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. \ '':'lso^\ « ft amx 5s 3* HISTORY ,0F.. M.J. J.Jf, .. Thos . Pq" Jo h II J. 0. 7(7 , '.A;.v. [Jforqan- \Jforqa.n. %de-va.ri.ey \0 Do ri o i 'a ri Ju.lra.s J '/,' / /Y/// // /V « !/:(;// .SO It •' l -Est . /Co "5 Ho 160 ICO /Go /CO ICO —Af ; j , :' JJ ft) •£„ 63.5a^ J as. A e*• e L C^J^JI./ohrLsof/A-^\]ty^JoKnsGiU j-g J°Jyd' fit*.s/\\i,monj;es J «•/«,,. rrf 't2*yr z —~ \\ T£& '—h et^ ij | •—a?g-— —1| ;—ziS—-—y ii i^yV i *" 9' $? aoy Jtyde Pelson Twp. NORTH DAKOTA STATE LIBRARY ;- r M"A'tct .«, - **„/ «.; , ,3*. /^]X^t af' 1471,'- 'Wi;^^! %, MrsJT.l'rairie, ."•ft' p j u/' ' : ^-'l'-'.,; g ,».|« 7os\!Ay mo nj- SS./, 85. «c ft i. •-;-' . "a / a-n>. AriAlre,w Craigen- Q ,1 5J3 ? ••Howla.nd- I Mcuci.mAt' J. jr. Tra-nTc Tra n,/c Thos • fer^f Id J"^£ ft FaZdd#.4t.U, >%* ^=oj ^ fjj \JFug/ve..s J)u.prey Ay ma rvd Jy mono/. 5j 5s '/Iorga.ru oo <: Trenieari /eo /GO /GO •f,j A HISTORY OF NECHE, BATHGATE, BRUCE AND HYDE PARK North Dakota State Library Bismarck, N. D. 58505 1st PRINTING — 1976 2nd PRINTING — 1976 Published By NCCIHV Bathgate History Book Committee Neche, North Dakota ISBN Book No. 0-919212-94-8 Printed by D. W. Friesen & Sons Ltd. Altona, Manitoba, Canada Printed in Canada The cover and front and back fly leaves are reproductions of pages taken from an 1893 Plat Book of Grand Forks, Walsh and Pembina Counties. F. W. Ensign & Co., Publishers. SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Financial Secretary: Eileen Winkler Photography: Ray Carpenter Typists: Doris Cook, Eileen Winkler, Donna Newell, Vickie Symington, Adeline Morrison, Carol Stockton Historical Files: Mrs. Harold Jenson Sr. Historical Research: Grant Trenbeath, from the following sources: The Long Ago" by Chas. Lee . Alexander Henry's Journal-(George Conventry Copy.) Mrs. Marion Trengen, Bottineau Manitoba Provincial Archives Ontario Provincial Archives Canadian National Archives — Ottawa National Archives — Washington, D.C. Book Committee and Volunteers: seated I. to r.: Eileen Winkler, Financial Secretary and typist; Marge Trenbeath and Gladys Symington, Co-chair persons; Doris Cook, typist; Grant Trenbeath, Research; back row; Margie Duncan, Juell Duncan, Garnet Symington, Kathleen Thomson, Doug Vosper, Annabelle Trenbeath, Donna Newell, Zoe Horgan, Marie Renwick, Lillie Baier, Lawson Paton, Jessie Paton. F FOREWORD In the annals of the world and even of the story without too much repetition and using the United States, this area's Bi-Centennial best pictures. We did our best; if it turns out hullabaloo would seem to be much ado about wrong we can only say as Lincoln said "A thou nothing, for the 1800's are but yesterday on the sand angels in Heaven saying it was right, would calendar of our nation's history. Considered in not change it". another context however, our story is a One of the, as yet, unreaped benefits of this microcosm of all histories: the verdant, virgin history book, is that it will have made people land, inhabited by the animals; the native In more history conscious, and that they will have dians following the buffalo; the advent and begun to cherish and preserve the momentos of mingling of the first white man (French) with to-day for the historians of tomorrow. Pictures the natives to form the transitional society should be well-marked, dates noted, people (Metis) without which successful development always identified, for no matter how familiar would have been doubtful; the gradual decline of these things are to-day, memory is a sometime the fur-trader and hunter and the ascension of thing and details will have escaped us tomorrow. the farmer. Most of this occurred theoretically It is to be hoped that in the future when within living memory, for many of our forbears households are broken up and personal effects lived past the century mark. disposed of, that old pictures and artifacts be It was the desire of the people of the Neche, given to the Area Historical Preservation Assoc, Bathgate, Bruce and Hyde Park communities to for safe keeping and that never again will there preserve the history of the pioneers who settled be careless dumping, burning, and destruction of here. The compiling of this book has given us a municipal, church or school records. The Assoc, glimpse into the past and a deeper appreciation has been designated a tax exempt organization of those who have gone before us. The men and and as such may be the recipients of tax-free women who settled these prairies were pioneers gifts from people and/or estates who are in ac in every sense of the word. No hardship was too cord with the purposes of the organization so that great for them to endure and they had a vision a further effort may be made toward preserving that one day the fertile prairies would be part of the past. The restoration of the Old Red Hall a great state. To these hardy people, we owe a might be one project as well as the eventual debt of gratitude impossible to repay. return of the Walton car from the museum in Every effort was made to authenticate the Alberta to its place of birth in Neche. It is the data presented here-in. We realize that there will hope also of the Book Committee that a regular be errors and glaring omissions and that the ten-year supplement be undertaken. Material literary style leaves much to be desired, but a rejected for this volume might well be included sincere attempt was made to gather pertinent in in the next. formation and pictures and present it in as in And so, we present this book in hopes that it teresting a manner as possible. The book com will receive a kindly reception from all whose mittee is grateful to those who responded with homes are in or whose memories are associated such enthusiasm. The flood of material received with the Neche-Bathgate-Bruce and Hyde Park was overwhelming and of necessity, the com communities. We dedicate it to those hardy mittee had to be selective. There will be pioneers of whom so Proudly We Speak. questions and criticism as to why this picture was included and not that one. We tried to tell the G.S. and M.T. More Book Committee Members: I. to r.: Marguerite Jenson, Research. Vera Park, Bathgate, Adeline Morrison. Bathgate, Phyllis Vosper. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword — Book Community Pictures - - - - 3 Table of Contents 4 Area's Early History 5 Neche Village History 10 Highlights in Neche's Development 16 Family Histories 18 Neche - 18 Bathgate ----- 47 Hyde Park 65 Bruce 74 Those Who Made Footprints - - 77 Agriculture 80 Churches 85 Schools 92 Sports 99 Homes 103 Cars 106 Organizations - 109 Business Community — Then 117 Business Community — Now 124 Do You Remember? - - 127 THE AREA'S EARLY HISTORY Charles was a son of Cuthbert James Grant, the famous Metis leader, called the "Warder of Any history relating to the Neche-Bathgate- the Plains" in Canadian history. Cuthbert took Bruce and Hyde Park areas would hardly attract part in the April, 1815 "Massacre of Seven Oaks" the attention of Historians, until they were told when Governor Semple and 22 of his Selkirk that it is located between Pembina and Walhalla. settlers were killed. They would then realize this book speaks about Charles was a fur trader, merchant, rooming an area that played a vital role in introducing the house proprietor, and an extensive livestock first fur-traders and farm settlers to the Red farmer. In 1859, he and Charles Bottineau pur River Valley and North Dakota. chased the former Kittson Trading Post then We can not lay claim to such historically owned by Charles Cavalier, but the joint venture noteworthy places as Fort Pembina, Kittson and only lasted for about five years. Gingras Trading Posts, or such memorable ear After this partnership broke up, Grant took ly names as Alexander Henry, and Father over and expanded the Grant House location at Belcourt. But we do have our Grand Passage, Point Michael, located just southeast of the Hyde Point Michael and Smugglers Point as historic Park cemetery. It soon developed into a farm sites, with Charles Grant and Charles Bottineau site of many buildings for the raising of all kinds supplying the historical personalities. of livestock. It also became a rooming house, where many of the early settlers and their GRAND PASSAGE families stayed until they got their own homes In March, 1802, Henry's Journal states, that erected. One early settler living in Hyde Park the trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company, near Grant's Place described Mr. Grant "as a located at Grand Passage of the Pembina River big guy, with many cattle and horses. He kept a (Smugglers Point and later Neche), was burned stopping place for travelers along the trail from with great loss to the traders, though their rivals St. Joseph (Walhalla) to Pembina". seem to have been highly delighted with their misfortune. On April 28, 1802 the Hudson's Bay Charles Grant played an important part in people embarked to the Forks (Winnipeg). This this area's early government. He was named was a long time ago, yet can rightfully be first Postmaster in St. Joseph (Walhalla) Jan. claimed as Neche's beginning. 20, 1855. He was a member of the Minnesota When an area history is written it is only Territorial Legislature in 1855-1857. In 1867, proper that emphasis be placed on personalities Dakota Territory Governor Faulk, appointed playing an important role in its beginning. These Charles Grant, Charles Cavalier, and Joe two men can be classified as the first commer Rolette to organize Pembina County, Dakota cial farmers in North Dakota. Territory. At that time the County extended south to Fargo and west into Cavalier County. His farm was sold in 1878, and he died January 26, 1888 at the age of 64. He is buried in the St. Boniface cemetery in Walhalla. The large building used as a residence and rooming house was destroyed by fire in 1880. Other incidents about the Grant House appear elsewhere. Charles Grant. He was born in 1824 at the Red River Settle ment (Winnipeg). His wife's name was Euphrasie Gladu, and they had several children. One daughter married Peter St. Amour, one of Neche's early 1869 settlers. A portion of Peter's land later became a part of the original townsite of Neche named the St. Amour Addition. Another son, Gabriel, became the Chief of Police for Fargo before the turn of the century. Charles Bottineau. Born in the year 1831 at the Red River Settle with the Federal Government. He was also a ment (Winnipeg). His wife's name was Fran- County Commissioner for Pembina County, cious Paranteau whose parents lived in Win Dakota Territory in the early 1870's. nipeg. They had no children of their own, but did Charles Bottineau's land was sold in 1892, and adopt two. One, a boy by the name of Hyacinthe he left Neche for Washington D.C. in 1893 to Villeneuve, who related his exciting life's story spend his remaining years with his nephew, in the March 23, 1930 edition of the Grand Forks John. He died in 1904 or 1905 and is buried in Herald entitled "Pioneer Depicts Days of Indian Mount Olivet cemetery, D.C. Wars"; and a girl adopted at the age of five years named Elsie LaFromboise, born in 1863 in POINT MICHAEL — BETTER KNOWN AS St. Joseph (Walhalla). She married Albert GRANT'S HOUSE — GRANT'S PLACE Villeneuve in 1878. They were the parents of the This large building site was located in what is 1 1 large family that grew up in Neche's early years. now the SE /4-SE /4 Sec. 30, Felson Township, Charles was a brother of the very famous just a little southeast of the Hyde Park cemetery. Scout and Frontiersman, Pierre Bottineau, who In 1859 Chas Grant and Charles Bottineau were descendants of the Charles Bottineau, so purchased the former Kittson Trading Post at well documented in Alexander Henry's Journal Walhalla from Charles Cavalier. Also built was a at Pembina in the year 1803, and a Pierre Bot log building to act as a residence outpost for In tineau, registered in the Minnesota Territorial dian fur trading at Point Michael, later known as census taken in 1861, as a resident of St. Joseph the Grant House. This post was constructed at a (Walhalla) when he was 90 years of age. strategic trading crossroads on the main prairie During his lifetime Charles was a trader and supply trail between Pembina and Walhalla. merchant in Elk River and Minneapolis, and From this point, one trail forked off northeast to later in Walhalla and Neche; finally becoming a the Red River Settlement (Winnipeg). Another very large grain and livestock farmer four miles Indian trail branched off to the northwest. Chas west of Neche. Grant made many of his fur trading trips far into When the Bottineau-Grant partnership ended, Canada from this point. his share became the Kittson Trading Post in A few years later the Grant-Bottineau Walhalla that both had purchased in 1859. He partnership broke up. Bottineau kept the Kittson continued to operate the Trading Post for a Trading post in Walhalla and Grant, the Point number of years while concentrating on his ex Michael post. tensive farm operations. Before the year 1870, he About this time, the fur trade had already had about a 100 acres of grain under production, begun to diminish along with the buffalo, and the besides raising all kinds of livestock. One of the early settlers had begun to trickle in. Grant log buildings was 100 feet in length, located on shifted with the changing times. He built more John Cook land and recently purchased by and larger buildings. His possessions and Garnet Horsley. In the early 1870's, he owned 520 trading stock included many ponies, cattle, hogs acres around the home site. It is said he was and chickens. This was the beginning of the first assisted in building up his farm stocks by livestock farm in the area. He also supplied liv steamship and railroad magnate Jim Hill, whom ing quarters for many of the early settlers in the he had befriended earlier. Hyde Park-Neche area until they got their own He raised his first crops to feed his own large homes erected. This was attested to by writings household of Metis servants, and his livestock. of Mrs. Dumas, Nielsens, Noices, Hughes, He soon began selling wheat and mutton to the Mickels and others. Selkirkers at Winnipeg, delivering it by bobsled The first religious services in the vicinity and oxcart. He supplied Kittson with oxen for the were conducted there by Missionary Rev. Red River Cartways, and in later years he Goldie. It was also used as a place for enter provided military expeditions and railroad tainment. Howard Vaughn, early Customs in crews with horses and beef. spector in Pembina, describes a journey made to At Bottineau's farm, the wheat yielded forty Grant's House with his wife and Judson LaMoure bushels to the acre many years. This grain was Sr. and his wife. The event was the wedding harvested with cradle scythes and threshed with ceremony of the marriage of Mr. Grant's flails. Later a horse-powered threshing machine daughter to Pete StAmour, an early Neche was used. settler, and the dining and dancing lasted for two Around his farm, he wore buckskins. At Saint days. Paul, he would dress in frockcoat and silk hat, There are other interesting incidents of and he loaned money to a friend of his by the record concerning the Grant House. In a diary name of James J. Hill. It is said the first farmer kept by Hatch's Battalion stationed in Pembina in Red River Land would occasionally show off and dated November 20, 1863, it tells of 100 men by lighting a cigar with a $10 bank note. arriving at Grant's Place at 2:00 A.M. in the Charles Bottineau made several trips to morning, when temperatures were about 40 Washington, D.C., representing and interpreting degrees below zero. The men had left Pembina for Chiefs of Indian tribes of the Turtle Mountain at sundown to go to Walhalla to prevent a Sioux and Pembina regions in the Treaty deliberations uprising. The cold was so intense and the snow so deep the men refused to go any further, except SMUGGLERS POINT for a couple of Lieutenants and a few regulars. Along most International Boundaries, there They slept around the stacks of hay for the rest of are areas with physical characteristics that lend the night. In the morning, Charles Grant built a themselves as points for undetected crossings. big fire out-of-doors and furnished about 90 men It is easy to understand how this boundary with a good sized piece of fresh beef to roast location became appropriately named before their return to Pembina. Records of the Smugglers Point. It was the only spot where a Boundary Survey crew tell of traveling west heavily wooded area straddled the Border west from Pembina and stopping for lunch at early of St. Paul to Winnipeg main trail at Pembina, settler Neree Ethier's (along the Border north of until the Pembina Hills were reached. Neche) and camping for the night at Grant's There are undoubtedly many untold and in Place. teresting stories regarding this area along the Some records say Charles Grant went to Win Border; particularly at the time of the rivalry nipeg before his land was eventually sold at a and conflict between the British Hudson's Bay foreclosure sale in 1878. Since then the land was Fur Company and the U.S. American Fur Com acquired by James Hyde, namesake of Hyde pany. Both made claims as to where the furs Park, thence to the Wessels family, and is now were caught and to what company they should be owned by the Johnson Bros. sold. The Indians and Metis snowed no It is interesting to note that these two men allegiance to either; on the rightful claim that (Bottineau and Grant) became wealthy in the they were here first. Next came the imposition of trading business, but eventually lost their land to duties imposed on goods crossing the Border mortgage foreclosure after becoming farmers; either direction by both governments. Those ex Grant in 1878 and Bottineau in 1892. isting conditions made this spot on the Border a very busy place in those days. James S. Wheeler had first claim to the land cS^ds&J- d /frb and buildings at Smugglers Point. He and Charles Walker were the first Custom Inspectors followed by John Often in 1869. Otten became the JZ/y jLt^leu. c-~~, , n^/-r-L - first Postmaster in 1873 followed by Joe Daniels who had the post office in his saloon. When the /£> railroad arrived in December of 1882, Daniels moved his place of business to Neche and became its first saloon keeper. Later Mr. Otten purchased the land from Mr. Wheeler and made Smugglers Point his perma /j-< ' /Ay A// «.,- C^~ -^ nent homesite. The original log custom house was inadvertently lost to fire a few years ago. '/fcsty^ a^-~t- «^£-~-c^Crt^. ed\d. It was just east of this site, on land Mr. Otten 44*—Zi-e* ^-C^t* had owned previous to his Wheeler purchase, that he hired civil engineers H. S. Donaldson and S. O. McGwin in July of 1882 to plot the townsite of Ottenton along the boundary where the com ing railroad was to cross the Border. But in Oc £,ts-&-*»" ' „x <2dL~tstL A^S-s*4^ 6 tober 1882 Jim Hill contracted with Dan Shay, T&-AL and plotted the Neche townsite on the south side 4 /Z^-c-i^-V of the Pembina River. y This brought an end to an historic Port of En y^^^a-d? ^c^ddd s^^ (if*>y^ try, Custom House, Store, Post Office and jdLd? yf, syd* *j£~" d*ce^~~, Xa^.^ Saloon. All were to be re-located at the newly ^/%iul?^zL«dL £-s^ s<^^d2«Z^. organized village of Neche in 1883. THE EARLY PEOPLE /Z>/~. sdt *~Jd<; A... <£r#£r S^cdd _ Louis Riel, a Canadian rebel, and said to have been a cousin of the Neche LaFromboise family, was born at St. Boniface, Manitoba, in 1844. In 1869, he was the leader of the Metis people .*€*> / '•£*- #~cyd (French half-breeds) in their battle for their rights to land against the Canadian government, known as the Red River Rebellion. When the rebellion failed, he fled to the U.S. and spent one time in hiding at the Cyril Dumas place, 4 miles west of Neche (now owned by G. E. Symington). Riel was captured while assisting the French Halfbreeds in Saskatchewan and was hanged for high treason in 1885. ^Jit'.l iDflirf Dffiavlmnil, giagnim i/metnp //«. J,^ .^///^ '^.c cAc- jSft*t'€f/i* i^= Ai'i'ojNTJUMNT oeeum, «;. &ism«fy. d:'/. • LJm<*y. ££.L 'A of. ZfZ'Al. J0W/,«/ . WJUIMKOIUM. ,.c&J.:-.al /. - \t& ^ZelttYMn, <&on,i/y of. l/t-t.*.*./**!*. < ^..^ri/r^'f., J&at,. BoferO tho Postmaster General decide. ..]>"« ilu application for a nun j.,,.,1 oilieo at of ^Cl $.. „ S^AT-tNl ENT. Tlio piopo-ed office Hill bo ealbxl xA'C.C/yt... "\" [Tl,t name of tt.c candidate /or pt,$lmailer il.ould not t,t appUd 11 the IUIU of a poet office. It it pnfetJAc uluc Kite LOCH, or PEItttmiLST *u»r, wliklt MMl nol be ttx none of any o:Ur office it l\e ftatt; and igso lAvitM aim to leieet a mme nal apprs-prtiued In any offiet in th, Untied SlaUI.] rf ,, ,/ / *- I / I It ..ill bo Amated in tbe JLte. . aunt-tar of Section ._•../ .1.... PA .• , To.ynihip ~/\' /In//^ . £, HnuB. J?SM Or • IndwaC^.f Aj^JLlM. !*£.# ASA^S* I. TUl bj,on or «„ mttoKo. /£ «£# V , Uit,3 lb. rot,,, to. _ £.2jLd„ .'Jh^f\ to '/dl&X.A^l .<.<(- .., "a whfcb &' =wl '• now carjicd .6~H.eS __ timai par If not, bo»r far from utij I of iba ccuJ on* «7 Afb Mpt— >#upplj too propoud o1Dc#t—JM • kji / <^ Wh.tpo.1 olio* wiUb. lift out bJlbinbioSet-J«. '*OV t l C^ . Tb.nam*ofib.ne»ruLofI«lolliopropoMd60o.MH.«u«™.a.1, _ //t\ C * •• C£jU *"• 1* ^Jn-uiT, /4 , "••'•" ,c - ^ it ('^ '"/ '/•( •' dineMa ftoio lb* rxopotod «j .lAd <«ir. ui •/'••• 6 I e\ £*.. J,..(_/(r ..'«...'. /•,.,/,, I'. lae piupoKdofflc*. Tbu Dim. Tlxiuu,.n™.i 0oflbeoeftb.B.;lft .l.™ki. _. -• , n prapoatd ofllc* will be (T'/ii'. /' l' ( / mllo from esid rinr, on ibo __ i^rf. ir.r f f* lofii, »jKillb< II >« * nUrctd, • Ai*f. tbe population to bo eu^pjlod \>y l.ropuecd office.—Jpu. jjltv-ff Jf r e t i, &/i_<^*\.. . . ..-. /... iSmUnu ill*i%.».-1 „ otb.r put ofJIcoe, IOWM, or lillitgee near It, mil bo OMAA, end u> tbercfore dcelrod. Scale J iacb to tbe mile. Offieo D<[iinaii ,J io1 laJ 4 t AtL illiu.lt 1 CEnnvir lo U coirucl end Lrue, nooonling lo ll.ubcal of my bnoi.l.iL;J uul belief, llua I'/U . . (j tU.y*} b^H o*\»»*' -H «*»«J»«*^ «H ^ ' ""'P Iky AJU&2£< '&,-."•!-. Dw^4. cX4V, -^i*vx. ilj. *. ' tuat I l,*y oxanijiiod tbo forogeii df>!,(_(!OA't I'll ~> f«i~»./( ^ ~. Ottenton — This would have been the Town of Neche except for Jim Hill who moved the town south of the Pembina River. M i 1 • t K-K^vummt Neche before 1912. NECHE notices to be posted in the most public places in Most of the City townsite is located on land the proposed town. originally owned by Catherine Cyr. She was the Taken from the Proceedings of the mother-in-law of Dan Shay who purchased it Board of County Commissioners from her for $350 after selling his original land August 1, 1883. claim near Pembina. A sworn statement from the Inspector of the Dan Shay bought it August 6,1881, and on Oc Town of Neche setting forth that at an election tober 1, 1882 he entered into a sale contract with held on the 16th day of July 1883, the electors of the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad said town voted for incorporation. owned by Jim Hill and Associates. Now therefore it is hereby declared incor The contract specified that the Railroad was porated by the name of Neche, incorporating the to plot the town and sell the lots. After the ex territory set forth in the petition. penses were deducted, Mr. Shay was to get half of the remaining proceeds. A portion of the north end of the town was plotted on the homestead of Peter St. Amour and was named The St. Armour Addition. In re cent years the City has annexed a part of what was originally the Neree Ethier homestead now owned by Harold Jenson Sr. and it is known as the Jenson Addition. G. T. "The Mennonites bought wood lots along the border on the U.S. side and they'd strip and saw them down close. They wouldn't waste any thing. They'd take all the branches after they took the cordwood off. They'd come over with hayracks and the kids and pick up every twig there was. They'd take the twigs back and they'd close-pen their stock — put in the straw and the twigs. The stock would trample that down, then it would dry out and they'd cut that for fuel — "There were a lot of trains in those days, es like peat. The twigs and straw would act like pecially after Midland line was built, because all binders. Sometimes the U.S. citizens would buy their trains instead of going through Canada — back the lots. The Canadians didn't want to come the Canadian National built as far as Portage over — they just wanted the wood. These trans and ran out of gas. Jim Hill built that line up to actions show up in the old abstracts." Portage to connect with it. All that grain from J. H. Lee Western Canada went through Neche. During the harvest season there was one train after another Taken from the Proceedings of the going through Neche, all under bond and shipped Board of County Commissioners to England and other places through Duluth. July 2, 1883. They didn't have a line to Ft. Williams-Grand The petition of F. Vosper and 35 others asking Trunk Pacific, it was called, built from Western that the Commissioners take the necessary steps provinces paralleling the C.P.R. not too close but towards incorporating the Town of Neche and St. parallel, terminated at Portage and all came Amours Addition as surveyed, platted and filed down through Neche. They had all new rolling in the office of the Register of Deeds. stock and big red quarantine-like signs, "shipped The board being satisfied that the survey map under bond" to let them through customs and and census have been subject to inspection for at they traveled to be loaded on Canadian least 30 days before presenting the petition, and freighters. said petition embraces over 2/3 of the legal Until they made a link-up and the Canadian voters within said proposed incorporation and National was formed and the Canadian Northern that all other requirements relating to the incor had a line, which paralleled the C.P.R. at that poration of towns and cities have been complied time — they all went broke and the government with. started buying up the railroads and they con Now therefore it is hereby ordered that said nected and all that stuff went through Port territory with the assent of the qualified voters Williams and that was the end of the Portage therein be an incorporated town by name of line. Neche and that on Monday the 16th day of July During those years, Jim Hill was a great per 1883, the qualified voters of said proposed town sonal friend of the McCabes. They were both will meet at the office of F. Vosper and vote on born back in Ontario. The McCabes had the the question of incorporation "Yes" or "No". whole set up at Glasston and Jim McCabe was a The County Auditor is hereby instructed to farmer and there was two other brothers — one cause notice to be inserted in the Pioneer Ex went to Duluth and the other was at Brandon. press for 2 weekly publications and also cause 10 That's where the McCabe brothers all started. 10 Jim Hill didn't want to build elevators. He made a deal with the McCabe brothers — they could have the grain business from Neche to Portage and he put in a siding at each one of them to get that local hauling and McCabes made all their money up in Canada. At the same time, Jim Hill built that Portage line, he extended the Walhalla line to Morden. There were two sidings at Tipperary and Hasket. During World War I, there was a big ex change rate. England was in bad shape and the exchange was big money and they made big money off of this." — J. Hume Lee In those days it was the railroads that made the towns. On its arrival in Neche in December of 1882, prospective and visionary merchants Neche Grain Elevators - 1908. already had their buildings going up before the village became organized the following year. The Neche businessmen could easily see that this railhead would be the supply depot for all the settlers locating west into Cavalier County, but more important it would provide access to the eastern markets for all the crops grown in the vast area to the west and north. For a number of years, Neche was the center of considerable freight and passenger service. Several trains would pass through every day, in cluding a daily passenger train from Winnipeg. Of course, a big part of this rail activity ended when the rails reached Walhalla, and the exten sion was finally completed from Portage to Win nipeg. But by that time the Village of Neche was firmly established and carried on with other ex pansion. Neche Folks in their Sunday Best 1900 — Meeting an excursion G.T. train from Winnipeg. THE O'BRIEN HOUSE The Hotel became a part of the brick block on main street in 1894, and in its day was as fine as most. Tim O'Brien operated it for many years until he moved into the U.S. Custom House across the street and became a long time Customs Officer. (Since then the operators were Bigby, Spence, Merrifield, Beggs, Nichol, Schumacker, Renaud and Winkler.) It possessed a huge dining room, and a large lobby that was always kept warm 24 hours of the winter days by a huge round stove. In the summer, the doorway balconys provided an ex Passenger train heading for Gretna about 1905. cellent spot to sit and visit. This hospitable at mosphere made it the center of activity in earlier days. Business was excellent in those years, but its a \%j - ,,'Jt real hey day was in the prohibition years, par ticularly in the winter months when the roads V \ were blocked and the numerous traveling salesmen had to use the rails. They would arrive one day, stay over night, and go back the next day, many times staying over the weekends. These were energetic and worldly men that kept Neche and Gretna vibrating. They enjoyed their booze, and Room Six card games. The hotel and town could be called an old time miniature Old Bridge to Gretna. Vegas. On the rail ride north to Neche on one of these Feb. 17, 1900 — The organization was given week-end excursions, the older salesmen the name "The Neche Public Hall Co." and of pumped a young first tripper full of tales about ficers named were J. E. Lee, President; P. C. how tough and wild the action got in Neche. That Donovan, Vice-President; L. P. Strong, night they purposely arranged a card game in secretary and H. P. Holmes, treasurer and to act the hotel room with the new recruit as one of the as board directors. players. A terrible argument soon broke out, March 2,1900 — Directors reported only feasi complete with a drawn revolver, fired with ble and desirable sites were those of Geo. blanks, and a felled victim with a catsup- Greenwood and J. E. Lee — price of each — plastered white shirt. The terrified "green horn" $150.00. Voted to build the Hall on lot 22, Blk 22, flew out of the room, leaped down the stairs, and original townsite of Neche. out the lobby door. He took off on the dead run June 4th, 1900 — Bids were let and estimates down the railroad tracks out of town in his shirt were submitted by firms from East Grand sleeves in 20 below weather! However he was Forks, Pembina and Neche. It was voted to eventually caught and persuaded to return. accept the bid of $3,685 from Mahon and Robin On cold winter mornings, the early town son of Neche. M. E. Beebe was the architect. The arrivals would put their team in the Tie-yard building was completed in the fall of 1900. behind the hotel, and then rush into the lobby to Aug., 1907 — Charges for rent of Hall as get warmed up by the big stove. Also on cold follows: All traveling shows $15.00 per night or mornings, the roomers would leap out of bed, $10.00 each additional night, unless when taken grab their clothes, rush downstairs, and dress for more than 3 nights, a straight price of $10.00 around the lobby stove. On one extremely bitter per opening. All local gatherings shall be $10.00. morning, Bill McLellan had hung up his overcoat Jan. 27, 1911 — Motion adopted that all and proceeded to get warm by the stove. Long stockholders present and voting do hereby icicles were hanging down from the ends of his donate their respective shares of stock to the mustache. Right then, an overnite guest came village of Neche, providing said village pay all flying down the stairs with his clothes in his debts and liabilities against the property known arms. He took one look at Bill and exclaimed as the Neche Public Hall, building, lot and per "my God, what room did you have last nite!" sonal property. G.T. May 11, 1911 — President and secretary were instructed to transfer the property known as The Neche Public Hall together with lot 22 blk. 22 together with all personal property to the Village of Neche for the sum of $1,828.25. End of minutes of the Neche Public Hall Com pany. The townspeople were very proud of this edifice built in 1900, as it equalled anything in the smaller towns of that day. The traveling artists of the period performed on its stage, and the local people arrived in their carriages wearing silks, tails and top hats. The structure has an amazing feature which was written up in Ripley's Believe It or Not. The floor is built on a center axis that can be tilted or laid flat for either social and athletic events, or Neche Public Hall 1900. theater performances. This ingenious piece of NECHE PUBLIC HALL — How it came to be: engineering was invented by none other than The following notes were taken from an old William L. Walton, builder of the "Walton Auto- book entitled "Hall Minutes". Buggy" in Neche in 1902. Feb. 1, 1900 — Neche — Many citizens of Following are excerpts from an article Neche and vicinity met in the lobby of the written for the Minot Daily News by Bob Cary in O'Brien Hotel for the purpose of discussing the which he reminisced about a concert trip he took feasibility of erecting a hall. Hon. J. L. LaMoure to Neche in 1923 when he was a member of the was made chairman of the meeting. It was voted U.N.D. Men's Glee Club: to build a hall if sufficient funds could be raised. "We gave our concert in the city hall built in A committee was appointed to solicit subscrip 1900. In later years it was called "The Old Red tions and get sentiment of residents. It was Hall" and is still intact, but no longer in use. It decided to sell stock at $25.00 per share. was a combination auditorium and dance hall Feb. 10, 1900 — Enough stock was sold to the and my recollections of it suggests quite ade amount of $3,040.00. W. L. Walton, L. P. Strong, quate proportions. For auditorium use, it was P. C. Donovan, P. J. Horgan and W. A. Murphy furnished with rows of theater chairs fitted to the were voted to act as temporary building com slant of a floor that inclined toward a wide stage mittee. in front. 12 After the concert, about an hour elapsed until Some of the handsomest girls had French- the dancing party began. During this time we Canadian or mixed blood families. One of our saw the slanting floor move slowly, by some kind group was a fastidious baritone from Grand of mechanism, to a level. The hall was built so Forks, fastidious in manners, in dress and in that there was access to the floor either from the ideas of feminine pulchritude; not only a level or the tilted position. ballroom dancer of grace but a soloist in ballet I had never seen a moveable floor like that also. The girl he danced with again and again before and I have not seen one since. A brief was a slim, trim brunette with black bobbed history of Pembina County offers the informa hair, a candidate for beauty contests, surely. tion that Neche's hall had 'the only tilting floor in After Auld Lang Syne, he gallantly offered to the world, as claimed by Ripley'. walk her home. The next morning Merle showed For the dance it seemed that every family in up with frosted ears. He reported that this town and some from the countryside came in, beautiful miss lived about a quarter of a mile out many bringing children of all ages, and parents of town in a little shanty, and did not invite him bringing daughters eligible to dance with the inside! visiting University men. They brought baskets Dance parties like that probably were routine and boxes of lunch with them, to be shared with entertainment in winter in Neche's ingeniously the guests at midnight. constructed hall. But for an eager assortment of It was a cold winter night with snow on the young fellows from UND, who had a variety of ground, but the furnace-heated hall was warm. It ethnic backgrounds and small experience in the required some time to ready the hall for dancing. wide, wide world, it was a memorable event. The theater chairs were shoved to the sides and The next morning we were back on the train the end of the floor. Wraps were piled on some of to Grand Forks, and grateful to a young school them. The bountiful lunch boxes were laid on superintendent from Bathgate named Paul tables. People kept coming, and the music Miller (afterward the superintendent in Minot) started. It was a jolly, friendly party, which for having arranged that concert date for us at lasted late. Neche." J] NECHE PUBLIC SCHOOL dj ST. PATRICK'S DAY E N T E R T ATN~M E N T jR^> V\ « NECHE OPERA HOUSE d) ! THURSDAY EVENING ^ MARCH 17TH, 19Qj. ^ PROGRAMME CONTINUED PROGRAMME Bonn, -Only Mc" Evil Follier; Chiurmui BKNJ. FIUBUH. ReeiUilion, "When Hnldii 'tSpxtn Her Bun," Nettie Kerr; Duel Aium Olleil ami Nellie Trenlienlh ; Welcome Smitf. Hiuli W John Otten May 27, 1873 Rural Route Mailmen: Joseph Daniels December 6, 1875 Rt. I Mrs. Kate Walker September 20, 1878 Thomas McNamara — 1906-1919 Martin J. Tynan September 25, 1882 Roland Hughes — 1920-1965 Paul Tynan January 29, 1883 Frank Trenbeath — 1965 to present Andrew H. Nesbitt March 6, 1883 Frederick Vosper November 16, 1883 Rt. II John D. Dalton April 7, 1886 John Edgerton Patrick C. Donovan May 23, 1887 Daniel Shay Asa Fauset April 11, 1889 D. W. McFadden William D. McLeod June 20, 1893 Leslie A. Chambers Louis P. Strong June 15, 1897 Charles N. Murphy October 17, 1901 Wallace W. O'Hara March 29, 1916 Frank L. Lewis March 4, 1922 Ellis R. Dennison November 20, 1929 Fred. C. Thompson December 1, 1933 (acting) December 8, 1933 (assumed charge) Wallace W. O'Hara August 6, 1934 (acting) August 15, 1934 (assumed charge) Mrs. Ella E. Morin February 24, 1937 (confirmed) April 1, 1937 (assumed charge) Vernon C. Douville March 21, 1947 (assumed charge) June 1, 1949 (confirmed) Leon C. D'Heilly September 3, 1953 (assumed charge) Beatrice Gynn Symington — Assistant Post Mistress, Neche 1913. August 19, 1954 (confirmed) Stanley Earl Feick July 31, 1966 (acting) October 17, 1966 (confirmed) Les and Rachael Chambers. Les was rural mail carrier in Neche for 42 years. Les Chambers in his mail delivery car. 14 Big towns get larger — little towns get smaller — that has been the trend for several decades, but few in this day realize that some of our smaller towns of today were also the big towns of yesteryears. One can hardly visualize the changes that have transpired since the turn of the century: — the railroad came in 1882, the first store was built by Wm. Crawford — (the first mass was held in that store). The second store was built by Winters and Goodfellow and was later to become LaMoure and Co. and then Joe Lee and Co. There were also two other general stores, five livery and feed stables, a furniture store, 2 blacksmith shops, 2 machine shops, 2 drug stores, a doctor and a dentist, a harness shop, 4 hotels, a tailor shop, 2 lumber yards, 2 barber shops, 5 licensed saloons, a roller rink, an ice rink and 4 churches. Fire played a big part also — a March 1st, 1895 blaze took many buildings — while another fire, man set, in 1916 wiped out the block south of the bank. Phyllis Vosper Chairman of Board for Village of Neche A. L. Wilcox — 1887 P. C. Donovan — 1888 F. L. Briden — 1891 H. L. Holmes — 1892 P. C. Donovan — 1893 A. Craigen — 1894 H. L. Holmes — 1895 J. E. Lee — 1896 gap in records of 8 years March 1895 — Fire, which destroyed Murphy General Store, Tinan F. P. Holmes — 1908 House (Hotel) and bank block. Records lost Robert Hadden — 1937-1948 Neche incorporated as a city — June 20, 1945 Bert Hvidsten — 1948, resigned in May Grant Trenbeath — 1948 Howard Ristvedt — 1949 No Records Mayors of City of Neche Howard Hughes — 1954-1962 Earl Morrison — 1963 Herbert P. Paulson — 1964 George Winkler — 1967 •'••X': Victor Svenson — 1970 Herbert Vosper — 1971-73 New shipment of Allis-Chalmers tractors and Banting grain James H. Duncan — 1974 separators on Main Street of Neche. Henry Bonaime was the dealer. Leland DeMars — 1975 15 HIGHLIGHTS IN NECHE'S DEVELOPMENT Excerpts from Neche Town Board minutes desiring to enter teams in the Pembina County dating from 1887 — Dakota Territory. Record baseball league was held in Neche, Monday last. books previous to this seem to have been lost or Four teams were represented: Walhalla, destroyed: Hamilton, Cavalier and Neche. It was decided Meeting of the town board of Neche, D. T. that protests and other matters of dispute should held at Wilcox's office May 6,1887. H. L. Holmes, hereafter be settled by a board of control com trustee for Ward No. 1; P. C. Donovan, trustee posed of the managers of the clubs; the president for Ward No. 2; and A. S. Wilcox, trustee for of the league to cast the majority vote in case of a Ward No. 3. All took oath of office. A. S. Wilcox tie decision. was elected chairman for the ensuing year. The June 7, 1906: An ordinance granted F. E. Cor bonds of Joseph LaPorte, town clerk; James son of Fargo the right to construct and maintain Johnson, marshall; and Asa Fonsett, treasurer local and long distance telephone exchange and were accepted. On motion of P. C. Donovan, the lines in and upon all streets, avenues, alleys, and meeting was adjourned. public highways in the village of Neche. Neche, D. T. June 20, 1888: Bill of George 1907: Street overseer's duties were delineated Gray (burying dead horse) $6.00 be allowed. and a salary of $50.00 a month allowed. Construc June 20, 1888: At a meeting of the town tion of cement sidewalks was also begun. trustees of Neche, D.T.; P. C. Donovan, H. L. 1910: Petition of 39 taxpayers was presented Holmes and John Symington trustees, were asking the honorable town board to purchase elected having qualified on 17th day of May, 1888. from Peter St. Amour for $500.00 the parcel of Moved by H. L. Holmes, seconded by John land opposite the present village park to be used Symington that P. C. Donovan be chairman. for village park and athletic purposes. (This Neche, N. D. May 6, 1889: Annual meeting of became the Ball Park.) the citizens of the town of Neche was held in the Records on hand dating from 1893 of the clerk's office on the 6th day of May, 1889, to elect town's Justice docket — criminal and civil — has the town officers for the ensuing year. The provided interesting statistics and humorous following officers were duly elected: Tim reading but would be much too lengthy to quote O'Brien, P. C. Donovan, and John Symington. verbatim. A J. McFadden was Justice of the The first newspaper, called the Oak Leaf, was Peace at that time and kept copius but largely il published in 1889. Mr. Stanley was the editor. legible records of every case to come before him Later Mr. Charles Lee became editor but when and of its subsequent disposition. Human nature he went to Walhalla the paper became the Neche was the same then as now, except perhaps more Chronotype and was edited by H. H. Lampman. so, as the record is full of wife beating, assault It was published every Saturday and the rates and battery, threating to kill and do bodily in were $1.50 a year in advance. The paper was first jury, default in payment of debt; failing, neglec mentioned in the town meeting minutes in 1902. ting and refusing to send minor children to Dec. 13, 1902: Bell Telephone Co. of Canada school; drunk and disorderly, arson, and just Limited presented petition asking for right of plan cussedness. As time went on and life styles way for the erection of poles through the streets changed, charges of speeding were added to the of village of Neche. Petition granted. above list of misdemeanors but then, more than Village caucus and boards began to hold now, a spade was called a spade; a person of meetings in the Opera House in 1903. They were "mean and contentious nature" was so called. A held in the clerk's office previously. pauper was a pauper or "indigent" and was the responsibility of the town fathers who issued Local and personal news items taken from letters of credit for necessities equally divided May 14, 1904 edition of the Neche Chronotype: among the local merchants so that there would The cold drizzling of rain of Wednesday and be no cry of favoritism and so that the "indigent" Thursday has had the effect of greatly retarding was not placed in the way of temptation to drink the work of the farmer in getting their seed into his bread and butter. The town board was re- the ground. embursed 75% by the county for any amount ex The Neche Public Schools resumed pended in the name of charity but welfare as we operations Monday morning after a two-week in know it was unthinkable and each town took care termission occasioned by the prevalence of of its own. scarlet fever in this village. The Neche and Gretna knights of the diamond Change was gradual but inevitable. In Oct. of will cross bats on the grounds of the latter on 1926, two street lights were ordered to be in Wednesday next. The game to be called at 6 p.m. stalled before cold weather in "Brooklyn" — the sharp, weather permitting. area west of the railroad tracks so that par Peter St. Amour had the misfortune to lose ticular colloquialism is at least fifty years old. In a valuable two-year colt by drowning in the 1928 Robert Hadden was appointed Pound Pembina River Tuesday afternoon. Master and the sum of 50c per day was con Pembina County Baseball league magnates sidered a reasonable charge. Dog licenses were meet. A meeting of representatives of towns $1.00. In August of the same year Bruno Winkler 16 was mentioned for the first time: he was hired as night watchman for the sum of $75.00 per month. Both of these gentlemen were destined to be ac tive in the town's affairs until their deaths many years later. Mr. Holland, high school principal, petitioned the town board for permission to use the hall for basketball for the first time in Nov. of 1928 (the old Y.P. building had been the scene of those activities here-to-fore). The petition was granted with Mr. Holland being "held respon sible"! Oh dire fate! Others took their places to share that responsibility until 1950 when the new gym was built with donated labor and over half the cost of construction raised by local subscrip tion. Jenson's first addition was picked up by the town in 1954 and an ordinance was passed creating Sewer District I. In 1955, Milton Rue Co. received the bid for a sewer system ($106,823.00), Mayor Howard Hughes, George Hutton and J. A. Griffith. Joe Mayo the bid for the lagoon ($9,840.00) and Signing of agreement between the city of the sewage disposal system was completed in Neche and Manitoba Water Supply Board on 1956. This was a giant stride toward saving the June 29, 1960, in Winnipeg. Neche City agrees to town from extinction. City water followed soon, export treated water and supply the needs of for in early 1957 plans, specifications and es Gretna and Altona, Manitoba, by pipeline. This timates were approved. In Nov., 1957 the was the first arrangement between United States Water Dist. No. I was established which would and Canada where water was exported across provide fire protection and other services and the International border to serve cities on both would include the intake from the Pembina sides. Those signing the agreement from left to River, a filtration plant, necessary reservoirs, right: Howard Hughes for city of Neche, George pumping facilities and watermains. Bids were Hutton, Minister of Agriculture and J. A. Grif let in June of 1957 to the tune of $300,000.00. Curb fith, Chairman of Manitoba Water Supply Board. and gutter specs were advertized in June of 1958. Then in April, 1960, an ordinance was passed creating a statutory park district of the whole town of Neche which paved the way for the volun tary subscription of funds to build the beautiful little swimming pool of which the town boasts. An event of major importance occurred June 29, 1960 when Neche had the distinction of being the first U. S. community to export water to Canada. f' Neche now. In February, 1970, the ordinance creating pave ment, curb and gutter, and storm sewer district was passed which put the icing on the cake for the streets were completed in time for the July, ,••«"•..: **.'* 1972 All-School Reunion. Where do we go from here? There is room for .'*•.-; +.. .-^. growth and improvement. With the help of a progressive, far-thinking citizenry, Neche will continue to do just that. This little corner of the <•**" ,.-.':• •..*•*"* ->;*• world will always be a great place to live and to have lived, and "divil a man to say a word agin' Neche Park and Swimming Pool. it". 17 NECHE BIOGRAPHIES Alfred Askew Family Art Askew seated, L to R. Les Askew, Lucy (Taylor), lola (Young). ASKEW, WILLIAM William Askew came to Neche from Colter, Mr. Joseph Auger: His children were: Jerry, Pete, Alphonse, Ovid, England with his wife, Elizabeth and family: Eugene, Merenie, Delima, Margaret (Renaud), Alma (Bonaime), Sister John, Bob, Dave, Alfred and Margaret. John Anne (Grey Order Nun). learned the butcher trade in England and prac AYMOND, JOSEPH ticed it in Neche for several years. He married Joseph Aymond came to this area about 1874. Elizabeth Michels in 1890. Bob was a dray man in He was president of school Dist. No. 3 in 1892. His Neche and married Mary Michels. Dave was a occupation was farming. Capt. F. Aymond also veterinarian. All of the children attended Neche came to Neche in 1874. He was elected com schools. Alfred (born in 1877) took up butchering missioner for Dist. No. 4 in 1883 and was a county in a Great Falls college and returned to Neche to commissioner in 1879 (published in the Pembina run a meat market in the Askew block. He Pioneer 1879). married Grace Hicks and moved to Cartwright, Manitoba as did the previously mentioned BEARE, THOMAS brothers. Margaret married Samuel Radcliff in Thomas Beare, born in Cornwall, England, in 1899, who had been a school teacher in Neche. 1844, was married to Dorothy Gynn of Alfred's family moved to Neche. His children Devonshire, England, in 1867, before leaving for were: Lucy, Arthur (of Neche), Leslie (of Cobourg, Ontario. Three children were born Cavalier), and lola (Young) of Fargo. there. About 1872, the family came to Pembina County, where they homesteaded east of Neche. Their children are John, Thomas, Mary Anne, Richard, Jane, James, Earnest, Dorothy, Alice, George and Lillian. Dorothy (Polly) was married to James Quinnell and their children are Lloyd, Ernie, Roy and Maude. Mr. and Mrs. Beare raised the three small children of John: Lillian (Babe), William and Dorothy (Dolly, Mrs. Peter Otto) after their mother died. Mr. Beare died in 1921; his wife, Dorothy, in 1927. BEAUDRIE, ELI Eli Beaudrie came here in the early 80's from Ontario, where he had operated a drayline. He farmed west of Neche. Mr. Beaudrie was married twice. Children from the first family were Leo, Issac (Ike), Thomas, Eli, Josephine, Annie and Alice. The second family was Arthur, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Auger and Family — Back L. to R.: Ed (Dilworth, Mn.), Raymond (International Falls, Mn.), Achilles (deceased), Lawrence William, Eugene, Mary (StAmour), Margaret (Spokane), Mrs. Auger and Mr. Auger. (Blais) and Florence (Krause). 18 Mr. and Mrs. Emil Bloch. BLOCH, EMIL Emil Bloch and Julianna Ertman were Louis Seraphine Bonaime. married in Justine, Poland, in 1900. Mr. Bloch came to the Neche area in 1902, and his wife a BONAIME, LOUIS year later. Mr. Bloch was a bricklayer and Louis Seraphine Bonaime was born in Greno carpenter. ble, France. He married Margaret Severe who Children born to this couple were Albert, was a seamstress in a Paris gown shop. He came Harry, Reinhold, Hulda (Winkler), Anne (Staf to this area in 1864, homesteaded and worked as ford), Martha (Miller) and Ludama (Stark). a carpenter until he was able to prove up and Another daughter, Haidie, died of polio when she earn enough money to bring his family over. It was 12. Mrs. Bloch died in 1954 and her husband took nine years but he went back to France and died in 1959 at the age of 81. returned with his mother, his mother-in-law, his wife and two children. Henry P. Bonaime was born in 1880 in this country. The original homestead is now owned by Ernie Anderson. BOOKER, JOHN In 1924, the John Bookers moved from Pem bina to Neche, where Mr. Booker had purchased the hardware store owned by Murphy and McLeod. Included in the purchase was a horse- drawn hearse, equipped with wheels for summer, and sleigh runners for winter! This building was located near where the Neche Fire Hall now stands. In the 1940's this building was sold to Howard Ristvedt, and later was destroyed by fire. The Booker "Our Own Hardware" had been moved to a building on Main Street, next door to the present beauty shop. The building was formerly occupied by the Charles Murphy Store, and was purchased by Mr. Booker from Ray Murphy. Also, later, Mr. Booker purchased the adja cent building, which had been occupied by the J. E. Feick Store. This building is now occupied by Henry P. Bonaime. the L Bar. The two buildings were connected by a BONAIME, HENRY walkway, and later the Feick building was sold. Henry P. Bonaime, born in 1880, farmed the When Mr. Booker retired, the hardware store homestead land of his father and started an im was sold to Bob Schledorn, and later to Clarence plement business in a small way while still on the Nash. farm. Later he moved the business and the fami Mr. Booker died in 1968. Mrs. Booker sold ly into town. He married Delia Lemier. They had their family home in 1975, and presently resides ten children: Henry, Stella, Mabel and infant in Huron, South Dakota. The Bookers had two Raymond are deceased; Louis, Clarence, Leo, children: Robert, of Tullahoma, Tennessee, and Virgil, Raymond and Delores. Henry P. Betty (Mrs. Paul Nielsen), of Huron, South Bonaime died in 1925, his wife in 1964. Dakota. North Dakota State LibraTy Ricmorrl M T\ (iflSfiR and soon other settlers came to join them. The Indian trail, from St. Joe to Pembina, was less than half a mile from the Brown house and In dians were often seen traveling back and forth. 'i5». **' The Brown house was one of the first frame ** houses in Neche Twp. and is presently occupied by a grandson, H. Jackson Brown. V"* Harry Brown helped organize the School Dist. /S*^^ ' 1 No. 2, the Bathgate Presbyterian Church, Neche Jfe'i* Township, and held several offices. The children M| of Harry and Mary Brown were Isabelle (Fiedler), Margaret, Peter, Mary, William and is3m M George. '^^^ BYERS »*. .• •...... ,_jflH Byers: Prominent Neche farmers of the early Mrs. Fred L. Briden. 1880's. Allan Mann, brother of Mrs. Byers was secy, of School District No. 3 in 1892. Children of BRIDEN, FRED Byers included Mrs. A. H. Glendenning, and Mrs. Fred L. Briden was born in Toronto, Can. and Saule of Grand Forks. came to Neche in 1886. He was employed by Mr. Faucett in the Neche store and was later a clerk in the Express Office. He married Helen Scott in Toronto in 1888. Mr. Briden became the station agent and due to his long service, was made a member of Great Northern Veterans Assoc, which was founded by Jim Hill. He was a direc tor in the Neche and Bathgate banks and the Neche Mercantile Co. The Bridens had one daughter, Vera (Mrs. J. E. Wright). Mr. Briden died in 1923, she on Jan. 25, 1955. Three Wylie Sisters: L. to R. Jennie (Liberty), Margaret (Trenbeath) and Elizabeth (Collison-Brown). COLLISON — BROWN William and Elizabeth (Wylie) Collison and three children: Clifford, Winnie and Howard, ac companied by Elizabeth's sister, Margaret Wylie, came to Dakota Territory from Brinston Corners, Ontario in the spring of 1881. They traveled by rail to St. Vincent and proceeded by wagon to Neche. They homesteaded three miles Original Wedding Group at the 50th Anniversary of Henry J. and Mary southwest of what is now Neche. Margaret Wylie Brown. Left to right standing: Margaret Kerr Moffat, Isabella Kerr Dick, lived with them until her marriage to William Mary Stewart Brown, Isabella Stewart Gynn. Seated: Henry J. Brown. Trenbeath. In 1883 a baby girl, Maude, was born BROWN, HENRY JACKSON to the Collisons (she was later to become Mrs. Henry Jackson Brown, known as Harry Ed. Slagerman). William was killed by the kick Brown, was born in England. Here he learned of a horse in 1887, and was the first to be buried in the bakers' trade in his father's business. When what is now Union Cemetery. William he was 23, he came to Canada with his mother Symington, Sr. preached the funeral service. and two brothers. When 28, he was married to a Elizabeth and Margaret made many trips to Scotch girl, Mary Stewart, who had immigrated Pembina for supplies and to see about their U.S. to Canada with her family. citizenship which they received in 1887. In 1878, Harry, with a brother-in-law, traveled Elizabeth met James Brown from Dublin, to Emerson, Manitoba, to look for homestead Ireland, on one of these trips and in 1890, they land. They were persuaded to go into N. Dak. and were married. St. Vincent was a railroad town filed their claims in what is now Neche and James was a fireman, but after his marriage Township. Their families followed shortly. They he came to Neche to farm his wife's land. John A. were to endure hardships of fires, blizzards and Brown was born in 1892 and William E. In 1900. loneliness; but they survived the first winter, When Bill was 6 months old the family moved 20 to Neche and in a year or so, James was back on the railroad as section boss. At 14, William ap prenticed to Ed Slagerman, barber, his half- sister's husband, later became a partner and then owned the barber shop. He married Yvonne Taillon in 1929. James Brown died in 1922. Elizabeth Wylie Collison Brown died in 1930, the same day that her sister Margaret Wylie Trenbeath died and they were buried the same day. COLLISON, H. C. Mr. H. C. (Cliff) Collison was born in 1878. He was employed in McLeods Hardware and they also operated a funeral parlour. Mrs. Collison was born in Jasburg, Austria in 1877 and came to Neche in 1897. She married Mr. Collison in 1899. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Cook, Frank, Ellen, Johnny taken 1 They had a family of seven daughters: Pearl (Briden), Francis (Freeman), Ruby (Erickson), COOK, THOMAS Gladys (DeLaney), Mrs. O'Connell, Mrs. Atwell Thomas Cook was born in Shelton, and Anita who died in 1940. Mr. Collison died in Washington. He moved to Winnipeg with his 1939 and she in 1953. parents, before coming to Dakota Territory as a young man. He was a stagecoach driver between Pembina and Langdon, making the trip daily, and stopping at the trading post near Walhalla. Thomas and Esther Ryan, a native of Ireland, were married in Grand Forks and for some time made their home in the Russell House in Neche. Children born to this family were Frank, Ellen (O'Leary), John, Mary Alice (Quinn), Albert, Mathilda and Thomas (twins), Angus, Lawrence and Elmer. Mr. and Mrs. John E. Cook. COOK, JOHN E. Born in Ontario, Canada, he came to the U.S. and Dakota Territory with his father, Johnah, as -•a;"*''* a small boy. He traveled across country to teflL *yy Fargo, steamboat to Pembina and walked across Mr. and Mrs. Albert Defoe. to the Neche area. DEFOE, ALBERT J. E. Cook married Josephine Thompson Albert Herb Defoe was born in North Hamas, (1867-1913) in the first recorded marriage of the Mass., April 27, 1867. His parents came to Pem Methodist Church on October 16, 1884, in Neche, bina when he was ten years old. They lived on a Dakota Territory. He purchased land in 1896, farm, five miles west of Pembina, where Albert and has the fourth generation living on and Herb Defoe grew up. He married Delphine farming. They had eleven children: Ed, Hattie Giroux in 1889, at Pembina, N. Dak. To this union (Rickbeil), William, Peter, George, Calvin, five daughters and one son were born: Beatrice Josephine (Schuppert), Marion (Cornwell), Bir (Parade), now living at St. Boniface, Manitoba; die, Rosalie (Ketchersid) and Murl. Oscar Defoe, Drayton, N. Dak.; Myrtle Engines were his love. J.E. was the first man (Demaine), Neche, N. Dak.; Eleanore Defoe, in the area to become a licensed engineer. He Mobridge, S. Dak.; Ivyedell (Carter), East attended schools in Gary, Ind., and Chicago, 111., Grand Forks, Minn.; and Ann (Hutchinson), to obtain his degree and diploma. He also owned Mobridge, S. Dak. one of the first threshing machines used to work Albert H. Defoe lived on a farm six miles west for many families around the area and was oL Neche and one mile North, moving from that gifted with tools. His talent remains today in place to Neche in 1946, where he died Oct. 19, many of the buildings he constructed. 1963. His wife died on July 14, 1956. D'HEILLY, LOUIS Louis D'Heilly was born in France, July 29, 1860 and married Alfreda Etene in 1883. When he was young, his ambition was to come to the United States, so in 1889 he came to Neche. His wife and children came here two years later. The trip from France to Neche took more than a month. Four children came with their mother from France and three more were born to the couple here. Leon D'Heilly was the first child born to them in the United States and later two daughters. In 1897, when the railroad came to Walhalla, Louis and his family moved there and he stayed Jeffrey Douville. Eleanor Douville. there until his death in 1949. Two of the daughters still live there. DOUVILLE, ANDIMAS Mr. D'Heilly became an American citizen as Andimas and Henriette Douville came here soon as he could and was never sorry, for he from Belville, Ontario, and bought land here in always enjoyed living in the United States of 1897. They had 5 sons — Henry, William, America. Stephen, Jeffrey and Alfred — and 3 daughters — Celina (Vassau), Harriet, and Flora (Evans). Jeffrey Douville (born in Belville, Ont.) married Eleanor Tetrault (born in St. Pierre, Manitoba) at St. Pierre, in 1897. They had four teen children: Pearl (Kain), Evelyn (Feick), Emma (Mau), Alcide, Rose (Villeneuve), Roy, Flora (Morris), Gladys (Ehlen), Leonard, Harvey, Gordon, Lucille (Smith), and Vernon. One child died in infancy. £) <3 •* £>-<">«>' Peter D'Heilly Family — Standing: George, Alice and Jennie. Seated: Mother, Zoe and Father. D'HEILLY, PETER Peter D'Heilly, his wife Zoe, and one year old Douville Girls, left to right: Rose, Evelyn, Pearl, Emma, Gladys, Flora son George, came to Neche from Amiens, and Lucille. France, in 1892. They then had three daughters: Jennie (St. Amour), Alice (Vilandre) and Zoe (Horgan). Jennie died during the 1919 flu epidemic, leaving two small daughters, Marguerite and Irene, to be raised by their grandparents. UtUO ( ' I Mr. D'Heilly was a painter and house decorator by trade. He died in 1926 at the age of 63. His wife, Zoe, lived to be 106; her death was August 30, 1970. w DONOVAN, P. C. ! '->• Dr. P. C. Donovan was Neche's first doctor and owned one of the first cars. He also took an active part in business, political, educational and / i church affairs. He was a stockholder in the first Douville Brothers, left to right: Vernon, Gordon, Harvey, Leonard, Roy Neche bank and served as a director. and Alcide. 22 Delphine and Maxime Duprey Sr. Mrs. Alex (Mary) Duncan, Earl, Margaret, Fred, Jennie, William, Sallie and Leslie. spoke both French and English. Eight children were born to this couple: Delphine, Maurice, DUNCAN, ALEXANDER Rosie, Edward, Maxime Jr., Elmira, Adeline Alexander Duncan, born in 1857, was two and Tom. years old when he came with his parents to On In 1878, opportunity for free land encouraged tario from Aberdeenshire, Scotland. When he the Dupreys to travel by train, boat and oxcart to was nine years old, his father died of pneumonia. Pembina, Dakota Territory where they were Because he had to help with the family finances able to file a claim near Neche in June 1879. at an early age, he did not obtain much formal Their first home was a fifteen square foot sod- education. roofed log cabin acquired from Mr. Dumas (a While working on the Canadian Pacific neighbor) in an even trade for Delphine's sewing Railroad, which was being built from Ontario to machine. Mr. Dumas was part Indian married to Winnipeg, he became acquainted with William a Metis squaw and proved to be a kind and help Symington, who persuaded him to go land hunt ful friend. ing. On April 11, 1880 he signed for a homestead The growing family necessitated enlarge in what was then St. Joseph's Township, Pem ment of the old sod house in 1889 and the building bina County, Dakota Territory. The township of a new eight room domicile in 1895 with a wide was later divided and the homestead is in Felson veranda which was Delphine's pride and joy. She Township of which the Bruce community is a was a hard worker and excellent manager, part. raised chickens and turkeys for market and had On January 27,1886, he was married to Mary, as many as 50 hives of bees. The couple in the youngest sister of William Symington who creased the farm acreage and prospered, but the had come with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. family matured and scattered, with the excep Symington Sr. to Dakota Territory in 1882. Ettie tion of Elmira and Maxime Jr. Maxime Sr. died Thomas was her bridesmaid and the groomsman at 82 in 1926. Delphine moved into Neche and was Thomas Symington, youngest brother of the lived there until her death in 1934. bride. They had seven children, Jennie (Coon), William, Margaret (Fitzsimonds), Earl, Leslie, Fred, and Sarah (Gibson). Alexander Duncan died in 1922. His wife Mary, died in 1955. In 1896 Alexander Duncan was elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives and served one term. DUPREY, MAXIME, SR. Jean Batiste Duprey, a sailor, married Ann Ross in St. Louis, Quebec, Canada and raised a family of five daughters and six sons of whom Maxime was the youngest son born in Nov. 1843. The family migrated to Worcester, Mass. in 1860 where five of the sons found work in an axe fac tory and Maxime in a clothing factory. He married Delphine Munier Dit Lapierre on Sept. 27, 1869. She had been born in St. Cessoire, Quebec in Sept. 1853, was well educated and 1907 Wedding of Delia and Maxime Duprey Jr. 23 DUPREY, MAXIME JR. Maxime Duprey Jr. was born February 2, 1882 to Maxime and Delphine Duprey on their farm near Neche, N. Dak. His early life was spent on the farm but as a young man he had a successful career in the lumber and farm machinery business. The Duprey farm home always provided room and board for the teacher of the one room school house down the road known as the Duprey school. Miss Delia Shelly of Shelly, Minnesota was the schoolteacher in 1906. Maxime, Jr. married her in 1907 and they set up housekeeping in Neche. They raised four children: lola (Rene), Luverne, Lois (Harding) and Eleanor (Wickstrom). Maxime became manager of the Robertson Lumber Company in 1907 and held the position until 1920 when he became manager of the Duprey Lumber Company; a position he held until his death in Sept. of 1950. His wife, Delia, passed away in April 1957. Ella E. and Maurice Morin June 21, 1905. Maurice was killed while working on the power line on Sept. 26,1923. In later years, Annie was postmistress in Neche. She retired from this in 1947 and moved to San Jose and remained until her death on July 14, 1972. Maxime Duprey family: Lois, Luverne (Bud), Eleanor, lola. EDGERTON, JOHN John Edgerton was one of the early mail carriers. He had married Alice Tuson of Win Andrew Feick Family. Back row left to right: Harry, Ernest (Toots), nipeg, but she died young and left him with a Carman, Andy, Kate and Roy. Second row: Chester, Andrew Sr., E.L. (Bud), family to raise. Daughters, Mary and Ruth Mary Ann. Front: Raymond and Marguerite. helped their father on the mail route. Ruth grew up to be a popular Neche school teacher and later FEICK, ANDREW an Army nurse. Mary gave music lessons. Andrew (Andy) Feick was born April 5, 1862, at Clifford, Ontario, and died March 11, 1935, at ETHIER, NEREE Neche, N.' D. He worked as an apprentice in a Neree Ethier came to Dakota Territory in 1867 harness shop in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and from California. He married Adaline Rene from harness maker in Morden, and Gretna, Manchester, N.H. To this marriage was born Manitoba. Neree, John and Ella Ernestine. The father died In Winnipeg, Man., 1890, he married Mary in 1882. After his death, his widow married Ann McEwen who was born Dec. 9, 1870, at William Miller. Perth, Scotland; died August 31, 1962, at Neche. Ella (Annie) was born Dec. 9, 1880, in Dakota They came to Neche in 1896. Ten children were Territory. On June 21, 1905, Maurice Morin and born to this marriage: Andrew, Carmen, Ernest Annie were married in St. Boniface, Manitoba. (Toots), Roy, Kate, Raymond, Chester, Maurice farmed and was a rural mail carrier. Marguerite and E.L. (Bud). Their children were: Chadwick, Marlys, The first harness shop was located on the Dolores, Raymond and Dorothea. empty lot where the Neche Greenhouse is 24 presently located. In 1910, he bought the building GEROUX, SIMON across the street, where he made harnesses Simon Geroux, homesteaded here in 1876. He delivered to all parts of Pembina County. In 1930, married Rosanna, daughter of Alphonse Ber- he sold the business to his son, Ernest (Toots), trand, who had come here from Quebec, when who had learned the trade from his father. she was 11 years old. Rosanna had previously Ernest (Feb. 7, 1897 — July 11, 1968) married been married to John Gingras. She had one Evelyn Douville at Neche and they had two sons; daughter: Mrs. M. Sabourin of St. Boniface, Wesley, an electrical engineer living in Manitoba. The Simon Geroux children were: Pennsburg, Pa., and Earl, presently Postmaster Frank, Ernest, Mrs. Louis Renville, Mrs. at Neche. Adelard Gendreau, Emma, Mrs. Joe Snider and Mrs. Louis Harrison. Simon died in 1929 and Rosanna in 1940. GINGRAS, NORMAN Norman Gingras was assessor in 1879 of all of Pembina County which was not then divided into townships. He lived east of Neche. i $ kl TBH 1 2 5*>~ * Mr. and Mrs. John Ferch at their home in Bathgate. • FERCH, JOHN MICHAEL John Michael Ferch was born near Berlin, ^w Germany Sept. 2, 1851. Because of the death of his father, John was obliged to go to work at a Joseph Gladue Family back row: Cubby, Ernie, Mike, Mary (Nelson), very early age and received his common school William, Alex. Front row: Mr. Joe Gladue holding Sam, Mrs. Joe Gladue, education by herding sheep by day and going to Joe (Alex's child), Mrs. Alex Gladue holding her girl Florence. school by night. GLADUE, JOSEPH He came to Illinois when he was 21 years old where he met and married Caroline Schwartzel. Joseph Gladue was born in Leroy, N. Dak. on From this union nine children were born; Louis, March 8, 1868. He died in 1932 at the age of 64. William, Henry, Edward, Charles, Calvin, Ona, Mrs. Joseph Gladue was born in St. Agathe, Hazel and Violet. The couple farmed and custom Manitoba on November 13, 1870 and died in 1941. threshed in Iowa and S. Dak., first with horse The picture was taken in 1917 before the boys powered thresher and later with a steam engine. went to war. In 1895 they moved to Cavalier, N. Dak. and continued farming and custom threshing until 1910 when they purchased a farm implement ^7 business from State Senator A. J. McFadden in Neche and moved there with four of their children; Calvin, Hazel (Sutfin), Ona (Trenbeath), and Violet (Young). Calvin and Ona assisted their father with business until Calvin purchased the Jack McPherson Livery, i • i • • reputedly driving the first truck in the vicinity. Mrs. Matthew Glenn. When Calvin left Neche and Ona went to Valley City Teachers College, Mr. Ferch sold the GLENN, MATTHEW machinery business in Neche and took over a Ellen Pedigree was born Feb. 12, 1853 in On similar one in Glasston. Later he purchased the tario. She married Matthew Glenn in 1874 and Bathgate and Neche telephone systems and they came to the U.S., where they homesteaded moved to Bathgate where he lived until his death in Neche township, section 5. They were the on May 19, 1940. His wife then lived with parents of Wm. E. Glenn, James Goodman daughter Ona (Trenbeath) in Neche until her Glenn, and Maggie. She died in 1936 at the age of death Feb. 26, 1943. 83. 25 James Goodman Glenn Family — 1918. L. to R. — Father holding twins, Nellie and Ella, Mother, Gladys (deceased), Goody Jr., Bill. Front (to right of twins) Ernest and Margaret. GLENN, JAMES GOODMAN James Goodman Glenn was born in Canada in Mr. and Mrs. Julius Gurke — 60th Wedding Anniversary 1967. 1882 but lived his entire life in Pembina County. GURKE, JULIUS He married Anne Antonio (also born in Canada Julius Gurke and Hulda (Fischer) Gurke, on Dec. 25,1892) in Winnipeg in April 1908. From both children of German immigrants to Russia this union, fourteen children were born: Gladys — with daughters Edith and Bertha, emigrated (deceased), Goody, Nellie (Lupien) and Ella from Russia to Neche via Canada in 1912. Neche (twins), Ernest, Margaret, Bill, Francis, Earl, was home for the rest of their lives. Mr. Gurke Pearl, Elmer, June (deceased), Harold and worked as a carpenter, farmed, and served Leslie (deceased). James Goodman died in 1955. briefly as Jr. Watchman for the U.S. Immigra Annie still lives in Minneapolis. tion Service. Other children born in Neche were Adolph (Williston, N. Dak.), Anne (Lilke) and Samuel (Bismarck, N. Dak.), Elsie (Cantwell — Sequim, Wash.), Henry (deceased), Ella (Hooker — Kent, Wash.), Arthur (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Donald (Niagara Falls, N.Y.). The Gurkes lost their son, Henry, in World War II and received the posthumous award of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his action. Mrs. Gurke christened a Navy destroyer in memory of Henry — The U.S.S. Gurke. The U.S.S. Gurke remained afloat and served her country for over 30 years. The Governor, Hon. Arthur Link, proclaimed May 12, 1975, USS William and Roxey Glenn. Gurke Day in North Dakota in honor of the 30th anniversary of the commissioning. The USS GLENN, WILLIAM EDGAR Gurke was decommissioned on January 30,1976, William Edgar Glenn was born in Cayuga, at the United States Naval Station at San Diego, Ontario, November 17, 1875, the son of Matthew California. Five brothers and sisters, along with and Ellen Pedigrew Glenn. The family moved to other members of the family, were present at North Dakota when he was about ten years old this final ceremony. and resided on a farm about one half mile southeast of Neche. He was married to Roxey Julius Gurke died in July 1968, Mrs. Gurke in Cheney at Pembina on September 11, 1911. They February, 1970, Bertha in February 1939, and were the parents of four children; Clifford, Edith (Feidler), in May 1969. Neche; Edgar, deceased; Wayne, Kent, GYNN, JOHN Washington; and Noela, Mrs. Harley Kingsbury, John Gynn, native of Devonshire, England, Grafton, North Dakota. He passed away August and Margaret Ann Erskine, born in 9, 1950. Petersborough, Ontario, were married in Roxey Cheney Glenn was born in Neche on Cobpurg, Ontario, in 1872. A year later, the young September 25, 1894 to Nelson and Alice Thomp couple moved to Winnipeg before coming to son Cheney. She passed away September 11, Dakota Territory by boat down the Red River in 1964. 1874, settling on their homestead two and one Mr. Glenn farmed for many years before tak half miles south of Neche. It was not unusual for ing over the Drayline business in the early 1920's them to see a band of friendly Indians camped which he operated for many years and was ac near their well. The family moved to Neche after tive in with his sons until his death. their home had burned. 26 Richard was married to Isabella Stewart, a native of Scotland. Bella, as she was known, was a sister to Mrs. Henry Brown of Bathgate. They were parents of John and Alexander. John married Ruth Camp in Winnipeg, and their children are June and Russell. The family returned to farm in Neche about 1928. Grandfather Richard died in 1927; his wife, Bella, in 1936. Their son, John, died in 1967. John and Margaret Gynn. Mr. and Mrs. Gynn were the parents of Ger trude (Livingstone), Mary Beatrice (Syming ton), James, Albert, John and Charles. Mrs. Gynn was a kind and loving Mother and a devoted wife to the husband who left her a widow at the age of 37. She was a woman of sterling character, always willing and ready to lend a helping hand to neighbors and friends. Mrs. Gynn passed away in 1938, at the age of 82. Mrs. John Gynn and Mrs. Richard Gynn. GYNN, RICHARD Richard Gynn was born in Cornwall, England of Welsh extraction. In the 1870's, he immigrated to Simcoe, Ont. with his brother John and a cousin, before traveling to Fort Gary (Win nipeg). The Gynn Brothers, Albert, Jack, James and Charles. In search of good land, the pioneer's footsteps Albert married Jennie Thompson, a school led them to Dakota Territory. Richard took land teacher in Neche, and to this couple four children east of Neche under the Homestead Act of 1862. were born: Marion (Kirkpatrick), Winnefred In a year or two, John brought his family from (Morrow), Ruth (Sulkosky), and John Carvel. Ontario, with a group of other families, who Jack and his wife, the former Bird White of came to Pembina by river boat, then across the Bottineau, had two daughters: Beulah (Elliott), prairie to Neche in Red River carts. It was the and Kathryn (Cram). Both families later moved custom of the Gynn men to walk to Winnipeg to Puyallup, Washington, where they were in each fall and ride the last river boat before business. freeze-up back to Pembina, with the few James married Margaret Trenbeath and necessary supplies they could afford. Charles was married to Katherine Loewen. 27 member of the Episcopal Church and also the Knights of Pythias. He served as chairman of the township board twelve years, and in 1897 was elected county commissioner. He was active in all civic matters in his community. He was iden tified with the Republican Party politically, and was strong in his convictions. Mr. Hicks died April 29, 1923 and Mrs. Hicks passed away Oc tober 15, 1915. HOLMES, HERBERT L. Herbert L. Holmes was born at Delton, Wise, in 1853 and when he was 27, came to Pembina County, entering the farm machinery business Ed Hintz Family: Ed, Julia, John, Frieda, Helen and Virginia in front. at Pembina. He moved to Neche in 1884, and with others establishd the State Bank of Neche, which HINTZ, EDWARD was changed to the First National Bank of Neche Julianna Friedenberg was born July 2,1897 at in 1917. He moved to Bathgate in 1897 and es Mischamki, Russia and came to America in 1902 tablished the Bathgate State Bank, which with her parents, Gustave and Paulina became known as the Bathgate National Bank. Friedenberg. She was married to Edward Hintz In 1889, Mr. Holmes served as a delegate to on Dec. 31, 1914 at Neche. He had been born in the N. Dak. Constitutional Convention, and was Volinegen, Russia at 1891 and had emigrated instumental in securing the School for the Blind alone in 1909. They were parents of four in Bathgate. He served three terms as state children: John, Helen (Gladue), Frieda (Vinjie) auditor from 1903-1909. and Virginia (Wagner). Mr. Holmes married Anna West in LaCrosse, Wise, in 1879, and they had one daughter, Helen (Mrs. K. O. Paulson). Mrs. J. P. Hicks. J. P. Hicks. Mrs. H. L Holmes and Mrs. F. P. Holmes. HICKS, J. P. HOLMES, FRANK P. J. P. Hicks was one of the oldest successful Frank P. Holmes was born in Delton, Wise, prairie farmers in Neche township, Pembina in 1857. When he was through school, he took up County. He was born in Devonshire, England, telegraphy, and came to Neche to help his January 14, 1836, one of a family of ten children. brother, H. L. Holmes, in the machine business. He came to Neche township in 1879 and He stayed two years, then went back to the farmed, investing in stock to some extent as long western part of Dakota Territory, where he had as there was range for the cattle. He introduced been in business since 1879. In 1899, he sold his in one of the first horse-powered threshing outfits terests there, and came back to Neche where he on the prairie; every season operating an Alt- took the position of cashier in the First Bank of man & Taylor steam engine and an Advance Neche. separator. Frank married Lily Crawford and a son, He was married in England in 1861, to Maria Frank C. Holmes, was born to them. The mother Hicks, daughter of William and Elizabeth Hicks. died soon after and her older sister, Ida, cared Seven children were born: William T. who for the baby. In 1897, Ida was married to the hus farmed in Neche township, Elizabeth who band of her dead sister. They had one daughter, became Mrs. Harry Vosper, Tula, Fredrick and Lillian (Mrs. Henry Jenson). At the time of his George also a farmer, lola, and Grace who death in 1928, Frank P. Holmes was president of became Mrs. Alfred Askew. Mr. Hicks was a the First National Bank of Neche. 28 and sought other land more suitable to his farming plans. All of their children came here eventually. Those who settled in the Neche area were Frank, Ted, and Dan, who bought claims from people who for various reasons no longer wanted to stay. Pat was an early customs officer at Neche and the first legislator serving three sessions from 1891 through 1895. Elizabeth married Timothy O'Connor and farmed here. Michael died in 1907; Catherine lived until 1912. They were survived by all their children ex cept Jim, who was accidentally killed in 1895. Catherine Horgan taken in 1917 in New York just before going overseas. HORGAN, CATHERINE Catherine Horgan was born in 1894, 8 miles west of Neche. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Horgan. First Lieutenant Catherine Horgan served as a nurse for 10 months at Fort Sill, Okla. and another 10 months in France. She later married Leo Eagan and was better known around the area as Nurse Eagan. J. N. (Jerry) Horgan Pioneer Stock Farm — L to R: Nick, Mother, Eileen, Mrs. Campbell (Photographer's wife) holding her baby, Christy, Jim Campbell and Jerry Horgan. HORGAN, J. N. In 1882 J. N. "Jerry" Horgan left Canada and homesteaded in N. Dak. Being only 19 years old he found it necessary to fabricate some records. He lied about his age. He signed up for 160 acres in Sec. 21 Felson Twp. Performing the required improvements, he acquired the land. He then gave it to his parents and bought half of Sec. 3 from Joseph Boyer, who no longer wanted his claim. Here, in the heavy timber along the Pembina River, he established The Pioneer Stock Farm complete with lots of Aberdeen-Angus cows and a registered brand. Grandmother Horgan. Jerry Horgan and Julia Clifford were married in 1887. Their children were: J. C. HORGAN, MICHAEL "Christy", Shanley, Nick all of Neche, Eileen Michael Horgan and Catherine O'Connor (Brown), Leon, who died in infancy, and An- were married in Ireland in early 1851. They tionette (McGuire). moved to Canada shortly thereafter, where they The Pioneer Stock Farm expanded, it now in lived until 1885. All of their children were born in cluded Duroc-Jersey pigs. No more land was Ontario; Elizabeth, Pat, Mary, Dan, Mike, available in the immediate vicinity, so he ob Jerry, Ted, Jim, Frank, Joe and Cornelius. tained 800 acres west of Leyden, where some of Between 1882 and 1885, they became con the cattle were pastured in the summer. This vinced by 19-year-old Jerry's description of N. resulted in a fall round-up every year and a mis Dak. — where he had homesteaded — that this erable job of driving the cattle back to Neche for was indeed the place to be. the winter. Good tracts for homesteading were becoming Mrs. Horgan died in 1912 at the age of 42. scarce by now, so Jerry gave his to his parents Jerry was 85 when he died in 1948. 29 September 1, 1893, he was married to Sarah Wahl of New Bergthol, Minn, by the Honorable Judge Kneeshaw. To this union, eleven children were born: Tony, Harvey, Fred, Jr., Walter, Clarence, Emma (Schultz), Lucille (Schultz), Lydia (Kelm), Agnes (Kelm), Beatrix (Mar- tineau) and Bessie. Mr. Kain was an avid believer in crop rotation and raised Hereford cattle and Poland China hogs for market. His farm was registered as the Oak Grove Stock Farm. Mrs. Kain was a great homemaker and kept very busy gardening, cook ing and raising all types of poultry. In 1927, Mr. Kain was named "Wheat King of Pembina County" which was covered by articles in the papers. William and Gertrude Jones — married 1880. JONES, WILLIAM E. William E. Jones was born May 30, 1858 in New Haven, Conn. He died in 1895 at Frehold, New Jersey. Gertrude (Sherman) Jones was born December 1856 in Frehold. She died Dec. 1944 in Neche at the age of 88. They were married Dec. 1880 at Brooklyn, New York and came to homestead two miles south of Neche. Gertrude, widowed at an early Family of Henry Kelm Sr. Standing: Frank, Edgar, Ella and Henry Jr. age, continued to farm for two years; then she Seated: Henry Sr., Herbert and Anna (Kelm) Bosshart. moved to town and raised her four daughters: Matilda (Mrs. H. L. Fife), Edith (Mrs. Robert KELM, HENRY L. Johnston), Bessie (Mrs. Robert Paton), and Mr. and Mrs. Henry L. Kelm and family came Anna (Mrs. George Currie). to the Neche vicinity in October of 1917. They purchased the Joseph Morin farm consisting of 640 acres having farmed at West Concord, Minn., before coming here. Mr. Kelm (born Jan. 20, 1870; died 1942) married Anna Marie Bosshart (born July 26, 1861; died 1930) on May 20, 1897. To this union was born Ella (Hamlin), Frank, Henry, Jr., Edgar and Herbert. KRUEGER, ROY "Had more strawstacks than the other towns that needed a butcher — that's why I chose Neche." This was the response Roy W. Krueger gave for finding a prosperous community in which to settle following his discharge in early 1919. In May he left his young business to travel to Missouri to marry Ruth Van Pelt whom he had met on a blind date while stationed in Des Moines, Iowa. They made their home above the butcher shop. It froze every month that year; the water would freeze in the reservoir with a fire in Mr. and Mrs. Fred Kain Sr. the stove. That building is more comfortable KAIN, FRED, SR. now! Fred Kain, Sr. was born January 26, 1865, in As ice boxes were replaced by refrigerators, Ahlsdorf, Germany, Province of Saxony, receiv threshing crews by combines, and meat was ing his education in Germany. At 14, he migrated easier to keep at home, they gradually added a with his parents, Caroline and Gottlieb Kain, to full line of groceries. the U.S. and landed by steamboat at St. Vincent, Most farmyards had turkeys and chickens in Minn., in 1879. such quantity that, in the fall, special poultry 30 cars were loaded with live birds. Someone to feed them accompanied them on their train trip to market. Later, during the drouth years, hungry cattle were shipped from parched ranges to be fattened on Roy's feedlot — at one time, one of the largest in the state. Perhaps you were one of those who helped herd the cattle from south of Neche to the stockyards and onto cattle cars that made up a special train. In the fall of 1944 they sold their store to Alcide Douville. Ruth and Roy often talked of how good Neche had been to them. They had three children: Charles, born and died in 1920; Ruth (Sheldon) in 1922 and Royce (Arneson) in 1926. Who got the mail addressed to R. Krueger? Krause (Carl) family: 50th wedding ann. in 1959. L. to R. Martha, Carl, Vincent, Florian, Lucian, Ernest, Florence. KRAUSE, CARL Carl Krause was born in Schonsee, Germany, in 1878, and came to Gretna, Manitoba, in 1898. In 1906, Blanche Wotzka came to Neche to work in Mrs. Greenwood's Millinery shop and in 1909, she and Carl were married. Carl worked 21 years as a clerk in the Mer cantile Store owned by Frank Holmes, Fred Briden, and Alex Murphy from 1925 to 1938. Carl and his brother-in-law, Tim Sheedy, operated a grocery store, Krause and Sheedy. Mr. Krause was church organist and sang in the Catholic church choir from 1908 to 1964. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the parish corporation and treasurer of the parish from 1913 to 1964. He was awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross by Pope John XXIII, in Dec. 1961. Roy and Ruth Krueger. Carl and Blanche were parents of eight children: Vincent, Marcus (deceased), Carl, Lu cian, Florian and Florence (twins), Martha and Ernest. Mr. and Mrs. Krause lived to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. She died in 1969 and Carl died in 1970. LaMOURE, JUDSON Judson LaMoure, Sr. was born in Quebec in 1839, and came to Pembina county in 1870. He was an early politician and served many terms in the legislature. He was in general merchan dise in Neche and in partnership with Joe Lee \mmmmk\\\\\Mk\mmm who later purchased LaMoure's interests. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph LaFromboise. LATOZKE, HENRY R. LaFROMBOISE, JOSEPH Christina Latozke was born October 5,1857, in Mr. and Mrs. Joseph LaFromboise were Alexandria, Russia, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. among the earliest of the Metis people here in Carl Schlodinski. In 1879 she was married to Dakota Territory days. Mrs. LaFromboise was Henry R. Latozke. To them eight children were born in Canada and came to this area with her born: Olga (Mrs. Adolph Guse), Henry, parents in 1867. She married Joseph LaFrom Waldimar, Adolph, Fred, Mary (Mrs. Eli boise at St. Joseph's Mission in 1881. There were Hughes), Theodore and Oscar. thirteen children born to this union. Joseph died Mr. Latozke passed away in 1902. The two in 1939, Mrs. LaFromboise died in 1952. oldest boys would have been inducted into the 31 Joe E. Lee. LEE, JOE E. Joe E. Lee, prominent Neche merchant, was born in 1857, and came from Bowmenville, Ont., where he had received training in bookkeeping and merchandising. At first, he was employed by L. E. Yerxa, a Canadian, who was in the process of closing out his trading posts at Olga, Hamilton, Pembina and the head office in Fargo. Mrs. Christina Latozke. Soon, Joe was out of a job and on his way to the military service so Mrs. Latozke decided to sell Nevada gold fields, when he was offered a junior all her property in Russia which included a home partnership in a trading post in Neche, owned by and blacksmith business, and with her family his friend, Jud LaMoure, Sr. He took over the sailed to the United States in 1903. Oscar was six store in 1885 and it was known as LaMoure and months old. The trip took six weeks. Co. In 1921, Mr. Lee took over the store, and it Fred, Waldimar, and Oscar never married. became known as J. E. Lee and Co. It was later They resided with their Mother in Felson sold to several of his clerks, including a nephew, township until her death in 1951, age 93, leaving a Charlie Murphy and Len Misson. legacy of good deeds, and a life of dedication to Mr. and Mrs. Lee were parents of two family, friends and the Lutheran Church. children: Doris (Smith) deceased and Hume, who now resides in Grand Forks. Louis Lembke. Mrs. Lembke. Mr. and Mrs. Gaspard Lemier. LEMBKE, LOUIS Louis Lembke homesteaded here in 1879 in LEMIER, GASPARD Neche township. He came from Dudustadt, Ger Gaspard Lemier was born in 1852 at Quebec, many; born Feb. 17, 1854; died July 30, 1920, at Canada, and came to homestead southeast of Neche. Louis Lembke married Wilhelmina Kain Neche in 1869, at age 17. He married Delima in the fall of 1880; she was born June 15, 1863; Morgan of Neche in 1879 and completed the died Jan. 12, 1941. Their children were Frank, homestead in 1886. They had six children: Louis, Herman, Ella (Quinnell), Fritz, Henry, Delima, Deleis, Amealia, Leah, Louise and Carl, Mary (Ramus), Bill, Tillie (Stark), Otto, Napoleon. Gaspard died in 1909, preceded by his George and Minnie (Goschke). wife in 1891. 32 Napoleon Lemier Family — 1941. Back I. to r.: Elaine, Lionel and Eleanor. Seated: Armine and Napoleon. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lupien wedding picture. LEMIER, NAPOLEON After his father Gaspard's death, Napoleon took over the homestead; and in 1911 he married LUPIEN, HENRY Armine Martel of Pembina. They had five Henry Lupien, son of William Lupien, was children: Eva (Kelm), Bernice (Scholler), born Oct. 27, 1879. He married Rosanna Martel Eleanor (Martin), Elaine (Woodward), and on Sept. 25, 1903. Henry farmed his father's Lionel. Napoleon died in 1957 and Armine re homestead until 1919, from here he moved west mained on the homestead until 1974 when she of Neche and farmed 320 acres, Section 34, in moved to Cavalier, where she now resides. Felson Township. Henry and Rosanna, had 10 Lionel has been farming his grandfather's children — Adelord, Edson, Leon, Edmond, homestead since the death of his father. He, his Richard, Olive, Blanch, Lillian, Evelyn, and wife, Joyce, and son, Lionel Patrick, are living in Dorreen. Henry passed away on Dec. 7,1961, and the home Gaspard built in 1900. Rosanna passed away on Aug. 27, 1974. Edmond, Edson, (deceased), Richard, Adelore, (deceased), Leon, Lillian, Blanche, (deceased), Mrs. Henry Lupien, Henry Lupien, Evelyn. Doreen and Olive. Gertrude Livingstone LIVINGSTONE, GERTRUDE Gertrude N. Gynn, daughter of John and McANDREWS, JOHN Margaret Gynn, was born September 29, 1881. John McAndrews married a Bartlette girl and She married Joseph Livingstone May 1905 and were early long-time residents of Neche. Their moved to Bottineau where he was a druggist. children were: Pat, Jimmy, Mickeal, Shanley, They had two daughters, Beatrice (Symington) Katy, Rose, Florence, Annie, Maggie, and deceased and Muriel (Kaercher) of Fargo. They Beatrice. Pat was a clerk in Neche Mercantile moved to St. Paul, Minn. 1911. Her husband died for many years. He was killed in action in World 1914. She then moved back to Neche where she War I in the Battle of Argonne Forest in 1918. The was a milliner for many years. She was a loving Gainer-McAndrews Legion Post of Neche was and devoted mother. She died December 1960. named for him. 33 from 1893 to 1896. He later worked in the hardware and furniture store owned by Mrs. Alice Murphy. McNAMARA, JOHN Mr. and Mrs. John McNamara emigrated from Limerick, Ireland. Mrs. McNamara was a sister of Thomas Devaney, an early Neche farmer. Children of the McNamaras were Mary (Nevens) pioneer school teacher and Thomas, early mail carrier and organizer of one of the first mail routes. James, born Aug. 9th, 1849; Thomas, born April 15th, 1854; David, born Feb. 17th, 1856; Richard, born Dec. 5th, 1857; Alexander, born Oct. 20th, 1859; Andrew J„ bom Feb. 5th, 1862; Robert, born Jan. 8th, 1852; Mother (Alice), born July 15th, 1825; Father (William), born July 12th, 1815; Eliza, born July 14th, 1846; John, born July 14th, 1846; William, born Jan. 1st, 1848, died Sept. 21st, 1904; Alice, born June 20th, 1867; Francis, born Oct. 20th, 1867. McFADDEN, WILLIAM William McFadden was born 1815, County Fermanagh, Ireland, and came to Ontario, Timothy McNamara. Canada with his parents, James McFadden Family in 1837. He built the first home there and McNAMARA, TIMOTHY married Alice Handbidge in 1845. They had 12 Timothy McNamara was born near Ottawa, children: John and Elizabeth Jane (twins), Ontario, in 1862. He came to Neche in 1882 and William Jr., James, Robert, Thomas, David H., was married Feb. 14,1885, to Emily Resler. They Alice (Murphy) and Fannie. had a family of ten children: Barbara (Collison), In 1874, Elizabeth, Richard, Thomas and Antonette (Beaudrie), Tillie (Anderson), Ger Alexander homesteaded south of Neche. In 1878, trude (Horsley), Eva (Fitzsimmonds), Alice and Fannie joined their family at Neche. Margaret (Longtin), Mildred (Misson), Vernie, The parents built a home across from the Tom and Joseph. Methodist church in 1883. Mr. McNamara was marshal in Neche for a Andrew farmed and had a machinery few years and drove a livery and dray. He drove business in Neche all his life. He married Mary a standard oil truck to deliver kerosene to all the Edgerton, and their children were Earl and stores between Pembina and Olga, six days a Allie. He was State Representative for several week, and had many hard trips in winter. years. The family moved to a farm at Leroy in 1907. All 12 children of Wm. Sr. and Alice were in Mrs. McNamara died in 1929 at the age of 68 and Neche for their parents' 50th Wedding Anniver her husband was 83 at his death in 1945. sary in 1895. MENKE, GUSTAV Alice married Wm. Alexander Murphy in Gustav Menke was born in Alexandra, 1889. Their children were Eva (Dyck), Carter Poland, Sept. 1884, and came to the U.S. with Handbidge, and Frances (Dixon). friends at the age of 16. He worked in Winnipeg McGILVARY, NEIL as a carpenter's helper, later coming to the Mr. and Mrs. Neil McGilvary, pioneer Gretna-Neche area, working on the farms for farmers, retired in Neche, and built a large barn Charlie Morris Sr., Sandy Duncan and other and went into the dairy business. Mrs. jobs, saving to bring his parents, brothers and McGilvary was known for the homemade ice sisters to this country. In 1912, he married cream she made for social gatherings. She had Wilhelmina Schuppert at Gretna. They settled in come to this country at the age of 15 and lived to Felson Twp. where he farmed. They raised a be in her 90's. The McGilvarys had no children. family of 3 boys and 4 girls: William, Christopher, Margaret (Geres), Phillip, Ann McLEOD, WILLIAM (Horsley), Dorothy (Lembke),- Marie William D. McLeod (arrived in 1896) worked (Bekkedahl). They retired in Neche 1944. Gus for the James Bros., who had hardware and passed away 1966 at the age of 82. Minnie passed machine business. He was postmaster in Neche away 1974, at the age of 82. 34 ; •• 'Jf The C. N. Morris 50th Wedding Anniversary. Left to right Kenneth, Eva, Lenora, C. N., Rose, Lillian, J. C, Beatrice, and Earl. MORIS/MORRIS, FRANZ Franz Moris, Sr. was born in Duderstadt in the Hartz Mts. in Germany. He married and on May 14, 1832, a son Franz, Jr. was born. Franz, Jr. married Mathilde Lembke and they had nine children, two of whom died in Germany. Frank, the eldest came to New York in 1866; Louis, Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Menke. Albertina, Herman and August came with Franz, Jr. and Mathilde in 1869. Two children were born in Lone Prairie, Minn., but just one Jv C. (Charles) survived. The family filed on homesteads within a mile and a half of each other in Neche Township in the year 1879. Frank Charles married Minnie Vollrath and had seven children born in Pembina; Frank, James, Mathilda (Barry), George, Walter, Min nie (Russell) and Clara (Webster). Louis married Fredricka Vollrath and had five children; Minnie (Thatcher), August, Ernest, Louis, and Godfrey. August died in Pembina in 1896 and Albertina in Waltham, Mass., in 1887 and Herman in Santa Monica, Calif., in 1946. Charles N. born in 1874 married Rose Morin in 1900 and they had eight children; J. C. (Charlie), Lillian, Rose Lenora, Beatrice, Eva, Earl, Evelyn and Kenneth. MURPHY, CHARLES Charles Murphy born in Antrim, Ireland, came to Ontario, Canada with his family, and married Margaret Carter. In 1872, they came to Dakota Teritory to Bowesmont. Their six children were: Elizabeth Ann, John, Charles N., Wm. Alexander, Isaac and Herbert. Joseph Morin They sold their land in 1881 to John Halcrow and moved to Neche. Charles had a Real Estate MORIN, JOSEPH and Ins. office adjoining the O'Brien House; The Joseph Morins came from Canada. Alexander and Charles N. started a Mercantile Maurice, born Feb. 11, 1878, was an infant when Business; Alex also had real estate and loans, they moved to Dakota Territory. They had shipped grain, and imported horses. twelve children; only Maurice and Rose re The fire in 1895 burned the store and stock as mained here. well as the bank and other buildings. 35 Edward Neutze died on April 24, 1967. A son, Earl, a World War II veteran, died on Dec. 30, 1975, in St. Cloud, Minn. A daughter, Lorene, is married to W. J. Johnston and resides in Graf ton, N. Dak. Marian Neutze moved to Grafton in 1974 where she is still residing. Mr. and Mrs. William Alexander Murphy. In 1889, Alexander married Alice McFadden. They had a Hardware and Machinery business. Their three children: Eva (Dyck), Carter Hand bidge, and Frances (Dixon). Alex was prominent in civic, state, fraternal and political groups. He died in 1903. His widow Alice carried on the family business and died in 1958. Charles N. who had a jewelry store and was postmaster, married Polly Folker. Wedding of Mary McNamara and William Nevins. Left to right Thomas McNamara, Margaret Kelly, William Nevins, Mary Nevins. Wedding dress made by Cassy Halloran and Ella Ethier (Morin). NEVENS, WM. Mary McNamara, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John McNamara (Mary Joyce Devaney) came to Neche in 1887, making the trip from Limerick, Ireland by herself at age 15, to housekeep for her Uncle Thomas Devaney and to continue her education. She had completed her Elementary Education in a National Model School for girls in Ireland. She attended a Log School and High School in Pembina County and was graduated from Teachers' College at Valparaiso, Ind. Was Pioneer School teacher in Pembina County for 12 years and received State Centennial Award signed by the governor in 1961. Was Charter Member of the R.C. Church and St. Ann's Altar Society. Member of Pembina County Pioneer Daughters. Died in 1965 at age 93. 1918 Wedding of Marion Sanders and Edward Neutze. Wm. Nevens born in 1862, son of Mr. and NEUTZE, EDWARD Mrs. Thomas C. Nevens, who emigrated from Edward A. Neutze was born near Neche in Glasgow, Scotland to Harriston, Ontario and 1883 and lived in the area his entire life. There came to this area in the late 1870's, — later going were eleven sisters and brothers. Mrs. Ruby to Langdon where they homesteaded the land Wood of Seattle, Wash., is the only surviving where the Agricultural Experiment Station now member of the family. stands, after his marriage to Mary McNamara Ed Neutze attended the Moris and Langton in 1901 in St. Mary's Cathedral, Winnipeg, he rural schools. farmed in this area and later retired in Neche. Marian Sanders and Edward Neutz were He died in 1947 at age 85. married on February 27, 1918, and made their Children: Zoe (Beaudrie), Kathleen (Rev. M. home on a farm east of Neche until 1944, when Xavier, Ph.D.), Patrick William (deceased), they moved into Neche. Marguerite (Jenson), Dorothy (Grieve). 36 NORMAN, PAUL O'HARA, PATRICK Paul Norman (born in Sherbourne, England) Patrick O'Hara was born in Merrickville, On came to this county in 1878 and homesteaded 9 tario and married Mary A. Duskin in 1864. The miles east of Neche. He married a widow (Mrs. two resided in Ontario until 1880 when they came Ellen Hadden) in 1884. She was the mother of to Pembina and then to Gretna where they Robert Hadden. Robert was married to Maud operated a boarding house for a year. They Jennison and their children are Bill and Norman purchased "The Comfort House", a hotel in Hadden and Dorothy (Diokoff). Mr. Hadden was Neche, re-named it "The O'Hara Hotel" and mayor of Neche for several years and will also operated it until it burned in the fire of 1916. Mr. be remembered as caretaker of the old ice O'Hara had race horses and although he had only skating rink that was located north of the Neche one arm, could be seen daily, driving his high school. spirited animals. Children born to the O'Hara's were: Wallace (Neche Postmaster), Jud (Neche businessman), Geneva (Begbie), Maud (who married Dr. Donovan and after his death, was Mrs. W. J. Briden). Mr. O'Hara died in 1919 and Mrs. O'Hara in 1935. ——• Mr. and Mrs. Timothy O'Brien and granddaughters, Lucille and Frances. O'BRIEN, TIMOTHY Mr. and Mrs. John Otten 1927. Timothy O'Brien was born in London, England. He came to Fort Garry, now Winnipeg, OTTEN, JOHN A. in 1871. He married Olive Hiebert in old St. John A. Otten was born at Marietta, Ohio, Mary's Log Cabin Church in Winnipeg. The cou April 17, 1844. When 17 years of age, he enlisted ple went on their wedding trip over the snow in the Union Army and took active part in 46 covered Dawson Trail to Fort Frances by dog battles but was never severely wounded. He was train. They were followed by hostile Indians until with Sherman on his famous march from "Atlan they spotted their faces with red medicine and ta to the sea". He was discharged July 8,1865, at shouted "small pox". The Indians scattered, be Louisville, Ky. ing very prone to the disease. They moved to He returned home to Ohio and two months Pembina in 1880 and shortly after settled in later his family moved to Henderson, Minn. In Neche. They built and operated the "O'Brien 1866, he and two friends came to the Dakota House". When the railroad came into Neche, Territory and in May, 1869, he was stationed at farmers from as far as Langdon brought their Smuggler's Point (just north of Neche) as Collec grain to Neche. O'Briens had thirteen children. tor of Customs. He was our first Postmaster at Mr. O'Brien was appointed to the U.S. Customs Smuggler's Point in 1873 and was one of our first by President McKinley and served under nine county commissioners and Justice of the Peace. presidents. He was known to Pembina county Knowing the railroad would arrive in late people as Tim. Upon his arrival in Neche he 1882, he platted a townsite on his land along the bought a lot from J. J. Hill. At the time of boundary, just west of the present Port of Entry, purchase the property was overrun with and named it Ottenton. James Hill ruined that raspberry bushes and was a popular resort for venture by platting the townsite on Dan Shay pickers. He built a home there in which the fami land, on the south side of the Pembina River. ly lived many years. In 1926, Mr. and Mrs. He was married to Minnie Schultze, April 16, O'Brien observed their Golden Wedding. When 1872, at St. Paul, and moved here in 1875. To "Tim" was bothered with rheumatism, he used a them were born six children: Hattie, Edward, gold-headed cane won at a men's popularity con Henry, John G., Ben, and Annie. test at a Catholic bazaar held in St. Joe, now Leroy, in 1886. The contestants were Mr. O'Brien The first church services held in Neche locali and R. J. Chevalier of Bathgate. Neither were ty were held in the log home of this couple. He present but Tim was an easy winner. The cane was a member of the M.E. Church, a charter was donated by Jud La Moure, Sr. The cane is member of the Masonic Lodge at Pembina and a being used now by Eugene O'Brien. member of the Parden Post No. 12 of Pembina. Mr. Otten died February 21, 1934. 37 John and Ethel Otten - 1906. OTTEN, JOHN G. John G. Otten was born April 1, 1882 to Mr. and Mrs. John A. Otten in the Hyde Park district. Ethel Hyde was born Sept. 9, 1878 at Hun tington, Quebec, to Mr. and Mrs. James Hyde. She came to Dakota Territory in the spring of 1879 with her parents, brothers and sisters. They homesteaded in the district that was named Hyde Park. William Quinnell. On March 14, 1906, John G. Otten and Ethel QUINNELL, CHARLES Mae Hyde were married at the home of the In the year of 1867, Charles Quinnell married bride's parents. To this union four daughters Pauline Collison. They migrated to the U.S. from were born: Mrs. Rex (Dorothy) Karel, Neche, Canada in the year 1879. They settled in Dakota Mrs. Merrill (Bessie) Young, Portland, Oregon, Territory one and a half miles east of Neche. Mrs. Rudolph (Margaret) Berg, Sequim, Wash, Born to them were six boys from the years and Mrs. Alan (Eleanor) Lee, Walhalla, N.D. 1869-1886, the youngest dying from the dreaded Ethyl Hyde Otten died June 1950 and John G. typhoid when he was one year old. The oldest son Otten died July 1967. was James and he married Dorothy Beare in 1902. He and his new wife homesteaded two miles east of Neche. They had four children. Lloyd was the eldest of the family. He married Fern Ault in 1940. They had one daughter, Phyllis (McNamara) of Grafton. The three generations of Quinnells made their living as farmers from the years 1879-1971, just short of 100 years. RENE, FELIX Mr. and Mrs. Felix Rene came to Pembina County in 1876, where they homesteaded near Neche. They had three sons, George, Fred and William. The children of William are Gordon, Edmund, George, Beth (Auger), Ernestine, Fred, Harold and Lawrence. Fred and Hulda (Winkler) Schultz came to America in 1902 from Russia. Shown with daughter Laura (Ertman). RESSLER, JOSEPHINE Mrs. Josephine Ressler settled in Neche after her husband's death. Her children were daughters Francis (Connors), Annie, Mildred, and Bertha (who married Edwin Cook, but died in 1927 at the age of 36 leaving several small children; L. W. Cook of Neche was a seven-year old at the time). Mrs. Ressler also had a son Louis who was employed by Charles Murphy but later purchased the business and operated a jewelry and confectionery store. Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Malo who farmed in St. Joseph Township. 38 John and Amalia Saiger married 60 years. The George Sheard family — 1906. Seated: Wallace, Maggie, (Mrs. Oscar Foxen). Standing: Jennie (Mrs. Oliver Hughes), John, and Annie SAIGER, JOHN (Mrs. Wm. Johnson). John Saiger came to the Neche area from Russia in 1900, at the age of 35. His wife, Amalia, SHEARD, GEORGE and four small children joined him two years Mr. and Mrs. George Sheard from later. Mr. Saiger, an orphan, was sent from his Collingwood, Ontario, came to Pembina, N.D., native Poland to Russia, where he served eight July 1,1877. Mr. Sheard was a carpenter by trade years in the army during the rule of Czar Alex and located 22 miles west of Pembina on a ander III. This couple came from hardy stock to homestead in the Hyde park community, now have endured the hardships of Russian wars, and called Park Center. The first years of farming their hopes were realized when they were were done with oxen and their produce was allowed to come to America. Mr. Saiger first hauled to Pembina until the railroad came to worked for Mr. Welford and other farmers until Neche. A church and school were built in the ear his retirement in 1935. He died in 1957 at the age ly 1870's in Park Center and a postoffice and of 91, and his wife died three years later at the store were added in 1880. age of 89. Children born to this couple were five sons; Emil, Edward, Manuel, Walter and William, and seven daughters, Mary (Schultz), Alvina (Pomerinke), Kathleen (Lembke), Mildred (Winkler), Martha (Lembke), Tillie (Johnson), and Sarah (Carter). Mr. and Mrs. Matt Stark and family, back row: Wm., John, Reinhold, Henry, and Adolph. Front row: Hattie, Matt, Martha, and Amalie. STARK, MATT Matt Stark was born in 1870 in Austria- Hungary, and came alone to America when he was 13. He worked on farms in Manitoba before Philip Schweitzer. coming to Pembina County to work for John Otten, Sr. It was here that he met and married SCHWEITZER, PHILIP Amalie Stegman. They bought 40 acres along the Philip Schweitzer came from Veleste Pembina river, south west of Neche in 1898, Bessarabia, Russia, and settled in the Hyde Park cleared the land and cut and sold cord wood. area in 1904. He married Katherine Kirrie in 1911 Matt operated one of the last steam threshing and they had nine children: John, Arnold, rigs in the county, from 1916-1937. Kenneth, Elmer, Leonard, Earl, Annie (Stark), Matt and Amalie retired to Neche, where they Rose (Watts) and Lillian (Weiss). Mr. lived out their lives. He was 72 when he died in Schweitzer lived in Neche until his death in 1975. 1942, and she died in 1964 at the age of 86. 39 SHAY, DAN Dan Shay and his parents were some of the original settlers. Dan remained a bachelor and his sister, Mrs. Faulkner kept house for him. Other Shay girls were Mrs. Prairie and Mrs. Bishop. A half-brother, Art Marion was married to Stella Osbourne. Dan was very educated for his time and" served as township assessor and clerked sales for the bank. The Shays owned the original townsite of Neche and bargained with the railroad over lots and right of way. Gottlieb Stegman family back row: Martha, Otto and Annie; front row: Gottlieb, Wm, Paulina. Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Stegman. STEGMAN, GOTTLIEB Gottlieb Stegman and Natlie Gibence were STEGMAN, ADOLPH married in the late 1800's. They had three Adolph and Amalie Stegman on their 50th An children, Martha (Sagert), Otto (deceased), and niversary in 1943. They came to the Neche, Gret Annie (Bloch, Morrison). Natlie died in 1910. In na area in 1895, from the Ukraine area of Russia. 1912 Gottlieb married Paulina Pohl and they had They had seven sons, Julius who was born in one son, William R. Later, Paulina was able to Russia, Gus and William (twins), Edward, Carl, send for her son Adolph Pohl who was still in Reinhold, and Erhart, and two daughters, Mrs. Russia. William R. Stegman now lives and farms Adolph (Olga) Latozke, and Mrs. Adam (Tillie) on his father's farm. Menke. They all settled on farms within a 15 mile radius of each other. Erhart now lives on the nMSSI farm that Adolph and Amalie bought and cleared. Henry and Ida Stegman wedding in 1910. Edward Stegman family, back row: Bertha, Carl E., Lydia, Oscar, front STEGMAN, HENRY row: Edward, Wanda, Mane holding Ida. Henry Stegman and Ida Steinke were STEGMAN, EDWARD married in 1910. They farmed in the Neche area Edward and Marie Stegman and their until 1953 when Henry died. They had one children, Bertha (Demars), Carl E., Lydia daughter Margaret, Mrs. Carl Stegman, whom (deceased), Oscar (deceased), Wanda (Muth, they adopted when she was 2 years old. Ida deceased), and Ida (Elke). Herman and Martha Stegman now resides at Bathgate Rest Home. (Muth), were born after this picture was taken. Their wedding attendants: Adolph Latozke, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Stegman lived and Nellie (Menke) Sheeler, Wm. Stegman Sr., and farmed in the Neche area. Maggie (Latozke) Hughes. 40 gjsf Gus, Mae and Victor Svenson. In 1922, Mr. and Mrs. Svenson and the younger children moved to Huron, South Dakota, and later to Onida, South Dakota. Mrs. Svenson passed away in 1953 and Mr. Svenson in 1959. He lacked four months of being one-hundred years old. They were buried in Riverside Cemetery near Huron, South Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stegman. STEGMAN, ROBERT Robert Stegman and Ida Paetsch were married Feb. 1897. They came to the Neche, Gretna area from the Ukraine area of Russia in 1895 with their parents. They lived in the Neche area all their married life. They had five children — Mrs. Lena Sagert, Mrs. Mary Schaler, Mrs. Tillie Lembke, Mrs. Julia Thorn, and Rudolph who died when he was 14 years old. William Symington Sr. Family — standing: Father (William), Janet, Margaret, Mary, Mother (Sarah). Seated: Thomas, William, James. Insert: Jack. SYMINGTON, WILLIAM William Symington, Sr. was born 1828 in Old Comnock, Scotland, emigrated to Goderich, On tario, where he was married to Sarah Dunn Dun can in 1854. To this couple seven children were born: James, Margaret, William, Janet, John, Thomas and Mary. In 1883, they came to Dakota Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Svenson. Territory to be near their sons, who had SVENSON, ALFRED homesteaded west of Neche. Mary (Mrs. Alex On April 1st, 1902, Alfred Svenson, his wife, ander Duncan) came with them, but Janet (Par Eva, and three children — May, Gus, and Victor sons) and Margaret (Sirrette) remained in — moved from Gretna, Manitoba, to Neche. Canada. Alfred and his wife were both tailors, and had a William (Grandpa) Symington was in shop on Main Street. Their furnishings were few strumental in the organizing of the Methodist and simple. A new home was built in Neche and Churches at Bruce and Neche. He preached in three more children — Frances, Jack, and the homes of the people and was spiritual advisor Harold — were born here. These three now live to a large number of people in the district. He in South Dakota. May, (Mrs. Wilson Young) lives was the first teacher at Gretna and also taught in in Alberta; Gus and his wife, Maggie, live in the Duprey school. He died Dec. 26, 1913, at the Neche. Victor is deceased, but his wife, Win- age of 85. His wife, Sarah, died in 1923 at the age nifred, lives in Neche. of 92. 41 Napoleon and Annie Taillon — 1900. children: Ernest, Laura, Leon and Yvonne William Symington Jr. Family: Clockwise: Mother Susannah, Lauretta, (Brown). Napolean died in 1934 and Annie died in Walter, James, William Jr., Mary Maude, Maggie. Front row: Earl, Vivian, 1967. William and Ernest. SYMINGTON, WILLIAM JR. THOMPSON, D. L. William Symington, Jr. came to Dakota D. L. and Rosalie Thompson left Winchester, Territory at the age of 26, and filed for his Ontario, with the younger members of their homestead five miles southwest of Neche on family — Mahala, Josephine, Alice, Izac, Peter, Sept. 1, 1882. On Jan. 29, 1884, he was married to Dave and Riley — in 1878, to homestead in Susannah Elliott in Fargo, where her parents Dakota Territory. had a boarding house on Broadway. In 1889, Here were offered all the options they were William purchased another 160 acres north of the seeking, including some tall, straight oak trees. homestead, along the Pembina River. The fami One of the first items on the agenda was a ly moved to the new location and in 1902, William place to live, but cutting logs was no problem. D. completed construction of the barn and grain L. had developed considerable skill with a broad- elevator, using timbers from the surrounding axe, hewing timbers for the British Navy, before woods. The elevator has a capacity of 12,000 he decided to go farming. They lived in the log bushels and is still in use 75 years later. A horse house until 1893, when the frame house was built was used to turn the wheel to elevate the grain in on a foundation of hand-hewed logs, which were the beginning, then a gas engine, until electricity still sound in 1946. came to the farm. Josephine married Jack E. Cook and lived in Children born to this couple were Maud, Neche Twp.; Izac farmed at Neche; Pete bought Walter, Ernest, William, Earl, James L., Vivian some land at Leyden; Dave farmed at first, later (Glasson), Maggie (Svenson), Lauretta operated a blacksmith shop in Neche. Alice (Murray), Wm. George, Raymond Elliott. In married Nelson Shenny of Neche, was widowed 1902, Walter (15), Ernest (11), and William when her youngest child was a baby, and raised Hamilton (10) were drowned in the flood-swollen her family sewing for the ladies of the communi Pembina River. William and Susannah moved ty. their family to Neche in 1906, and he died of D. L. died in 1908. Mrs. Thompson passed pneumonia in 1910 at the age of 54. Susannah was away in 1920 at which time Riley acquired the a faithful member of the Methodist Church, as place where he lived until 1942. was her daughter, Maud, with whom she lived Present owners are Purdy, Alice's grandson, until her death in 1947. and Edna Horgan who have lived there since 1946. TAILLON, LUDGER Ludger Taillon and Philomine Gauthier were TRENBEATH, THOMAS married Sept. 26, 1860 at St. Calixite, Quebec, Thomas Trenbeath was born October 10, 1851 Canada. They were parents of twelve children, in St. Columb Minor, England and came to all born in Canada. In 1879, they homesteaded Canada with his twin brother, William in 1872 east of Neche. Napolean, who was the youngest when they were 21. The voyage was rough but son, was five years old when the family moved to they finally reached Cobourg, Ontario where Dakota. He married Annie E. Carriveau, Dec. 1, they worked for the Canadian Railroad. In July 1909, who was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 1873, when the Mennonites of Russia negotiated a Pierre Carriveau, who had come from Montreal, grant of land in southern Manitoba, the brothers Quebec to homestead at Olga, N.D. in 1882. When tried to obtain some land, but were unsuccessful Ludger Taillon died in 1903, Napolean and Annie and found they must take out American took over the farm where they raised their four Citizenship to homestead south of the border. 42 Wm. Trenbeath Sr. family 1893. Back left to right: Margaret Wylie Trenbeath, Thomas, Margaret, Mary, William Sr. Front: Nellie and William Jr. TRENBEATH, WILLIAM, SR. William Trenbeath Sr. was born in Cornwall, England, Oct. 10, 1851. He and his twin brother, L Thomas, arrived in Cobourg, Ontario, Canada in Thomas and Sarah Trenbeath Wedding 1892. 1872. They worked around Cobourg for three This they did and the original plots are still years before William went to Winnipeg. He owned and farmed by direct descendants. worked there for a time before he and Harry Thomas married Sarah Rose of Walhalla in Vosper boarded a southbound steamboat on the Bathgate, in 1892 and they were the parents of Red River, and then walked west from Pembina five children; Leslie, who died in 1938, Ruth to locate their homestead claims in the year 1876. (Vosper) died in 1974, Herbert Paul died in 1924, (1976 is truly a centennial year for the Trenbeath Irene (Smith) died in 1975 and Geneva (Gainer) family.) Wm.'s brother, Thomas, followed a lives in Newburg, Ore. year later. William married Margaret Ann Wylie Thomas brought his English love of garden in 1882. She had come from Brinston Corners, ing to the new land and in his time built a fine Ontario in 1881. They had five children — Mary homestead with a willow grove skirting the back (Heilman); Margaret (Gynn), Thomas, William and a beautiful line of trees bordering his and Nellie (Vosper). All were born on the driveway with berries and other fruit in abun Homestead. Nellie is the last surviving member dance, besides the vegetable garden he tended. of the William Sr. family. William died in Thomas died in 1932 at the age of 81. Sarah February 1920, and his wife in November 1930. died in 1952 at the age of 84. Both are buried in the Neche Union Cemetery. Fred Vosper Sr. Mrs. Fred Vosper Sr. VOSPER, FRED, SR. Fred Vosper Sr. was born 1837 at Tenterden, Kent, England. He married Helen Amelia Jarvis on March 30, 1859, at St. Marys, Newington, Butts, Surry, England. In 1869, he came to On tario, Canada, where he went into a small Thomas Trenbeath family — r. to I. Irene, Leslie, Ruth, Paul and business venture. His wife and six children came Geneva. from England and joined him in Winnipeg, 43 Canada. Moved to Dakota Territory in 1875 and VOSPER, HARRY FRED homesteaded in the Neche vicinity retiring into Harry Fred Vosper, oldest son of Fred Vosper Neche about 1895. Leaving Neche in later years Sr., who had remained in Winnipeg, came to and acquiring land in Sask., moving on to Seat Dakota Territory and joined the family at Neche tle, Wash, where he died in 1924 and his wife in in 1876. He took up a homestead close by and in 1925. 1882 he married Elizabeth Hicks. To this union was born: Fred C, Cora (Lewis), Rose (Taylor), Eva, Roy, Ruskin, Daisy, Eleanor (Lill) and Herb. They went back to live again in Winnipeg but after a few years again took up land in the Petersfield, Man. area where Mrs. Vosper died in 1944 and Mr. Vosper in 1945. Fred and Nellie Vosper. VOSPER, FRED C. Michael Wagner Family. Left to right: Emma, Elsie, Arthur, Erna, Minna Fred C. Vosper, oldest son of Harry F. and and Michael. Front: Erna and William Steinke — grandchildren. Elizabeth Hicks Vosper, was born in Neche, Dakota Territory, in 1883. He was married to WAGNER, MICHAEL Nellie Trenbeath in 1912 and they continued on Michael Wagner, born in Russia in 1883, came the home farm until they retired and moved into to the Neche area in 1913. His wife, Minna Neche. Their children are: Russell, Kent, Muriel Schmidt, a native of Zyrardau, Poland, was born (Swanson), and Helen (Hansen). Mr. Vosper in 1891. They lived on the Pat Horgan farm west died in Feb., 1953, and Mrs. Vosper still lives in of Neche before moving to their farm along the Neche. Pembina River. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wagner died He was instrumental in early construction of in 1953. Their children are: Emma (Tamke), roads in Neche Twp. and Pembina County. He Elsie (Schuppert), Erna (Stegman), and Arthur. was quick to adapt to new farming techniques — operating a steam threshing outfit from 1909-1933 — and was co-owner of the first combine in 1926, (probably the first in N.D.). Mr. Vosper was always ready to help with local and state projects. Hugo Schmidt. Hugo Schmidt, brother of Mrs. Wagner, was born in 1884, in Poland, and came to Pembina The Harry Vosper Family, Standing: Cora, Fred, Eva, Roy; seated: County in 1902, from Quebec. He lived in this Ruskin, Eleanor, and Rose. area until his death in 1965. 44 three daughters: Caroline Beatrice, Millicent and Annie Lois were born there. When Annie was two years old, the family set out for America, landing at Halifax, Nova Scotia; then traveling by train to Neche. They settled on a farm nine miles east of Neche in 1909. Harry married Edna Brooks and now resides in Winnipeg; Annie married Arnold Chambers of Park Center and lives in California. Millicent is Mrs. Lester Eddington of Hamilton and now lives in Cavalier, N.D. Caroline Beatrice passed away in 1919. Mr. Webb died in 1942 and his wife, Mary, is now a resident of the Pioneer Rest Home at The W. L. Weden Family — 50th wedding anniversary in 1956. From left to right: Ray F, Vernon F, Nellie, William, Dorothy and Marion. Bathgate. She will be 104 years of age on May 10, 1976. WEDEN, WILLIAM L. Alice E. (Nellie) Folker Weden (1882-1966) born in Bathgate, N. Dak., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Folker; moved to Neche in 1884. With the exception of the years from 1910 to 1924, lived in Neche until 1938. William L. Weden (1883-1967) born in Geneseo, Illinois; son of Mr. and Mrs. Swan Weden. Moved to Neche in 1905 where he worked as Operator for the Great Northern Railway until 1910. Was transferred to Haskett, Manitoba as Agent Operator there until 1924. Returned to Neche in December 1924 as Agent Operator for the G. N. Railway where he remained until 1938. The couple had four children: Ray F., Vernon F., Dorothy E., (Beggs), and Marion E. (Haskell). Standing: Otto, Gust, Bruno, William, Emma, and Martha. Seated: Mr. Winkler, Mary, August, Mrs. Winkler and Haidie. WINKLER, KARL Karl Winkler was born in Wolhynia, Russia, in 1869, and later moved to Bramberg, Germany, where he and Pauline Wilwant were married in William and Mary Webb and children, Caroline Beatrice and Wm. 1893. The couple, along with four sons — Otto, Henry (Harry). Gust, Bruno and William — came to Pembina WEBB, WILLIAM County in 1903 and settled east of Neche. Other William Webb, who was born in Rugby, children born to them were: Emma (Elsasser), England in 1865, first came to America at the age Martha (Jorgenson), Mary (Carter), Haidie of 21. He homesteaded near Bathgate, but lost (Camden), and August. Mr. and Mrs. Winkler rights to his claim when he returned to England lived for several years on the St. Amour farm in 1894. He and Mary Newbold of Bilton, England before retiring in Neche. Karl died in 1955; his were married in 1895, and a son, Henry (Harry), wife in 1958. 45 Mr. and Mrs. Ed Young and Grandma Young. The Villeneuve family — L. to R. standing: Joe, Gene, Helen, Frank, Henry; seated Mary, Mrs. Villeneuve, Jenny. YOUNG, EDWIN Edwin M. Young was born at Winston, Mo., Feb. 27, 1868 a direct descendant of German im migrants of the 1830's. He was educated in Missouri and South Dakota and completed a course in telegraphy in 1892. He married Jennie Campbell, a Scotch lass, in 1894. He farmed and learned brick making on his father's farm but he worked as telegrapher in Fessenden and Harvey, until he came with his wife and three children to Neche in 1900. There, he and his brother William formed the partnership of Young Bros. Meat Market. In addition they were machine dealers for International Harvester, John Deere, Moline Co., and handled the Max well car. In 1916, when the Campbell Studio caught fire, it also destroyed the Meat Market and Svenson's Tailor Shop. The Youngs had six children: Roy, Edith (Askew), Harold (deceased), Ruby (Williams deceased), Earl, and Florence (Costello). Jennie died in 1905 and Mr. Young married Mary Wenholz in 1907. He worked for the National elevator and sold Rawleigh products until he retired at 80 years old. He died in 1951, and Mrs. Theophile Renaud family I. to r. Arthur, Romeo. Seated: Rose, Elie, John Mary Young died in 1956. and Jean. THE EARLY PEOPLE Although this Book deals with the first im migrating permanent settlers, special mention should be made of the mixed-breed families who lived in the area long before the 1870's. Some of these people did take up title to land by exer cising their pre-emption rights, primarily in the wooded area along the Pembina River. The land office recorded such names as: Dumas, Louis Grandbois, Baptiste LaBombonte, Antoine LaPeante, Norman Gringras, Bazile LaDauseure, Pierre LaRoque, John LaDroque and Bernard Vivier. It wasn't long, however, Mr. and Mrs. Will Young, Grandma Young, Russell Young, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Young, Ella Ferch and Florence Young. before they sold out to the settlers. 46 BATHGATE HISTORY In this year of 1976 it is hard to picture the in September, the north train arriving in the small, quiet town of Bathgate as a place of much morning and the south bound train in the late activity, thriving business and lots of social life. afternoon. In 1890, this railroad became the Settlers came from eastern Canada, the eastern Great Northern with the well known Jim Hill as states and from European countries to start a President of the Company. The first grain was new life in Dakota Territory. They came first in shipped September 27, 1882. The telegraph came 1879 and kept coming for some years. They to Bathgate late in 1882. travelled by train, ox cart, horse and wagon and William Foster was the first to build a home, crossed the River by ferry, letting the cattle and it was built in the north end of town. He built the horses swim. building which housed the Post Office. Mr. William Foster, Sr. and his son "Ike" filed on Foster was the first Postmaster. He carried the the land which became the Bathgate townsite. mail horseback from Hamilton P.O., five miles There are several stories of how the town came south of Bathgate and two miles northwest of to be called Bathgate. One taken from the diary Hamilton to the Pembina-Cavalier Trail. He per of Mrs. John Houston, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. formed this service without pay for two years. William Campbell states that in July 1880 two William Foster was the town's promoter. men with a team of horses came to the Campbell Church services were held in his house. He home, the land now owned by the Thomas and donated land for the Cemetery. He and his sons James Martindale families and asked to stay promoted various business ventures. over night. The men were Comstock and White of Among the first buildings to go up were the Land Company of Comstock and White, who boarding houses and hotels in answer to the had purchased the land for a townsite from the need of the people. The first hotel was the Grand Fosters. They went on to Winnipeg, locating Union. Others were the Chevalier Hotel and the townsites along the railroad. On their return, Jennings House, which became the Chevalier they again stayed over night and Mr. Comstock Hotel when the first Chevalier Hotel burned. Mr. said that the townsite would be named Bathgate and Mrs. Peter Gariepy were managers of this after the town in England, where his wife had hotel. There were many boarding houses and lived. saloons in the 80's but Prohibition in 1889 put the A Mr. Ewing was hired to plot the town into saloons out of business. lots, streets and avenues. The Railroad brought The first church was the Baptist in August the Boom. People came, buildings sprang up, 1882; then the Roman Catholic, late in fall of businesses were started and the town grew. The 1882; the Episcopal and the Methodist Churches St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad in 1886. It was located in the north part of town was built from Grand Forks to Winnipeg. It and moved to the location of the present reached Bathgate August 10,1882. Service began Lutheran Church. The Lutherans purchased the 47 building and are still in the same location now. STATE SCHOOL -CK THE SLIrJD. The Presbyterian church was built in 1883 and BATHGATE, H. DAK. part of the original building is part of the present church though in a different location. ,4 Banks and Loan Companies came into ex istence very rapidly. Interest rates were high. " I ip i vp The first bank was the Bathgate State Bank. Other business sprang up. A Grist Mill in 1882, / I » • • f then a Roller Mill in 1893. The first newspaper was the Bathgate Sentinal with T. W. Douglas as Editor, then R. D. Hoskins of Crookston replaced him. The next Editor was F. A. Willson. He was in charge of the Pembina Democrat at Langdon as there was no Cavalier County at that time. He came to Bathgate and published the Pink Paper. Mr. Willson was active in many businesses and also farmed. State School for the Blind, Bathgate, N. Dak. The Fire Hall was where the Post Office is now and the City Hall was across the street and a block north. There was a Creamery and a Cheese STATE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND Factory. Machinery Shops were many. The State School for the Blind at Bathgate Blacksmith shops, Hardware Stores and opened 1908 and was moved to Grand Forks in Tinsmiths did a huge business. There were 1960. Photograph Galleries, milliner shops, dressmak When the North and South portions of Dakota ing establishments. Harness making was a Territory divided to become two states, a lucrative business, even tobacco was grown at Constitutional Convention was held in Bismarck Bathgate for a time and there was a Cigar Fac for the section which became North Dakota. tory. There was a Wholesale Grocery and Farm They made provisions for the state institutions. Machinery business which supplied settlers as The population was centered in the Eastern third far away as west of Langdon. Many retail stores of the state. The eastern counties secured 9 of the were in business. The last big retail store being 13 institutions. the Hillis and Manning Store, which closed in One of these institutions was the Blind 1927, after a quarter of a century in business. Asylum which was to be located at such place in Bathgate's History would not be complete the County of Pembina as the qualified electors without mention of the schools. Bathgate School of said county may determine. Pembina was the District No. 25 was organized May 13, 1892. 4th largest county but had no large city. Not any The first doctor was Dr. Marshal Sutton, 1880. town had a population of 1000, so it was put to the Then Dr. F. N. Burrows, Dr. Herbert James and vote of the county electors to decide a permanent Dr. J. S. Hamilton. location. The location of a permanent location The population was recorded to be 641 in 1900. for the County Seat was an issue, too. In the cam Why did Bathgate become a small town? In 1887 paign, Cavalier supported Bathgate as the site the Railroad arrived at Cavalier, Walhalla and for the Blind Asylum and in return for this, Langdon; then to the east of Bathgate, the Bathgate supported Cavalier for the County Northern Pacific came to Pembina. Transporta Seat. The result was the Blind Asylum was tion played a big part in the early growth of located at Bathgate. Bathgate and transportation and two disastrous The state gave approval of the location of this fires ended the Boom. institution at Bathgate by the 17th amendment of the constitution and it was approved by popular referendum in 1913. This is a long story, though approved in 1895, no provision was made for funds and the school did not open until 1908. B. P. Chappie who had taught in the Fairbault School for the Blind was chosen as the first superintendent. He served un til 1937. He was followed by Herbert D. Jeffrey, graduate of the State School for the Blind. The name Blind Asylum was a sad mistake. The name was changed to State School for the Blind of North Dakota by legislative action in 1911. However, because the Blind Asylum was designated by the Constitution, it was necessary to have approval of two legislative assemblies Disaster strikes the west side of Bathgate as it hit so many villages. and the electorate, before it could be considered Lack of water and equipment, not courage, reduced many towns. Some rebuilt, some didn't. legal. The issue was put before the Legislative 48 assembly in 1913 and the general public at the general election in 1913. The State School for the Blind of North Dakota was adopted by popular vote of the people of North Dakota. In 1960, the school closed and all pupils were transferred to a new school in Grand Forks near the University Campus. People of the Bathgate Pit community formed a Non-profit corporation and the Pioneer Rest Home opened for the care of the aged and infirm in May 1962. itf Pembina County Pioneer Rest Home. PIONEER REST HOME When the State School for the Blind moved to Grand Forks, the people in the Bathgate com munity became concerned about the facility be ing left empty. Under the leadership of Edward J. Seblen, C. R. Morrison and others interested, plans were made and the Bathgate Pioneer Rest Home came into being as a Non-Profit Home for the care of the elderly. It was first called the Pembina County Pioneer Rest Home but this led people to think of it as a County Home. In this year of 1976, the Home has fourteen years of ex perience and continues even in difficult times to continue giving the care to elderly and infirm people in a quiet, pleasant and home-like at mosphere at the lowest cost possible to the resi dent. The first President of the Board of Direc tors was Edward J. Seblen and the first Vice President, C. R. Morrison. The present executive board members are: W. Ross Brown, President, C. R. Morrison, Vice President, Secretary, Arthur J. Yon and Treasurer, George H. Brown. The first students to come to School for the Blind. They came from South Dak. There are fifteen board Members all in all made up of men and women from this area. Kathleen H. Thomson has been the Administrator since the Home opened in May of 1962. Folks at the Bathgate Home — back row: Winnie Otstott, Drayton, Luella Hurst, St. Thomas, Phoebe Sommers, Drayton. Front row: Edna Hanna, St. Thomas, Annie Harrison, Neche, Olga Latozke, Neche. Pearl Kukuk, Cavalier, John Anderson, Akra, Gena Opperud, Grafton, and David Mr. and Mrs. B. P. Chappie. Shepherd, Cavalier. 49 BATHGATE FAMILY HISTORIES and Mrs. Alex Beaton and family. Mr. Beaton died Oct. 6, 1946 and Mrs. Beaton died September 16, 1966. In February 1940, he was presented a life membership in the Masonic Mr. and Mrs. Phillip A. Austin and children Anne and Walter. Lodge, having been a member over 50 years. AUSTIN, PHILLIP Phillip Andrew Austin was born in 1852 in the State of Michigan. He came to Dakota territory in 1870 and homesteaded a mile and a half north of what is now Bathgate. His grandson, William W. Austin lives on the homestead now. He and Adeline Houston were married in 1885. He died in 1936. Frances Adeline Houston was born in 1863 at Dresden, Ontario. She came with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Houston in a covered wagon to Portage La Prairie. They crossed the river on the ferry, letting the cattle swim the river. In a short time they returned to Ontario. After her father's death, her mother and the family came by train to Pembina and to St. Thomas by horse and wagon. They moved to Ludger and Albina Berard. Bathgate in 1882. Phil and Addie had two children, Anne (Mrs. Percy Slagerman) and Walter. There are three BERARD, LUDGER grandchildren, Roy Slagerman, Pembina, Mr. Ludger Berard was born at St. Marcell, Robert A. Austin, Kansas City, Mo. and William Quebec, Canada on February 24, 1862. He came W. Austin, Bathgate. to the Pembina area at the age of twenty-three years, in 1885. He settled 7 miles southwest of BEATON, ALEXANDER Pembina. In 1887 he married Albina Martineau. Alexander Beaton, born April 12,1859 in Aber She was born in St. Lin, Quebec, Canada and deen, Scotland; migrated to the U.S. in 1883 and came to Pembina when ten years old. Then they homesteaded on land S.W. of Bathgate. He moved to their farm 6 miles north east of farmed in the Bathgate Community until 1908, Bathgate. They had 8 children. Surviving in 1976 when he entered the employment of Standard Oil are: Eugene 88 years old in Cavalier, John, Company as bulk agent. He retired from Stan Bathgate, and Delore of Thief River Falls, Minn. dard Oil in 1933, being replaced by his son, Alex Ludger was a member of the school board for Jr. years, a commissioner of Neche Township for He married Olive Martel of Pembina on ten years and a trustee of the R.C. Church in December 6, 1899. She was the daughter of Mr. Bathgate for 16 years. They moved to Cavalier in and Mrs. Daniel Martel, who homesteaded the 1923, after a number of years they moved to land where the Leo Ettens live. She was born in Bathgate. Ludger died June 19, 1951 and Albina 1883. They were parents of seven children: Gor died October 3, 1956. On October 2, 1937 they don, James, Wallace, Olive, Jean and Luella. celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. 50 Robert M. and Adorah Carson. CARSON, ADORAH AND ROBERT Robert was born March 26, 1870 in Mr. and Mrs. Louis Tweeswater, Ontario. He came to Dakota BLAIS, LOUIS Territory in 1888. He was a school teacher and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Blais came to Bathgate taught several schools in the area including from Little Falls, Ontario in the early 1880s. Bathgate. He was Book-keeper for the James There were five children in the family: Thomas, Brothers for years. In 1900 he affiliated with the John, Mary, Adealia, and Dealia. Mrs. Blais First National Bank in Bathgate and was there carried the mail from Bathgate to LeRoy for a until 1919. He was elected County Judge in 1930 number of years, using a horse and buggy in and served until 1936. summer and a cutter in winter. Mr. Blais was a He married Adorah Rebecca Simms Lindsay Blacksmith in Bathgate for years. He died in in Bathgate June 13,1900. They had two sons. She 1912. was born June 15, 1871 at Collinwood, Ontario. She taught school in Bathgate. She was elected County Judge when her husband's health failed. She retired in 1951. It has been noted that she was the first woman judge in North Dakota and that her judicial decisions were never reversed by a higher court. She died in August 1966. Ralph Brown. Jane Brown. BROWN, RALPH Mr. Ralph Brown was born in Edinburg, Scotland, in 1828, and Jane Brown was born in Little York, which is now the city of Toronto. They were married in 1859 in County Huron where they lived until 1879. They came to Joe River community near St. Vincent, Minnesota, and in 1882 they moved to Pembina County and eight years later set up residence north of Carter family — Back row: Fred, Jr., Edith, Esther and Alice. Front row: Fred (father), Irene, Raymond (in front), Harvey, Rosanna (mother) and Bathgate. The farm is still in the family. Lloyd. Mr. and Mrs. Brown were the parents of eight children: David, Alexander, Robert', Isabella CARTER, FREDRICK (who died in infancy), Jennie (Mrs. James Fredrick Carter, born in 1875 in Wright), Annie (Mrs. John Henderson), Massachusetts, came to Dakota in the early Elisebeth (Mrs. James Allen) and Alice (Mrs. 1880's with his parents, the J. B. Cartier's. The Alfred Goddard). parents purchased a homestead eight miles east Mr. Brown died in 1911 and Mrs. Brown in of Bathgate. A year later they bought additional 1935. Mrs. James Allan still survives and will be land. When the Cartier family first came from 94 years old in June, 1976. Three grandchildren France, their name was Cartier De La France. live in Pembina County; Kathleen Thomson, They changed it to Cartier before coming to Bathgate; Robert A. Brown, Cavalier and Mrs. Dakota and after the death of J. B. Cartier and Richard McCurdy, Backoo. his wife, the name was again changed to Carter. 51 Mr. Fredrick Carter married Rosanna Minn, in 1877. They had eight children: George, Lemier and they had nine children; Irene (Ber- who married Helen Miron; Frank, who married trand) Edith (Horgan), Alice (Morrison), Georgina Vebonceour; Frederick, who married Fredrick Jr., Harvey, Esther (Berard), Ray, Katie Stewart; William, married Rachel Miron; Lloyd, and Mae (Roehrick). All the children Edward, who married Nola Belle Quiggle; and attended the Carter School Dist. No. 18. Lillian, (Mrs. Marshall Craig). Two children Sara Carter, wife of the late Lloyd Carter, died in infancy. still owns the homeplace. There are four sur Brazell was born January 7,1851, Point d'vie, viving children; Esther, Harvey, Ray and Mae. Quebec, Canada. He married Caroline A. Denio, November 24, 1877 at Pembina. She was one of the first white girls in Pembina. She was born November 5,1861, White Hall, N. Y. Brazell died in 1931; Caroline, February 13, 1948. Children: Victor, Lawrence, Clarence, Robert, Norman, Delvina, Hattie, Gertrude, Ida, Kathleen, Margaret, Cora. DEMARS, GEORGE George Demars was born January 17, 1878 and married Helen Miron on February 7,1912 at Neche. They lived on the family homestead until 1946 when they retired to live in Grand Forks. Their children were: Beatrice, who is Mrs. Edward O'Hara; Frances, Mrs. J. L. Sullivan, and Everett, who lives on the home farm northeast of Bathgate. Mr. Demars died in July of 1949. Mrs. Demars continued to live in Grand Forks until her death in 1975. Jane Bateson Davey. DAVEY, JOHN John Davey was born at Cavon, Ontario, Canada July 12, 1842, son of Maggie and Will Davey. He was married Nov. 18,1869 at Bethany, Ontario to Jane Bateson, daughter of Clema McConcky and William Bateson of Millbrook, Ontario. In 1880 the family moved to Bathgate where they resided until 1890. Mr. Davey was a professional harnessmaker. Mr. Davey passed away Feb. 2, 1896 and Mrs. Davey who was born Nov. 18th, 1849 at Peterborough, Ontario, passed away at Backoo Nov. 11, 1925. They had three children, Clemmie (Mrs. James Thomson); Jen nie, (Mrs. Frank Robeson) and William W. Davey. DEMARS, RICHARD Mr. and Mrs. Richard DeMars and his brother Brazell travelled from Dayton, Minn, to Pembina-Bathgate area by covered wagon and oxen. Leaving May 10 and arriving June 13,1877. They settled in a shanty 7 miles east of Bathgate Mr. and Mrs. Gottfried Eichorest. near the Tongue River. They brought with them a cow and a walking plow. That summer they EICHOREST, GOTTFRIED broke up 10 acres of land. They cut timber into Gottfried Eichorest, better known in the cord wood, hauled it to Fort Pembina and sold it. Bathgate Community as Fred August, came to This was their livelihood for a few years. They Neche from Germany in 1900. In 1902, he re homesteaded in 1870, lived there until 1914, then turned to the old country and returned accom retired in Bathgate. panied by his wife Florence and their five Richard DeMars who had been born in Point children. One daughter, Mrs. Robert Brown d'vie, Canada, married Olivia Verett at Anoka, (Mathilda) survives and lives in Bathgate. 52 FOSTER, WILLIAM, JR. William Foster Jr. also settled in Bathgate. He married Janet Carrick, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Carrick, pioneer Bathgate residents. They had four children, Robert, Esther, William and Hubert. George Foster, son of William Sr. sold machinery for a few years, then moved to Chicago, where he was prosecuting attorney for the city of Chicago for many years. Robert Foster, son of William Sr., worked on construction of the Great Northern Railroad. He was killed in an industrial accident while work ing on the Great Northern bridge at Grand Forks. William Foster, Sr. was Bathgate's first post master and carried mail on horseback (without I, J. and Elizabeth Foster Family — 1911: Bina, Florence, Adams, pay) on the "Pembina-Cavalier Trail", before Grace, Lyn, Herbert, Margaret, Bryant, James, Charlotte and George. advent of the Railroad through Bathgate. Church services were held in his home; he donated the FOSTER, WILLIAM SR. land for the cemetery and planted trees there Mr. and Mrs. William Foster Sr. and their and in town. He hauled logs from the Pembina four sons, Issac, William, Jr., George and Robert River to build the bridge across the Tongue came to Pembina, Dakota Territory from River near his home. Munkton, Ontario in 1874. In 1879 Mr. Foster and his son, Ike, took up claims in Township 162. This land was later sold to Comstock and White. In 1890, Ike Foster married Elizabeth Armstrong, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Armstrong. In 1908, the Fosters moved to a farm west of Bathgate, where they resided until 1923, when they moved back to town. Ike served as County Sheriff two terms and during the term in 1912, when the County Seat was moved from Pembina to Cavalier. He was Vice-President of North Dakota State Livestock Sanitary Board and a director of the Pembina County Fair Association. Eleven children were born to Ike and Chris and Alice Gelder. Elizabeth; Bina, who was the first pharmacist in GELDER, CHRISTOPHER the Fargo Clinic; Florence, deceased; Adams, Christopher Gelder and Alice Austin were Grand Forks; Grace, deceased; Herbert and born in England in 1867 and came to North Margaret, Chicago; Bryant, Fresno, California, Dakota and were married near Bathgate in 1892. and George, Chicago. To this union were born; Fred, Walter, Annie, Stanley, Grace and Frank. They also raised a grandson, Ralph Lindsay. The children attended Carlisle school No. 23 and Bathgate High School. Mr. and Mrs. Gelder lived their entire life on this farm southeast of Bathgate until he died in 1943 and she in 1953. A great-grandson Dennis Lindsay now lives there. Christopher Gelder was very active in Sunday School and church work and preached many a sermon in the Carlisle School and Bathgate Methodist Church. Mrs. Gelder was also active in church work and remembered for selling butter in the neighborhood. Three of the Gelder family survive: Walter, Stanley and Grace, as do seventeen grandchildren, sixty-four great-grandchildren and sixteen great-great-grandchildren. Three of the grandchildren live in Pembina County; Kenneth Gelder, Doris Gelder Staples, and Mrs. I. J. (Elizabeth Armstrong) Foster — 1925. Jeanne Gelder Saiger. 53 Mr. and Mrs. Greening celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1966 and later that year he passed away. They had three sons; Gust, Art and Kenneth and four daughters; Annie (Soderfelt), Hulda (O'Hara), Lydia (Moritz), and Hattie (Henschel). Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Gibney, 42 years Bathgate mail carrier. GIBNEY, LESLIE Leslie Gibney was Rural Mail Carrier at Bathgate from 1918 to 1960. In 1918, the Rural Route was thirty miles in length and later was extended to forty-three miles. In 1942 there were 80 patrons. His wife, Clara was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lauzon. She and one son are deceased. Mr. Gibney lives by himself in Bathgate at the age of 85 years. He has two daughters near, Mrs. George Thacker of Hamilton and Mrs. Robert A. Brown of Cavalier Dr. and Mrs. J. S. Hamilton. and a third daughter, Mrs. J. S. Fullerton lives in Detroit, Mich. HAMILTON, J. S. Mr. Gibney reports that the route is quite Dr. John S. Hamilton was an ordained different now than it was in the early years with Presbyterian minister and filled the pulpits of the non-descript trails and low grades. the Presbyterian churches in Bathgate, Cavalier and Backoo for a number of years. He lived with his parents and brothers, James and Glenn, both doctors in Winnipeg. He returned to college and became a Medical Doctor. He took up the prac tice of Dr. Herbert James, Bathgate after his death in 1917. Alison Blanche Willson was the daughter of William George Willson and Alison Brown. They came to Dakota Territory in 1887 settling in the Backoo area. Dr. Hamilton was the typical general prac- tioneer, loved by his clients and poorly paid. Mrs. Hamilton was a school teacher before her marriage. They had two children, Alison Isabel (Albert Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Greening. Mossier) and Donald. Dr. Hamilton died in the middle 1940s and GREENING, ED Mrs. Hamilton died in the late 1960s. Mr. Ed Greening came to the United States at the age of twelve with some relatives. Mrs. Elsie HOLLINGER, C. J. Greening came here at the age of 19 with her C. J. (Romie) Hollinger was born September father and two sisters, leaving behind her 17, 1874, in Sterling, Illinois. Catherine Adams mother and two other sisters. was born May 2, 1884 in Dakota Territory, near The Greenings were married at Gretna, Reynolds, N.D. They were married at Reynolds Manitoba on February 17,1916. They lived in the on November 4, 1908. They came to Bathgate in Bathgate area until moving to town in 1950. Mr. the spring of 1909 and lived out their lives in Greening worked as drayman and was also Bathgate. caretaker of the Bathgate Cemetery for seven Mr. Hollinger owned and operated a dray years. Mrs. Greening was employed as cook at line, until his retirement in 1950's. They raised a the School For The Blind from 1951 until 1961. family of seven children: Catherine, Loretta, After the State School closed, the building Jerome, Jr., John, Olivette, Victor and Mary. became the Pioneer Rest Home and she cooked Father died June 23,1958, and Mother August there for ten years. 4, 1971. 54 Mr. and Mrs. Sid Houston taken in 1918. HOUSTON, SID Mr. and Mrs. Sid Houston were early day settlers in Dakota Territory, homesteading north and east of Bathgate. Sid Houston came with his mother, Mrs. Richard Houston from Dresden, C. J. and Catherine Hollinger. Ontario in 1880 traveling by train to Duluth, on to Winnipeg and then to Pembina. They camped at Pembina for several days and while there some of the Fort soldiers came to visit with them. After securing horses and wagons, they journeyed on to St. Thomas where the family homesteaded. In 1882 they left the St. Thomas area and moved to Bathgate. Sid and his wife (Annie Whitson) took up their homestead north and east of Bathgate. They were the parents of three boys: Arthur, Alfred and Charlie. Mr. Houston died in 1922 and Mrs. Houston in 1923. Richard Houston, son of Alfred Houston and grandson of Sid, farms the old homestead now owned by his mother, Florence Houston, wife of Alfred Houston. Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Hoskins. I HOSKINS, ROBERT Robert D. Hoskins came to Bathgate in 1883 from Pennsylvania to assume editorship of the Bathgate Sentinel, formerly owned by T. W. Douglas. In 1884 Robert married Florence Armstrong, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Armstrong. Miss Armstrong was assistant to her father, as postmaster at Bathgate. The Hoskins moved to Bismarck in 1889, where he accepted appointment as first clerk of the North Dakota Supreme Court, taking office November 2,1889, the day North Dakota became Fred and Mary Howard — wedding 1890. a state. Mr. Hoskins held this office until his retirement in 1917. He also compiled the history HOWARD, FRED of North Dakota Men and Women who served in Fred Howard was born in Liverpool, England any way through World War I. Mrs. Hoskins was in 1870. At the age of nine, he came to America, a charter member of Bismarck chapter of residing in Ontario, Canada. When 14 years of Eastern Star and for 26 years was Grand age he became a tailor's apprentice and worked Secretary of that order for the State. at his trade after coming to N.D. in 1892. The Hoskins had one son, Brooks, and two In 1890 he was married to Mary Ritchie in daughters, Mrs. P. J. Meyer (Etta), and Mrs. Cobden, Ontario. They came to Bathgate, where William Dollar (Helen). Radio-TV, KFYR, of he owned and operated a general store and prac Bismarck was owned by Hoskins-Meyers for ticed his trade as a tailor. They were parents of many years. ten children. 55 He served as Postmaster from 1909 to 1917, was justice of peace for 18 years. He was a member of Bathgate Masonic Lodge and Mrs. Howard was a charter member of Bathgate O.E.S. He served his country during the 1st World War as a Border Patrolman at Portal, N.D. His wife died in 1918 and he passed away in 1945. Mr. and Mrs. Jim McColl, Bathgate. McCOLL, D. J. Mr. D. J. McColl married the former Elizabeth Slagerman. They resided in Ontario. Mr. McColl died in 1896. Mrs. McColl and family of five children — John, Jim, Archie, Violet, Charlie and Pearl — came to Bathgate in 1896, The Fred Howard Family, Bathgate, N. D. Back row, left to right: Ritchie, Clifford, Milton and Earl. Second row: Mildred, Father, Viola, purchasing land in Neche Township. Mother and Lila. Third row: Harold, Russell and Vera. Not pictured, In 1902, Jim married Isabella Scott McLeish Leland. from Perth, Scotland, at Bathgate. He purchased the Arthur Wilson Hardware, grocery and under taking business, in 1918. He later moved to the Hillis and Manning Building, which burned in 1944. Mr. McColl died in 1963 and Mrs. McColl in 1967. Their children are: Lawrence (deceased), Evelyn (Shilling) of Indiana, George, of Pem bina, Florence (Gelder) and Kenny of Bathgate. Dr. H. J. James. JAMES, HERBERT Herb and Katharine (Meagher) Tillett. Herbert J. James was born in Clayton, On tario in the year 1860. He graduated from Almont MEAGHER, RICHARD High School and from Queen's University, Known as one of the oldest pioneers of Kingston, Ontario with Scholarship honors and a Bathgate at the time of his death, Richard special degree in Surgery. Meagher was born in Mullinahone, Ireland, to He began his practice in Bathgate, North Thomas Meagher and Catherine McGrath. In Dakota in the summer of 1898 and continued 1880, at the age of 18 he came to the Dakota there, except for the winter of 1908, until his Territory with a sister and a brother. They re death in 1916. His post-graduate work was done sided on a farm east of Bathgate until 1946, when in New York City. he and his wife moved into town because of ill Doctor James was of a sturdy, dependable health. character and had a strong sense of responsibili Mr. Meagher married Agnes Devaney of ty whether in professional, public or fraternity Carlisle in 1905. To this union were born ten work. To his influence and interests are given children — eight of whom survive. The eldest, credit in a large portion for Bathgate's excellent Katherine (Mrs. Herb Tillett) still is a resident of school. the Bathgate community. 56 MIRON, EVARISTE Mr. and Mrs. Evariste Miron, along with his parents, the Louis Mirons, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Piche, and Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Miron, came to the Bathgate area from Montreal, Canada, on March 18, 1880 by train to Winnipeg, then on to St. Vincent, where they crossed the Red River by ferry. They all settled 4 miles north of Bathgate, where the Evariste Mirons lived until 1923, when they retired to Bathgate. The Piches returned to Montreal. Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Miron lived in the area until their deaths in 1890 and 1895. Evariste Miron and Evangeline Miron were married September 24, 1878. Their children were: Mary Ann, (Mrs. Jerry Auger); Helen, (Mrs. George Demars); Rachelle, (Mrs. William Demars); Antionette, (Mrs. Glenn Morrison); Bertha, (Mrs. Henry Bertrand); Beatrice, (Mrs. Ovide Auger); (Mrs. Frank Taillion); Clara, (Mrs. Lawrence Wollensack); Henry, Phillip, Homer, and Emile. The Nagels: Helmer, Gertrude, and Bi NAGEL, KLAAS The fall of 1911, Klaas Nagel bought the NW»/4 Sec. 16 in North Carlisle Twp, what is known as the four corners of Carlisle from William Huff man. The Nagel family moved here from George, Iowa in 1912. William Nagel came in the spring to put in the crop. Klaas, Bettie, Gertie, Helmer and Annie came about September 12th. Carlisle twp. got its name from Adolph G. Carl; he farmed just south of the four corners. The farm is now owned and operated by Helmer Nagel. Mr. and Mrs. Alex Morrison. MORRISON, ALEXANDER Mr. Morrison was born January 13, 1855 in Williamstown, Ontario, Canada. He came to the United States with his parents at the age of twenty-one and in June of that year homesteaded in Pembina County, Dakota Territory. He owned this land at the time of his death and it is now farmed by his son Lloyd. He married May McGregor December 18, 1883 at Pembina. They lived in Emerson four years before moving to a log cabin on the farm where they lived until 1898. A large house was built one mile south, closer to school and town. The first Agricultural Demonstration plot for Mr. and Mrs. John Nevin. Pembina County was located on the Morrison farm as was a weather reporting bureau. NEVIN, JOHN Mr. and Mrs. Morrison were both active in Mr. John Nevin was born in 1858, in Killarney, community affairs and were also charter Ireland, and came to settle on the west edge of members of the Order of the Eastern Star in Bathgate, in 1888. He married Mary Shea, who Bathgate. had come from Wisconsin, and four of their fami They were the parents of six children; Glenn, ly still reside on the original farm. They are Laura (Mrs. Harold Robertson), Edith (Mrs. Steve, William, Tom, and Vera. Mae is deceased Boyd Renwick), Clarence, Lloyd, and Myrtle but taught for more than twenty-five years. The (Mrs. Charles Renwick). schools in which she taught were Gilby, Pem Mr. Morrison passed away in 1939 and Mrs. bina, McArthur, Minto, Ardock, Berlin, Bowbells Morrison in 1949. and Bathgate. 57 Michael Nevin Family — Back row: Mr. Michael Nevin, Steve J. and Mary Ann. Front row: Anne, Ella, Anatole, Mrs. Nevin holding John. Family of Wm. O'Hara. Back Row: Loretta Keena, Luella Trudal, NEVIN, MICHEAL Robert O'Hara, Annie McEwen, Ed. O'Hara. Front row: L. to R. Elizabeth Mr. Nevin was born in Ireland in 1844 and Moberg, Ella Gibney, Mary Kannole, Frances Reel, Rosabelle Budde. came to Michigan where he worked for some time in the mines. Coming to North Dakota he William only went to school two winters being walked from St. Vincent and set up home one of the oldest of the family; he was forced to steading one-half mile west of Bathgate. He help making the living. He could read very well drove by team and wagon to file his claim. by self training. Later he was joined by his wife and seven There were ten children born to William and children were born to them. One died in infancy Rose O'Hara: Mary, (Mrs. James Cannole); and Mary Ann died at the age of twelve. Other Ella, (Mrs. Russel Gibney); Rose Bell, (Mrs. children were Steve, Annie, Ella, Anatole and Frank Budde); Annie, (Mrs. R. W. McEwen); John. When Mrs. Nevin died in 1903, a sister-in- Frances, (Mrs. Thomas Reed); Elizabeth, (Mrs. law, Mary reared the family. Frank Moberg); Luella, (Mrs. Charles Trudal); Mr. Nevin passed away in 1933. Robert, Edward, and Loretta, (Mrs. Sheril Miss Ella Nevin was postmistress at Keena). Bathgate from 1933 to 1961. ROSS AND McGILLIVRAY Mr. and Mrs. Percy McDonald now live on the Coming from eastern Ontario in 1879 were two Nevin farm. of the earliest pioneer homesteaders to settle just two miles south of Bathgate. The McGillivray and Ross families, hardy Scotch folks, who were not afraid to face the dangers of this new, raw prairie Dakota Territory, built homes for themselves and their children as well as churches and schools. These lands my grandfather and my father, Hugh Ross, homesteaded have remained in the same family for nearly one hundred years and today are farmed by great-grandsons. My grandfather, Martin McGillivray, who was a Baptist, helped build the church in Bathgate. I, Kate Ross Brown, the oldest living grandchild of Mr. McGillivray and one of the oldest members of the Bathgate Presbyterian church, can pay no higher tribute to these Mr. and Mrs. William J. O'Hara. ancestors, than to say they were true Christian O'HARA, WILLIAM citizens of their society, always working for the William J. O'Hara was born December 27, betterment of the country. 1876 at Quebec, Canada. In 1882 he came to the The children of Martin and Catherine Bathgate area and worked on a farm. In 1888, he McGillivray were John, Mary, Margaret, started a dray service which he operated for Donald, Duncan, Alexander, Kate, Elizabeth and twenty years. He then moved to a farm 7 miles Sarah. Hugh and Margaret (McGillivray) east of Bathgate and later to the Hamilton area. became the parents of Margaret, Kate, Hugh On April 26, 1899 he married Rose Harrington and Mary. from Picton, Ontario. written by Mrs. Wm. Brown 58 Mr. and Mrs. William Robertson. ROBERTSON, WILLIAM Grandparents of the above couple came from Glasgow, Scotland to settle on land grants from the King for Military service in Ontario. The Robertsons, strict living Quakers, settled a mile away from the James family. Ann Jane James and William Robertson were married in 1878 and moved to Dominion City, Aron Sandgren. Manitoba where they lived for three years in a still working for the railroad. Mrs. Sandgren log house. A daughter, Ella, and a son, Harold, walked out from Bathgate once a week with were born to them there. Indians on their way supplies and baked goods for Ames. Once the from the reservation to the city would often seek farm was established Aron left the railroad and shelter from the cold and sleep on the floor of the he and Ames farmed together until Aron's death Robertson home. April 23, 1956. On July 29, 1924 Ames married The young family decided to move to Olga Lutz of Winnipeg, Manitoba and they were Bathgate, Pembina Co. Dakota Territory and parents of three children — Mrs. C. M. Mandery bought a farm from Ben James. Here Edith was (Ruth) of Minneapolis; Mrs. Keith C. Olson born but she died at an early age. Ella Robertson (Alice) of Cavalier; and John A. of Fargo. Mrs. never married and became well known as a Sandgren passed away April 21, 1961 and Ames teacher having attended both U.N.D. and Colum died February 18, 1969. bia University. Harold also attended U.N.D. and married Laura Morrison who still resides on the farm. Mr. Wm. Robertson died in 1920 and Mrs. Robertson in 1930. SANDGREN, ARON Aron Sandgren was born in Sweden April 10, 1865. When he was 15 years old he immigrated to U.S. and traveled to Buxton, N. Dak. where his older brother had already homesteaded. He worked for farmers in the area for several years and then in 1887 with his new bride, Elise Welin, who was also a Swedish immigrant, walked from Buxton to Daisy, N. Dak. leading a cow and carrying their precious few belongings. They tried farming at Daisy but drouth and grasshoppers took their toll and they returned to Buxton where on October 14, 1889 a son, Ames Carl, was born. They had another son Paul Roger born in 1892 but he died at the age of nine. In the early 1890's the family moved to Bathgate when Aron became section foreman for the railroad. When Ames was only twelve they pur chased the Sandgren Farm and he lived alone on the farm and did the farming while his Dad was Ames and Olga Sandgren. 59 Annie Slagerman. Ed Seblen, son. John Seblen, father. SLAGERMAN, ANNIE No history of Bathgate personalities would be SEBLEN, JOHN complete without a story of Annie Slagerman. John Seblen came to Bathgate in 1882. He was She was born near town to Andrew and Minnie born in Sweden and when he was thirteen years Vollrath Slagerman, the eldest of six children. of age traveled alone to New York City. After Annie presently lives in Bethany Towers, Fargo. some time in the eastern states, he came west Blanche and Sidney reside in California. Roy, working his way as he came. He arrived in Andrew, and Henrietta are deceased. Bathgate, found work for a time, then decided to In the early 1900's the family moved into farm and bought some land from Henry Bran- Bathgate. Miss Slagerman received her educa non. This is now owned by Mrs. Erna Saiger. tion there and in various normal schools. Her Mr. Seblen married Christina Spangelo of teaching career began in Neche in 1910, where Beaulieu, N.D. Four children were born to them: she spent 10 years. She also taught at Souris one Mina, Ida (Mrs. Nels Overland), Edward, and year. The remainder of her 50 teaching years Geneva. were in Bathgate. Ed bought land one mile east of the Her kindness, loyalty, and patience made homeplace and built a modern home. He Miss Slagerman a living heritage to her school married Ethel Best of Walhalla and they had two and community. daughters: Mrs. Ross (Edna) Brown, and Mrs. Ray (Virginia) Baker and seven grandchildren. Both John and Ed were highly esteemed in the community and contributed much in materials and moral uplifting in the Bathgate Presbyterian Church. Ed helped with many pro jects in Bathgate and Pembina County, donating labor, ideas and financial support. After Ed retired, he had more time for these community projects; his last one being the changing of the former State School for the Blind to the Pioneer Rest Home. John Seblen passed away June, 1928 and Ed in January, 1971. The results of their labors will not be forgotten. Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Slagerman — Wedding picture in 1883. SLAGERMAN, CONRAD Conrad Slagerman was born in Germany and came to the United States as a young man, leav ing behind his parents, seven brothers and sisters. He established a farmstead northeast of Bathgate and later sent for his family. Mrs. Slagerman was born in Eastern Canada of Scottish folks and to this couple were born four boys: Percy, Elmer, Willis and Waldo; and three girls; Allie, Flossie and Melva. Elmer resides in Bathgate and Willis in California. Mr. Slagerman enjoyed working with church youth and for many years was Sunday School superintendent of the Methodist Church and of Pembina County Pioneer Rest Home. the county. 60 George Taylor was married to Isabella Thom son in 1876, at Gait, Ontario. John Thomson Taylor (Jan. 9,1888) the only surviving child of a Br family of five, lived his adult life (1926 till death 1962) in Neche. John Taylor's survivors are: *tffl HL*> «iJHPii&* Lloyd G. and Lois M., both of Calif., and Doris L. mn^/j i Cook of Neche. In the spring of 1879 George T. filed a pre *4 .' » emption claim on the land a half mile west of Bathgate. A small log house was erected on the banks of the Tongue River, which was later i m mar- -A^StW? replaced by a modern home and outbuildings of his own design. George Taylor assisted in the organization of ' V ";^^^B • *. what was originally Hamilton township, com j5^B^-^MMk-^%J prising Hamilton and Bathgate townships, and became the first chairman of the township »>v- board, serving as assessor and county com Family of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Stegman Sr. Standing: Beata (mother), missioner. and Elizabeth (Hayward). Front: Dan, Fred, and William (father) holding He was a farmer and raised Poland China Marie. hogs, Clyde horses and Shorthorn cattle. Isabella STEGMAN, WILLIAM Thomson Taylor died in May, 1915, and George William Stegman, who died in 1975 at the age Taylor died in Killean, Ontario, Jan. 17, 1924. of 88, was the last surviving member of the Daniel Stegman family. He came from the Ukraine area of Russia in 1895; his wife, the former Beata Gross, born in 1897, came from Russia in 1901. They were married in 1912, and homesteaded 5 miles west of Neche, then lived in Park Center for 14 years, before moving to the Peter Auger land, 4 miles north of Bathgate, where they remained until retiring to Bathgate in 1950. Children of this couple are: Daniel, Fred, Elizabeth (Hayward), Marie (Petroski), Walter, Albert, Gertrude (Hughes), Herbert, Hilda (Do- ten), Alfrieda (O'Hara), and Ernest, who died in his youth. _____g_ Mr. and Mrs. John Thomson. THOMSON, JOHN John and Jennet Thomson left Guelph, Pushlinch Township in Wellington County, On tario for Dakota Territory the spring 1882. They came by train to St. Vincent, crossed the Red River on the Ferry, water was so high their household goods were ruined. They traveled by wagon from the river to the home of their son-in- law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. George Taylor (Bella) at Bathgate. After a short visit they went to a farm near what is now Hamilton, lived there a short time, bought land from Taylor, moved Three Generations: Standing: John (Father); Seated: George (Grand with their son, John and daughter Christine to father); Being Held: Lloyd (Son). Bathgate. TAYLOR, GEORGE John Thomson was born at Kintyre in George Taylor, oldest settler in Bathgate Argyleshire, Scotland in 1808. Came to Guelph, Township, located in 1879. He was born in Ontario in 1830 and to U.S. 1882. Jennet McCor Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Ontario, mick — born Scotland 1820. John died 1892 and Canada, Feb. 17, 1850; eighth in a family of nine Jennet 1897. of English and Scotch ancestors. They had three sons and eight daughters. 61 Mary Tillet. William and Mary were married in 1892 and lived on a farm four miles north east of Bathgate. They had ten children; Arthur, John, George, Herbert (who owns the original farm), Mr. and Mrs. John A. Thomson. Elizabeth (Baroos), Dorathy (Hunter), THOMSON, JOHN A. Margaret (Pardee), Archie, and Mary. One child John A. Thomson, with his brothers Neil and died in infancy. Mrs. Tillett was a Gold Star James, came to Dakota Territory in 1880 but Mother of the American Legion. returned to Ontario. In 1882, John returned with Mr. and Mrs. Tillett were both active in his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Thomson, his church and community affairs. William died in brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. James 1927 and his wife died in 1960 at the age of 90 Blacklock and his youngest sister, Christine years. (married John McGillivray) to the Bathgate area and settled on land they purchased from another brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. George Taylor. This and other land near it later was known as Taylor's Addition of Bathgate Ci ty. They came in the spring of 1882. The river was very high when they crossed by ferry. John was born in Guelph, Ontario in 1859. Jean Kippen came with her parents, Alexander and Mary Fletcher Kippen in 1880 from Glengary, Ontario. Jane was born at Glengary February, 1867. John and Jean were married at Grafton, February 1, 1888 and came to live with his parents in Bathgate. They had five children: Mary, (Mrs. David Brown); Jessie (Mrs. Marshal Eddington); Barbara Ann, (Mrs. Amos Eddington); Herbert G.; James M. Two children Mr. and Mrs. J. 0. Vick. died in infancy and there are five grandchildren, all girls. VICK, JOHN John O. Vick made his first trip to Dakota TILLET, WILLIAM Territory in 1874. He followed the old river trail William C. Tillett was born in 1856 in Suffolk, from Minnesota to north of Fargo. Things looked England. He spent his early life as a fisherman desolate, muddy and wet and whitened bones of before coming to Winnipeg in the spring of 1888. buffalo were everywhere. The party returned He left Winnipeg walking, not knowing what was home. Later with his family he came back over in store for him, arriving in Bathgate where he the same country ending up north of where Win obtained farm work. nipeg is now. The ruins of the first settlement Here, he met and married Mary Ann Tero, were still there. He did not come to the U.S. until who was born in London in 1870. When her 1918 when he and his family moved to Bathgate. mother died, Mary Ann was placed in an John was born December 1,1860 in Dodge County orphanage, then sent to Ontario, Canada. There near what is now Rochester. Mrs. Vick was born she was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Archie Goodall December 4, 1859 near what is now Montevidio, at the age of seven and they came to Bathgate in Minn. They were married July 5,1879 and raised 1882. a family of three girls and three boys. 62 g^MiPl^'^ _^^ggB-^yr^ WHr ^ • ^'V^IHJ i^nfl Jl wj Sfc^ ^•Ltky-jM % ^^a Samuel Witmer. Mrs. Samuel Witmer. Mr. and Mrs. Otto Vollrath. WITMER, SAMUEL VOLLRATH, OTTO Samuel T. Witmer was born in Ontario in Among the early settlers were the Otto 1864, and attended school and served his appren Vollraths. He was born in Germany in 1869, and ticeship as a druggist there. In 1885 he arrived in came to North Dakota territory in 1873. Dakota Territory, working a drug store in St. In 1887, he married Jane McArthur, who Thomas for a short time. He then came to came from Collingwood, Ontario. They lived Bathgate, where he and J. F. Derby opened a eight miles southwest of _Pembina until 1902, drug store in 1887; they were in partnership when they moved to the Bathgate area. They about 25 years. were of Presbyterian Faith, and he served as In 1888 he brought his bride, Charlotte, from township supervisor for some time. Ontario, to Bathgate, where they spent all their They lived on the farm now occupied by Don married life, celebrating their golden wedding McConaghy. anniversary there in 1938. Mr. and Mrs. Witmer were charter members of the Episcopal Church in Bathgate, and were active in the Masonic Order and the Order of Eastern Star. In 1931, Mr. Witmer retired from the drug •^'JWa. business, being one of the oldest registered phar macists in the state. Mrs. Witmer died in 1946, and Mr. Witmer died in 1958. The Witmers two children were Pauline Charlotte (Mrs. John Booker) and Dr. Robert Bonner Witmer. Alexander Watson. Mrs. Alexander Watson. WATSON, ALEXANDER Alexander Watson came to the Bathgate area in 1879 with his wife and seven children and $25 in his pocket from Dalston, Ontario. He home steaded the N. W quarter section 20 and paid $1.25 an acre Homestead rights. In the spring of 1880, he built a log house with sod roof. Mr. Watson walked 25 miles to Pembina every two weeks for mail until he purchased a yoke of oxen. A fire later destroyed both his barn and oxen. Dr. Robert Witmer. The farm is still in the Watson family being WITMER, ROBERT BONNER owned now by his great grandson, Cecil Alex Dr. Robert Bonner Witmer was professor of ander Watson and wife Marilyn. physics at the University of North Dakota for The Alexander Watsons attended church many years, and also held several ad pastored by Rev. J. Stewart, a Baptist, who ministrative positions at UND, including Dean homesteaded one mile west. Services were held of the College of Science, Literature and Arts. In in the homes until the Presbyterian Church was 1968, the mathematics and physics building was started in Bathgate; then they attended there, so named Witmer Hall in his honor. were charter members. R. B. Witmer was married to the former Mr. Watson died in 1897 and Mrs. Watson in Lillian Leith, and they had one daughter, Jean 1904 and both are buried in the Bathgate (Mrs. Charles Meline). He died in Grand Forks cemetery. on February 21,1972. 63 Hyde Park, St. Joseph twp. Pembina co. N.D. circa: late 1800's to early 1900's. Left of road: a. school, b. store, c. Chas. Fee farm homestead. Right of road: a. Presbyterian church, b. H.L.C. Neilson homestead. LIFE ON THE PRAIRIE IN THE 1800's as told to Gladys Neilson Meyer The early pioneer families, the Hydes, the Neilsons, the Fees, the Browns and others came up the Red River by steamboat, together with the few possessions space allowed them to bring, to Fort Pembina. There, they purchased oxen and Red River carts and proceeded to a point on -' «» • "ddtf the Pembina river known as the Grant house on _4fT; Smuggler's Point. This seems to have been a spacious building as it housed several families at a time, until they could get their sod shanties built on their homesteads. According to Grand ma Neilson, the walls of the house were coated with a very hard white plaster which were washed down when they left, to be clean for the next group. They helped each other cut sod and erect a Paton's Isle of Memories. home. They divided into pairs and built directly across what was to be the road from each other. This was a protection from the Indians, who still roved the prairie. The old Indian trail can be traced from north of cemetery, across the Hyde place (later Percy Wessels), across the Alfred PATON ISLE OF MEMORIES and Clara Knowles place, across the Alfred The Wilbur Paton Isle of Memories Museum Johnson farm, the Neilson farm, the Fee, then situated in his farmyard consists of four Wessels, then Sanders farm, on the way to what buildings. In 1962 he acquired the old house in is now Leroy. which he was born and had it moved to his Gradually they hauled logs and got lumber to farmyard and restored to its original condition build and replace the log cabins that replaced the with much of the old furnishings. sod shanties; lumber to build a church, school He also purchased the old Hyde Park School, and store. Thus the prairie grew, matured and had it moved to his yard and restored it. blossomed into the community that has been The third was a 40 by 60 quonset he built and home to the succeeding generations; no matter divided into rooms: sitting room, old Hyde Park how far they have strayed from the original post office, music room, old-time kitchen, close-knit little group that always seemed blacksmith shop, besides a large area with an related to each other, whether by blood ties or tique machinery and showcases of old-time not. articles. 64 HYDE PARK FAMILY HISTORIES David Blair family, left to right: Jim, Edna, Merle, Percy, Mrs. Grace David and Gerald Karel. Mr. and Mrs. Alex Fife. BLAIR, DAVID David Blair was born Jan. 13, 1885 to parents FIFE, ALEX William Blair and Martha Minaker at The Alex Fife family came to the Hyde Park Blairhampton, Ontario. In 1910, he came to the area in the late 1800's and settled on a farm. Hyde Park area to visit his father's sister Margaret, Mrs. Harry Watts. He continued to live in the Hyde Park area until his death. March 27, 1912 he married Grace Alma Wessels. They purchased their farm from "Short" Robert Johnston. The Blairs continued to live on the farm where their 8 children were born; 4 died in infancy which included Mervin Eugene, who was a twin brother of Merle Francis. Other children were Edna Mae, James Leslie and Percy Lyle. Mr. and Mrs. Blair were active in the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Blair died in 1957. In 1958 Mr. Blair married Ruby Pritchard of Minden, Ontario. Mr. Blair passed away in 1971 and Mrs. Blair resides in Walhalla. The Percy Blair family live on the home farm. and Mrs. Thomas Chambers. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Fife and Harold Jr. CHAMBERS, THOMAS Thomas Chambers was born in Ontario April FIFE, HAROLD 12, 1866. He married Mary Johnstone who was Harold Fife married Mattie Jones of Neche born in Ontario on November 7, 1878. They and they farmed in Hyde Park until 1921 when moved to Hyde Park in 1903 where Mr. Cham they moved to Cashmere, Washington. Children bers was proprietor of the country store and post of the family were; Helen (Mrs. Claude Lanter), office until Rural Free Delivery was established Gertrude (Mrs. Harold Keagle), Agnes (Mrs. by the government and mail was delivered by David Curtis), Keith, Edith (Mrs. Peter Martin), carrier from the Neche Post Office. Douglas and Harold, Jr. 65 George and Agnes Guenther Family: Front row left to right: Abe, Frank, George and John. 2nd row: Anna, Katy and Agnes. the line were taught in the German language on ly. Because of the need of help in these fast developing communities these young people spent most of their early life living with the assisting with farm and household duties with most every family in these communities. All became U.S. Citizens but Agnes (Mrs. Bert Ames) and Katy (Mrs. Wm. Howell). Anna married Philip Sanders and resided there till she passed away in 1945. John and family farmed there until moving to San Francisco, Calif. Abe and family also live there. George and family reside in Felson Twp. and Frank and family in Neche. Mr. and Mrs. John Fitzsimonds. FITZSIMONDS, JOHN HENRY John Henry Fitzsimonds, son of Henry Fitz simonds and Catherine Morrison was born at Ornstown, Quebec on Sept. 9, 1849. He was married to Eleanor Johnstone at Haliburton, Ont., and came in 1890 to farm in Hyde Park. Later they moved to the J. D. Gordon farm near Leroy. He was an active farmer, raising potatoes, grain, horses, hogs and registered cat tle and at one time operated 5 steam engine threshing machines. Wedding picture of James and Margaret (Whelen) Gainer. Mr. Fitzsimonds passed away in 1931 and his wife in 1927. Both are buried in the Hyde Park GAINER, JAMES WILFORD Cemetery. James Wilford Gainer was born to Mr. and They were the parents of 7 children: Alex, Mrs. James Henry Gainer, early day pioneers, Margaret (Mrs. Edgar Newell), James, on July 31, 1888 in the Park Center community. William, Mary Ellen (Mrs. Arthur O'Keefe), An On Dec. 6, 1911, he was married to Margaret nie and Robert. P. Whelen at Parr, Indiana. They farmed in the Hyde Park community until they moved to GUENTHER, GEORGE Walhalla in 1940. Nine children were born to George, Frank, John, Abe, Agnes, Katy and James and Margaret Gainer. The children are: Anna are the family of George and Agnes Willard, Howard, Ray, Laverne, Donna (Mrs. Guenther of rural Gretna, Man. They were per Ed Thorn), Harold, Enid (Mrs. E. Scott), Irle mitted to attend the English speaking schools in and Olin. James died on June 15, 1947 and Bay Center and Hyde Park as the schools across Margaret on April 3, 1963. 66 Eli Hughes. HUGHES, ELI Eli Hughes was born August 20, 1889 at the Hughes homestead, the son of Jas. H. and Nancy John J. Hughes Family — L. to R.: John J., Mrs. Hughes, Ella, Alton, Hughes in Felson township. He married Mary M. Harvey, Cynthia, Oliver, Walter, John B., Alvin, Augusta, Adeline and Roy. Latozke in 1912. To them were born four children: Hume, James R., Lylia (Mrs. Henry HUGHES, JOHN B. Vondal) and Lillian (Mrs. Frank Guenther). The John B. Hughes son of John and Catherine family lived on the Pat Horgan and Beaudry Hughes, was born Nov. 9, 1874 in Dakota homesteads until the home on the tree claim Territory after the family had migrated here farm was ready to move into. Eli, 39, passed from Plantagenet, Ontario in 1874. He lived with away in 1927, and Mary, 61, in 1952. Jas. R. and his parents on the Homestead until his marriage Hume were the only grandsons of the Jas. H. to Bertha Neilson on Nov. 9,1897, then they lived Hughes family and Jas. E. and Wm. E., sons of in the Leyden area. They had a family of seven Jas. R. and Gertrude Hughes the only great- children: Clarence, Pearl (Gessner), Lloyd, grandsons carrying the Hughes name. The Tree Lester, Grace (Thompson), Arnold and Ora Claim farm has been in the Hughes name since (Rudolph). In 1918 they moved to Backoo where 1890 acquired from the government and signed they farmed and John B. became the manager of by Benjamin Harrison then President of the the National Atlas elevator for 27 years. Bertha United States. Part of the original ten acre tree Hughes, 74, passed away Dec. 11, 1952 and John claim still stands. B., 79, Jan. 7, 1953. Mary M. (Latozke) Hughes. HUGHES, JOHN John J. Hughes, 1832-1919: Mr. and Mrs. John J. Hughes were married on July 3, 1860, at Papineauville, Quebec, and moved to Plan- tagenet, Ontario, in 1863, and lived there until the spring of 1874, when they left for Pembina Dakota Territory via the Great Lakes and land travel. They arrived with seven children in early James H. Hughes Family — Front row: James H. Hughes and Eva fall and homesteaded 20 miles west of Pembina. Hughes; Back row: Archie, Eli and Harvey. Five more children were born in Pembina coun HUGHES, JAMES H. ty. The twelve children were: Ella, Alton, James H. Hughes was born Mar. 5, 1848, the Harvey, Cynthia (Mrs. Tom Symington), Oliver, son of James and Huldah Hughes of Plantagenet, Walter, Huldah, John B., Alvin, Augusta (Mrs. Ontario, of Irish descent. In 1874 with the vision Tom Gibson), Adeline (Mrs. Ted Langrel) and for a new and greater life decided to come to Roy. Dakota Territory via Ft. Garry and Pembina. He 67 applied to the Government for his land where he built his claim log cabin under the Homestead Act of 1862. He married Nancy Flynn; to them were born six children: Archie, Eva (Mrs. Wm. McConnell), Vina (Mrs. J. V. Smith). Harry, Eli and Ira. In 1901, Nancy Hughes, 45, passed away. The old Hughes Homestead became the home of Archie and family. Jas. H. then moved to Cheney, Wash., where he purchased an apple orchard, later living in Manhattan Beach, Calif., where he passed away at the age of 91 in 1939. His farm and home were well kept but his pride was in his field of golden grain. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Johnson. JOHNSON, ALBERT Mrs. Albert Johnson was born at Gilert, On tario, March 8, 1878 and came to North Dakota with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Newell. She was married Dec. 15, 1897 — died July 1, 1948. Her husband died July 26,1947. Their fami ly consisted of two children: Myrtle (Paton), and Russell, deceased. They farmed in Hyde Park area. James Hyde 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration — top row L to R — Stella Hamilton, Mrs. Walter Hyde, Roy Hamilton, Ann Hamilton, Lee Peters and wife Lulu, Freddie Peters, Lulu Hyde and Maude Hamilton, (standing L to R.) Wm. Hamilton, Vernon Hyde, Kenneth Hyde, Mrs. John Hyde, Walter Hyde, Earl Hyde, Maudt Hyde Shepherd, Wm. Shepherd, Elaine Shepherd, John G. Otten, Ethel Hyde Otten, Fred Peters Sr., Clara Hyde Knowles, Everett Knowles, Alfred Knowles. (seated L to R) Annie Hyde Hamilton, John Hyde holding Raymond Hyde, Mrs. James Hyde holding Dorothy Otten, Margaret Hyde Peters, Harold Peters, James Hyde Jr. (seated on ground) Myrtle Hamilton, Lyla Hyde, Mervin Peters, Lulu Knowles and James Knowles. Alfred and Mary Johnson, Veda, Merle, Bernice. JOHNSON, ALFRED Georgia Lee, great granddaughter of two Hyde Park pioneers (John Alfred M. Johnson born July 12, 1866 at Otten and James Hyde) raises the flag at Independence Hall com Minden, Ontario, came to North Dakota at an memorating the 175th anniversary of the Federal Constitution. early age with his family. He took up a quarter HYDE, JAMES section of school land around 1887. Married Mary James Hyde was born Jan. 26, 1836. Matilda Reid of Carson City, Nev., in 1900. She was a Millar was born May 16, 1841. The two were niece of Sarah Watts Johnson (Mrs. J.C). Three married June 22,1858 in Huntingdon, Quebec and daughters were born to them, Veda, Merle, and to them, twelve children were born. Bernice. They farmed in the Hyde Park com James and his son, John, came to Dakota munity until 1920 when they rented the land and Territory in the spring of 1878. Mrs. Hyde and moved to Neche because of ill health following a seven children followed a year later. The home bad farm accident that occurred in 1915. While in stead was located west of Neche where Mr. Hyde Neche he worked in an Oil Station. They moved was instrumental in establishing the first to Newberg, Oregon in 1930 and he passed away church. The community which sprang up around Jan. 5, 1931 at the age of 65. Mary Reid was born it was named Hyde Park. James died July 8,1914 in Bodie, Calif. Nov. 14, 1879 and came to live in and Matilda died April 11, 1915. Both are buried N. Dak. in 1897. She passed away in Newberg, in Hillside Cemetery, Walhalla. Ore. in Feb. 1962 at the age of 82. 68 JOHNSTONES, JOHN The John Johnstones were married in 1872 in Minden, Ontario, and came to the Hyde Park area in 1889 where they farmed. Mr. Johnstone died shortly after settling on the farm. Mrs. Johnstone passed away in 1932. Their children were Annie (Mrs. Wm. Blair), Mary (Mrs. Tom Chambers), Francis (Mrs. Wesley Hoover), Hannah, Alex, William, and Robert. Mr. and Mrs. Johnstone were buried in the Hyde Park Cemetery. Frank and Sarah Johnson and daughter JOHNSON, FRANK Frank Johnson, son of the J. Johnson's was born in 1876 in Hyde Park. He married Sarah Aiken of Allenford, Ont., Nov. 30, 1910. They farmed in Hyde Park until 1928, when they moved to Newberg, Ore., where Frank drove a school bus until he retired. They passed away in Newberg. They had one adopted daughter, Audra Norine born Sept. 2, 1920. She is now married to Jerry Fisher and they reside in Newberg, Ore. Alfred and Clara Knowles. KNOWLES, WILLIAM Isaiah and Mary Knowles, Quakers, were both born in Settle, England. They died at the ages of 86 and 72, respectively, and were interred at Settle. Their son, William Knowles was born December 20, 1830, at Settle. He died April 20, 1907, at Hyde Park and is buried in Walhalla. William Knowles married Charity, who died May 7, 1885, at the age of 60. She is buried at Walhalla. To this union Henry, George, Alfred Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Johnson. and four sisters were born. JOHNSON, J. C. Alfred (October 3, 1868 to September 1, 1945) It began in this area in 1879, the year J. C. came to Hyde Park with his parents from Johnson landed in Pembina, Northwest Ter Minden, Ontario, in 1879 at the age of 11. On June ritory. He traveled on foot with two other men 21, 1899, he married Clara Hyde (March 10, 1870 in search of land. Finding none, they returned to May 13, 1947) who also came from Ontario the to Pembina on foot, and set out west. They same year. (Many of these pioneers lived in the landed at the Grant House (west of Neche) about Grant House until their own homes could be es V2 mile north of his original homestead. He had tablished.) Later they settled on a tree claim to return to Pembina to sign his claim. In the which Clara helped her father plant when a winter of 1879, J. C. returned to Minden, Ontario, child. Can., and married Sara Watts. On December 17, Alfred and Clara Knowles had four children: 1879, they returned to their homestead. A few James Arthur (1900) who married Kristine John years later, they were joined by their parents son; Lula May (1902) who married Louis Thomp and his brothers and sisters. They were David, son; Everett Leslie (1906) who married Lepha the twins — Alfred and Albert, Frank, Isabel Newell; Ronald Matheson (1909) who married (Mrs. Gainer), Mary (Mrs. Wm. Watts), and Hulda Sand Knowles. Mrs. Frank Jones. The J. C. Johnsons farmed on the homestead until 1920 when they retired and McLARTY, DONALD moved into Neche, N. Dak. They had seven Donald McLarty, whose parents came from children — William, Ernest, Walter, Ella, Grace, Campleton, Scotland, was born Nov. 2, 1840 in and twins, Herbert and Cora. They all attended Darlington, Ont. He married Marjory Chambers the Hyde Park school. The entire family are (born in Alyth, Scotland) at Minden, Ontario, in deceased. 1879. 69 In the spring of 1879 Donald came to Dakota Territory, bringing a car of stock and located in Hyde Park. His claim had a large area of trees so he built a log cabin, broke some sod and planted potatoes. In the fall his wife and family joined him. There were four children born in Canada: Alexander, James, Margret and Donald. They built their new 2 story house and other buildings. They had six more children: Christina, (Mrs. D. Chandler), William, David, Catherine, Maria (Mrs. J. Berard), and Dougald. The latter two are still living; Maria in California and Dougald in Florida. The old farm still stands in the family name almost a hundred years. Mr. McLarty passed away in 1932, and Mrs. McLarty in 1939. Family of H.L.C. and Margaret Austin Neilson circa 1907. Front row: Mary Jane (Mrs. John Carpenter), Margaret (Mrs. Neilson), Bertha (Mrs. J. B. Hughes), Margaret (Mrs. George Neilson). Back row: Mae (Mrs. B. A. Neilson), Ben A. Neilson, Sarah (Mrs. Thomas Neilson), Thomas Neilson, George Neilson. Ont. They lived on the homestead farm until they passed away. They had one daughter, Gladys, (Mrs. Bill Meyer) and a grandson, Dean. John and Elizabeth Michels, Sr. and family. MICHELS, JOHN John Michels born in 1832 and Elizabeth Michels born in 1843 were married in London, England in 1868 and migrated to the Hyde Park area. There they established "The River Farm" on May 16, 1881. They acquired a tree claim on Mr. and Mrs. James Newell. August 1, 1892, a timber culture certificate for 160 acres which was signed by Benjamin NEWELL, JAMES Harrison, president of the U.S. The James Newell family immigrated to the The Michels were parents of 7 children: Park Center area in 1883, from Minden, Ontario. Henry, Annie (Mrs. Sid Burt), Eleanor (Mrs. They took over the homestead of William Wright, Sam Sharp), Lillian (Mrs. John Askew), Kate his father-in-law, who was about the last (Mrs. Clint Howell) and twin sister Mary (Mrs. homesteader in the area. The only land available Robert Askew) and John. that was left for settlement was fractions along Mr. Michels passed away in 1925 and Mrs. the border. These fractions were uneven plots of Michels in 1904. land that lay between the Canadian boundary and the last surveyed quarter sections. Conse NEILSON, HUGH quently, his farm was less than %th mile wide Hugh L. C. Neilson born in Ireland, and wife, and 2 miles long. Margaret Austin Neilson, born at Carrick The William Wright family consisted of Ed, Fergus, Ireland in 1829, came to Dakota Walhalla; Jim, Pembina; and Mrs. James Territory with their family in 1879, from Minden, (Rebecca Ann) Newell. The James Newell fami Ont., and filed a homestead claim in Hyde Park ly consisted of William, Mrs. Albert (Maggie) under the act of 1876 Dakota Territory. Mrs. Johnson and Ed Newell. William married Neilson passed away in 1925 and both are buried Isabella Armstrong July 11, 1900 at Morden, in the Walhalla cemetery. Their son, Benjamin Manitoba. Bill and Bella were married for 68 Austin Neilson, born March 13, 1875 at Minden, years. Their family consists of Lawrence, Mrs. Ont., married May I. McGregor at Neche Feb. Vic (Winnifred) Svenson, John, Mrs. Everett 14,1906. Mrs. Ben Neilson was born Oct. 5,1885 in (Lepha) Knowles and Mrs. Noah (Beatrice) Lee. 70 warmth as the surveying had to be done in the winter, due to swampy conditions. Lake Adam was named after him. He took up a homestead near Wakapa, Man., and built a log cabin on it. He came 150 miles on foot to Emerson, Man., the nearest town on a railroad, to buy an ox team and supplies. While in Emerson, he heard that a fellow in Hyde Park had filed on a homestead and wanted to sell his rights. He bought it and (lived there till he died Oct. 13, 1943 at age 97. On August 5, 1882 he married Isabella McKinley of Almont, Ont., a distant cousin of President McKinley. She passed away June 8, 1922. Five children were born to this union, Roy and James died in infancy, Robert, Mabel Millar, and Wilbur. Robert still resides in community at age 92. William Newell Family — L to R. — back: Lepha, Jack, Lawrence and Wmnifred. Seated: Father Willam, Beatrice and Mother Isabella. Robert and Bessie Paton and son, Lawson. PATON, ROBERT Robert Paton, eldest son of Adam and Isabella Paton was born Dec. 21, 1883 and raised in the Hyde Park community. Bessie Jones, daughter of William and Gertrude Jones of Neche was born Feb. 3,1886 and raised in Neche Community. Robert and Bessie were married Oct. 4, 1911. They celebrated their sixtieth anniversary Oct. 4, 1971. To this union two children were born: Lawson of rural Neche and Audrey Wessels of rural Walhalla. Two grandsons: Roy Paton and Douglas Wessels still farm in the Hyde Park area. WATTS, WILLIAM William Watts, born in London, England, Mr. and Mrs. Adam Paton. March 31, 1848 and Mary Jane Johnson, born PATON, ADAM CURRIE Aug. 1860 in Minden, Ontario, were married at Adam Currie Paton, was born in Paisley, Emerson, Man. on July 12, 1881. Scotland, Aug. 12, 1846. When four years of ^ge They homesteaded on a farm in Hyde Park. he came to Packenham, Ontario with his wid William Watts was a member of the North owed mother and older brother. His mother Dakota legislature for several terms and also a remarried and moved to Brussels, Ontario, Pembina County Commissioner. where he grew to manhood. In 1876, he migrated They were the parents of three children: Nora to Winnipeg, Man. [n 1878 he helped build the (Mrs. Mulqueeny), Ward and Herbert. The C.P.R. Railroad between Portage and Winnipeg. William Watts moved to Neche when their son In 1879 he was employed as a surveyor to work in Herbert married and took over management of the Turtle Mountain area along the Canadian the farm. In Neche, Wm. served on the Neche border. The present Peace Garden is in this School board for many years. He passed away area. The men al] wore buckskin suits for July 6, 1939 and Mary Jane, Aug. 2, 1952. 71 MILLER, MABEL Mabel Christine Paton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Adam C. Paton, was born at Almonte, On tario, Canada on April 21, 1885, her mother hav ing gone there earlier in the year due to the serious illness of one of her immediate family. Mrs. Paton and infant daughter returned to the farm west of Neche in June. Mabel Paton grew up and lived on the farm until 1916. She was married to James H. Millar November 15, 1916 at Denver, Col. In the spring of 1917, they moved to Kenastan, Sask., Canada where they homesteaded new land. In 1922 she returned to Neche when her mother became ill. She lived the rest of her life on the farm until her death Nov. 1974. She had two sons, Walter Paton, who farms near Neche, and Burton Currie, who lives in Boise, Idaho. Ben Wessels family, standing: Percy, Grace, Sitting: Mr. Wessels, Eva, and Mrs. Wessels. Taken in 1900. WESSELS, BENJAMIN In 1887 Benjamin Wessels of Trenton, Ontario came to the Hyde Park area where he homesteaded and lived on the same farm until his death. The farm is now owned by a grandson Percy Blair. Mr. Wessels was born in Ontario in 1857. He was married to Mary Emily Drader. To this union two children were born, Percy A. and Grace Alma. In 1888 Mrs. Wessels and her two children came to the United States and joined her husband. On Feb. 16,1894 the third child was born, Eva Mae. During their years in the area they were active members of the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church and other community af James and Mabel Miller. fairs. Mr. Wessels died in 1923 and Mrs. Wessels died in August 1938; both were buried in the Hyde Park Cemetery. Also buried in the Hyde Park Cemetery are Mr. Wessels' parents and Mrs. Wessels' mother, Mrs. Hannah Youmans Drader who died Jan. 5, 1904 at the home of her son Ernest Drader also of Hyde Park area. Herb and Gertie Watts. WATTS, HERBERT Herbert Watts, born Aug. 13, 1883 and Ger trude Burt were married Jan. 22, 1913. They farmed in the Hyde Park area. Herb served on and Mrs. Percy Wessels. the Hyde Park school board and was St. Joseph WESSELS, PERCY Township clerk for many years. They observed Percy Wessels was married Dec. 13, 1905 to their golden wedding anniversary in 1963. They Mae E. Wessels at Wooler, Ontario. Mr. Wessels were the parents of one son, Oran, and also brought his bride to this area where they farmed raised a niece, Jean Kent, from infancy. until they retired. They lived in Long Beach, Mrs. Watts passed away in October of 1965 Calif., where they both passed away and are and Mr. Watts died Aug. 9, 1974. buried. 72 Mrs. George Sanders and great-grandson Warren Lloyd. SANDERS, GEORGE George Sanders, born Jan. 14, 1866 in Josephsburg, Austria, and Anna Gauger, born Feb. 22, 1872, in Belsen, Germany, were married in Jersey City, New Jersey. George Sanders came to the St. Thomas N.D. area in 1904 where he was hired as a farm worker by the Nick Heuchert family. He sent for his wife and six children: John, George, Elizabeth, Marian (now Mrs. Edward Neutze), Sophia (now Mrs. Orin Patrow) and Philip. A daughter, Annie (now Mrs. J. C. White) was born at St. Thomas. In 1908 they moved to Neche where a son Carl was born. By 1910 they had moved to the Hyde Park area where a daughter, Jessie, (now Mrs. Lawson Paton) and a son, Henry, were born. George ( 3 -\. Sanders passed away June 18, 1943, and his wife George Sanders. passed away March 5, 1960. No information was available about these pioneer families who homesteaded in the Hyde Park area: Charles Shove, Robert Noice, Sr., Andrew Brown, James Fee, James, John, and Wm. Kyle, John McCartney, Ed McCaffery, and Henry Hinkle. 73 BRUCE FAMILY HISTORIES McCONNELL, ROBERT ADAMS, HENRY Bruce community is located about eight miles Henry Proctor Adams was born at Lundy south and west of Neche. Its history began Lane, Ontario, in 1822. In the spring of 1880, he almost a century ago when Mr. Robert came to Dakota Territory to homestead. He McConnell of Allenford, Bruce County, Ontario, settled in what was called the Bruce community, came to the Dakota Territory in 1878. its settlers having come from Bruce County, On In 1879, Mr. McConnell built the first home tario. between Pembina and the Tongue River on his Mr. Adams and his older sons — George, Kel homestead. In 1880, Mr. McConnell met his wife ly, Will and Jack — established a homestead and six children — Margaret (Renwick), Minnie before returning to Canada to bring his wife (Schluchter), Agnes (Baker), Alex, William and Elizabeth and children Hulda, Mary, Emily, Isa, Albert in St. Vincent with his team of oxen. Charles and Howard. Mr. Adams died of Carter McConnell, a grandson, still resides on pneumonia two years after coming to Dakota the Robert McConnell homestead. Territory. His widow and some of the children In 1880, other settlers came from Bruce Coun remained on the homestead carrying on as best ty, Ontario, to file claims around the McConnell they could. homestead. Among these families were the Isa and Mary studied music in Minneapolis David McFadden family, William Thomas, Alex and returned to give music lessons to earn Duncan and George Hohn. Most of the land was enough money to buy a piano. Isa continued her cleared but covered with buffalo bones and In music career as church organist, but had taken dian relics. There were no roads, merely wagon her place as Mrs. William Renwick, wife of trails. The nearest town was Pembina, where the another Bruce homesteader. pioneers got their mail. Kelly and Jack Adams entered the hardware business; Charlie Adams went to Alaska; George returned to Canada and Emily married Tom Morgan. Mrs. Adams died in 1901. Howard Adams, Isa Adams Renwick holding Charles Renwick. Robert McConnell Family. L. to R. Minnie Schluchter, Wm. McConnell m Margaret Renwick, Alex McConnell, Agnes Baker and Albert McConnell BAIER, KARL Mr. and Mrs. Karl Baier and their family of twelve children moved to the Bruce community about 1915. They purchased the homestead that was formerly owned by William Thomas, a pioneer. Reinhold and his wife lived on the farm until Reinhold passed away, in October 1975. Three members of the Baier family are still living: George in Detroit, Mich., Daniel at Graf ton, N. Dak., and Ferdinand at Ellendale, N. Mrs. Karl Baier and sons Gustav, Adolph, Daniel, Reinhold, Ferdinand Dak. and grandson Leroy. 74 Mr. and Mrs. George H. Horsley. and Mrs. David McFadden. HORSLEY, GEORGE Mr. and Mrs. David McFadden were the George Horsley immigrated to the Neche grandparents of Mrs. Harry Olin (Jean area in 1891 from Elsinore, Bruce County, On McFadden) of Delavan, Wis., Mrs. George tario. He worked on farms in the area until 1895, Stockton (Vera) and James McFadden of Neche. then returned to Bruce County, and married The Bruce Post Office was at one time located Margaret Aiken of Allenford, Ontario. on the David McFadden homestead. They purchased the farm they lived on all their married life, from Andrew Martineau, clearing land and erecting the buildings that re main on the farm, now owned by their son, Russell. Eight children were born to the couple. One baby died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Horsley celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1945. Mr. Horsley died on November 15,1949, at the age of 82 years. Mrs. Horsley spent her last years at the home of her daughter, Annie Russell, in Cavalier. She died on August 2,1959, at the age of 90 years. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Morrison and Russell — 1920. From left to right: Annie Russell, Mrs. Horsley, Russell Horsley, Mr. MORRISON, CLARENCE Horsley, Beatrice Ruberg, Edna Askew, Tom Horsley, Verna Ruberg and Mary Bartron. Clarence Russell Morrison was born on his parents' farm northeast of Bathgate on July 31, McFADDEN, DAVID 1892. He attended "Louden" school, Bathgate Mr. and Mrs. David McFadden and family High School and took some courses in engineer came from Bruce County, Ontario in 1880 and ing and stock judging at Fargo A.C. filed on a homestead in the Bruce community In October of 1916, he married a southwest of Neche. schoolteacher, Charlotte Pearl Dyer, daughter The members of their family were: Louis, of Mr. and Mrs. James Dyer. Mrs. Morrison was Wilbert, Melville, Joseph, Lawrence, Lavern, born in a log cabin near Milton, North Dakota, in Irwin, Lloyd, Edna (Dingle), Laura (Hanson), 1889, and as a child moved with her parents to a and Elizabeth. "tree claim" east of Hamilton in Pembina Coun- 75 ty. An early snow the month they were married had Clarence and Pearl driving their buggy axle deep in it to their new home west of Bathgate. In 1958, a new home was built two miles west of Bathgate and son, Duane, occupies the original farm. There are five other children: Russell, Alwin, Irwin Dale, Pearl May and Robert. One son died in infancy. Mrs. Morrison died August 2, 1965, and is buried in the Bruce Cemetery. On November 5, 1967, Clarence Morrison married Annie Stegman Block. They make their home near Bathgate and spend the winter months in Mesa, Arizona. Mrs. Wm. Renwick. Charles H., Ralph V., Walter A., and William Howard. Mr. Renwick was active in community affairs and served as state senator for two terms begin ning in 1929. He died in December, 1936, at Bathgate where he and his wife had retired to make their home. The original homestead was taken over by their son, Charles, and his wife, the former Myrtle Four Generations: L. to R.: Boyd Renwick, Father; Mrs. Esau Renwick, Morrison. The rest of the family moved to Grandmother; Mrs. Robert McConnell, Gr. Grandmother; Esau Renwick, Spokane, Washington, to make their homes. Son. RENWICK, ESAU Esau Renwick was born in Bruce County, 1 near Peterboro, Ontario. He came to the Dakota Territory in search of land and took up a • 'r homestead six miles west of Bathgate, in the Bruce community. He married Margaret McConnell, who came to the Bruce community with her family, the Robert McConnells, in 1880. Esau and Margaret lived on their homestead. They had four children: Boyd, Ethel, Eva and Myrtle. w" , Mr. Renwick was killed by lightning in 1906. L\J!tyjfcv The family continued to live on the farm until W^ * , *- Boyd married Edith Morrison; then his mother f and sisters moved to Cavalier. The surviving members of the family are: Mrs. Ethel Thomson of Spokane, Washington, and Myrtle Renwick of Seattle, Washington. Esau Renwick, a grandson, and his family still live on the homestead. III FHH Seated: Fred, Mr. Wiesenthal, Alex, Mrs. Wiesenthal. Standing: Fena RENWICK, WILLIAM and Gunda. William Renwick was born in Keene, Ontario, on Feb. 24, 1868. He came to the community of WISENTHAL, EDWARD Bruce, from Ontario, in 1885 and homesteaded on Edward and Emiley Wisenthal with their the NWy4 Sec. 35, Twp. 163, Rge. 54. family, Mrs. Wm. (Fena) Stegman, and Mrs. In April of 1896, after eleven years of being a Gus (Gunda) Stegman, Fred and Alex. They bachelor homesteader, he married Isa Agnes lived in Pembina before settling on the farm in Adams. Four sons were born to this couple: the Bruce area in the early 1900's. 76 THOSE WHO MADE FOOTPRINTS STATE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATION Particular notice should be made of the in terest the people in this vicinity had in their state government. Since statehood began in 1889, North Dakota has had 44 bi-annual Legislative Sessions and two Constitutional Conventions. This locality was represented in 30 of those Sessions and at both conventions. Legislative Members and years of service: P. J. Horgan Neche House of Representatives 1891-1895 Alexander Duncan Bruce House of Representatives 1897 W. J. Watts Hyde Park House of Representatives 1899-1907 I. J. Chevalier Bathgate House of Representatives 1901-1905 Joseph Morin Neche House of Representatives 1907 Walter Welford Neche House of Representatives 1907-1919 Walter Welford Neche Senate 1917-1919 J. J. O'Connor Neche House of Representatives 1911-1919 A. J. McFadden Neche Senate 1915 William Renwick Bathgate Senate 1929-1931 Earl D. Symingtor i Neche House of Representatives 1933-1945 Wm. Grant Trenbeath Neche Senate 1957-1969 F. Kent Vosper Neche Senate 1975 to Herb Holmes of Neche and William Best of Bay present Centre were members of the 1889 Constitutional Convention. Grant T rpnhpath in 1 972 Cnnvei ition. p™**-0 Aosefb Ike J. Foster 1911-1915-1926 William Renwick (Bruce - Later Bathgate) N. D. State Senator 1929- 1931. Senator Grant Trenbeath. WILLIAM GRANT TRENBEATH Senate From 1957 to 1971. Chairman of Natural Resources Comm. Pres. Protem for the interim in 1969. Represented the county at the Constitutional Convention in 197ft. Commodore in N. Dak's Mythical Navy 1969. N.D.S.U.'s Agricultural Award in 1974. Water Wheel Award from the Water User's Assoc, in 1975. Chairman of the National Governor's Council on Earl D. Symington — House of Representatives from 1933-1941. Ran Sugar Beets. for governor in 1942. In 1944 he was again elected to the House of Pres of Minn. - N. Dak. Beet Growers Assoc. Representatives. If Earl could have served the next session, he would Secy, and Chairman of Pembina River Basin have been one of the oldest members of that branch in years of service to his state. He was Speaker of the House during the 1941 session. He was Comm. recognized as a leader among his fellowmen and did much at times to Member of the N. Dak. Tax Appeals Board and help settle questions of importance to this state and country. the Greater N. Dak. Assoc. 78 WILLSON, FRANK Frank Willson, outstanding citizen of Bathgate, came here from Plainsview, Minn, in the 1870's, where he met his first wife, Henrietta Spaulding. Four children were born to this family: Enid, John, Hugh, and Roscoe now 97. Roscoe, a writer and columnist for the Arizona Republic was considered one of the best in formed men on the history of Arizona. His book "No Place for Angels" was published in 1958. The book is now classified as rare; within a year it was sold out. Roscoe grew up in Bathgate and graduated from Bathgate High school. Frank's wife died when Roscoe was quite young, and in 1894 he (Frank) married Nellie Baptie. To this family, 5 children were born: Henrietta, Frank, Arthur, Helen, and Larcom. Mr. Willson was publisher of "The Pink Paper" of Bathgate and also held several county and state offices. His name appears on the cornerstone of Minot State College. His last occupation was proprietor of a general store in Bathgate. He died in 1928. Boyd Renwick served as county commissioner from 1936 to 1952, and instigated the Tongue River Watershed Project and the Renwick Dam, which was named in his honor. Grant Trenbeath - Handicapped Citizen of N. D. - March 11, 1968. Gov. Wm. L. Guy Citation reads: In recognition of outstanding achievements which have demonstrated that a disability need not be a Wm. Watts — 1928 Park Center Homesteader Judge in Neche. (In bar to a full life. front of Neche Murphy Store.) William Grant Trenbeath was named N. Dak's. Handicapped Citizen of the year in 1968. He was born in rural Neche August 31, 1916 to William and Ona Trenbeath. He received both his elementary and secondary education at the Neche schools, graduating at 16 years in 1933. He owned and operated the homestead land of his grandfather's twin brother, Thomas. In 1939, he married Marjorie Elias and to them five children were born; Bill, Julie (Zimmerman), Linda (Van Dusen), Jerry and Jean. When he was 30 years old, he fell victim to Polio (then epidemic in the state) and was hospitalized for 18 months the first month of which was spent in an iron lung. He was treated with the Sister Kenny method and gradually regained some mobility but was to be confined to a wheelchair the rest of his life. He determined to continue farming and did so with hired help and F. Kent Vosper — N.D. State Senator — 1975. Served on State and the aid of kind relatives and friends until he Federal Government Committees and Agriculture Committee. retired in 1974. 79 AGRICULTURE WHY WE LIKE IT HERE The people of this area are proud to be located The greatest transformation of the region oc in the very heart of the Red River Valley, with its curred in the years preceding 1900. The next big celebrated excellence in agricultural produc change came after the drought and depression tion. Back in the Bonanza farm days of the late years, when the industrial revolution began to 1800's, the Railroads advertised and proclaimed equip us with modern machinery, roads and the Valley to be the Bread Basket of America. In electricity. the years that followed, the Valley proved to the The tremendous improvement in our highway world that the promotional label was a correct system has shifted our transportation and travel one. usage. The independent nature of the farmer has been stimulated further, as they now have easy Since those early years, we have also proven access to other than local markets to buy and sell to be king in sugarbeets, potatoes, and barley their produce. This hurt our smaller towns, but production. Many other specialty crops can be along with rural electricity and water systems, added to this list. The only blight in recent years the good roads provided our rural people with the has been the destruction created by the in same opportunities to recreation, entertainment, creased frequency of Red and Pembina River comforts and conveniences of our city cousins. floods. We are certain the skyline will always be It was little wonder that the early settlers dotted with grain elevators and city water were attracted to this region. Besides its natural towers. Our small communities will be laced beauty, nature had provided all the necessities to with paved streets. The good schools and fulfill a dream they had travelled so far to fulfill. churches will remain and swimming pools and You can imagine the possibilities they foresaw ballparks will be found in our community parks. when they first gazed upon the flat and fertile We are certain also that agriculture will re land so heavily blanketed with prairie grass, the main king, as it has been in the past. It's future abundance of wild game and the rivers surround appears just as promising now, as it did a long ed with woodland. These would supply their time ago. water, food, fuel and shelter needs. In particular We are just as sure the future will find people was noted the value of the large groves of timber returning to this area seeking enjoyment in its needed for fuel and for the construction of their natural beauty and clean air, where more log buildings. The evidence of this fact can be freedom and opportunity exist for the good life seen by the many purchases of small woodlot and a better place to rear children. It behooves acreages along the Pembina River by the Cana all of us who remain to be good stewards of the dian and Hyde Park settlers homesteading on heritage left by our early settlers in This Land of the prairie. Paradise. G.T. Alexander Duncan Farm. The children are Margaret, Jennie and Earl - on a shock of grain and William on pony. Mrs. Duncan is seated by the J. N. Horgan Threshing Rig, Neche, N. Dak., 1905. baby. 80 iliflf ..Aftlf Russel Horsley hauling grain to Neche. Drilling and Harrowing with "20" Horse Power, F. C. Vosper farm. Art Askew and John Jensen hauling wood. Drilling and harrowing on John Otten farm. John is in center of picture. \. 'r*_ *«&* »H&M it'-s IV Plowing on the George Horsley Farm — Tom and Russell Horsley. Spring Operation on Morris farm east of Neche. Karl Baier and August Baier. Advance Rumely Threshing Machine — 1921 — Stegman twins, Bill and Gus, seated on tractor wheel. Michael Wagner in 1927. XI First combine in N. D. in 1926, was sold by J. J. Meyers to Earl Symington and Fred Vosper. It was said that a combine would never work in the hard spring wheat area because of uneven ripening of grain. The Conrad Slagermans first gas tractor. answer to this problem was the development of "swathers" to swath the grain and left to cure. Roy Inglis, Russell Horsley, Geo. Horsley, Meyers (salesman), Ed Pack and Tom Horsley are in picture. Fred C. Vosper threshing rig with his farm in background. (1914) Fred is sitting on drive wheel of Minneapolis steam engine. Douville Threshing Rig about 1906. Jeffrey Douville, Fred Kain, and Alcide Douville in the buggy with his mother. ti'mib**; V » ftfflfctt**- Robert Paton and Mike Hammerling sawing rafters for Mr. Paton's new barn with 1915 Maxwell. Cutting grain on the Earl Symington farm. The Russel Vosper potato picking crew in 1947 taken on the Hicks farm. Left to right: unknown, Kent Vosper, Evelyn Latozke, Annie Sagert, Rural areas had highway departments dating back to 1904, as shown Muriel Vosper, May Kramer, Ruby Kramer, Amy Menke, Emma Maw, Mrs. in the photo above of the Park Centre department. Reading from left to Art Jennison, Hazel Kramer, Mrs. Julius Herzog, Calvin Morris, Frank right: Ernest Kirby, Henry Michel, Frank Johnson, George McDonald. Taylor, Bob Sehler, F. C. Vosper, Art Askew and L. W. Cook. William Watts, and Ab. Johnson. Seated center is Ward Watts. 82 f • 'JHI [} f^jfeh^-^gi TPPPW (3HS' ^1Q in iBMiiiiff Early area steam threshing rigs belonging to J. M. Ferch. Henry Ferch C. N. Morris on Rumely tractor taken in 1915. on tender; Cal Ferch on water wagon; Ed Ferch firing straw; J. M. Ferch by drive belt. Early road construction in Neche township in 1915. mixmH Wm. and Henry Stegman Threshing outfit. • * XM ... •:. ,1' .W-'-'.M? ' Hi.', •;**' Edgar Kelm combining in 1938. Ed is on the combine and Howard Hoff on tractor. The tractor is a 1935 John Deere and the combine a 1937 I.H.C. - & "J Plowing with the Rumely Oil Pull — Wm. Trenbeath Farm. -c About 1938, some of the last grain hauled with team and wagon to Neche elevator. Grain belonged to Irvin McFadden and team owner L. W. Cutting grain. Cook. 83 Sawmill of John Otten, Sr., Neche. -.; 1* <-- ** Plowing Bee for John Scholler — front row I. to r.: Don McConnaghy, •vi! Hugh Ross, Wallace Saiger, Keith Olson, Wilfred Trottier, Rienhold Linden- • " '-kt^Mk '•'' '.?* ••* ., • t~y * 1 - •*• *W '••'•• ^- *tiSkm*** burger, Frank Gelder, Fred Stegman. Back row: Harvey Carlan, Alwin m Morrison, Donald Demars, Wallace Scholler, Jack Feidler, Scholler boy, Merl Reck, LaVerne Scholler, Walter Gelder, Ross Brown, Orville Shanks, **% jfe!|i«c!§jS8 John McGillvary. •f*«- •^/-' " T^V* '":'i Grain elevator and shed on Donald McLarty farm about 1914. Dan McLarty, Frank Johnson, Alfred Johnson, Robert Johnston, John McLarty, Herbert Johnson, Dave McLarty, Alfred Knowles, Dougald McLarty, Unknown, Albert Johnson. Early 1900's construction dredge. The crew lived, slept, worked and ate in it. .JKi' Plowing Bee on the Percy McDonald farm after he was injured in Oc tober, 1941. Front row L. to R. Art Schaler, Percy McDonald, Richard i,'^ Trenbeath, James Bartron, Bob Cook, Alex Gladue, Ed Pack, Charles Moris, Bud Feick, George McColl. Back row — L. to R. Roy Kramer, Gus Winkler, Duane Morrison, Esau Renwick, Alex Wiesenthal, Frank La From- Jim Willis and J. N. Horgan in the "Wood Yard". Nick, Shanley and boise, Frederick Kihne, Charles Renwick's hired man Frederick Christy Horgan standing on wood pile. Hackenschmidt and Clayton Jenson. 84 CHURCHES In the days before the ecumenical movement, HISTORY OF STS. NEREUS AND ACHILLEUS our knowledge of churches was limited to the CHURCH church of our ancestors; in our case, the Catholic The first missionary priests came to Church. Smuggler's Point from St. Boniface via Pem Our Mother, Ella E. Morin, often spoke of bina. when St. Nereus & Achilleus church was In 1880, Father Bonin celebrated the first dedicated, part of the funds were raised by each Mass in Neche, in the upstairs of Crawford's person ringing the bell for a fee of $1.00 per store — which was located on the site of the "toll". (No pun intended.) Of course it became a present church. contest to see who could ring it most frequently, The first priests that served Neche lived at St. there-by separating the more affluent from other Joe (now Leroy) until the first church was built would-be benefactors. in 1884. The land for the church on the south edge To this day, we have often wondered who es of town was donated by Nereus Ethier (it was tablished the seating arrangement. Every Sun after his patron saint, St. Nereus and St. day, the same families occupied the same pews. Achilleus, that the church was dedicated). Were they assigned the pews, did they purchase The first rectory was built in 1893 (two small them or did they get them by "squatter's houses joined together) by Father Gemin. It was rights"? There was a group of the single men improved in 1897 and 1909 by Father Lavigne. who were without families of their own or who The church bell was bought by Father Cham were forced out of the over-crowded pews of pagne and blessed in 1888. their elders. It was a vantage point from which The St. Ann's Ladies Altar Society was for they could observe the girls who might some day mally established in 1896 with a recorded help them fill a pew of their own. membership of 40. The early priests we remember served The church was moved to its present location Bathgate as well as Neche. They rode the train in 1948 and a new rectory was moved on the ad to Bathgate Saturday afternoon and came back joining lot under Father Martin Brennan. Monday. So, only twice a month was there an op The pastor from 1933 till 1946 was Father portunity to "spread" the Word. For many Belrose, who is now retired, and lives in Texas. years, the sermon was delivered in both English The present pastor is Father Partick Duffy, and French, so, for at least half the time, half of serving the parishes of Neche, Bathgate and the congregation was in a state of Limbo as not Leroy. everyone was bilingual. M.M.F. Past Pastors were: Bonin, Champagne, LaBlance, Genin, Bigaouette, Sevigny, Lavigne, Forbes, L'Abbe, Lagnaiere, Bannon, Forbes, Belrose, Brennan and Duffy. St. Nereus and Achilleus Church Neche — The original paintings in Carl Krause — awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross by Pope the interior of the church were done around 1900 by the artist, Louis Mon John XXIII in 1961. ty, Montreal, Quebec (who lived here 2 years while completing his task). 85 NECHE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH While Dakota was still a territory, the In 1908, the Lutheran Christians of Neche and Methodists around Neche met for worship in Gretna met for the purpose of organizing a con homes or school houses. William Symington, Sr. gregation. The first church was in Gretna. Philip and Joseph Briggs served as lay preachers. The Weiss and Konrad Schuppert were elected as first Neche Methodist Church was built in 1887 council members and Friederick Teske, the first with the following trustees: Wm. Symington, Sr., secretary. Rev. Karl Winterfeld was called as John Edgerton, A. J. McFadden and Cyrus first resident pastor. He resided in Neche. Ser Briggs. Edwin M. Young became Sunday School vices were held alternately in Gretna and in Superintendent in 1902 and served in that capaci Neche. The Neche services were held in the ty for 25 years. Presbyterian church, which was rented for $1.00 The congregation increased and a new struc per service. ture was dedicated Nov. 25, 1906. Rev. Opie was In March, 1911, A. Heidman was called as pastor at this time. The new church cost $4,000 pastor and the congregation elected a building and at the dedication was debt free. Fannie committee. It was decided to build as soon as McFadden served as treasurer in the years prior $200 was in the building fund. Mr. Joseph Lee to 1917, when Mrs. Susannah Symington took donated the lot. With the donated labor of the over. Mrs. Symington and her daughter, Maud, congregation, the church was built in the were devoted to the work of the church and gave summer of 1911. freely of their talents. Rev. Otto Becker was called as pastor in 1927, In 1938, under the leadership of Rev. Russell and in 1930, the congregation voted to become in Young and lay leader Earl D. Symington, a full dependent, although still calling pastors frorr basement was constructed under the church. the Manitoba Synod. In 1939, Rev. Christian A new parsonage was dedicated on May 8, Mohr became pastor. At this time, the congrega 1953, during the time that Rev. Everett Owens tion voted to apply for membership in the Ohio was pastor. The project, known as the "Chuck Synod, a part of the American Lutheran Church. Wagon", was undertaken by the church women In 1948, Rev. Karl Reimer was pastor and and its purpose was to serve hot meals and plans were made to build a new parsonage, lunches to the truckers and workers at the Neche which was dedicated in 1949. The church was beet dump, with the proceeds going to local moved to its present location in 1942. There were church projects. many improvements made on the church over In the summer of 1968, the congregation voted the years. Throughout the years, both German to do major remodeling, with Howard Hughes and English services were held as long as the and James Bartron serving as co-chairman of older members were able to attend. the project. Rev. Hoganson was the pastor at the In 1957, Pastor Marvin Schumacher came to time of the construction, and Rev. Wayne Brown serve. In 1959, the 50th Anniversary of the church was pastor when the dedication was observed at was celebrated. Since then the pastors have which occasion, Bishop Armstrong was the main been: Rev. Ronald Hays, Rev. John Wollenzein, speaker. Rev. Maynard Schneider, and our present Rev. Sang Ro came to serve the congregation pastor, Rev. James Schwartz. in 1974, and his family arrived from Korea the following spring. This year, Mrs. Purdy Horgan celebrated her 25 years as church organist, and Jas. L. Symington received recognition at the church's charge conference for his many years of service as treasurer and financial secretary. At the pres ent time, Mrs. Kenneth Bartron is the choir Christ Lutheran Church built in 1911. director and Mrs. Richard Rosevold is president of the United Methodist Women. Christ Lutheran Church now. M. E. Church built in 1906. 86 NECHE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH This church was the first, and for several years the only Protestant organization in Neche. It was started by Rev. Scott, a pioneer missionary. The first service was held in the railway station in 1883. Later a little white church was built with Rev. Mullens as first pastor. In 1895, when Rev. A. Eddington was pastor, it was decided to build a larger church. Names of those prominent in this endeavor were: John Askew, Alex Stewart, A. L. McAdam, L. P. Strong, Dr. Gouldie, Mr. Stanley, Mr. Vosper and Mr. Randall. In 1899, W. J. Hall was pastor. Other pastors were Reverends Hughes, Sykes, Doone, Cassell, Shallcross, Ligget, Davidson and Lindsay. The church burned in 1930 and was rebuilt in 1931. Rev. Lindsay was the pastor at this time. His parents in Ireland presented the pulpit Bible. Immanuel Lutheran Church, Bathgate. Other pastors were Sincale, Thomson, McDonald and Converse. BATHGATE LUTHERAN CHURCH By the 1950's, the membership was too small Immanuel Lutheran Church at Bathgate, N. to support a pastor so the church was closed. Dak., was organized under the leadership of Rev. Shallcross, moderator, helped to sell the Pastor Otto Becker. The church building was church and contents. Memberships were purchased from the Methodist Episcopal transferred to other churches in the community. organization. The dedication took place October Kent Vosper and Herb Paulson bought the 8, 1939. Other pastors to serve the church were: church building and made it into an apartment Rev. Goos, Rev. Weise, Rev. Guttormsson, Rev. house. About 1965 the school bought it for a Peterson and Rev. Backman. At the present time teacherage. there is a baptized membership of 55. BRUCE CHURCH In 1887, the first church, a Methodist institu tion, was built in the southeast corner of section 28 in the Bruce community. It was a fine building, for the times, and its members found it difficult to raise the needed money. One means of paying for it was a pancake social where they sold hot pancakes and "real old fashioned maple syrup". The first minister to conduct services in the church was Rev. W. R. Morrison; although services had been held before in the schoolhouse JI with Rev. Plametle and Rev. Monroe as JW**WJUU» '•* ministers. In later years, the church was used for Christmas programs put on by the school. Community gathering Neche Presbyterian Church in background (ear ly 1920's). In 1939, the church was torn down and sold to the Helgoe's, who used it to build a shed, which now stands on the Wilbur Helgoe farm. 1899 Ladies Aid Society. Top row: I to r. Miss Bryce, Fanny McFadden, Mrs. Vosper Sr., Mrs. Jack Askew, Mrs. Ewart, Mrs. Jack Gynn, Mrs. Albert Noice. Second row: Alice McFadden Murphy, Mrs. Fansett, Mrs. F. L. Briden, Mrs. Charles Murphy Sr., Mrs. Marsh Jackson, Miss Ida Crawford (later Mrs. Frank Holmes), Mrs. Scott the minister's wife. Front row: Alice Thomas Symington, O'Neil, Tina Crawford Wiley. Bruce Church. 87 .^p * I *'"Jli f JK Moving Bay Center Church to Park Center in winter of 1921. HYDE PARK CHURCH The first church services in the Hyde Park Bathgate Episcopal Church of Redeemer. area were held in the Grant House, an Indian Trading Post back in the days of 1878. BATHGATE EPISCOPAL CHURCH (Church of In 1882, a meeting was held at the James the Redeemer) Hyde home for the purpose of taking into con The Bathgate Episcopal Church was erected sideration the building of a church. In 1883, the in 1888. It was known as the Church of the Hyde Park Presbyterian Church was built on the Redeemer. Records show that twenty families Ben Neilson farm, this site having been donated contributed to the support of this church in 1890. by his father, H. L. C. Neilson. Rev. A. K. Familiar names of the early day members were: Caswell was the first minister. Religious ser Grandy, Lough, Robinson, Neil, Martindale, vices were held here until 1921 when the building Louden, Carson, Armstrong, Witmer, Reynalds, was sold and moved to Gretna, Manitoba. The Robertson, Burrows, Howland and Baptie. In Bay Centre Church built on the Wm. Dalzell later years other names appeared, among them farm was moved to the Park Centre community Holmes, Chappie, Paulson and Lind. which was an amalgamation of the Bay Centre The first organist was Minnie Grandy and the and Hyde Park congregations. This church first Sunday School Superintendent was S. T. building was closed Nov. 5, 1972. Witmer. In 1971, Wilbur Paton purchased the old Hyde As members died and many moved away, the Park church from Gretna and had it moved to his congregation became very small so the building "Isle of Memories" museum in Park Center. was moved to Walhalla where it is now "St. Peter's Episcopal Church" and services are held in it regularly. "Wx Young People's Sunday School Class. Teacher, Mrs. Robt. Nichols, Park Centre Church after remodeling 1953 — rural Neche, N.D. Bruce Methodist Church. BATHGATE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH In 1881, the region lying west of Bathgate was canvassed by Missionary C. Campbell. In March, 1882, Henry Jackson Brown and Alex Stewart brought Rev. Creswell, from Pembina to the Brown home, to conduct services and baptize Margaret J. Brown. Following this service, the State supplied Rev. Williams, who arrived in Ju ly, 1882. On Aug. 6, the first service was held in the second story of a store. The church was in corporated, according to Dakota Territory law, so it could own property. Building of the first church north of the pres ent Catholic church was begun in Sept., 1883. The pews were made by hand. On Dec. 23, 1883, the first service was held in the new church building. Dedication was April 6,1884, with Rev. Brown Arvilla preaching and baptizing the first child in this church, Peter Brown. In 1908 the church was moved across the St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Bathgate. river, on the ice, to its present location. Additions were made and the dedication was on May 2, ST. ANTHONY'S CHURCH — BATHGATE, N. 1909, with Rev. John Ambrose preaching. The fif DAK. tieth anniversary was observed in 1932 with Rev. In 1878, Father Bonin came to Leroy, and in Lindsay, pastor. In 1950 an addition was built and 1882, he built churches at Bathgate and Neche. improvements made with the dedication on Dec. St. Anthony's was built west of the Tongue River 28, 1952, with Rev. Kearns, pastor. In 1958, a where it still stands today. Although it has been fellowship room was added and the seventy-fifth remodeled several times, the sanctuary still con anniversary was observed in Oct., 1958, with tains the original 5 beautiful religious scenes Rev. Wayne Lawrence, pastor. painted by a famous French artist. In 1887, Father Champaigne was placed in charge, and he was followed by Father Genin, an early missionary of some note, sent here by the Bishop of St. Cloud. Father Genin also had the parishes of Cavalier and Neche. The Blessing of the Bell, at St. Anthony's, took place on Jan. 9, 1888, with Fr. Genin in charge and many attend ing the services. This same bell is still in use. Father Genin died on January 18, 1900, with Bishop Shanley of Fargo saying the Mass. He was buried on January 22, 1900, in the cemetery west of town. He is the only Missionary Priest W *f.«yf buried in North Dakota. Bathgate Presbyterian Church Father P. Duffy, present pastor, has had a remodeled. permanent cement altar erected in the cemetery as a memorial to Father Genin. Bathgate Presbyterian Church. +*..~ K 7* **> tirmithiih» n n.- The old Y.P. building — scene of many community happenings. Ladies Aid at Bathgate. 89 Plymouth brethren In the United States census of religious bodies, they are known as Plymouth brethren No. 4. They first assembled in this locality in March, 1896 at the farm home of Mr. John J. Hughes, but the Recovery of the Truth and Breaking of Bread took place in England in 1825. They meet on the grounds of the 2nd epistle to Timothy: chapter 2, verse 19. Meeting was held in private homes and in the old Town Hall until a new room was built at the south end of Neche in 1957. At the present time, meeting is held in a room built at the north side of town and occupied in October of 1973. The Neche meeting is attended by approximately 80 local people and is host to hundreds of brethren from all over the world every year. Brethren meeting room — built in 1957. mm O m Present meeting room — built in 1973. Methodist Junior Choir — Maud Symington director. Standing I to r: Garnet Symington Jr., Richard Thompson, Linda Guenther, Sharon Knowles, Larry Guenther, Bud Symington, seated: Linda Trenbeath, Maud, Mary Louise Duncan, Patty Williams, and Sheryl Owens. 25th Anniversary of the W.S.C.S. in 1965. Left to right: Beatrice Methodist Sunday School Class of 1917 with Mrs. Myers as teacher. Symington, Mrs. John Jenson, Mrs. Julius Gurke, Mrs. Roy Krueger, Mrs. Top row left to right: Earl Young, Ruth Angel, Lyle Crawford, Iva Young and Wm. Trenbeath. Mrs. Everett Knowles, Mrs. James Bartron and Mrs. Gus Art Askew. Bottom row: Grace Jennison, Vera Young and Lucy Askew. Svenson. 90 Union Sunday School picnic in Neche in 1904 or 1905. Among those families pictured are Symington, Gynn, Otten, Bennett, Henderson, Craw ford, Holmes, Dawson, 3 families of Youngs, Jennisons, Cook, Leach, Archie McColl — President of Pembina County Sunday Schools for 25 Sedore, Stainthorp, Falkner, Matthews, Lewis, Bickfords, Noice and years. Trenbeath. Otto Vollrath Grove S.W. of Bathgate where Sunday School picnics and good times were held. Sunday School picnic. Back row: Fay Demorest, Beatrice Livingstone, Marion Glendenning, Gladys Collison, lola Askew, Constance Lewis. Front row: Bud Duprey, Russell Gainer, Bud Trenbeath, Frances Collison, lola Duprey, Marion Lee, Allan Trenbeath, Muriel Livingstone, and Adele Collison. id* 1914 Presbyterian Aid at Fred Vosper's Home. Back row: Druggist wife, Grandma Gynn, Mrs. Ida Holmes, Mrs. Misson, unknown, Mrs. Demarest and Ruthie, Dora Folker. Second row: Mrs. Wm. Watts, Mrs. Joe Lee, Elsie Trenbeath and Bud, Cora Lewis, Nellie Vosper, unknown and child, front row: Harry Misson, 2 druggist children, Connie Lewis (Beggs), Lillian Holmes, Maude Demarest. • 1111 I r| I llQai ^iiaqniM«,mi First Communion Class of 1927. Back row — left to right: Carl Krause Jr., Vincent Krause, Rochelle Allard, Edward LaFromboise, Rev. Peter Bannon, Harold Beaudine, Ray mond Morin, Earl Haggerty. Second row: Beatrice Morris, Bernice Beaudine, Louise Allard, Agnes Bartlet, Eva Lemier. Front row: Richard Brown, John O'Conner, Joseph Lemier, Mary Craigen, Florence Beaudine, Conrad Slagerman with Methodist Sunday School children. (Supt. for Eva Morris, Blanche Lupien, Annie McAndrews, Cecile Lemier, Louis 30 years). Lemier, Lucian Krause and Gordon Douville. 91 JP*^"* County Sunday School Convention, 1907. SCHOOLS NECHE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 55 SENSE AND NONSENSE Stark statistics will be recorded in various Historical records of the school of long ago portions of this publication, however, it takes were accidentally destroyed by someone unac more than dates to portray the life of any place. quainted with their value, we are told, but the So, with your indulgence, we'd like to reminisce following facts have been gathered from various about things we remember and which may bring responsible sources: back memories to those of us who didn't plow the first furrows in the fertile soil but shared later in The grade school building was erected in 1894, the fruits of the pioneers' labors. and the superintendent was a Mr. Powell, who in stituted a 2 year course. The first graduates were Our first recollection of education was our Having survived the rigors of eight years of Patrick Horgan, Rex Lampan and Mary Shay. first grade which was taught by Annie Slager grade school, the heartier ones went to the Old Other superintendents were Alex. Mcintosh in man. We sat, frightened and pristine, in our Creamery: the High School. Some of the 1903, Bowers 1904, Roberts and then Boehm in starched dresses and to add to our discomfort, dedicated, suffering patient teachers we 1910 who inaugurated a 4-year course, the our starched undergarments! On the rare oc remember were Dolores Cusack who struggled graduates being Fred R. Hicks, Frank Holmes Neche grade school. casions when our teacher was incapacitated, we to teach us the conjugation of French verbs, and Roy Young. had substitutes from that austere edifice across Theresa Smith, Harold Wakefield, the Supt. who In 1912 a creamery structure was bought and the play ground: the High School. One oft-used also tried to teach us some music appreciation, added to, and the following year the high school I substitute was Hume Lee. After two arduous Guy Ferguson, Edna Hesket, Elmer Grieves and was installed, therein. This building has since years with Miss Slagerman, we moved on to John Adams. been referred to as the old Creamery, in a rather Mayme Quigley. Then came Kate Ryan for pars When we entered high school, we were joined flippant vein — but served its purpose. In 1920, ing sentences and the division of fractions by eighth grade graduates from the rural Supt. Wakefield was instrumental in having the (invert the divisor and proceed as in multiplica schools. Some as apprehensive of the town school school graded as a first class high school and tion) among her other fifth and sixth grade gems as they would have been if they were enrolling at also instituted vocational agriculture and home of wisdom. After that, ready or not, Alameda Harvard. economics departments and organized a high Weeden was honored with our presence! After four crowded years, finally the moment school band. Through community effort a gym of truth arrived: Graduation Day. Who, on that nasium was added to the school. This was Ah! the "plumbing"! Many a bladder May day in 1926, would receive that coveted pur dedicated in late December of 1950. The oldest •s*T~»r- BteMMp irregularity was brought on by our reluctance to ple, velvet-covered document? The old Red Hall part of the building, which now houses the grades expose our biological urges. The up-held one or was filled with the scent of freshly picked lilacs was dedicated in 1939. In 1960 and 1961, at the two finger method was used to convey the exact as we ascended the stage in our first store- time of reorganization, a new addition was add extent of our emergency. Why did we have to be bought dress and silently said "Eureka". ed and it is occupied by the high school students. so explicit? Marlys Morin Finley This addition was dedicated in 1961. "Old Creamery School" 1928. 92 93 T>UBUC SCHOOL - NECHt .MO DAK. Neche Public School and gymnasium. Bathgate Public School. BATHGATE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 25 The Bathgate School District No. 25 was organized May 13, 1882. The first school was in Miss Taylor's Claim Shanty, on what is now Joe Martindale's farm, about one-half mile west of town. There were only six pupils, one being Nellie Baptie, the late Mrs. F. A. Willson. The first k school was built the same year. It was a three- ii room frame building located west of the Presbyterian Church. John Young was teacher in charge. This building was later moved to a site facing north on the present school property. It was sold to Mr. Thomas Neilson, for a farm * .U S.H"L,-B<*tr,Q*t«.N.i>. residence, and moved out of town. In 1892, a fine brick structure was erected, Bathgate school built in 1914. facing south where the present one is. It was a fully equipped elementary and high school. In the winter of 1913, it was destroyed by fire and in 1914, the present one was built. In 1959 through reorganization the Bathgate school became a part of the Neche Public School. Grades 7-12 were bussed to Neche. In 1964, the Bathgate school closed with the remaining grades and equipment taken to Neche. The school has since been dismantled. Bathgate High School, 1912. Left to Right, Bottom: Roy Slagerman, John Rau, Clarence Anderson, Percy Johnson, Howard Manning, Elmer Slagerman, Frank Quigley, Robert Foster, John Nevin. Back Row: Florence Bennett, Myrtle Renwick, Pauline Witmer, Pearl McCall, Merle Parsons, Helen Parsons, Jessie McGilivary, Henrietta Wilson. Myrtle Morrison, Laura Carol, Geneva Seblen, Bernice Derby, Loretta Quigley, Mary Louise Harris, Ella Nevin, Eva Renwick, Malva Slagerman, Grace Foster, Miss Neche graduating class 1915, seated I to r: Lillian Holmes, Elsie Honett, Miss Moody, Miss Robertson. Young and Jennie Duncan, standing: Hume Lee and Will Young. 94 BKUCE DISTRICT 22 NO. 1 In 1883, the first schoolhouse was built in the Bruce community. It was built on the southwest corner of the northwest quarter of section twenty-eight (presently owned by Reinhold Steg man). It was a one room frame building and was first taught by Miss Rogers, for twenty-five dollars a month. In 1905, the school was moved a mile east of its first location. At this time, Mr. Harry Jamieson taught the school for forty-five dollars h a month. Three major remodeling projects were Hyde Park School in 1907. This was a summer school till 1919. The small cottonwoods in foreground were planted by Robert Paton about carried out through the years, adding cloak 1906. rooms, bell tower, flagstaff, rest rooms and modern lighting. LOWER HYDE PARK SCHOOL In 1959, a reorganization meeting took place The first schoolhouse in the Hyde Park area and the Bruce School District was annexed to the was located on the J. C. Johnson farm, one half Neche Public School District 55. School busses mile south of the Grant House. This school, made were purchased and the pupils from grades 6-7-8 of logs, was used until a new one was built about were transported to the Neche School. one mile south on the northwest corner of the Donald McLarty, Sr. farm. This schoolhouse was The school was closed in 1961 with all remain 14 ft. by 24 ft. and had a board floor and shingled ing grades going to Neche Public School. Mrs. roof. The walls were logs, plastered with mud. In Lloyd Dalzell of Walhalla was the last teacher to about 1890 the building was closed and a new teach in the Bruce School No. 1. school was built on the Robert Noice farm, just Some of the families that attended school over east of the Hyde Park postoffice and store. This the years were McConnells, McFaddens, Lux- was a frame building with windows on both ons, Linds, Baiers, Wisenthals, Schalers, sides. In the early 1930's windows were closed on Renwicks, Latozkes, Stegmans, Johnstons, the west side to prevent cross lighting. In 1959 the Sagerts and Thackers. district was consolidated and became part of Some former teachers were Mrs. Ruby Young Neche Special district 55. Operation of the school Williams, Mrs. Irene McFadden Albough, Mrs. ceased in 1961 with Mrs. James Knowles as the Jennie Duncan Coons, Mrs. Eva Renwick last teacher and Lyle Paton as the last eighth Kersey, Mrs. Mary Horsley Bartron, Mrs. Hazel grade graduate. Three generations of Patons McKechnie Armstrong, Mrs. Bernice Louden finished eighth grade here. Lind, Mrs. Merle Jenson Evenson, Mrs. Ella Wisenthal Sirr, Mrs. Jean McFadden Olin, Mrs. Wilbur Paton purchased the school building in Reinhold Baier, Mrs. Arthur Latozke, Mrs. 1962, moved it to his "Isle of Memories" Museum Lavem Renwick, Mrs. Mary Stark Hanson, and where he restored it. Mrs. Kenneth Bartron. First School in Hyde Park near the Grant House, called the Lower Hyde Park School. Students follow not necessarily in order: Will John son, Donald McLarty. Johnnie Hughes, Sandy McLarty, John Atkinson (teacher), Jim McLarty, Archie Hughes, Ernest Johnson, Walter Johnson, Chrissy McLarty, Gussie Hughes, Ethel Hyde, Addie Hughes, Maud Hyde, Will McLarty, Herb and Cora Johnson, (twins), Lulu Hyde and Dave McLar ty. Bruce School. 95 SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 3 At first, pupils in Riverside School District 3 attended a log schoolhouse built near the Cyril Dumas farm. Melford Lockwood was the first teacher, then Wm. Symington, Sr. taught. Later, three schools were built in the district. Some of the families attending Irvine School were Byers, O'Conner, Craigens and Trenbeaths. Later the building was used as a township hall and polling place. Mary (McNamara) Nevens, niece of J. N. Horgan was one of the earliest Duprey School teachers. She boarded with Mr. and Mrs. Max Duprey, Sr. Families attending were: Duprey, The pupils of Bruce School Dist. 22, No. 2 in 1941-42. Front row I to r: Symingtons, Hughes, Flynn, Beaudrie, Dumas Lois Bloch, Dale Longtin, Jimmy Thorn, Wesley Bartron. Second row: Lois and in later years, Horsley, Duncan, Stegman, McDonald, Lawrence Winkler, R. Thorn, Edna Mae Schaler. Third row: Gary Wagner, Steinke, Horgan, Guenther and Gladue. Longtin, lola Schaler, Jimmy McDonald. Teacher — Mrs. Evelyn Thorn. About this time Joe Horgan (Uncle of Nick, Shanley, and Christy) taught Riverside School SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 No. 1. Some of the families attending throughout School District No. 2, known as the Brown the years were: Geroux, Aymond, Hughes, school district, was organized in 1901. It was the Renaud, Horgan, Cook, Lupien, Vosper, Sehler, second school district organized in Pembina Trenbeath and Menke. county. It was located on the southeast corner of Schools No. 1 and 3 were kept open until section 21, in Neche township. The first school reorganization of Neche School District about board was: Henry J. Brown, clerk, S. Messecar, 1960. treasurer, and P. A. Brown, E. Miron and D. Some Dist. No. 3 teachers still living in this Rudolph were the directors. Jenny Brown of area are: Florence Symington, Ona Trenbeath, Bathgate was the first teacher. Florence Costello, Marjorie Duncan, Lillie Baier, Zoe Horgan, and Hazel Nash. Duprey School about 1930. Back row I to r: Doris Symington, Frances Symington, Margaret Stegman, Gladys Symington, Annie Greening, Amy Menke, Emma Wagner. Middle row: Hume Hughes, Mildred Hughes, Albert Menke, Garth Symington, Garnet Symington, Elsie Wagner, Lydia Green V1 *»SI ing, Hulda Greening. Front row: Shirley Symington, Arthur Greening, Jean Symington, Erna Wagner, Henry Bolick and Gus Greening. Riverside School Dist. No. 1. •yd,,< - r' >«*.(« ?V- ' >» ?ii»fc i s-d'--^. - East Bruce District 22 No. 2 1926-27. Clayton and Clifton Jensen and Nicholas and Shanley Horgan on their way to School, Dist. No. 1, six of the Gurke children. Teacher — Mrs. James Costello (Florence Riverside School. Young). 96 MORIN SCHOOL In 1879 the Morin school was built about a mile and a half south of Neche. It was later moved south and east and all the children from the south side of the Pembina River attended school here. First trustees of the school were Tom Beare, Fred Vosper Sr., and John Hicks. Beare was treasurer for more than 20 years. Miss Sarah Abrams was the first teacher and received a salary of $30 a month. Carlisle School Dist. No. 23. CARLISLE SCHOOL NO. 23 This school, also known as the "Four Corners" school, was built by farmers and placed in the center of the section 8 of the area it was to serve. The country was so open, the build ing was soon moved to a place along the bank of the river. There were no roads, just trails and an angling one from Pembina to Cavalier. One mile of this trail is still evident. The year this school was built was 1880 and the following men were in Pupils of the Morin School, 1916. volved in building and moving the school: John See, Thomas Moffet, Adolph Carl, Dan Campbell, John Moore, John Eastman, Thomas Weeks and John Huffman. Some of the early school teachers were Min nie Huffman, Will See, Birdie Carl, Sarah Oliver and Marjorie Archibald, Jessie Sanders Paton and Lillie Dickie Baier. Church services were often held in this school house on Sunday afternoons by the Rev. H. C. Jephcott. A few years ago the building was moved a short distance, west to the Walter Gelder farm and converted to a shop/garage. Louden Dist. 29 is located east and north of Bathgate. This picture is of the pupils of the Louden school in 1907. Top row: Jim Neil, Roy Burns, Alphonse Bertrand, Lloyd Morrison. 2nd row: Elmer Slagerman, Cecil Neil, Willis Slagerman, Everett Burns. 3rd row: Susan Neil, Lizzie Tillet, Myrtle Morrison, Sadie Neil, Pearl McCall. 4th row: George Tillet, Herb Tillett, Abie Neil, Waldo Slagerman, Teacher: Leotta Douglas. ' *•» i •--. • Langton School Dist. No. 18. 1st row: Myrtle Defoe, Eleanor Defoe, Minnie Moris, Rose LeDoux, Minnie Lembke, Eva Corbett, Oscar Defoe. Walter Moris, Otto Lembke, George Lembke, and two Rene boys. 2nd row: j***. Maud Langton, Ruby Neutze, Mabel Langton, Mary Lembke, Mr. Porter, teacher, Mr. Sherman, teacher, Edward Neutze, Pearl Corbett, Violet Langton, William Lembke, and Godfrey Moris. Picture was taken Sept. 1905 located east of Neche. 1939 School group. 97 I '^mr This was the Edgerton School located one and a half miles south of Neche. Picture was taken before 1900 with members of the following This photo taken in 1920 Northwest side of the old Neche grade families represented: Vosper, Beare, Cook, Edgerton, Osborne and Young. School. Reading left to right, top row: Gottlieb (Pinky) Herzog, Warren The teacher is believed to be Sam Edgerton. Thompson, Rochelle Allard (Dec), Elmer Trenbeath, Hillis Trenbeath, Fran cis StAmour, Martha Bloch, Delia Muth, Jean Bartran, Elmia Jenson, Bertha Gurke (Dec), Annie Thorn, Unknown, Bill Hadden. Center row: Melvin O'Leary, Florence Beaudine, Albert Heideman, Ernest Glenn, Harold Swenson, Adolph Gurke, Carl Krause, Harold Beaudine, Unknown. Bottom row: Louis Lamire, Lester Sherman, Margaret Feick (Dec), Annie McAndrews, Cecile Lamire, Alma Herzog, Annie Bloch, Mary Creigen, Unknown. 1st grade at Neche — 1925 — teacher — Mary Ross — L to R — Francis Glenn, Purdy Horgan, Irene St. Amour, Mary Thompson, unknown, Norman Johnson, unknown, Russell Kain, Front row: Herman Thorn, un known, unknown, Jack Trenbeath. L' \ Bathgate Elementary Grades — 1912. II *jiii ..^XMJH Pi ^ I - ~- £ i*-' «OP"JU" First bus drivers for Neche School. I to r: Law. Auger, Reinhold Baier, Neche High School band - 1942. Clarence Nash, Paul Shanks and Harris Cameron. 98 SPORTS Bruce Baseball Team: back row I. to r.: Louis McFadden, Joseph Neche has long been known as the city of good baseball and the team McFadden, unknown, Buff McFadden, William McConnell. Center row: of 1895 was no exception. Those pictured above were in the visiting party center — Erwin McFadden, others unknown. when Neche played Winnipeg at the Fort Rouge Park. Seated: unknown, Bill Crawford, Ken Wylie, Bill Briden, Jud LaMoure, unknown. 2nd row: Mrs. Bill Briden, J. O'Neil, Charles Saylor, unknown, M. Brady, unknown. Standing: Mrs. Ken Wylie, unknown, Askew, Michel Girl, Askew, John Morin, Emma Misson, others unknown. Back row: Vivian Symington, unknown, ^aura McFadden, Mildred Lewis. Front row: Flossie Cook, Vera Lewis, Verna Kyle. 1908 Farmers Baseball Team from Bathgate. Front row: I to r: Alfred , ',tl Houston, Archie McColl, Glen Morrison, Wm. Quinnell. Back row: I to r: Earl mm Quinnell, Alex Gynn, Percy Slagerman, Garfield Hood, Clarence Morrison. Cyl ^feh 1 ^ 4^^t £. d mSLaV'^%1IttA JL-«^^— ^»f i ' ;'j Ii ht*+ * 'mm\ #"*slii >9»\9fw ML7 Ej^Hu&j JHLVJ t'» j^^BHBH^B'*t*J^^P^^ 9F1 •• I^JK nV !*• 1L^^'' VO ;l\j^ JETTr m. WKkwT »Jmmm Football Team — 1932. Top row I to r: Joe Lemier, John Mund — W Coach, Hillis Trenbeath, Gordon Douville, Norman Allard, Jim Johnson, " ^^ Forest McNamara, Sam Gurke, Bill Smith, Ross McLarty, Florian Krause. Bathgate Baseball Team of 1912. Back row I to r: Earl Quinnell, Ed. Bottom row: Lloyd Taylor, John O'Connor, Lucian Krause, Mike McAn- James, Bob Foster, Bill Quinnell, Howard Manning, Alf Grandy, Front row: drews, Bruce Kippen, Bob Beggs, and Reinhold Bloch. Russel Quinnell, George Hillis, Herb James and Norval Baptie. 99 Norval Baptie. NORVAL BAPTIE Norval Baptie, has to rank with the greatest among all-time North Dakota athletes. The greatest speed skater of his time, Baptie won over 5,000 races at distances from 220 yards to five miles. He won his first race when he was only 10, on a patch of ice at Bathgate. He was Northwest senior champion at 13 and beat the world amateur speed skating champion at 16. In 1914, he organized the first ice show. He Kennedy Cup Winners of 1933, a travelling trophy given by the Gret also helped to organize the early ice shows for na Curling club. Seated Herbert Russell. Standing I. to r. John Taylor, John Booker, and James L. Symington. Sonja Henie, a Norwegian girl who had won the Olympic title, and then turned professional. Later, Baptie went on to train U.S. skaters for the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, N.Y. in 1932. The former Bathgate boy is the only man in history to succeed in all departments on ice skates — acrobatic, racing, figure skating and production work. At the height of his speed skating career, Bap tie would challenge skaters to a race in which he would permit his opponents to employ their nor mal style and he skated backwards. His expertness on skates even extended to barrel-jumping and in 1938 he shared the world record with Ed Lamy. Both had cleared 12 barrels, approximately 26 feet. 1935 Neche Indians — Leonard McNamara, Pat Craigen, Florian In 1942 he moved to Baltimore, Md. where he Krause, Stub McAndrews, Bill Smith. managed an ice arena. He remained there until his death in November of 1966 at the age of 87. r L" ' \ * *" w Neche-Gretna Internationals Baseball team of 1921. Back row: I to r: Neche's 1933-34 Highschool Basketball Team: Jim Johnson, Bil Charlie Hayward, W. A. Woodville, Bob Foster, F. C. Vosper, Mgr., Henry Smith, Bob Beggs, Leonard McNamara, and Florian Krause. Not pictured Jenson, Wade Cook, Jim Briden. Front row: Geo. Symington, Phil Coach John Mund. Schuppert, Jim Symington, Eddie James, Cal Farley. 100 Mi Iff Bruno in Action. 1936 photo of Harvey Douville showing off his boxing form. Francis Snider, Fred Stegman, Bruno Winkler Coach. frfiMMM^rr til Neche — Gretna Internationals Baseball team. Back row: I to r: Henry Jenson, Ed Boe, A. Stevenson, Geo. Symington, Charles Hayward, Wade Cook, Bub Nelson, Jim Symington, Phil Schuppert, Link Ellis. Front row: I to r: Gene Beaudrie, Max Duprey, Chester Feick, Mascot, Jack Welsh, Fred Harvey and Fred Kain were members of the Lembke-Kain baseball Lewis. team of 1917. Girl's B.B. Team 1942-43 — Back row: Fern Chambers, Royce Krueger, Juell Linde, Katie Hughes, Pidge and Ramona Symington, front Champions of 1948 Basketball Tournament — front row: Delores row: Francis Ertman, Gloria Thompson, Norma Jean Hughes, Helen Raedel, Doris Taylor, Ruth Vosper, DeReba Symington, Donna Jean Vosper, Virginia Morris, and Fern Svenson. Forsgren, Beryl Symington, back row: Lenore Herzog, Joanne Sehler, Coach Edgar T. Mark, Adele Rene and Myrna Loy Rene. The Monarch Mickies — Coach Geo. Symington, 1934-35 I. to r.: Ver na Hughes, Nita Collison, Lois Taylor, Marguerite St. Amour, Ruby Hughes, Florence Hanson, Martha Krause, Florence Krause, Mary Thomp Neche Softball Team — back row: Snookie Menke (coach), Tony son. Story, Wayne Weiss, Dick Winkler, Ralph Stegman, David Duncan, Red Hughes, Roy Paton, Bud Symington, Wade Defoe, Kent Trenbeath and Loran Weiss. &&&!:&?&<' 1965 Neche Pee Wee Baseball Team. First row I to r: Mark Williams, Tom McFadden, James Hughes, Billy Hughes. Dan Hintz, Allen Horsley. 1975 "Little League". David Nelson, coach. Sitting: Jay Bartron, 2nd row: Pat Allen, Wade DeFoe, Paul Cook, Dennis McFadden, Jon Dun Bradley Lafferty, Duane Winkler and Jon Hughes, 2nd row: Kelly DeMars, can, David Lembke, Robert Latozke and Steven Beste. Back: Dave Narum Kirk Stockton, Steven Karel, Robbie Jenson, Dwight Lembke, Todd Vosper. and Coach George Bunn. 3rd row: Roy Kain, David Hanson and Kerry DeMars. 102 HOME SWEET HOME >- y A Seymour Messecare Farm in 1932. MESSESCARE, SEYMOUR One of the oldest houses in town; now owned by Helen Gladue. Others Pictured here is the house that was on the are the Alex Murphy House now owned by Bill Douville built in 1902; the Seymour Messescare farm in Neche Twp. when Briden house and the Demarest house now owned by Russel Kain. Mr. and Mrs. James Bartron moved there in 1932. Seymour Messescare homesteaded this land in 1891 and about 3 years later the buildings were erected. The Jim Bartrons and son, Kenneth and family, still live on this farm. Log house of Mrs. Christina Latozke and fan W a.V» ^ i: The same farm today as modernized. 0 If/ X Marie Taylor on Fred Hicks' place — 1926. House and barn of Thomas Trenbeath Sr. James and Elizabeth Brown home — 1900. 103 Joe Auger farm home built in 1897 at an original cost of $6,000. Note the farm scale in the foreground. The house is presently the home of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Bonaime. Alex Morrison Home and family. L. to R. Clarence, Glenn, Grandpa McGregor, Mrs. Morrison, Mr. Morrison, Edith and Myrtle (in buggy) Laura, and Lloyd with bicycle. William Knowles Home in Hyde Park. Mrs. Harry Watts at her home in Hyde Park. Dumas log house. The Frank and Herbert Holmes residence. Now owned by Scott Park, Bathgate, taken in 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Gustave Friedenberg and daughter Juliana (Mrs. Ed Hintz). Picture taken about 1912 at their home presently owned by Laura Ertman. Original farm house of Henry and Mary Brown of Bathgate. 104 . Douville Log House. Bathgate Railroad Section foreman's house. Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Sandgren and sons: Ames and Paul. Two stories I remember: When Dad (Ben Nielson) was four years old he decided to pay a social call on Mrs. Fee across the road. He was Gaspard Lemier House Built in 1900. standing in the doorway when he noticed a long file of Indians coming across the prairie. No trees in those days to obscure the view, I guess even at four years old he thought discretion the better part of valor for he started backing up, not noticing the door to the dugout cellar, which also served as a cooling place for milk, etc., was open. Unfortunately just as he fell backwards into the opening, Mrs. Fee was coming up with a pan of milk — and down they went! Since milk soured quickly in the heat, a thorough cleaning up had to be done and water was scarce. I asked him what became of the Indians and he said he got spanked by Mrs. Fee and grandma hearing the uproar came running and spanked him again and he thought likely the Indians thought better The Robertson Home. of confronting two irate ladies and went on. Grandma Neilson told of just finishing turn ing out a baking of bread when the Indians Do you intend to build this spring? If so, see came, smelled the bread, took every loaf and left our line and prices before buying — Folker and her a pair of beaded moccasins. Since grandpa Murphy. had to take the wheat to Pembina to grind with Buck and Star (the oxen) hitched to the Red # # # River cart and the trip took three days, she Everything in the line of lumber and building wasn't too pleased with the trade. The Sioux In materials — Mahon and Robinson — Don Malo, dians never took anything without leaving a gift, Manager. that way they weren't stealing from the settlers * # # — just exchanging. Genuine Minnesota paints sold by Chas. E. by Gladys Neilson Fee and Co. 10? THE OLD TIN LIZZY Wr #ik ^IMPl? William L. Walton in the first Walton Auto Buggy, built at Neche in Bill Brown along with his car which was the only car in town with a 1902. "rumble seat", taken in the early 1930's. During those days of depression, Bill and Yvonne provided transportation to many a "barn dance" during THE WALTON AUTO-BUGGY the summer months; it was amazing how many young people could get in The first horseless carriage built in this area, that car. Occasionally, with a sudden rain storm, they would get "mired in and likely much farther beyond, was constructed the mud" but Bill always got them home safely. by William L. Walton in 1902. Two more were built before he moved to Bantry, N.D. in 1906, and took the third automobile with him. Bill arrived in Neche, October of 1893, as manager of Mahon & Robinson Lumber, but soon operated his own Harness & Implement business on the property now owned by the Catholic Church. The first auto was made by installing a single cylinder 4% H.P. gas engine in a regular buggy, complete with drive and steering apparatus. It weighed about a thousand pounds and could travel 15 miles per hour. This first car was driven about a thousand miles before the engine was transferred to the second vehicle and then to the third, as they were too frail to last many Beatrice and Muriel Livingstone 1912. miles. The Neche Chronotype described the vehicle's progress down the road as not unlike the noise made by the "Bombardment of Port Arthur". The third Walton Auto-Buggy went from Ban- • try to a museum in Billings and now resides in the Reynolds Museum at Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada on display with many other vintage automobiles. (Courtesy of Jim Benjaminson of Cavalier, N.D.) Charlie Morris, 1916 Buick. The J. J. McFaddens. 3rd Walton Auto-Buggy. 106 John and Rose Taylor in 1911 Overland. Alger and Sarah Hughes, his sister, Georgia and their children travel ing across country in 1928. Cars seized at the border during prohibition days. Fred C. Vosper, Nellie Trenbeath, Fred Lewis, Ruth Hicks and Cora Lewis in Fred Vospers 1st car — a 1910 Case. Alma Auger and Ernestine Malo, 1924 Chevy. -* • Walter and Lily (Beare) Osborne — area farmers for many years also operated a threshing crew. Dort car of Fred Gelder's - 1920's. 107 Governor Welford in the 1933 Farmers Union Parade, Frank Horgan's car. Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wagner, Erna, Elsie and Emma — 1918 Model T. Ford. Wedding party of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Sagert in Frank Horgan's Buick. Hume Lee in his Old Merz. Snow plane built by Ernie Letzring and driven by Harry Rudolph Transportation for local Dr. and general public. Winter Travel "Country Style" submitted by Mrs. Wm. Brown, Neche, N.D. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gynn and family. 108 ORGANIZATIONS NECHE HENRY GURKE VFW POST NO. 8305 After World War II, a group of Overseas Veterans had kicked around the idea of forming a local Post of overseas Veterans for sometime. In the fall of 1946, the N.D. Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars was contacted and a meeting was agreed on for that September. At that meeting the Local Post, which was chartered as the HENRY GURKE POST NO. 8305 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Neche, N.D., was formed with forty-two overseas Mrs. Louis C. Moris in 1919 Chevrolet. veterans as charter members. The first Com mander was Stanley Collison; Adjutant Florian Krause; Quartermaster Jack Trenbeath. The Post was named in honor of Henry Gurke as a posthumous Medal of Honor winner, this country's most coveted recognition, cited for his bravery in protecting a fellow Marine in a fox hole on Bougainville Island in the southwest Pacific, November 9, 1943. In early 1947, the Post purchased a barn located on the bank of the Pembina River in Neche, from Neil McGillvary, and transformed it into a clubhouse for the Post and the Communi ty. Many Post and local activities were held here until the building was sold in 1963. Some of the former members who have transferred, moved away, or passed on, who Calvin Ferch with the first truck in Neche. bring back memories are: George Jennison, Frank LaFromboise, Bill LaFromboise, Oscar Linde, August Schimnowski, Russel Sehler, Tom Thompson, Ray Villeneauve, Ray Brimmer, Wilfred Malone, James O'Leary, Vernon Douville, Carroll Svenson, Elmer Glenn, Nor man Hadden, Roland Renaud, Stanley Collison, Clarence Bonaime, Tom Jennison, Don Gibney, John Brown, Jim Hughes, Paul Latozke, Emil Nelson, Allen Hughes, Arnold Schweitzer, Jim Thompson, Jim Gibney, Mike Gladue, Robert Freeman, Robert Smith, Bernard Geres and Allan Reilly. The original membership of the Local Post in 1946 was 62 and today we still have 44 members with Nicholas Horgan as Commander. Homemade rough weather vehicle. W. JL^ WALTON Kindly Keep makes the best harness th^t money can buy. He also sells the leading in tviiiKi lines of Farm Machin ery and the only Auto mobile built that is You will save yourself suitable for this terri time and trouble by tory. inspecting our fine lines of New Summer Goods NOW I before the lines are broken. PRICE5 ARE VERY LOW THIS YEAR. J. LaMoure & Co. Pvt. First Class Henry Gurke U.S. Marine Corps (deceased) 109 AMERICAN LEGION The National Executive Committee of the American Legion granted the Charter for the Gainer-McAndrews Post, Department of North Dakota, No. 242 on June 12, 1930. Signatures on the Charter were by: Dell W. Tudor, Frank O'Leary, Mike Gladue, Tom Thompson, Roy Krueger, Calvin Cook, R. A. Vaaler, Fred Steinke, L. A. Chambers, Leon D'Heilly, E. A. Jennison, Louis H. LeDoux, Earl D. Symington, Jos. Berard, W. M. Buck. The post was given its name in honor of two soldiers killed in World War I action; Irvin Gainer, who is buried in the Park Center cemetery and J. (Pat) McAndrews, buried in the Neche Catholic cemetery. Rodger Thompson, Neche, John Tillet and Henry Miron, both of Bathgate, were also killed in World War I. Gold Star Mothers of World War I were: Mrs. James Gainer, Mrs. Jane McAndrews, Mrs. Dave Thompson, Mrs. W. C. Tillet, and Mrs. Everst Miron. Post 242 has five World War I veterans as Irwin Gainer, Neche, killed in action WWI. members: Leon D'Heilly, Iver Nelson Sr., Ver non Hildebrant, Joe Klepatch and Calvin Cook. Four Neche men lost their lives in World War II; Henry Gurke, Sylvester Horgan, William Menke and Orville Kerkow. Gold Star Mothers were Mrs. Julius Gurke, Mrs. Nick Horgan and Mrs. Gus Menke. The Post had two Civil War Veterans: John Otten, buried in Park Center cemetery and William Lupien, buried in the Neche Catholic cemetery. J. (Pat) McAndrews, Neche, killed in action WWI. William Lupien was born in Quebec in 1850. He was a civil war veteran and came to this area in 1871. He homesteaded east of Neche on 160 acres, Sec. 1 in Neche township. He passed away in 1914 at the age Taken May 31, 1926. Seated Mr. and Mrs. Otten, Civil War Veteran, of 64. standing I. to r. Frank O'Leary and Charles Gynn, Veterans of World War I. 110 i ''mi1' Rodger Thompson, Neche, killed in action WWI. Henry Miron, Bathgate, killed in action WWI. John Tillett, Bathgate, killed in action WWI. •am^Bm Frank LaFromboise, served in three wars; Mexican, WWI and WWII. USS Gurke Decommissioned. P.F.C. Henry Gurke U.S.M.C. was killed in action on Bougainville Island in November 1943. He was born in Neche on Nov. 6, 1922. Private First Class Gurke attended the local schools and enlisted in the Marine Corps on April 15, 1942, joining the Twenty-Second Marines. He was shipped overseas on July 30, 1942 and landed at Apia, Opolu, British Samoa one month later. Private Gurke came face to face with the enemy in Nov. in Bougainville. On Nov. 9, 1943 he sacrificed his life in order that the man by his side could continue to provide effective resistance to the enemy. For this action he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, this country's most coveted recogni tion. In Feb. 1945, the USS Gurke, a 2,250 ton Destroyer, was commissioned named in honor of Henry. Henry's Mother and family members attended the commissioning. The USS Gurke served in the Pacific during the course of three wars, including Korea and Vietman. Lee Gurke, son of Sam Gurke and a nephew of Henry, served aboard the USS Gurke. On Jan. 30,1976, the USS Gurke, the only ship in the US Navy named after a North Dakotan, was decommissioned in San Diego. Adolph Gurke, Anne Lilke, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Gurke and son, Lee, attended this •••••• ceremony. Joe Klepatch, age 89, is the oldest living veteran in Neche, and is still an active member of the Gainer-McAndrews Post. Ill Orville Raymond Kerkow was born May 26, 1922 at Hope, North Henry Gurke World War Dakota. He died Nov. 24, 1944 while in the army in the European area (drowned in the Meurthe River, France). He entered the service in March 1943. He stands in the unbroken line of Patriots who have dared to die, that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings. Sgt. William Menke, 164th Infantry, entered service May 5, 1941. Took his training at Clairborne, La.; Radio School in Georgia and served in F. Sylvester Horgan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nick Horgan, enlisted in the the Pacific area. He was wounded in action on Guadalcanal and Signal Corps upon graduation from high school in 1941. He took boot recovered; was seriously injured again on Bougainville, July 1944, leaving training at Ford Leonard Wood, Mo. and attended school at Bozeman, him totally paralized after a training accident, was transferred to Mont, before going overseas. Syl took part in the Battle of the Bulge, and Springfield, Missouri, where he passed away Oct. 19, 1944, at the age of was killed in a mine accident near Schierstein in Germany on April 26, 31. 1945. 112 GAINER-McANDREWS UNIT NO. 242 AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY The American Legion Auxiliary was organiz ed April 22, 1935 by Mrs. Muriel Cryderman, Grafton, at Neche YPCA building with 31 Charter Members: Mmes., Ray Vaaler, Presi dent; Roy Krueger, Vice President; Hume Lee, Secretary; Earl Symington, Treasurer; Jas. L. Symington, Sergeant at Arms; George LaSalle, Historian; Miss Maud Symington, Chaplain; Dave Thompson, (Gold Star Mother), Robert Hadden, Leon D'Heilly, Zoe D'Heilly, Fred Vollrath, Vic Svenson, L. H. Misson, John Booker, Joe Berard, Susan Symington, Ed Rene, Sil O'Leary, Ed Slagerman, Joe Bostik, Herb Russell, Arthur Jennison, Les Chambers, Frank O'Leary, Russell Horsley, Fred Steinke, Catherine Aymond, Gus Svenson, Harry Lind and Shanley Horgan. A Veteran at Fargo VA Hospital and a Civil War widow at North Dakota Soldiers' Home Hospital, Lisbon, were assigned to our unit in 1936. Unit sponsored two boys to Boys State in 1939; sponsors Juniors to Girls State; sponsored 22 Lieut. Robert W. Winkler, son of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Winkler, died June Girl Scouts in 1938 and at present time; sent 15, 1955, when his F84F Thunderstreak fighter crashed and burned near Chronicle to 34 servicemen in WW2; was a England Air Force Base at Alexandria, La., where he was a member of the 164th Fighter Bomber Squadron. He was 22 years old. Bob had joined the Member of Pembina County Auxiliary in 1936. Air Force in 1951 and was awarded his pilot wings in 1954 at Bryan Air Mrs. Gurke, Gold Star Mother, christened the Force Base, Texas. U.S. Destroyer Gurke in honor of her son, PFC Henry Gurke who was the first North Dakotan to receive the posthumous award of the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944. Mrs. Russell served as District 2 President 1940 to 1942 and Department Constitution, By Laws and Legislation, 1942-1943. Unit sponsored Beverly (Winkler) Giesbrecht, our first assigned child in April, 1955, thru grades, high school and her wedding cake in 1963. We have had 10 assigned and remembered with gifts on holidays, 24 children in 25 years. We served a supper to the public, June 1959, for Farmers Union Oil Company 25th anniver sary; have sponsored Christmas and birthday parties at Grafton State School and put on Legion's birthday parties in March. Fourteen 25 year (and over) members were honored June 1972. To date there are 64 members, 7 are Charter Members and 2 Gold Star. There were 6 Gold Star Mother Members. Mrs. Vic Svenson was honored Sept. 1975 for her 25 consecutive years of service as Child Welfare Chairman. Mrs. Booker, who succeeded the Charter Treasurer, served 14 consecutive C.W.2 James Thor Morrison, son of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Morrison, years, followed by 19 years as Rehabilitation lost his life in the service of his country in Germany on July 1, 1971. He Chairman until she moved away. entered the armed services in March 1968 and was graduated as Chief Warrant Officer, Feb. 10, 1969, receiving his wings at Ft. Rucker, Flags were donated to Neche and Bathgate Alabama. He served in Viet Nam as a helicopter pilot, where he earned School. Memorials are sent for Members and several medals, ribbons and citations. In Germany, he served in the 4th Army Aviation Co. near Schwaebisch Hall. Besides his parents, Jim is sur Servicemen. Major projects are: Rehabilitation, vived by his wife, Doreen (McEwen), two small daughters, Lauri Jo and Child Welfare, Community Service, Tanya Lynn, and numerous relatives and friends. Americanism, Girls State and Poppy Sales. 113 BATHGATE MASONIC LODGE HISTORY OF BATHGATE CHAPTER NO. 74 From the records of Aurora Lodge U.D. of O.E.S. Bathgate, Dakota Territory, it appears that In January 1913, the initial step was taken to several men from Bathgate received their organize a chapter of the order of the Eastern Masonic degrees in the Pembina Lodge No. 10. Star in Bathgate, when a petition was circulated The demits for these men were signed in June of and the signatures of 25 people was obtained. The 1885. The first Communication of Aurora Lodge name to be Bathgate Chapter. Miss Ella Robert U.D. of Bathgate was held September 17, 1885 son was chosen a first Worthy Matron; Alex with a charter being granted to Bathgate Lodge Morrison, Worthy Patron; and Mrs. Olive Hillis No. 80 on June 10,1886 with 13 charter members. associate Matron. The 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of When or why the name Aurora was dropped is the month were to be the nights to meet which not recorded. The number became 23 upon was above the Hillis and Manning store. Out of organization of the Grand Lodge of North the 25 Charter members, one is still living, Mrs. Dakota. Laura Robertson. June 27, 1913 a Charter was Bathgate Lodge has suffered two major fires. granted to Bathgate Chapter No. 74. The 1st The last occurred on Sunday, February 13, 1944 Memorial service, the 1st strawberry Festival when the lodge room was completely destroyed and the 1st joint installation with the Masons with all contents including equipment and were held in 1915. On Sunday Feb. 13, 1944 a dis records. After using facilities of area Lodges for astrous fire completely destroyed the chapter quite some time, Mrs. K. O. Paulson gave the room with all its contents. Following this, Mrs. former H. L. Holmes residence to the Masons as K. O. Paulson gave as a memorial to her parents, a memorial to her parents. the H. L. Holmes residence, which we used for It was decided at the January 27,1948 meeting 4 years. We occupied the new building in 1948, to construct a new Temple which would be built when the Masons built the present Masonic Hall by voluntary donations from the Bathgate and under the leadership of Edward J. Seblen. Neche Masonic Lodge members, and on the Amelia Martindale crocheted the doilies for the same property where the fire had occurred. The pedestals and the altar cloth that are still in use credit for the present beautiful Temple goes to at each meeting. Gertrude Brown served as our Brother Ed Seblen (and Mrs. Seblen for her com organist for over 30 years and Alice Messecar plete support) who was architect, master served as Secretary for 23 years. builder, mechanic and electrician. Contributions Living 50 year members are: Laura Robert paid for materials and all labor was voluntary son, Clarence Morrison, Myrtle Renwick, Elsie except for laying of tile and part of the plaster Bill, Mary Tillet, Louise Page, Elizabeth Rurros, ing. The O.E.S. helped much with providing Pauline Booker, and Annie Slagerman. At the lunches and meals for the workers. Dedication present time the meetings are held the 1st Tues. ceremonies were held on June 2, 1949. of each month, except July and August with a This Lodge has been very active all through total membership of 83 from the Bathgate and the years with high interest in fraternal and com Neche communities. Our charitable organiza munity projects. We marked our 50th anniver tion, that supports the Eastern Star project sary in 1936 when Herbert Russell was Master. E.S.T.A.R.L; the perfect cooperation and Then on June 9, 1961, we celebrated our 75th an enthusiasm with peace and harmony, still niversary, with Marvin Gunderson as Worship prevails among the members of Bathgate ful Master. An interesting note about the two Chapter No. 74. observances was that John Howard of Grand Forks presented a program of violin music using many of the same selections the second time. Our membership for 1975-1976 is 60 with 12 of these living out of state. We are honored with 6 Life Memberships with 50 years or over. tfimi J 1 ~Jlft -. * * 4 Officers Bathgate O.E.S. 1948, in the new lodge hall. L. to R. back row: Mmes. H. Thomson, Geo. Brown, W. R. Duncan, G. Gunderson, J. Mar tindale, F. Page. Second row: Mrs, C. W. Argue, Mrs. P. Shanks, Mrs. R. S. Park, Mary Shanks, Mrs. F. Bill. Front row: E. W. Anderson, Mrs. J. Argue, Wk Mary Tillett, (W. M.), George Tillett, (W. P.), Mrs. E. W. Anderson, Alice E. First Neche Dam. Messecar, E. J. Seblen. 14 BATHGATE STUDY CLUB Women in Bathgate met with Miss Ella M. Robertson October 30, 1911, to organize the Bathgate Study Club. The first officers were: President, Mrs. F. A. Willson (Nellie Baptie); Vice Presidents, Mrs. J. J. Manning and Mrs. Michael Quigley. They chose "New Thought is New Life" for their motto, the white carnation for the flower and colors chosen were purple and white. The club through the years, sponsored many worthy projects, the main one being the Bathgate Free Public Library. It was closed when the school moved to Neche. Present membership is seventeen and officers are: President, Kathleen H. Thomson; Vice Presi dent, Genevieve Proudlove; secretary- treasurer, Mrs. A. J. (Fern) Yon. Ella M. Robertson. HISTORY OF VICTORY HOMEMAKERS CLUB The Victory Homemakers Club was orga nized Nov. 28, 1942, at the farm home of Mrs. Fred Vosper. Eleven ladies joined the club. First Officers were: Mrs. Fred Vosper, president; Mrs. Tom Trenbeath, vice-president and Mrs. Jim Bartron, secretary-treasurer. Mrs. F. A. Willson, widow of the publisher of the Bathgate, N.D. Pink Paper and sister of Norval Baptie, famed ice skater. The club has helped on several community projects, such as assisting the former Friendship Club in making draperies for the school Gym Honored at Turkey Show nasium, and raising money for the Neche swim ming pool by having two community auction sales. The club also helped furnish a room at the Bathgate Rest Home. Present officers are: Mrs. Ken Bartron, president; Mrs. Shanley Horgan, vice-president and Mrs. Purdy Horgan, secretary-treasurer. To the left is Mrs. Godfrey Moris of Neche who, as president of the Turkey Hen club was guest of honor Thursday of last week at a tea given by the Business and Professional Woman's club at the University practice house for women attending the All-American Turkey show in session at Grand Forks then. At the right is Mrs. Roy Vosper of Neche who was elected president of the Turkey Hen club at the annual banquet during the show. Sweepstakes honors were won by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ralston of Crystal, producers of Bronze turkeys. Victory Home Makers Club Oct. 1956. 15 PARK CENTER HOMEMAKERS CLUBS HAVE FLOWN OVER ,ma> The Park Center Homemakers Club was 'NITEO STATES 3f* , % .,*^j| organized September 1926 by Miss Grace DeLong, Fargo, at the Park Center Church parlors. This was the second club in Pembina m County to be organized. Officers elected were: Mrs. Walter Hyde, Pres., Mrs. David Blair, Vice Pres., Mrs. Vic Svenson, Secretary-Treasurer. Other Charter members were: Mrs. Ben Wessels, W. J. Newell, Alfred Knowles, John Otten, Herb Johnson, James Fitzsimonds, Frank Karel, James McLarty, and Robert Fitzsimonds. Mrs. John Newell was enrolled in 1931. Miss Sylvia Johnson, County Superintendent of Schools was an honorary member. Meetings were held once a month and lessons, as Neche Girl Scout Troop 314: back I. to r. Theresa Douville, Keri Kihne, Leader Phyllis Vosper, Tracy Vosper, Jeanie Trenbeath. Back row: Belinda recommended, were used. Benefit ice cream Salazar, Desa Rae Winkler, Kara Schwartz, Kim Reck. Missing are: Leader socials were held on the John Otten lawn. The Sandy Kingsbury, Tracy and Holly Steed, Patty Quinnett, Susan Reck. secretary obtained birth certificates for 60 HAVE FLOWN OVER ifacd^d^• * £•£%•", i children and adults in the area who were not UNITED STATES j"&T& ...-gfa ^kT. <7 "' recorded with the Vital Statistics Department, Bismarck. The club disbanded in 1934. Only three of the group, Mrs. Herb Johnson, Pembina, |4f "i:*K r Mrs. John Newell, and Mrs. Vic Svenson, both of Neche survive. The second Park Center Homemakers Club was organized Aug. 23, 1950 at the home of Mrs. Roy Inglis with 16 members enrolled. Meetings were held once a month in member's homes. The group used the lessons given through the Pem bina County Extension Office. The club showed its work at the Pembina County Fair, winning Neche Brownie Troop 460. L. to r. Rachael Lupien, Peggy Martindale, several prizes. Lessons on quilting were given Kim DeMars, Leader Sue Menke, Angie Watts, Jolene Begeman, JanaRae and a large quilt was donated to the Pioneer Rest Menke, Lorlee Martindale, Debbie Soli, Shelly Stegman, Leader Mrs. Ver Home at Bathgate. The club participated in non Martindale, Brenda Steinke. Missing were Sheri Lembke and Christine Achievement Day, exchanges with Canadian Steed and Jody Trenbeath. Clubs, Craft Shows, Community plays, Sweetheart Day and Charity drives. It sponsored a forgotten child at the State School at Grafton. The club disbanded in 1973 with Mmes. Jack Newell, Percy Blair, Oran Watts, Lawson Paton as charter members. Other members in the club in 1973 were: Mmes. Rex Karel, Reinhold Stark, Bill Newell, Francis Fitzsimonds, Manford Newell, and Kenneth McLeod. 1 -ft 1 Neche Cub Scouts and Webeloes, 1975 — Jay Bartron, Jon Hughes, Bruce Morrison, Danny Kihne, Kevin DeMars, Kelly DeMars, Wayne 1 ; Newell, Tim Carpenter, Danny Feick, Todd Thacker, Todd Vosper, Irmgard Feick and Donna Newell, Den Mothers. J 4C V 1 J* «fc • 1 Park Center Homemakers Club I to r: Debbie Burreson, Rose Watts, Troop No. 96 leaving for Lake Metigoshe on July 13, 1975. Ray Rita Stark and Eric Burreson baby, Agnes McLeod, Irene Newell, Emma Carpenter, leader. Kerry DeMars, Jeff Karel, John Feick, Kirk Stockton, Fitzsimonds and Eleanor Blair. Duane Winkler, Steven Karel, Kelly DeMars, Todd Vosper. 116 THE OLD TOWN W. CRAWFORD & SON NECHE, NORTH DAK. HEADQUARTERS FOR HIGH-GRADE MERCHANDISE PERFECT SATISFACTION GUARANTEED OR TOUR MONEY BACK IN CASE OF ERROR RETURN THIS SLIP AGENCIES FOR Crawford Store. THE FLORSHEIM SHOE FOR MEN THE QUEEN QUALITY SHOE FOR WOMEN Clase & Morn Famous Seal Brand Coffees and Teas Yoiir Credit is Good at Crawford's William Crawford, early Neche Merchant, purchased Mercantile business from his Uncle Charles in the late 1800. The Charles Murphy Store at Neche. ADVERTISEMENTS IN CHRONOTYPE H. Demorest, dentist — My work is high Clothing for young and old at the one-price grade and up-to-date. store — Murphy, Holmes and Co. • Neche Main Street — L to R Stewart, McNamara, A. Craigen, S. Dr. Demerest (dentist) and Jenny D'Heilly. 1914. O'Leary, Keeley, J. N. Horgan and C. Craigen. 117 Feick's First Harness Shop — Neche, Andrew Feick with his son Timothy McNamara had the first Standard Oil Wagon in Pembina Andy in front of harness shop located on the Neche Greenhouse (1975) County. He also operated a dray in Neche. He came to Neche in 1883 vacant lot (A. J. McFadden in white shirt). from Brockville, Ont. and delivered kerosene and axle grease as early as 1895. McFadden and Capitan — Our harness stock is complete. Remember our motto: not how Drayline — housemoving and heavy draying cheap, but how good we can make them. — Tim McNamara. Feick's Harness Shop, Neche, N. Dak. Left is Andrew Feick Sr. and his son Ernest (Toots) with hand made harness that went to all parts of Pem bina County. Present building (1976) is Western Bar. Taken in front of the old Misson store at Neche. L to R Barney Dueland, Susie Eysblister, John Morin, Len Misson, Joe Lee, Pete St. Amour and Ken Wylie. A handsome line of shirt waists — Don't wait until our line of shirtwaists has been picked over. Come now and make your selections. We are sole agents in Neche for the famous Neeland shirt waists — J. LaMoure & Co. — Walhalla and Neche. P. C. DONOVAN, Vic« President; BENJ.'FRYSXIK, Aeat. Oaahier. BANK OF NECHE Neche, North Dakota About 1912 — Young Brothers Meat Market at Neche. E. M. Young behind the counter with Erwin McFadden standing to the left and a friend. We Make Farm Loans direct with eastern investors. Notes payable at Bank of Neche. NO EXCHANGE TO PAY. City Meat Market — Young Brothers, Prop. — fresh and salt meats of all kinds, fresh salt and Farm Insurance! smoked fish; oysters and game in season — in Fire and Hail, in the old reliable St. Paul Rre Sc Marine. L»* fact everything that pertains to a first-class surance Company. market, canned goods, horseradish, catsups, etc. 118 BRUCE BUSINESSES The post office was called the Bruce Post Of fice, since Bruce was the name of the community in Ontario from which the settlers came. The post office was first located in the Robert McConnell home. In 1889, when the Dakotas were divided it was moved to the David McFadden home. In 1902, Robert Armstrong moved a small shack onto the corner of the McFadden farm where he had a general store for 2 years. Perhaps at this time Bruce was at its best. It boasted of a general store, a post office, a blacksmith shop run by William Thomas, a Methodist Church, a public school, a skating rink, a star baseball team, as well as a Literary Society, Epworth League, Debating Societies and a Men's Glee Club. Charlie Dawson, certified Public Accountant. Neche main street About 1904, the post office was moved to John business before 1917. Luxon's home. A crude box containing a few compartments in the corner of one room served as the post office. The R.F.D. route was extended from Neche through Bruce so the post office went out of use. IMcradden 8c Gapitan ——————— Dealeis in • • Farm Machinery, Harness WE MAKE OUR HARNESS ! Remember our motto: "Not How Cheap but Haw Good." Oliver Hughes — 1868-1940. Manager of Northwestern Grain Elevator in Neche, 1908 to 1924. Born in Ontario, came to N. Dak. with A full line of reliable Machinery; see us for his parents in 1874. Married Jennie Sheard 1908. Two children George anything in our line! and Howard. Farmed west of Neche, 1912 to 1940. -~J Neche — The weather made delivery of gas rough at times. In the winter of 1936 there was so much snow that Farmers Union gas had to be loaded into drums and carted by sled to the station. Pictured are Cliff and Wm. Glenn, J. C. Morris, and Everett Knowles. l POME ARAM Neche livery, feed and sale stable — good rigs and horses; careful drivers; moderate charges, courteous treatment, special attention given commercial trade. W. H. Howell — prop. Near Opera House, Neche, N. Dak. # # # W. E. Glenn and son Cliff with twin grandsons David and Donald. City Hotel and lunch counter — Nick O'Con nor, prop. Hotel O'Brien — Timothy O'Brien, Prop. — • # # New, spacious elegant solid brick, steam heat, For Sale: Choice acre lots adjoining Neche finest appointed hotel between Grand Forks and townsite. You can pay for the lots in one year, Winnipeg. Good livery barn in connection. raising potatoes — F. L. Lewis. Neche Douville Grocery Staff — 1950, Carl Krause Sr., Alcide Neche Barber, Bill Brown, with his mustache cup collection. Godfrey Douville, Reinhold Pohl. Moris reading paper, Ernie Klien in barber chair. W. L. Walton — When you buy the Van Brunt City barber shop and bathroom — Ed Slager drill, you are on the right road to success and man, Proprietor. good crops. # * # When in need of a good shave or haircut, remember the place to get it is at Slagerman's — first door south of the Sample Room. *££) wmU' First Booker Store in Neche. (Purchased from Murphy and McLeod.; Uaiifl Neche Farmers Union Co. — 1934. Joe Berard Oil Company (1935). • • '1 i /#'M ~**ti$2MWJ Our own Hardware Store owned by John Booker. Pictured L. to R. Bet ty Booker, Bobby Booker, Mike Gladue, Wilbur Paton, Joe Monday and Art Neche Douville's Cafe — Harvey Douville, Beaty (Douville) Stegman, Jennison. Celina Mondor, and Sarah Carter. 120 Morrison Implement — Neche, N. Dak. Earl Morrison, Owner. Briggs elevaior fire — about 1934. TROTTER BROS., -DKAI-KKS IN- First National Bank Corner — Neche. Frankie, Frank C. Holmes, Alex General Merchandise Murphy. ISTEOH:E, iDj^ifZornj*'. C. N. Murphy, dealer in fruits and confec tionary, tobacco, cigars, jewelry and silverware, -THE tiRKA'l MODERN CLEANSlNCi COMBINATION— books and stationery, wallpaper and notions. BKLL'8 BUFFALO SOAP, BELL'S SOAPONA Best Soap Made. THE GREAT WABMINO POWOIH. # # # I I I ASK YOUR GROCER FOR THEM, i I I Send 25 Soap wrappers or 25Soapona coupons lor one of our handsome Donovan's Pharmacy — pure drugs, fresh pictures. None more beautiful ever painted. Full particulars on wrappers and eiupons. K. W. liw.i. Mre. Co., Buffalo, N. Y. medicines, toilet and fancy articles, paints, oils, varnishes, etc. — P. C. Donovan, M.D., Main Street, Neche. -v.f. Bert Hvidsten Implement at Neche. L to R, I. Felt, B. Hvidsten, K. Morrison Implement — L. to R. — Paul Latozke, Wallace Morrison, Schweitzer, F. Sorgenfrey, G. Gladue, and 0. Watts. Kenneth Schweitzer, Earl Morrison and Lloyd Lembke. 121 COMPLIMENTS OF j. :tvt:_ L"3ro:txr BATHGATE, D. T. DEALER IN BRY GOODS Staple and Fancy Groceries, CALL AND SEE US. McColls Hardware Store Bathgate 1906. Ed James, Sam Witmer and James McColl. " i f *P*ife Interior — Hillis and Manning Store, shown: Mrs. Manning, George Hillis, J. J. Manning. Cutting ice on the Tongue River at Bathgate. Standard Oil Dealer, 1908-1933. Louis Capitan, Alex Beaton, Sr. and Hillis and Manning Store — Bathgate about 1911. Alex Beaton, Jr. 122 McCalls Hardware Store — Bathgate. Batrigate Grain Co. Art and Fern Yon, Owners. The main elevator was built in 1921 and destroyed by fire in August, 1972. First National Bank of Bathgate - 1903. R. M. Carson - Cashier, H. L. Holmes — President. Bathgate - "The Village Blacksmith" Blaise Blacksmith building. 1900. Bathgate Machine Shop — Craig and DeMars Shop (James Brothers). m^K- Jal r ) "K '' * Lou Dolprings and Joe Bennett Machine Shop at Bathgate. Ike Foster's Oxen, Bathgate, N. Dak. 123 THE NEW TOWN 0i # @ The City "Fathers" 1976 I. to r.: Ray Wilson, Dick Karel, clerk Meri Neche Fire Dept. Skovgaard, Mayor Leland DeMars, Jim Stockton and Dale Reck. BWHHHBHHHgwe Neche Water Plant and Staff: Gene Arens, Russel Kain, Mgr., Cliff D'Heilly. JUL ~m ny i fji a Citizen's State Bank and personnel: Florian Krause, Dorothy Lembke, Douville's Family Fairway and part of the family: John, Mike Bill, Joan Gertrude Ertman, Donna Jean Schweitzer and Jim Duncan. and Mugs. -tWOMPSONS BAKERY ' r &UAFE \ I WALHALLA. N.D "^^** • if -: L.nK 9 Thompson's Neche Cafe and Glenn Thompson. U.S. Customs Office and Officers Jack Wright, Roy Molstad and Ray Neche Farmer's Elevator Co. Manager Walter Weiss and Wayne Carpenter. Weiss. 124 Cenex Oil Station and Staff: I. to r. Duane Watts, Les Lupien, Lou Alfstad, Bev Lupien, Dick Winkler, George Winkler, Mgr. Rural Mail Carrier Frank Trenbeath. U.S. Post Office. Post Master Earl Feick, assistants Bobby Ann Jen son and Zoe Horgan. Symington Insurance: David and Darlene. The Beauty Shop and Phyllis Reck at work. I Qyj n O'Brien House, L. and M. Bar, Lawrence and Marlene Winkler. "'. J >~rvr The L Club — Leona and Lyman Demars. Raedel's Blacksmith Shop: Walter, Keith and Frank Raedel The Western Bar and owner-manager Marge Foxen. Wi Neche Greenhouse Delivery truck and Gerda Schmitt. Barber Tom Douville. Dale Reck, Standard Oil Dealer. 125 Jenson's Road Maintenance and Garbage Collection Service I. to r.: Bryon, Harold Jr., and John Jenson. Dean's Cabinet Shop — Dean Quinnett. Midway Grain Co. Started operation in Dec, 1973. Buy and sell grain, seed, fertilizer and chemicals. Duane, Russell, and Alwin Morrison, owners. Employs 2 men, Dick Rosevold and Philip Renwick. 1—--! )|lf' vmmumyimmm ^j. jiillliJlIj|| Steam Clean Carpet Service — Duane Reck and Bruce Thorn. A view of the Neche Park. 126 DO YOU REMEMBER? For the psuedo-sophisticates who think we, who were raised on the prairies were unfor tunate or under-privileged, one can only say "they don't know what they missed:". Our memories include building "forts" with huge blocks of snow, bob sledding down the banks of the river, clearing off a piece of ice for skating (tho' no Olympic contenders emerged from our group). Coming home from school and being greeted by the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread. Snitching some of Mrs. Feick's sauerkraut (and oh, what a debilitating tummy ache that produced). The monumental decisions that were made at the penny-candy case in Outside of Park Center Skating Rink Murphy's store. What patience Charly had while Inside of Park Center Skating Rink — Early Thirties. waiting for us to make our astronomical expen — Early Thirties. ditures. And then we like to remember threshing time. The food that was served would please the most discerning gourmand's palate. Let's be reminded of the Old Red Hall. Many a torrid romance was nurtured to the accompaniment of the Three T K orchestra from Park River or the music produced by Johnny Brown, Frankie and Lillian Holmes and John Renaud. Marlys Morin Finley *zMr taps ^B^HE IKJWS.' /•itm^ M^L%^WLW **W&( '.- >md*••'• ' I '^LL l-1m • ^-- 9P ,y" if' ° '' u'" NJSCV • Mrs. Zoe D'Heilly and longtime friend, Mrs. Nevins. Mrs. D'Heilly was the oldest resident of this area, living to the age of 106. Neche Band — about 1915. Back row L to R: Earl Symington, Homer Fadden, John Brown, Andy Feick, Mervin Givens, Carl Krause. 2nd row: Alex Gladue, Fred Latozke, Max Duprey, Mel Gladue, August Beaudrie, George D'Heilly. 3rd row: Billie Leech, Roy Young, Henry Latozke, Frank Holmes, Louis Ressler, George St. Amour. Front row: Dr. Montgomery, Mr. Giebs, Jack Welsh and Hec LaClair. J. N. "Jerry" Horgan. Bill Clark. 127 REMINISCING WITH BARBER BILL Bill Brown says, "It just wasn't the towns regular overnite fun-loving guests that invented all of the pranks. The town itself contained many real characters that supplied more than their share, too". He relates a few stories and in cidents undertaken by local citizens in the long ago that will provoke a hearty laugh today. A LOST LOCOMOTIVE. Canadian Engineer and Fireman stepped out of the hotel to find their railroad locomotive had disappeared. They had left it by the RR Water Tank located along main street where they had just taken on a tender of Neche Landmark — The only Double Double Decker outhouse in water before having a meal. This happened in America. the prohibition days when the roads to Gretna were blocked with snow. A thirsty and enter prising town character had borrowed it to run over to Gretna to bring back a bottle of booze. THE MISSING GOOSE. Now comes mighty hunter Harvey Kain, telling all about the two Canadian honkers he had shot and put in his deep freeze. They were promptly acquired by Norman Hadden by devious means, who then staged a free feed in the bowling alley, extending an in vitation to all the team members; which includ ed the unsuspecting provider of the roast goose who wasn't told or duly thanked until the roaster Jerome Hollinger waiting for the train to come in. was bare! V*M K 1% > v r mtm • $L\ tij*M '—•&*Ll2, t ^^i^JjLialiJjj^H R_K_ ^W PI I. 1 JJI :M 1 ':'y* jpljllljl IV i i •Mfi«l ,: "'"*"""' TT^A^ • 1 LM'' • EL 1 • — ->—»—. ,^r. ••••d:"" Garnet Symington — 6th Birthday — L. to R. Kenneth McLeod, Stanley Freiheit, Russell Chambers, Garnet Symington, Ray Weeden, Stanley Collison, Ernie Young, Charles Patrick Craigen, Earl Collison and Deryck Cawthorne. Neche Highschool Play, 1914-15. Back row, L. to R.. Thelma Glenden- ning, Celeste Aymond, Maggie Symington, Lauretta Symington, Ruth Edgerton, Frances Murphy, Emma Vollrath. Middle row: Eva Freeman, teacher, Violet Ferch, Maria McLarty, Agnes Aymond. Lower row: Marion Mattie Frank. Cook. 128 Julius Herzog (left) and friend Reinhold Ertman, came to America from Russia in 1913. Mr. Herzog was a Blacksmith in Neche, and married to Hulda Thorn. Their children were: Godfrey, Erwin, Marie, (twins Lillian and Dorothy), Herbert and Lenore. L. to R. Amelia Shay, Joseph Horgan, Annie Ethier (Morin), Josephine Shay and John Gynn — 1903. Bruno, long-time Neche marshal, Polly, Gloria and Paula Winkler. A bevy of beauties — Back L. to R.: Mabel Morin, Belle Houston, Ethel Lee, Laura Kyle, Bea Gynn and Delia Morin. Front: Eva Kyle, Addie Miller, Vera Lewis, Lizzie Miller, Flossie Welsh and Madge Baker. Fireman's feed, 1949. Front row, L. to R.: Cliff Glenn, Grant Defoe, Ed Lupien, Tony Kain, unknown, unknown, Joe Klepatch, unknown, Alt Loewen, Bruno Winkler, Henry Sehler, Grant Trenbeath. Back row: Henry Weiss, Howard Hughes, Herb Vosper, Jack Trenbeath, unknown, Vernie Douville, Russ Vosper, Cliff D'Heilly, Harvey Douville, Bill Douville, Albert Vollrath, Vic Svenson. AN EARLY 4th OF JULY. Then there was the The Tranbeath Family Band — 1929. Left to right: Lois, Elmer, Hillis lazy Sunday afternoon when most of the town (drums), Alan and Elsie. characters had gathered in Murphy's Store. The entertainment must have gotten a little dull, as one of the group lit a firecracker to put some life in the party. That explosion promptly set off a full inventory of fireworks on display in the store. None were able to get out the door, and were forced to stay for the whole show. They ducked the killer rockets by diving behind the counters, and dropping into a small hole under a trap door in the floor. It was a battered group of pranksters that later filed out of the gutted in terior. McClarty Sawmill - L. to R. Donald and David McClarty. 129 Johnny Renaud and son, Doug with Bill Anderson in Nashville. Fred Latozke, bandmaster. A COW GETS INTO THE POKER GAME. The Neche community always had more than its share of poker playing enthusiasts. The teller of this true story was one of the players on this fateful night. These out-of-sight games could take place most anywhere in those days, even in empty box Jas. McFadden farm, Coffee Klatch of yesteryears, L. to R. Laura cars. But this particular nite the scene was the (McFadden) Hanson, Vida (McFadden) Perkins, Margaret Briggs, Nellie (Hinds) McFadden, Mrs. Robert Nichols, Sadie (McTavish) McFadden and Rotenberger residence located north of the Eva (Hughes) McConnell. Railroad Roundhouse on the west side of the track. Unfortunately, two players' wives knew where the game was going on. At 4:00 A.M. they felt Hubby should be home, so they set out to do something about it. They were a little miffed at how to proceed on this pitch black nite after arriving alongside a dimly lit and shaded kitchen window. But a well aimed stone shattered the window pane, and the quiet of the night. The throw sent a piece of broken glass flying through the window shade that triggered all the following action. The player sitting with his back to the win dow, jumped up out of his chair, grabbed the 1917 Co. C. N. D. - Grafton, N. D. L. to R. Mike Gladue, Clayton back of his neck and his hand came away Pennebaker, Wilfred Bullen, J. E. Lee, Claude Aymond, and Jim Horgan. smeared with blood. He exclaimed, "My God, I'm shot"! Pandemonium immediately broke out in the room. The light was knocked out, and the big money-pot in the middle of the table was forgotten. One player flattened out on the floor, Army style, and another trampled him good while yanking the door-lock off the wall. The race for home was away. One speedster plowed broadside into Pat Horgan's cow tied up along the track. On getting back to his feet he cried out, "Don't shoot Spirit of the Plow — standing I. to r.: Edward Auger, Grant Trenbeath, Sherriff, Here I am — my hands are up!" Chris Menke, Art Vollrath, Fredrick Rene, Beverly Moris, Eva Moris, Dorothea Morin, Evelyn Lupien, Hillis Trenbeath, Lucille Douville. kneeling: In the morning, Mrs. Rotenberget was sur Russell Kain, Vernon Douville, Clifton Jenson, Garnet Symington, Russell prised to find such a large tip left on her kitchen Vosper, Lawrence Trenbeath. 1933. table. The only winner of the night. 130 Flood Post Mortems - 1974. N. E. of Neche, N. of Charlie Morris Border Problems: Disputed Dike Road. Looking North to Gretna. Note farm. Web Vorhees, County Agent. how high the water had been. 1974 Flood Aftermath — Horsley Farm. "Anyone for a swim? 1950 Flood. Highway 18 - '/2 mi. so. of Neche, Cliff Glenn's truck, Bert Hvidsten's cat tractor. "Brooklyn" in Flood! 1962 and five other years. International Border, dry land and Gretna to the North and West 1974. These pictures portray a growing menace that descended upon our countryside beginning in the spring of 1949, and followed in the years 1950-56-62-66-69-70-71 and 74. About 40,000 acres of farmland along the Pembina River suffer every flood year. The dikes to protect Neche were constructed between flood crests in 1969. Until then, the residential area west of the railroad tracks and the south end of town were flooded. Besides the grief and destruction for our people, the floods have also been hard on our Canadian neighbors, creating serious complications and disputes along the Border. Hopefully, a start will soon begin on a two country multi-purpose correction — The Pembilier Dam. 31 * P *M •». '"TUB. 3r--TK ' W .BBflBl ifl% Whisker Club, Back Row L. to R.: Wayne Glenn, Jack Neifeldt, Clarence Schumaker, Russel Vosper, Bob Smith, Norman Hadden, Art Askew. Front Row: Joe Klepatch, Cliff Glenn, Oran Watts, Russell Kain, Florian Krause, Harvey Douville. Largest tree in North Dakota on the Fred Kollack farm. Dimensions: Height - 124 ft. Circum. - 22 ft. Diameter - 7 ft. Fred Kollack and two daughters Barbara and Brenda. ANOTHER WAY TO TAKE THE CURE. There was a period of time when a group of our town citizens regularly got together in the office of one of the business places to enjoy an evening sipping the demon Rum. Just as regularly, one of the group could never handle his drink, and generally passed out before the party broke up. So it became the un pleasant duty of his companions to carry him safely into his house when the party ended. But This bridge is known as the "Quinnel", the "Morris", or the "Kelm" they soon tired of this arrangement, and besides bridge, it just depends who you talk to. The warning states "no faster than it became harder to face the wrath of the a walk" yet these same bridges carry 20 ton loads of wheat and sugar beets. The buggy and horse belong to Tom McNamara, rural letter carrier gentleman's wife, who always met them at the of 1907. door. At a later stag party, the same fellow again lost his senses in the early part of the evening. A handy place to dispose of the nuisance body was found in an adjoining room containing a supply of caskets. His merry friends folded his hands on his chest and performed the last rites. But when the party finally broke up, the fuzzy minded com panions forgot about their friend so nicely laid out in the coffin, and left him there. Your imagination can envision the sobering effect the scenery must have had on this man when he awakened. Neche Grain and Livestock Co. (1912-1930). S. O'Leary, Manager. Men about town: Homer Nelson, Kenneth Zimmer, Richard Clark and 0. J. Linde — Depot Agent, came to Neche in 1939 with his wife Lloyd Nelson. Mabelle and children, Kay Trenbeath, Juell Duncan and John. 132 PP i 'firs J. L. Symington, Charlie Gynn, George Symington and Gus Svenson. Ted and Frank Horgan — Pioneers in Neche area. L. to R. George Lembke, Harvey Kain, Otto Lembke and Raymond Corbett. Tim O'Brien — U.S. Customs. *e Douville float for Neche Gym fund raising drive. L. to R. Harvey Douville, Johnny Brown, Katherine Derkson, Beaty Douville and 3 unknown in 1950. mm Neche's 80th Anniversary Parade — 1962 — Jim Duncan, Gertie Ert- man and Eunice Guenther. Duncan clan at the Duprey place. Community Choir. Front row: Maud Symington, Lois Heilman, Lucy Talle, Maggie Svenson, lola Askew, unknown, unknown, Bea Symington, Abigail Sanden. Back row: Ruth Krueger, Toby Lee, Ernest Anderson, Fred Kain was "Wheat King" of Pembina County in 1927. Lepha Newell, Vincent Dodge, unknown, Ronald Knowles, Muriel Livingstone, Bernice Freeman. 133 Mrs. Margaret Gynn, daughter Gertie, grand daughter Beatrice and great-granddaughter Calvin Cook and Arthur Jennison. Ramona. Karl Winkler 60th wedding anniversary. L. W. Cook and Prince. Paton Bridge collapsed March 1966. Donald Thorn and BIG BIRD. Joe Kirby. Vernon Williams and his pacer, Misty Forbes — winner of blanket and trophy at the Hamilton Fair in 1971. 134 S "J Pi 4, J:*J& George Horsley's threshing crew — 1918 L. to R.. Harvey Martineau, Alf Johnson, Gene Martineau, Wylie Forgie. Nova Davidson, William Beau mont, Jim McAndrews, Bill Puschinsky. Front row: Jim Horsley, Russell Horsley, Martin LaFromboise, George Horsley, Ernest Bartlette and Tom Horsley. Symington Horsepower: King, Dan, Frank and Buster. Garr in front. "Anyone for tea, Girls?" — Earl Young, Earl Symington, Ronald Knowles, and Fred Duncan. Did Neche have streetcars!? The End 135 PLAT OF T1IK TOWNSIIIP OF iiliiil'niVini N E(3IIE •' « ii H I " > t""l ill II fll it'fll PJE MB I IN A, 0 O.N. D. To mLflu/JGll iVcrrtli Range 53 West. Jcale //si/tches IntiZe. NH TumiAiip/eSA'ort/c Fange 53 We.rl Jra/r' 14$ incA.es /mite. 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