ARDOCH TOWNSHIP At the time when Ardoch village belonged to the In 1888, Bernard J. Narloch, Minto groceryman, was township, Ardoch township was organized in 1882, taking elected clerk until 1908. Other officers were John its name from the village. The first township officers Palouski, supervisor; Alex McGilivery, chairman, and were Alex McGilivery, chairman; Frank Galiski, super W. T. Sheppard, supervisor. visor; W. T. Sheppard, assessor, and John Farmer, Bridges were built for as little as $240 and were justice of the peace. strong enough to support large threshing rigs.
History of Pioneer Days of Ardoch
In 1877, William McLaren, who was married to Jane railroad was built in 1905. There were two drug stores, Stevenson, lived at Clarenden, Ont. He was sent to and two doctors, Montgomery and Williamson. Doc Calgary, Alta., to look after some timberland when he tor Montgomery, who had been educated in Toronto, London, and Edinburgh, took up practice in Ardoch in met an old friend at Winnipeg. He told McLaren of the 1880. His wife was the former Alida Drew, daughter of wonderful land in the Red River Valley. It was all level, Joseph Drew, among the first of the settlers in the area. there were no stones, and all that was necessary were Church was a veterinarian who started practice the horses, plows, and harrows. The U. S. Government was same year. giving settlers 320 acres of land free for agricultural The first one room school was built in 1882 with purposes. Charles Drew as teacher, with a salary of $30 a month, McLaren investigated for himself. He was so with a term of four months. In 1896 a three room school impressed that he applied for citizenship and filed was built which was destroyed by fire, and the brick on 200 acres. In 1878 McLaren returned to Clarenden school which still stands was built in 1914. and told the Stevensons and E. J. Jacobi about the won A post office was needed, so John Stevenson wrote derful opportunity in the Red River Valley. The two Washington, D. C. and he was appointed postmaster. families sold their 800 acres for $800. They were mak Ernest Jacobi sold his interest of farming and ing only a bare living and there was plenty of hard work. opened the first bank with J. W. Dennison as clerk. The They took their horses and wagons and the few things bank and Jacobi moved to East Grand Forks, Minnesota they had and emigrated. They went by train to and later to California. He was the grandfather of Jane Collingwood, Ont., then by boat to Duluth, Minnesota. Russell, the movie star. They went by train to Moorhead, the end of the line. Ardoch has had three names—first, Kimball, Finally they drove the rest of the way by wagon train. suggested by a railway official. But there was another Ernest Jacobi was still in Canada, but he had the bug to come to Dakota. He decided to get 300 acres of land Kimball in the state, so it was changed to Clair, and later near the Stevensons and returned to Canada. He sent his to Ardoch in 1882 by John Stevenson/ who suggested wife and three children to Dakota in 1879. On March 16th, Ardoch for both town and township in honor of his 1880, Jacobi and his son, Gustav, arrived in Crookston, hometown in Canada, as so many of the citizens came Minn., the end of the railroad and drove to Grand Forks. from Ontario. The snow was six feet deep. Ernest Jacobi built a store on A weekly newspaper, the Ardoch Monitor, was the Turtle River. They had to haul all their grain and launched in 1882 by John Mayan. It was later changed to goods to and from Grand Forks where the railroad was the Standard, and finally discontinued. built from Crookston. In 1896 both the Presbyterian and Catholic churches In 1880 the Great Northern Railroad decided to were built, and shortly thereafter the Methodist Church. continue the railroad as far as the coulee south of Every enterprising town had a racetrack in those Ardoch. Two enterprising homesteaders settled on days, and Col. J. J. Heffern had one on his farm. This adjacent land: Thomas McCullough in 1878 on the provided entertainment for the community. In 1890 the eastern side of the railroad tracks and roadbed and Peter Foresters were organized, followed by the Woodmen in Stoughton on the west side in 1879. As the railroad was 1891, with 80 members each buying a share for $25.00. A built, the firm of Comstock and White from Moorhead, hall which still stands, was built, but later interest died Minnesota, purchased the town site from these two men down, and a community club was organized, which and proceeded to develop the town. flourished for about 20 years. In 1881 the Jacobis and Stevensons decided to move There was a bicycle club formed with 26 women closer to their land, which was Ardoch. The first store members in the early 1900's. There was also a magazine was owned and operated by John Stevenson and his club which flourished for about 10 years. From tax brother, George. A hotel was built the same year by records of the early 1890's the following are listed: from McCullough followed by Switzer Hotel. Pierce Breuman east of town, the Brennans, Houk Ferris, George was the first blacksmith, followed by Hugh Ryan in latter Stevenson, Joe Errett, Dora J. Carpenters, Switzers years. There were two lumberyard stores, one operated John Mesheski and Joe Korynta. Descendants of the last by the Stevenson brothers, the other owned and operated two still Uve on the land. From the north of town were the by McGuires, Corcorans, and Bogans. Abercrombies, the Alex McGiUverys, the Drews, the There were 11 elevators at one time after the Soo line Wilsons-John, William, and Thomas, the Farmers-the 256