August 17, 1888, and Louise Thorland was born at Fitjar, Bergen, Norway, January 11, 1888. Both received their elementary education in their native country before immigrating to the United States. They were married December 3, 1913. They homesteaded seven miles north of Watford City and continued to live there until the death of Mr. Texle in 1954. Since then Mrs. Texle has divided her time between her four living children, one of whom is an adopted granddaughter, now Mrs. Linda Kay Goldade of Minot, N. D. The others are Esther, Mrs. Denton, Seattle, Washington; Sigrid, Mrs. Russell, St. Petersburg, Florida; and Bjorne who is living on the farm. Solvig, Mrs. Rennick, died when Lina was born, Emil was killed in a car accident, and Clara died at the age of 6.

Mr. Gilbert Skavanger and Doc. Johnson

Gilbert Skavanger arrived in McKenzie County in the spring of 1914 from his birthplace in Kongsberg, Norway. He came to Berg, N.D. and worked for 2 years for his brother. He then moved to Watford City and worked for Dr. P.O.C. Johnson for several years for the winter months. During the summer months he worked on farms and the fall of 1924 started work with road construction for the County Highway Dept. In 1933 he moved to Williston where he works for the N. D. State Highway Dept.

In February of 1937 he married the former Olga Bakke and have two children, Elaine Kay, attending St. Cloud State College as a graduate student working on her Masters degree and a son, Lee, a freshman at Concordia College.

MR. REINHARD ENGEBRETSON

Reinhart Engebretson was born in 1883 in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. He proved up on a homestead south of his brother, Sanis, in 1913. Harris and Shirley Olson now live on and own his homestead. From Mc­Kenzie County Reinhart went to Rochester, Minn., where he worked for the city until he retired and passed away in the spring of 1962.

MR. AND MRS. H. HYSTAD

Henry was born on a farm near Del Rapids, S. D. Feb. 11, 1890. His father rented a farm near Velva and he wrote for his family to get an immigrant car and load up the belongings and children and come to N. D.

They couldn't all ride in the box car so some left by train, leaving Alfred and Henry to go with the boxcar. They were side-tracked in St. Paul for three days while the cow was TB tested. They arrived in Gran­ville, out of money and hungry.

In the year 1911 he filed on a quarter of land on the edge of the Missouri River Breaks about 14 miles out of Watford City, and built a log house. He bought 4 oxen in the spring of 1912 and didn't have hay or grain to' feed them so had to let them graze. The oxen were his means of breaking sod. He was able to break up 3Q acres which was put into flax, which went 25 bu. per acre. He hauled the flax into Williston and it took one day to go there and one day to return.

Mr. and Mrs. Hystad were married October 5, 1913. Five children were born of the union. Two of the children passed away in early youth.

They have farmed in McKenzie County from 1913 until they retired from farming operations in 1962. His son Elery now possesses the home place. His younger son Dallas has a farm near Arnegard. His daughter Alva, a registered nurse, lives in Williston.

MR. GEORGE W. HANSON

George W. Hanson was born at Willmar, Minn., in 1879 and filed on a homestead five miles southeast of Watford City in 1909. He owned his homestead until he passed away in December, 1960, though he rented it out after he proved up. After proving up, he return­ed to Minnesota for a few years and then spent the rest of his life in Fargo and Minot. While in Minot he worked for many years in the boiler room of St. Jo­seph's Hospital.

JOHN GUSTAFSON

John Gustafson came from Sweden in 1902 to Christine, N. Dak. and married Lena Erikson, from Norway. They filed on a homestead in 1903 in Twin Valley township. John died in 1952 and Lena in 1955. Their only son, Carl, died in 1929.

John Gustafsons and Harald Haugans. Mr. and Mrs. John Gustafson and Carl

174

Going to Schafer for Marriage License

MRS. LLOYD BUELL

Ethel Dolan was born in Wisconsin on Aug. 25,

1893. She went to normal school and taught school,

venturing to this area to teach. She left Wisconsin in

1914, coming first to the J. I. Berg home, traveling all

the way by horses and wagon. Ted Richardson then

took her to the Rothie home. She first taught the

Williams school, boarding at the Harry Howard home.

Many times she wished she could just be back home,

but money was scarce and she decided to stay. To

make matters worse, she was told that they had been

expecting a young man instead of a young lady to be

the new school teacher. Soon after coming to the Wil­

liams school, she filed on a homestead not too far

from her school.

One frightening experience of hers was getting lost

on the prairie. It was quite a ways to the mail de­

livery, horseback riding was new to her, but up on a

horse she got. When she started on her way back, it

was dark, and it was a cold evening—40 below. High

winds drifted the snow into the tracks and she soon

became lost and rode in a circle. About that time,

she decided to let the horse go the way it wanted.

About four hours later they came to the Ole Skaar

home. She was nearly frozen and could not even get

off the horse alone. It was a long time before she

ventured out on the prairie again.

She married Lloyd Buell in 1915. Living on the

homestead was quite different from life in Wisconsin.

As the years passed, more people moved into the

country and improvements took shape.

A daughter, Ava, lives in Auburn, Wash., and has

two daughters. John Calvin, a son, worked for the

Figure 4, Angus Kennedy, and Jim McCarten, and in

1939, decided to go west.

Lloyd and Ethel moved to Watford City after the

children had left home, and Lloyd had a star mail

route to Berg, some 80 miles per day round trip, and

she worked for the MDU. In 1950, due to Lloyd's poor

health, they moved west, and Lloyd passed away in

1960. She still lives in Washington near her brother

and sister, also early-day settlers at Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. WALTER KOSHMAN

Walter Koshman was born in South Dakota, coming

to this country by team, where he and two friends took

up homesteads.

Jean Cameron was born in Iowa, and after visiting

an old friend, Mrs. Cal Dodge, took up a homestead,

which later became part of the Dodge ranch.

Walter and Jean were married in 1909 and often

recalled their honeymoon trip from Ray to Berg in a

buggy, with an unbroken horse.

He often recalled his part in the controversy be­

tween Berg and Alexander for the county seat, and

the final agreement to put it half ways between at

Schafer, where it remained until moved to Watford

City. He always had faith in Watford City and pur­

chased the Bill Holm Livery Stables. He rebuilt it on

the city block where the civic center now stands. He

operated this stable until the motor car took over, at

which time he sold the buildings to Pete Moe.

The Koshmans had two children, Helen Herger of

Rio Oso, California, and Alexander Koshman at Pleas­

ant Grove, California, still doing some farming in

North Dakota.

Mrs. Koshman died in 1957, and he eight months

later. Although they spent their last years in Califor­

nia their hearts and thoughts never left McKenzie

County, which they called home.

EVERETT AND NANNIE MADISON

Everett Madison was born in Ohio in 1865 and

Nannie was born in Ohio in 1866. They were married

in 1894 and lived in Ohio where three sons were

born, all now deceased. Everett worked on a steam­

boat on the Mississippi River for several years. They

lived at Flaxton in the early years, remembering one

year there was so much snow they had to tunnel be­

tween the house and barn.

They had two daughters, Leola, Mrs. James Rosen-

brans of Roseau, Minn.; and Esther, Mrs. Wilbur

Campbell of Watford City. They came to McKenzie

County in 1916 and farmed until poor health forced

them to move to Watford City in 1938. Mrs. Madison

died in 1939 and Mr. Madison in 1945.

175

THE REV. BERNARD M. TOLLEFSON FAMILY

This man, one of the first Lutheran pastors in the

county, came here in 1904. He was born in Norway,

Sept. 29, 1858, and came to Minn, with his parents

when he was a boy. He, along with four of his brothers,

became minister in the Lutheran church. From 1886

to 1904 he served parishes around Hatton, N. D. and in

S. D. In 1904 he homesteaded in the Tobacco Garden

Creek area and in 1905 brought part of his family out

with him to Ray, on an immigrant train. His wife and

other children followed later.

He married Malena Lockrem, born in Minn., in

1867. Nine children were born to them: Olve ( 0 . C ) ,

married Mabel Jacobson, died 1956; Edgar, married

Esther Landers, now living in Denver; Elsie, married

Guttorm Sundor, died 1947; Anna, died 1925; Marie,

married Jake Berger, died 1958; Mabel, living in

Denver; Ruth, died when a young child; Bernard, died

about 1915; Norman, died in infancy.

The Rev. Tollefson organized the Garden Valley

Lutheran Church and also preached, and organized

churches in Ward County. He traveled in a two-

wheeled cart with a pony, crossing the Missouri River

on the ferry. He left Hatton because he felt this was

a new country and a good place for his young family

in which to grow. Pastor Tollefson died in 1906 and

his widow, with her young children, continued to live

on the homestead. Their home was located on the road

up from the Ray ferry. The "Pink House" became

a stopping place for newcomers to the county. It was

a sort of half-way house where the welcome was

always warm, and any needed help assured.

The widow Tollefson was a shining light in the

neighborhood, always ready to assist where there

was an illness, a death, or a new baby. Many of the

neighborhood girls went to their confirmation dressed

in clothes she sewed with her clever fingers.

MR. AND MRS. GILBERT T. LEE

Gilbert was born December 27, 1873, in Coon

Prairie, Wis., one of thirteen children. His parents

having come from Norway by sailboat in 1853. One

tragic incident which he recalls in his childhood is the

death of a sister and brother of black diphtheria. His

only living sister now lives in New Westminster, Brit­

ish Columbia. As a boy, he was kept busy in the to­

bacco fields which required a great deal of hand labor

that they were able to do. Maple sugar time was a

great event to the young people of that day.

When Gilbert was seventeen, he began to look west­

ward—his first stop was in the Red River Valley. In

1900 he moved to California, where he met and mar­

ried Molly Olson. They had one daughter, Gladys,

Mrs. Ansgar Edrem, who lives in Manhattan Beach,

Calif. A short time later his wife passed away. Mr.

Lee homesteaded southwest of Schafer in 1906. He

married Inga Stavem in 1909.

Inga was born in Lesja, Gudbransdalen, Norway, on

Dec. 10, 1884. When whe was about eighteen she came

to America by herself. In about 1907 she filed on a

homestead four miles south of the present site of Wat­

ford City. Some time later two of her sisters—Mary,

(Mrs. Gust Nesseth) and Ricka, (Mrs. Barney Larson)

filed on homesteads near hers.

Among the things which Mr. Lee recalls is the

crossing of the river by ferry, after a long trip with

team and wagon to Williston. On one occasion when

the river was breaking up in the spring, he crossed a

raging torrent of ice chunks, in a basket on a cable.

Mr. and Mrs. Lee had five children: Augusta, Mrs.

Einar Hegg, who lives in Fargo, spending their sum­

mers in Detroit Lakes, Minn.; Eleanor, Mrs. J. W. Guse

of Sioux Falls, S. D.; Duane, of Detroit Lakes, Minn.;

Irvin and Vernon of Watford City.

Mrs. Lee passed away on March 13, 1950. Mr. Lee

is still hail and hearty at the age of ninety.

176

Congratulations to

Watford City for 50

Years of Progress.

in RAS" ROLFSON WATFORD INSURANCE &

REALTY

PHONE 6291

ELLINGSON AGENCY

One Stop

Insurance Service

LICENSED AND BONDED

REAL ESTATE BROKER

DICK ELLINGSON

PETE'S TASTEE FREEZ Hwys. 85 and 23 West

"Come As You Are— and Eat In Your Car."

GUNNER AND MAXINE PETERSON, Owners

PHONE 911

177

MR. ANDREW JOHNSTON

Mr. Andrew Johnston was born on March 25, 1885. His father worked as a section hand for the railroad and lived in different houses or shacks in and near Taylor.

He received his early education at Sims. In 1903 when he was 18 years of age he came to

McKenzie County. Since he was only 18, he could not file on a homestead. He worked with his brother Peter until the spring of 1907 when he went into partner­ship with August Jens who had a ranch. They bought the Townsend Ranches and the horses.

In 1912 he bought out the interest owned by August Jens.

In the latter part of the 1920's and the first part of the 1930's, he became quite interested in politics and he got to be one of the commissioners of McKenzie Coun­ty-

In 1938 he bought the old Gragory Lange Ranch (The old Yule Post Office).

In 1943 he sold his interest in stock and ranches to Nelson and Ruginal Langdon and went south to Ari­zona. There he worked for Jack Kenney operating the La Osa Ranch.

He remained with this job until 1949 when he bought the Saddle Store in Dickinson. He changed the name to the Western Trading Post. He has been with this business for the past fifteen years.

Mr. Johnston is a true westerner. Rarely does he miss the national stockmen's convention.

At the ripe old age of 78 he attended the national convention in Memphis, Tennessee. Usually he takes in all the sights on the way.

His sister, Marie Maston, works with him in the Dickinson Store.

She too is an old timer in the Watford City area. Her history is elsewhere in the book.

WILLIAM KUMMER

William Kummer filed on a homestead near Berg,

N. D. in 1908. The oldest son, Eddie, followed him

in 1909. His wife, Ulricks and four children, Carl,

Louie, Albert, and Lena followed in 1910. John, Fred,

and Ervin arrived here in 1911. Two younger daugh­ters, Minnie and Ella were born after the family ar­rived in McKenzie County.

When Mrs. Kummer and the older children crossed the Big Missouri, there was ice in the channel due to an upheaval. They crossed part way on a boat, walked across the ice in the center, then continued across in a boat.

They farmed, raised a few cattle, and raised a large garden to provide a livelihood for the family. The older children and their father worked for other farmers and ranchers while the mother and children looked after the farm.

Bill Kummer passed away in 1944 and his wife in 1933. Eddie, John, Louie, Lena and Ella are all de­ceased.

MR. AND MRS. HARRY K. ADAMS

Harry K. Adams was born at Eckesburg, Pa., on Sept. 10, 1875. He moved to Illinois as a young man, where he met and married Laura Campbell, a widow with four children, namely Ethel, Mrs. Guy Randall, and Wilbur, both of Watford City, Charles of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Mattie, Mrs. E. G. Childs of Ana-cortes, Wash. Mrs. Adams was born at Gettesburg, Pa., on Feb. 23, 1864. After farming some years in Min­nesota, they moved to McKenzie County in 1906 where they homesteaded until their deaths.

They used oxen and horses to break their ground. They lived in a tent until they could build their home. Their daughter, Mary, (Mrs. Elmer Folven) was born that summer.

They raised some cattle and horses and large herds of sheep.

Mrs. Adams passed away Feb. 1, 1941, Harry Adams passed away May 3, 1952.

IS

f . »"" - •> V

(fr"w f̂f¥'" l l ' I ' 1 • - • - BM • M » - I- . • ~, i I. * i ,. 111 ym?$aaw

1,250,000 gallons of fresh water

available to Watford City at all times

We Are Proud to Have Had a Part in the Development and Growth

of Watford City

GENERAL BUILDERS AND WATFORD CITY REDE MIX

401 EAST 5

PHONE 2293

179

MR. AND MRS. S. A. THOMPSON

In 1903 a young man from Owatonna, Minn., came to Bottineau, North Dakota. The following year he came to McKenzie County and homesteaded about seven miles north of Schafer. He had been told that the ranchers were hostile to all homesteaders. They found later, however, that their nearest rancher-neighbor, Will Ewen, was the kindest of men and friendly. When they became acquainted, Mr. Ewen sold them a quarter of beef at the then current price of three cents per pound.

Our young homesteader, Syvert A. Thompson, turned his hand to the building trade again. Many homes and stores in Schafer, and later on, Watford City, were speeded along by his hammer and saw.

In March of 1906, with the thermometer down at minus 23 degrees, the Williston stage brought a young lady bookkeeper from Duluth, Minnesota, to McKenzie County. For Miss Mary Hester Vandegrift, this was her first glimpse of the county that was to become her home all the rest of her days. Her father, Abram Vandegrift, had arrived a few weeks earlier and they both filed on claims five miles northeast of Schafer.

The Missouri River ice had broken up earlier and then frozen over again sub-zero temperatures of late March, so they crossed on the ice instead of on the ferry. The stage-driver, Mr. Preble, forgot the foot warmers when he left Williston that day but said he would get one at the rest-stop just beyond the river, the White House. He forgot it at the White House, but said he would get one at the Farland Store and Post Office. He forgot to get one there, too, so the young easterners were nearly frozen when, at last, they reach­ed Schafer, a distance of about fifty miles. They spent their first night in the county at the Frank Kellogg home.

Mary H. Vandegrift was born at Port Penn, Delaware, and moved with her family to Duluth in 1901. She went to business school there and worked for a time as bookkeeper for a mining company at Virginia, Min­nesota. After proving up her homestead, she worked a few years for Mr. H. L. Moe in the Register of Deeds office, besides part time for Judge Mason.

In 1910 Mary Vandegrift and Syvert A. Thompson were married at the home of the bride's parents. They farmed the land and struggled to make improvements, and were always ready to put their shoulders to the wheel for any community improvements.

In the election of 1918, Mr. Thompson was elected sheriff, so they rented the farm, held an auction sale, and in early December, moved to Schafer, where the family lived for four and one-half years. They moved back to the farm in the spring of 1923, and began again the exciting venture of farming. Mr. Thompson was county commissioner for a term of four years.

In 1930, he again entered the race for sheriff and was elected, serving another two terms. Then, after a temporary residence on the farm, the family moved to Watford City, where Mr. Thompson again worked at his carpenter's trade.

Mr. Thompson spent his last years in Watford City, the town he had helped in building. He passed away in 1948. Mrs. Thompson lived on in their home there until her death in 1963.

Their six children are: Albert Thompson, Martinez, Calif.; Mary Ann, Mrs. John Kjorstad, Williston, N. D.; Eleanor, Mrs. Erling Brekke, Scotia, Calif.; Ralph Thompson, San Diego, Calif.; Miss Julia Thompson, Jamestown, N. D.; Catherine, Mrs. Herman Johnson, Arnegard, N. D.

1 • k.

01

„J *

Mrs. Thompson's Shack

The Thompsons with the 4 oldest

180 S. A. Thompson's Shack

R E X A L L RISAdTlSDIKfi* A Full Line Carried in Stork

LUNDIN BROS. W A T F O R D

Druggists N O R T H D A K O T A

We have one of the hest equipped Drug Stores in North Dakota.

Our Sanitary Iceless Soda Fountain is now set up and in running order, and we will say that there is none better made.

We have the agency for McKenzie County for the famous Merrifield Piano Company, manufacturers of Pianos and Organs since 1865. We buy direct from the manufacturers, therefore we can save you money. Come in and look them orer and get our prices and terms.

We also handle Victor Victrolas and Cafambia Cirafonolas. Get one in your stoma* and cnj»») your evenings listening to tfec music of the greatest artists in the world.

We have a complete line of Records for the above machines.

A complete line of Eastman Kodaks and Supplies.

Our dust-proof cigar case keeps our Cigars in perfect condition, and we have the finest brands obtainable.

Our line of Drugs, Sundries, Toilet Articles, Etc., is complete and fresh.

We Are Registered Pharmacists Tbavrfore Your Prescription Will Be Correctly Filled

Freati From The Factory

A reproduction of our ad as it appeared in the first issue of the Wat ford Guide, Mar. I I , 1915

W e are humbly grateful that we have been privileged to contin­

uously serve this community for more than fi f ty years; to have con­

tr ibuted in small ways to its growth and development; to have been

able to modernize our business and services; but most of all, to

have worked with, and enjoyed the confidence and friendship of

so many of the best people in the world.

LUNDIN BROS. Since 1907

181

Nils Hystad on wagon MR. AND MRS. NILS J. AAGVIK

Nils Hystad came to McKenzie County in 1907 and

homesteaded one mile west of the 3V ranch, operated

at that time by August Jens and Andrew Johnston,

about 12 miles north of where Watford is now.

The next spring he built a sod house, and the fol­

lowing fall the family arrived, namely: Caroline,

mother, Henry, Isaac, Alfred, Selmer, Clara, Martha,

Carl, Samson, Alma, and later Selma was to be born.

During the first winter he and two of his older sons

cut logs by the river and used these to build the log

house that they lived in until 1918, when he built a

frame house.

For the first few years the grain had to be ha*uled to

Williston, crossing on a ferry with horses and wagons.

This was sometimes quite an ordeal. An elevator was

then built on the river bank near the ferry and the

grain was shipped out on barges.

The older folks would have house parties and visit

and dance. Sometimes a group would sing. These

parties lasted until morning.

There were jokes and pranks then, too. One time

when they were branding at the 3V ranch some of the

neighbors were there. There was a boy of about four­

teen who had never had his hair cut. One of the cow­

boys threw a rope on him and they cut his hair.

One evening Nils came home from Shafer and said

that they were going to build a railroad and a town

here and call it Watford. Soon after that they started

building the railroad up the Wild Cow Creek. This

ran about a half mile from our place. That was tem­

porary and was used for hauling material from the

barges to Watford.

Then came the Model-T. Their first one created

some excitement. Nils drove it into a haystack to stop

it the first time he drove it.

Mr. and Mrs. Hystad moved into Arnegard in 1928,

and lived there until their death. There are three living

children, Henry, Carl, and Selma.

182

Nils Jacobson Aagvik was born in Nordland, Nor­way in 1861 and came to Horace, N. Dak. in the early 1880's.

In 1903 he married Othea Larson who had come from Nordland, Norway the year before. They home­steaded in 1904 and the spring of 1905 moved across on the ferry from Ray to McKenzie County.

A frame house was erected on the Aagvik farm and logs were hauled from the Big Missouri River to build a barn. Fences had to be built around the farm stead as protection against the range stock. Breaking up land for fields was done with a walking plow and two hor­ses.

Mrs. Aagvik feared the thunder storms and the high winds that first summer. Any sign of a bad storm found her ushering the family down the cellar steps, blankets and clothing, for an emergency in her arms. Her husband, used to this weather, usually remained on the top step giving a flash by flash report on the storm's progress while she tried to get him downstairs before the house blew.

Mr. and Mrs. Aagvik continued to live on the farm. Mr. Aagvik passed away in 1932 and Mrs. Aagvik and her two sons remained on the farm until she passed away in 1953. They are laid to rest in Garden Cemetery, both being charter members of Garden Church.

They have four children living in the area, Ella, Mrs. Ivar Kjelstad, who teaches at Johnson Corners, Justin, lives in Watford, Norman and Nels who live about 17 miles north of Watford City.

CARL E. HOVRUD

Carl E. Hovrud brought his wife and three child­ren from Iowa to McKenzie County in 1912, home­steading ten miles east of Watford City. Their two living children are: Gusta, Mrs. Carl Lerche, Seattle, and Ellenora, Mrs. Louie Peterson, Sumner, Wash., both having graduated from Watford City High.

The Hovruds remember a terrific blizzard when they had the teacher, and all the pupils stay at their home over night—some over 20. Even the kitchen table was used for a bed.

Hovruds had a coal mine on their land, which coal was sold.

CARL MELBYS

Carl 0 . Melby was born in Norway in 1893 and

came to this country in May, 1914. He came directly

to the Farland community to join his brothers, Jens

and Ole, and his sisters, Margaret and Louise, Mrs.

Carl Stenberg. He spent his first years working for

Carl Stenberg, L. W. Larson, Art Smesrud, Jens

Walla, Nels Walla, and Peder Iverson, while at the

same time holding down his homestead. He later en­

larged his farming operations by buying the Uhlman

Strand farm in 1920.

In 1928 he married Enga Arends who came to this

country from Holland on April 12, 1913. Enga Erends

was born in Holland on May 18, 1904, and came to

this country with her parents, Teddo and Engeltje

Arends (Bruins), and her three sisters and brothers.

Harm, an older brother, had come the year before.

Enga's father homesteaded on land just northeast of

the John Bruins farm, but the first summer was spent

in a log house on the Agnes Bruins homestead located

about two miles north of the future Watford City. The

mother of Enga was hospitalized in Schafer that fall

and was operated on for cancer, but died at her home

the next spring. They had moved into their new one-

room home on the homestead that fa"ll. Later, the

father sold the homestead and moved to Watford City

where he worked for several years as a section hand.

He moved to Missoula, Mont., to be near his son, Lup-

po and family. He lived there until 1955, when he re­

turned to McKenzie County, where he died the same

year.

The children attended school at Farland, and after

Enga finished her schooling, she worked out doing

housework and later as a waitress at the Ma Anderson

boarding house.

Enga married Carl Melby August 29, 1928. They

have ten children: Carl Jr. of Minot; Elizabeth of

Anaheim, Calif.; John on the home place; Thelma,

Mrs. Thomas Mclntire of St. Paul, Minn., Laurence

and Gerald, both of California; Linda of St. Paul; Caro­

lyn at college at BYU, Provo, Utah; James, at Minot

College, and Muriel at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Melby retired from the farm in 1957

and reside in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. MANLEY SMITH

Manley C. Smith was born Aug. 14, 1879, in Spring

Valley, Minnesota. While a young lad, his family

moved by covered wagon to Stanberry, Missouri. He

homesteaded in Bottineau County, North Dakota, near

Antler in 1901. During February of 1907, he returned

to Missouri and married his former sweetheart, Belle

Ream, who was born Aug. 6, 1880, near Russell, Kan­

sas in a sod house.

Manley and Belle returned to his homestead near

the Canadian border and farmed there until 1917,

when the family moved to Farland Township in Mc­

Kenzie County, six and one half miles northeast of

Watford City.

He drove a team and buggy across country from

Antler to Watford, and was so impressed by the oppor­

tunities offered here that he purchased land near his

brother, Lincoln, and built a home for his family.

Mrs. Smith and the three daughters arrived by train

in Watford City on April 1, 1917, to be met by a sister-

in-law, Mrs. Lincoln Smith, in her spring wagon. The

girls will never forget their mother's dismay and alarm

when taken on her first ride that day, up and down

McKenzie's steep hills. Rather than permit herself the

luxury of the "spring seat" she crouched in the bottom

of the wagon with the girls. Within a few weeks, how­

ever, she too was adept at driving a frisky team of

horses from a "spring seat" with a child on her lap.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith continued farming until 1946

when the poor health of Mrs. Smith necessitated their

leaving the farm. They rented their land to Olaf Muri

and moved their farm house to the Aarhus addition in

north Watford. Mrs. Smith died in 1951, Manley con­

tinued active in church work until he died in April,

1957.

Besides Sarah, who died in 1921, the Smiths had

two daughters: Daisy, Mrs. Rosair Bergeron, who moved

to Indiana shortly after her husband's death in 1957

where she teaches in the junior high near Marion;

and Fannie, Mrs. Magnus Walla, who with her hus­

band and children live on the farm site of the old

Farland village.

183

HERMAN F. GIERKE

Herman F. Gierke was born in 1903 in Wis. and like most boys wanted to be a cowboy. He arrived in Garrison, N. D. April, 1916, broke and hungry. Hired out at $25 per mo., and not a 40 hour week, t h e winter of 1916-1917, one of the coldest in the state's history and he worked for his board, cutting house-logs and feeding cattle. He wore a pair of discarded riding boots all winter, no overshoes and no welfar; office in sight.

He came to McKenzie Co. in 1923 and liked what he saw so he moved here with $700 worth of cattle and a $950 mortgage. At no time did he lose faith in this county, or was he inclined to quit. He homesteaded in the badlands in 1926, married Bernadette Lord in 1927 and had two children, Donna, San Carlos, Ariz., and Dick, now employed by the N. D. Stockman's Assn. His wife died when the children were Tery small.

Mary Kelly and he were married in 1933. He hauled the mail from 1934 to 1938 and two of those winters were rough. All 60 miles of his route weie plugged much of the time and 40 miles were impassable for months on end and 6 weeks the mercury didn't climb to zero, but it did drop below 60, drifts were ten feet deep on N. D. 23 and snowplows weren't much then. He rode a saddle horse 40 miles a day, hauling the mail on a toboggan, until the spring sun melted the snow. Folks like Earl Stedman, the Venny Wherlys, Finsaas boys, Howard Mosholder, Odin Knudson, Lars Rothie and Grandma Croff were very helpful.

Mary and Herman have two children, Valorie, a University of Montana graduate, married, now living in Seattle and Sparky, Herman F. Gierke II], a senior at the University of N. D. They live on the Fame ranch in Northfork township and also have headquarters and run cattle on the reservation.

JOHN TIEGS

John Tiegs was born in 1887 in Houston, Minn. In 1910 Art Keison and John drove to Berg by team and wagon. In October, he filed on a homestead in Grail Township where he lived until 1923.

He was married to Martha Veeder in October, 1913 and eleven children were born. They were: Lyle, who passed away in 1963; Mildred, Mrs. Alex Alton of Keene; Hattie, Mrs. Olaf Haugan of rural Watford City; Everett and Earl of Watford City; Lula, Mrs. Ervin Kummer of Keene; Lorna, Mrs. James Stanford of Sidney, Montana; Delores, Mrs. Cliff Denzine of Sidney, Montana; Elaine, Mrs. Bob Mead of Grassy Butte; Vernon of Aberdeen, South Dakota, and Alva, Mrs. Kenneth Larson of Imperial Beach, Calif. Mrs. Tiegs passed away in December, 1952.

He worked on farms and followed threshing crews and trapped fur bearing animals for many years. In 1941 he moved his family to Watford City where he has resided since. He believes his sons and himself have dug enough water and sewer ditches to make an oil well if they could be stood on end.

In 1945 he saw the wall of a ditch begin to crumble and sprang out, shouting to Lyle. He only had time to stand erect and cup his hands over his face when he was covered with dirt a foot over his head. An observer called the fire department and they began digging furiously. In a matter of seconds, help was there and kind neighbors helped to prevent further cave-ins un­til Lyle was freed, alive.

MR. AND MRS. OLE A. RYAN

Ole A. Ryan was born at Foldalen, Grimsbu, Nor­way in 1861 and he was married to Bertha Brandvold in Wilson, Wisconsin in 1885.

They were among the first homesteaders in McKen­zie County coming with their six children in 1903, and settled on a homestead on Clear Creek, three miles from Berg. A Lutheran Church and cemeteiy is now located on the homestead.

Later when Watford City was started, they moved there, where Ole had a tailor shop and dry cleaning plant and one of the sons, Elmer, built and ran the first hotel there. Mr. Ryan planted many of the trees that are still growing in Watford City. While on the homestead, their oldest daughter Inga, taught school

184

near Berg. They were active in starting the first Lutheran

Church in Watford City, Mr. Ryan was their first treasurer and Mrs. Ryan one of the first presidents of the Ladies Aid Society. Mr. and Mrs. Ryan are both buried at Mandan, N. D. dying at the age of 87 and 90.

Five of the children are still living, Inga and Mabel are at Seal Beach, Calif., Elmer Ryan, Medford, Oregon, John Ryan, Seattle, Wash., and Florence, Alberta, Canada. Oscar Ryan, Seattle, Wash., passed away in 1963. While in Watford City, Mr. and Mrs. Ryan celebrated their 50th and 60th wedding anniver­saries.

THE ALEXES

JOHN ALEX

John was born in 1893, in Morgan, Minn., and came to McKenzie Co. in 1910, with his parents, Mar­tin and Johanna Alex.

Mr. and Mrs. Martin Alex had several sons who were in many different businesses in Watford City during those early years. Frank was the ice and coal man for the town; Lucas did harness and shoe repair; Martin drove a stage-coach, the mail and passenger stage between Williston and Schafer, with the help of his younger brother, John.

John Alex married Olive Smith in 1917, while he was still active in farming and horse breaking. In 1919 he moved his family to Watford City, where he and his brother Henry purchased the dray line. He started to work for Standard Oil Co. in 1926, hauling gas to farmers for many miles around Watford City and also most of the gas used for the first highway across the Little Missouri river south of Watford City.

John played in the band and on the ball team. The

first ball field was located where the Watford City Pub­

lic School is now located and was later moved south of

town. He was a member of the Fire Department, and

also a night cop.

In 1932 he became a bus driver for George Carpen­

ter between Williston and Dickenson. He moved his

family to Dickenson and carried U. S. mail and pas­

sengers until 1960, when he retired at the age of 65.

John Alex was born in 1893, and passed away at

Dickinson, in 1962. His wife is still living in Dickinson,

N. D. They had six children—five girls, and one son.

John and Henry Alex's Dray Wagon

PEDER A. WOLD

Mr. and Mrs. Peder A Wold, and seven children

came from Grand Meadow, Minn, to the vicinity of

Banks, N. D., in McKenzie Co., on August 23, 1910, and

settled on a homestead three miles north of the Banks

Post Office. Peder Wold was born at Toten, Norway

on April 11, 1869, and died in Oct. of 1942.

Mrs. Wold, the former Olava Boe, was born March

18, 1869, at Grand Meadow, Minn, and died March 25,

1913.

Mr. and Mrs. Wold were married at Grand Meadow,

Minn, in July 1892. To this union were born eleven

children, of whom six have died. The five left are

Hilda, who resides at Malta, Mont.; Albert, of Ches­

ter, Mont.; Oscar, and Mrs. Emil (Anna) Degerness,

of Watford City, N. D.; and Melvin, of the Banks vicin­

ity.

After renting land £or many years in different parts

of Minn., Mr. Wold decided to come to N. D., where

there was still some land to be homesteaded. Land in

southern Minn, was too high priced for a person with

a large family to buy. When moving to N. D., Mr. Wold

came with a railroad car with five horses, two cows,

a dog, some farm machinery and household goods.

The others of the family came by train to Ray, N. D.,

where they had to hire a team and buggy to come to

the M. A. Wold farm.

Since they did not have a house or any buildings on

the homestead, they stayed at the home of Mr. and

Mrs. M. A. Wold until a small barn was built and a

little shack belonging to Grandpa Wold was moved to

the place and served as the house. The neighbors all

helped, so it didn't take long before the log house

was built. Crossing the river between Ray and Banks

on a cable ferry was a new experience for all of them,

as they had never seen rivers before, only small creeks.

After the boys were older and able to do most of

the farm work, Mr. Wold spent a lot of time buying

cattle and shipping to St. Paul, Minn. When a carload

had been purchased, they were driven on foot from

various places to Watford City where they were

loaded. Mr. Wold always took part in moving the

cattle usually walked all the way supervising the boys

on saddle horses. He also was mail carrier on the Star

Route between Schafer and Banks for many years.

He used a team of horses and a buggy, until he pur­

chased a Model T Ford, in 1917.

185

PARK HOTEL "The Traveler's Home"

WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

Congratulations to Watford City on Their

50th Anniversary

ARTHUR and FLORENCE HELGESON, Owners

DWIGHT H. HAGEN, Manager

PHONE 3881

186

I -PWPSI • •Si*.

m

MR. AND MRS. THEODORE FINLEY

Another one of the early pioneers was Theodore Fin­

ley, who left Fergus Falls, Minn, to go out West to

seek his fortune. He and his brother-in-law, Eli Smith,

left Minnesota early in April and were located on

their homesteads one mile north of Watford on April

14, 1906. Mr. Finley built his shack and then went

back to his home to get ready to move out west to

stay.

The following March, he and his wife, Mary and

two teen-age daughters started for North Dakota.

They took their household goods, horses and cattle

and lumber enough to build a new house. When they

arrived in Williston, they loaded their wagon, drove

the cattle, and started for their new home. When they

got to the Missouri River, the ice was breaking up and

was piled high on each side. They drove up on the ice

and then team, wagon, and everyone just slid down on

the ferry. To say the least, it was a very hair-raising

experience. But after several hours of hard work and

confusion, they made it up over the hills and through

plenty of mud and were on their way.

They got to their homestead after two days on the

road and started their new life. Lots of hard work, a

few prairie fires, and many other handicaps were a

part of their live* but they got along quite well.

Many years passed and in 1927 they decided to rent

the farm to their son-in-law who had a dairy in town.

Mr. and Mrs. Finley then moved to Watford City to

retire. The next spring they bought a new car and

decided to take a trip back to Minn. They took their

grand-daughter, now Mrs. Carl Hystad and their daughter,

Irene, and started for what they hoped to be a very

pleasant vacation. The second day out they had a car

accident. Mrs. Finley was killed but the rest of the

party escaped injury. Mr. Finley passed away about

four years later.

Going for a ride

MR. AND MRS. ANTON C. SIMONSON

A lone homesteader's shack was all that stood on

what is now the site of Watford City, when Anton

Simonson came to McKenzie County on Mar. 29, 1910.

He was born at Mcintosh, Minn, on June 26, 1887.

Anton went to Northwood, N. Dak. in 1912 and was

married to Merrit Winden on November 26, 1912.

Mrs. Simonson was born in rural Northwood on Jan­

uary 22, 1888.

They faced many of the hardships common to all

homesteaders. Coal was mined and hauled from the

badlands, a trip taking from five in the morning to

nine in the evening to complete. Runaways were com­

monplace. One in particular he can recall was one in

which the horse could not be found for a week, and

all that was left of the harness was the collar.

Anton helped haul the first rails to the site of the

Wild Cow railway north of Watford City with oxen.

He also worked on the Madsen Flat railroad fill west

of the city when the Great Northern Railroad was being

built. He served on the school board of Ideal School

District,

All was not hard work for there were times of en­

joyment too. Mrs. Simonson remembers an unusual

Fourth of July in 1913, when they drove to Schafer in

a lumber wagon and it was so cold that they had to

wear overcoats.

Anton retired in 1958 and they moved into a new

home they built in Watford City and there they reside.

Eight children were born to them, one died at birth.

Those who remain are Ervin, San Diego, Calif., Arnold,

Denver, Colo., Sylvia, Mrs. R. Isackson, Fargo, North

Dakota, Joanette, Mrs. R. Roth, LaPuente, Calif., Ber­

nice, Mrs. J. A. Reid, Aloha, Ore., Jerome of Watford

City and Alvin, Portland, Ore.

187

Christen Evanson was born on October 2, 1886, at Mayville, North Dakota. He at­tended grade school at Mayville and North-wood, North Dakota, and graduated from

the 8th grade at Mayville. He attended Grand Forks College, taking a two-term preparatory business course in bookkeeping (which he could not continue because of his health.) His health indicated that he could not do inside work, so he decided to see the different parts of the country. He toured through Canada in 1908, but did not want to homestead in Canada because he would have to become a Canadian, so he returned to the United States. In 1910 he left Northwood for Wil­liston, North Dakota, and from there to Arnegard, North Dakota, where he filed on a quarter section of land in Ideal Township and proved up in 1915. He then bought more land (680 acres which his sons Car­roll, Orvis and Glenn purchased from him in 1955).

Mrs. Iveda (Eide) Evanson was born on April 23, 1895, in Wilmington, Minnesota. She was the daugh­ter of Judge and Mrs. J. E. Eide, who also home­steaded in Ideal Township. Judge Eide was elected County Judge in 1914 to 1928. He died while in office in 1928.

Iveda attended grade school in Ideal Township and lived there until 1914 when she married Christen Evanson and lived on their farm until 1944. They then moved to Mayville for one year and from there left for Cama, Wash, in 1945. They still live in Camas.

Christen and Iveda had eleven children, six girls and five boys. The oldest boy, Jacob, died in infancy. All eleven children were born in Ideal Township and attended school in Watford City. Six graduated from Watford High School. The names and addresses of their children follow.

Mrs. Leonard A. Ritter (Idella), Camas, Wash.,

gal, Wash., and Rev. and Mrs. Keller (Gloria) are now living iri England. Delores Evanson of Portland, Ore­gon, Gerald K. Evanson of Great Falls, Montana.

Mr. Evanson was quite active in Ideal Township, McKenzie County school and church function.

He served as Ideal Township Clerk for 30 years (1912 to 1944) except for two years held by Royce Newman, now deceased.

He served twenty years on the Ideal School Board, 1922 to 1944, except for two years held by Sandsmark and 0 . K. Holm.

He served eight years for McKenzie County as Pub­lic Administrator and during that time swore the warrant for James and Charles Bannon for killing the Albert Haven family. He served Ideal Township as assessor for four years. For many years he held the elected post of Church Trustee for Arnegard Lutheran Church.

He has made annual visits to Watford City. In 19 years he made 21 visits.

Mrs. K. D. Wright (Eleanor), ot Washougal, Washing­ton, Carroll J. Evanson of Arnegard, Orvis P. Evanson of Arnegard, Glenn L. Evanson and his wife of Great Falls, Montana, Mrs. Wesley Hutchinson of Wash­ougal, Wash., Mrs. Donald Ellenz (Jean) of Washou-

MR. AND MRS. OLUF T. LEE AND DORIS

Oluf T. Lee was born in Vernon County, Wisconsin, May 31, 1870, and came to McKenzie County in 1907 and settled on a homestead near Schafer. He engaged in the business of breaking the raw prairie for home­steaders at $4 per acre. He also operated a freight line between Schafer and Williston and during all this time lived upon his homestead claim.

He moved to Watford City in 1916 and opened an implement and farm machinery store.

He was married to Ida McKenzie on March 29, 1895, who was born in Johnsonburg, New York. Their daugh­ter Doris was born in Winnipeg on July 2, 1901.

He was a Republican and a charter member of the Ancient Order of the United Workmen at Watford City.

For a time he planted, harvested, and shipped pota­toes. During the last years that he was active he bought livestock which he shipped to eastern markets.

Mrs. Lee died in 1943. Then Mr. Lee went to San Diego to make his home with his daughter until he passed away in 1953. Leaving beside his daughter, Doris L. Estep, a grandson Kack L. Monroe and two great grandsons all of whom reside in San Jose, Cali­fornia.

188

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MR. AND MRS. ODIN N. STENEHJEM

Mr. Odin N. Stenehjem, president of the First Inter­

national Bank of Watford City, was born in Spring

Grove, Minnesota, on November 22, 1889. He attended

the public schools of Spring Grove and the Lutheran

Academy at Albert Lea, Minnesota. He furthered his

education at NDSU at Fargo, N. Dak. He was a mem­

ber of the N. Dak. State Gold Star Band and played

alongside Harold Bachman who later was to gain

fame as the director of the Million Dollar Band.

He started his banking business at the Sprague

State Bank at Caledonia, Minnesota, and worked there

until 1909 when he resigned to go to Williston, N. Dak.

He was employed by the Stenehjem-Husebye Hard­

ware Store until 1910 when he filed on a homestead

north of Arnegard. He began his association with the

Farmers State Bank of Arnegard which later became

the First International Bank of Watford City in Novem­

ber, 1911, and his association has continued until the

present time.

Odin N. Stenehjem and Lillie M. Moe of Chetek,

Wisconsin, were married on October 15, 1913. Lillie

Moe first came to Williston, N. Dak., in 1911 following

her graduation from the Minneapolis College of Music

to teach music in the public schools of Williston. Her

sister, Edith, was then married to Gerhard Stenehjem

and lived at Arnegard. Many strange methods of con­

veyances were used to get between Williston and Arne­

gard in those days. In 1912 during the spring ice

break up of the Missouri River, Lillie Moe crossed the

river in a basket suspended on a steel cable on one

occasion and also made several river crossings in a

row boat dodging ice cakes.

Odin and Lille Stenehjem were active in church

and community affairs during the years they lived in

Arnegard. Mr. Stenehjem was the first president of

the PTA and also organized and directed the Arnegard

Cornet Band. He served as treasurer of the village

and of the church and school district for many years.

Mrs. Stenehjem was a leader in music circles in Arne­

gard and McKenzie County having directed the Wil­

mington Lutheran Church Choir for 22 years and also

the McKenzie County Choral Union, and also served

as church organist. Mr. and Mrs. Stenehjem were in

demand at many community and church functions for

their musical talents and gave of themselves gener­

ously.

In 1934 the Farmers State Bank of Arnegard was

moved to Watford City and the name changed to the

First International Bank of Watford City. The Steneh­

jem family moved to Watford City in August, 1935,

and have since maintained their residence in Watford

City. At one time, 17 banks were in operation in Mc­

Kenzie County but only the one bank survived the

difficult depression and drought years. Odin Steneh­

jem became active in civic and church affairs ^>on

after moving to Watford City and served as president

of the First Lutheran Church Board of Trustees and

head of the building committee. He also was a mem­

ber of the first Lions Club organized in Watford City

and also headed the Association of Commerce. In

later years he has been an active member of the Wat­

ford City Rotary Club.

Lillie Stenehjem continued her musical activities

following the move to Watford City serving as church

organist and choir director of the First Lutheran

Church. She also gave piano lessons to many young

residents of the Arnegard and Watford City communi­

ties. One of the highlights of Mr. Stenehjem's banking

career was realized upon the completion of the beau­

tiful and very functional new bank building in July

of 1959. This building has been recognized as being

one of the finest bank buildings in the state of N. Dak.

Three children make up the immediate family of

Odin and Lillie Stenehjem. They are Vince and Le­

land of Watford City and Phyllis, Mrs. Homer Rovel-

stad of Grand Forks, N. Dak. The Stenehjems reside

at 104 W. 3 in Watford City.

189

B. L PURDY WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

Congratulations

to

Watford City and Community on Your Golden Jubilee

and May Our Good Wishes for You Be Fulfilled

In Years to Come.

HAVING SPENT MANY YEARS WITH YOU, WE FEEL HUMBLY

PROUD OF ANY SMALL PART WE MAY HAVE HAD IN THE

PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY AND COMMUNITY.

AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.

B. L PURDY,

Your John Deere Dealer.

190

ALEX ALTON MR. AND MRS. OLE T. OLSON

Alex was born in Tomah, Wis., on Oct. 22, 1894.

His mother, Mary L. Alton, filed on a homestead at

Catlin, N. D., in the spring of 1909 and in Oct. of that

year, brought the four youngest children and located

there. The family included Florence, Mrs. Ed. Green;

Alma, Mrs. Andrew Swiggum; Chester and Alex. They

journeyed by immigrant car from Hope to White

Earth and from there to Catlin via team and wagon. A

few years later, Sidney, the older brother and an

older sister, Irene (Mrs. Ed Sayre) and family filed on

homesteads near by.

Alex began work as a cowhand in 1910 and worked

at this occupation until 1934 while serving with the

US Army in WW I. Between 1919 and 1934 he was

employed at the Pete Peterson, Dennis Moran and

"Figure Four" ranches. At the same time he was

looking after his own homestead near the Little Mis­

souri River, where he had filed in 1914.

In June 1935 he was married to Mildred Tiegs of

Croff. In 1936 he sold my holdings on the Little Mis­

souri River and purchased the farm 12 miles south

and east of Johnson's Corner where he still resides.

Their family includes: Ruth (Mrs. Harve Bell of Over­

land, Mo.) ; David (recently released from the

Army) ; Carol (Mrs. Allen Longine of Park Rapids,

Minn.); and Marvin who is still at home.

His mother and Chester continue to reside by the

Little Missouri River most of the time until 1937

when they moved to Idaho. Mother passed away in

Sandpoint at ninety years of age. Chet, Alma and Irene

are still living—Florence and Sidney are deceased.

MR. AND MRS. OLE T. OLSON

Ole T. Olson was born in 1873 and with his parents,

came to Taylor, N. D. in 1886. He married Ora K.

Jincks in 1897. To the Olsons were born four child­

ren: Delia, died in infancy; one son Gordon who lives

on the old ranch, he married Inga Berg from the

Spring Creek area in 1929. Florence, Mrs. Fred Beck,

who lives northwest of Killdeer on a ranch; Bessie,

Mrs. Perry Wright, south of Arnegard. The Olson's

established their first ranch on Deep Creek north of

Taylor, N. D. shortly after their marriage. Guy Jincks

and Ole T. Olson came to the northwest corner of

Dunn County in 1898. Due to illness Guy Jincks sold

out his holdings to Ole and with his family moved to

the present ranch in 1902. His holdings were in Dunn

and McKenzie county. He had squatters' rights as when

he first came here townships were not surveyed. Later

he proved up his homestead. They would go to town

twice a year with team and wagon for supplies to last

them six months. Later in 1905 and 1906 the town of

Schafer came into existence so could get supplies

there and Watford in 1914, which has been the trading

point ever since.

On one occasion coming home from Taylor and

Dickinson with supplies they came to the Diamond C

crossing on the Little Missouri River and found it had

raised while they were gone. They had their wagon

loaded with supplies for six months, 1000 pounds of

flour, and other staples in proportion, also a few sacks

of oats. The had the saddle horse along so they tied a

rope to the tongue of the wagon to help the team pull

the load up the bank, Mother Olson was to drive the

team thru the river as fast as she could. She put Gor­

don between her legs in the bottom of the box, held

Florence in her lap and started to drive. Everything

went fine until they were half ways up the bank on the

opposite side when the rope broke. The team couldn't

pull the wagon alone so back they went into the river.

They unhitched the team, got the children settled on

the bank and started unloading. She handed him the

supplies and he carried them up the bank. They tore

a flour sack and with the river water their clothes

were covered with dough. They reloaded after getting

the team and wagon on the bank and got home with­

out any further trouble. They had many experiences

and hardships but they loved the badlands. They

branded the Rocker H ( ) and SII brands. Schools

were miles away, so they hired the teacher until home­

steaders arrived and school was held in the old Bunk

house. They always voted at Oakdale until the later

years when Longhorn Horn precinct was established

at the Olson home, and where they also vote today.

They lived on the ranch until retiring in 1939 and then

moved to Watford City. Mrs. Olson passed away in

April 1949 and Ole in Sept. 1952.

!9I

ALICE AND ANNA FRAZEE

Anna (Nan) Frazee came to McKenzie County from Indiana in 1912 to file on a homestead one mile north and one mile east of the present townsite of Watford City. Her brother Clifford was living here at that time.

Nan lived alone on her claim on the bank of Cherry Creek and rode her horse "Johnny" back and forth to Schafer where she worked. She held the position of Deputy Register of Deeds; the first one to work under H. L. Moe, who was the first Register of Deeds. Later she worked under H. H. Johnson and John Skevlan for a period of about ten years.

In 1916 Nan was joined on her homestead by her mother and her sister, Alice. For about a year Alice did millinery work in the new town of Watford and then started her work in the telephone office. She was the first telephone operator after the Bell system took over on Watford and worked there until her retire­ment in August of 1928.

When their mother died, Nan took her body back to Indiana for burial and while there, she went to a hair-dressing school. Upon returning here, she opened a shop in her home in Watford. In those days the Mar-celle Wave was the "thing" and many women were cut­ting their hair and having a wave put in. Sometimes Nan would burn a patron's ear but would soothe them by telling them that a person had to have a little pain in order to be beautiful.

Alice and Nan lived in a house on a lot now owned by Mrs. Mabel Sorenson. They were very active in the Presbyterian Church for many years. Anna died in 1942 and Alice in 1944.

- I • ™

k. Mt'.l, \ W.v

WILBUR AND ESTHER CAMPBELL

Wilbur Campbell moved to McKenzie County in the Spring of 1906 with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Adams having been born at Clinton, Iowa. He home­steaded on land near the Little Missouri river, which is now included in the park. He worked some on the sawmill that was operating on the river bottom at the time.

Wilbur and Esther Campbell were married at Scha­fer, N. D., on October 6, 1928. They have two daugh­ters: Jessie, Mrs. Ray Stenberg, and Wilma, Mrs. Alvin Rogness. both of Watford City, N. D., and six grand­children.

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM (BERT) CROFF

First livestock shipped out on Watford City's new railroad was a load of hogs consigned by W. B. Croff of Croff, N. D.

He was born December 5, 1869, at Alexandria, Min­nesota, and followed the life of a woodsman and hunt­er of the Leech Lakes country in northern Minnesota. In 1891 he married German-born Bertha Gruetzner. She had come to America when she was twelve. Daughter Julia was born in 1892 and Sidney in 1894. The family, except Julia who arrived later, came to McKenzie County in 1907.

They brought a four-horse load of household goods, plus one team hauling lumber for their homestead shack and an extra two-horse team.

Croff General Store opened in 1911, the log build­ing having served as a school the previous year. It was routine to get up on the pole-and-straw roof to put out almost-daily chimney fires.

Horse collars, dress materials, barrels of flour— customers could buy almost anything: long, pin-on garters, 5^ pr.; Dutch Cleanser, 5<* can; Lewis Lye, 8** a can. Supplies were hauled from White Earth, Tioga, and later, Williston, requiring four to seven-day wagon trips and river crossings by ferry or across the ice depending on the season.

Croff baseball team was organized in 1915. Croff Post office with Mr. Croff as postmaster opened in 1915. He retired from this job in 1940, continuing his ranching.

Mrs. Croff died in 1942 and Mr. Croff in 1954. They were members of the Catholic church. He was a charter member of the Stockmen's Association.

Family members living at Croff include Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Croff and their son and family, Mr. and Mrs. Wally Croff and two sons, the Wally Croffs ranch­ing on the home place, and Mrs. Croff (Ila Mae Han­sen) teaching at Watford City School. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Yoerg (Julia Croff), retired ranchers, live at Albuquerque, New Mexico. Their three daughters are married, the only local resident being Mrs. Owen Hostler (Cathryn), city auditor of Watford City. Mrs. Delmar Evans (Marilyn Yoerg) is living in Albuquer­que, New Mexico and Mrs. Roy Gregware lives in Bismarck. N. D.

192

THE STORE — 1914

50 YEARS of

PROGRESS

THE STORE — 1921

THE INTERIOR — 1925

CHRISTENSENS

THE STORE — 1956

CHRISTENSENS HARDWARE J. P. CHRISTENSEN & CO., INC.

WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

1914 1964 193

MR. AND MRS. EDWIN YOERG MR. AND MRS. ELI E. SMITH

Mr. Yoerg was born in St. Paul, Minn, in 1888. He filed on land in the Croff community in 1909 and in 1910 he came out to live on his homestead. His wife. Julia Croff, was born in Young America, Minn, in 1894.

In 1912 he took care of Mr. Croff's store and Post Office. Mr. Croff had a baseball nine in which Mr. Yoerg played, they played with Schafer, Banks and Berg.

In 1914 he was married to Julia Croff. He helped Mr. Croff with cattle feeding and did some riding.

They moved on his wife's homestead and reared

three girls, Cathryn (now Mrs. Owen Hostler, living

in Watford City), Lorraine, now Mrs. P. Roy Greg-

ware living in Bismarck, N. Dak. and Marilynn, now

Mrs. D. C. Evans, living in Albuquerque, N. M.

To help the good cause along, Mr. Yoerg cooked

several years on the fall and spring roundups.

In 1920 Yoerg's lost their home by fire, then moved

to Dickinson for one year, then back to Watford City

where the girls finished high school. While there, Mr.

Yoerg worked in the lumber yard under the manage­

ment of Sidney Dundas.

When Mrs. Croff died, Mr. Croff not being able to

care for the ranch asked Mr. and Mrs. Yoerg to come

and live with him, where Mr. Yoerg built the new

home. He then sold the ranch to Wallace B. Croff in

1962. They moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where

the climate was more agreeable and bought a home

there.

This year the Yoergs will celebrate their 50th an­

niversary.

CROFF, N. D. POSTOFFICE

Eli E. Smith came to the Watford City area at the

age of 48, in April, 1906 from Fergus Falls, Minn. He

and his sons, Orlando, 12, and Willard, 11, and broth­

er William came with all their belongings in an im­

migrant car. One man was allowed with each car but

the boys and William managed to conceal themselves

and all arrived in Williston after a hard trip. They

freighted their belongings which included one cow,

a team of horses, a plow and seeder and necessary

household furnishings to a summer ranch log cabin

belonging to Bergems two miles northeast of Watford

City.

Mrs. Smith and six daughters came in August and

Mr. Smith moved his family onto their own place in

Oct. The winter of 1906 and 1907 was a hard winter

for the family. All food was freighted from Williston

and many times the flour was tainted with kerosene.

They were the first farm family to settle that year.

Clifford Frazee lived across the creek one-half mile

east and was a friend in need that first winter.

Their daughter, Mary, was born January 19, 1907.

A daughter, Florence, died at the age of four in April

of 1907. Another daughter, Gladys was born in August

1910 and passed away in 1933.

Mr. Smith was the first farmer to raise alfalfa; he

also raised milk cows and sheep and planted a grove

of Boxelder trees with seeds he had brought from his

home in Minnesota. They always raised a large gar­

den.

After a lot of hard work Mr. and Mrs. Smith managed

to educate their family, six became teachers.

Mr. Smith was the first man to deliver milk in

Watford City, and also helped established the First

Presbyterian Sunday School in the Glascock school

and then moved the church into Watford City. He was

a member of the Schafer School Board, Farmers Union

and an assessor.

194

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MR. AND MRS. LOUIS BERGEM AND FAMILY W. B. O'Grady Cutting Grain in the Banks Community

Louis Bergem was born March 14, 1868, in Tingvoll,

Norway. As an immigrant of 18 years, arrived in the

United States, joined acquaintances in Ashland, Wise,

where he worked in the woods, later going to Superior,

doing carpentry.

During the hard times in the middle '90's he de­

cided on a westward trek banding in the thriving town

of Taylor, N. Dak., where he followed his trade of

carpentry. Among the buildings he erected was the

large Hiedercouper horse barn near Gladstone, N.

Dak. He also took an active part in a retail lumber

business in Taylor.

In the fall of 1899 he married Miss Anna Olson of

Richardton, who had arrived there with her parents

from Sand Creek, Wise, in 1886, where they ranched

for several years.

In the spring of 1902, the couple decided to go

northward to begin a ranch life in what is now McKen­

zie County, settling on land which adjoins Watford

City on the east. Ranching there and in the Farland

community until 1910. There being no more ranch

land available, they decided to move into the Badlands,

buying land at the junction of the Cherry Creek and

the Little Missouri River.

The ranching activity was continued in that area

and further north until the death of Mr. Bergem in

Dec. 1926 at which time his holdings were sold.

The Bergems had three children, Dr. R. M. Bergem,

a Minot dentist, Paul, deceased in 1923, and Mrs.

Edna Hoffmann, Hallock, Minn., who is in the Gamble

Store business with her husband Al.

Mrs. Anna Bergem has resided in Hallock the past

many years, having reached the a^e of 93 years last

May 21.

Mr. O'Grady was born of Irish descent of pioneer

N. Dak. people in Bottineau County in 1887. He was

the oldest of nine children and learned early to accept

responsibilities. When a lad of seven years he drove

a team of horses to and from Towner, a round trip of

forty miles all alone for groceries. In the fall of 1906,

he brought his widowed mother who had four small

children in a covered wagon to McKenzie County. His

mother was a midwife and helped deliver many babies

into this county. Walker and his mother each filed on

claims northwest of Banks with Walker building the

homestead buildings of logs. Since the family arrived

without capital and he was responsible for their sup­

port, he sold his claim in an effort to alleviate condi­

tions. He also acquired debts that required sacrifices

of his future wife and himself for a good many years

to come in order to repay these financial obligations.

In 1914 he married Alma Barsness, of Pope County,

Minnesota, who was then a school teacher in McKen­

zie County. To their union was born four children,

two of whom survive. Lowell, Grand Forks, N. Dak.

who is an attorney at law and Evelyn, Watford City.

Mrs. O'Grady's role in the home was quite often stay­

ing home for many days at a time while her husband

was away helping others, tending the chores and the

children by day and maintaining a constant vigilance

by night over a sick child.

They helped organize the Methodist church in

1930 out in their community. They moved to Watford

City in 1948 when Mr. O'Grady's health needed medi­

cal attention, and he rented his interests to neighbor­

ing ranchers.

195

MR. AND MRS. HARRY KISTLER

Emma C. Ingram was born and reared in Chicago,

Illinois. She came west in 1909 to North Dakota to

prove up a homestead four miles south of Watford

City.

Often a group of girls in Chicago would get together

and plan on proving up a homestead in North Dakota.

Later Emma and her friend and classmate, Isabel W.

Higgins, were the only two who came from this

group. They had homesteads within a mile of each

other and enjoyed taking in all of the social activities

of the time. There were dances, card parties and

basket socials, and lots of visiting back and forth

between friendly neighbors.

Emma was an early day school teacher in McKenzie

County. She was known for her quick wit.

Shortly after proving up her homestead her fiance

Harry Kistler came from Chicago and they were mar­

ried. Mr. Kistler farmed and Emma continued to teach

country schools. They built a new house on their

farm, and were the parents of one daughter, Frances.

In the early 1920's they returned to Chicago to

again make their home there.

In 1924 they came west to visit and took a trip to

Yellowstone Park. Travel and roads were not as they

are now. Mrs. Kistler sent a card to a friend from Wal­

lace, Idaho—it read "Took us six days to get through

Montana. Roads so bad, drive shaft broke and we have

been waiting almost 24 hours. Puncture everyday, new

tire, etc. Emma."

Mr. and Mrs. Kistler are both dead.

A — *

j * 1 \\ 1

JOHN K. DIEHM

John K. Diehm was born in Remlingen, Bavaria,

Germany, February 20, 1881. He came to the United

States with his parents in 1883, where the family lo­

cated near Taylor, Dakota territory, in that year.

In 1892 he came with his mother and his oldest

sister, Mrs. Charles E. Shafer, to the Shafer ranch,

where he grew up and began working for some of the

ranchers, that began operating in the late 1890's. He

worked for the Morning Star Ranch owned by J. M.

Uhlman.

About 1898-99 he was again associated with the

Shafer Ranch, in the raising of range horses and cat­

tle. When the land in what is now McKenzie County,

was surveyed in 1901 and '02, John K. Diehm was old

enough to file on a homestead at the northeast corner

of the Shafer ranch in 1902.

The buildings on his place were" all built of logs,

hauled from the Little Missouri River. The buildings

are still in use by the present owner, Edwin Koeser.

John K. Diehm was married in 1907 to Hilma Osberg,

who had homesteaded in Garden Township. In 1908 he

was appointed postmaster at Schafer, North Dakota.

He continued as postmaster for thirty-three years, at

which time the postoffice was discontinued in 1941.

In 1918 the three Nelson children, Arthur, Albert

and Alice (now Mrs. John Johnsrud) came to make

their home with their aunt, and uncle, John and Hilma

Diehm, having lost their own parents with the flu epi­

demic. Mrs. Diehm passed away in April of 1929.

In 1941 J. K. Diehm sold his farm to Edwin Koeser,

and moved to Tacoma, Washington, to work in the

shipyards during the war.

He died in Tacoma January 4, 1946, and was buried

in Schafer Cemetery beside his wife and infant son.

Residence of J. K. Diehm

196

MR. AND MRS. PETER JOHNSTON

Perhaps one of the first sod houses in the east part of Farland was that of the Johnston brothers. Peter and Andrew trailed their cattle herd into the Tobacco Gar­den area the spring of 1903. The next summer Andrew went into partnership with August Jens and Peter built his sod house in a spring fed valley, then known as Line Draw Camp. The closest land office was in Minot at that time. So it was to Minot that Peter rode to apply for his homestead.

On March 1, 1905, Clara Johnson and Peter John­ston were married in Williston. They became the parents of four sons and one daughter: Carrie, Mrs. James Jewell, Missoula, Mont.; Ben and Walter of Watford City, N. D. Mrs. Johnston passed away in 1939 as did the youngest son Andrew. The children attended Signal School in Garden township. Peter, always active in cattle raising, is a member of the North Dakota cattlemen's association, member of the 50 Years in the Saddle Club, an Honorary member of the Badlands Saddle Club and has been named to the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Now in his late 80's Grampa Pete still spends much time riding horseback, and making many handbraided items for those who desire them. Rawhide ropes and hand forged spurs are among some of the items he has made that are displayed in N. Dak. museums.

MR. AND MRS. CHRIST DAHL

Christ Dahl, born at Valdres, South Aurdal, Norway, February 28, 1879, came to the United States in 1902 and to North Dakota in the spring of 1903 and took up a homestead in what later became Twin Valley Township in McKenzie County. In 1910 he married Nellie Forthun of Alexander who was a schoolteacher at that time. They had two children, a daughter who is now Mrs. Walter Earley and a son Henry who was killed in World War II.

Early day experiences included crossing the river on the ice in the winter time hauling grain to Ray be­fore Watford City started.

Mrs. Dahl died in 1918. They were members of Garden Valley Lutheran Church. Mr. Dahl retired from farming in 1944, lived in Watford City until his death in April, 1963.

MRS. CHARLES DODGE AND MR. AND MRS. ALBERT LERFALD

Congratulations to the

O ld Timers

of the Community

LERFALD'S DEPT. STORE

197

ANGUS KENNEDY

Chuck Wagon at Roundup Time

OLE JOHNSRUDS

OLE JOHNSRUD

ANGUS KENNEDY

Unlike most of the early settlers in McKenzie County who came mostly from the eastern states and even Europe, Ag Kennedy Sr. came here from the west. He had spent two years or more in Montana before coming to N. Dak.

He arrived in the Tobacco Garden Creek area in June, 1904, at the age of seventeen, coming here with one saddle horse and a pack horse. He went to work for Jay Grander almost before he got off his horse. Mr. Sax and Mr. Steinsetter were the only settlers built up, and Pete Simonson also lived on the creek south of the Grantier summer camp. Ag worked for Mr. Grantier for over a year but they fell out when they tried the simple operation of plowing a garden! You see, Jay had bought a sulky plow the fall before and they couldn't get it to work, so Jay just rode off and told Ag to do the best he could. Then along comes Mr. Knutson with his hired man, Charlie Mogen, so Ag sought their help, asking if they knew anything about a sulky plow. He got the old team out, hitched them up and Mr. Knutson gave it one look, hit the trip and low and behold, it dropped into plowing position like a charm. He did finish the garden, but quit his job! He went to North Fork and worked for Mr. Hanley for a couple years, buying a few cattle and starting out for himself in 1909.

He marrie Jessie Folland from Halma, Minn., and

had six children, four sons and two daughters.

He ran his cattle in the river breaks until 1915 when

he moved most of his stock on the reservation, and

has spent the last 48 years operating there. He always

did say McKenzie County was best for range cattle

and never did much farming.

Schafer town started building up in 1905 and with­

in a year all level land was taken. Schafer was a wild

little town for awhile, with "poker and whiskey" the

main recreation.

Kennedy has seen three towns wax and wane in

the past sixty years—hardly anyone remembers there

was a town of Mondak on the state lines, and now all

Schafer has left is the jail and town hall. Sanish is the

third and now the old townsite is under water.

OLE JOHNSRUD

Ole Johnsrud was born in Aadalen, Norway, on No­

vember 4, 1875. At the age of 16 he was earning his

own living working on farms, and also serving three

years in the military service.

He was married to Janna Karlstad at Oslo, Norway,

in 1897, and two children, Oley and Christine, Mrs.

Arne Lillislet, were born in Norway. This little family

left in the spring of 1904 to seek their fortunes in

America. After working at Shelley, Minnesota, and

Leeds, N. D., where their third child, John, was born.

Ole went to McKenzie County and filed on a claim

in 1905 in Garden township. A one room house was

built in ten days, and in the fall his family and pos­

sessions, consisting of two cows, twelve chickens, and

household goods were brought to the homestead.

The first winter Ole worked on Nels Rolfsrud's

farm. He planted his first crop on the new land in

1906—corn and potatoes. In 1907 there was a good

flax crop, and wheat was planted for the first time in

1908. With his three horses and walking plow, he

hired out to less fortunate homesteaders to break up

sod. A new house was erected and by this time three

more children had joined the family, Andrew, Bertha,

Mrs. John Ballew, and Olga, Mrs. Oscar Wold. Then

two more girls, Agnes, Mrs. Carl Fisketjon, and Alma,

Mrs. Miles White.

The new house built on land they purchased from

John Smith, was landscaped with trees and shrubbery,

much loved by this Norwegian couple. The Garden Luth­

eran church also was built on this land.

Ole made a trip to Norway in 1927, and the following

year, son Oley died, leaving a wife and two sons.

Ole and Janna retired in 1943 and moved to Watford

City, Janna died in 1955 and Ole still lives in Watford

City. He enjoys good health, reads books, writes letters,

enjoys TV and keeps informed on current affairs.

198

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199

MR. AND MRS. GILBERT JOHNSRUD

Gilbert was born in Aadalen, Norway, April 16, 1879, and Guri Wegen Johnsrud was born Feb. 10, 1878, at Valdres, Norway. They were married in Nor­way in 1901.

With their first child, Ole, they embarked upon a journey that left behind them forever their homeland, and came to the vast open spaces of Western North Dakota, in 1904. They arrived in Mayville in May, and in the Fall they filed on a homestead in Tobacco Gar­den. They were among the many other rugged Nor­wegians who settled and stayed in the Banks com­munity.

His three oxen were friends, as well as necessary working partners, during the first sod-breaking years that Mr. Johnsrud spent in developing his farmland. Their first home was made of sod. Later a log house was built, to replace it. In 1928 the present house was built, and it is here that Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Nygard now farm.

The over-night grain hauling trips to Wheelock and Ray were dreaded by Mrs. Johnsrud, as she was left alone with the children—and, she was not used to the "cowboys" that would occasionally ride by.

With the coming of the railroad, and Watford City was a reality, their farm became a half-way mark for many of the farmers close to the river. Hospitality was at its peak during these times. There were large fes­tive gatherings during the holidays, "julebokking," and dinner invitations the year around. Mrs. Johnsrud would often remark during later years, "We lived during the good times." They retired from farming in 1943, and moved into Watford City.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnsrud were charter members of the Banks Lutheran Church. They passed away in 1957 and 1960, respectively. Their son, Ole, passed away in 1961. Their daughter Margaret, Mrs. John Pederson, lives in Whittier, California; Anne, Mrs. George Ul-men, in Bismarck, N. D.; and Gertrude, Mrs. Oscar Nygard, in Watford City.

They were a quiet, unassuming man and woman. They never made a public speech that one will remem­ber or that will go down in history, but they left a heritage that we can see and feel every day.

200

MR. AND MRS. ALBERT SKARI

Albert Skari was born Oct. 22, 1888, at Kindred, which was then Dakota Territory in Cass County. When he was 18 years old he went to Wells County and worked for three years on different farms. He came to McKenzie County in the spring of 1910 and filed on a homestead in Cherry township. Two years later he went back to Wells County and married the girl he had met when he worked there before—Laura Eiken, who was born in that area on Feb. 26, 1889. They first made their home on the homestead, but in 1926 moved to a farm northwest of Arnegard. After eight years they moved to a farm, which they purchased, in Farland township, where they still live. Mr. and Mrs. Skari celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1962.

They had ten children, one boy dying in infancy. The following children live on farms near home: Verna, Mrs. Joseph Iverson, and Iner. Verna's twin, Vernon, lives in Minneapolis; Juliette, Mrs. Marvin Lundquist, lives at Gresham, Oregon. Esther, Mrs. Her­man Kundert, Stockton, California, and Margaret, Mrs. Glenn Mai, at Los Angeles, California. Williston is the residence of Grace, Mrs. Adolph Johnson, and Selma, Mrs. Asbjorn Engen. Mildred, Mrs. Norman Vernon, lives at Bismarck. They have 26 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Despite the years of drought, hail, blizzards, ailing livestock, dust storms, and grasshoppers, the Skaris prefer to remember the pleasant things in their past lives, knowing that through everything, they have maintained their faith in God and continue to see His leading and guiding hand through everything, and to Him alone they give the credit for the courage and strength to go on.

Skari's Going to Church

Planting Potatoes

Claim Residence 1917 Model T

MR. AND MRS. PAGEL

THE JACOB KLAMM FAMILY

Jacob Klamm was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 1, 1876, and came to the United States with his parents at the age of 12. The family settled in Dakota Territory near Grand Forks.

Mrs. Klamm (Ellen Haueter) was born August 6, 1883, near Grand Forks, Dakota Territory. They were married June 25, 1903.

Some years later they made the acquaintance of R. W. Maxam, a photographer, who told them he had taken a homestead in McKenzie County and more land was available there. The urge to pioneer was strong and the Klamms and three small daughters came to what is now North Fork Township, in June of 1909, bringing machinery, household goods, horses, cows, and chickens. A calf was born enroute.

Mrs. Klamm's sister, Lillie Haueter (Mrs. Louis Kuntz) accompanied them and homesteaded near by.

The family enjoyed pioneer life. The long trips over the prairie trails to Williston to sell grain and haul freight for Schafer merchants were all part of this new life. The trip to Williston took four days so Mrs. Klamm and the children remained at home. She had been warned about Indians and "wild cowboys" but she was never molested nor was she afraid.

The family loved western North Dakota and even the "Dirty 30's" did not drive them away.

Mr. Klamm died September 21, 1947. Mrs. Klamm makes her home with her son John and family, on the old Homestead and will soon observe her 81st birthday. Two daughters, Mrs. Telford Anderson (Ma­rie), and Mrs. Lloyd Parrish (Helen), live near by. Mrs. Clayton Jones (Ruth), lives in Williston, and Mrs. Claire Harris (Lillie), in Canton, Illinois.

Mrs. Klamm has 14 grandchildren and 8 great-grand­children.

AUGUST AND HELENA PAGEL

August was born in Prussia, Germany, in 1855 and came to the U. S. when he was 9.

He married Helena Heizman in Bloomington, 111., April 22, 1888. Eight children were born of this union, Rosa, Ed, Otto, Emma, Elsie and Dora. Two other children had died before the family came to N. D.

The family came to McKenzie Co. from Bixbie, S. D. in a covered wagon in 1911.

The Pagel family became residents of McKenzie Co. by a quirk of fate. Their plans were to go to Canada. They were passing through McKenzie Co. when Mrs. Pagel became sick and couldn't travel further.

They rented the Glass place and after ceasing farm­ing operations, they lived with Ed Pagel on his home­stead.

Then for some time they lived in Wisconsin, coming back to Watford City in Aug., 1928, where they lived until her death in 1937.

August then made his home with his daughter Rosa at Spearfish, S. D., then with Elsie, in Wash., where he died in 1344.

RAY'S

STANDARD SERVICE

RAY STENBERG, Prop.

STANDARD OIL PRODUCTS

TIRES—BATTERIES—ACCESSORIES

WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

201

Continuous International Harvester

Service Since 1928

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE COMMUNITY OF WATFORD CITY

YOUR INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER & CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH DEALER

Offering You Complete Parts and Service

202

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W^SL. '^J^BctL—

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BHrfv

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'WI'^-TVS

HISTORY

OF THE

J. T. ANDERSON

FAMILY

THE OLD

J. T. (Jim) Anderson was born in Houston County,

Minn. July 22, 1869, and moved with his parents to

Joice, Iowa, where he grew to manhood. There he met

Anne Dolan who was born in Telemarken, Norway,

June 16, 1870. They were united in marriage March

1, 1900. Jim Anderson came to McKenzie County in

October 1909 and filed on a homestead located about

twenty miles southeast of Watford City. S. T. Richard­

son was the locator. Immediately after filing Mr. An­

derson returned to Iowa.

In the early spring of 1910 he loaded an immigrant

car at Joice, Iowa, consisting of a team of mares, a cow,

chickens, machinery and household goods. Mrs. Ander­

son and the three children arrived in McKenzie County

in June 1910. In the fall of 1911 the family returned

to Joice, Iowa, to dispose of the property there, and

returned to the McKenzie County homestead in the

spring of 1912 to make it their home.

Mr. Anderson, a blacksmith by trade, built a shop

on his homestead and did his own repair work as well

as for his neighbors. He purchased a yoke of oxen

and a walking plow for breaking, from John Lilleslet

in the summer of 1910 and started turning the sod on

his claim.

Mr. Anderson served on the board of directors for

the Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company and the

Farmers Cooperative Supply Company of Watford

City; he also served as a board member for Grail

School District and was a supervisor for Bear Den

Township.

Mr. Anderson died June 28, 1936, and Mrs. Ander­

son died April 4, 1952. There are eleven grandchildren

and five great grandchildren. Their daughter Hilda,

Mrs. John Spence, died July 20, 1956, at her home in

Hubbard, Oregon. Ernest Anderson lives in Portland,

Oregon and Telford Anderson resides on the family

homestead.

THE NEW

CO-OP

OIL CO.

WATFORD CITY,

NORTH DAKOTA

203

MR. AND MRS. JOHN AMLIEN

John Amlien was born in Toten, Norway and im­migrated in 1902 to Garrison, S. D. where he lived with an uncle and became employed in that territory before coming to N. D. In 1909 he was married to Ingeborg Johnson in Minot, N. D. Her birthplace also was Toten, Norway. She first came to Garrison, S. D. in 1906 and later to Deering, N. D., with her sister and family.

After their marriage the Amliens moved out to his homestead north of Watford City. They formed the first year with two oxen, and sometimes with four when they borrowed two from a neighbor, Carl Alstad, who, at other times would use the same four oxen to farm his land. Oxen had the strength, but were slow, and worked best in the cool of the day—early morning or late afternoon.

Mrs. Amlien remembers well a harrowing experience which happened on a return trip from Williston where they had gone to get supplies. With each step that the horses took crossing the ice on the river the ice went crack! crack!

In 1948 Mr. Amlien passed away. Their daughter, Audrey, is married to Donald Allex also of Watford City. They are living in California and have two sons.

In August, 1953, Ingeborg Amlien and Halfdon (Hank) Amlien were married in Sidney, Montana. They are now making their home in Watford City and are renting out their farm.

MR. AND MRS. HALVOR OLSON

Mr. and Mrs. Halvor Olson were born in Telemarken, Norway. They came to Joice, Iowa, where they spent most of their lives, except for the time they home­steaded near Croff.

Bringing only the necessary items and living in a one room shack was quite an experience to them. But Hal­vor loved it! He liked the climate, and the country re­minded him of Norway, except that hills were minus the trees.

Halvor died in 1943, and his wife lives in Joice, Iowa.

204

Cordial Greetings to the

Residents of Watford City

Past — Present

LARSEN'S SERVICE

DRUG

JOHN O. LARSEN,

Druggist

EARL ALTON INGLE

Earl Alton Ingle was born Dec. 11, 1887, near Marshfield, Wise. When he was 21 he and a friend left for North Dakota seeking homesteads. Arriving in White Earth in March of 1909 they decided to walk to the Jack Williams Ranch in McKenzie County. On their way they encountered a snow storm so by the time they arrived they were wet and cold. After arriv­ing, Mr. Ingle was soon employed by the Henderson Brothers. He filed and proved up on a homestead in the Croff vicinity.

His wife, Sara, was born March 12, 1889, near River Falls, Wise. She graduated from the River Falls State Teachers College and taught school for a year in Wis­consin. In 1909 she and her mother came to McKenzie County to visit. A glowing picture was painted of teach­ing advantages in N. Dak., such as higher wages ($45.00 per month) and a school year of nine months. Sara, as Miss Isaacson, began teaching at the Sandstone School, then known as the Jones school. She did not know that Grail School District had no money, so interest-drawing warrants were issued. When a warrant had to be cashed before maturity, the banks charged a very high discount.

Earl and Sara were married Jan. 28, 1911, at Schafer, N. Dak. Both proved up claims in what is now Bear Den township, where Mr. Ingle engaged in farming and cattle raising until his death in July, 1943. Mrs. Ingle, with hired help continued operating the farm until their son Harold was released from the army.

Although the Ingles had no children in the first years, they were instrumental in establishing the Wil­liams School. Others attending this meeting held in the Jack Williams bank house were 0 . H. Olson, Jacob May, William Curtis and Earnest Bedson. Mr. Ingle was also interested in getting good roads, so was a road boss for many years over a crew consisting of neighbors working out their poll tax and other taxes. Many of the present day roads in Bear Den Township follow the lines laid out by these men.

The Ingles had three children: Harold, on the home farm; Louise, Mrs. Allen Moberg, near the home place and teaching at Mandaree; Pauline, Mrs. Hjal­mer Olson, living near Keene, and teaching in that school; Viola, Mrs. Jack Roemer of Mesa, Arizona; and Noreen, teaching at Tucson, Arizona.

Hauling Water Croff School 1911

MENU

MABELS CAFE

WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

SPECIALS FOR TODAY

We Extend Our Congratulations

to Watford City's

50th Anniversary

BEST LITTLE CITY IN N. DAK.

PAUL AND MABEL HUFFMAN Proprietors

205

MR. AND MRS. JOHN HARMON

Mr. Harmon was born in Minnesota in 1878. He came to McKenzie County in 1902. His brother, Elmer, a depot agent in Minot became interested in land along the Big Muddy, so he sent John to investigate. After some difficulty John staked a claim for both along Tobacco Garden Creek, and built his shack in the spring of 1903. In 1903 and '09 John fed cattle for John Frish at the Frank Banks feeding camp. This was per­haps the roughest year he spent in McKenzie County. He tried to haul four loads of hay a day to feed a thousand head of cattle. The hay was handled three times; it was pitched out of a snow bank, then onto the hayracks, and unloaded onto the feeding ground. Matt Koch came to help with the feeding. Wben the hay was gone the men tried to clear away the snow on the high places, so the cattle could find some place to graze. Frish lost six hundred head that winter. In the spring his cows were so weak he was only able to save fifty calves. He sold four loads of hides.

Mr. Harmon recalls the March blizzard of 1904. He was on his way back to his claim shack when he decided to stop at the Jake Dahl camp. This proved to be a three-day stay as a raging blizzard hit the Banks area. Ben Knight and Connie Sax found shelter there too. On the morning of the fourth day the cabin was covered with snow; one man cut a hole into the roof and squeezed through; he was handed a shovel and started shoveling. Upon arriving at the corral, they skinned sixteen head of cattle and found thirty in a gully about thirty rods from the corral.

For two summers John operated a ferry located at the mouth of Tobacco Garden Creek. This was a cable ferry, but during the high winds John used a row boat. Of all the people he helped across, the one displaying the most courage was a teacher, Miss Nelson, who crossed the river in order to go to her school at Nesson.

In 1913 John married Maude Miller McCann, a widow with one son, nine year old George, now living in Val­ley City. Mrs. Harmon was born in Winona, Minnesota, and came to this county to live on a homestead. They have one son, Francis, Watford City. Mr. Harmon served on the Twin Valley town board when it was first organized. They sold their homestead to Howard Bonner in 1957 and came to live in Watford City where they managed a small trailer court. Mrs. Harmorv passed away in 1957. The past two years Mr. Harmon has made his home with his son, Francis, and family.

206

B & H BODY SHOP

WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

OHNSTAD'S VARIETY

WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

Souvenirs, Toys, School Supplies

GERTIE J. OHNSTAD

SEATED FRONT: Mr. and Mrs. A. Vandegrift. MIDDLE ROW: Julia, Rachel, Ellen. BACK ROW: Alan, Mildred, Mary.

Mrs. P. C. Moe, Mr. and Mrs. Abram Vandegrift.

Mr. and Mrs. Wm. R. Dietrich and son Robert; Driver, Mr. James Oeder.

/

Home of Mr. and Mrs. William Dietrich, first home built in Watford City.

THE ABRAM VANDEGRIFT FAMILY MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM DIETRICH

Mr. and Mrs. Abram Vandegrift and their six chil­

dren came from Delaware to Duluth, Minnesota, and

later to McKenzie County, North Dakota. He filed on a

homestead five miles northeast of Schafer. His eldest

daughter, Mary, filed on an adjoining quarter of land.

In the fall of 1912, Mr. Vandegrift traded land with

his son-in-law, Syvert Thompson, and then sold it to

his neighbor, Ole Amundson. They moved back again

to Duluth for two years, and returned to live in the

new town of Watford City. Mr. Vandegrift worked for

the International Elevator, and from 1920 to 1922

he was deputy sheriff, and the family lived at Schafer,

where they built a new home. A new county auditor

was taking office in 1923 and wanted a home for his

new- bride, so Arne Tollefson became the new owner.

They moved to Pablo, Montana, where they lived the

rest of their lives. Mr. Vandegrift passed away in

1932, and Mrs. Vandegrift in 1951, at the age of 92.

The Vandegrift family, Alan married Irene Finley

and they moved to Watford City in its earliest days.

Mary proved up her homestead and worked in the

register of deeds office until her marriage to Syvert

A. Thompson. Julia, married to Chester Quigley live

in Duluth, Minn. Rachel married William Dietrich;

they were among the first to build a home and business

in Watford City. Ellen was a pioneer teacher in the

county, and married John Skavlan, who was Register

of Deeds in the "twenties." Mr. Skavlan passed away a

few years later. She is now Mrs. Ellen Balsizer of

Portland, Oregon. Mildred worked f<Jr H. H. Johnson

in the County Auditor's office and married Richard

Vick. The Vick brothers had a flour mill here. Mr.

and Mrs. Vick now live in Butte, Montana.

This family has given the community a heritage

of honesty and the dignity of truth. May it always be

cherished.

In 1907, Wm. R. Dietrich filed on a homestead just

east of Schafer. In December, 1910, Rachel Vandgrift

and William were married, and made their home on

the claim for the next year or so. Then they moved to

Schafer.

Before her marriage, Mrs. Dietrich used to accom­

pany her father on many trips hauling coal to Schafer.

They had filed on a coal claim in addition to the home­

stead claim and sold coal for extra income. She re­

members the hill by the Oeder place as the worst

part of the road, as the coulee was steep on both sides.

When the townsite of Watford City was laid out,

theirs was the first home built there. Soon afterward,

the John Richardsons moved their home to town, just

next door. The Dietrich pool hall was the first build­

ing on Main Street. The pool hall also contained a

barber shop.

A few years later a disastrous fire destroyed four

buildings on Main Street, Lundin's Drug, a Consumer's

store, a meat market, and the pool hall.

After the loss of their business, the Dietrichs bought

an irrigated farm at Pablo, Montana, and moved there

in March of 1923, and they now live in the town of

Pablo,

They have a son, Robert Dietrich, a mining engineer

at Henderson, Nevada.

• .

Sunday School Class 1922

207

IVAR AND ELLA MR. AND MRS. AMUNDSON

MR. AND MRS. IVAR KJELSTAD

Ivar Kjelstad was born at Sondmore, Norway, in 1892 and came to this country in 1911, first arriving in Canada. He came to the home of his older sister, whom he could not remember of seeing before as she had left Norway while he was still a small child. There he made his home until he was old enough to file on a homestead, which he did two years later, in Farland township, continuing to live there for many years. He was married in 1925 to Ella Aagvik who bad come with her parents to this area in 1905. Mr. Kjelstad's health prevented him from doing any more farm work in 1953, and now, with much time on his hands, he spent it in reading and playing his violin, hobbies which had been neglected during the busy years.

They have two children, Sylvia, Mrs. Donald Erikson, of Watford City, and Philip, presently living in Wil­liston.

Mr. Kjelstad died in 1959, after a long illness, and Mrs. Kjelstad still teaches and makes her home in Wat­ford City.

KNUTE Farm Residence

MR. AND MRS. KNUTE BERG

Knute Berg was born near Aalesund, Norway, on April 4, 1888. He worked at many jobs and finally decided he could do better in America so left in 1906 for the new land. He first worked at Christine, N. Dak. and then in the wood near Duluth, Minn. The pay was better but the work hard, which he didn't mind. In 1907 he heard the stories about the free land in the west, so landed at Schafer, and first worked on the HE ranch, riding, fencing and helping build a sandstone bunkhouse. A few years later he filed on a homestead here and has lived here ever since. That fall he brought back from Fargo three horses, two cows, some chickens, full line of old machinery.

He married Marie Nordby in 1913 and built a larg­er house. The year 1917 was the year they bought their first car—a Baby Overland touring car, which he still owns and has it in good running order.

Their son, John, lives at Jamestown, Oscar lives on the reservation, Martin at Winoka, Wise, and Inga in Minneapolis.

He remembers the winter of 1920 when he had his hardest lesson with a storm and 42 below weather. He lost many young horses. From 1938 until 1946 he hauled mail south out of Watford City, but he still lives on the home place. Since the death of his wife in 1946, his sister Ragna from Norway lives there.

MR. AND MRS. O. P. AMUNDSON

At the youthful age of 16, Ole Amundson came from his home in Gudbransdalen, Norway in 1904 to the United States, arriving at Hatton, N. Dak., where he spent a few years before coming to Williston. After homesteading in Garden township, he returned to Wil­liston where he worked. There in 1909 he was married to Sigrid Kjemhus, who has come from Numedal, Nor­way, to McKenzie County where she filed on a home­stead in 1907, just south of where the Garden church now stands. She also worked in Williston until they moved out to his homestead, piling their junk into a hay rack and trailing their buggy behind the rack. They almost lost their buggy in the river when crossing the ferry.

Mr. Amundson served as secretary of the Garden church of which they were members, for eighteen years.

Many were the hardships of the pioneers, one being the hauling of grain to Williston which required three days with a "layover" at White House. In making these trips, neighbors would form a caravan, leaving home about 1 or 2 a.m., arriving at their destination about midnight. After unloading in the morning and doing a little shopping, they set out and arrived home late at night. They crossed the river on the ice in the winter and by ferry in the summer at White House. When wagons were used, the rear wheels were rough-locked going down though the river breaks. This would cause the wooden rims of the wheels to become so hot from the steel rim sliding that the wood actually smoked!

Mrs. Amundson died in 1926. Mr. Amundson was active in farming until a few years ago. Now that he is retired, he has enjoyed travelling, making five trips back to his homeland in Norway to visit.

A daughter, Mrs. Myrtle Day, makes her home in Watford City, where she is teaching. A son, Orville, lives in Seattle, Wash. He is married to the former Mabel Bergee of Watford City, and they have one son, Bruce.

OLAF DAHL

OLAF DAHL

Olaf Dahl was born in Ringebu, Norway in 1885, coming to this country and working near Rugby and Berwick. He came to McKenzie County in 1913 and filed on a homestead in the Spring Creek community. This was his home until he died in 1962. He was never married.

208

MR. AND MRS. PETER VILDMO

Peter G. Vildmo, in 1882 at the age of 14, came from Norway to eastern N. Dak. where he attended school and enrolled at Concordia College in Moorhead. For a time he was employed in a general store.

When land was opened for homesteading in McKen­zie County, he and some friends filed on homesteads twelve miles north of Schafer. He also bought half interest in the Walla General Store in Farland, to which he walked from his homestead for work. When Wat­ford City was laid out in 1914, the Walla and Vildmo store opened its doors in the new town. Mr. Vildmo later bought out his partner's interest and the store became known as Vildmo's General store.

Mr. Vildmo's hobby was photography, which gained for him considerable popularity while living on his homestead. Fellow homesteaders called on him to take pictures of themselves and their shacks.

Peter Vildmo was married to the former Mattie Aagvik, who was also born in Norway, and had been employed in Fargo before coming to McKenzie County to file on a homestead. Their four daughters are: Agdis, Mrs. G. A. MacGregor of San Marino, California; Jessie, Mrs. G. V. Levang, Watford City; Margaret, Mrs. Ballard of Seattle, Wash.; and Alice, Mrs. J. V. McGaughy, of Bainbridge Island, Wash.

Mrs. Vildmo died in 1934. The following year, he retired from his store and spent several years in Wash­ington, coming back to Watford City and making his home with his daughter, Jessie and family until his death in 1960.

MR. AND MRS. PEDER KINNEBERG

Peder Kinneberg was born in Hallingdal, Norway in 1887. He came to this country in 1910 and filed on a homestead thirteen miles northeast of Watford City in the Tobacco Garden vicinity.

Sigrid Braaten, was born in Drammen, Norway, in 1902, coming to Watford City in 1929 to visit her sister. Mrs. Nepstad. On Feb. 19, 1930, Peder and Sigrid were married and made their home on the farm until they moved to Williston in 1954, where they lived until the time of their deaths, except for the summer months spent in their farm.

They have two daughters, Laila, Mrs. Harold Selid. and Sonja, Mrs. John Ganje, both of Williston. Each has two sons.

Mr. and Mrs. Kinneberg attended the Garden Luther­an Church. She died in 1960, and he in 1963, at Williston.

FRED JOHNSON

Fred Johnson left Sweden in 1903, when he was seventeen years old, coming to N. Dak. to be with his brother, Axel. He homesteaded in 1906 six miles north of what would later be Watford City. His nearest neighbors were Arne and John Lillislet and their cousin, John Wendlike. He remembers the time he took a three day trip to Williston for lumber and while he was gone, cattle pushed in his clay cabin and he had to rebuild. There were good times too, as sometimes he went twenty miles to a dance to meet neighbors who had moved in.

He went to Minneapolis in 1911 where he worked until 1914 when he was married and started farming. They moved to Ellensberg, Wash, in 1939, where they lived until the death of Mrs. Johnson in 1943. He worked in Seattle and California and moved to Grants Pass, Oregon in 1951 where he was remarried. The five Johnson children are all married and four of them live in Calif, and one lives in Portland.

Mr. Johnson hopes to celebrate his 79th birthday and the anniversary of his 50 years of married life at the gala affair in Watford City tbis summer.

MR. AND MRS. EDWIN AAGVIK

Edwin Aagvik was born in Nordland, Norway, in 1886 and came to America at the age of 20. He worked in the Horace area until 1908 when he came to McKen­zie County to file on a homestead.

In 1918 he was married to Anna Haug of Ortonville. Minnesota. They continued living on the farm until 1946 when they sold their farm to Palmer Enderuds. They went to Tacoma, Wash, where they have since re­sided. Mrs. Aagvik has been in ill health and it is their plan to enter the Good Shepherd Home at Wat­ford City this spring, where they will be at home to all of their old friends.

MR. AND MRS. ED BORDWELL

Mr. and Mrs. Ed Bordwell were early homesteaders in Garden township. She was a pioneer teacher and a daughter of the Charles Stillwells. She moved to James­town and continued teaching until retirement, dying in 1960 in Minnesota where she had been making her home near her only son, Charles. Mr. Bordwell died many years ago.

209

PETER HELLE

Peter Helle was born in Vange Valder, Norway, on Dec. 17, 1858. He came to America at the age of 15, marrying Annie Rice at Park River, N. Dak. in 1879. She was born in Norway on Oct. 4, 1858, coming to N. Dak. as a small child. Mr. and Mrs. Helle lived at Adams for several years and nine children were born.

Mr. Helle filed on a homestead in 1909 about thirty miles northeast of Watford City, near the land mark called Chimney and Table Buttes. Mrs. Helle and three of the youngest children came to White Earth in the fall of 1910, and two immigrant cars were used to carry their belongings, which included five cows, five horses, fifteen chickens, dog, cat, farm machinery, and household furniture. It took them two days to reach their homestead, and how it rained! The children, Paul­ine, Mrs. Tom Meadows, Edwin, and Arven took turns chasing the cattle.

Due to ill health of Mrs. Helle, a sale was held in 1928 and they moved to Hoople and lived with a daughter there until Mrs. Helle's death in 1930. Mr. Helle moved back to McKenzie County and made his home with his son, Arven, in 1932, who was still living on the homestead. Mr. Helle died in 1937.

Surviving are four children, Laura, Mrs. Eliefe Moe, Grand Forks; Pauline, Mrs. Tom Meadows, Williston; Edwin, Puyallup, Wash.; and Arven of Watford City. Forty-five grandchildren and sixty four great grand­children survive.

JORGEN AAGVIK

Jorgen Aagvik was born in Nordland, Norway, in 1874, and came to the United States at an early age. He spent several years at Horace, N. Dak. before coming to McKenzie County in 1906 to file on a home­stead, which was about three miles west of Watford City, near the Madson Brothers' first ranch. He lived on the homestead for several years but spent much time away. During the last years of his life, he made his home at the Justin Aagvik home and Boyd White home. Mr. Aagvik died in 1956. He never married.

MR. AND MRS. WESLEY STILLWELL

The Stillwells came to McKenzie County in 1909 from Wisconsin. John Lamb, her father, has come earlier. For a time the Stillwells operated a cafe in

210

Shafer and Mr. Lamb had a grocery store. Wesley Stillwell homesteaded in Tobacco Garden township. The family made their home in Garden township until 1924.

When the family came by immigrant car, they also brought a Jersey cow, so that the children could get proper nourishment. Mr. Stillwell walked the distance and led the cow—and then the cow swallowed a nail a short time later and died!

Mr. Stillwell's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Still­well, were also pioneers and resided within a mile of the son's home. Wes Stillwell died in 1932. Mrs. Still­well and a daughter went to Lisbon to live in 1945 and have operated The Style Shop there since that time.

Carl also lives in Lisbon; Lester is with an account­ing firm in Williston; Leona lives in Anaheim, Califor­nia; LeMoine lives in Chakio, Minnesota.

MR. AND MRS. ADOLPH THORSBY

Adolph Thorsby was born at Amery, Wisconsin in 1866, coming to N. Dak. in 1903.

Adolph married Alice Sollien Hagen in 1907. She was born in Decorah, Iowa, in 1866, having been married to Martin Hagen. Five children were born to the Hagens: Mathilda, Mrs. Peter Olson, deceased; Ma­rie, Mrs. Ole Borseth, John, Knute, and Sam Hagen, all of Watford City. Martin Hagen had passed away in 1903.

The Thorsby's came to McKenzie County in 1918 where he had filed on a homestead south of Cartwright. In the spring of 1920 they moved to a farm in Norstog Township where they lived for a number of years. They moved to Watford City, where Adolph died in 1946 and Alice died in 1951. They are both buried in the Spring Creek cemetery.

WILLIAM SKAMFOR

William Skamfor was born in Hawley, Minn, in 1886. He filed on a homestead thirteen miles south of Watford City in 1914. He married Dora Stutrud and farmed near Granville for many years. Dora died in 1937 and some years later he married Nellie Er-hardt, and they moved to the state of Washington. Wil­liam died in 1959 but his widow, Nellie, still lives in Seattle. Mr. Skamfor was a brother of Mrs. Nils Dahl.

MR. AND MRS. ALBERT STENSATTER

It was in 1903 that Mr. and Mrs. Albert Stensatter and son, Alfred, left Leeds to homestead in an area, later to be called Banks. Means of transportation was by way of wagon and team, crossing the river on a ferry. When the river flooded, a basket on a cable was set up on poles on each side of the river and one would have to pull himself across. Albert was often away from home helping homesteaders get settled, and many long days were ahead for the lady of the house, who found great comfort in relatives, Inga Satter, and Louise Sax. Later there were the Stamners, Vicks, Haynes, Arne Tollefsons, Brodersons, Karlstads, Knut-sons, LaBrants, Krons, Sundfors, Johnsons, and other families.

Wherever there are people, there are babies—and there were babies! Forty miles from a doctor, so it was the usual midwife, Mrs. Haverwold, who attended. Mrs. Stensatter often helped at this occasion too, and many times she sent a syrup pail of rommegrot or sot-soppe to the mother, this being the customary first meal for the mother after giving birth to a child.

There were many good times in the humble homes. The old fashioned square dances with Inga Satter play­ing the organ and Olaf Stamner the fiddle often kept the group going until the wee hours. There were many good times of hunting, fishing, and picking berries. When Tony Sax built a store, there was a good sized room over it for square dancing. When the dancers were going good, the milk pails hanging from the ceiling below almost kept time to the music as they swung back and forth.

The only barber shop was a scissors in the hands of

a neighbor, generally the Vicks. A curling iron heated

over a lamp was the beauty parlor. Saturday night was

bath night in the old tin tub by the kitchen stove, burn­

ing on one side and freezing on the other. On Sunday

morning a long ride to church of several miles with

horse and buggy to hear, the Rev. Tollefson was the

usual practice.

The Stensatter humble, but happy home burned to

the ground one night but relatives and friends joined

together and built a new one.

Mr. Stensatter died in 1948 and his wife in 1957. They had 2 sons, Alfred and Harold.

EDDIE JENSEN - GEORGE JENSEN

Eddie Jensen was born in Mankato, Minnesota, in 1880 and George was born near Madelia, Minnesota in 1885. Eddie came to McKenzie County where he filed on a homestead in Ellsworth Township in 1906 and George came in 1909 and filed in Cherry Township. The two brothers formed a partnership and raised cattle and horses. They increased their holdings by buying out other homesteaders. Some time later they bought the Randal Ranch.

George married Clara Gundeson in 1934 and they have two daughters, Rose Ann, married and living in Monterey, California, and Betty, at home. They moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, in 1937. He is now retired and spends most of his time fishing on the many beautiful lakes.

Eddie stayed on the ranch until 1943 when it was

sold and he also went to Coeur d'Alene where he died

in 1959.

STANDARD OIL DISTRIBUTOR

BILL McMAHEN

You Expect More From Standard and You Get It!

211

PEDER ENDERUD

Peder Enderud was born in Eggedal, near Oslo,

Norway in 1880. He came to this country in 1902 at

the age of 20 years and in 1903, filed on a homestead

in Twin Valley township. The land was broken with a

pair of oxen and a gang plow. He and another pioneer,

the late Herman Anderson, sometimes got up at 2

o'clock in the morning and started plowing. They

would shout back and forth to each other and sing

Norwegian and Swedish songs so loudly that a neigh­

bor, Mrs. Haverwold, later complained that she

couldn't sleep for the noise they made in the "middle

of the night."

He was married in 1911 to Emma Pederson, in

Brinsmade, N. Dak. They came to the homestead in

Twin Valley, and there their two children were born;

a daughter Sylvia (Mrs. Hans Karlstad, Orland, Cal.)

and a son, Palmer of rural Watford City. Mr. Enderud

was a charter member of Banks Lutheran Church and

also served on the school and township boards. His

wife passed away in 1916. In 1924 he made a visit

back to his old home in Norway, and there met and

married his second wife, Solveig Johanneson from Berg­

en. They have four daughters; Judith, (Mrs. F. Fer-

reira, L. I. New York), Swana (Mrs. Willard Schnell,

Miles City, Mont.), Agnes (Mrs. Gordon Ridl, Salem,

Oregon), and Pearl (Mrs. John Gauer, Havre, Mont.) A

son, Henry John, died in infancy.

The "fifty mile hike" of today is nothing new. One

time in 1906 he and two other men, Christian Anderson

and a man by the name of Haaland went to Sidney,

Mont, to look for work, and since they were too broke

to pay for transportation, they had to walk the whole

way. By and by they got hungry and since they had no

money, they offered to work for a meal when they

came to a farm and really left a nice pile of wood

there. One place they came to was vacant, but they

were hungry and decided to look for food. As he

climbed through a window, Christian was heard to say

"what if my mother could see me now."

After a combine accident which injured his back

badly, he quit farming and sold his farm in 1946. He

moved to Watford City and is now retired.

212

KITTIL SKAVANGER

Kittil Skavanger was born March 26, 1888, at Kongs-borg, Norway. In 1907 he came to McKenzie County and went directly to the Nils Rolfsrud farm where he worked for a while. Skavanger homesteaded in Wil­liams County in 1909. Then in 1913 he bought a farm near Keene which he operated until 1937.

While the menfolk were on grain hauling trips their women did the chores and cared for the home. It was in McKenzie county that Skavanger first met his wife. Anna Olson had come from near Harstad, Norway, where she was born February 24, 1883. She arrived in McKenzie County in June, 1914, (50 years ago), and was the first employee of the then newly-built Rolfsrud Hotel and Restaurant.

In 1916 she and Kittel were married and they lived on the farm he owned. Their entire crop was hailed out the first year.

They have two daughters, Josephine (Mrs. Cleve Sletto) owns and operates the Maryland Resort near Alexandria, Minnesota. Gudrun (Mrs. L. H. Roeland) lives in Washington, D. C.

In 1937 the Skavangers moved to Minnesota and farmed for awhile. Later they operated a resort un­til they retired and moved to Alexandria where they welcome all the McKenzie County people that will stop to see them.

COAST TO COAST STORE

Hude — Sporting Goods,

Appliances and Houseware

Congratulations to Watford City

on Its Golden Jubilee

TOM AND LINDA KALBERER

THE NORSTOGS

Olaf Norstog was born in 1895 in Telemark, Nor­

way, and came to Grand Forks, North Dakota, in

1907 together with his father and two sisters. A year

later they came to McKenzie County to live on his

father's homestead near Farland. His father's home­

stead consisted of a breezy little shack with only a

cookstove for warmth. His dad always wore his cap

and earmuffs to bed to keep the frost off his ears and

hair, and his little dog slept inside a sheepskin robe

he folded up for him.

On Sept. 23, 1912, it was a very nice day. His dad

set out in summer clothes to visit their neighbor a mile

and a half away. In the early evening snow began to

fall and before long a real storm had developed. When

his father did not return, his brother Jon and he set

out to find him. He was not at the neighbors and it

was too stormy to look for him. The next morning

when they had almost given up, he walked in. He had

found a roofless shack in which he had "danced" all

night to keep warm.

One cold night he awoke to find his homestead and

all his possessions in flames. He escaped with only his

underwear and ran barefoot a quarter of a mile to his

neighbor in deep snow and temperatures of 30 below.

When he was 20, he started farming and ranching

for himself near Watford.

In 1924 his sister and a friend, Marie Prestangen,

nurses in Minneapolis, came to visit and a year later

Marie and he were married.

In 1926 his brother, Bjorgulve, and he leased 1240

acres of land on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation,

bought machinery on credit from the Drovdal Bros, of

Arnegard, broke 400 acres, and seeded flax. They har­

vested enough to pay the threshing bill and land rental.

They were left with 850.00 and a debt of $3520.35.

When Drovdal came to collect and was told they

could pay nothing, he smiled and said, "You pay the

35 cents so it is an even $3520.00 and I'll renew the

note."

That fall they operated a coal mine but made only

enough money for living expenses—none for farming.

However, a friend, Joe Folven, furnished the seed and

Standard Oil the gasoline on time. And so in 1927 they

seeded 400 acres of wheat, 250 acres of flax, and had

a bumper crop. They were able to write the second

largest check Drovdal had ever received—$3520.00

plus interest!

After living three years on the reservation, they

bought a farm south of town but continued on the

reservation until 1935.

Starting in 1936 he worked as an interviewer for

the Farm Security Office for three and a half years

and then one year with the Welfare Office. However,

in 1941 he quit his job to devote full time to farming.

They have four children. They are Solveig, Mrs. Wal­

ter Dale; Konrad and Bjarne both of Watford City

and Magnhild, Mrs. George Madsen.

MY LADY'S

DRESS SHOP

Women's Apparel

Congratulations to Wat ford

City on Its Golden

Anniversary

MR. AND MRS. M. BORSETH, Props.

213

MR. AND MRS. T. I. BERGEE

Torsten I. Bergee, an immigrant from Norway, ar­rived in the United States March 31, 1902, at the age of 24 with the "whole sum" of $27.21. He first came to Kenyon, Minn. He worked in that vicinity the fol­lowing summer then went on to Wittenberg, Wise, where he was employed at a hardware, harness and shoe shop. He also tried the "life of the woods" for three months at Whitefish, Mont. After working on "thresh­ing rigs" in N. D. and hearing about the opportunities for land of his own, he filed for a homestead in what is now Garden Township, McKenzie County in 1904.

Mr. Bergee and three other homesteaders, Severt Thompson, Andrew Kluxdahl, and Andrew Sandaker camped together while helping each other build suitable living quarters. Mr. Bergee's first major possessions were acquired the following summer when he went east again for the threshing season. In exchange for his wages he became the owner of a team of horses and a wagon with hayrack which he drove back to his homestead.

Margrete Teigum, also a native of Norway, arrived at Kempton, N. D. April 1, 1902, at the age of 26. She worked in Aneta and Larimore, N. D. until the spring of 1909 when she came to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead in what is now Harder Township.

T. I. and Margrete Bergee were married January 7, 1910, at the home of Rev. Arnstad. They made their home on Mrs. Bergee's homestead until 1914 when they moved to his homestead in Garden Township. This re­mained their home until retirement, when they moved to Watford City, N. D.

There were four children: Beatrice, Mrs. Henry Ny-quist, an elementary school teacher who died in 1941; Harry, who now lives on the Bergee homestead in Gar­den Township is married to the former Marjorie Hoov­er and they have two sons; Mabel, Mrs. Orville Amund­son, who resides in Seattle, Wash, and has one son; Alice, Mrs. Olaf Satter, who lives on the Ole Satter homestead and has two children.

Mrs. T. I. Bergee passed away February 22, 1951.

Mr. Bergee was married to Katherine Norby in 1953.

He died June 17, 1956, and Katherine in 1963.

214

CAMPBELL

SPORT SHOP WATFORD CITY, N. DAK.

PHONE 4672

Congratulations to Wat ford

Ci ty on Its Fifty Years of

Progress

DUNCAN AND NORMA CAMPBELL

BENNIE'S BAKERY Fresh Bakery Products

Congratulations to

Watford City on Its

Golden Jubilee

Esther and Bennie Suelzlie

MRS. OLAF STENBERG

Signe Fritsvold was born in Norway, and when she

was 21 she came to McKenzie County and filed on a

homestead in 1905. As a newcomer, she could neither

talk nor understand English. After working a short

time in Williston as a waitress for $4.00 a week, she

saved enough money to go to school, which helped her

a great deal with her English. She also saved enough to

build a shack on her homestead. Crossing the ferry into

the valley where her homestead was to be, she saw

three feet of high grass, and the country looked fruit1

ful and interesting, which proved true if the rains came.

Jens Walla and his sister, Mrs. Ole Wold, were there,

as were the Rikistads, Nels, Christ, and Louise, who

later became Mrs. Jens Walla. Carl and Olaf Stenberg,

Weltzins, Tills, John Burrs, Ida Pieper, J. P. Johnsons

•and others made life on the prairie fascinating. And

yes, Peder Bergem, Ludvig Walla, Carl Anderson, Ed

Walla, and Peder Iversons came a little later.

The sound of the coyote was a weird one at night

when Signe was alone in the shack and by piling

trunks upon trunks in front of the door, she felt they

could not at least get in to her. The most beautiful

sound she can still recollect after all these years is the

song of the meadowlark on the N. Dak. prairies.

Signe and Olaf Stenberg were married in 1908. It

was most convenient to have Walla's open a store on

their place in 1908. A postoffice soon followed which

was called Farland, with Jens Walla as postmaster.

Two professional people Mrs. Stenberg will never

forget are Dr. P. O. C. Johnson and Dr. Winner.

They left for the West Coast in 1941 and lived in

Seattle. There Olaf died a few years later.

They were blessed with eight children.

They are Harold, Kenneth, Vernon, Osborn, Ralph.

Lydia, Synnove, and Elsie all of Washington. The boys

are all graduates from the University of Wash.

Mrs. Stenberg still resides in Everett.

MR. AND MRS. OLE K. HOLM

Ole K. Holm was born on May 29, 1880, in Romsda-

len, Norway, He came to America in 1907 and worked

at Pekin, N. Dak., for one year before coming to

McKenzie County in 1908 where he homesteaded in

Ideal Township.

Anna L. Bakken was born on May 17, 1883, at

Lesjaskog, Gudbrandsdalen, Norway. She came to

America in 1903 and worked at Lakota and Pekin, N.

Dak. until 1909 when she was married to Ole K. Holm

at Lakota, N. Dak.

After Watford City was started they began in the

dairy business and sold milk for Watford City for

several years.

Ole Holm was active in the community and served

as board member of a number of organizations in the

county. He was especially active with the ASC office

serving with that group for 21 years. They were chart­

er members of the First Lutheran Church of Watford

City of which Mr. Holm was the first secretary. Mrs.

Holm has been actively engaged with the work of the

Ladies Aid.

They had children. They are Clarence of Prairie Vil­

lage, Kansas; Myrtle Ottenbacher of Zeeland, N. Dak.;

Karmon of San Francisco, Calif.; Alice Swenson of

Yreka, Calif.; Peder of Reserve, Montana; Edna Arm­

strong of Philadelphia, Pa.; Lloyd of Prairie Village,

Kansas; Arnold and Robert of Watford City and Dale

of Seattle.

The above picture was taken just as they were

about to leave for Norway in 1953.

Mr. Ole K. Holm passed away on February 26, 1956.

Mrs. Holm lives at 315y2 East Second in Watford City.

She is very active, despite her eighty-one years. Rare­

ly does she miss church services at the First Lutheran

Church.

215

'^p*^ JOHN GLASCOCK

John Glascock was born in Ohio, May 14, 1856, Kathryn Amanda Thomas and John were married on Christmas day 1883 in Fulton, Missouri. Mr. Glascock sold his surplus be­longings, loaded four horses, one cow, household furnishings and farm machinery in an emi­grant car, bought railroad tick­ets for his family and on April

7, 1907 at 6:30 A.M. they arrived in Williston, North Dakota. Mr. Glascock bought a relinquishment from Henry Bylin two miles north and one mile west of what is now Watford City.

The first school was in a sod shack on Cherry Creek just north of where Carrol and Bud Lawlar now live. Pearl Evans, who later married Wm. Janson, the coun­ty surveyor, was the first teacher in the sod school house. Those were the days. Children didn't worry their parents about money for hot lunches or missing the bus. They walked and carried their lunch.

The fall of 1915 a young lady named Eva Harden from Osakis, Minnesota came to teach. She boarded at Glascock's. On Dec. 21, 1917 she and Nolan James Glascock were married at the Glascock homestead home by Rev. W. B. Cowgill. Martin Allex, Watford City's first taxi driver, brought the Reverend out with a team and cutter.

Mr. and Mrs. John Glascock were the parents of six children. Only two are still living. They are Cleve­land Thomas of Saco, Montana, and Nolan James of Sacramento, California. Each of them has one daugh-er.

Mrs. John Glascock passed away Oct. 2, 1910. John Glascock was struck by a W. P. A. truck on highway 23, three-fourths of a mile east of Watford City and lived only a short time, passing away on Jan. 8, 1934.

and city policeman for a number of years. He was born August 29, 1895, and passed away June 18, 1959.

Selma Allex is now making her residence in Tacoma. Washington.

JAMES W. RENBARGER

James W. Renbarger was born Dec. 27, 1892, in Marion, Indiana. His family moved to McKenzie Coun­ty in 1909 and here James grew up. While a young man, he did quite a bit of hunting and trapping. He worked for a while on the boat, Scottie Phillips, haul­ing supplies, etc. which operated out of a town called Senashal (White City).

On February 13, 1923 he married Jennie Nyen of Fertile, Minnesota. Jennie taught school in McKenzie County before their marriage. James and Jennie made their home by the "big Missouri River. Twice during spring breakup the house had two feet of water in it.

In 1946 they moved to a farm about one and one-half miles south of Banks where they still reside.

They have two sons, Arnold and Vernon, and a daughter, Vivian (Mrs. Paul Linseth) all of the Wat­ford City community.

HENRY ALLEX Henry Allex was a resident of

Watford City since the age of 14. He worked with his father on his homestead. After serving in the Armed Forces in World War I he and his brother, John, bought out the dray line and Henry had this dray line for 28 years. He married Selma Worm-dahl in 1922 and had two sons

and four daughters. He bought a farm and at this time moved from the center of town to one-half mile south of Watford City.

Mr. Allex was an honorary member of the Watford City Fire. Department, Trustee of the Catholic Church

The John Frisch Blockhouse

John Frisch, an early pioneer in this area, built a blockhouse in 1898 and finished it in 1900. It would shelter from four to five families when the river would flood. He was 35 when he built it. There were few women homesteading at that time. His only hope was to communicate thru the Lonely Hearts Club. One lady answered and seemed very interested and by means of correspondence a date was set for the wedding. She was to come by stage to the Mike Coskelly Ranch. In­vitations were sent to all the ranchers. When the stage arrived, there was no bride. Dinner was waiting as were all the cowboys. John, being a man of few words and a gruff voice, "Boys, let's have the dinner."

216

MR. AND MRS. TOM CHRISTIANSON

Tom Christianson was born in Minnesota on August 28, 1868. At the age of seven his parents migrated to North Dakota in a covered wagon. Tom walked bare­foot and drove milk cows. They settled in Mercer County.

Tom was united in marriage to Frances Smith at Bismarck, N. Dak. in 1902. They resided on a home­stead for some time, but in 1907 they came to Dunn County in double box lumber wagons with two teams on each wagon. By this time they had three small girls. They settled fifteen miles north west of Oak-dale, a small country store and postoffice owned by Mike Cuskelly.

Tom raised draft and saddle horses and sold them to the new settlers. He had 17 grey hounds which were fed ground corn and whole milk every other day. They caught many coyotes.

He moved into McKenzie County in 1909 and con­tinued to raise and sell horses. Later he went into the cattle and sheep business.

They reared three daughters. They are Hattie May-bell and Florence Keane both of San Bernardino, California, and Agnes Murray of Watford City.

Mrs. Christianson died in 1937. Then Mr. Chris­tianson moved to California and bought interest in a night club. He died in 1941.

MR. AND MRS. ARNE LILLESLET

Arne Lillislet was born in Hallingdal, Norway, on March 6, 1883. In May, 1904, he came to America coming to Brinsmade, N. Dak. In October he came to McKenzie County and filed on land in Schafer Town­ship. He bought broncos and broke them for work and was the first one in the neighborhood to farm with horses. There were no fences in those days and range cattle ate his first crop. The winters seemed to be far worse in the early days and Arne often told that after a three-day storm he and his brother would go to see how their neighbor, Oscar Morstad, had fared. One time when they came to see him after a bad snow storm, they discovered that a snowdrift had covered his door and his only window. He could not get out. He had burned almost everything in the shack to keep from freezing as he could not get to his coal pile which was outside.

He married Christine Johnsrud on August 2, 1920, and in 1923, when their neighbor, Anton Oseng, de­cided to move back to Minnesota they rented his farm which was all pasture land. So he added cattle raising.

Due to his failing health, they retired in 1945 and rented their farm to John Johnsrud. They moved to Watford City.

Arne died on January 7, 1960. Christine lives in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN C. HAGEN AND FAMILY

John C. Hagen was born in Spring Grove, Min­nesota on September 9, 1892. He settled south of Watford City in 1916. His wife Maria was born at Buxton, N. Dak., a daughter of *Mr. and Mrs. John Bjelkevig. In 1918 she came to Watford City where she met and married John Hagen in 1919. They have five children. They are Manuel, Mrs. Dallas Johnson, Mrs. Leif Gifstad, all of Watford City; Mrs. Edwin Johnson of Stanley. N. Dak., and Orville Hagen of Ross, N. Dak.

Mr. Hagen was the first mail carrier from Cherry to Mary Postoffice. There was no bridge or ferry boat so he had to ford the river. Later Jake Berger started a ferry on the Little Missouri River.

He recalls the time the ferry sank to the bottom. The horses swam to shore with the buggy. The occu­pants were saved by a boat.

Mr. and Mrs. Hagen live in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM STOUGHTON

Mr. Stoughton came to Larimore, N. Dak. in 1904 where he started railroading. He moved to his home­stead at Berg, N. Dak. in 1914. He lived there for three years, but decided it wasn't the wisest decision.

In 1917 he moved to Watford City and began rail­roading. He remained with this until 1949.

He was born in 1884 at Dorchester, Wisconsin. Mrs. Stoughton was born at Ada, Minnesota in 1891. They were married on March 14, 1907, at Antler, North Dakota.

They have five children. They are Mrs. Sam Jore of Watford City; Mrs. R. M. Stafne of Great Falls, Mon­tana; Mrs. Neil Dewhirst of Grassy Butte; Rosemary, Mrs. Charles Fox, of Seattle, Washington and Myron of Seattle, Wash. Mrs. Stoughton died on April 1, 1953. He lives in Watford City.

217

GILBERT LEE

Gilbert Lee was born at Elverum, Norway, in 1878. He immigrated to the United States when he was twenty five years of age. His first years in America were spent working in the woods of Minnesota and Wisconsin. He was a craftsman with the axe, and took great pride in doing a good job.

In 1905, Gilbert came to Garden Township, and filed on a homestead eleven miles northeast of Wat­ford City. He often went back to the woods in the win­ters, and came back to the farm in the spring of the year.

At the beginning of the.'30's, Gilbert started mining coal, and he continued this for about ten years. Gil­bert and his six-speed International truck were a fa­miliar and welcome sight during those cold hard win­ters.

Although Gilbert never married, his was by no means a lonely home—he was a good housekeeper and cook—and he usually had lots of company. His place was more or less of a community gathering place, and Sundays you could always find some or most of the neighbors there.

He sold his homestead to John Skoglund in 1944, and moved to Hot Springs, Montana, where he intended to make a new home, but the ties of McKenzie County drew him back to Watford City where he lived until his death in 1948.

Gilbert is best remembered for the generous and kind nature which characterized him. Always ready to help and lend a hand.

He had a host of friends who mourned his passing.

La Canada, California, Barbara (Mrs. B. H. Spargo) Chicago, 111., and Caroll (Mrs. M. G. Carman), Twin Falls, Idaho.

Dave homesteaded about two miles southwest of what is now Watford City in the fall of 1913. He bar-bered in both Arnegard and Schafer, before opening his shop in Watford City in 1914. He was always an avid baseball fan and was a player of some ability. A cousin, Charley Goodrich, was a professional catcher and taught Dave to throw curve balls.

Mrs. Scollard died in Watford City in 1947; Dave left there in 1949, visiting with his children until per­manently settling in Spokane, Wash, in 1952. He died there on May 22, 1960.

His parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Scollard home­steaded just south of the present site of Watford City in 1911, and part of their homestead is within the present city limits.

William Scollard died in 1924, and Laura, his wife, died in 1941.

Mae Scollard, Dave's sister, was an early day teach­er in the Watford City school, and many of the pres­ent-day residents of Watford City received their intro­duction to the "three R's" from her. She was later the postmistress in Watford City. Carrie, Dave's other sister, married Oscar W. Hagen, well known to Watford City people.

D. G. SCOLLARD

D. G. Scollard (Dave), was born in Iowa, on De­cember 23, 1876. In 1880, he moved with his parents to Dakota Territory, where his parents homesteaded near the present sight of Hope, North Dakota. He grew up in that area and became a master barber, and

operated his shop in Mayville, Northwood and Sharon, North Dakota.

In June, 1906, he married Agnes Cowden. They had seven children. Glenn, Marjorie and Duane are de­ceased. Denzil lives in Williston, North Dakota, Phillip,

ANDERS HAAVELSRUD HOMESTEAD PLACE

Anders Haavelsrud was born at Valdres, Norway, on November 1, 1891. In 1913 when he was 22 he came to the United States.

When he arrived in Williston in 1913, he was greeted by a Norwegian minister and the next day he was on his way to Schafer. When arriving at Schafer, Hoff, the local banker directed him to the hotel. There he stayed over night and the next morning was on his way to the Heet Store where he inquired about his brother's place.

At first he longed for Norway and wanted to .return. However, he soon filed on a half section of land and that ended his homesickness for Norway. He stayed on his farm until 1929 when he moved to Watford City. In 1951 he married Hanna Kambestad. They are presently living in Watford City.

218

GUY RANDALL

Guy Randall was born at Dickinson, N. Dak., in 1884. He homesteaded as what is known now as the George Wright ranch.

He was deputy sheriff for several years; also brand inspector in this county. Guy is a charter member of the Elks Lodge in Williston, N. Dak., and has a life membership in the Stockman's Association; also a member of Fifty Years in the Saddle Club.

He married Sophie Violet in 1919. They had two children: Virginia, (Mrs. John Hanson), Bismarck, N. Dak., and one son Timothy who died in 1954. He also spent a number of years cattle ranching in the Big Missouri river.

In 1951, he married Ethel Rutz, and has since lived

south of Watford City.

ALBERT AND ETHEL RUTZ

Albert was born in Warren, Minn., in 1882. In 1906 he filed claim on his homestead located six miles south of Watford City. With him he had two horses and two oxen. The first people from here he met were the Madsons, Nels and Andrew, living on the Madson flat. The same year he came, he cut trees from Spring Creek and built a log shack.

Ethel Campbell came here with her mother and step-father, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Adams from Minnesota. She was born in Illinois in 1889. In the fall of 1906 she and Albert Rutz were married. For four years they lived in their one room shack and then he built a larger house and it still stands today.

They had seven children: Mrs. Elsie Mclntyre, Port Townsend, Wash.; Mrs. James Walker (Evelyn), Tacoma, Wash.; Mrs. John Short (Frances); Mrs. Willis Snavely (Ethel), Harry and Charles, all of Wat­ford City.

One son, Walter, passed away in 1962 from burns. Albert Rutz passed away in 1947. Ethel Rutz Randall

remains in good health today.

MR. AND MRS. JAMES B. McLUCAS FAMILY

James was born March 30, 1873, at North Platte, Nebraska. He came to the Schafer area in 1900. A cousin, Charles Russell, and a friend, Casper Helnig, also came in 1900. They filed on homesteads in 1902. James returned to Lead, S. D., and drove his herd of cattle here to his new home, five miles south of Schafer. In 1905 he met Cecile Hildebrant.

Cecile was born April 18, 1886, at Wisconsin. Her brother operated the Roy Newman ranch, and invited her to keep house for him. Her first sight of the prairies was in 1902. In crossing the "Big Muddy", the ferry-became stranded on a sandbar, and unable to get afloat till two horses of the four horse team were forced overboard and compelled to swim ashore. Thus lightened, the ferry was able to reach shore.

Some of the few women in the vicinity at that time were Mrs. Harry Landon, Mrs. Fred Madson, Mrs. Louie Bergem, and Mrs. Chas Shafer.

Cecile being the only Miss was very lucky in having her mail delivered at the door and letters picked up for mailing; giving the cowboys an excuse to stop in, both going to, and returning from the Post Office.

Cecile left for a few years, but again arrived in McKenzie Co. to be with Elmer and his wife. Elmer was now employed by James B. McLucas. Cecile and James were married on April 18, 1906.

While the railroad crew worked along Cherry Creek, the McLucases furnished meals and beds to the work­men at 25 cents per meal, and 25 cents per bed. Near the Little Missouri River they encountered difficulties when a cut kept filling with soil as fast as it was excavated. Unable to find a remedy they were forced to abandon the project.

For several years this young family raised vegetables to sell in Watford City and Schafer, going by team and buggy, twice a week. They also sold cheese, butter, eggs and cream.

On April 7, 1916, James was crossing Cherry Creek to get the two oldest boys, Glenn and Lloyd, from school; the spring thaw had raised the creek and he drowned, trying to free his team from the wagon. Being a member of the Odd Fellows, the local order had charge of all funeral arrangements. Rev. W. B. Cowgill officiated.

Glenn now lives at Bellingham, Wash.; Lloyd at Spokane, Wash.; James, at Portland, Oregon. Marietta (Mrs. Elvin R. Johnson) and her husband operate the ranch. Roger died in 1952. Mrs. McLucas lives in San Leandro. Calif.

219

MR. AND MRS. ELI TWEDEN

Eli Tweden was born near Buxton, North Dakota, and lived there through boyhood.

As a young man Eli and his brother, Ole, moved to Badlands. He lived there and farmed for several years,

In 1912 Eli moved to McKenzie County to home­stead in the Spring Creek area near the Little Missouri Badlands. He lived there and farmed for several years, but due to adverse conditions, he decided to leave the farm and try other means of livelihood.

In 1923 he married the former Viola Peterson and they reared a family of six children. Soon after their marriage, he became a mail carrier on a route north from Schafer, N. D. After some years they moved to Sidney, Montana, where he worked at the sugar beet factory in season, doing other work the remainder of the year.

He held this job for many years but finally decided to move to Spokane, Washington, where he lived his remainder years.

Eli was parochial school teacher several times through the early years of the Spring Creek Lutheran Congregation, and is still remembered as a competent teacher by his former pupils.

CLARENCE DANIELSON

Clarence Danielson was born in Ottawa, Illinois, on December 4, 1900. In 1913 his mother and stepfather took advantage of homestead rights, so he came to McKenzie County. Their immigrant car was unloaded at Wheelock and it was his first job to trail the eight milk cows after the wagons from there to their home­stead south of Schafer in the Spring Creek area. Be­fore their destination was reached, darkness overtook

220

them, coyotes began to howl; and the eastern-raised boy became frightened and ran for the wagon leaving the cows behind. Luckily, the cows were easily found the next morning.

He could attend school very little, and at thirteen years he took his first job to work for Bill Clark, and also worked in the Killdeer Mountain area. Tom Christianson's was also his home. He preferred the life of a cowboy to straight farming so took jobs mostly at ranches.

Later he started farming the Dagelman quarter, which he inherited, and gradually rented adjoining land which he later bought. On his land the Acorn post office was once located. Mail came to this area three times a week from Schafer.

Clarence Danielson married Gertrude Jeglum from Cummings on September 25, 1929. She had come out here the previous year to teach the Shaw High School.

They have two children, a daughter, Mrs. Oren Ness, Minot, and a twin son, Clarence Jr. and seven grandchildren. His twin died at 2)/> months. The elder Danielsons moved to Watford City in 1958 when the son married Janice Roffler of Grassy Butte and took over the management of the ranch.

One of Clarence's outstanding experiences in July. 1933, was the finding of Alfred Cornell, age 3, who had been lost for 51 hours in the Badlands south of town. He was one of the very last to hear of the child's disappearance so when he rode down into the bottom of the coulee, he spied the small form lying prone on the ground. He approached it with mixed feelings, because after so many hours the child could possibly be dead. However, the child was safe and prints in the soft ground showed where he had drunk from cow tracks filled with water. The news of the child's finding spread like lightning among the 200 searchers and Alfred was soon returned safely to his mother.

fefw&toS Martin Falkenhagen's Threshing Rig

Otto Stoveland was born in Gudbrandsdalen, No­vember, 1888. He came to Hillsboro in 1906 and filed a homestead in Spring Creek in 1911.

"SKADRONS"

In 1907 Solomon Skadron, with his wife and five sons came to the United States to get away from the persecutions in Russia. Julius who was 17 at the time, was one of the five. The rest of the family came later. The family settled on their homestead north of Arne­gard and each one homesteaded as he became of age. Inl910 the Max Sher family came to this country also and they too homesteaded in the same neighborhood. Sadie Sher and Julius Skadron were married on Jan. 21, 1914, and moved into their sod house, but building a new home a short time later. Julius and Sadie lived in the east at Boston, Mass., for a short time where Julius was in the meat business, but soon tired of the city life and returned to the farm. There was no school at first and Edythe stayed with relatives in Williston and went to school.

Mr. Skadron at times worked in Williston and in 1927 started a grocery store and meat market in Wat­ford City. He continued in business, and also buying livestock until 1957 when they sold the store. Mr. Skadron still is active buying and selling livestock. Mrs. Skadron busies herself at home doing the house­work and crocheting afghans.

They had three daughters. Shirley, Mrs. Allen Green-stein, lives in Minneapolis; Ruth lives in California; Edythe, Mrs. Joel Grotte lives in Watford City. They have six children.

Knutsons, Finsaas and Kring locks.

JOHN W. KNUTSON

John W. Knutson and Marie Felland filed on Claims east of Schafer in 1909. John was born in Tordal, Nor­way, on March 30, 1885. Marie Felland was born in Wisconsin on Dec. 1, 1880. They moved to Joyce, Iowa, and Marie with a group of "girls" decided to "go west," take up homesteads and marry rich cowboys. Marie was the only one to stay in N. Dak. and married her neighbor homesteader, John on Oct. 18, 1911.

They farmed in the Schafer community until 1927 at which time he went into construction work, which work he followed until he retired. He supervised the building of the present courthouse, which was supposed to be a hospital.

They moved to Spokane, Wash., in the early 40's, where they resided until his death in 1951. Marie re­turned to N. Dak. where she lived until her death in 1953.

They had four children: Odin and Marvin; and Junice, Mrs. Bennie Botner all of this city. Orlette died in 1958.

Lucas Allex and his harness Lucas and Carrie Allex shop.

Lucas Allex was born Sept. 17, 1881, in Hungary.

He came to the United States when he was ten and

lived at Morgan, Minnesota, for several years, later

moving to S. Dak. where he learned the harness trade.

He came to McKenzie County in 1911 and home­

steaded northeast of Schafer, and later starting his

first harness shop in Schafer.

He married Carrie Wadenspanner in 1913 and lived

on Carrie's homestead northeast of Schafer.

He either rode his bicycle or drove a team and

buggy, and it was a young and spry team which gave

them plenty of excitement. One time Carrie and Lucas

were driving down the road when one of the horses

shied and they and their two children ended up on the

road with the buggy seat on top of them.

In 1916 they moved to Watford City where Lucas

continued his harness repair shop, until 1951 when

they moved to Columbus, Montana, where he passed

away July 26, 1951. Carrie is living at Watford City

in their two-story frame house they built in 1923.

They have five children: Bud of Los Alamos, N.

Mex.; Marie, Mrs. James Bradley, Columbus, Mont.;

Don, Hayward, California; Lucas, Watford City; Alice,

Mrs. Gordon King, Minneapolis, Minn.

BENA HENDRICKSON

Bena Hendrickson was born in Norway and when she

and her lover were coming on a boat from Norway, he

got seasick and died and was buried at sea. She settled

first in Wisconsin and came to this area in 1907, filing

on a claim southwest of the Dodge ranch; she lived

here many years. When Bena would walk to the Berg

store for groceries, she walked past the school, much

to the delight of the children at the Dodge school as

she always had candy in the sack.

When they moved Bena's shack, they took it apart

and laid it in the hay ranch, with her furniture piled

in a wagon, and she insisted on driving the team, but

in some freak accident she fell off and broke her

leg and was in the hospital a long time.

Bena died in 1940. She was such a serious person,

and thought joking was a lot of foolishness.

221

R. J. FOLVEN

After many ventures in the Red River Valley, Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Folven and family of ten decided to try their luck homesteading in western N. Dak., and in 1909 filed on a homestead in Cherry Township. With the help of Hans Rud a 16'X16' two story tar paper shack was built. Mrs. Folven and six children arrived by train to Williston with cattle and two loads of fur­niture. They started the trip across the Missouri River to the new location. The arrived at the Hans Rud farm. How Mrs. Rud could find room for all is a mystery.

There were many hardships the first years. They had no water. Stock had to be taken 3/4 mile to water. Drinking water had to be hauled from the Har­ry Landon spring.

The summers of 1910 and 1911 were hot and dry. The ten cows kept them in groceries. Mrs. Folven was a very good butter maker and her butter was much in demand.

In 1912 he went into farming on a big scale. A 30-60 Rumley Oil Pull and an eight bottom plow were purchased and 200 acres were broken up; 1912 was a very good year, so a grain separator was purchased.

Mrs. Folven died in 1920; R. J. Folven died in 1955; Inez in 1915, Carl in 1953, and Rudolph in 1962. The family that is still living are Joseph, Almira, Washing­ton; Edward, Williston, N. Dak.; Oscar, Phoenix, Ari­zona; Elmer, Watford City, N. Dak.; Elidah, Newtown, N. Dak.; Myrtle, Osnoid, California; Ruth, Seattle, Wash.; Lenora, Seattle, Wash., and Linez, Minot. N. Dak.

Homestead Shack

Fred Stoveland was born on June 12, 1880, in Man-dal, Norway. He came to this country in 1904 settling in Hillsboro, where he owned and operated a cafe. Mrs. Fred Stoveland was born on Sept. 5, 1884, at Fertile. Minn. On Jan. 15, 1910, she married Ed Stoveland at Hillsboro and in 1913 they came to McKenzie County and homesteaded in the Spring Creek community. They lived there until the fall of 1957 when they moved to Watford City. Fred died in 1960.

They have four children: Norman, Arnegard, father of five children; Esther, Mrs. Chester Adams; Melvin and Rudolph, both of Watford City. Mrs. Stoveland resides in Watford City.

ESTEN HAMRE

Esten Hamre was born near Stavenger, Norway. In 1905 he immigrated to the United States and came to Leeds, N. Dak.

In 1908 he came to McKenzie County and took up a homestead claim seven miles south west of Watford City.

He worked as a farm hand in the area until the railroad was built to what is now Watford City; then he worked as a shovel man shoveling grain by hand from the wagons onto the railroad cars.

When the Farmers Elevator was built he worked there as a second man for eight years.

Esten died June 6, 1945. From his homestead he gave a plot of land to the Cheery Congregation which is now the Cheery Cemetery. He is buried there with his two brothers, Nels and Osmund. He never married.

MR. AND MRS. LIVAAR NYLAND

Livaar Nyland was born in Telemarken, Norway, on Nov. 14, 1860. Margit Moe was also born in Telemark­en on Oct. 28, 1884. They were married in Norway on June 25, 1905. Three children were also born in Norway. They came to this country in 1911. Upon their arrival, they stayed at Hadle Fellands until they had a place of their own. In a few weeks, they bought the Thorson farm in Farland township. Fuel to burn was hard to get, and they burned almost anything they could.

There were some tough winters in the early days. Ole Nyland, Hadle Felland, and Olaf Tofsland stuck together so they could help each other, as at times the snow even got too deep for the horses.

The women did not have it easy either. Mrs. Nyland made the clothes for the children, but had no sewing machine in the early years. The mother and the girls stayed home most of the time, milking the cows, feeding the stock, etc. The women folk did very little visiting in the Nyland home, but, the girls remember how they used to listen to the coyotes howling night and day. They also remember how the grain would some­times not get threshed before the snow would fly in the fall, and the men would have to wear sheepskin coats and long winter woolen underwear working in the fields.

Livaar Nyland died in 1947, and Mrs. Nyland is a resident of the Good Shepherd home in Watford City.

The children are Oline, Mrs. Orrin Loomer; Jer-mund, Theodore; Cornelius and Olaf on the home place; Sigrid, Mrs. Charley Loomer. All of the children live around Watford City. Oline has three sons and Sigrid seven children.

222

ARNSTAD FAMILY

REV. AND MRS. P. G. ARNSTAD Rev. and Mrs. P. G. Arnstad were both born in

Norway, Mr. Arnstad on Oct. 21, 1871, and Mrs. Arns. tad on Dec. 25, 1869. They were married at Sacred Heart, Minn, and after, serving churches in Horace and Buckston, N. Dak., they moved to the Watford City area and homesteaded in the Tobacco Garden Township in 1905. Mr. Arnstad was the postmaster of Tobacco Garden Postoffice for a number of years. The name Tobacco Garden, with others, was sent in by Mr. Arns­tad and was selected for the name of the postoffice.

Rev. Arnstad farmed for a living and served at furthering the Lord's work. They moved to Settle, Wash., in 1948 where they both later passed away. They had four children, Erling of Seattle, Wash., John, a farmer in Williams County, N. Dak., Anna-Beth, Seattle, Wash, and Gerhard, who died as a child.

The first building on the homestead was a sod hut and part of the coal for the first winter was hauled by hand on a sled from an outcropping 2 % miles away. Later a two story house was built and did not get completed before winter set in, and the snow drifted in on the beds. Mr. Arnstad ground feed in the winter at so much per sack. One man came with two Bemis bags sewed together end to end to increase the size of the bag. In the spring when there was time in the evenings, he sharpened plow shares for the neigh­bors and did other blacksmith work.

LARS AND OLENA THOMPSON

Lars and Olena Thompson and six children came to McKenzie County in the spring of 1907. Mr. Thompson had filed for a homestead in 1906. They came from Iowa where Mr. Thompson used to catch clams look­

ing for pearls. Finding a fairly large pearl, they decided to come to N. Dak.

Lars was born in Wisconsin in 1870 and Olena was born in Norway in 1867.

The Thompson's lived in sod houses during their first years homesteading. Andrew Johnston and Aug­ust Jens, who lived on the W V ranch, were their nearest neighbors. One hen made up their flock of chickens and she was kept tied with twine as she tried to go up on the hill and set on a gallon jug.

The children went to school in a one-room claim shack and later they attended the Kinning School.

Mrs. Thompson died in 1914 and Mr. Thompson in 1946.

Their children are Kinval, who lives in Ray, N. Dak.; Henry in Everett, Wash.; Lena Hegglund in Tacoma, Wash.; Helen Felland in Watford City and Herman who lives just across the creek from Mr. Thompson's original homestead. Charley lost his life in 1927 when the Submarine S4, in which he was serving, went down.

MR. AND MRS. PEDER IVERSON

Mr. and Mrs. Iverson were both born in Norway, Peder on Dec. 28, 1879, and Olla on May 7, 1882. Peder came to America in 1905, and homesteaded in McKenzie Co. in 1908. A short time later Olla Hoff came and homesteaded next to him. She spent most of her time in Williston as a dressmaker, and they were married Mar. 29, 1911.

In 1912 Mrs. Iverson attended school to learn to read and write, because of shortage of desks and room she had to share a desk with Mrs. Albert Arnegard, Sr.

Peder and Olla reared one daughter and 4 sons; Myrtle, Mrs. Austin Wold of Portland, Oregon; Edwin of Santa Rosa, Calif.; Philip of Covina, Calif.; Nor­man of Tacoma, Wash, and Joseph of Arnegard, now residing on the original homestead site.

Peder passed away on April 1, 1943, and Olla August 20, 1950.

223

%

"CLEVE"

ODDMUND KAMBESTAD

Oddmund Kambestad was born at Hardanger, Nor­way, in 1863 and came to the U. S. in 1884. In 1890 he was married to Ragna Berven from Norway. She died from TB, leaving four small children. In 1906 he and his oldest boy, Sivert, left for Starbuck, Minn., coming to McKenzie County at the same time filing on land six miles from Watford City. He broke some of the land with oxen. He also did carpentry work, with Jim Christensen. From 1951 he stayed with his daugh­ter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Anders Haavelsrud in Watford City. He died in 1953.

Of early days, he told about a great prairie fire which started at Alexander and burned to Watford City and south. Albert Rubey and Harry Adams plow­ed a furrow around his farm. Some ranches and cow­boys killed cows, split them in half and tied a lariat around the hind legs and dragged them along the ground to combat the fire. In 1935 his was one of the several farms that was struck by a destructive torna­do, leaving only the granaries standing. The cattle and horses also saved themselves by taking shelter in a straw shed.

Ben and Ruth in Parade.

BEN BAYE

Ben Baye was born at Hensler, N. Dak., on Feb. 2, 1905 and lived there until 1918, when they moved to a ranch twenty-five miles south of Alexander. Ben worked for ranchers, usually breaking horses. That is how ro­deo got in his blood, and he was also interested in all sports.

Ben met Ruth Jenner at a rodeo in Sidney on July 4th, 1924. The announcer said "Ben Baye coming out of Chute II on a cow giving 16 quarts of milk daily"— and when the chute opened, he came out on a huge bull.

Ruth Jenner whose parents came to McKenzie County in 1902 was born on June 7, 1908, in a sod shanty south and east of Alexander. A Mrs. Andrew Johnson was her stork.

Ben and Ruth were married in 1926. They farmed and ranched, living on several different places during the 1930's. In June, 1933, they trailed sixty head of horses from their place to Bowdon, N. .Dak., for $50 cash. It took them eight days. After the first day the horses were easy to handle. They stayed all night with

224

CLEVE GLASCOCK

Cleve Glascock was born in Missouri, and at the age of 17 came to North Dakota, arriving in the big blizzard, from which they were still digging out. From 1902 until 1906 he worked until he was old enough to file on a homestead, which was six miles north of Wat­ford City. He built a sod shack 8 x 10 and even built his own table and chairs. The bed was a home made frame, with springs made of rope woven back and forth, with old fashioned ticking filled with prai­rie grass for the mattress. A little laundry stove Svith an oven in the pipe and that sufficed for heating and baking. He got coal from the butte near and always had trouble getting the green, wet lignite to burn. His first batch of biscuits he could hardly break with an axe!

He helped unload a threshing rig on the river, and what a time! He ran this rig for four seasons, with a crew of eighteen men: 12 bundle teams, 2 spike pitch­ers, an engineer, fireman, tankman, and separator man. The fall of 1912 they put in 72 days of thresh­ing, finishing two days before Christmas. They pulled in at 2 a.m. and it was 20 degrees below. Mrs. Ander­son had a hot bowl of rommegrot waiting for them, which tasted wonderful. After supper they went out to the barn and slept on the hay.

Morton Anderson and Cleve had their first Thanks­giving dinner with Bessie Shaw Strand and Julie Jacob-son.

The spring of 1913 he bought a Rumley Oil Pull rig of his own and used it for three seasons breaking up prairie land.

In 1915 he shipped his cattle and horses to their new home in Montana, which ended his homesteading career in North Dakota.

Guy Randalls. He was a brand inspector at that time. Baye's moved to the river in 1940. Since they have lived there, the river has flooded their place twice. Ben died in 1963, after working for tbe National Park for the past thirteen years, and also operating the ranch. Mrs. Baye is still living on the ranch alone, but the children keep pretty close herd on her.

The Baye's have four children living: Betty, Mrs. Howard Lange, Grassy Butte; Bennie, Mandaree; Mar­lene, Mrs. Bob McDowell, Tioga; and Darlene, Mrs. James Lucas, White Earth.

MR. AND MRS. FRLD MENNENGA

Fred Mennenga was born at Belmond, Iowa, April 18,

1879, and died July 25, 1963. Mrs. Fred (Jennie) Men­

nenga was born at Belmond, Iowa, September 16, 1883,

and died March 6, 1963.

Fred and Jennie Mennenga were married Sept. 28,

1904, in Belmond, Iowa. In September, 1906, they mov­

ed to Bottineau, N. Dak. In November, 1907, they

moved south of Arnegard where they proved up a

claim. In July, 1908, they moved to Schafer, N. Dako­

ta, where he had his harness shop and grocery store.

In 1912 they sold out the harness shop and went into

partnership with Dud Chase in General Merchandise.

They moved this business to Watford City, N. Dak., in

1914. This business was closed out in 1916. From 1917

to 1924 he worked for Jack Zellar in the hardware

store. In 1924 he went into General Merchandise busi­

ness for himself and sold out in 1928 to Buttreys, at

which time he went into Real Estate business with C.

D. Smith. In 1936 Mr. Mennenga went into business

at Grand Coulee, Washington, opening up a Coast-to-

Coast Store. The business was closed out in 1941 and

worked for Mrs. Serrahn in the Liquor Store until his

retirement. While Mr. and Mrs. Mennenga were prov­

ing up on their claim, Mrs. Mennenga stayed on the

claim and Mr. Mennenga rode horseback to Schafer to

take care of his harness shop.

In 1934 the grand-stand collapsed here in Watford

City and Mr. Mennenga hurt his back and was hospital­

ized for a long while and took a year out to recuperate

from the accident.

Mr. and Mrs. Mennenga were both from families of

ten children. Mrs. Mennenga was the last of the

charter members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Men­

nenga was an Honorary member of the Fire Dept.

They had five children, Edith, who passed away

April 28, 1960, a Baby boy who died shortly after

birth, Mrs. Ed. (Marie) Ohnsager lives in Great Falls.

Montana, as does Mrs. John (Frances) Jaramillo, and

Mrs. Wm. (Lucille) Nyberg, Billings, Montana.

MR. AND MRS. CARL STENBERG

Carl Stenberg was born at Horace, N. Dak., on Sept. 1, 1885. As soon as he became twenty-one years he came to Williston on the train, took the stage coach to Schafer. There he hired "land spotters." He filed his homestead Nov. 6, 1906, ten miles northwest of Wat­ford City.

The winter of 1906-07 he went east again and worked in the woods at Duluth, Minn. He saved $100.00 from his winter's work. With the money, one horse, a mower, rake and a few personal belongings he moved onto his claim in the spring of 1907. During his first years on the homestead he got horses from August Jens and Andrew Johnstone to break to work. This helped him to get a start as he didn't have enough money to buy horses.

In 1910 Louise Melby filed on an adjoining home­stead. She was born in Ferring, Norway, on June 28, 1887. She immigrated in 1906. On Dec. 2, 1911, she married Carl Stenberg; to them were born six sons. Two are deceased; Selmer died on April 18, 1941, at the age of nine and Henry was killed in World War II. Arnold and Christian are living on the homestead. Cas­per in Newtown and Raymond in Watford City.

The hard work and spirit of Mrs. Stenberg kept the farm going for more than fifty years. She kept the home fires burning during the winter of-1912-13 when Carl made 38 trips to Williston with horses hauling grain. On the return trip he hauled supplies to the Farland Store. Another hardship was when the water supply would give out in the winter. They melted snow on the coal stove for everything including the live­stock.

Mrs. Stenberg passed away at her home October 7,

1962. The Stenbergs were members of Farland Luther­

an Church, Carl being a charter member. Mrs. Sten­

berg was a charter member of the Farland Ladies Aid.

Mr. Stenberg stayed and worked steadily on his

land until his death came March 10, 1959. Never did

he regret having settled, on his homestead. Through all

kinds of weather, good and bad times he never waver­

ed in his determination to stay on the land he loved.

225

THOMAS McGREGOR

Thomas McGregor was born April 1, 1863, at Ober-lin, Ohio. He came to the Dakota Territory in 1882 where he was employed by Theodore Roosevelt on his ranch at Medora, also acted as a guide on hunting trips for the Marquis DeMores. In 1896, during the gold rush, he spent three years in the Yukon Territory. After returning from the Yukon, he worked for the Converse Cattle Co. later buying the ranch in partner­ship with Jefferies.

He married Katherine Martin in 1908 and made their home on his homestead which he proved up in 1909. They had one son, Thomas Jr., who lives on the ranch. Mr. McGregor died Oct. 11, 1947. Mrs. Mc­Gregor passed away Sept. 16, 1959.

MR. AND MRS. HANS MURIE

Mr. and Mrs. Hans Murie came to the United States from Olden, Norway, in 1902. First settling near Churchs Ferry, North Dakota, they came to McKenzie County in 1913 to homestead.

It took much courage for this 56-year old shoemaker by trade, to take his wife and family into another un­settled frontier.

Their first winter was spent with Eric Enderud in his homestead shack near Dimmick Lake. In the spring of 1914, a two story frame house was built on the Murie claim in Harder township. The lumber cost $100 and was hauled by team and wagon from Arnegard. Here they lived until November, 1941, when they mov­ed to the home of their daughter Rachel (Mrs. Aleck Hartel). After Mr. Murie's death in August, 1942, Mrs. Murie made her home with her children until her passing in October, 1949. Both were members of the Tobacco Garden Lutheran Church.

Their children are Nellie, (Mrs. Charles W. Dunn I,

who has seven children.

Iver married Lillie Gudmunson and they made their

home near Dimmick Lake. Iver passed away in 1962.

His wife still lives on their farm.

Agnes (Mrs. Sidney McCarty) Missoula, Montana,

has two children. After Mr. McCarty's death, Agnes

married Leonard White and they live in Missoula.

Herman married Ada Petersen and moved to Arne­

gard in 1945. They have four living children and one

deceased girl.

Rachel, (Mrs. Aleck Hartel) of Watford City has

six children.

Olaf is engaged in farming and ranching north of

Watford City. He married Margaret Bruins and they

have three children. There are twenty-two grandchil­dren, twenty-seven great grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren.

; ^aasasas.

MR. AND MRS. HARRY BOND

Harry Bond's history dates back to the colorful days of the Black Hills gold rush. He was born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bond at Spearfish, South Dakota, who with their five children had immigrated from Eng­land in 1896. The father worked as carpenter, and also raised large gardens, selling produce to the Homestake Gold Mines in Deadwood and Lead. Fred, a brother, had come earlier and according to family history had stood nearby Wild Bill Hickock when the latter was shot; and had also hunted buffalo with notorious Calamity Jane. It was he who influenced the Thomas Bonds to head north.

The family came to McKenzie County about 1900 in a covered wagon, crossing the Little Missouri at the Long X Ranch. They homesteaded about 17 miles north­east of Watford City. Their first home was of sod, and this was their home for twenty years. Later they built a log house, hauling the logs from the Big Missouri.

In order to have a mail route, a certain number of first class letters had to be sent. To promote this, Mrs. Bond sent empty envelopes through the mail.

Their children are Harry and Mrs. Oscar Madson of Watford City; Mrs. "Smoke" Gonion, Cody, Wyoming; Mrs. Chamberlain, Ekalaka, Montana; Wally and Fred, both deceased.

When Harry reached the age required for home­

steading, he filed on land in Garden Township. At an

early age he was fascinated by violin music and pro­

ceeded to make his own violin using a cigar box and

strings which he purchased at 4^ apiece. But regard­

less of how much he practiced, he did not seem able

to produce a melody, and did not find out the reason

why until a stranger passing through explained the

violin had to be tuned.

He furnished the music for many dances for about

forty-five years.

226

MR. WILLIAM JANSON

William was born in the city of Detroit, Michigan, on April 11, 1880. In 1896 he surveyed in the Black Hills, S. D., Wyoming, and Mont.

In 1900 he moved to Schafer, N. D. He was one of the workers who named the county there Roosevelt Co. in 1903, but in 1905 Gov. Sarles named it McKen­zie. He was county surveyor and held that office until 1923, when his wife took ill, and they lost two boys. Dr. Morris and Dr. Johnson advised him to take his wife to the coast.

He met Pearle Evans when she was a school teacher and married her in 1908. He was one of the few to put up money for the Schafer School.

They moved West in 1923, and Mrs. Janson died in 1926. Had she been in good health, they would have still been in Watford City. Mr. Janson was a Char­ter Member of the N. D. Society of Engineers.

Mr. Janson is the only one living of that first set of officers that laid out most of Watford City. He is in good health, lives alone and does all his own yard work, and bakes his own bread. He fixes big dinners, has lots of company and still travels a lot.

The five living children are Donald, a major in the Army, of Butte, Mont.; Dorothy, (Mrs. Wayne Christ­mas) lives in Tennessee; Leonard, of Mont.; Lillian, lives in Puyallup, Wash., and Chester, of Tacoma, Wash.

He says he is a King with a pair of Queens and three Kings. He has twenty-three grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren. In his spare time he still makes maps and plats. He says his bad habit is chasing good-looking widows, when his girls are not watching him.

MR. AND MRS. EMIL NORGARD

Emil Norgard was born in Gulbransdalen, Nor­

way, and his wife. Marie Sather, was born in Toten, Norway. They were married on May 9, 1904, and lived near his home where he was employed in a lumber camp, until 1909.

In 1909, they immigrated to America with their two sons, Bertil and Johannes. They lived in Williston for 3 years, where Mr. Norgard found employment with a cement plant. In 1912, they moved to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead about ten miles S. E. of Watford City, N. D.

Seven children were born to them, five of whom are still living; Bertil, who is on the home place, Johannes and his wife, Magdaline, of Fargo, N. D.; Edon and his wife, Mable Larson, formerly of Arnegard, of Spokane, Wash.; Melvin, of Watford City; and Mrs. Jim Runnels (Jennie) a sixth grade teacher, of Wat­ford City.

One son, Fred, passed away in infancy, and Martin died in June of 1960 in a farm truck accident. His wife Mary, and family of five children, live on their farm at Buffalo, N. D.

Mr. and Mrs. Norgard were members of the Spring Greek Lutheran Church. Emil passed away in 1944, and his wife, Marie, passed away in 1955.

FRED BERGER

Fred was born in Dickinson, N. D., in Feb. of 1899. He grew to 14 years of age on the family ranch on the Little Missouri, south of Watford City. At this age he "struck out" on his own, working on several ranches in the area. Among his employers were: C. C. Randall, Angus Kennedy, John Foreman, Guy Randall, John Shaw, and Roy Newman, all early day McKenzie Co. ranchers.

On March 31, 1926, he married Edith Trout. In 1927 they moved to Bengough, Saskatchewan, Canada, where they operated a ranch for McDaniels and Shaw. They returned to Watford City in 1932. Mr. Berger became foreman of the Howett ranch, and remained there un­til 1938. He then began an operation of his own, south of Watford City, expanding it in 1942 to include the old Mule Shoe Bar ranch. He sold this establish­ment in 1954, when he moved to Watford City.

For many years Mr. Berger was employed by the

Watford City police department.

The Bergers have four children: Mrs. J. D. Short

(Jeanne), of Alice, Texas; Mrs. K. W. Roth (Marilyn),

of Tripoli, Libya, N. Africa; Mrs. Sid Christensen

(Margaret), of Fallon, Nevada; and Joe, of Watford

City, N. D.

227

LOUIS SIGNALNESS

JOHN AND ALICE

JOHN JOHNSRUDS

John was too young to be a homesteader but moved here in 1905 with his parents, which puts him among the homesteaders, remembering the early days. He at­tended rural schools which were held two or three months at a time, in vacant homestead shacks and even in small granaries, using partially filled grain sacks for seats. On several occasions they had to cross creeks and walk for miles to get to their schools.

John went farming on his own in 1928. In April, 1930, he married Alice Nelson, who had been teach­ing the area school for three years.

John bought his folks' place in 1944 and later acquired the Hans Erickson farm.

Alice and John have three sons: Myron, NDSU graduate, farming the farm bought from his grand­parents; they have two children; Merton, MSTC grad­uate, living in Minot where he is announcer and pro­gram director for TV station KMOT; they have one son; Douglas, at home, a senior in high school.

The Johnsruds recently showed their faith in the community by extensively remodeling their farm home.

FRANK JULYN

Frank Julyn filed on a homestead in 1912. He re­membered the year of 1916 as a good year, but the next five years were dry, but then 1922 was a banner crop. 1926 with its lack of rain put a crimp in the crops but in 1927 it went the other way including 1931. Then the bottom dropped out of prices and wheat dropped to 29 cents a bushel and oats, if shipped, would not pay even the freight. Five year old steers sold for $25.00. Then came the dirty thirties, when he was dried out, hailed out, rusted out, and darn near chewed up by grasshoppers and all kinds of bugs, army worms, etc. He got disgusted and bought some land in Grand Forks County, which helped a little, but he liked living in McKenzie County better. He felt lucky to escape the big hail storm in 1963, which was a rip snorter, in fact the worst he had ever seen. But he said if they had been better crops the federal government would have just hoisted it in its pocket through the income tax, although felt a little better about the cut of 4 % in 1964.

He never used the expression "the good old days", as he has too many memories of the drought, wars, depressions, and pests of every shape and form.

MR. AND MRS. LOUIS SIGNALNESS

Louis Signalness was born at Starbuck, Minnesota, on the 25th of March, 1887, the sixth of eleven children.

In 1903 he came to N. Dak. and worked for his brother, Richard, and also Hans Christensen of Figure 4 ranch. In 1909 he filed on a homestead in Dunn County, in the beautiful and picturesque western Bad­lands. They still live on this homestead, which has grown to more than 6,000 acres. They raise commer­cial Hereford cattle and Appaloosa and Quarter horses, having also raised many Percheron horses. Their brand is Bar .over U. Louis' heart will always be in the cow and horse business.

Louis was married in 1917 to Kathryn Belle Hef-fington, a widow with a six year old daughter, Mary, who is married to Lavern Tygun and lives in Wilson, Wyoming.

The Signalnesses have one daughter, Anna, married to Einar Jorgenson. They have five children, Walton, James, Victor, and William. Kaye is their only daugh­ter who was the first Miss Rodeo North Dakota Queen and is now married to Alvin Nelson, who was the world's champion saddle bronc rider in 1957.

Belle was born in Missouri, is a member of the Eastern Star, Shriners Lady, Rebekahs, charter mem­ber of National and State CowBelles, and the Republi­can Party. Louis is a Mason, a Shriner, member of National and State Stockmen's Association, Fifty Years in the Saddle Club, and also a Republican.

When he came in 1903 the county was not organi­zed and only two postoffices in the whole county, one at Shafer's ranch and the other at Robert Stroud's ranch.

The first home for the Signalnesses was a small log house, built into a bank of dirt, with the earth for a floor and a straw and dirt roof. Three years later he built a three room house, with logs hauled by team from the Little Missouri river bottom. This house has grown into a nine-room modern home.

From the time he came with just the open prairies dotted with one room tar paper shacks and small log houses, there now stand modern homes. The little one room schools are replaced by modern schools with buses to take the children to school.

On July 12, 1959, just fifty years from the day he filed on his homestead, Amerado Oil Company spudded in an oil well about one-eighth mile from the buildings, which proved a wonderful producer.

SIMON SWENSON AND GRANDSON GARY

In May, 1906, Simon Swenson, at the age of twenty-five, left Iowa with a group of young "prospective westerners", namely John Ellickson, Halvor Ambroson, H. O. Thompson, E. 0 . Mundy, Henry Swenson, Hel­mer Dahl, E. E. Kurts and Josie Mortenson and son Henry and came to what is now known as Hawkeye Township in North Dakota or the "Strip" of land about five and a quarter miles west of the fence of Ft. Berthold Indian Reservation which the government decided to open for settlement.

The young people took a "squatters" claim and built a sod shack. The first homesteaders Simon met were Paul and Gundar Thorlackson of Charlson, plow­ing with one horse and one oxen.

In 1906 Simon went back to Leland, Iowa, and mar­ried Gina Rierson on Feb. 1, 1907.

Simon and his bride returned to Hawkeye No. 1 Township in 1907. The homesteaders were 40 miles from a railroad, but fortunately they had a physi­cian in their midst, Dr. W. C. Currie from Des Moines, Iowa.

Hawkeye Valley Township was not officially organiz­ed until 1915. The first township board consisted of Steward Fadsen, Halvor Ambroson, and Albert Nelson with Simon Swenson as clerk and Oscar Lund as treas­urer. Alvert Ambroson was the first assessor. .

In 1919 Hawkeye School District, of which Simon served as board member for many years, was organized. The first school board members were Henry Swen­son, George Sockness and Sever Bergstad with John El­lickson as clerk and Halvor Ambroson as treasurer, a position he held until 1945 when he moved back to Iowa.

Mr. and Mrs. Swenson were members of West Prair­

ie Church of Hawkeye, which later joined the First

Lutheran Church in 1930. Simon served on church,

telephone and REA boards. The Swensons are the

parents of six children: Adelaide (Mrs. Gordon Bot-

tleson) and Winton of New Town, N. Dak.; Anne

(Mrs. Lyle Washburn) Charlson, N. Dak.; and Sid­

ney, Carroll, and Thelma (Mrs. Lloyd Anderson) all

of Keene.

Mrs. Swenson died in 1954 and Mr. Swenson in

1957.

/

MR. AND MRS. A. S. WISNESS

It was the year of 1897 that Andrew Wisness, then 16 years old, decided to leave Norway and come to the promised land. He arrived at Hickson, N. Dak. and found employment.

In June, 1903, the Veseth Brothers, Severt Botnen, and Andrew Wisness pooled their belongings of a team of horses, buggy, tent, and money and came to western North Dakota to file on adjoining home­steads in what was then known as Aired County on June 7, 1903. Through good and bad years Mr. Wis­ness has lived on this place for 60 years.

Amelia Ellestad was born in Spring Grove, Minne­sota. She and Andrew Wisness were married in Mad­dock, N. Dak. They have eight children; Gladys (Mrs. Harry Thompson), Charlson; Sylvia (Mrs. Arthur Mogen), Amy (Mrs. John Winter) Sidney, Montana; Lilly (Mrs. Walter Rohlfing) Grants Pass, Oregon; Arno, Watford City; Lester, Keene; Emma (Mrs. Em­met Day; Hayward, California; and Henry, Bismarck.

Mr. Wisness was elected supervisor at the organiza­tional meeting of Keene Township in 1910. He has been a township officer ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Wis­ness are both active in church affairs.

JOHN LILLESLET

John Lilleslet was born in Hallingdal, Norway in 1880 and came to America with his brother, Arne, in 1904, coming to Brinsmade, N. Dak. In October he came to McKenzie County and filed on land in Garden Township, just across the section line from Arne. He first farmed with oxen, but found that was too slow and required a lot of patience, so he sold them and bought horses and later a tractor.

He often told of his first experience at baking bread. He didn't know how to bake bread and couldn't read English, but tried anyway. The results were very dis­appointing. The bread didn't raise and was hard as rock. He claimed he couldn't chop it with an ax. He tried again after studying the instructions on the pack­age of yeast foam and finally decided his mistake had been in using "hot water" instead of warm. This time the results were entirely satisfactory..

229

PEDER AURE

Peder Aure was born in Norway October 1, 1883.

He came to the United States in 1904 to his sister

and brother-in-law. When he left for McKenzie County,

North Dakota, he stayed with his brother, Matt Aure,

until he filed his homestead in the spring of 1909

in the Blue Butte area near Keene. He built a shack,

10x10, with sod around it in which he lived until in

1957 when he moved to the Watford City Hotel be­

cause of ill health.

At this time, he had 560 surface acres and 400

mineral acres included. He went back to Shelly, Min­

nesota, in 1957 and purchased some seed to take back

to his farm. Mr. Aure had hard times most of these

years but he did not give up hope that there was oil

and in 1956-1957 he had two wells and by 1960,

five more wells were added. In his hard times, he had

some comfort in his wonderful neighbors, Mr. and Mrs.

A. L. Rothie. Their son, Lars, became a very close

friend. When he needed anything or illness struck,

they were there to help. In his later illness, Mr. and

Mrs. Lars Rothie did much to help him.

Mr. Aure helped to organize the Scandia Lutheran

Congregation. The Rev. Nils I. Evenson was the first

pastor in 1914-20.

Mr. Aure became inspector of elections upon the

death of A. L. Rothie who had been inspector since

the beginning of elections in Berg Precinct.

Mr. Aure did not live to enjoy his wealth. He died

November 23. 1961. He never married.

MR. AND MRS. ISHAM SPENCE

Isham Spence was born on September 12, 1874;

his wife Sara Clark was born July 13, 1878. They

grew up in Virginia. At an early age they ran away

and were married. In 1908 they came to North Dakota

with their four children.

They arrived by train in Ray, N. D., early in April.

They started out on the long drive across the prairie,

to Joe Spence's ranch located near the Figure Four

ranch for whom he worked as a cowboy. There was

only one dwelling place between Ray and Joe's ranch,

where they stayed that night, arriving at their destina­

tion late the next night. They lived that summer in a

log cabin near by. Isham filed on a homestead about

ten miles southeast of Schafer. He cut oak logs down

by the Little Missouri River and hauled them with

a team and wagon to build the new home. During

the winter they moved to the H. E. Cattle Camp. Isham

fed cattle till spring. The next fall Alice and Raymond

started school in a sod house four miles north. The

teacher, Neva Wilcos, accidentally set a prairie fire,

which the ranchers for miles around were unable to

stop until it reached the Big Missouri River.

Sometimes when a blizzard would come up and Mr.

Spence was gone, the mother would keep a lamp burn­

ing in the window all night. Sometimes a man and his

team and load of grain broke through the ice and

were drowned. Box socials and dances were sources of

recreation. In summer time they always went to Sun­

day School. After about fifteen years Mrs. Spence

got tired of the hard life on the farm and they sold

the stock and moved to Watford City. They operated

a hotel and the livery barr! for sometime. Finally they

sold their land and moved to Minnesota. Mrs. Spence

passed away in September, 1946, and Mr. Spence died

two years later. Mrs. Griebel Opal now is the only

one living in North Dakota. Alice (now a widow) op­

erates a motel in Hibbing, Minnesota. Raymond has

lived in Poison, Montana, for over twenty years. Roy

lives in Moscow, Idaho. Vintress and Clarence live in

Washington.

230

MR. AND MRS. SYVER TWEDEN AND GIRLS

Syver Tweden was born and reared on his parents farm near Buxton, N. Dak.

In 1910, he came to - McKenzie County and filed a homestead near the Little Missouri Badlands in the Spring Creek area.

He became acquainted with a neighbor girl home­steader, Ragna Thorson. This led to love and even­tually marriage in January, 1912.

Five children were born, two of whom are living. After several years on the farm Syber became man­

ager of the Consumer's United Store which was start­ed in Alexander. After about two years they moved to Watford City and opened the store in the Emerson Hotel.

After the failure of store organization, Syver be­came manager of a grain elevator where he worked for several years.

He then became Postmaster in Watford City and in 1913 decided to move to Chicago, where he worked as a carpenter for a number of years.

In the early 1950's they moved to Sacramento, Cal­ifornia, where they are presently living.

room home) came to Williston by train, where they were met by Jacob Klamm and Fred Otto, with team and wagon, who hauled the family and their posses­sions to the homestead to settle in their two-room shack.

The first summer here, Claus went to Schafer after mail and supplies when a hail storm struck the farm. Lightning struck the house knocking Pearl out the win­dow, where the two children were standing, and car­ried her around the house and into a mud puddle. Edwin's shoulder was raw and his feet burning. They thought Pearl was dead, but while they were taking care of Edwin's burns, Pearl revived.

Mrs. Koeser died in 1960, Claus, active and well for his ninety-three years, has since made his home with the children in N. D.; and Oregon.

Their children are: Edwin, of Watford City; Pearl. Ashland, Oregon; Ralph, of Watford City; Claus, of Watford City; Fern, (Mrs. Lester Lillibridge), of Wat­ford City; and Raymond, of Grants Pass, Oregon.

41*

THE KOESER HOMESTEAD

Claus Titus Koeser was born in Germany, on Aug­ust 20, 1870, He came to the United States when he was twentv-two.

Clara Hulda Shave was born at Holms, N. D., Jan. 19, 1886. They were married October 31, 1906.

In 1910 he filed on a homestead in McKenzie County. John Richardson helped him haul lumber to the claim, and Jacob Klamm helped him build a shack and a dug-out barn.

In the spring of 1911 the family (leaving their seven

MR. AND MRS. CLINTON LOOMER

Clinton was born near Sauk Center, Minn., on April 7, 1879. In 1904 he was married to Mary Wolfe, in Sauk Center.

Mr. Loomer was a blacksmith by trade, and when a back injury forced him to quit blacksmithing for two months, he decided to accompany his friends to N. D. He arrived in McKenzie County in April, 1906, bringing with him two cows and four horses. Mrs. Loomer and small son, Orin, came in June of that year.

In 1907 they filed on a homestead about five miles southeast of Berg, near Mr. Loomer's father, George, who had homesteaded in 1906. George remained in McKenzie Co. only one year.

Money was scarce those first years, so Mr. Loomer went threshing every Fall to earn money with which to operate his farm. He became a very, progressive farmer.

Mr. and Mrs. Loomer became parents of five chil­dren: Orin, who lives on his farm N. E. of Watford City; Neva, Mrs. W. Van Dyke, of Prescott, Arizona; Phoebe, Mrs. J. Skaar, of Kalispell, Mont.; Charley, who lives on the homestead site; and Willis, deceased.

Mr. Loomer is now retired, and since 1948 he and his wife have been living in their home at 503 N. Main, in Watford City.

231

JOHN ROGNESS FAMILY

Mr. and Mrs. John Rogness, Sr. were both born in Stavanger, Norway, in 1859. In the early 1880's they came to Dakota territory, to what later became Traill Co. Nine children were born to them. They were John Jr., Ole, Edward, Bertina, Bernard, Alma, Henry, Pal­mer, and Julian.

Later the family moved to Churchs Ferry where they

farmed for ten years. Here John Jr. met his wife,

Bertha Skiftun, who had come from Stavanger, Nor­

way a year before.

Both families, John Sr. and John Jr. came to this

area and homesteaded in Cherry Twp. in 1909. John

Sr. worked as a stone mason and helped build the

Wilmington Church at Arnegard, and the Davidson and

Day barns. John Rogness Sr. died in February, 1925.

John Rogness Jr. was a farmer at heart, and for many

years he farmed about 300 acres with ten horses. As

early as 1918 he was summerfallowing about fifty

acres. Besides land, a herd of eight milk cows brought

grocery money.

John Rogness Jr. also reared a family of nine chil­

dren: Arnold, Minnie, John III, Beatrice, Adeline,

Harold, Norman, Helen, and Gordon.

There were many bad winter storms, and the haul­

ing grain to Williston proved a trying experience. After

getting caught in a blinding snow storm about a mile

from the Whitehouse, Rogness went for twenty miles,

having no idea where he was until his team stopped

at his own barn.

Mrs. John Rogness Jr., died in 1922, and Mr. Rogness

died in 1960.

JOE LAWLAR

Joe Lawlar was born in Iowa in 1878. He filed

on a homestead in 1906 and went back to Missouri

where he had a herd of fullblood cattle. He was mar­

ried and had one son, Tommy. His wife died years ago.

Joe returned to this area and married Nellie Allison

in 1911, who was born in Nebraska and received her

college education there. She taught the Cherry school

and filed on a homestead about four miles north of

Watford City. When they built their new house in 1920,

it was built exactly over the old stage coach road.

They had three children: Marcelle, who died a few

years ago in Hawaii, the wife of the Rev. Sharkey; Rich­

ard, who still lives and farms north of Watford City;

and Eleanor, Mrs. DeMartini, who lives in Stockton,

California.

MR. AND MRS. ANDREW CHRISTIANSON

Andrew Christianson was born October 8, 1874, in Mosjoen, Norway one of identical twins. There he grew up and was a sailor for eight years. During this time he was in every major country in the world.

In Haugesund, Norway, he met the former Valjer West, whom he later married on January 29, 1903. Valjer was born in Etna, Norway, on August-15, 1881.

Shortly after their marriage, it was decided that An­drew should go to America to seek employment, so in the spring of 1903, Andrew set sail and arrived at New York almost a month later. From there, he took the train to Morris, Illinois, where he worked on a farm and also at an Iron factory.

He worked for about a year and after saving enough money, returned to Norway to bring back his bride. They lived in Morris for three years.

They then moved to Cummings, North Dakota and rented a farm for three years. Andrew with Thorvald Martsten and his brother in law, John West, filed homesteads fifteen miles south of what is now Wat­ford City. The ownership of the farm has now passed to a son, Clarence, with whom his mother resides.

Andrew and Valjer celebrated their golden wedding in 1953 in the Spring Creek Lutheran Church, of which they were members.

Andrew died in the Watford City Hospital in June, 1961. Valjer who is now 82 years old enjoys fair health and does most of her own housework.

The Christiansons have seven children: Vernil, Clar­ence, Alvin, Amanda (Mrs. Ole Jorgenson), and Emil, all of Watford City; Lily, Mrs. Joe Kallem, DeKalb, Illinois, and Marie, Mrs. Marty Dietche, Chicago, Illi­nois. There are 13 grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.

DOLLY LAWLAR

Dolly and Bert Hastings filed on their homestead the summer of 1909. They moved here from Grand Forks, coming to their place near Charlson. They reared ten children on this homestead. She has fifty-nine grandchildren and sixty-three great grandchil­dren. Bert died several years ago. Dolly is still in good health and enjoys life at this time.

232

MR. AND MRS. ESLEY HENDERSON AND BOYS

Esley Edmond Henderson was born in Dundas, Minn., on Sept. 29, 1875, and came to Dakota Terri­tory in 1886 on an immigrant train. The family home­steaded south of Richardton. In the spring of 1901 Esley and his brother Earl crossed the Little Missouri River in search of pasture and hay to winter their cattle. Esley found work with Gal Dodge.

In the spring of 1902 they built a camp on Bear Den Creek, hauling all supplies from Hebron. Soon the Davis ferry was put into operation and they marketed with White Earth. Many of the neighbors used oxen although the Hendersons used horses.

Entertainment was scarce and they would ride a

saddle horse 40 miles to a party. They went to the post

office about once a month.

The country was wide open with no roads or farm

houses. One time Esley and Ben F. Manning ferried

a beef herd across the river and became lost. It snowed

that night and the next day. With the crew was a wise

old Indian, Spotted Horn, who helped them pilot the

herd to camp.

One time as they were crossing the river just below

the old Sanish bridge, the ferry engine quit with

part of the herd on each side of the river. The men

were on the side away from the chuck wagon. A row

boat was provided to take them back across. Six men

and a leak were too much for the boat and it tipped

and Henderson with Manning dressed completely to

"Chaps" nearly drowned. Ben being nearly 6 ft. 6 in.

tall had said he could wade the river but found he

couldn't touch bottom. The ferry captain, Mr.

Senechal, took them in and gave them supper, after

which they dried their clothes by a brush fire.

Esley became a successful rancher. In 1917 he mar­

ried Rose Susan Steiner and to this union were born,

Lyle Monroe in 1918, Paul Lester in 1920, and Marie

Anna in 1924, died 1925.

Esley's ranch of about 3800 acres is located 4 miles

east and 4 miles south of Johnson's Corner and is now

owned and operated by his son Lyle and family.

MR. AND MRS. HENRY JOHNSON AND SON, DAUGHTER

Henry Johnson was born on July 3, 1881, one of seven sons, in Dudley, Iowa. In 1882 the family moved to a farm near Erhard, Minn. Some years later Henry and a brother decided to "go West". At Balfour, N. Dak., they built a Lutheran Church and when that job was completed they went by train to Ray, N. D. There they purchased bicycles and paddled to the Missouri river and crossed by boat to the McKenzie County side. They arrived at the Peder Simonson home, tired, hungry and total strangers. They were invited in for coffee and became life-long friends and close neigh­bors. Henry filed on a homestead in 1906 and built a cozy sod house; his "castle" and his very own! In 1907 he married Anna Pederson. Anna was born in Dalsland, Sweden, on Mar. 28, 1888 and came to Amer­ica in 1904. She worked on a farm and went to school, part of the time, in McCann, N. Dak., to learn the English language. The family moved to McKenzie Co. in 1905 and settled on a small farm in Twin Valley near the Banks church.

One day while Anna was herding cows two ladies brought coffee and cookies and visited about organ­izing a Ladies Aid. These ladies, Mrs. H. J. Karlstad and Mrs. Anna Pederson became the first aid presi­dent and sec.-treas. By fall these 3 ladies had an active aid with ten ambitious members.

The Johnsons continued living on the same site all

their lives. Their son Arthur married Agnes Skjelvik

and lives on the home place. Their oldest son, Elmer

and wife, (Erna Roesner) live near. Alice married

Fred Roesner and lives at Fairview, Montana.

Arthur's have one son, Elmers' have 5 children and

Alice has two sons.

Henry passed away January, 1929, and Anna, No­

vember, 1955.

Gathering at the Johnson Homestead

233

MR. AND MRS. KNUTE E. LEVANG AND FAMILY

Knute E. Levang (Louie) was born Sept. 12, 1879, at Fertile, Iowa, and moved in 1880 to Golden Valley, N. Dak., where his father homesteaded. He learned to walk on the dirt floor of their homestead shack.

On July 26, 1902, he married Miss Olena Volden who was born July 24, 1884, and was reared in the Adams area. They farmed near Adams and operated a livery barn at Lawton, N. Dak.

In the spring of 1907 Louie with William and Alfred Van Dyke came to McKenzie County and filed on land 20 miles east of Watford City. Mrs. Levang moved into their 16x14 ft. homestead shack, living there alone with her two small sons until her husband joined them in June. In 1921 they built their eleven room house which is still on the homestead.

Mrs. Levang is still living in Watford City. Mr. Levang passed away in 1958.

There were eight children born to them, Melvin, Gordon, Grace (Mrs. Lucas Alex), all of Watford City, Telford of Keene, N. Dak., Clifford of Forman, N. Dak., Gladys (Mrs. Otto Rau) of Ronneby, Minn., and Carmen of Seattle. Wash.

David Gamache plowing

David N. Gamache was born March 22, 1880, at Que­bec, Canada, where they lived until 1887, then making the trip by oxen they moved to Wheelock. Here Dave grew up. He had two sisters, Sister Lucille (Philomen) of the order of St. Benedict, of Clinton, 111., and Sophia (Mrs. Jay Grantier), and one brother Mediuck who drowned at the age of eleven. Dave also had two half brothers, Joe Gamoche who lived at Wheelock, North Dakota, and Albert Gemache who lives in Wil­

liston. Dave homesteaded four miles north of Banks, North Dakota, in the early 1900's.

In 1902 he and Emma Dahl were married. Their oldest son Otto, (Tacoma, Washington) was born in Missoula, Mont, where Dave worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad. Later they moved back to Banks where three more children were born, Lucille (Mrs. Terry, Billings, Montana), Eugene (Daley City, Cal­ifornia) and Lorraine (Mrs. Hanson, Miles City, Montana). Emma died in 1923.

In 1928 he married Helen Parker Coles whose three young daughters, Edith (Mrs. Ted Blake, Longview, Washington) Florence (Mrs. Ivan Johnson, Watford City) and Gladys (Mrs. Merlyn Ellingson, Kelso, Wash­ington).

Dave continued ranching and farming in the Banks community until 1943 when he and Mrs. Gamache and their three younger children moved to Watford City. Now after many years of hard work, he was able to enjoy one of his favorite hobbies—leather working. He lived in Watford City until his death in 1953. The three younger children are Vera (Mrs. Joe Kite, Kelso, Washington), Elice, (Mrs. Vern Renbarger, Wat­ford City), and Norman (Grants, New Mexico).

SAKARIAS LOFTHUS

Sakarias Lofthus was born in Telemarken, Norway, in 1862. After high school he attended military school in Norway. About 1885 he married Ingeborg Knutson, a neighbor girl. They moved to Oslo, Norway. To this union three children were born, namely: Tom, Hans, and Inga. They arrived in America in 1905 where they settled in Minot where Mr. Lofthus was employed by the railroad. He filed on a homestead in the Banks area and built a one room house on it, and in 1909 the Lofthus family moved out to the homestead. He worked for John Dahlgren for a short time, then he bought some machinery, horses, cows, and chickens and he and his son, Hans, started farming.

Mr. Lofthus was assessor for Twin Valley town­ship for many years and a director of the Twin Valley School District. They were members of the Banks Lutheran Church. Mr. Lofthus passed away in Febru­ary, 1933.

234

MR. AND MRS. KNUTE GUDMUNSON

Mr. and Mrs. Gudmunson, together with eight child­ren and an immigrant car, came to McKenzie County in March, 1913.

Knute Gudmunson was born in Hugesund, Norway, on Feb. 21, 1864, and came with his parents to the United States at the age of ten.

In 1891 he and Susan Gord were married. They soon afterwards went to farm at Wallace, S. D. In 1905 his wife died, leaving him with six small chil­dren, namely: Leonard, Alma, Sadie, Mary, Hannah and Adeline.

Mrs. Laura Danielson, a widow, with one small son, Clarence, assisted in caring for Adeline. This acquaint­ance led to the marriage of Knute and Laura in Feb., 1907.

In March, 1913, the Gudmunson family came to McKenzie County and settled in the Spring Creek area south of Schafer. That first summer was spent in a sod shack on the Bill McDaniel land. Knute freighted lumber and supplies from Wheelock, and began build­ing his home. The upstairs had only a single wall, so it was often very cold.

He spent much time working for adjoining home­steaders and later on for the railroad which was to cross the Little Missouri River on Cherry Flat but was never completed.

Homestead life for the family presented many hard­ships: drought, severe winters, and meager oppor­tunities to provide for the growing family. Soon they moved to the Dagelman farm, and then they moved to the adjoining Clark farm. Ten children were born to this union. Floyd, the youngest, died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Knute Gudmunson were charter mem­bers of the Spring Creek congregation and labored diligently to further the religious opportunities of the community. School facilities were often poor.

Knute and his wife were always willing to lend a helping hand; he in the fields and she as a midwife. They were also known for their warm hospitality.

In 1933 they retired and moved back to Leland, Illinois. Here Mr. Gudmunson died on Sept. 6, 1947, at the age of 83 years. His wife, Laura, followed in Dec, 1952, at the age of 73. As of 1964 there are still 16 living children, 43 grandchildren and 38 great grandchildren. The children are Mrs. Fred Gerth (Hannah) and Mrs. Myron Gross (Myrtle) at Aurora; Mrs. Jerry Thompson (Helen), Earlville; Mrs. Del­

bert Reynolds (Alma), Shabbona; Mrs. Gail Bronson (Elizabeth), Rockford; Mrs. Olga Sanderson, Carpen-tersville; and Knute Jr., Somonauk, all in Illinois; Mrs. Mary Johnson, Coeur D' Alene, Idaho; Lawrence, Stevensville; and Wagner, Big Timber, both in Montana; Gerhard, Keene, Leonard and Mrs. Ade­line Rogness, Arnegard; Mrs. Lillie Murie, Mrs. Sadie Schonlein, and Clarence Danielson at Watford City.

MRS. HARRIET WlftLIAMS

MRS. HARRIET WILLIAMS

Harriet Pratt was born near Anoka, Minn., in 1879. When she was ten years old her family moved to Flor­ida where she lived for about twenty years. Here she married Robert Studebaker and they had one daugh­ter, Violet.

Robert was exceedingly jealous and soon proved to be very unstable. After he threatened her life and that of her little girl several times, she took the baby and fled through the woods to the home of her brother who hid her for several weeks.

Her family decided that she must leave Florida for the sake of her safety and that of her little girl. Prob­ably N. D. seemed about as far away as it was pos­sible to get, so she, accompanied by her mother, came to McKenzie County in 1908, where they took adjoining homesteads near the post office at Croff. She changed- her name to Aldrich and lived there until she married Jack Williams in 1913.

Her first husband never gave up looking for her, and the children knew that she always lived in fear of something although it was not until they were grown that she told the whole story.

Mrs. Williams was musical and she played both the organ and piano, and sang well. She was a charter member of the church at Johnson Corners and as long as she. lived there, took an active part in the work of the church.

After the death of her husband, she went back to Florida for a few years, returning to N. D. in 1950. She died in 1957, and is buried in the cemetery at Johnson Corners.

235

MARTIN HILDRE

Martin and Lena Hildre were born in Norway Martin came to Petersburg, North Dakota, in 1903. Lena came in 1906. They were married in February, 1906.

Martin heard about this free land in McKenzie County and he made plans to go out there to file on land. He and Hans Hildre went out west late in the fall of 1910.

First they had to build something to live in. The plan was just to prove up land and then go back east. They proved up in three years and then started breaking up land. They bought two horses and a walking plow and little by little they got the land broke out.

Mr. and Mrs. Hildre stayed on the farm until 1938 then they moved to Helena, Mont., and later to Tacoma, Washington. Norman took over the farm and stayed there until his death, then grandson, Norris, took over the farm. Mildred lives at Portland, Oregon, Clara, Mrs. John Nutzhorn, lives in Tacoma, Washington.

Norman married Ruby Berg and lived on the home farm. He passed away in 1960. Four children of Martin and Lena died during early childhood.

An incident recalled in early homestead days was when Martin and Sondrol started out on a Monday morning with a load of wheat each that was to be sold in Williston. The wheat was so cheap that it all went for expenses. They then had to try and get some freight back to Schafer, North Dakota, where there was a grocery store. It was raining when they started out and it cleared up and froze hard. A week later at dusk Martin came home from the east and told about taking dynamite to a railroad camp near the Little Missouri river and the rough roads encountered.

Martin passed away on Oct. 1, 1960. Lena is still living at their home in Tacoma, Washington.

Ingrid' Braaten was born in Eggedal, Norway, in 1882. In 1906 she immigrated to America arriving at Pleasant Lake, N. Dak., where she worked and made her home for a time. While living here, she also went to school and learned to speak English. She worked in cook cars during threshing in the Barton and Carpio area, before going to the Simoen Westby home at Williston. In 1910 she also filed on a homestead in lower Twin Valley Township on the Missouri River bottom land. She encountered many unforgettable ex­periences while 'proving up' her claim. Probably the most aggravating experience was the loss of some logs which she had hired a neighbor to cut for her. When the time came to haul these logs, they had vanished. Someone got some free logs!

She was quite proud of her homestead house built of logs, with a shingled roof and brick chimney, even a painted lumber floor. Her neighbors built this house for her.

In 1912 Otto Hellie and Ingrid Braaten were united in marriage by Pastor Johaanason, at the home of Simoen Westby in Williston.

After several years, Otto sold his homestead to Jim Renbarger, and he and his family moved to Ingrid's homestead. Otto enjoyed his horses, and Ingrid recalls the good times he and T. 0 . Gunderson had swapping horses and mules. She also recalls how stubborn those mules could be. Living on the river bottom land has its disadvantages too, as often during the spring flood, the river would overflow its banks and the Hellie family would have to move to higher ground. They were so thankful to their good neighbors for their hos­pitality during these times. Many valuable possessions were lost in the floods.

OTTO HELLIE

Otto Hellie was born at Albert Lea, Minn, in 1878.

In 1904 he came to McKenzie County, and filed on a

homestead on the White City flat in lower Twin Val­

ley Township. His interests were farming and raising

livestock, especially horses.

Early on New Years morning 1935, the family was saddened by the sudden death of Olaf, the eldest son. and again in 1937 when Otto passed away. In the fall Ingrid moved her family to Watford City. Marvin and family live in Watford City. Mrs. Hellie makes her home with her daughter, Mabel, Mrs. A. W. Nel­son, north of Watford City. In spite of her 81 years. Ingrid is still up and around and is truly one of the all too few early pioneers remaining.

Her daughter, Julia, passed away in 1956.

236

congregation. No church was built, but church activities were held in the homes and schools.

Osmund passed away suddenly in the hay field on July 15, 1943, and Theodora continued to live on the farm except for a trip to her native Norway. She passed away in 1955 and they are both buried in Cherry Cemetery which overlooks their homestead.

OSMUND HAMRE

Osmund Hamre was born in Stavanger, Norway, on March 4, 1879. At the age of 25 he joined the many hopeful land seekers and came to the U. S., coming to Leeds, N. Dak., where he worked as a farm hand and also in logging camps near Lake of the Woods in Minnesota.

His first trip to McKenzie County in 1905 was made on a bicycle with two cans of tomatoes and his jacket as his only possessions.

The first night in McKenzie County was spent in a haystack in the Keene area and before arriving at Schafer he wrecked his bicycle while trying to avoid a rattlesnake in the trail ,"nd had to walk the rest of the way to Schafer. He filed on land in Cherry town­ship, eight and a half miles south of Watford City.

Theodora Runestad was born March 17, 1881, at Stavanger, Norway. In 1905 she came to the United States and to Rake, Iowa, where she operated a dress making shop for seven years. Being beckoned hither by letters from a young man she had met in Norway, she came to McKenzie County in 1912. Osmund met her in Ray and they came by stage coach across the ice on the Missouri river. This was during the month of March; the river was breaking up and the water was coming up between cracks in the ice. The next day the ice went out of the river.

Osmund and Theodora were married March 22, 1912, in Farland along with Tom Shirley's making it a double wedding. A blizzard came up so they were unable to make the trip out to the homestead so both couples stayed for several days with Walter Obergs in Arnegard who were operating a boarding house.

They moved onto his homestead with a team of mules, a wagon and a little furniture. Theodora had her sewing machine and a few pieces of furniture shipped from Iowa.

Theodora had been told that all there was in Mc­Kenzie County was cowboys and Indians so when thg men folk in the neighborhood came to chivaree them she thought, "This is i t!" Osmund barred the door, but they climbed up on the roof and smoked them out.

Theodora filed on a homestead close by. With the help of Rasmus Folven and his Rumley oil-pull, Os­mund had his first sod plowed.

Four children were born to the Hamres; Gerna (Mrs. Carl Olson), and Olav of Watford City; Thelma (Mrs. Chester Schmidt) of Burlington, N. Dak. and a son, Richard, who died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Hamre spent their entire married life on the farm. They were charter members of Cherry

MARIUS B. AASEN

Marius B. Aasen was born at Spring Grove, Min­nesota, January 12, 1876. Later his family moved to Gary, Minnesota. In 1906 he and his father, Bjorn T. Aasen, came out to what is now known as Twin Valley township and filed on a homestead. On July 4, 1907, he married Inga H. Degerness, who was born Sept. 11, 1885, and was also of Gary, Minnesota. They came to McKenzie County with the M. A. Wold family in November, 1907, by train to Ray. The two families brought their cattle with them on a cattle car. They came as far as the Nesson Flat, crossed the Missouri River by ferry and came to the log house on the home­stead.

For many years Mr. Aasen went out with a steam threshing outfit owned by Happy Jack and threshed for several weeks in the fall. Mrs. Aasen would carry on at the homestead, doing the chores and going to bed when it got dark, instead of lighting a lamp. Coyotes howling around the hills gave one an eerie feeling and a feeling of loneliness. Their first horses were oxen.

In the summer of 1945 they moved to town. Mr. Aasen passed away in February of 1950. Mrs. Aasen still lives in Watford City. Their children are Lovella, and Helen (Mrs. Earl M. Lindsley) of Watford City; Eleanor, (Mrs. Mons L. Teigen) of Helena, Mont.; Gladys, (Mrs. Earl J. Warnke) of Alexander, North Dakota; Bennie of Long Beach, Calif.; Magnus of Mott, North Dakota, and Morris of Watford City. There are eleven grandchildren and two great grandchil­dren.

Torshus, Ronning and Botten were three bachelors who came from Norway and filed on homesteads in the Telemarken community of Twin Valley township. Ronning later returned to Norway and was married, and Torshus died in 1941.

Torshus, Ronning, Botten

237

OLE A. SATTER

On April 25, 1903, Ole A. Satter arrived at Superior, Wisconsin, from Elverum, Osterdalen, Norway, where he was born May 8, 1876. He spent some time working in lumber camps in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota. Then lured by the prairie, he came to North Dakota in November, 1904, where he filed on a homestead five miles north of Schafer.

While proving up the claim, he first lived in a one-room sod house, which was later replaced by a one-room frame house. He carried the nails for the frame house, plus other necessary supplies, including a kero­sene lamp, on foot from Ray, North Dakota, to the home­stead.

On November 4, 1907, he married Jonette Frem-

gaarden at Superior, Wisconsin. She was also a native of

Elverum, Osterdalen, Norway and a former neighbor

and friend, who had immigrated in 1906. Following

their marriage, they came to North Dakota and settled

on the homestead (in what is now Garden township,

McKenzie County) on November 10, 1907.

In the spring of 1908 Mr. Satter did the first break­

ing on his homestead with a sulky plow and four

horses. Enough of the virgin soil was blackened so

that a fair-sized crop could be put in. A fire-break was

also plowed around the buildings as a precaution

against prairie fires, which were so prevalent in the

early days.

Of the five Satter children, two died in infancy.

There being no cemetery in the community, one child'

was buried temporarily on the homestead, until the

Garden Cemetery was established a short time later.

The other three are all residents of this area, Mar­

tha, (Mrs. George Lundin), rural Watford City; Olaf,

on the home farm, rural Watford City and Erling,

Watford City. Other than during World War II, when

Erling served with the armed forces in Italy and Martha

was a resident of San Diego, Calif., they have made

their homes continuously in the Watford City vicinity.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Satter have passed away. She in

March, 1931, and he in November, 1936.

ODIN B. GIFSTAD

Odin B. Gifstad was born on June 28, 1888, near Tronjheim, Norway. He was married there to Bertha Brown in 1908.

They came to America in 1909 with their infant daugh­ter and first settled at Rugby, North Dakota. They lived there until 1912 when they came to McKenzie County. They first made their home at Arnegard and after one year, settled on their place 11 miles south­east of Watford City.

Mrs. Gifstad and infant son passed away in 1923. Mr. Gifstad and his eight children continued to live on their home place until 1942 when all the children were married or living elsewhere. Mr. Gifstad moved to Watford City. He remarried that year and he be­came father three more times. Thus Mr. Gifstad has eleven living children—namely, Margaret (Mrs. Sam Vancil), Grants Pass, Oregon; Bernice (Mrs. Ben Rubey), Cayuga, N. Dak.; Hans, Fairview, Montana; Leckney (Mrs. Clifford Levang), Forman, North Dako­ta; Marian (Mrs. Jess Shelley), Eureka, Montana; Leif, Watford City; Ida (Mrs. George Landon), Seat­tle, Washington; Esther (Mrs. Vernon Boreson), White-fish, Montana; Karen (Mrs. David McDowell), Kear­ney, Nebraska; Allen, Watford City; and Robert, Wat­ford City.

Mr. Gifstad also has 41 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren. He is known to many people as Odin Benson or Berntson. He is now making his home at the Good Shepherd Home in Watford City, North Dakota.

*W

THE OLAF FINSAAS FAMILY

Olaf Finsaas, who was born at Joice, Iowa, on Jan. 11, 1888, lis­tened to the call "Go West, young man" too long and at 22 he home­steaded east of Watford City. Here he built his first house—a sod shack, which he loved, perhaps more than a visiting couple whose wife said "I 'd have to love a man an awful lot to live here." But find a wife that loved him, Olaf did, and the next year married Gunhild Aarhus.

In 1936 the family moved to Fairview, commuting east to the homestead, which is still in the family. Mr. Finsaas took great pride in being a "McKenzie-ite", living in that county a total of 53 years, until his death in 1963. Mrs. Finsaas and four sons, Norman, Lloyd, Marvin, and Orvin live near Fairview; Ernest in Fairview; Joseph, Raymond and Lila are mission­aries in India, Africa, and Japan; Clarence is a Luth­eran Brethren Pastor in Portland.

238

MR. AND MRS. FRANK ALLEX'S WEDDING MR. AND MRS. HALVOR H. SKJELVIK

Frank Allex was born December 4, 1874, in Hun­gary. He'came to the U. S. with his parents in about 1890 and lived at Morgan, Minnesota. In 1901 he mar­ried Helen Neubauer.

In 1909 Frank and Martin Allex came to McKertzie County to homestead. During the day they cut sod and put up a wall of the sod shack and at night the Long Horn steers that roamed the range would rub against it and knock the wall down. After a time the place was built and the next year the men sent for their families. Later they built wood frame houses. Frank moved his house from the farm to Watford City about 1917 where he was the local ice and coal man. He played in the City band.

Frank passed away November 17, 1949, and Mrs. Allex on May 30, 1947. Two children were born to them. Frances, Mrs. Ruckman, Fort Peck, Montana, and Adeline Hennephent George, Fairbanks, Alaska.

MR. AND MRS. HELMER PETERSON

Helmer and Marie Peterson were born in northern Norway and came to the United States in 1901. They were married in Devils Lake and homesteaded near Johnson Corners in 1909. Manuel died in 1913, Marie in 1952, and Helmer in 1957. Elem survives and lives in California. Elem married Myrtle Gard of Berg. They had five children, all born in McKenzie County. They are all grown and scattered, 1 in California, 1 in New Mexico, 2 in Minneapolis, and 1 in North Dakota.

Halvor H. Skjelvik was born in Telemarken, Nor­

way, on March 18, 1884. At the age o f '21 he emi­

grated to America.

In 1910 he went to McKenzie County, where he

"proved up" on a homestead two miles west of what

is now Watford City.

In the same company of people coming from Iowa

to Dakota was Gunnil Hartel who was to become his

wife in 1914. She was born in Joice, Iowa, in July of

1873. When she was a young woman, she came to

North Dakota to file on a homestead, west of the

site of the present ranchhpuse.

Gunnil's claim shack was a tiny, one-room affair,

partly sodded up on the sides and covered with lath

and tar paper. She had to live there alone for four­

teen months before she was married, and some of her

neighbors delighted in playing pranks and scaring

her at night. Her sister and family lived south of her

about half a mile and she often prevailed upon her

nieces for company. She baked bread for several of

her neighbors who were still bachelors.

During the first years of their married life their

transportation was by team and wagon and saddle-

horse. Gunnil was very fond of horses and spent a lot

of time on horseback. It is remembered that she told

about a childhood prank when she made up a harness

out of bits of cord and twine and managed to drive

a horse with it. She drove four horse outfits in the

fields for several years after she and Halvor started

farming—this was work she enjoyed.

A daughter, Selma, was born to them on Nov. 22,

1919. Twin sons had died at birth.

Halvor became very interested in community affairs

as the years went by, and took an active part in local

politics. They were both charter members of Trinity

Lutheran Church, a basement church nearby which

later joined with First Lutheran of Watford City.

They retired from active farming and moved to

Watford City in the late forties.

Gunnil passed away on Jan. 8, 1951; He on Febru­

ary 7, 1960.

Mrs. Art Jore is their daughter.

239

MR. AND MRS. GUSTAV P. HELLE MR. AND MRS. D. WESTLUND READY TO GO

Gustav Helle was born at Park River, North Dakota,

June 3, 1886, and later moved with his parents to

Adams, North Dakota.

Mrs. Helle was born at Alexandria, Minnesota, Jan­

uary 4, 1884, and the same year moved with her par­

ents to Adams, North Dakota, where they homesteaded.

In the spring of 1909, Gust decided to go to McKen­

zie County to file on a homestead. He married Clara

Bjorlie, June 20, 1909.

In October they moved to their homestead in Mc­

Kenzie. Gust had a coal mine on his land and sold

coal to his neighbors.

There were coyotes and wolves roaming the prairies.

At night Mrs. Helle would hear their howls and it often

frightened her. She rode horseback to visit the neigh­

bors, as that was the only transportation she had. She

loved flowers, and when none were to be found, she

picked branches of trees and arranged them in bou­

quets, just to have something green.

They had one daughter. Myrtle. (Mrs. Kenneth Loken,

Seattle I.

They left their homestead and returned to Adams

to farm in the fall of 1912.

While at Adams, four other children were born to

them. They are Mrs. Charles Burgess (Esther) Seattle:

Mrs. Raymond Wiley, (Ruth) Centralia, Washington:

Glenn at Corvalles, Oregon; and Dale at Seattle, Wash­

ington. Another son, Arnold, died during infancy.

In 1942 Mr. and Mrs. Helle moved to Grand Forks.

They celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary

there on June 20, 1959.

Mr. Helle passed away October 6, 1960, at the age of

74, and Mrs. Helle died November 9 of that year.

They have nine grandchildren and five great grand­

children.

The Westlund family entered the McKenzie County

scene when David E. Westlund arrived at a place just

east of the Shafer Ranch in 1905, where he was attracted

by coal mining possibilites. He had come to Minnesota

in 1904 from Sweden, where he was born on February

7, 1883.

Coal mining turned to homesteading and working

for Charles Shafer from 1907 to the fall of 1909. when

he became a substitute stage driver for E. E. Preble

on the route between Shafer and Williston. From 1910

to 1914 he operated the Schafer-Williston Stage with

Frank Oeder and Martin Allex. In 1914 he operated

the stage from Alexander to Schafer using a Ford car

until the route was discontinued due to the arrival of

the railroad to Watford. He purchased Frank Oeder's

homestead four miles north of Schafer in 1913 and.

established the farm presently operated by his son.

Oscar.

In 1916 he married Elsie Mathistad in Williston.

She had arrived in 1908 from her home near Gud-

brandsdalen, Norway, where she was born on August

26, 1888. After working in Valley City and Williston.

she filed on a homestead near Chinook, Montana, where

summers were spent, while winters found her working

again in Williston.

Mail carrying again became Dave Westlund's

work from July 15, 1938, to September 15, 1955, when

he took over the Watford City-Schafer-Banks route

and left much of the farm work to his wife and sons.

During World War II Edwin operated the farm while

Oscar was overseas in the Southwest Pacific. The

Banks post office was discontinued and the route was

incorporated with an adjoining one in 1955, thus ending

23 years of service as a mail carrier. He died in 1958

at the age of 75, and his wife died the following year

at the age of 70. Their son, Edwin, also died suddenly

in 1961, leaving the remaining son, Oscar, who now

operates the family farm.

240

J. G. HAGEN LILLIE HAGEN

Schafer until after their daughter, Arlene, was born in 1926. On July 6, 1929, Johnny was killed in an automobile accident. After his death, Lillie worked for the County Agent, the Relief Office, the Post Office, the OPA Office, the County Treasurer and the County Auditor. She retired in 1954.

Her daughter, now Mrs. Carl E. Schultz, lives on a farm near Arnegard with her husband and daughter, Renny Lou.

J. G. AND LILLIE HAGEN

J. G. Hagen, or "Johnny" as he was best known, was McKenzie County's first abstracter. He was born June 21, 1881, at Sacred Heart, Minnesota. In 1882, the family moved to. Walcott, Dakota Territory. Johnny was just sixteen when his father was killed. He worked for the County Auditor in Wahpeton, and in abstract offices in Washburn and Williston. In 1907, he came to Schafer to open an abstract office. He filed on land on Madson Flat, and found a relinquishment on land close by for his mother to file on.

In the summer, he hayed on the flat with his team of oxen. When the first cars came out, he spent much time pulling them out of the sticky gumbo that covered the flat. He was a confirmed horseman, and was a familiar sight to the early homesteaders riding about the country on his favorite buckskin.

He later entered into partnership with J. E. Strand in the abstract business. On June 30, 1920, he married Lillie Christiansen.

Lillie was born May 12, 1889, near Fergus Falls, Minnesota. After being a commercial instructor at Crookston (Minnesota) College for three years, she came to Schafer in 1913. She was Deputy County Su­perintendent of Schools from 1913 to 1916 under F. J. Steffeck. She first "batched" in a shack with her sis­ter, Bessie, and Maude Larson (West), both teachers in Schafer School. The shack was bitter cold, and with only a laundry stove for heat, the girls had to set the alarm every two hours to add coal to the stove. Lillie played piano in the Schafer orchestra and also for all Lutheran and Presbyterian church services. She was a member of the Bachelor Girls Club, and played on the courthouse girls' basketball team.

In 1917, she was employed in the Register of Deeds office and in 1918, spent six months in the 'Abstract and Title office, resigning to go to Washington, D. C , where she was a stenographer in the Accounts'Division of the Bureau of Animal Husbandry, USDA. At first, fellow employees shied away from her since she came from "the wild and wooly west". She thought this was extremely comical since they were still using gas lights there, and in Schafer, they had electricity! They later found her to be quite civilized.

In 1920, she returned to Watford City to be a stenog­rapher for States Attorney George F. Shafer. She also did some court reporting in Schafer. Lillie recalls the case of a man on trial in District Court for horse stealing. She spent two days in Williston waiting to be called on the stand to read her shorthand notes, when lo and behold, the plaintiff skipped town and the case was dismissed. Everyone suspected he had been paid off by the defendant.

After their marriage, Johnny and Lillie lived in

Lena Hagen's Shack

BACK ROW, L. to R.: Lena Hagen, Oscar, Elvin. FRONT ROW: El­sie, Johnny and Es-tella.

LENA HAGEN

Lena Christopherson was born March 17, 1860, at Lillestrom, Norway. She came to America with her parents at the age of twelve. The family settled in Illinois, later moving to Minnesota. She was married at Sacred Heart, Minnesota, to K. G. Hagen, and moved , to Walcott, Dakota Territory in 1882, where Mr. Hagen became Walcott's first postmaster. In 1890 as a mem­ber of the State Board of Equalization, he went to Williston (then hardly more than a post office) and south on a tour of the state. As a curiosity, he brought back scoria rocks from the Missouri River area, little realizing his family would someday live there. He became County Commissioner for Richland County and was murdered by a disgruntled constituent in 1897. Lena was left with five children to support, namely: Johnny, Oscar, Estella, Elvin and Elsie. She succeeded her husband as postmaster.

Lena Hagen came to McKenzie County in 1909 in response to a letter from her son, Johnny. She bought a relinquishment on a homestead near the big spring on the west end of Madson Flat. Her shack had the only-piped water for miles around. The Guthrie-Riley Com­pany, while building the big railroad fill across the flat, got water from her spring. They put in a pipe with a faucet right in front of her door. As her daughter, Elsie, recalls, "That was living!"

After proving up, Lena lived for a time in the back of her son's abstract office in Schafer. When her daughter, Elsie, married, she moved to Montana to live with her. Later the family moved to Minneapolis where Lena died in December, 1943. Of her children, only Elsie now survives.

241

JAY GRANTIER

"Cowboys plentiful; dinkies small.

Cowboys refuse to ride 'em at all."

"Felicia and Froney". He even had visions back in 1939 of this being a great oil country and how right he

WILLIAM HARRY DIXON

This bit of poetry was a telegram sent in the 1920's to the president of the Soo Line railroad by Jay Gran­tier on behalf of himself and several other cowboys. It was occasioned by the fact that the accommoda­tions for travel on the stock train were sadly lacking— too many passengers and one little caboose.

The meager accommodations that brought on this poetic effort, were still a pretty advanced version of the civilization that pioneer settlers like Jay Grantier, with his family, met when they arrived in Dickinson in 1881. Born in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, on January 6, 1870, he and his father first settled on a small ranch at Killdeer Mountain in 1885. He rode as a cowboy with large herds of cattle the full length of the trail from Texas to the Dakotas. In 1887, Grantier joined the Reynolds Brothers Long X outfit. At 18 years of age he was sent alone as a horse wrangler from the summer camp of the Long X outfit, some 15 miles southwest of Watford City, to Texas with about forty head of horses where the Long X wintered their cattle.

Grantier first operated in McKenzie County at the site known as the Uhlman Ranch northwest of Wat­ford City, before settling permanently at the mouth of the Tobacco Garden Creek, 20 miles north of Watford City. He filed and proved up on a homestead.

Sophie Gamache and Jay Grantier were married in 1897. Her family's history had been as exciting as that of her husband's. Born in Bismarck in 1875, where her father David Gamache, owned a dairy at Fort Lincoln, and had previously operated a freight line between Sioux City and Fort Benton, Montana before the rail­road went in. The Gamache's settled in Williams County on a place along the north bank of the Mis­souri, south of the town of Wheelock. Sophie Grantier died in Williston, March 22, 1927.

Jay and Sophie Grantier had six sons: Stephen D., Billings, Mont.; Lewis D., died in 1943; Clinton D., Wolf Point, Mont.; Lawrence J. (Buck) operates the home ranch north of Watford City; Charles G., Man­dan, N. Dak. and Edward A., Minot, N. Dak.

Mr. Grantier's second marriage in 1928 was to Clara Roesner, now Mrs. Langdon, who lives in Dickinson. Jay and Clara Grantier had three children: Jay Jr. died in infancy; Erna Claire (Mrs. John Trubee) lives in Princeton, New Jersey; and Allen J. (Bud) lives in Denver, Colo.

Jay Grantier died on June 11, 1939, doing the work he loved—working with horses. He was an avid reader in spite of very little formal education, and many re­call him standing beside the kerosene lamp, and read­ing an entire book in an evening before thinking of retiring. His teams of horses had such poetic and literary names as "Lemuel and Theophrastus" or

242

William Harry Dixon was born in Frankton, Indi­ana, November 8, 1871. His father and mother died when he was very young. Later he went to Minnesota where he learned the telegraphic trade.

During the years 1903-1906 he ran cattle on the

Indian Reservation in the region of Wilmot, South Dakota.

In 1906 he established the first business place in the new town of Tioga, North Dakota selling lumber and machinery. He also started lumber yards in McGregor and in Watford City. Lumber was hauled to McGregor by oxen as there was no railroad. Mr. Dixon owned a grain elevator in Tioga for a time and also a hotel in Watford City. While living here he ran registered Angus cattle, registered Percheron horses and sheep on his land just south of Tioga. He bought cattle in those days shipping them out by rail to St. Paul and Chicago. An interesting fact was his buying the last one hundred oxen in the Tioga vicinity when they were no longer used in pioneer life.

May 27, 1914, he married Cordelia Davis at Fair-mount, Indiana. She was born there and attended and taught at the Music Academy. She gave private piano lessons in Tioga and later in Watford City where they moved in 1926. Mr. Dixon took charge of the lumber company himself. They owned the present Sage Brush Bar building at one time and Mrs. Dixon operated a cafe there.

In 1931 Mr. Dixon retired from active business. He passed away in 1946. Mrs. Dixon continued to live in Watford City until 1958 whe#n she moved to St. Luke's Nursing Home in Dickinson.

Their children are Bill, ranching south of Watford City and three daughters, Dorothy, Patricia and Billie.

ELSIE HAGEN SCHOENING

ELSIE HAGEN SCHOENING

Elsie Hagen came to McKenzie County in 1909 when her brother, Oscar, moved his family out from May­ville. She recalls her brother, Johnny, greeted her with a horse (incongruously named Peter Mule) to ride and a kitten for a pet. She lived with her mother. Lena Hagen, that summer. She says, "My only ex­perience with cattle was mama's cow out there, and I vowed I'd never say a nice word about a cow from then on! I tied her front legs to one fence post, her hind legs to another, and even then I couldn't milk her!"

In the fall of 1909, she attended Williston High School where she was permitted to take extra sub­jects to combine her junior and senior years. She graduated in 1910. The Monday after graduation, she began to teach school at Tobacco Garden. There, using the heel of her shoe as a hammer, she put together the desks in the log school house. She taught there that summer.

The winter of 1910, she taught the McCurdy School. The opening day of school, two boys, aged nineteen and twenty, approached the school house accompanied by their parents, seeking admission. They had never been to scho'ol and didn't know how to read or write. When Elsie finally convinced the parents the boys were too old to attend school, the father said sorrow­fully, "And I did so want my boys to have a good edu­cation."

After teaching at Valley City, Elsie moved to Mon­tana where she married Attorney H. A. Schoening. After her husband's death in 1925, she, her two chil­dren, and her mother moved to Minneapolis. There she was employed for many years as parish worker at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. After her mother's death, she moved to Bloomington, just outside Minneapolis.

Her son, Robert, lives with her and is an instructor at NW TV and Radio School in Minneapolis. Her wid­owed daughter, Elizabeth Travers, teaches at Prince­ton, New Jersey. Her only granddaughter, Mrs. R. Grant Smith, lives in Pakistan where her husband is a member of the diplomatic corps.

Elsie says now, "My experiences in McKenzie Coun­ty taught me everything I ever needed to know to meet all the exigencies of life forever after! And I was only seventeen!"

*^B^JL.

WILL CLARKE SALLIE CLARKE

Visitors by Will Clarke's Coal Shed

WILL AND SALLIE CLARKE

Will Clarke was born January 14, 1874, at Brod-head, Wisconsin. In 1906, he came to Antler, North Dakota, where he worked for a land and credit com­pany. In 1907, they opened an office in Flaxton where he was manager. There he met Sallie Christiansen, who had just graduated from Crookston (Minn.) College, and hired her as a stenographer. Will and Sallie were married March 6, 1909, in Minot. They moved to Bow­bells and then transferred to Dickinson.

In the fall of 1910, Will went deer hunting at the mouth of Hay Draw. Howard Fleek wounded a deer and they followed it to Olson's Flats. It was beautiful country, good soil, and one could see the Killdeer Mountains in the distance. They found a corner stone, went back to Dickinson to get Sallie and her sister, Eva, and filed on adjoining claims.

In the spring of 1911, they built cabins on each homestead and moved in. Soon Ole Olson and Gordon came over and built a fence and plowed a fire-guard around each cabin. Sallie planted potatoes under the sod. When the frost came, Ole Olson (a wonderful neighbor) gave them a quarter of beef. They didn't know then that they were "honyaks" settling in cat­tle country.

About this time, Bessie, a sister of Eva's and Sallie's. came out. In a few days, two cowpunchers, Anders and Nels Madson, stopped for dinner. After Anders got Bessie a position teaching the Sam Rhoades school, they saw little of him, but Nels was over often. In a few years, Will had gotten together a few cows and twenty head of broom-tail mares.

In 1912 their daughter, Harriett, was born at Schafer. In May, 1914, their daughter, Bessie, was born on their homestead. Eva delivered the baby. There was two feet of snow and Nels Madson went for the doctor at Schafer. When they returned, the baby was six hours old. They had a good crop in 1914 and built a new-house. Clarence Danielson now owns their old home­stead. The result of the deer hunting trip in the Badlands—no deer, but a homestead and lots of dears. Through the years, fate brought about the following: of the Christiansen sisters, Bessie married Anders Madson, Eva married Nels Madson and Lillie married Johnny Hagen. Their daughter, Harriett, is Mrs. Harold Martin, and has three children, Sallie, Joseph and John. Their daughter, Bessie, married Bob Martin and they have one daughter. Sharon. All live in Wa­terloo, Iowa, as do the Clarkes.

Will says, "Without that deer hunt, many of you would not be here today."

243

JOHN MEDGARD

John Medgard was born in Aal, Hallingdal, Nor­way, May 6, 1889. He immigrated to Nelson County where he worked on farms for five years. During threshing time it was his job to feed straw into the old steam engines. In 1913 he first came to McKenzie County where his first job was digging rocks for W. E. Van Dyke who at that time was breaking up sod with a big Oil Pull tractor.

The same year he filed on a homestead near Dim­mick Lake, and the following year found him in Twin Valley firing a steam engine for "Happy Jack" O'Rourke who was turning over the sod.

Medgard's first job in Watford City together with Knut Stavn, was the building of the First Lutheran Church. Later when carpentering became his occupa­tion, he and Stavn built houses in Watford City as well as houses and barns in Garden and Twin Valley.

In 1933-1934 he served as deputy under Sheriff S. A. Thompson.

MR. AND MRS. BENNIE NYBERG

Bennie Nyberg filed on his homestead in 1906. proved up and worked out until going back to Minnea­polis to get married. He married Tillie Larsen in 1917 and returned to the homestead. To them three chil­dren were born. They are Clifford, living on the home place; Irene,- Mrs. Jim Rossing of Batavia, Illinois; Leonard died on Feb. 24, 1960.

When Mr. Nyberg came out here, he and Gilbert Lee walked from Williston to Berg and then on to Schafer and to his homestead three miles south of Wat­ford City.

The cyclone that went through this area in 1935 completely destroyed the place.

Mrs. Nyberg died in February, 1953, and Mr. Ny­berg on July 13, 1960.

After the Cyclone

THE ALBERT C. JACOBSON FAMILY

Albert C. Jacobson and Minne Hellie were both born and raised near Albert Lea, Minnesota. They were married in 1893 and lived in Albert Lea for five years, where Mr. Jacobson worked as a miller in a large flour mill. The fall of 1902 the homestead "bug" bit Mr. Jacobson, and they moved to Ray, North Da­kota, arriving there late in November in a raging blizzard.

The family lived two years in Williams ,County. Mr. Jacobson had contested a homestead in McKenzie County on the Missouri River flats near the area that later became known as White City and the Post Office of Seneschal, eight miles northeast .of Banks, North Dakota. In the fall of 1904 Mr. Jacobson won the contest of the homestead and moved to the old John Frish place, where they lived with the John Thompson and Martin Iverson families and Otto Hellie while they were building their cabins on their respective homesteads. The spring of 1905 they all moved into their new homes and began to farm on a small scale.

Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson had nine children. Seven are still living: Arthur, Vacaville, California, Oliver in Watford City, Dr. Melvin, Elgin, North Dakota, Mabel (Mrs. Walter Olson), San" Luis Obispo, Cali­fornia, Roy, Twin Falls, Idaho, Ruth (Mrs. Merrill Sax), Sidney, Montana, Edwin, Phoenix, Arizona. They have seventeen grandchildren.

Mrs. Jacobson passed away in 1926, and Mr. Jacob-son in 1946.

WILLIAM (BILL) CHALONER

William (Bill) Chaloner was born in Virginia City, Montana, on April 16, 1867. He came to the Missouri Slope in 1890. The country appealed to him as he stayed working as a cow hand and horse breaker. He worked on many ranches including H-T, the Long X, and the Goodall spread.

He married Lena Fink on November 4, 1894. That year he went to work for Johnny Goodall who was Sheriff of Stark County. Throughout Goodall's years in office, Bill served as his deputy.

In 1912 he homesteaded in McKenzie County near Watford City. Later on he moved from the homestead to a place on the Missouri River. From 1924 to 1928 he operated a ferry across the river.

He died in May, 1935, and she on Aug. 11,1959.

244

In 1948 Mr. and Mrs. Cephas Goddard, Jr. (Jessie Gray Brieland) came here from Seattle with Cephas Goddard III. Since then Jeffrey and David have joined them as the fourth generation to continue the family cattle business. They use the old Goddard VH brand rather than the TOD, and live in the original log ranch house.

MR. AND MRS. JEFFREY EDWARD HANLEY

In 1893 Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Edward Hanley (Jo­sephine Uhlman) came west from Roberts, Wiscon­sin, to what is now the Birdhead Ranch, Mr. Hanley being a partner in the Morning Star Cattle Co., second largest in the area. Only the Long X Ranch of the Reynolds Bros., Texas, was larger in what was to be­come McKenzie County.

Jeffrey Hanley was born in 1864 in Chelsea, Nova Scotia, Canada, and at 18 came to Mass. and worked in a shoe factory. In September, 1892, he married Josephine Uhlman and they went to Roberts, Wis­consin, and the following summer came out here to join the family cattle enterprise.

Their cow camp water was furnished by the spring which now supplies the town of Alexander, and Mrs. Hanley would often ride to the top of the nearby buttes to scan the country for cowboys coming into camp hungry and ready for the huge meals she always had ready.

In 1898 the Hanleys filed on land east of Schafer. destined to become North Fork Township, their home for 40 years. They raised cattle and horses on their TOD ranch, buying original squatter's rights from a family named Peterson who built the "old half" of the log ranch house they enlarged. A former employee, Lupean Fancy, recalls hauling cottonwood logs from the river.

The Hanleys had no children of their own, but reared her niece, Birdie Newcomb. In Roberts she was married to Cephas Jason Goddard, Sr., who had a creamery and buttermaking business. About 1912 they came west and filed on land adjoining the Han­leys. They brought Lurline, Cephas, Jr., and Jose­phine. Their youngest daughter, Norma, was born at the TOD ranch.

The Goddards and Hanleys ranched side by side until 1927 when the Goddards moved to Seattle selling their land to the Hanleys. Mr. and Mrs. Goddard died in Seattle, where their daughters reside. Josephine is Mrs. Harold C. Bailey of Richmond Beach, Washing­ton and Norma is Mrs. Grant Wiley of Seattle.

In 1941 the Hanleys moved to Watford City where Mrs. Hanley died in October. Mr. Hanley died a few years later. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge

and a Presbyterian.

MR. AND MRS. EARL VAN DYKE

Earl Van Dyke was born at Park River, N. Dak., on May 3, 1887. In 1907 he married Miss Gena Qually. who was born at Sacred Heart, Minnesota, but moved to Adams, N. Dak., as a child. In 1908 they came to White Earth, N. Dak. by train, where they were met by Mr. K. E. Levang with a team of horses and wagon to take them to their new homesite. They had to cross the Big Missouri on the Brevig Ferry which was a thrill as well as a scare at that time.

They moved in with his brother' Bill while their shack was being built.

One of the humorous incidents they recall often

concerns Mrs. Van Dyke's horror of rattlesnakes.

Earl had hauled a few loads of small rocks, and also

some long popple poles with which to roof a barn.

One day when he came home with a load, he found

his neatly piled poles and rocks all over the yard.

Demanding an explanation from his wife he learned

that she had killed a rattle snake, throwing rocks

and poles at it, not daring to touch anything that the

snake might have contaminated with its venom. They

moved to Watford in 1944. They live at 106 3rd St.

West. They had 11 children. They are Joseph of Wat­

ford City; Wendell and Myrtle, Mrs. Telford Levang

of Keene; Elmo and Artella, Mrs. Willard Haase of

Spokane, Wash.; Cecil of Pasco, Wash.; Purley of Min­

neapolis; Ada, Mrs. Grant Hovde of Ronan, Montana:

Renota, Mrs. James Kielhack of Round Mountain.

Nevada; Dorfa, Mrs. Harold Lundgren. of Lancaster,

245

California, Inez, Mrs. Bill Stringham, of China Lake, California. They have 19 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

In June, 1962, a family reunion was held with all the members present. This was the first time that thev had all been together in 28 years.

Gust served on various boards in the community and during World War II he received a certificate for his participation in selling War Bonds.

Gust died in January, 1961, at the age of 77.

Freda has been and still is active in church and community affairs. She has served on the hospital board since the beginning of the local hospital. She resides in her home in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. GUST JOHNSON

Gust Johnson came to McKenzie County in 1907 to

homestead in Cherry Township. He was born and

reared near Goteborg, Sweden. At a very young age

he entered the Swedish Merchant Marine and later

served in the army. He came to North Dakota where he

had two sisters living at Bantry and from there he

came to McKenzie County. In 1913 he returned to his

home in Sweden. On his return he brought his intended

bride, Freda Anderson, with him. She was born and

reared in the same place in Sweden. They were mar­

ried at Willow City on September 30, 1914. Their

honeymoon trip was a three-day trip in an open wagon

to McKenzie County. The first meal the bride cooked

was on a wood stove in the wagon box. One of the

first memorable events was a charivari given by the

neighbors. Freda was not about to let them in, but

some prankster covered the stove pipe with his hat

and smoked them out. The stove was then thrown out

and everyone danced.

Freda filed on a homestead in Hively Township on

Spring Creek in 1914 which became the family home.

Gust sold his homestead and bought more land near

Freda's homestead. On this farm they raised grain,

cattle, and during the dry years Freda raised hundreds

of turkeys. They continued to live on the farm until

1942 when they moved to Watford City.

They were charter members of the Salem Lutheran

Congregation. Church services were held in their home

for several years. Later they became members of the

First Lutheran Church of Watford City.

246

THE EDWARD L, WALLA'S IN 1904

Edward L. Walla was born in northern Norway on Feb. 20, 1859. He came to the United States with his parents when he was eight years old. They lived for a few years in Dakota County, Minnesota and then came to Horace, North Dakota.

Betsey Sondrall was born on Dec. 21, 1866, near Dor­chester, Iowa. Her folks also lived near Horace.

After their marriage they went to Fort Ransom, N. Dak., back to Horace and then in 1906 they filed on a homestead in the Farland community. The family by this time consisted of Ira. Clarence, Alice, Estella. and Margaret.

Their first winter in McKenzie County was an ex­tremely hard one. Snow banks were all around and the family was snowed in for the larger part of the winter. They were most grateful to the stage coach which continued despite the heavy snow carrying passengers, mail, and even groceries. Many times the driver was forced to stay overnight with them because of the bad weather and these overnight stops were always welcomed by the Wallas.

By 1916 a consolidated two-room school had been built just a quarter of a mile from the Ed Walla farm. There were two teachers and the attendance was usu­ally 50 pupils. There were also two bus drivers.

Mrs. Walla recalls the time the pupils could not get home because of a bad snow storm. They all stayed over night at the Wallas. The next morning she made a large stack of pancakes for them. Mr. Walla died in 1917. Mrs. Walla is nearing her 98th birthday and lives in Arnegard with her daughter. Alice Arnegard.

THE ROBERT SANNES FARM HOME, 1912

Robert Sannes was born on April 14, 1884. near Al­

bert Lea, Minnesota.

When he was about one year old, his parents moved

near Gary, Minnesota, where he was reared.

It had always been his ambition to go West, and

when he became of age in the winter of 1905-1906 he

went to Ray, N. Dak. He rode the mail stage to the Nesson

Post Office on the north side of the Missouri River

and from there he walked across the ice on the river

into McKenzie County and stayed with his cousin,

John Thompson, who had filed his homestead in 1896.

Mr. Sannes filed his homestead at the mouth of the

Tobacco Garden Creek. He built a little cottonwood

shack on his homestead.

In the summer of 1906 and 1907 he did carpenter

work along the Mouse River for ranchers.

On June 24, 1908, he married Alma Nyen, a school

teacher, at Fertile, Minnesota. He then became man­

ager of a grain elevator at Gary. Minnesota, and held

this job until June, 1910.

Then he came west, built his homestead house. He

brought along two cows, four horses and some ma­

chinery. Later that fall, his wife and son Kermit

joined him. He started to clear the land which was

covered with ash, elm and buffalo berry trees. He got

it plowed and seeded into alfalfa. He bought a herd

of short horn cattle from John Frisch and others. In

1917 he switched to black angus which he still has.

He recalls the many times the homesteaders had to

move onto higher ground when the river would flood.

Their only refuge was the large blockhouse which was

built by John Frisch. The history of this house appears

elsewhere in the book.

In 1932 he served as a candidate for the House of

Representatives from his district and was elected in

the fall. He was appointed as a member of the appro­

priations, agriculture, and rules committee. Owing to

the hard times in the late 1920's and early 1930's the

legislators were told on their arrival in Bismarck by

the state officials that they had not been paid for

months, as there was no money left in the general

fund. When the legislature got organized, there being

some money left in other funds of the state, some of

that money was transferred to the general fund which

helped those people while working for the state until

other laws were made.

They had seven children. They are Kermit, Allen.

Violet Sharrick and Rose, Mrs. Christ Wehrung, all of

Watford City; Cyril of Billings, Montana; Norman of

Bloomington, Indiana, and Ruby, Mrs. Fred Griffith,

of Sunnyside, Washington.

Mrs. Sannes died on August 15, 1962. Mr. Sannes

lives in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. HERMAN ANDERSON

Mrs. Herman Anderson, the former Anna Erickson, came to America from Sweden in 1908. She married Carl Erikson and lived on a farm four miles west of Watford City. Eight children were born to them. In the fall of 1934 tragedy struck the Erikson family. While threshing, Carl's team became frightened and ran away. Carl was killed and Anna was left alone with the family. Her daughter Ruth, Mrs. Pederson, lives in Indiana; Leonard died at the age of 12; George lives in Minnesota; Carmen was killed in August, 1942, during World War I I ; Donald lives in Watford City: Philip in Colorado; Myrtle, Mrs. George Dyne, in Dick­inson; and JoAnn, Mrs. Arvild Skjelvik in Idaho.

Anna married Herman Anderson in 1937. He was a homesteader in the Banks area. They had one son, John, who lives on the home farm. Herman and Anna moved to Watford City in 1946. Herman died in 1960 after a long illness. Mrs. Anderson lives in Watford City.

Mrs. Anderson is a member of the First Lutheran Church in Watford City and is active in the Ladies Aid. All through the years she has been active in the work of her church.

THE ANDREW ERICKSON FAMILY

Andrew Erickson came to America from Sweden in 1899 to make his fortune. He worked in the woods near Duluth and came to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead in Ideal Township. His post office and church were at Arnegard but his children attended Ideal District schools.

He settled in McKenzie County where he made his

home with his uncle, M. A. Wold. He also lived on a

homestead overlooking the Missouri River. As a youth

he worked on a railroad project which was to extend

the railroad east from Watford City.

He married Helga Kjelberg on Oct. 26, 1921. She

came to McKenzie County in 1906 with her parents

from Thompson, N. Dak. They settled on a homestead

several miles north and east of the Banks postoffice.

Helga attended business college in Williston.

To fulfill government requirements, he lived for a certain amount of time in his single walled claim shack. One night he used a sack of potatoes for a pillow and by morning the potatoes were frozen solid and he felt as though he were too. He ran out and gathered dried chips to start a fire in his laundry type stove.

In time he dug a well and built a log cabin. His family came to the United States in 1908. This con­sisted of his wife, Karen, and children Marie, Anna, and Arthur. Corrine and Martin were born in McKenzie County. At one time the whole family was desperately ill. The doctor from Alexander diagnosed it as typhoid fever. He gave instructions and left. Andrew nursed the family back to health.

Andrew died at the age of 65.

The family all helped to supplement the family income. Marie served as an assistant to Dr. Johnson. He called her his "little nurse." She later married Rueben Erickson and lives in Michigan, N. Dak. Martin and Arthur left when young men for Indiana and worked in the steel mills. Corrine, Mrs. Clarence Semingson, lives in Williston.

Mrs. Erickson lived for 21 years after the death of her husband.

To this union three children were born. They are

Evelyn, Mrs. 0 . J. Mastvelten, of Glendive, Montana,

and Milton and Wesley of Watford City.

They were members of the Garden Valley Lutheran

Church and Ladies Aid.

In the early 1920's they moved to a farm one mile

east of the old Banks Post Office where they lived

through both the "dirty thirties" and the good years

which followed.

During the '40's and '50's they acquired larger

holdings which are now owned by the family and

operated by Milton and Wesley.

One of their greatest enjoyments during these later

years was traveling to scenic points both far and near.

In 1957 on Christmas Eve the family received a

sudden shock. Mr. Wold died of a heart attack.

Helga continues to live on the farm part of the year

and finds contentment spending the winters in Cali­

fornia with her sister and brother-in-law.

MR. AND MRS. HELMER WOLD AND EVELYN Helmer Mathias Wold was born on December 2,

1894, at Grand Meadow, Minnesota. His father died

shortly before his birth, so he and his mother returned

to Norway when he was six months old. He returned to

the United States in 1913. The H. M. Wold Home

248

MRS. KAREN VICK AND SON ERNEST

The first invasion of the Vick family into McKenzie

County occurred in 1904; five years later Mads Han­

sen Vick died. In 1909 the eldest son, Fred, filed on a

homestead a few miles south of the post office of Banks

and spent the ensuing year and a half including a

rigorous winter in that primitive wilderness. Rugged,

athletic type though he was, his health broke down

and he died in a Minneapolis hospital at the age of

25. He was followed a year later by his brother,

Adolph, who also filed northeast of Banks. He had

returned to the family home at Raymond, Minnesota,

and from there he shipped an immigrant car of stock

and machinery to Ray, N. Dak. He was accompanied

on this trip by his younger brother, Richard.

Later the family sold the last 275 acres of an 800

acre tract and left for McKenzie County. The family-

consisted of the mother, two daughters, Louise and

Amanda, and five sons, Bernard, Arthur, Richard, Ed­

gar, and Ernest. They all took up residence in 1908.

Mrs. Vick purchased the relinquishment of a choice

quarter owned and operated by Jay Grantier, five miles

east of Banks. This became the home ranch for a spread

which included range land in the hills on both sides

of the valley.

A fine herd of Hereford cattle became the main­

stay of the ranch. All members of the family except

Ernest ultimately took homesteads. Richard took over

the relinquishment of Amanda's claim when her mar­

riage to Charles Shelton frustrated her attempt to prove

up.

Bernard became an electrician and operated the

light plant in Watford City moving to Vineland, New

Jersey, where he presently resides with his wife, the

former Ruby Greenfield of Raymond, Minnesota.

Arthur bought out the cattle interests of all his

brothers in 1916, finally disposing of the original

holdings and purchasing the Nelson place. He enlisted

in the Army in 1917. He purchased a home in Watford

City where he spent the last few years in retirement

with his wife the former Anne Sundfor. He died in

August, 1962.

Richard established a flour mill enterprise, The

Watford City Roller Mills, in Watford City, which

had six years of successful operation, but became

the victim of four successive bank failures. This tied

up operating capital and made it impossible to com­

pete with the dumping of war surplus flour on the

market by the larger mills. Richard subsequently en­

tered the ministry of the Methodist Church. In 1962 he

was forced to retire because of a heart attack. He is

still living in Butte, Montana, with his wife, the former

Mildred Vandegrift of Schafer and is now again

active in the ministry, serving two of the smaller

churches in Butte.

Edgar, after enlisting and serving with the Cana­

dian Army before the United States entered the war,

and being severely wounded, completed his education,

became a teacher, a superintendent, married and is

now living in Woodworth, North Dakota.

Ernest took a course in Forestry at the University of

Idaho in Moscow. He became a forest ranger on the

Beartooth Forest in Montana, where he took his bride,

the former Lorna Higgins, of McKenzie County. In

later years he became a piano technician, living in

Missoula and Great Falls. He is now living in semi-

retirement in Great Palls.

Mrs. Vick died in Watford City in 1931.

Louise married a former neighbor boy from* Ray­

mond, Minnesota, and died in childbirth two years

later. Her husband, Neal Scheltens, followed her in

death a short time later.

Amanda lives in Canada with her daughter, Muriel

McLaren.

Adolph died in Watford City in the fall of 1948.

- "P*P#**3(

Watford City Roller and Flour Mill

249

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE EDGAR TOLLEFSON Edgar Tollefson arrived in McKenzie County along

with his parents, the late Rev. Bernard Tollefson and family in 1905.

Upon leaving Hatton, N. Dak., in the spring of 1905, they loaded an immigrant car with their household goods, four cows, a team of Hambletonians-driving horses, and a team of Morgan mares. After being harassed by brakeman, his father ended up paying full fare for his brother Olve and him. When they arrived at Ray, they unloaded the car and headed south down to McKenzie County. They crossed the Missouri River on a cable ferry owned by Con Sax and Albert Stensatter, and operated by Martin Iverson. About two weeks later his mother and five sisters arrived to a nearly completed homestead house.

His father started organizing congregations far and

wide. Olve started breaking the sod with the four

horses and managed to get 50 acres broken. Edgar's

job was to carry drinking water from a spring half a

mile away and wash water from the creek. He also

milked the cows and kept them from straying away.

In the fall his father became very ill and had to give

up his long trips with old "Nellie" and the cart. His

younger brother was born in October after his father

became ill. Mrs. Tollefson, who was a very frail wo­

man, had a hard time.

He and Olve managed to put up some prairie hay

during the summer and fenced it in as the valley was

over run with longhorn Texas steers that had ,been

trailed up from Texas over the old Chisholm Trail

by the H E Outfit.

He remembers that the winter of 1906 was very

severe. They only had a small heater (12 inches in

diameter) and his mother would get up several times

during the night to fill it. Olve and he slept upstairs

and often awakened to find snow drifted onto their

bed.

In 1912 he and his brother bought a herd of cows,

as by then they had filed on 320 acres in the hills ad­

joining the east of the valley.

In 1917 he was drafted but he did not pass. On

November 19, 1917, he married Esther Landers.

They spent their first year in a couple of homestead

shacks he had put together and they were quite cozy.

The next year he bought some land across the valley'

that he had dreamed for many years as an ideal place

for a ranch.

He traded his 1917 Overland car to A. M. LaBrant

for the elevator at White City and bought the old hotel

there from Guy Renbarger. With the help of Oliver

Jacobson and other neighbors, they moved it over

the hills with eight husky horses.

They have 3 children. They are George Edgar, Jr.,

who is a general contractor, in Lakewood, Colorado.

Dorothy Mae is married to Capt. Robert J. L. Mitchell,

who is an engineer for Lockheed in San Jose, California.

Their youngest child, Myron Dale, builds Paddock

Swimming Pools and lives in Lakewood, Colorado.

Mr. and Mrs. Tollefson live in Lakewood, Colorado.

This has been their home since 1948.

-J* ' m.

JOHN OLSON

JOHN OLSON

John Olson was born in Denmark on Dec. 9, 1875. He came to McKenzie County in 1905 and home­steaded on a tract of land one mile west and one mile north of Watfogd City.

In the fall of 1905 John walked from his home­stead to Ray where he boarded the train for Minot. There he worked for Frank Banks on a road job. Al­though he helped to build roads, he never owned a car and used horses to do his farm work until he moved to Watford City in 1950.

John always loved horses and treated them as pets, often carrying a sack of feed on his back from the elevator in town to feed them.

He is now almost blind but is still a familiar sight around town with his white cane. Last summer he walked out to his "camp", as he calls his old home­stead, every day.

He never married but he has eight nieces whom he calls his family and is called "Grandpa John" by many of his neighbor's children.

He is approaching his 89th birthday.

250

Claim Res. of Frank Rubey

MR. AND MRS. FRANK RUBEY

Frank Rubey was born and reared at Springfield, Minnesota. The year of his birth was 1880.

Mary Rubey was born in-Bohemia in 1890. She came to the United States with her parents when she was six years old. Her parents were the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Neubauer, Sr.

Frank and Mary Rubey were married at Morgan, Minnesota, in 1908. Three years later they came to McKenzie County and filed on a homestead about three miles southeast of Watford City.

Mr. Rubey broke sod, hauled freight from Williston, operated steam engines, drilled wells, played the fid­dle for many dances, and did much field work.

Mrs. Rubey recalls driving a single one-horse buggy to Schafer to sell butter and eggs to buy groceries. On one of these trips she raced with her brother-in-law, Andrew Hoffmann. He laughed so hard that he lost control of his horses and as a result he came too close and her buggy wheel broke some spokes out of his wheel. She won the race.

They have three sons. They are Aloysius (Al) of Pine River, Minnesota; Virgil lives on the home place; Jerome lives at Savage, Montana.

Mr. Frank Rubey died in 1933. Mrs. Rubey lives with her son Virgil on the old place.

MR. AND MRS. HARRY WINFORD LANDON

Harry Winford Landon was born at Louisville, Ohio, on September 25, 1877. In 1889 he moved to Tappan, North Dakota, with his parents. There he lived until moving to Glendive, Montana, in April, 1893. He worked on sheep ranches out of Glendive and Miles City until he moved to McKenzie County in 1901. He settled on a farm at Cherry Creek. There he ran sheep for twelve years. Later he ran short horn cattle.

On February 5, 1905, he married Charlette Josa-

phine Sisler of Melrose, Mass., at Williston, N. Dak.,

by the Rev. Culecod.

They had three children: Helen Josaphine Folven of Williston, N. Dak.; Dorothy Evelyn, Mrs. Ernest Sondrol and Charles who died in infancy. Harry has nine grandchildren and nineteen great grandchildren.

After the death of his wife in 1921, he continued farming until he moved to Watford City in 1953. There he lived in a small apartment of Mr. and Mrs. Nels Madson's and worked at the Watford City Com­munity Benefit Ass'n for ten years. He retired in 1963 and lives in Williston with his daughter. He is 86 years old.

Down on the Sondrol Farm

MR. AND MRS. ENGEBRIT KNUT SONDROL

1881 Trail Engebrit Knut Sondrol was born in County, Dakota Territory.

Petra Matilda Thompson was born in 1878 in Moor­head, Minnesota.

They were united in marriage at Hillsboro, N. Dak., in 1902. They filed on a homestead in 1907 in Hively Township on Spring Creek in McKenzie County where Engebrit built their first home ten miles south of Watford City. From 1908 to 1913 before the railway came into Arnegard, he hauled his crops to Williston and then freighted store supplies back to Schafer. In 1910 he lost his crop due to a large prairie fire. After the burning of their first home, he rebuilt in the fall and winter of 1915-1916.

He served on the board of the Federal Land Bank and other boards in the community in McKenzie County.

They were charter members of the Salem Lutheran Congregation with the Rev. Holey.

After his death in 1919, his wife, Petra, continued to live on the farm with the children. They are Ernest of Watford City; Edna Norby of Bremerton, Wash.; Lloyd Philip of Pasco, Wash. Waynesboro, Virginia. Marian children and Gladys at 21.

In 1931 Mrs. Sondrol moved back to Hillsboro and in '36 to Oakland, Calif. She returned to Watford City in 1948 and died in 1950.

and and

Robert Elvin of Willard died as

251

Louis Skarpsno's Claim Shack

MR. AND MRS. LOUIS SKARPSNO

What prompts a young man or woman to leave

kith and kin in a homeland? Is he or she seeking

fame, fortune, or is it spirit of adventure or a new life?

Louis Skarpsno was born and reared in Amot

Modum, Norway, and later worked as a hotel clerk.

Here he had many contacts with returnees who were

flushed with tales of excitement and opportunities to

be had in the United States.

He arrived in the United States in 1903 when he

was 18. Sometime between 1903-1905 he filed on land

in the Banks community. Leaving his oxen with neigh­

bors, he would go to Leeds, N. Dak., working on farms.

Helga Enderud arrived in the United States in 1909.

She worked as a maid in a home at Garrison, N. Dak.,

and then came to McKenzie County in 1914 and filed

on a claim.

Helga Enderud and Louis Skarpsno were married

in 1915. Louis sold his homestead at Banks and they

moved to her claim.

They spoke of homesteading with. much fondness.

One neighboring lady told how she used to haul grain

to town by sitting on a high wagon seat, with babe in

arms, umbrella in hand, team lines in hand, and at

times would have to maneuver a hand brake on steep

down grades.

Four children were born to them.

They are Agnes, Mrs. Charles Sikos. of Vallejo.

California; Emma, Mrs. Joseph Mariana, of Conrad,

Montana; Edythe. Mrs. D. L. Kelly, of Watford City

and Harold of Watford City.

Louis Skarpsno died in .1947. Mrs. Helga Skarpsno

resides in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. THOMAS VIOLET

A dusty buckboard ride from Williston to the Shoe

Bar Ranch, southeast of Schafer, took all day on May

7, T907, when Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Violet and three of

their four daughters, Nellie, Sophia, and Florence.

arrived from Anoka, Minnesota.

Seven years before Watford City's founding, they

were established on the Shoe Bar, which Mr. Violet

managed for the boss, Charles Chase, who spent sum­

mers on his ranch and winters at his Elk River, Min­

nesota home.

Driving a team from Williston on May 8, 1908, the

father met daughter Leona M. whose train arrived in

pouring rain. She had been clerking in a store and

stayed behind for a year. The horses sloshed along the

muddy trail, stopping for breathing spells frequently.

Mr. Violet filed on his homestead on September

6, 1912, and lived there with his wife for 23 years

until his death on May 5, 1935.

His main hobby was taking care of his horses.

Some of his favorite horses were "Mulligan", shiny

gray; "Texas", dapple gray; "Bud" and "Ted", both

brown.

The Shoe Bar raised Percherons, with stallions

imported from England. Four cowboys rode herd and

one man would break horses to ride. Ranch and home­

stead years gave the children some unforgettable

memories.

Nellie became Mrs. David Hawbaker and lives at

Nashua, Montana; Leona M., now Mrs. Jack Zeller.

lives in Watford City. Sophia, Mrs. Guy Randall of

New Town, died on November 11, 1940, and Florence.

Mrs. Frank Krueger, of Hamilton, Montana, died in

1953, Thomas Violet died in April, 1941.

The Shoe Bar Ranch

Leona Zeller's Homestead Shack

252

MR. AND MRS. FRED BOND Fred in his "Hey" Day

Fred Bond, who had immigrated from England with his parents in the 1890's came first to Spearfish, South Dakota.

In 1900 the family came to McKenzie County to homestead. They arrived by covered wagon and set­tled along the Tobacco Garden Creek about 18 miles northeast of Watford City. The family continued to ranch and farm for several years.

In 1912 Agnes Smirl came to this county to teach school. She also homesteaded and later she and Fred Bond were married. After his folks died, Fred and Agnes continued living on the old homestead.

The Fred Bonds have five children. They are Mary, Mrs. James Lindland, of Milwaukee, Oregon; Thomas of Watford City; Edith, Mrs. Gordon Shelley, of Dallas, Texas; Eunice, Mrs. Alfred Lindland, of Eagle Creek, Oregon; and Jean, Mrs. Ole Borseth of Williston.

Mr. Bond died in 1952 and Mrs. Bond lives in Wat­ford City.

MR. AND MRS. RILEY CHITWOOD

Mr. and Mrs. Riley Chitwood and Violet, their daughter, came to North Dakota by a railroad car in 1909. They located at Belfield.

They were born and reared near Boscobel, Wiscon­sin. Following their marriage in 1904, they farmed the home place.

After coming to Belfield, North Dakota, they bought a 240 acre farm ten miles northeast of Belfield. They farmed here until 1913. Mrs. Chitwood taught school.

In 1913 Mr. Chitwood filed for homestead rights at Schafer on land located fourteen miles south of Schafer on the edge of rough creek in section three of Norstog Township. They moved by wagon bringing lumber from Belfield to build their 12 x 14 claim shack.

Crossing the Little Missouri River at Sioux Crossing in the spring brought on some excitement as the wa­ter was swimming depth for the teams that pulled the wagons across. Generally a group of families crossed on the same day and helped each other across the river.

One of the incidents of homesteading was the time when Ray Thorpe and 'Alex the Finn' helped them locate their government claim. Alex also helped build the claim shack and dig a well. Later when Mr. Chit­wood went out to break the sod for flax he thought it wise to check the cornerstones of the survey and to his surprise found that Alex had located Riley on Alex's own homestead. So skids had to be put under the building and moved to the next quarter. Alex had also filed on the wrong land and to his dismay lost a very good spring.

The Chitwoods farmed until the depression years when they sold their land to the government leaving N. Dak. and locating in Missouri. Mrs. Chitwood died in 1947. Mr. Chitwood returned to Wisconsin, later coming back to North Dakota making his home with his son Loren at Alexander until he died in 1961.

Robert Chitwood, a son, also resides at Alexander.

Congratulations From

TRACTOR SERVICE CO.

Motor Rebuilding

and Repair

HENRY SIMONSON, Owner

TELEPHONE 2220

WATFORD CITY, NORTH DAKOTA

253

THE CONANTS

HAROLD E. CONANT

Harold E. Conant was born on March 29, 1889, and came to McKenzie County from Hillsboro, North Da­kota, with his mother Ada Conant and filed on a homestead five and one half miles southeast of Wat­ford City in 1910.

In 1916 he married Thora Volbrecht who came to McKenzie County from Max. She worked for Ole Ryans in their restaurant and dry cleaning shop.

Nine children were born to them. During the 1930's he was a WPA worker. He died

in February, 1946.

TOM THOMPSEN

Tom Thompson came to McKenzie County from Wis­consin and filed on a homestead five miles southeast of Watford City in about 1910. He married Mrs. E. H. Daniels' second cousin. Mrs. Daniels made her' home with them until her marriage to Harold E. Conant.

Seven children were born to the Thompsons. She died quite young. Mr. Thompson moved back

to Wisconsin. This farm is now owned by Ernest Son­drol.

FRANK BANKS

Among the early settlers in the Banks, Twin Valley area was rancher Frank Banks, who was there before the homesteaders came. The Banks Post Office was named for him. He sold out to John Frisch, who built the large four-room blockhouse on a beautiful spot on the Tobacco Garden Creek. This house seemed elegant to the homesteaders who had dugouts, tar paper covered shacks and single room log cabins.

MR. AND MRS. HENRY 0 . THOMPSON

In February, 1906, Henry 0 . Thompson with several others from Thompson, Iowa, came to McKenzie County and selected a quarter of land west of the re­servation that is now the Ernest Dahl farm and had a shack built on it.

On his trips out here he met Ole Haugen, a home­steader. Ole had a homestead relinquishment for sale a mile west of Charlson. Henry was interested in this location and purchased it. He then let Helmer Dahl move on the first location he had selected.

After he had a house built on it, his family moved out too. Hardships came that first fall and winter when Henry and son Orville became ill with typhoid and were hospitalized in Ray. After recovering, Henry

became crippled with rheumatism and was bedridden all winter.

Three sons, Harry, Clifford and Glenn were born to Alma and Henry and grew to manhood on the orig­inal homestead.

The Thompsons celebrated their Golden Wedding in 1954. Henry died in 1962 at the age of 94. Mrs. Thompson still resides on the homestead.

MR. AND MRS. LINCOLN SMITH

Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln Smith, together with their little son, Leslie, came to McKenzie County to take up a homestead in 1905.

Mrs. Smith, formerly Molly Pickerel, was a native of Oklahoma and Lincoln was reared near Stanberry, Missouri.

Almost at once, Lincoln set out to improve the scene of barren, treeless plains by planting innu­merable trees, among them several kinds of fruit trees. His efforts met with considerable success, for he truly had a "green thumb."

Pneumonia took the life of this fine man in 1921. His widow, with the help of a brother, Aleck Pickerel, farmed the place for a time. Molly then rented the farm to Adolph Vick and moved away, so that her son, Leslie could receive an education.

Leslie married the former Marie Bruins and they had four children.

They all left McKenzie County and Mrs. Smith died in a nursing home in Oklahoma a number of years ago.

The Rev. Leslie and Mrs. Smith now pastor the Methodist Church at Wayne, Oklahoma.

MR. AND MRS. JORGEN LJAADAL

Jorgen Ljaadal was born March 8, 1881, at Tele­marken, Norway. In 1907 he came to America and lived in Joice, Iowa, for three years. In 1910 he came to McKenzie County and homesteaded in Pershing Township. He married Sophia Harthpld on July 17, 1931. Discovery of oil on their land was the highlight of their life. They retired in 1950 and in 1960 he died. His wife lives in Watford City.

254

MR. AND MRS. CARL ANDERSON

The Carl Andersons homesteaded in Farland Town­ship in 1906.

Carl and Sam Lomness, a relative of his mother's, each built a 10 x 12 shack. The Rev. Myers and daugh­ter homesteaded a mile north, the only neighbor.

Carl was born in 1885 at Christine, N. Dak. He mar­ried Astrid Fritsvold of Oslo, Norway. Her father was commander-in-chief of the Norwegian army.

Their first child, Herlof, was born on September 28, 1906, without the aid of a doctor in a tiny shack with a sod floor.

In 1907 they bought Lomness' shack and added it to their own. This room became the living room and is still used as such by the present owners, Olaf Lei-seths.

In 1916 he bought a threshing machine from his Uncle Anton. Every year he threshed his own grain and for homesteaders near and far with a crew of 20 men. They threshed till the snow fell, sometimes until Christmas.

Regardless of weather the Andersons brought their family to the log church for Sunday services.

They had eight children. They are Herlof, Minerva, Carmen, Willard, Dagny, Rudolph, Dorothy, and Lloyd.

Dr. P. 0 . C. Johnson was the family doctor and friend. The hard flu struck the Anderson family first. After they recovered, they helped Dr. Johnson doctor the others who were victims of the flu.

Mrs. Anderson died on April 6, 1956. Mr. Ander­son lives in Camas, Washington.

Carl Anderson Crossing Baker's Ferry on his Way to Williston for Lumber.

MR. AND MRS. IVER ARNEGARD

The Iver Arnegards came to McKenzie County in 1906 and homesteaded in Arnegard Township. Iver hauled logs from the Big Missouri River, 35 miles away, to build his log cabin. Since there were no roads and the logs were large, he could only haul three at a time. This way he built a sturdy 18 x 18 room. This is still a part of the house which stands on the homestead.

Iver used oxen when he first started to break up his

land for farming.

At the Ivei- Arnegard Farm

Iver was born near Mayville, N. Dak. on September 26, 1882. He married Clara Strom and they had two children, Eva and Melvin.

The Arnegards later took in her widowed mother and younger children and gave them a home.

During the depression the homesteaders had to mortgage. It was a bitter struggle against poverty. Later, when Iver got the loans paid, his eyes glistened with emotion as he showed his wife that they again had a clear deed to their home.

Iver was proud of his grandchildren and delighted in telling them stories and jokes. He always said there were two Santa Clauses, one black one and a white one.

Iver Arnegard died on May 17, 1950. Mrs. Arnegard survived her son-in-law, Walter Oberg,

daughter Eva, and son Melvin. Mrs. Anderson died on September 11, 1963.

MR. AND MRS. JORGEN ANDERSON

In 1915 Mr. and Mrs. Jorgen Anderson moved to Watford City from Fairview, Montana. They operated the Viking Hotel for many years.

Their daughter Gertrude used to play the piano for the silent movies.

Later on Mrs. Anderson had a boarding house in

her home. This was appreciated by teachers and single

people working uptown as there were no apartments.

Her house was just west of Owen's Studio. She also had

a few roomers.

Mrs. Anderson was commonly known to all her

patrons as "Ma" Anderson.

Mrs. Anderson, Daisy Rooney, Gertrude Anderson

Mr. Anderson was a carpenter and did much of this type of work in and around the Watford City area.

Their daughter, Gertrude, is now Mrs. Williams and lives at Long Beach, California.

255

OLE AND CHRIST ENGUM

Ole and Christ Engum, two brothers, came to Mc­Kenzie County from Norway. Before coming to McKen­zie County, they had worked in the Towner and Ber­wick area.

Christ and Ole made their home together in a

house built on the northeastern corner of Christ's land.

Christ was a strong, silent man who liked quiet and

solitude while Ole was just the opposite. Because of

this, they finally agreed that each should live in his

own house and in a simple divorce action, sawed their

house in two. Christ boarded up the open wall on his

share of the house, forming a small one-room shack

in which he lived until 1950 when he built a new

house. This he had wired and later hooked to the REA.

His stay in the house was quite short as he died in

February, 1957.

Ole moved his structure twenty rods to the east on

his own land. Then he added one more room and set

up housekeeping. This was home until he died on

October 4, 1961. Although they lived in separate

houses, they continued to do their farm work together

and shared the barn and well. Neither one ever de­

sired another partner in his home.

moved to Watford City.

Born October 17, 1881, at Metz, Alsace-Lorraine,

Germany, Jack was a son of Michael and Mary (Klop-

stein) Zeller. He attended school a year at Metz and

then continued his education at Shakopee, Minnesota,

where his folks settled after leaving Germany. In 1907

he came to McKenzie County. His wife, not caring for

pioneer life, never settled here. She returned to Min­

nesota and later died.

Mr. Zeller homesteaded on Sees. 34 and 35, T. 151,

R 98W, Garden Township, north of Schafer. His home­

stead is now leased by Olaf Satter.

Lady Maud, his brown harness racer, took Jack

daily to and from Schafer.

He was Watford's first postmaster, was also public

administrator and band master, his instrument the

trumpet. His Watford City Cowboy Band went on

trips and he toured with the Elks Clown Band, the

Williston, and others. A sports fan, he was baseball

umpire, and later sponsored a bowling team.

He married Leona M. Larson on Oct. 16, 1957. Wit­

nesses were Ellen E. Thorgramson and Joe Neubauer.

He was official weather man. He was a trustee of

the Epiphany Catholic Church, a democrat, an Elk,

and a charter member of Rotary.

He died on December 31, 1960. Mrs. Zeller lives in

Watford City. He has one sister, Mrs. Caroline Sim­

mons, of Minneapolis and two brothers, Frank of

St. Paul and Nicholas of Lisbon.

JOHN C. ZELLER

JOHN C. ZELLER

John C. "Jack" Zeller's middle name could have

been "Compassionate". When his wife asked him to

destroy moth larvae stripping their trees, he replied,

"They have a right to live."

Watford's first new building was Zeller Hardware,

opened May 1, 1914. Mr. Zeller bought a Main Street

lot and built a sizeable building.

His business experience antedates Watford City. He

was store manager for Kenyon and Rosing, Schafer

and kept this position under the succeeding owner,

the late Mr. Starling, until Schafer itself was mostly

ANTON J. ANDERSON

Anton J. Anderson came to North Dakota from

Wisconsin in 1904 along with his brothers Peter and

Ole and a sister Bertha and homesteaded south of

Keene, North Dakota.

In 1909 Thea Berget came here from Minnesota

and proved up on a homestead north east of Keene.

In 1912 they were married and lived on his home­

stead until his death in 1949. Since that time Mrs.

Anderson has made her home with her children dur­

ing the winter months and in the summer lives in her

little house on the farm. She now resides at the Good

Shepherd Home in Watford City.

There are six children. They are Margaret, Mrs.

John Rice of Keene; Phyllis, Mrs. Karl Ufer of Pull­

man, Washington; Lucille, Mrs. Lloyd Helseth of Min­

neapolis; Alice, Mrs. Ludwig Olsen of Willmar, Min­

nesota; Melvin of Watford City and Gerald of

Austin, Texas.

256

Mrs. Stutrud's Claim Shack, 1910

MR. AND MRS. M. 0. STUTRUD

Mr. and Mrs. Stutrud were married on March 30, 1916. Mrs. Stutrud, the former Anna Engum, came to McKenzie County from Norway. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stutrud had homesteaded in Norstog Township. They set up their new home on his homestead site. There they farmed and utilized the pasture land by raising horses and a herd of Holstein cattle. Mad bulls, run­away teams, and bucking horses were commonplace. Mr. Stutrud did not believe in tractors and he farmed his land with horses as long as he operated the farm.

Anna and Marius had three children. They are Gladys, Mrs. John Tandberg, of Glenburn, North Da­kota; Odin of Wahepton and Annette, Mrs. Don Findley of Green River, Utah.

Mr. Stutrud died in November, 1959.

Hannah Engum's Homestead Shack, 1910

In 1910 Hannah Engum, accompanied by her brothers

and sisters, came to McKenzie County. Hannah soon

married Christ Rudland and moved to Canada.

MR. AND MRS. OLE NESS

Ole Ness was born in Lordahl, Norway. He came to

this country with his parents and settled in Blair, Wis­

consin.

In 1903 he filed on a homestead five miles north of

Schafer and worked for ranchers Francis Kellog and

Lewis Bergen. His first equipment for farming was

four oxen and a plow.

On a return trip to Minnesota he met Emma Erie of

Owatonna, Minn. They both came back to McKenzie

County and were married by the Rev. Peder Arnstad

at the pastor's home.

They had one son, Ole U. He was born in April,

1912.

Mrs. Ness died on December 7, 1928, and Mr. Ness

on October 6, 1935.

Their son, Ole U., left the farm in 1936 and went to

Minneapolis. He married Edna Helseth. They have

nine children.

Ole died shortly after writing this at the early age

of 51.

LEONA VIOLET ZELLER

Leona M. Violet filed on her homestead on Novem­

ber 18, 1912. Her previous experience in Anoka, Min­

nesota, was useful at Schafer, where she worked on

the Schafer Record. The Thomas Violet family story

elsewhere in this book details her early years.

She was riding home one evening and noticed her

horse would shy. She stopped the horse, and saw not

far away a skunk holding the road by her shack. Very

carefully, her horse and she managed to get around

Mr. Skunk. She spent that night with her folks.

The next night she returned to her shack and the

skunks had taken possession. They were all around

and under it. Those days one didn't seal the under-

part tight. So next evening she brought back some

strychnine and placed it under her shack. Again she

spent the night with her folks. When she returned the

next night—no skunks, but the odor almost drove

one out of the country.

When things were quiet, her dad and helpful neigh­

bors raised the shack and found under it a skunk

family: father, mother and four babies. They moved

the shack and fumigated.

Leona recalls some happy times during her home­

stead days. The Cochrane girls from Duluth came dur­

ing summers to stay with their dad at the ranch. They

would pack up a lunch and go riding.

After Leona had been married for some years and

then widowed, she married John C. Zeller on October

16, 1957, by the Rev. Al P. Simon at Our Lady of Con­

solation Church, Alexander. Mr. Zeller died on De­

cember 31, 1960. Mrs. Zeller continues to reside in

Watford City.

Coffee time with Ole Ness seated on the binder and the Hel-seths.

257

McKenzie County's Famous Son

GOVERNOR GEORGE F. SHAFER

GOVERNOR GEORGE F. SHAFER

George F. Shafer was born to George and Eva Gates

Shafer at Mandan, Dakota Territory, on November 23,

1888. Later in that year his parents moved to the

Shafer Ranch, five miles east of Watford City.

Mrs. Shafer, the former Frances Kellogg, came over­

land with her family by covered wagon in 1902 from

Sundance, Wyoming, where she was born on February

18, 1891. After entering McKenzie County they entered

the ranching business.

George Shafer entered school in Williston at the age

of twelve. He graduated from the Williston High

School in 1908 and the University Law School in 1913.

After graduating, George returned to the town of Sha­

fer where he began his practice of law in a home­

stead shack. He served two terms as States Attorney

of McKenzie County.

Mrs. Shafer graduated from the Williston High

School in 1910 and the University of North Dakota in

1915. She and George were married on September 1,

1915, in Shafer where they lived for three years and

where their two sons, George and Richard, were born.

In the fall of 1918 they moved to Watford City.

Their third son Charles was born there.

Following the North Dakota recall election in 1921,

George came to Bismarck as an assistant Attorney

General under Sveinborn Johnson. The following year

George Shafer was elected Attorney General and held

that position until 1928, when he became a candidate

and was elected Governor, an office he held for two

terms. He was defeated in his bid for the United States

Senate in 1932 by Senator Nye.

During his term as Attorney General their only

daughter, Virginia, was born in 1924.

George Shafer was the youngest man ever to be

elected governor. This record still stands. He was also

the first native born son to become the state's chief

executive.

During the drought and depression years he was

successful in securing much help for the drouth strick­

en farmers in the form of seed and feed loans.

In 1929 Governor Shafer asked Phelps Wyman.

fellow American Society of Landscape Architects, to

go over the larger area of the Bad Lands near Medora

and report upon its possibilities and boundaries for

National Park purposes. All this was done as well as

legal procedures drawn up providing for the acquisition

of the Bad Lands for park purposes.

To Governor Shafer and the Capitol Commission

which he appointed goes the credit for the design of

our present state capitol, which is considered to be one

of the most efficient in the nation.

He was a member of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence

Seaway Commission and made the address at the Peace

Garden dedication.

As a private citizen he was a Kiwanian, Mason, Odd

Fellow, and a member of the State Bar. He was dis­

trict president of Kiwanis, the Boy Scouts, State

Bar and Red Cross of Burleigh County. It was said of

him that he was one of the best informed economic and.

political analysts in North Dakota.

Despite his life of serious usefulness, George F.

Shafer will also be remembered for his splendid sense

of humor, as well as his capacity for public speaking.

At the age of 59 he died on August 13, 1948. Mrs.

Shafer resides in Bismarck. The following lines are a

tribute to the late Gov. Geo. F. Shafer. "It is truly a

remarkable thing for a man to go through a long pub­

lic career keeping his ideals so high, his mind so clean,

his heart so kindly, his motives so unselfish, his life so

honest and so moral, as did George F. Shafer."

258

KNUT AND OLE BROHOLDEN

Knut and Ole Broholden came to the homestead in 1905. Their old mother came to make her home with them. She was a kind woman who was sort of a mid­wife to the community. She was helpless in bed for two years before she died, while the boys took care of her.

steading near the Bond ranch. The Rossi's enjoyed playing the organ in their home. One time when Rev. Holey, a Lutheran pastor stopped to see them, Rossi told him to come in "I'm a Catholic, but come in, we belong to the same God."

Mr. Rossi died in 1906 and was buried on his home­stead in a coffin made by Thomas Bond.

Knut called himself "Olson" while Ole kept his surname. Neither of the boys ever married. Maybe that is why they had money and were known as the "Banks Bankers." Many is the time they helped their neighbors out of "tough" financial troubles with money.

The two lived quite helpless with many infirmities for many years together, until finally in 1963 they were taken to a nursing home in Minot. Ole died shortly afterwards. Knut is still living but in poor physical condition in the nursing home.

Skogheim

L. E. SKOGHEIM

Lauritz Skogheim came to Twin Valley in the sum­mer of 1904, with his brother, and built a shack. He well remembers meeting Martin Iverson and wife. Mrs. Olaf Karlstad, and Mrs. Peder Simonson.

Although "Skogheim" never married, he had a deep admiration for the closely knit "pioneer family life." A factor in his staying single may be that he never used a razor in the early days, but one day his beard got unbearable, and he "burnt" it off in places. He heard a pretty girl by the name of Josephine Bell tell Dora Scott that "Skogheim wouldn't be such a bad looking fellow if his hair didn't look so funny," and at least he never burned it off again.

Skogheim was always a friend to the children. They were always running after him for candy and attention. Each young miss in the community at some time has received his specially designed calling cards, all fancied up with designs and verses.

As an octogenarian, he spends most of his time in the hotel in Watford City, but enjoys going to the old Banks area, where he lived so long and worked in the church. He was church secretary for years until they started to use the English language in the records.

His feats in the physical line are a constant, interest to young people, when he drives, skates, stands on his head and reads a newspaper without glasses.

LOUI ROSSI

The father of Loui Rossi came from Italy, home-

PEDER J.TEDERSON

Peder J. Pederson filed on a homestead in Cherry Township in 1910, later his wife and six children coming to this new home from Northfield, Minnesota. They arrived in Williston by train and from there, the journey had to be by horse-drawn surrey. Their fi­nances consisted of $25.00. They arrived at the home of Hans Rud where they stayed overnight, and then on to R. J. Folvens, where they were shown their sod shanty which was to be their home until later when a frame house was made.

Oxen was used for farm work as well as transpor­tation. Flax and wheat were the common crops. Their seamstress mother always had the children looking tidy and neat, and also through all their hardships, their Christian training kept their spirits up. Church was held in different schoolhouses. Here this .family, worked, played and prayed together.

Mr. Peterson died in 1931 and Mrs. Pederson died in 1951.

Their children are: Carsten, Minot, father of four boys. Marie, Mrs. T. B. Haagenson, Minot, with one daughter; Nellie, Mrs. Julius Haagenson, Salem, Oregon with one daughter; Willie drowned in Idaho in 1944. Arnold, Salem, Oregon, father of three children; Borg-hild, Mrs. Rudolph Folven, lived in Cherry Township until after Rudolph's death in 1962, where they were active in community and church activities, and where their friends were many and loyal. Borghild now makes her home in Williston.

BERT COVELL

Bert Covell was married to Thea Johnson in Duluth. Minn, in 1910 and three years later came to McKenzie County. Thea had come to this community with her parents in 1912. The young couple lived in a tent until they could build a shack. Covells lived in Redwing community for many years. Mr. Covell died in 1955 and his wife had passed away in 1927.

Their children are: Noma, Mrs. Howard Wehrung, Watford City; Norma, Anne, Wilma, Leon, and Edith have moved away.

259

BILL CATLIN

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Catlin, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Catlin and Nettie Catlin moved to McKenzie County from eastern N. Dak. in 1906 and homesteaded south of what is now Johnson Corners. Nettie Catlin was the first postmistress of the Catlin Post Office, which later became Croff, N. Dak. The post office was located in their log house, Nettie also held Sunday School in her home for the children of that community.

Jim Catlin purchased the Watford Hotel and Cafe in 1916, but it burned down in about 1925.

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Catlin, Nettie and Bill have passed away, but Mrs. Rose Catlin still lives. She has remar­ried and lives in Spokane, Washington.

Frances Catlin, a daughter of Bill, taught the Tepee Butte School and married Palmer Rogness in 1922, who with his parents had come to the Cherry community and homesteaded in 1910. In 1937 the Rogness' moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where they have since made their home. They have three children, all of whom were born in McKenzie County, Ruth. Shirley, and Duane.

MR. AND MRS. CARL PEDERSON

Carl Pederson was born in Trondhjem, Norway, on Mar. 9, 1872, coming to this country in 1890. Sina Simonson was born in Gulbransdalen, Norway on Nov. 1, 1875, coming to this country in 1901 and also settling in Cottonwood, Minn. Carl and Sina were mar­ried in 1903. In 1907 they came to the Twin Valle) township and homesteaded. They were active in the church, Carl serving as janitor for many years, and Mrs. Pederson being a charter member of the aid, and also a life member.

Mr. Pederson had failing eyesight for many years and spent the last five years of his life in total blind­ness. He died in 1947. Mrs. Pederson moved to Watford City to make her home, spending the last ten years of her life in a wheel chair, as a result of a broken hip. She died in 1959.

They have five children: Oscar and Melton, both of Watford City; Odelia, Mrs. Donald Reese, of Houlton. Wise ; Olga, Mrs. Herman Reese, of Stillwater, Minn.; and Lillian, Mrs. George Quale, of Keene, N. Dak. William died as a little boy. There are 12 grandchil­dren and 22 great grandchildren.

There were many experiences on the prairie, such as the time Mrs. Pederson was walking home and was attacked by a cow, which proved a painful experience, but no permanent injuries.

HARVEY AND HENRIETTA WEHRUNG

"Go west, young man," was what Harvey Wehrung had in mind when he came to N. Dak. in 1906 from New York. He blind-filed his land and then came and settled on his claim four miles northwest of the present site of Watford City. Henrietta Qualley came from Horace, N. Dak. 1907, with her brother, Harvey, who had homesteaded nearby. After one look at the country, Henrietta was ready to go back to the valley, but soon a neighborly romance began to bud and in 1908 Henrietta and Harvey were married, start­ing their life together on the prairie. Sad times and happy times ensued, as with everyone. During the flu epidemic Henrietta became ill and also her baby son. They lost the baby but her life was spared to raise the other children: Dora, Mrs. Otto Markman; Louise, Mrs. Andrew Johnsrud; Howard, Lester, and Christ, all who live in or near Watford City. Lloyd lives in Kentucky and Norman in New York.

Grain and cattle were prominent on the farm. In 1928 when a hail storm came, completely wiping out their crops, Harvey, the happy Dutchman, went out and gathered up a tub of hailstones, and said, "Well, let's make ice cream."

Harvey and Henrietta lived on their same place un­til they moved to Watford City in 1950. She died in November of the same year, and Harvey died in 1960, Their son. Howard, now farms the home place.

PETER HAGENSTON

Peter Hagenston filed on a homestead two miles southwest of Banks in 1910. He was working as a car­penter in Dazey when he loaded his team, cow, chick­ens, some household goods and tools in a box car and came to this country. His wife and two sons also made the trip.

They had a difficult time, arriving in a blizzard and too late to get the ferry, so they had to stay in Williston for the winter. There were many tough times, being short of money and weather treacherous. While their house was being built, winter set in, and they were still living in tents.

A son, Arthur, lives in Glendive, as does a daughter. Nora, Mrs. John Johnston.

The box car trip, wagon trip through the snow, the ferry crossing, snow covered tents with howling coyotes outside, made these people real pioneers.

260

Congratulations to Watford City

on

Their 50 Years of Progress

From

THE COMMUNITY OF

ALEXANDER

261

JOHN (JACK) LAWLAR

John Lawlar was born May 1, 1887, in Iowa, his father having come from Germany. Their name in Germany was Lala, but was changed when they came to the United States. Jack's mother was killed by lightning when he was little. Jack got the "home­stead fever" so came to North Dakota in 1906, and homesteaded two miles northwest of Watford City.

He married Harriet Glascock in 1912 at Rev. Bernt-son's homestead shack. Mrs. Lawlar, Harriet, was born in 1890, a daughter of J. J. Glascocks. She taught be­fore her marriage.

The Lawlars lived on the homestead until 1940 when they moved east to Cherry Creek, and here they lived until his death in 1954. Mrs. Lawlar died in 1961 after a long illness.

The Lawlars were pillars of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Lawlar was active in community activities, be­longing to Rebekahs, Homemakers Club, and Ameri­can Legion Auxiliary.

Included in the early reminiscing, Jack often talked of how he dug the church basement with the slip and fresno, the old days of the steam threshing machines, freighting from Williston, White Earth, and Schafer, and all the dances held in the homestead shacks.

The Lawlars had seven children: Nolan Eugene, Glen Thomas, Merrill J., Vivian, Mrs. Manfred Sig­nalness, Carroll Zane, all of Watford City; Betty June, Mrs. Charles Shobe of New Town; and Dorothy Ann, Mrs. Harry Middaugh of Lansford.

JOHN BURR

JOHN BURR

John Burr was born in Paynesville, Minnesota. He came to North Dakota and filed on a homestead in 1906. There were seventeen from the same town that came to North Dakota, and their homesteads all joined. They were the first emigrants to cross on the Baker Ferry. The homesteads were located in Farland and Kinning townships. There are just two of the seven­teen left—Herman Johnson, Sr. and John.

John Burr married Edith Pieper in 1909 and she died in 1934. They had one daughter, Lillian, who now lives at Richland Center, Wisconsin.

He well remembers the first 4th of July celebration in the pioneer country—in Schafer, and what a thrill! Scott Gore got the prize for the best bronco riding. John Burr still lives on the farm.

MR. AND MRS. RICHARD SIGNALNESS

Richard Signalness was born in 1878, at Starbuck,

Minnesota. He worked for the IHC when the first

wire tie binder was made, and also worked in

northern Minn, in the logging business.

He came to North Dakota in 1903 where he home­

steaded and still remains the location of the ranch.

A couple of Swedes by the name of the Swan Brothers

had adjoining homesteaders, but he bought them out.

He married Marion Maxwell, formerly of Detroit,

Michigan, who had also homesteaded in Perishing

Township.

Mr. Signalness served on Grail School board many

years, and was a director of the Arnegard News which

is now the McKenzie County Farmer. The farmers re­

senting the practices in the grain trade, led to the or­

ganization of the Nonpartisan League in 1915, of

which Mr. Signalness was an ardent worker. He was

elected state representative in 1925, together with Dr.

P. 0 . C. Johnson and Barney Iverson. Through his

efforts, the present highway # 2 3 and # 2 2 were

approved, and worked for the establishment of the

state elevator, four mill, exempt tax on farm land im­

provement, rural credit, and better schools. He in­

troduced the erection of the two bridges, the Little

Missouri and the Lost Bridge. Through his efforts and

Senator Frazier's, the grant for purchasing the Roose­

velt National Park was made.

Mr. Signalness was a great horseman and tells many

an incident of riding "green" horses.

There were four children: Manfred, on the home

ranch near Watford City; Alice, teaching in Reno,

Nevada; Florence, working as a dealer in Harold's

Club in Reno, where she has been many years, and

Audree, with Macy's in San Francisco.

Mr. Signalness died in 1941. Mrs. Signalness

moved to Watford City where she is still living.

262

MR. AND MRS. BARNEY IVERSON

Mr. and Mrs. Barney Iverson moved to Watford City

in 1926 after Barney had served the allotted two terms

as sheriff of McKenzie County. Mr. Iverson served as

a state representative, was in the meat market business

with the late "Barney" Langdon and then established

his own grocery business.

Mr. Iverson was born in Bitterstad, Norway, in

1886 and came to the United States at the age of 17.

He first located at Souris where he lived from 1903 to

1907. Coming to McKenzie County in 1907 he filed on a

homestead in Patent Gate Township. Barney Iverson

and Emma Mosby were married in April, 1913, and to

this union five children were born. They are Cecilia,

Mrs. M. C. Rude of Watford City; Iver of Boise,

Idaho; Emmar of Watford City; Aleda, Mrs. Allen A.

Nye of Redding, California; and Ellen, Mrs. Roy W.

Peterson of Auburn, California.

Mr. and Mrs. Iverson resided in Arnegard township

until the winter of 1922 when they moved to Schafer

following Mr. Iverson's election as sheriff.

Iverson's Grocery was operated in several different

locations on main street until Mr. Iverson built the

brick building which is now occupied by Maloney's

Cafe. Barney was known throughout McKenzie County

for the large selection of fish—in barrels, in wooden

pails, pickled, dried, smoked, and canned. Old-timers

will remember the process of getting the lutefisk ready

for sale before Thanksgiving and Christmas. Barney

had a large tank which was scrubbed and scrubbed,

then filled with cold water into which went the dried

lutefisk. The water would be changed many times, and

Barney would know exactly when the lutefisk was at

its best and ready for sale. One year a new clerk not

knowing the purpose of the tank assumed it was the

receptacle for the garbage. So that year the tank re­

ceived a double cleaning.

In 1948 Mr. and Mrs. Iverson sold the grocery busi­

ness to Mervin Johnson and returned to their Cabin

Bar Ranch in Arnegard Township.

Mr. Iverson died in 1952 and Mrs. Iverson now re­

sides in Watford City.

MR. AND MRS. EARNEST CAMPBELL

Earnest Campbell was born in Strathroy, Ontario, Canada, October 20, 1879. He moved to Larimore, N. Dak., in about 1900 and in 1907 he filed on a home­stead six miles northwest of Watford City in Farland Township.

Mrs. Campbell, the former Ada Clara Brown, was born at Kirkville, Iowa, September 13, 1882, and was mar­ried on March 11, 1908. She had filed on a homestead in 1906 after teaching for five years.

In 1916 they built a home in Watford City. He worked on dray lines and on other jobs until 1936 when they moved to Ellensburg, Washington.

Their children are Duncan of Watford City; Echo, Mrs. Jack Kennedy of Bellevue, Wash.; Jack R. of Seattle; E. A. Campbell of Alexandria, Va.; E. G. Campbell of Glendale, Calif.; Bonnie, Mrs. Harold War­ner of North Highlands, Calif.; June, Mrs. Frank Silveria, of Lodi, Calif.; Esther, Mrs. Al Walz, of Lodi, Calif.

OLE HAUGAN

OLE HAUGAN

Ole Haugan was born on April 2, 1888, in Flaa, Hal-lingdal, Norway, and came to Garden Township in 1910 and filed on a homestead.

In 1920 coal was discovered on his land and from then until 1938 he provided many people in the area and in Watford City with coal.

Having musical talent, Mr. Haugan furnished the accordion music at the neighborhood dances. His in­terest in music probably prompted his buying the first radio in the community. When the neighbors visited him, they enjoyed the opportunity to take turns listening, using the earphones. This could only be in the evenings as at first there were no radio programs during the daytime. This radio he bought from Pete C. Moe in 1924 for $160.00.

Mrs. Haugan died about six years ago. In the later years Mr. Haugan has spent the winters

elsewhere, always returning to the farm with the first signs of spring.

263

GEORGE SOCKNESS Spanish American War Veteran

George Sockness was born in Wisconsin in 1882. He was in the National Guard in Wisconsin and was called to the colors and served in Cuba under Douglas MacArthur in 1898.

George Sockness, after release from the service, came to McKenzie County by ox-driven cart in 1902 where he squatted on lands upon which he later filed.

He has never married, and still resides near Charl-

MR. AND MRS. GEORGE BAUER

Mr. and Mrs. George Bauer were among the first people to settle in Watford City. Mrs. Bauer, the for­mer Ella Nelson, was born at Horace, N. D. She home­steaded in the Farland Community, taught school and later was employed as a clerk in the Arnegard Mer­cantile Store at Arnegard before going to Watford City where she also was employed as a clerk in the Walla and Vildmo Store.

Mr. Bauer was born at New Munich, Minn. He came to Schafer as a barber in 1913 and moved to Watford City in 1915 continuing in this trade.

Mr. and Mrs. Bauer were married Dec. 28, 1916, at Fargo. Their three children are graduates of Watford City High School; Mrs. Ray Hall (Ruth) resides at Grand Forks; Donald at Tarzana, Calif, and Vernon at Sturgis, S. Dak.

Mr. Bauer passed away May 5, 1956. Mrs. Bauer continues to live at Watford City except for winters she spends with Donald and family in Tarzana, Calif.

BERNT ANDERSON

Bernt Anderson was born in Norway April 4, 1886. He came to the United States when 18. In April 1909 filed on a homestead in McKenzie County. In the fall he bought $50 worth of lumber, built a shack, a bed, table and chair. McKenzie County has been his home ever since. When he came, none of the good farm land was left and a homesteader was allowed to buy anoth­er 160 acres if it adjoined his, so he bought a quarter section.

In 1910, he hired a neighbor to break up 30 acres and seed flax. It yielded four loads of bundles and he

hauled it 8 miles to get it threshed. It had cost $4.00 an acre to have the land broken and after selling his share, there was not enough to pay this. He bought 43 cattle and 15 horses and 3 years later he bought 6 more cattle and 14 horses. Horses at that time sold from $350 to $400 a team and many homesteaders when they proved up, started farming and were looking for horses. They generally borrowed enough on their land to buy a team or two.

He was married in 1911 and has 2 daughters and 2 sons.

In 1912 he had a bumper crop, but wheat sold for 500 to 600 a bushel and flax 970. Most everybody had a good oat crop so had enough feed for their horses.

He is still in the cattle business, no work horses, just saddle horses. In 1960, he put up an automatic feedlot system to fatten a few cattle each year.

He had served on the school board and Elm Tree Township Board, Republican precinct committeeman and county chairman. In 1936 he was elected as State Representative from McKenzie County and re-elected to serve 6 terms.

SIMON SIVERTSON

Bones of the last team of oxen used in McKenzie County lie in a coulee on Simon Sivertson's home­stead in North Fork Township. 12 miles east of Watford City.

Simon was born July 6, 1871 at Vardo, Norway. Sim­on and his brothers were fishermen in Norway.

In 1894 Simon married Albe'rtina Hoehr. His sur­name, following the old custom, became Sivertson (Son of Sivert). Shortly thereafter he and his wife took as a foster daughter little Anna Charlotte Johnson. The child was 11 years old when the Sivertsons brought her to the U. S. in the fall of 1906.

They arrived at Joice, Iowa, where Simon had a cousin, Hartwig Sorenson, father of the late Emil Sorenson of Watford City.

In April, 1910 Simon and family came west to Schafer. He filed on land east of there, along North Fork Creek and began to dig their first home, a warm and comfortable dugout, then went on to dig a chicken house. Later they had a frame house.

In May, 1934, Mrs. Sivertson died and April 8, 1945 Anna passed away. Until 3 years ago, Simon continued to live alone on his place. Retired, he now lives at the Arnegard Old Peoples Home.

264

J. M. Uhlman at left, in Paris, 1911

A tragic destiny awaited James McEwen "Mac" Uhlman, born April 11, 1854, at Chelsea, Nova Scotia. In March, 1878, he married Millie Dean Jaynes at Liverpool, N. S.

In 1884 several related families immigrated to the U. S. settling in Wisconsin. Children of the Mac Uhl-mans were Ted, Cecelia, Elbridge, Lettie and Eugene. Mac and his brother Martin raised and sold horses.

In 1891 Mac went west to two-year-old North Dakota, crossing the Missouri south of Williston into unset­tled rangeland. Here, as partner and manager, he helped establish the second largest ranch in that country, the Morning Star Cattle Company, with headquarters on Birdhead Meadows along the bottoms. In 1893 the Morning Star bought out Landers and Green who had purchased the spread from the Stroud Brothers of Texas, original owners. Morning Star partners also in­cluded Jeffrey Hanley, Cornelius, Robert and Elijah Jaynes, Martin and Thad Uhlman. The range had to be stocked, line, cow and hay camps located, summer and winter headquarters built. Riders served as fences, controlling grazing and keeping cattle from drifting.

On a trip to Wibaux, Mont, to get a cattle ship­

ment, the now-famous Birdhead brand originated. It

was decided to brand the critters before driving them

overland to the Birdhead to prevent them from mix­

ing incognito with other herds on the way home. Thad

Uhlman had some blacksmithing experience, so he

shaped the branding iron on a borrowed forge, using

as a model a hasty sketch of a birdhead.

Two-and four-legged predators had to be dealt with.

Uhlmans' greyhound pack one year killed seven wolves

and 350 coyotes. Under Sheriff Goodall, Dickinson.

Mac Uhlman was one of the deputies who with other

sheriffs and cattlemen captured the notorious rustler

McPeak and his gang.

In 1904 he sold his Morning Star interests and set­

tled on the North Fork of Cherry Creek west of Schafer.

He held squatter's rights until filing June 10, 1909

and establishing his EIL ranch, named for his brand.

The log house became home to his family who had pre­

viously stayed summers. They brought their piano.

Haviland china and other possessions, including Old

Frank, family driving horse. A town horse, he ran

straight into a bog hole when first turned out to pas­ture. After being rescued, plastered with mud, he thereafter stayed close to home!

Cecelia taught the first school in McKenzie County, opened in August 1905.

In 1908 Mr. Uhlman brought thoroughbred horses from Kentucky.

Eugene recalls shipping, in 1910, 1100 cattle from the ranches of Jeffrey Hanley, Cal Dodge, Judge Kellogg and the Uhlmans. Riders ate at the chuck wagon and spread bedrolls on the prairie, some riding night herd. Cattle were held south of Avoca near Crazy Man's Coulee, awaiting loading.

A hay camp bought from Jay Grantier, east of Rough Creek on the Big Missouri, became the main Uhlman ranch, now operated by Lettie Uhlman Kel­logg and her son Thomas and family. Lettie's daugh­ter, Millie Jean (Mrs. Arnold Ceynar), lives with her husband and sons on the ranch along the Little Mis­souri south of Arnegard.

In his efforts to improve livestock quality, Mr. Uhl­man in 1911 took his foreman and friend, Art Bond, to Europe to buy draft horses. Mr. Bond visited his mother at his childhood home in England while Mr. Uhlman went to Belgium and France. He spent weeks with the famous C. Joye & Sons of Valadaloo near Dixmunde, Belgium, accompanying Emery H. Joye to Horse shows and sales. Camille Joye, 24, a good horse man who spoke four languages, returned with the North Dakotans to visit and help care for the horses.

After the voyage they entrained by fast express to

the International Livestock Show at Chicago. In the

foggy morning of December 6, 1911 their train crashed

into a wrecked freight which had in turn plowed into

a stalled train at Devil's Bend near Manor, Pa. Their

steam engine rolled down an embankment, horse cars

and passengers on top. The engineer and everyone

else were scalded to death in the worst railroad

accident of that time. The carcasses of $75,000 worth

of horses were buried in a trench near the scene.

Mrs. Uhlman passed away in Williston April 30,

1927. Elbridge was killed in a hunting accident. Teda

(wife of Dr. Fred V. Watson) died in Hollywood, Cal­

ifornia.

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Uhlman live in Williston at

the old Uhlman home. He has a chiropractic practice.

Lettie Uhlman Kellogg, still an ardent rancher and

horsewoman, divides her time between her Watford

City home and the ranches of her son and daughter

and families, where she rides on the cattle and helps

with other tasks as needed.

265

School History "The Foundation of Every State is the Education of lis Youth"

1 9 1 4 - - 1 9 1 9 Diogenes

CROFF SCHOOL

Curtis Williams, Telford Anderson, Lloyd Olson, George Clark, Harold Lillibridge, Willie Clark, Earl Olson, Raymond May, Hilda Anderson, Violet Aldrich, Pearl Clark, Osie Clark, Susan Luvick, Lucille Green, Nettie Green, Grace Lillibridge, Bethel Kilmer, Frances Catlin. Teacher Charles O'Rodnic

As Watford City had its beginning in 1914, develop­ing by a process of evolution from Schafer, so also does the history of its school originate with Schafer and rural schools of the area. Items from records and memories of those earlier years best illustrate the founding and growth of the present school.

The birth of McKenzie County Schools took place at Schafer in August, 1905, when the first school (des­tined to be almost the last country school) was opened in the Frank Gonion homestead shack. Cecelia Uhl­man was the first teacher. Boxes around the dining table served as seats. Pupils came on horseback or walked and shared the few books. Enrollment included John and Christine Belgarde, Charles, Fred and Katy Schafer, Lettie and Eugene Uhlman and James Oeder. Merton S. Starr was the first superintendent of schools and made his visits by saddle hotse. In later years Mr. Starr remarked that as he received no salary or mile­age, and believing that his duties warranted some compensation, he "married the teacher."

In 1914 Schafer school opened the fall term with A. A. Feir as principal, Laura Randall, intermediate and Maud Larson, primary teachers. F. J. Steffeck was

SCHAFER SCHOOL ABOUT 1912.

Miss Ankerman and Miss Hagen, Teachers

CECELIA UHLMAN, FIRST TEACHER IN McKENZIE

COUNTY

county superintendent and traveled by Model T Ford. Primary classes were held in the Adams building to "relieve crowded conditions." It is said that this build­ing once housed a bar. The same facilities provided the former customers also served the pupils.

Five schools in McKenzie County qualified for state aid. Schafer, as a second class consolidated school received $166.66; Arnegard and Berg, first class ru­ral, $92.00 each; Twin Valley and Elm Tree, second class rural, $61.00 each.

Notice was published that teacher's examinations would be held at Schafer, Alexander and Charlson. Those teaching on permits or whose certificates ex­pired soon were to appear and come "provided with pens and ink."

Signal school near Tobacco Garden, Grace Larson, teacher, gave a skating party, basket social and dance. Proceeds were used to purchase books. Schafer school closed its most successful term. Patrons were pleased with pupil's progress and improved conditions. A second year of high school was to be added. Plans were being completed for a 1915 teacher's summer school offering special courses relative to certificates and review subjects. A 1915 school census showed a total of 2069 children of school age in the county.

With the coming of the railroad and founding of Watford, Schafer businessmen were gradually moving to the new town. Thus Watford school drew many of its first pupils from Schafer and nearby rural areas.

Known as "The Little Red School House," the first school building was of rural origin. Formerly the McCurdy school about two miles southwest of town, it was moved in the fall of 1913 to a location just southwest of the J. C. Richardson residence in what was then an oat field. It served until the new school was built on the hill west.

266

WATFORD CITY'S FIRST SCHOOL, 1914

From 1. to r. The first teacher in Watford City, Ada Corser, the children beginning from the teacher are 3 boys, the Clint Randall boys, the boy with the mitt is Billy Hagen, next the Barrett boys, Austin and Clint Richardson, Matt Fritz, the tall girl is a Smith girl, second one is a Robinson girl.

1914-1919 A report by the teacher, Ada Courser, dated in 1914,

listed pupils as Bridget, Dora, Pat, Ardelia and Annie McCurdy, Clara Courser, Almira, Edna, Ella, Ethel, Mary, and Lloyd Smith, Alice and Mabel Osing, Grace Randall, Glenn Scollard, Ella and Paul Schmidtke, Mildred Ledyard, Myrtle Siebold, Arthur Soar, Frank Randall, Harold Fritz, and Paul Kruger. The enroll­ment evidently changed somewhat during the first use of this building as other pupils arrived.

The report also stated that "repairs were badly need­ed to stove, desks, windows, door and clock." Maps, blackboards and books were required. There had been one visit from the superintendent, none from parents.

The teacher's salary was $55. It is recalled that on opening day the building was

already overcrowded. The "overflow" was then trans­ported to Schafer. All pupils from east of Main St. were to attend Schafer school, the area then being in Schafer district.

Ideal district advertised for bids for a new school building at Watford, July, 1915. Farland was com­pleting a new two room consolidated school, the pupils to be transported by wagons. Five acres of adjoining land had been purchased for experimental agricultural work. The county now had six consolidated and five classified schools drawing state aid.

The contract for the new two story, four-room Watford school was let to J. P. Johnson on a bid of $4000 in September, 1915.

Ideal district listed 68 children of school age for the 1915 fall term. Classes were held in the Farmers Hall and "The Little Red School."

Schafer school still had an enrollment of 52 pupils in 1918. The school auxiliary served a fund raising lunch for twenty cents per plate. Theodore Kellogg was chosen to represent Schafer school at the state declamatory contest in Grand Forks and Mollie Hef-fron, well-remembered Schaferite, was on the teaching staff.

North Dakota women could not vote on Senate Bill 134 affecting the school system, in an opinion by At­

torney General Langer in 1919. By 1919 the foundation for high school activities, which succeeding classes would build upon, had been laid. A promising basket­ball team had been organized. Arnegard and Alexander were usually the opponents although the team even traveled as far as Fairview—by train. There was no lack of school spirit or public support. Home games were played in the Christensen hall. Surviving parti­cipants recall the hazard of the large brick chimney extending up through the floor until it was finally padded to reduce collision casualties. Games were often followed by dancing.

Typical of those early hoop contests was one in which Fairview visited Watford City. The visitors pub­licly expressed appreciation for the splendid sportsman­ship shown by the Watford boys and hearty thanks for the fine supper and dance which lasted until 2:30 AM. Unfortunately for the record, the score was Fair-view, 57; Watford City, 7.

One of the first dramatic efforts, a three act play, "All On Account of Polly," was presented. Directed by H. F. Clark and Miss Mott, it was well received by a large audience. Proceeds of $92.00 went toward pay­ment on the school piano.

Schafer school served that area until 1962, when the final page was turned. Its six pupils were transferred to Watford City, thus ending an era and completing the transition begun almost fifty years before.

i I

THE WATFORD SCHOOL IN 1916

FRONT ROW, 1. to r.: Kenneth Hagen, Clarence Holm, Royce Newman, Losk, Alice Frazee. CENTER ROW, 1. to r.: Agdis Vildmo, Alfred Krueger, Denzil Scollard, Paul Martin, Abe Losk, Herman Anderson, Julia Moe. BACK ROW: Esther Malkewick, Myron Stoughton, Rena Rolfsrud, Lois Shirk, Edith Me-nenga, Eva Karpyak, Teacher: Mollie Heffernan.

267

Harry Clark—First High School Superintendent of Watford City.

First Basketball Team. Left to right: Al­bert Braaten, Raymond Bergum, (Cap­tain), Andrew Evanger, Edgar Gunderson, Herman Johnson, and H. F. Clark, (Coach).

1919-1920

In the north room of the white schoolhouse on the high windy west hill the freshmen and sophomores, along with the eighth grade pupils, were ensconced in their study hall. Harry Clark was the principal and affection­ately called "Prof" by his students. Some classes were beld in the base­ment and some in the library. French was taught that year.

Dave Scollard was the janitor and every morning, noon and evening, he spun a few fine old march records on the victrola on the stair landing as all the pupils marched into and out of the school building in orderly files.

They had a good basketball team that year, coached by Mr. Clark, and captained by Raymond Bergem. Many remember the game with Arnegard and the return game.

Country pupils often did light housekeeping in rented rooms or "batched" together in small shacks. The shacks were cozy but it was risky business for young people to handle the coal stoves and set them right so they would not burn the place down during school hours, or at night.

A brother and sister (Mabel and Edgar Gunderson) woke up one spring morning to an eerie half light and found they were completely snowed in. After a few moments of near panic, the young people settled down to an all-day session of home work, in the tomb-like stillness. Towards evening someone remembered there was a shack there where the stovepipe was thrust up through the snow, and began digging.

1920-1921

First Girl's Basketball Team. Left to right: Hilda Anderson, Inga Lofthus, Lenore Mc­Namara, Mable Oseng, Jessie Gunderson, Mable Gunderson.

This is the first girl's basketball team of the high school. For the uniforms of the day, each girl pleated and sewed a bloomer from four yards of black sateen. The girls played against the boys and fol­lowed boys' rules.

The boys' team played the teams west of town as far as Fairview. They rode on the railroad branchline. Harry Clark coached both teams.

A class of manual training was held in the basement, where wood­work was the main project. All work was done by hand, no electricity. Students made plant stands, small tables and even some nice library tables.

A Bible history class was taught one day a week by a pastor, and this netted the student a half credit toward graduation. In spring, Achievement Day Track meet was held for boys and girls, with hi-jump, broad jump, pole vaulting and shot put.

Faculty, left to right: Mrs. V. G. Mor­ris, Prof. O. K. Omlid, Myrtle Simp­son, Bertina Goldbert, Arthur C. Bar-ringer (coach) and Mrs. Spearin is not shown.

1921-1922

Through the twenties each year a school Literary Society was organized for high school students and eighth graders.

The monthly programs were made up of debates, plays and skits, and music.

Extra subjects were taught this year so that a number of students graduated as juniors.

Basketball, left to right: George Bar-ringer, coach, Austin Richardson, Ot­to Gamache, Howard Taylor, Ervin Day, Vincent Thomas, and Hans Nel­son.

268

1922-1923

The first high school graduation was held May 31, 1923, in the Christensen Hall. These five students re­ceived diplomas: Jessie Gunderson, Valedictorian, Lil­lie Klamm, salutatorian, Erven Day, Ella Moe and Gusta Hovrud. Erven Day gave an oration on "Ameri­can Ideals." The Hon. J. S. Taylor gave the class ad­

dress and the Rev. Malkewik gave the invocation and benediction. Miss Edwina Knecht presented the diplo­mas. The class motto was "We finish to begin." A. M. Spall was the superintendent. The class sent out an­nouncements but took no graduation picture.

SUPT. A. M. SPALL AND MRS. SPALL

(Valedictorian) JESSIE GUNDERSON

(Salutatorian) LILLIE KLAMM

At the beginning of the school year some of the juniors went to other schools for their senior year; but. these five stayed and took up extra subjects and so gained enough credits to graduate.

This year the basketball boys were the champions

and received the trophy. Players were Clarence Allex, Howard Taylor, Austin Richardson, Grant Day, Mel­vin Jacobson, Erven Day and George Barringer. Art Barranger was coach. Art and George are brothers.

( s» *" l"

J "The Old Gang" 1923 ELLA M. MOE ERVEN W. DAY

1923-1924 This is the picture of the second graduation class of

sixteen students with one not in the picture, Glenn Scollard.

This is probably the first year that a full four year high school schedule was taught. The boys and girl's basketball teams were active and the Literary Society had added a new item, mock trials.

The town paper stated that Ideal School District of­ficers have resolved not to hire any more married women as teachers.

Another statement said that in correcting examina­tion papers, teachers found that pupils who attended regularly did better than those who entered school in November and December.

CLASS OF 1924

TOP ROW, left to right: Clarence Allex, Vincent Thomas, Walter Thomas, Philip Johnson. CENTER, left to right: Grant Day, Ruby Thomas, Glenna Rud, Blanche Spearin, Norma Rud, Paul Kruger. BOTTOM, left to right: Howard Taylor, Ann Moe, Austin Richardson, Marie Mennenga and Neil Robb.

1925-1929

The class of 1925 was the third class to graduate and just a little smaller than the previous year. Those graduating were Grace Bergeron, Myrtle Folven, Mabel Farness, Elwin Hanna, Melvin Jacobson, Helen Karp­yak, Mabel Oseng, Russell Randall, Myrtle Siebold. Mabel Skoglund, Daisy Smith and Marion Truesdell. There were 34 ninth graders, 24 tenth graders and 13 eleventh graders.

The high school and grades were attending classes in the white school on the hill plus the basements of the Lutheran and Presbyterian churches. In 1925 it was decided to start construction of a new brick build­ing where the Watford City High School building is now located. This new building was completed in the closing days of that year and was dedicated on Monday. January 4, 1926. Classes were started shortly there­

after. The school board consisted of C. H. Evenson, H. L. Moe. Mrs. H. P. Lundin and W. S. Shirk, clerk. A local hardware man, J. P. Christensen, served as inspector of the school construction because of his experience as a carpenter. He served voluntarily and without pay. This new building housed our new gym­nasium and was somewhat of an improvement over the Christensen Hall where the previous basketball teams had practiced and played their games. This new gym was very small by today's standards and would have about ^4 the overall space that the present gym has.

The class of 1926 was the first to graduate from the new building. The following were graduates in 1926: Alice Gunderson, William Hagen, Arnolda Hallan, Annie Johnsrud, Marie Klamm, Helen Klamm. As-

Watford City High School Supt. Uglum at track meet

1925 basketball team: STAND­ING, left to right: William Ha­gen, Elwin Hanna, Melvin Ja­cobson, Elling Nelson, Russell Randall, SITTING: Floyd Sax

Arnolda Hallan, Myrtle Fol­ven, Fannie Kremcnetsky, Myrtle Siebold, Alice Gun­derson, Marion Truesdell, Grace Bergeron

Girl's basketball team: STANDING, 1. to r. Helen Spearin, Maxine Johnson, Esther Mal­kewick, Inger Eide, Ruby Dunn. FRONT ROW: Vesta Johnson, Elizabeth Strand., Mabel Benson.

nes Nelson, Olive Niehus, Hannah Ness, and Florence Olson. This year there were 62 ninth graders, 18 tenth graders and 19 eleventh graders enrolled.

It was during these and previous years that the basketball teams, both girls and boys, traveled in the cold winter weather by team and bobsled to Arnegard and Alexander to play their scheduled games. This, of course, added all the fun of an old fashioned hayride, but meant an early start in order to be there in time

for the opening whistle. Travel to Fairview and Sidney was usually by train and was really a trip for the youngsters of our day, as it meant two nights of staying at hotels when they scheduled Fairview and Sidney on the same trip.

Basketball and track were the main sports endeavors, in that order, during this period of our school sports activities. Football had not yet started in our school, mostly because of a small enrollment. Track, however,

270

1925-1929 - cont.

did produce some very fine athletes for Watford City and was enthusiastically received by local sport fans.

The class of 1927 was to be the largest up to this time, 23 in number. They were Irene Allex, Myrtle Amundson, Lottie Berg, Myrtle Bolgen, Cora Dahlgren, Ruth Folven, Erie Gard, Robert Graham, Aloysius Hoff­man, Elleanora Hovrud, Olga Johnson Lassey, Bernice Helle, Ellen Nelson, Mabel Peterson, Kate Shelley, Mar­tha Satter, Kermit Sannes, Floyd Sax, Gladys Smith, Mary Smith, Clara Suby, Beatrice Stillwell and Harold Wester. This class was to publish the first school an­nual and the name chosen for it was "The Lone Wolf." It proved to be a very interesting project and the old copies that are still in existence are cherished by those who still have them. Cora Dahlgren, now Mrs. Henry Wold of Watford City, designed the picture of the "Lone Wolf" and the cover for the first annual with considerable help from W. S. Graham, who was then editor of the Watford Guide. There were 30 ninth graders, 45 tenth graders and 22 eleventh graders en­rolled this year.

The class of 1928 was larger by one than the class of the previous year. There were six high school teachers including the superintendent and six grade teachers. The class consisted of these students: Sylvia Mathistad, Agnes Rolfsrud, Mabel Rolfsrud, Mable Ben­son, Virginia Jorgensen, Fannie Smith, Everett Day, El­ling Nelson, Joseph Malkewick, Russel Dunn, Martha Braaten, Adelia Pederson, Hanry Aarhus, Carl Stillwell. Frances Allex, Alma Aarhus, Clarence Holm, Ruby

Dunn, Bertha Okland, Helen Spearin, Esther Malke­wick, Violet McMaster, Cora Gunderson, Marjorie Scol­lard and Beatrice Bergee.

Watford City did well in basketball that season hav­ing won nine games and losing four. The oddity of the season was that Williston twice defeated Watford City by a score of 10 to 9, which sounds more like a baseball or football game, but the style of play was much different at that time and the games were very rough.

This was one of the first years that domestic science, more commonly known now as home economics, was taught in our school. Also offered was a commercial course, a class in general science, social science, and natural science. This was also the first year that a school band came into being and was a very good one. The band director the first year was Mr. Harold Njaa. A picture of this band is available and shows the north end of our new gym.

Professor Holt of the University of North Dakota was the speaker for the commencement exercises on Wednesday, May 26, 1928.

This was the year that our school was placed on the list of classified high schools. There were 50 ninth graders, 30 tenth graders, and 40 eleventh graders.

The class of 1929 was by far the largest to graduate from Watford City High School up to this time, 40 in number. There is no picture available, so the names of the graduates are listed as follows: Tina Arends, Earl Barbour, Echo M. Campbell, Meredith Chappell, Ralph

Christensen, Inger Eide, Evelyn Erickson, Frances Ewen, Margit Fetveit, Beatrice Gilbertson, Edward Grantier. Kenneth Hagen, Guy Hildbrant, Maxine Johnson, Max­well Johnson, Eva Karpyak, James Kennedy, Augusta Lee, Edith Mennenga, Edith Moen, Albert Nelson, Vir­ginia Newman, Violet Neihus, Irene Nyberg, Olaf Ol­son, Ragna Rolfsrud, Danzil Scollard, Lois Shirk, My­ron Stoughton, Gladys Suby, Dorothy Teague, Wilma Van Dyke, George Valinski, Agdis Vildmo, Helen

Wheeler, Olga Berg, Roy Jacobson, Nels Skaar, Mer­rill Sax, and Philip Scollard. There were 45 ninth graders, 39 tenth graders and 26 eleventh graders en­rolled.

The commencement address was given by George Shafer, then governor of North Dakota and a native son of McKenzie County. The exercises were held on Monday, May 27, 1929. The salutatorian was Maxine Johnson and the valedictorian was Meredith Chappell.

271

THE CLASS OF 1929

THE WATFORD CITY HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA

1928 BASKETBALL TEAM L.—R.: H. G. Larsen, coach, Elling Nelson, Merrill Sax, Everett Day, Les Allex, Olaf Olsen, Ralph Christensen, Roy Jacobson, Ken Hagen

272

1930

The year of 1930 was a very active year. Enroll­ment was 166 in high school with two drop outs. The maximum seating capacity of the assembly was 165.

Glee Club was organized with a total of 62. This club was divided in two, as it was thought to be too large. The girls wore white skirts, black jackets and tams. They sang in various rural schools for entertain­ment. Library was open on Monday for boys, Tuesday for girls, and on Friday for both boys and girls. There was a space at the blackboard in which each one going to the library would sign his name. Only five at a time were allowed in the library at a time, with a time limit of five minutes.

The first Latin Class was given with seven students partaking. Lone Wolf Howls, school news was publish­ed in the Watford City Guide. The advanced type­writing class typed the school notes. Chicken-pox was making its rounds. To safeguard the pupils, it was deemed necessary by school authorities and health of-

SENIOR CLASS SKIP DAY

Mrs. Mildred Christenson, Teacher

ford City football team was entertained at a banquet at the end of the season. The banquet was in the form of a candle-light ceremony. The affair was sponsored and paid for by the coach, 0 . C. Evans and Superin­tendent H. R. Tonning.

The names of the graduating class of 1931 are val­edictorian, Virginia H. Newman, salutatorian, Ruth Malkewick, Knut A. Ambjor, Margaret E. Anderson, Phyllis J. Anderson, Mabel Bergee, Agnes Christen­sen, Dorothy Helen Kohler Day, Nora Granli, Karmon

ficers that anyone contracting chicken-pox must remain out of school for one week while affected with it and must secure a permit from a local physician before returning to school. A white porcelain drinking foun­tain was installed. One cent to five cents per pupil and twenty-five cents from teachers was collected to­ward a Ben Eilson Memorial.

Students with 90 per cent grade average were ex­empted from examinations.

A Charter for the Future Farmers of America Club was applied for. The Watford City Chapter was called "G. F. Shafer Chapter" in honor of Governor Shafer who lived in this community. The first sink with run­ning water was installed in the home economics room. The annual North Dakota high school paper contest sponsored by the University of North Dakota awarded the local high school paper published weekly in the Watford City Guide, second place. The superintendent was Ivar Knapp.

1931 The girls and boys basketball teams won many

games. The girls won second place in basketball at Williston with nine teams competing. Former Watford City High School pupil, Ralph Johnson, made boxing reputation at Mason City, Iowa.

A theatre party was substituted for Junior-Senior banquet. The Juniors decided to take the Seniors to a show at Williston. The date and show was picked by the class advisors. They had lunch, cafeteria style, after the show at Hogan's Cafe for 25? per plate. The Wat-Holm, Myrtle Iverson, Belle Johnson, Gertrude Johns­rud, Alexander Koshman, Noah Losk, Florence Maston, Edwin Opsta, Marian Rishel, Edna Seibold, Clara Skaar, T. Melvin Stenslie, Lillian Veeder, Orville Amundson, Ellen Berg, Ruby Berg, Lloyd Bruins, Hen­ry Dahl, Myrtle Garde, Francis Harmon, Lillian Hovet, Aldin Johnson, Angus Kennedy, Jr., N. Eugene Law­lar, Roger McLucas, Margaret Olsen, Casper Richardson, Garvin Sandsmark, Alice Signalness, Juliette Smesrud, Julia Thompson, Selma Walla and Jessie Vildmo.

273

1932 The sports of the school were not as active in 1932

due to depression, making it hard to purchase all the equipment needed. Although, Watford City did finish fifth in its basketball tourney at Williston.

Cecelia Iverson won first place in the district typ­ing contest held at Williston. She earned the right to participate in the state contest at Grand Forks.

Kenneth Richardson, a grade pupil, age 13, saved two boys from drowning. They were Junior Brader-ick, 10, and Jimmy Curran, 10, both rescued by Ken­neth when they shouted for help after having become too exhausted to swim farther. This happened at Sandy Creek.

There were 160 pupils enrolled in high school with

H. R. Tonning, superintendent and Edwin Dobbic, principal.

The class motto for 1932 "We Finish to Begin." The other graduates were: Solveig Ambjor, Erling

Broderson, Oscar Brodson, Laura Evenson, Agnes Fet­veit, Melford Fritsvold, Martha Forland, Myrtle Gun­derson, Edna Henderson, Helene Helgeson, William Johnson, Douglas Kennedy, Flora Kennedy, Velma Kohler, Eleanor Lawlar, Glen Lawlar, Phyllis Madsen, Harold Moe, Hans Nelson, Bessie Olson, Bartil Ostrem, Sigurd Peterson, Hanna Rolfsrud, Norman Rolfson, Donald Richardson, Alfhild Sandsmark, Byron Schel-

tens, Florence Smith, Carl Stillwell, Carroll Strand, Edith Skardron, Jesse Shelley, and Lila Veeder.

FLORENCE SMITH, Valedictorian

CECELIA IVERSON, Salutatorian 1933

This year the school was not very active again due to depression. The basketball team won all but two games this season.

The Mason Lodge of Watford City entertained the school faculty to a banquet and other entertainment during the evening.

Six high school teachers were hired for the year at salaries of $100 per month, except the principal, who could get $125 per month. The school superintendent was paid $1850.

The school was again headed by H. R. Tonning and Robert Starr, principal. The graduates were: valedic­torian, Madeline Newman, salutatorian, Frances Losk, Magnus Aasen, Alice Bergee, Howard Degerness, Avis Engebretson, Bergit Erickson, Adeline Fagerstrom, Clar­ence Finsaas, Linez Folven, Gerna Hamre, Iver Iver­son, Bessie Jacobson, Gunhild Johnson, Jean Johnson, Myrtle Johnston, Ruth Kuntz, Roald Peterson, Doris

274

Rossi, Lilly Skaar, Neil Skaar, Mildred Stoughton, Jes­sie Thorsrud, Rachel Vandegrift, and Margaret Vildmo.

According to the Friday, May 12th issue of the Lone Wolf, Madeleine Newman was the most athletic girl; Clarence Finsaas, the most athletic boy; Roald Peterson, the most popular boy; Rachel Vandegrift, the best actress; Linez Folven, the best actor; Gerna Hamre, the most studious girl; Alice Bergee, the most mischievous girl; Iver Iverson, the most mischievous boy; Jennie Thorsrud, the most talkative girl; Magnus Aasen, the most talkative boy; Neil Skaar, the most bashful boy; Frances Losk, the high school politician; Adeline Fagerstrom, the high school flapper; Howard Degerness, the high school bachelor; Iver Johnson, the best looking boy, and Avis Engebretson, the best dancer.

Elvina Granlie was offering a one dollar reward for her "Artist's Kit" which she had lost. It was a com­plete set of paints, brushes and oil colors.

Class of 1933-1934

TOP ROW: Hazel Jenner, Donald Erickson, Olga Oian, Lloyd Evensen, Claude Bakke, Bernice Larson, Alfred Karlstad, Alice Holm. SECOND FROM TOP: Sverre Thorsrud, Maude Hildebrant, Donald Smith, Orel Fredrick, Leanard Losk, Thelma Sandsmarck, Oren Reed, Gladys Dahlgren, John Skoglund. MIDDLE ROW: Roy Peterson, Ann Jacobson (advisor) R. M. Starr (Principal) Violet Sax. SECOND FROM BOTTOM: Ryamond Wold, Sigrid Broderson, Leif Stenslie, Margaret Fritsvold, Arnold Simonsin, Tilde Nordeng, Earl Quale, Ruth Sanford, Peder Holm. BOTTOM ROW: Florence Hetland, Merrill Lawlar, Ragna Marsten, Edvin Iverson, Austin Wold, Ethel Peterson, Palmer Steenerson, Borgny Loftus.

Wrestling and boxing were added to boy's physical education classes in 1934.

Gladys Dahlgren, senior, won the Lion's essay con­test on "Responsibility and Benefits of Citizenship."

Watford City High School placed second honors in the basketball tournament in the district.

Mr. Starr, the principal, composed music and song for "Watford High School Song" to be used at pep meetings, basketball, and football games. Excuse blanks came into existence, these had to be filled out by parents for absentee, and accepted by principal before the student would be admitted to classes.

Mr. H. R. Tonning, Superintendent, stated that the

cost of educating a high school pupil this year would be $49.92 compared with $73.20 last year, and $100. three years ago.

The enrollment was 351 with 148 in high school and 203 in the grades. The honors of valedictorian went to Austin Wold and salutatorian to Thelma Sands­mark. Honor students were Borgny Lofthus, Lloyd Evenson, Alfred Karlstad, Palmer Steenerson, Ethel Peterson, Florence Hetland, Roy Peterson, Edwin Iver­son and Leonard Losk. The graduation address was given by Attorney Theodore Kellogg of Dickinson, N. Dak., a county native.

275

Class of 1935

TOP ROW: L. OGrady, M. Bruins, Leanard Nyberg, Alice Peterson, Thelma Hamre, Philip Iverson, Mary Bond, Florence Signalness Olav Fetveit, Jennie Nesseth, Hugh E. Rishel. SECOND ROW: Margaret Stenslie, Marvylle Mork, Arthur J. Olson, Esther Ruth Helgeson, Eleanor Thompson, Alf Nelson, Evelyn Fredrick, Jennie Norgard, Cyril Sannes, Lucille Anderson, Sylvia Simonson. SECOND ROW FROM BOTTOM: Ruth Erickson, Ralph Thompson, Helen Dahlgren, Orville Hagen, Sverre H. Ambjor, Helen Knutson, Wm. Dixon, Borgny Haugen. BOTTOM ROW: Torsten Fladager, Helen Anderson, Josephine Skavanger, Helen Gunderson, Lloyd Erickson, Leonard Parrish, Anna Nes­seth, Frances Rutz, Barbara Scollard, Edwin Bruins.

This class of 40 members had as its motto "Not evening but dawn." The commencement speaker was The Rev. H. W. Atkinson.

Mr. H. R. Tonning was the superintendent, Mr. E. T. Langseth was principal and the advisor was Miss Ann

Acf P.

Jacobson.

Class officers were: Pres. Philip Iverson, vice Pres.: Alf Nelson, secretary: Barbara Scollard, treasurer: Orville Hagen. The valedictorian was Alice Peterson and the salutatorian was Arthur J. Olson.

276 Class Reunion in 1960

•<<•—» m l

4 V •:,

m

m%.V\ teoPI936 1 kd rf.ll

i £*L ¥ £ THE CLASS OF 1936

This class graduated 48 members, thirteen of whom were honor students. Edna Holm was the valedictorian and Helen Aasen was the salutatorian. The class motto was "Climb Tho' the Rocks be Rugged." The class flower was the yellow rose, and colors were turquoise and silver.

Mr. H. R. Tonning was the superintendent and Mr. E. T. Langseth was the principal. The class advisors were Miss Grace McCallum and Miss Ann Jacobson.

The class officers were president, Albert Sands­mark; vice president, Joel Grotte; secretary, Edna Holm, and treasurer, Selma Shelvik.

Out of the twenty-two boys graduated, seventeen served in World War II. Two of these, namely Henry Stenberg and Chester Haag, gave their lives in the service of their country.

At this time four members of the class have passed away. Besides the two in the service, the others are Marcelle Lawler, and Ray Van Dyke. The class held

a reunion in 1963. Twenty-five members were present. Class members were: Helen Aasen, Gullborg Amb­

jor, Donald Bauer, Ted Bruins, Ava Buell, Archie Campbell, Edith Coles, Horton Connett, Opal Doely, Anna Erickson, Alby Erickson, Gladys French, Joel Grotte, Alyce Hanson, Edna Holm, Chester Haag, Ha­zel Haag, Frances Johnson, Inez Judkins, Neal Ken­nedy, Beulah Knutson, Effie Gunderson, Marcelle Lawlar, Vivian Lawlar, Constance Lundin, Lyle Lut­trell, Lester Madson, Emil Madson, Edwin Mathistad, Olga Marsten, Donald McMaster, Alice Mogen, Gene­vieve Neubauer, Tommy Oakland, Kenneth Richardson, Carol Scollard, Albert Sandsmark, Alvin Selid, Selma Shelvik, Minor Shirk, Harold Skaar, Henry Stenberg, Leland Stenehjem, Lester Stillwell, Netabelle Vance, Raymond Van Dyke, Emma Wisness, and Berniece Wold.

During this year the County Commissioners purchas­ed the old grade school on the hill for $7,000.

Class Reunion in June, 1963 277

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fVLA55 c.F'37 CLASS OF 1937

Eleanor Evanson, Odin Stutrud, Alice Anderson, Herbert G. Johnson, Astrid Berg, Edward Ostrom, Mary Jane Bell, Thomas Bond, Clif­ford Stavn, Esther Haag, Arthur W. Nelson, Edna Berg, Philip Moe, Elleanore Bergee, George Tollefson, Margaret Hanson, Thora Omlid, Orville Engebretson, Juliet Knutson, Allen Sannes, Gladys Johnson, Alfred Nordeng, Alva Hystad, Hjalmer Nesseth, Idella Evan­son, Jack Dassenko, Luella Lillibridge, Henry C. Dahl, Eleanor Borseth, Herbert L. Johnson, Winnifred Stoughton, Marvin Finsaas, Doro­thy Reed, Morvil Degerness, Dorothy Zingleman, Olaf Omlid, Olga Dahl, Gordon Maston, Otis Skaar, Inez Knudtson, Ernest Camp­bell, Annabel Sundfor. Leonard Hetland, Gudrun Skavanger, George Dassenko, Sylvia Serrahn, Dorothea Johnson, Mildred Sundby, Hazel Lizer.

The basketball team won third place in the Class B. Tournament of the district. The plaque won was presented to the school by Co-Captain Bob Worl. Moved into the new assembly, class rooms and gym. Big athletic accomplishment was a tie football game with Williston.

The class advisor was Miss Grace McCallum, Supt. Mr. H. R. Tonning, Principal: Mr. E. T. Langseth. Commencement speaker, George Schafer, former Gov­ernor. Class Motto: "One step towards life's destinies." Class Colors; Purple and silver. Class flower: Pur­ple iris.

278

1938

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CLASS OF 1938

The seniors were: Lucas Allex, John Anderson, Marion Bakke, Martin Berg, Elmer Bruins, Evelyn Conant, Wilma Covell, Alma Dahl, Jean Dundas, Clara Felland, Lloyd Fox, Treas., Majil Glascock, Doris Gonneson, Donald Green, Arthur Gunderson, Pres., Ruth Haugen, Mildred Hegland, Fern Henderson, Lloyd Holm, Viola Ingle, Judy Johnson, Carrie Johnstone, Fern Koeser, Anton Kukla, Martha Kukla, Eleanore Lee, Lester Lillibridge, Hazel Lizer, Walter Losk, Richard Luttrell, Bernada Madson, John Mathistad, Evelyn Mork, Annie Nelson, Knut Norstog, Thomas Okland, Gina Omlid, Lucille Remele, Leonard Remele, George Richardson, Doris Roesner, valedictorian, Marie Rolfson, Ella Sandsmark, Norman Sannes, Duane Scollard, Norman Selid, Joanette Simonson, Ruth Skadron, Agnes Skarpsno, Edythe Skarpsno, Henry Skjelvik, Esther Texle, Palma Tweden, Roy Vance, Dorothy Veeder, Elizabeth Vick, Alice Vildmo, Inga Walla, Edwin Westland. salutatorian, Arne Wollan, Bob Worl, Bob Zingleman, Bud Zingleman, Omar Zingleman. The advisor was Miss Ann Jacobson, the coach, James Huey, the superintendent, H. R. Tonning, the principal, Ernest Langseth. Their class colors were blue and gold and their class flower was the yellow rose.

In the '30's, McKenzie County and surrounding area

was often referred to as the Dust Bowl, but from that

era came a class of sixty-four graduates, the largest

class that ever graduated from the Watford City High

School. Sixty of the sixty-four are still living. The

four who have passed on are Edwin Westland, Tho­

mas Okland, Bernada Madson, and Duane Scollard.

There were twenty honor students in the class.

The basketball team of 1938 came through with the

district championship, the first in the history of the

school. They brought home the coveted trophy by win­

ning over Tioga, 35 to 25 in the final game.

The class motto, "Today Decides Tomorrow" has

been lived each day by the class.

During the summer of 1963 the class held a reunion

with 34 students returning.

279

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The graduates were: Eleanor Aasen, Ruth Bauer, Edith Bond, Mathilda Bruins, Bonnie Campbell, Marjorie Conant, Violet Erickson, Car­roll Evanson, Leonard Forland, Dwight Hagen, John Hagen, Dorothy Havervold, Dallas Hystad, Aleda Iverson, valedictorian, Ida Johnson, Edith Jones, Francis Judkins, Agnes Keison, Mildred Kerr, Alva Lester, Paul Mathistad, Maxine McMaster, Lila Mellum, Frances Mennenga, Treas., Joyce Moe, salutatorian, Hilmer Okland, Audrey Olson, Lillian Pederson, secretary, Fern Raddatz, Echo Schroeder, Edith Schroeder, Clayton Serrahn, president, Agnes Skjelvik, Phyllis Smith, Vernon Stenber, Robert Sundfor, Mary Thompson, Olaf Thorgramson, Edgar Veeder, Ellen Walla, Lloyd Wehrung, Mildred Wold, Betty Zingleman.

Motto: "We've Crossed the Bay, the Ocean lies before us."

Several members of this class entered first grade in the County Building in West Watford in September. 1927, with Mrs. Bryant Kellogg as teacher.

In September, 1935, seventy-three freshmen were en­rolled and on May 25, 1939, forty-three were grad­uated. Of these, there are thirteen now living in McKen­zie County. One member, Edith Jones, passed away several years ago.

H. R. Tonning was superintendent; Ernest Lang-seth, principal, and Ann Larson, class advisor. Senior class officers were Clayton Serrahn. Aleda Iverson, Lil­lian Pederson, and Frances Mennenga. Aleda Iverson

was valedictorian and Joyce Moe was salutatorian. The Class of 1939 presented a class play "The Nutt

Family." The track team brought home the McKen­zie County Championship Trophy. Several honors were earned at the District Music & Speech Contest held at Williston on April 13, 1939. The school band participated in the band day festivities under the di­rection of Lyle LeRette, on May 21. 1939. at Williston.

This was the first class to hold a reunion. This was held June 27 and 28. 1959. and was attended by 23 members.

Class Reunion in 1959

On the opening day of school in 1939, Supt. H. R. Tonning addressing the student body made these statements; "A well educated person should know something of everything and everything of something. The things taught in our school are not an education, but the means of an education." This was the begin­ning of the eleventh year of faithful service of Mr. Tonning to our school. This man of great wisdom

was respected by all. The year 1939-1940 had the largest enrollment in

history—209 students were enrolled in the grades and 200 in high school, among them 51 seniors. Many students were working under NYA projects. Carol Engebretson was valedictorian, and Ellen Iverson, sa­lutatorian.

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Watford City had always been rated as a first class high school by the state department and in the year 1941 it was accredited by the North Central Association of colleges and secondary schools. The school then offered four types of courses; general, college pre-patory, scientific and commercial. Besides the three ma­jor sports, students could receive training in declama­tion, oratory, and music. Almost two hundred students were enrolled in high school, forty-five of which were seniors. The cost of educating a high school student then was $34.60 per year.

Mendel Lucatsky is well-remembered for his work

with musical groups. When "Good Neighbor Day" was observed, the highlight of the school activities was an operetta, which was presented free to everyone.

A highlight in the commercial department was the typing contest. The Home Economics Department did garment sewing for the Red Cross, and fifty garments were given as a year quota.

Everyone had grown to love the janitor, Knut Stavn, who had been with the school since 1932. He did everything from building fires to attending school par­ties.

281

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In November Alma Hartman, a senior, became ill with infantile paralysis and was taken to Minneapolis for treatment. Edna Gunderson was well-known for her singing ability during these years. Ralph Christensen, local businessman, headed the program in school for the sale of "defense stamps" and to each one purchas­ing stamps, he gave a free ticket for the Saturday

matinee at the theatre. War was on and the draft was seeping into the

school, with the coach being the first one to be called. Many students were also joining the armed forces be­fore graduation.

Valedictorian for the class of 1941 was Lydia Sten­berg, and Salutatorian was Riley May.

H. R. TONNING

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The school began a hot lunch program in 1942, and commodities were allotted by the government. Parents also donated food for the project. Students were charged a nominal fee.

Supt. H. R. Tonning resigned his position in 1942. Levi Larsen was hired as the new superintendent. He had been a former teacher in the system. 140 were now enrolled in high school. Because of the shortage of labor, school was closed for two weeks to let the students work.

LEVI LARSEN

282

SENIOR BAND 1942 FOOTBALL TEAM 1942

Valedictorian of the 1942 class was Julia Felland and salutatorian was Eleanor Purdy.

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CLASS OF 1943

During the middle of March, 1943, there was a re­cess from school for several days when a terrible bliz­

zard struck, the worst since 1920. Coal reserve was low, roads were blocked for days, and everything im-

BASKETBALL TEAM 1943

mobilized. There was also quite a flood that spring. Beatrice Swenson was valedictorian and Irene Jones

was salutatorian, of the class of 1943. In the fall of 1943, the high school installed a guid­

ance program under the advisement of Supt. L. N. Larsen. School did not open until October 9th in 1943, in order to let students do the farm work. Ervin Day, a member of the first graduating class, became princi­pal of the school. He also taught science and was coach. There were 140 enrolled in high school, with thirty-two seniors. The class did not have a picture taken this year. Members of the class were Gladys Aasen, Lorraine Allex, Helen Berg, Ruth Bertinuson, Marjorie Boots,

Spring Flood Solveig Norstog, Ruth Bertinuson, Dorothy Selid, Alice Tollefson, Janice Paulson.

John Bruins, Ada Conant, Stuart Dundas, Lynn Elliot, Phyllis Evanson, Glenn Evanson, Charles Fox, Gol­den Green, Aree Hagen, Irene Hellandsaas, Ovel Johnsrud, Thomas Kellogg, Margaret Loken. Agnes Marsten, Thelma McCarten, Doris Mercier, Gerald San­ford, Dorothy Selid, Gerald Shafer, Jerome Simonson, Rose Mary Stoughton, Alice Tollefson. Arlene Hagen Schultz was valedictorian and Gerald Shafer was salu­tatorian. Seniors always led the honor roll.

For the first time in the history of the school, it was necessary to curtail football. War regulations made many difficult situations, even as to keeping a band going.

Some of the Class of 1944—Ruth Bertinuson, Phyllis Evanson, Solveig Norstog, Margaret Lokan, Helen Berg, Dorothy Hennefent, Janice Paul­son, Betty Newman, Marjorie Boots, Alice Tollefson

SKIP DAY TO MINOT, CLASS OF 1944

283

The beginning of the year 1945 found the world still at war. Many high school graduates had enlisted in the service of their country. There were those too who never came back as they lost their lives serving their country.

Meal tickets for the hot lunch were sold for $1.40 per month. The "Wolves" won twenty out of 27 basketball games during

the season and took the district consolation championship. The valedictorian in 1945 was JoAnn Winner. The salutatorian

was Lenora McCarty. Judith Enderud was also an honor student. Kasper Veseth, Orville Hellendsaas, and John McMaster were all serving in the armed forces, but received diplomas in absentia.

In 1946 the Watford City Wolves brought home a first place trophy from the district tournament. Erven Day, Sr. coached them to victory.

Swana Enderud was valedictorian, and Norman Wehrung was salutatorian. Other honor students were Pearl Sondrol, Eraen Day, Jr., Shirley Skadron, Dorothy Ann Lawlar, June Mathistad, and Dorothy Raddatz.

Besides the honor students, the following were graduates: Mavis Allex, Natalie Arends, Mary Avery, Donna Gierke, Eva Helseth, Myrtle Helseth, Lavonne Hetland, Robert Holm, Gustav Johnson. Dorothy Judkins, Betty McCarten, Keith Meadows, Kenneth Myelle, Gerald Nelson, Konrad Norstog, Dorothy Schoenlein, Dorothy Churchill, Emma Eschenko, Donna Murray, Dorothy Mosholder, Mildred Okland, and Adeline Torstenson.

JoANN WINNER

SWANA ENDERUD NORMAN WEHRUNG

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L. to R.: BACK: John Hellandsaas, Elden Gamache, Arden Johnsrud, Gerald Anderson, Maxwell Evanson, Harve Belle, George Stenehjem; FRONT: Erven Day, coach, Oscar Swenson, Lyle Staley, Car] Melby Jr., Pete McConnon, Harry Losk.

JESSIE CAMPBELL CORRINE PURDY

1947 can be remembered as the year the basketball team of Watford City made history. Under the coach­ing of Erven Day, the Wolves took the district 16 championship for the second successive year, winning the consolation at the regional, which earned them the right to go to the state tournament. Sophomore "Red" Swenson scored 17 points the last half of the game, to the cheers of the crowd. The team missed placing by one point. The Minot Daily News picked Pete McConnon as "all state guard" and RLPM picked both Pete and "Red" for the all tourney team.

WCHS rated high in the music and declamation con­test at Williston, with Lyle Staley, Boy's low voice, and Walter Losk, Boy's high voice being awarded highly superior. A quartet composed of Elden Jacobsen, Harr Losk, Lyle Staley, and George Stenehjem also rated highly superior, as did the mixed chorus. Mrs. Clar­

ence Hoffmann of Dickinson was music director. Both Losk and Staley again won highest honors at state.

Jessie Campbell was valedictorian and Conine Pur-dy was salutatorian, and honor students were Eunice Wheeler, Priscilla Peterson, Alan Vick, Lillian Wat­son, Florence Hoffmann, and Agnes Enderud. Other graduates were: Vernon Bauer, Harve Bell, Virginia Frisinger, Dorothy Fritzvold, Herbert Hanna, John Hel­lendsaas, Elden Jacobsen, Ella Mae Jacobsen, Dale John­son, Arden Johnsrud, Donald Jore, Olive Judkins, Char­lotte Kerr, Harry Losk, Carl Melby, Jr., Evelyn Renbar­ger, Vivian Renbarger, Orville Selid, Lyle Staley, Jo­Ann Whitmer, Donald Zingleman.

Priscilla Peterson of Arnegard. a senior, was chosen as state delegate to the 1947 Club Congress for re­ceiving state's award in the National 4-H canning ac­tivity.

284

1948

1

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The year 1948 was the year plans were made for the first teen canteen. The PTA met with the student body to discuss the feasibility of this activity.

The "Wolves" won the district basketball champion­ship, now in the new District 7. Erven Day, Sr. was their coach.

Gerald Linseth and "Red" Swenson tied for first place in the high jump at the track meet at Kildeer. with twenty schools being represented.

Plans were made for Lyceum programs, booked un­der the National School Assemblies.

Co-valedictorians were Mildred Mork and Arlene

Sax, with Faye Olin being salutatorian. Honor students were Pearl Enderud, Myrtle Erikson, Lois Landers, Elizabeth Melby, Ruth Monson, Pete McConnon, Ruth Okland, Marjorie Tollefson, Marlys Washburn, Shirley Winner; other graduates were Gerald Anderson. Donald Jones, Edith Linseth, Gerald Linseth, Ethel Clifton, Delores Felland, Raymond Bergeron, Laverne Danielson, Elden Gamache, Andy Hetland, Norman Johnson, Orville Johnsrud, Laila Kinneberg, Ruby Mars­ten, Helen Raddatz, Florine Seibold, Alvin Simonson. George Stenehjem, Carol Thomas, Myron Tollefson.

MILDRED MORK ARLENE SAX

HONOR STUDENT 1948

FAYE OLIN

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HONOR STUDENTS 1949

The Watford City Wolves won the invitational bas­ketball tournament at Stanley 1949. "Red" Swenson was high scorer of the tourney with 54 points, as he had also been high scorer at the 1948 tournament. The Wolves had a successful season this year, but did not rate in the tournament.

Denver Schmidtke, 16, high school junior, drowned in Cherry Creek on April 3, 1949. He with two com­panions, were riding cakes of floating ice in the creek and accidentally fell, striking his head, and drowning.

LeRoy Veeder was valedictorian and Robert McKeen was salutatorian of the class of 1949. Honor students

were JoAnne Christianson, Mylo Eklund, Paul Bergem, Larry Gamache, Sherwin Sax, Minerva Forland, and Gail Green. Other members of the class were: Kenneth Berget, Carolyn Carlson, Maurice Gulbranson, Rose McCarten, Phyllis Nelson, Bjarne Norstog, Donna Quin-nell, James Whitmer, Elaine Sanburn, Cleo Selleseth, Phyllis Stevens, Oscar Swenson, and Lola Watson.

Einar Dahl, Jr., Kenneth Vick, and Donald Raddatz were Watford City's representatives to Boys State this year.

Erling Rolfsrud, a former graduate of the school, was the commencement speaker for the class of 1949.

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285

AVONNE LOFTHUS Valedictorian

JEANNE EWEN Salutatorian

DONALD RADDATZ

1950

1950 found Levi Larsen as super in tendent of W C H S and Char les Bos t rum held

the posi t ion as p r inc ipa l .

The yearbook , the "W o l v e r i n e" , was this year dedicated to the m e m o r y of a fo rmer

classmate, Denver Schmidtke , who lost his life in 1949.

Commencemen t exercises for the class of 1950 were held on May 25 , 1950. Grad­

ua t e s : va ledic tor ian , Avonne Lofthus, sa lu ta tor ian , J eanne Ewen, h o n o r s tudents ,

J o y A n n Nichols and Ela ine Olson. O the r g r a d u a t e s : Orville Restad, E m m a Lou

Long , Louie Jean Pelissier , E i n a r Dahl Jr . , Clarence Danielson, Kenne th Vick,

Mar lene Baye, Kenne th Allex, Mar j o ry McCar ten , Dona ld Radda tz , Gordon Fox .

Mar lyn Fritzvold, Constance Bergeron, Vernon Tiegs.

Dona ld Radda tz was honored at the commencement exercises with a special certi­

ficate in recogni t ion of the fact that he h a d a t tended school for twelve years wi thout

be ing absent . Th i s is an ou ts tanding a t tendance record .

Jeane t te Johnson , jun ior , a t tended Gir ls ' State at the Univers i ty of N o r t h Dakota .

Two new organiza t ions were s tar ted in W C H S this year, the F H A and GAA.

1949-1950 LETTERMEN'S CLUB

(L to R) BACK ROW: Christensen, Perry, Oppeboen, Rad­datz, Dodge, Dahl, Omlid, Wold, Mr. Wyckoff—Coach MIDDLE ROW: Oppeboen, Stevenson, Stevens, Van Dyke. Wold, Kummer, Johnsrud; FRONT ROW: Vick, Allex, Dahl, Danielson, Fox

i

1949-1950 BASKETBALL TEAM

BACK ROW: Omlid, Student Manager, Fritzvold, Stevens, Dahl, Wold, Kummer, Allex, Mr. Wyckoff. FRONT ROW: Oppeboen, Johnsrud, Dahl, Stevenson, Perry

1950 TRACK TEAM

BACK ROW: Kummer, Christensen, Dahl, Vick, Stevenson FRONT ROW: Wold, Danielson, Allex

286

1951 In 1951 L. N. Larsen was supt., and Reginald Reetz

principal. The two co-valedictorians were Geraldine Botner and

Arvild Skjelvik. Other seniors were Jeanette Johnson. Edward McConnon, Carl Aagvik, Myron Johnsrud,

GERALDINE BOTNER ARVILD SKJELVIK

Maurice Thompson, Marilyn Berger, Beverly Dodge. Helen J. (Joanne) Erikson, Lois Garmann, Duane Har­tel, Shirley Haverwold, Eunice Hull, Sonja Kinneberg, Thelma Melby, Arne Oppeboen, Harlyn Oppeboen, Myr­tle Rogness, Maxine Sondrol, Wilma Campbell and Richard Tarnavsky.

Four Watford City boys represented WCHS at Boys State at the NDSU, the week of June 10-17. The boys

chosen were Lyle Raddatz, Albert Botner, Ted Omlid, and Omar Wold. Margaret Vick and Audrey Sanford represented Watford City at Girls State the week of June 9-16.

A dramatics club was organized under the able di­rection of Mr. Reetz, to foster the development of dra­matic skills of its members and promote interest in dramatics in the school. A debate club was also started.

Football Team: BACK ROW: Thompson, Stenslie, Syverson, Dahl Perry, Christensen, Wold, Mr. Wyckoff, FRONT ROW: Wold. Dodge, Johnsrud, Omlid, Oppeboen, Jorgens, Kummer.

Watford City School Band, under the direction of S. J. Hillesland.

1952

Supt., Levi Larsen, principal, Reginald Reetz. Honor students: co-valedictorians were Catherine Olin and Ralph Jones. Co-salutatorians: Carol Christensen, Kath­yrn Ewen, and Audrey Sanford. Other graduates were Albert Botner, Jr., Rickie Christensen, Darlene Fox,

CATHERINE OLIN RALPH JONES

Jack Kummer, Alvin Johnsrud, Audrey Neckels, Merline Van Dyke, Irene Yesel, Darwin Calkins, Fern Kummer, Clint Dodge, Omar Wold, Valorie Gierke, Neil Dahl. Judith Linseth, Gloria White, Jerome Anderson, Aud­rey Lynner, Teddy Omlid, James Stenslie, Maverly Dodge, and Shirley McKeen.

Alan Olson and Janice Roffler were crowned Carnival King and Queen. The Watford City FHA was proclaim­

ed an Honor Chapter for compleleing local, state, and national projects.

The football season ended with 5 wins and 2 losses for the Wolves. The last game which was played with Bowman scored 33 to 0, in favor of the Wolves. The boys who attended Boys State at NDSU were Pedar Wold, Myron Wold, James Stenslie, Jerome Ander­son, Richard Christensen, and Clint Dodge.

287

PHILIP OLIN, Valedictorian

1953

Supt. Levi Larsen and Principal Reginald Reetz were at the helm in the Watford City High School for the year of 1953. Graduating Class: valedictorian, Philip Olin. co-salutatorian, Arnold Rolfsrud, co-salutatorian, Pedar Wold, George Perry, Donna Aal, Myron Wold, Marilyn Sax, Dennis Orf, Carolyne Koeser, Cecelia John­son, Carolyne Jore, Susan Avery, Isabel Loken, Lucille Karlstad, JoAnna Allex, Mar­lene Sanford, Jon Prestangen, Eva Thomas, Clare Helle, Floyde Syverson, Janet Tarnavsky, Marilyn Thompson, Doris Peterson, Gloria Thompson.

Einar Prestangen and JoAnne Dodge were crowned Carnival King and Queen. Both were freshmen.

Eighteen boys earned letters for the 1953 football season. There were eight seniors on the 1953 team and the line averaged 194 pounds this year. The team scored 160 points to their opponents' 24. In 1952 the Wolves lost the first two games of the season and won the last five; this season the team won five and had one tie, giving them a ten game winning streak. They finished second in the con­ference.

ARNOLD ROLFSRUD, Co-Salutatorian

DARLENE QUALE, Homecoming Queen

FOOTBALL TEAM

JEAN MOGEN, Valedictorian

ALAN OLSON Salutatorian

1954

KAYE VAN DYKE Homecoming Queen

In 1954 the Watford City Wolves placed second in the Class B Basketball tournament at Dickinson. Grad­uating Class: valedictorian, Jean Mogen, salutatorian, Alan Olson, honor Students: Katherine Avery, Shir­ley Hartel, Kent Johnson, Shirley Mogen, Darlene Quale, Norene Sanford, Gayle Sax. Other graduates: Ruth Alton, Margy Botner, Robert Campbell, Marlene Christianson, Roger Harmon, Kenneth Fisketjon, Gloria Harms, Margaret Kummer, Armand Lynner, Niel Lyn-ner, John Melby, Shirley Monson, Janice Roffler, Har­old Rolfsrud, Vernon Suelzle, Rosella Tabor, Kennard Thompson, Wesley Thorgramson, Norma Sue Wold, Marjorie Parrish.

WCHS rated very well at the State Music Festival at Bismarck in May. The following received highly super­ior ratings: Mixed Quartet—Joyce Olson, Kenneth Fis­ketjon, Robert Campbell, Delores Wold: Boys' Quar­tet—Alan Olson, Kenneth Fisketjon, Robert Campbell,

David Vick; Trumpet Solo—Carol Olson, Flute Solo— Marjorie Stenslie; One Act Play—Marjorie Stenslie, Diane Hostler, Ralph Campbell, Leigh Nygard, Clif­ford Frazee, Pauline Broderson. Carol Ann Olson and Kay Van Dyke were chosen to go to Girls' State.

Clifford Frazee chosen as delegate from WCHS to the National Conference of Student Councils at St. Paul, Minn, in June. He was a Junior at the time and a member of the Student Council State Executive Com­mittee. Merton Johnsrud, Clinton Frazee, Norman Son­drol, and Robert Larson were chosen to go to Boys' State.

The football team closed out the 1954 season unde­feated. A recognition dinner honoring this 1954 Con­ference Champion team was held at the First Lutheran Church, sponsored by the Association of Commerce. Clarence Laber was the very capable coach for this fine team.

288

Z> """SB* Jam

1955

k CLINTON FRAZEE, Valedictorian LEROY VEEDER, Salutatorian

The Watford City High school opened in 1955 with Levi Larsen as superintendent and Reginald Reetz as principal.

There were thirty-six seniors registered, with twelve honor students: Norman Sondrol, Carol Ann Olson, Lonny Norby, David Vick, Wayne Johnson, Merton Johnsrud, Carolyn Lockhart, Clifford Frazee, Donna Dodge Harmon, Joyce Tarnavsky, Eldon Johnson, and Marjorie Stenslie. There were 28 juniors, 42 sopho­mores and 32 freshmen.

Deloris Wold and Sonja Christensen were selected to attend the annual Girl's State at the University of North Dakota.

Services were held for H. R. Tonning, 75. He was born June 6, 1880 in Norway. He was superintendent of the Watford City School from 1931 to 1942.

Pete Frederick was selected as top all around cowboy at the National High School Rodeo in Harrison, Neb­

raska. He also led in saddle bronc riding. He was a member of the basketball team.

The track team placed second at the meet in Valley-City with Lonny Norby breaking the state record in high and low hurdles and placing second in the 220 yard dash. The team also won the West Missouri River Conference track meet, Sidney relays, and the senior track meet in Minot. The basketball team saw a high series of victories in 1955.

The following seniors graduated besides the above mentioned: Clarence Jore, Robert Larson, Janice Gamp-bell, Betty Jean Danielson, Pete Fredericks, Daryl Erick­son, Wayne Johnson, Lavonne Jones, Jerald Leiseth. Lynn Linseth, Leigh Nygard, Joyce Olson, Hugh Patter­son, Darrell Quale, LeRoy Wehrung, Emelia Yesel, Kaye VanDyke, and Kenneth Warnke.

Kaye Van Dyke was crowned Miss McKenzie County in 1955.

The Watford City Wolves won 17 games and tied 1 over a period of three seasons. In 1955 this victory gave them the West Missouri Conference Championship. Clifford Frazee led the scoring with Clarence Jore following closely.

289

JOANNE DODGE, Valedicl

SONJA CHRISTENSEN Homecoming Queen

MARJORIE SUELZLE, Salutatorian

1956

Ray Mahany joined the faculty at Watford City High School in 1955 as principal, replacing Mr. Reetz. Mr. Levi Larsen continued as superinten­dent.

There were thirty seniors with Joanna Dodge as valedictorian and Marjorie Suelzle as salutatorian; thirty-three juniors, twenty-four sophomores and the freshmen topped the enrollment record with forty-eight.

The track team won two relay trophies. Although the baseball team had a mediocre season, losing many games, they captured the third place trophy in the District Tournament and also won the free throw trophy in the same contest.

Dianne Stenehjem and Judy Stenslie were selected to attend the Annual Girls State at University at Grand Forks. The boys selected were Mark Sanford, David Veeder, Orvis Eklund, Thoral Sax.

As usual that year the P.T.A. sponsored a carnival which was a hugh success. The junior class was the winner in ticket sales and their candidates, Violet Johnson and Johnny Anderson were crowned Carnival King and Queen.

The 1956 graduates were: Darlenne Aagvik, Pauline Broderson, Robert Charchenko. Sonja Christenson, Joanne Dodge, Darlene Dunn, Linda Ewen, Mervin Gravos, Dar-ryll Hagen, Russell Harmon, Delores Hartel, Gary Helgeson, Dale Jorgenson, Lor­raine Jorgenson, Clarence Jost, Janice Koeser. Wanda Lanphear, Eugene Levang, John Neckels, Gerald Neubauer, Einar Prestangen, Marjorie Suelzle, Barbara Thomas. Philip Thompson, Phyllis Thompson, and Delores Wold.

BASKETBALL TEAM 290

DAVID VEEDER

ROBERTA SANFORD

1957

Levi Larsen was superintendent and Ray Mahany was principal. The senior class consisted of 33 students with David Veeder as valedictorian and three

co-salutatorians; Mark Sanford, Roberta Sanford and Judy Stenslie. The junior class had 33 members, sophomores 46, and the freshman class 56.

The 1956-57 basketball season was a modestly successful one for the Wolves. Then-final record was 13 wins and 9 losses. The highlight of the season was the Senior Day meet at Minot, May 1. The track men from Watford City took third with four firsts, a second, a third, and a fourth.

The Lone Wolf Annual was dedicated to former superintendent H. R. Tonning and to a fellow student, Thomas Okland, who was tragically drowned in an accident during the school year.

Graduates for 1957 were John Anderson, Carol Alton, David Alton, Duane Boots, Marvin Brown, Ralph Campbell, Wesley Felland, Gordon Christianson, Orvis Eklund. Earl Fisketjon, Edna Hammeren, Judy Hicks, Violet Johnson, Diane Hostler, Bill Jacob-son, Donald Johnsrud, Betty Jane Kerr, Delia Mae Olson, Roberta Sanford, Marilyn San­ford, Mark Sanford, Thoral Sax, Diane Stenehjem, Judy Stenslie, David Veeder, Kathryn Stevenson, Lois Torstenson, Phyllis Warnke, Gladys Zubke.

At half time of the Homecoming game between Watford City and St. Mary's, Judy Stenslie was crowned Homecoming Queen and presided over the dance that followed. Watford City won 19 to 13. The Homecoming festivities were sponsored by the Student Council and included the parade with the Letterman's Club float, as well as the queen and her attendants.

MARK SANFORD

JUDY STENSLIE

1958

Levi Larsen was superintendent and Ray Mahaney principal. Twenty-seven seniors grad­uated with Sharon Wahus as valedictorian and Ellen Zubke as salutatorian. Honor stu­dents were Bonnie Anderson, Gloria Nyland, Janice Nordeng, Margo Norby, Faye Stroth-er, David Sanford. There were 34 juniors, 48 sophomores, and 46 freshmen.

The football team won four out of seven games in the season's record, and the B squad basketball team showed a record of no losses. The track team and tournament record of WCHS basketball team also showed a fine record of wins.

Musical groups carried away 5 awards of highly superior ratings. In extemporaneous speaking, Bonnie Anderson won high honors.

Faye Strother reigned over the homecoming festivities as queen. Graduates for 1958 were Gary Swenson, Coralie Jore, Barbara Kennedy, Ellen Zubke.

Bonnie Anderson, Charon Anderson, Darlene Berquist, Alva Danielson, Robert Galyean, Norine Hildre, Jolene Hodson, Linda Melby, Margo Norby, Janice Nordeng, Gloria Ny­land, David Sanford, Carroll Sax, Sandra Skoglund, Wendell Snydal, Faye Strother, Lo­well Thompson, and Sharon Wahus.

ELLEN ZUBKE

FAYE STROTHER

o BARRY NELSON

Valedictorian

MICHON RUDE Salutatorian

1959 Eugene Anthony, former student, was guest speaker at senior commencement and com­

mented that the graduating class of thirty-four members was outstanding in character as well as in scholastic achievements. Barry Nelson delivered the valedictory address, and Michon Rude gave the salutatory. Honor students were Richard Satter, Wayne Sanford, Warren Winsness, Mary Ann Tholkes, Carol Tweden, Stella Christianson, Renee McNa­mara, Irma Strother, and Patty Gallagher.

The junior class also showed outstanding achievements among the forty pupils. An even fifty students comprised the sophomore class, outnumbered by sixty freshmen.

In athletics, the football team was defeated only by St. Mary's, Beach, and Hettinger. In the season's recap of the A-squad basketball, they saw 9 wins out of 13 games, and wins in the Invitational Tournament. This year they defeated Assumption Abbey, Dickin­son Model, and Newtown and lost to Belfield and Halliday.

Irma Strother was homecoming queen. The 1959 graduates were Peter Anthony, Gloria Berg, Ordean Christianson, Stella Chris­

tianson, Donald Dodge, Patty Gallagher, Kaye Grotte, Meredythe Hamre, Beverly Hanna, Amy Hostler, Janice Johnson, Mervin Johnson, Sidney McMahan, Renee McNamara, Dar­lene Mosby, Barry Nelson, Garvin Muri, Clara Patterson, Lucille Patterson, Paul Piper, Wayne Sanford, Richard Satter, Michon Rude, Irma Strother, Morris Tarnovsky, Adella Till. Mary Ann Tholkes, Warren Winsness, Carol Tweden, and James Walla.

The Lone Wolf Annual was dedicated to Levi Larsen.

IRMA STROTHER Homecoming Queen

Jfe afm\ 1*\ *% f%

V*£p/><^s

S'^'MLjrai As they were in the first grade—recognize anyone?

Michon Rude and Patty Gallagher "In The Good Old Days" with Barry Nelson, Michon Rude, Nancy Olson, Warren Winsness

292

In the school year 1959-1960 Loyde Peterson served as superintendent and Ray Mahany was principal.

Eugene Gunderson and Diana Forlund were crown­ed King and Queen of the Sweetheart's ball.

Bill McLees coached the Wolves to the co-champion­ship of District 15, with a record of 16 wins and three losses for the season. High scoring man for the year was Harold Hammeren. Other high point men were Gary Knutson, Jim Van Dyke, Doug Sanford, and Ken­neth Mogen.

Linda Jacobson won the highest score in the United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth contest sponsored by the Rebekah Lodge of Watford City. She won a free trip to Washington, D. C. Larry Richardson won a blue ribbon at the science fair held in Williston for junior high school. He later won a first award at the State Science Fair at Bismarck. Kay McMahen was chosen to attend Girls State.

The Wolves tied for first place in the Badlands Track Title. Harold Hammeren was high point man. Other winners were Doug Sanford, Terry Sax, Steven

Banquet honoring Wolves Ray Hotel. Sponsored by some of the parents of players

LOUISE ROLFSRUD

DOROTHEA OLSON HERMAN GIERKE Salutatorian Valedictorian

HAROLD HAMMEREN

Karpyak, and Lynn Sanford. Bob Wentz took over the helm of the football

coaching in place of Clarence Laber. High ratings were won in the music division by

JoAnne Berg, Nancy Olson, and Henry Eide as solo­ists, and Vicky Rogness as french horn solo. Other groups also won high honors.

Delegates to Boys state were Kenneth Mogen, Doug­las Sanford, Bruce Berget, and Gene Hoffmann.

Dorothea Olson won the "Know Your State" con­test for McKenzie County and received honorable mention in state contest.

Herman Gierke, Jr. was valedictorian and Dorothea Olson was salutatorian, with the following honor stu­dents: Ardis Rogness, Lynne Stenehjem, Shirley Simon­son, Nancy Olson, Karen Kinden, Daniel Gallagher, Mervin Nordeng, George McKenzie, Gary Knutson, Di­ana Forland, Sonja Hovet, and Muriel Enderud.

Other members of the class were Joanne Berg, Ken­neth Okland, Wayne Torstenson, Anita Borden, Claud­ia Johnson, Frank Trout, Wallace Earley, Gail John­son, Marian Walla, Richard Jore, Harley Olson, Cecil Wilson, Lynn Sanford, Douglas Wisness, Lynn Sanko, Robert Wold, Eugene Gunderson, Wanda Kummer. Gary Sax, Linda Wollan, Harold Hammeren, Carolyn Landes, Bruce Yoast. Sharon Hartel. and Dale Tabor.

With the class of 1961 the tradition of valedictorian and salutatorian was discontinued, and there will be only honor students. Marks were also changed from number marks to letter marks. There are also no hon­or rolls. Honor students were Anita Fisketjon, Barbara Forthun, Kay McMahen, Louise Rolfsrud, Linda Jacob-son, Steven Karpuak, Kenneth Mogen and Gene Hoff­mann. Other graduates were: Kenneth Berg, Bruce Berget, lone Broderson, Arnold Ceynar, David Christ-tianson, Phillip Davidson, LeRoy DeFoe, Henry Eide, Patricia Engebrit, Ardys Gunderson, Phyllis Hystad, Kurt Johnson, Marlene Johnson, Myrna Johnson, Dav­

id Kary, Beverly Lazarenko, Elverna Levang, Orville Lynner, Donna Maloney, Carolyn Melby, Carolyn Mil­ler, Gregory Nygard, Carolynn Olson, Dennis Sanford. Douglas Sanford, Warren Shelley, Arnold Sivertson. Robert Strother, Carol Syverson, Ardis Till, J#rome Torstenson, James Van Dyke, Lynn Wold, and Vicky Yoast.

Owen Brenna. David Wahus, Rockie Stavn, and Clay­ton Okland were delegates to boys state. Bruce Berget won the "Know Your State" for McKenzie County and went to the State contest in Grand Forks.

Louise Rolfsrud was chosen Homecoming Queen.

293

M — AM

RAY MAHANY Acting Superintendent

DOREEN QUALE

1962

In 1962 WCHS opened with Ray Mahany as acting Superintendent and Eric Arns-ton as principal.

Doreen Quale was crowned Homecoming queen. Hot lunch was served to about 400 students daily. Joan Nelson won a sewing machine in a "Sew with Wool" contest. Dana Drovdal won the local "Know your State" contest. 1962 graduating class: Honor students were Owen Brenna, Tom Colquhoun,

Myrna Dahl, Dana Drovdal, Donna Engebrit, Dennis Johnson, Bettee Judkins, Karen Levang, Carol Lundeen, Sharon Rud, Karen Simonson, Karen Sondrol, Gladys Tarnav-sky, Rosalie Veeder, David Wahus.

Alfred Berg, Phyllis Erikson, Kurt Hovet, Mark Thompson, John Urban, Arno Jorgenson, Marcella Patterson, Doreen Quale, Curtis Anderson, Nancy LaPointe, Dan Peterson, James Melby, Marvel Brown, Ronald Berg, Cleone Tweden, Clayton Okland, Gayle Charchenko, David Johnsrud, Laura Jacobsen, Sharon Jore, Lorin Simonson, Gerald Transtrom, Sharon Sondrol, Daryl Sivertson, Arden Omlid, Wan­da Almond, Rockie Stavn, David Kennedy, Ardyce Koeser, Ronald Harmon, Lowaine Loken, Curtis White, Patricia Patterson, Sharon Sannes, Bruce Borden, Tracy Tor­stenson, David Wollan, Alice Thompson, Ronald Anderson.

1963

LARRY RICHARDSON JANICE SIVERTSON

In 1962 Robert Molland became superintendent, Ray Mahany continued on as principal.

Larry Richardson was the winner in "Know Your State" contest. He was also the winner of the "Voice of Democracy" contest and the District American Le­gion Oratorical contest.

1963 graduates: Honor students: Patricia Enderud, Elaine Berget, Vicky Rogness, Leland Stenehjem, James Sanford, Larry Richardson, Adeline Ness, Charlotte Zubke, Doreen Koeser. Other graduates: Sue Johns­ton, Donald Wakefield, Myron Forland, Duane John­son, Judy Maloney, Eileen Hystad, Nancy Lawlar, Dwight Mangel, Raymond Olson, Cherly Erikson, Alice De Foe, Jean Huffman, Richard Wold, Loretta Wilson, Sherrill Allen, Joan Nelson, Chester Fiscus, Charlete Jeanotte, Janice Sivertson, Dean Faulkner, David Cey­nar, Diana Jackson, Richard Wahus, Janice Torstenson, Lynn Tabor, Darlene Johnson, Gordon Berg, Linda Hildre, Carole Okland, Michael Kennedy, James Fort-

hun, Faith McNamara, Shirley Borgen, James Oster-gard, Daniel Maisey, Angus Kennedy, Donald Wahus. Gerald De Foe, Sylvia Leiseth.

Julie Claire Leiseth, WCHS Junior, was greatly hon­ored in being chosen as a member to tour with the International Peace Garden European Tour Band in 1964 during the month of July. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Leiseth.

The school and the entire community were greatly-saddened to learn of the sudden, accidental death of one of the outstanding graduates of the class of 1962, Karen Levang. Throughout her school years she had been very active in all school affairs, and her qualities of leadership and warm friendliness made her an in­spiration for us all. At the time of her death she was a sophomore at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington.

Janice Sivertson was crowned Homecoming queen for 1963.

294

ROBERT MOLLAND, Superintendent

ILENE HILDRE

Class of 1964

The largest class to graduate from the Watford City High School was the class of 1964 with 70 seniors. Prior to this time, the class of 1938 held this distinction with 64 seniors.

Byron Byerly was the president of the class. Taking royalty honors in their senior year were Ilene Hildre as the

homecoming queen and Gregory Wright and Mona Quale as king and queen of the Sweetheart's Ball. Ilene Hildre also served as student council president along with Douglas Johnsrud as vice president and Glenn Stenehjem as treasurer.

Robert Molland and Ray Mahany were the superintendent and princi­pal, respectively.

The Wolves Football Team with seventeen senior members took con­ference co-championship honors for the first time since 1954. Football captain was Richard Lawlar who received the first annual Lobo Award given to the season's outstanding player. Richard was also captain of the wrestling squad and took part in the state wrestling tournament at West Fargo. Bill Maisey was also to attend but was ill. Serving as bas­ketball captain was Brooks Hanna. Two senior cheerleaders, who had both served the Wolves for four years, were Karen Rolsrud and Ilene Hildre.

The school paper staff was headed by Claire Stenehjem. Linda Bredwick and Judy Johnson were co-editors of the annual.

Byron Byerly placed fifth in the state "Know Your State" contest after winning first in McKenzie County.

Choral honors were awarded to Ingrid Rolfson, Claire Stenehjem, and Mike Arnegard. They were selected to be in the University of North Dakota Honor Chorus.

Fleet of Buses Senior Class Play, "Meet Me In St. Louis"

BROOKS HANNA CLAIRE STENEHJEM RICHARD LAWLAR

Scenes of Yesteryear

Grade students at the old school on the hill—recognize anyone?

VERN SPENCER The White City Boat

Mrs. S. A. Thompson and Estella Hagen Frank Keogh, Larry Landon, Con Sax

296 "The White House"—A stage stop Mrs. Pete Vildmo's Shack

f) fr $ * S

CROFF BASEBALL TEAM

Oscar Hagen's Shack and First Furniture

Watford City Old Timers Busy Day at Senechal

Bird's Eye View of Watford City Court House Employees and Teachers at Schafer 1919-1920

297

Building the first railroad Ladies Aid at the Haverberg's 1912

The Tweden's Threshing Rig A Teacher's Claim Residence

i_ JT> V Effie Rose serving coffee to Tom Jefferson and Tor Kaasa At the Ted Richardsons in 1916

• • M I H i H B H a B

Gun Club at Banks 1957 Last remains of the first house in McKenzie County with Anders Madson and Bryant Kellogg

Jack Chaussee, Orval Hawn, Geo. Mangold Watford City March 16, 1920

298

Claim Res. of Ike Hilderbrandt Farm residence of Gilbert T. Lee

Jon Norstog "McKenzie County Poet" LAKE VIEW SCHOOL 1911

L.—R.: Stanley Harder, Robert Bond, Eddie Grieble, Parker Harder, Casper Bucklin, Enga Fre­derick, Teacher, Vivian Harder, Louise Grieble, Lorraine Grieble, Mary Bond, Verna Grieble.

WWI SOLDIERS—John Ryan, Ed Ferguson, Joe Hatters, Charles Kerr, Charles McQuillan

J. I. Berg's Store and Post Office

Father Dougherty and His Horseless Carriage Gathering at the Con Sax Home

299

Golden Jubilee Committees

GENERAL COMMITTEE L.—R.: Wallace Johnston, Ralph Christensen, General Chairman; Robert Schur, Richard Luttrell, Ras Rolfson, Leland Stenehjem

Finance Committee: Ras Rolfson, c h a i r m a n : Oscar Knud t son , F . G. Gludt, Vincent Stenehjem, Gordon F o x

Historical Book: Mrs . Olaf Berget, Clyde Ho lman

Advertising: 0 . B. Eklund, C h a i r m a n ; Dell Ship-m a n , H e r b . Bru ins , Mor r i s Frazee , Mrs . Ra lph Chris tensen, John Larsen

Parade: Clarence Leiseth. Chr .

Invitations: Mrs . Vincent Stenehjem. M r s . Arv in Helle

Dance, Carnival, Concessions: Don Stevens, Nor ­m a n Dah l

Housing: Bruce Quale

Historical Exhibit: Mrs . M y r o n Johns rud , Mrs . P . E. T h o m p s o n

Bands: Olaf Drovda l Jr . , Bruce Schwar tz

Barbecue: M u r p h y Eklund , C h a i r m a n ; A r n o Wis ­ness, Sterl ing Byerly

Whisker Contest: Roge r H a r m o n , C h a i r m a n ; Carl Bolken, Kenne th Olson, John Bruegger

Class Reunions: Mrs . Le land Stenehjem, Mrs . Mur ­phy Ek lund

Registration: Mrs . Clarence Rude

Sisters of the Swish: Mrs . Jaycees

Barbecue Donors: B ryan t Kellogg, R o b e r t Sannes , Odin Stenehjem, Lett ie Kellogg, Ea r l Henderson , Ande r s Madsen , Gordon Olson

Traffic and Parking: Wat fo rd City Pol ice De­p a r t m e n t ; State H ighway P a t r o l

A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

T h e co-chai rmen wish to express their grateful apprec ia t ion for the va luable

assistance rendered by the m a n y persons coopera t ing in this work .

They a re par t icular ly indebted to the fol lowing:

FAMILY HISTORY Mrs. Gordon Levang, Chr. Mrs. Gordon Olson Mrs. Myrtle Day Mrs. Ann Vick Mrs. Robert Sundfor Mrs. Olav Hamre Mrs. Sidney Veeder Lillian Bergem Helen Jost Mrs. John Rice Mrs. Sara Ingle

ORGANIZATIONS Mrs. Leland Stenehjem, Chr.

ADVERTISING Ras Rolfson, Chr.

CHURCH HISTORY George Urban, Chr.

EARLY BUSINESSES Mrs. S. G. Byerly, Chr.

GENERAL HISTORY OF WATFORD CITY Mrs. Ethel Robinson Arne Tollefson

TREASURER Teddy Omlid

MRS. OLAF BERGET

SCHOOL HISTORY Mrs. Arven Helle, Chr. Cephas Goddard Mrs. William Dodge Everett Day Mrs. Herman Johnson Mrs. Art Jore Orville Hagen Mrs. Didrick Broderson Henry Skjelvik Mrs. Elvina McNamara Claire Stenehjem Mrs. Art Kinden Orville Engebritson Mrs. John Skoglund Mrs. Don Stevens

TYPISTS Mrs. Jerome Anderson Mrs. Vincent Stenehjem Mrs. Didrick Broderson Mrs. Leland Stenehjem Lillian Bergem June Larsen Barbara Gunderson Mrs. George Urban Mrs. N. D. Yoast

PUBLICITY Dell Shipman

CLYDE HOLMAN

Index to Advertisers A

Page

A & W Root Beer Drive Inn 96

B

B. & H. Body Shop 206 B. L. Purdy, John Deere Dealer 190 Beauty Noolc 96 Bennie's Bakery _. 214 Byerly Insurance 52

c Campbell Sport Shop 214 Carl E. Rogen Post # 2 9 82 Christensen Hardware 193 Chuck Wagon Cafe 146 City of Watford City 79 Coast to Coast Store 212 Community of Alexander 261 Co-op Oil Company — 203 Co-op Supply Lumber Co. 162

D

Dahl's Jewelry 18

Dakota Clothing 19

E

Ellington Insurance Agency 177

F

Farmers Co-op Elevator Co. — 40 First International Bank 168 Frazee's Clothing & Dry Goods Store 151

G

GTA Elevator 28

H

Harmon Insurance 92 Herb's Boating Center 149 Hillside Motel 147

I

International Harvester & Chrysler Plymouth Dealer _ 202

J

Johnson Piggly Wiggly 160 Jost Painting and Decorating 98

L

Lakeway Truck Stop & Cafe 199 Lakeway Wholesale Truck Stop 126 Larsen's Service Drug 204 Leiseth Funeral Home 99 Lerfald's Dept. Store 197

Page

Lundin Bros. Druggists 181 Luttrell's Mobile Service 47 Lystad Texaco Service 145

M

Mabel's Cafe 205 Maloney's Cafe 148 McKenzie County Farmer 89 McKenzie County Grazing Assoc 147 McKenzie Electric Co-operative, Inc 156 Montana Dakota Offices 129 My Lady's Dress Shop 213

N

Northwestern Bell 45

o Ohnstad's Variety 206 Owen's Studio 97

P

Park Hotel 186 Pete's Tastee Freez 177 P. E. Thompson Plumbing & Heating 165 Powder Puff 142 Production Credit Assoc. 27

R

R. & T Plumbing and Heating 157 Ras Rolfson, Watford Insurance & Realty 177 Ray's Standard Service 201

s S & S Motors 43 Sam's Enco Service 145 Schafer's Super Valu 77 Standard Oil Distributor 21-1

T

Tractor Service Company 253

u USDA Custer National Forest McKenzie Ranger District 146

w Watford City Cleaners 155 Watford City Community Benefit Association 42 Watford City Creamery 93 Watford City Radio and TV 39 Watford City General Builders 179

z Zeller Hardware 60

301

Index to Biographies

-A-

Aagvik, Edwin 209 Aagvik, Jorgen _. 210 Aagvik, Nils _ 182 Aasen, Marius 237 Adams, Harry 178 Alexes 185 Allex, Frank 239 Allex, Henry 216 Allex, Martin 68 Alton, Alex _ 191 Ambjor, Haakon ._ 170 Amlien, Halfdan 173 Amlien, John 204 Amundson, Ole 208 Anderson, Anton 256 Anderson, Bernt 264 Anderson, Carl 255 Anderson, Herman 247 Anderson, J. T 203 Anderson, Jorgen .... 255 Anderson, Ole ... 130 Arnegard, Iver 255 Arnstad, P. G 223 Askviken, Olaf 113 Aure, Matt ..— 92 Aure, Peder ... 230

Buell, Mrs. Lloyd 175 Burr, John 262

-B-

Bakke, Oscar ... 100 Banks, Frank 254 Bauer, George 264 Baye, Ben ._.... 224 Becken, Olaf 116 Bekkedahl, Olaus 113 Bell, Howard 66 Bellin, Emil 92 Berg, Arne 133 Berg, C. C. 95 Berg, Julius 146 Berg, Knute 208 Berg, Kristofer . 138 Berg, Ole 115 Berg, Ole I. 171 Berg, Otto 139 Bergee, Torsten 214 Bergen, Louis _ 195 Bergem, Peder 77 Berger, Fred 227 Bergeron, John 170 Berquist, Carl 97 Blegen, John 169 Boe, Ted 120 Bond, Fred 253 Bond, Harry 226 Bordwell, Ed _ 209 Borseth, Ole _ 67 Botner, Arne 147 Bredesen, Julius 72 Brenden, Anton 133 Broderson, Paul . 117 Broholden, Ole 256 Bruins, George 143 Bruins, John 159 Brummond, Julius 169 Buchanan, Thomas 115 Bucklin, Anna 110 302

Campbell, Earnest 263 Casady, Omar 122 Catlin, Bill 260 Ceynar, Andrew 171 Chaloner, William 244 Chaussee, John 111 Chernenko, Jacob 73 Chitwood, Riley 253 Christensen, Jens _ ... 100 Christianson, Andw. 232 Christianson, Tom 217 Clarke, Will 243 Conant, Harold 254 Covell, Bert 259 Croff, William 192

-D-

Dahl, August 113 Dahl, Christ 197 Dahl, Einar H. 93 Dahl, Jake 101 Dahl, Nils 95 Dahl, Olaf 208 Dahl, Richard 137 Dahlgren, John 105 Danielson, Clarence 220 Day, William 125 Degerness, Emil 164 Diehm, John 196 Dietrich, William 207 Dixon, William 242 Dodge, Charles 85 Dundas, Sidney —. 151

-E-

Eide, Jacob 74 Ellickson, John 122 Enderud, Peder 212 Engebretson, Samuel 90 Engebretson, Reinhrd 174 Engum, Christ 256 Engum, Ole 256 Erickson, Andw. 248 Erickson, Oluf 104 Evanson, Christ 188 Ewen, William .. .. 124

-F-

Falkenhagen, Mrs. Carl 76 Falkenhagen, Marvin 75 Fancy, Lupeon 139 Farness, John 131 Fetveit, Sam „ 66 Finley, Theodore — _ . 187

Finsaas, Olaf 238 Folven, R. J. ... 222 Forland, Oscar 140 Frazee, Alice _. 192 Frazee, Anna 192 Frazee, M. C 165 Fredrick, Arthur 169 Frisch, John 216

-G-

Gamache, David 234 Gierke, Herman 184 Gilbertson, Gilbert 153 Gilfoy, Parney 142 Gilstad, Edgar 112 Gifstad, Odin _ 338 Glascock, Cleve 224 Glascock, John —- 16 Granlie, Oluf 87 Grantier, Jay 242 Griebel, Anton 118 Gryte, Carl _ 118 Gryte, Ole 87 Gudmunson, Knute 235 Gullickson, George 114 Gunderson, Bennie 98 Gunderson, Thorvald 172 Gustafson, John 174

Hovrud, Carl 182 Hystad, Henry 174 Hystad, Nils .. 182

-H-

Haavelsrud, Anders _. 218 Haavelsrud, Ole 87 Hagan, Oscar 81 Hagen, Anton 130 Hagen, J. G 241 Hagen, John 217 Hagen, Knute 91 Hagen, Lena —.. 241 Hagenston, Peter 260 Hamre, Esten 222 Hamre, Osmund —. 237 Hanley, Jeffrey 245 Hansen, Olaf 173 Hanson, George 174 Harmon, John 206 Haugan, Harold 65 Haugan, Ole 263 Haugen, Ole H 141 Haverwold, Anna 77 Haverwold, Julia 78 Haynes, Luther 68 Helle, Gustav 240 Helle, Peter 210 Hellie, Otto _ 236 Helseth, Lars 127 Henderson, Earl 70 Henderson, Esley 233 Hendrickson, Bena 221 Hiestad, E. B 75 Higgins, Madison 142 Hildebrant, Elmer 66 Hildre, Martin 236 Hoffmann, Andrew 111 Hoffmann, Louis 108 Holm, Ole 250 Hovet, Knute 130

Ingle, Earl 205 Iverson, Barney 263 Iverson, Martin 116 Iverson, Pedar 223

Jacobson, Albert 244 Janson, William 227 Jensen, Ed 211 Jensen, Emil 158 Jensen, Geo 211 Jensen, Julia 154 Johnson, Axel 158 Johnson, Edward 130 Johnson, Elvin _ 128 Johnson, Fred 209 Johnson, George — 103 Johnson, Gust 246 Johnson, Hans 135 Johnson, Henry 233 Johnson, Iver 70 Johnson, John B. 140 Johnson, J. P 172 Johnson, P. O. C. Dr 152 Johnson, Peter S. 171 Johnsrud, Gilbert 200 Johnsrud, John 228 Johnsrud, Ole 198 Johnston, Andw. _.. 178 Johnsrud, John 228 Johnston, Peter 197 Jokstad, Lars 108 Jonsrud, Ole 91 Jorgenson, Nils 64 Julyn, Frank 228

-K-

Kambestad, Oddmund ..._ 224 Kambestad, Severt 72 Karlstad, Christ 75 Karpyak, Maxim 71 Kellogg, Bryant _ 136 Kellogg, Lettie 150 Kennedy, Angus, Sr 198 Keogh, Frank 131 Kerr, Charles 86 Kenneberg, Peder _ _ 209 Kistler, Harry 196 Kjelstad, Ivar 208 Klamm, Jacob - 201 Knutson, Albin 147 Knutson, Helmer 80 Knutson, John 221 Koeser, Claus 231 Koshman, Walter 175 Krause, Alfred 135 Kristiansen, Even 88 Kummer, Lawrence _ 78

Kummer, William 17

-L-

Landon, Harry 251 Larson, L. _ 138 Larson, Barney 80 Larson, L. J —- 96 Larson, R. — "6 Lawlar, Dolly — 232 Lawlar, John —- - 262 Lawlar, Joe __ 232 Lee, Gilbert T 176 Lee, Gilbert 218 Lee, Oluf 188 Levang, Knute 234 Lillislet, A. 217 Lillislet, J 229 Lillislet, S. 68 Lillibridge, W 87 Linseth, S 125 Ljaadal, J - - - 254 Lofthus, S - 234 Loken, Ole 114 Lokken, Hans 128 Long, Mrs. J 67 Loomer, C 231 Losk Bros. 164 Lundin Family 84

-M-

Madison, E - 175 Madsen, Oscar 157 Madson, Anders 109 Madson, Fred 103 Madson, Nels - 104 Malkewick, 0. J 128 Maloney, Ed 124 Maloney, Jim 72 Mangold, Geo 144 Marsten, T 149 Martin, John ... 115 Maston, Roy — 120 Mathistad, 1 130 Mathistad, O 71 Maxam, R. W 72 McDaniel, Bill 85 McGregor, T 226 McLucas, J - - ----- 219 McMaster, L 73 McNamara, R 134 Medgard, John 244 Melby, Carl 183 Melby, Jens 78 Melby, Ole 157 Mennega, Fred 225 Moe, H. L. 150 Moe, Peter C 137 Moe, Peter J - 137 Mork, Holton 167 Morris, Dr. V 117 Murie, Hans 226

-N-

Nelson, A. C 88 Nelson, H 145

Nelson, Lars 113 Ness, Ole 257 Ness, Reinert 92 Nesseth, G. A 67 Neubauer, J. 166 Neubauer, W 166 Newman, Roy 121 Nordby, A. 74 Nordby, Carl 170 Nordeng, Erick 155 Norgard, Emil _ 227 Norstag, Olaf 213 Nyberg, Bennie 244 Nygard, Peter 75 Nyland, Livaar 222

-O-

O'Grady, W. B 195 Okalnd, Hans 144 Okland, Knut 121 Omlid, Peter 76 Olson, John 250 Olson, Halvor 204 Olson, John W 65 Olson, Karl 67 Olson, Knut 256 Olson, Ole T 191 Ove, William 169 Pagel, August 201

-P-

Parrish, E. E 146 Pederson, Carl 260 Pederson, Peder 259 Peterson, Helmer 239 Peterson, John P 141 Peterson, Sigvart 68

-R-

Randall, Clinton 66 Randall, Guy — 219 Rautio, Alex 121 Renbarger, Guy 119 Renbarger, James 216 Renbarger, Wm I l l Rice, Millard I l l Richardson, John I l l Richardson, S 143 Rikustad, Nels 124 Rikustad, S 124 Risser, Ben 127 Risser, Elmer 71 Robinson, Wm. 114 Rogness, John 232 Rolfson, M. 148 Rolfsrud, Nils 107 Rosenkrans, L 94 Rossi, Loui — 259 Rothie, Andrew 171 Rothie, Lars 171 Rubey, Frank 251 Rud, Hans _._ 119 Russell, Chas. _. 94 Rutz, Albert 219 Ryan, Ole _ 184

-s-Sandsmark, A. 80 Sanford, I. 123 Sannes, R 247 Satter, Edwin 173 Satter, Ole 238 Sax, C 109 Schoening, E 243 Schoenlein, W 99 Scollard, D. 218 Selid, Nels __ 138 Shafer, Chas. 161 Shafer, Geo 258 Shaw, John — 167 Shelley, H. 142 Shelley, Jess 158 Signalness, L. 228 Signalness, R 262 Simonson, A. 187 Sivertson, S 264 Sivertson, S 171 Skaar, John 89 Skadron, S 221 Skamfor, Wm 210 Skari, Albert 200 Skarpsno, L. 252 Skavanger, G 174 Skavanger, K 212 Skjelvik, E 76 Skjelvik, H 239 Skogheim, L. 259 Skoglund, C 159 Smith, Eli 194 Smith, L 254 Smith, Manley 183 Sockness, G. —. 264 Sondrol, E 251 Sook, George 134 Spence, I. 230 Staley, C 140 Stamner, O 68 Starling, H. Dr 112 Stavn, K. O 91 Stedman, Earl 106 Stedman, M 123 Stenberg, C 225 Stenberg, O 215 Steelman, C. 119 Steffeck, F 122 Stenehiem, 0 189 Stensatter, A 211 Stoughton, W 217 Stoveland, F 222 Stoveland, 0 220 Strand, H. 134 Strand, John 102 Strinmoen, Fam 122 Stutrud, M. O. ...._ 257 Sundfor, G 85 Swanson, H. 166 Swenson, S. 229

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Teslow, Ed 66 Textle, Knut 174 Thomas, George 90 Thomas, Howard 97 Thompson, H. 254 Thompson, Lars 223 Thompson, Sten 138

Thompson, Syvert __ 180 Thompson, Tom 254 Thorp, Arthur 69 Thorsby, Adolph 210 Thorsrud, Mikkell 54 Tiegs, John 184 Tollefson, Arne 117 Tollefson, Rev. B _ 176 Tollefson, Geo. _ 250 Tollefson, O. C. 88 Tweden, Syver 231 Tweden, Eli 220 Tweden, Olaus 139 Tweden, Ole 141 Tweden, Peder 167

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Uhlman, J. M.

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Vandegrift, A 207 Van Dyke, Alfred 69 Van Dyke, Earl ... 245 Van Dyke, Wm 83 Veeder, B 106 Veeder, Edgar 81 Vick Family 249 Vick, G. A. 103 Vildmo, Peter 209 Violet, T 252

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Wadenspanner, C .. 68 Wadenspanner, H 68 Wadenspanner, E 68 Waite, Laura 106 Walla, E. L 246 Walla, Jens 127 Wehrung, H 260 Weltzin, Hans 163 Westlund, D 240 Wheeler, Wm. 70 Williams, H 235 Williams, Jack 64 Winner, Dr. H 86 Wisness, A. 229 Wold, Anders 136 Wold, Helmer 248 Wold, Martin 132 Wold, Peder A 185 Wood, Sherman 105

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Yoerg, Edwin 194

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Zeller, John _ 256 Zeller, Leona 257 Zingleman, E 153

303

U N TAYLOR PUBLISHING COMPANY "The World's Best Yearbooks Are Taylor-made"

An Early McKenzie County Threshing Scene Left to right: Paul Zerk, Unidentified, John Farness. Ole Olson, Don Lester, Elmer Crowl, Art Kieson, Frank Tank, Tom Palmer, Unidentified, Joe Plein, Helmer Peterson Children Unidentified.