Parshall, North Dakota

PASSU AI 1914 Big Future *V': •• DaKoi•.! ';!ate j. '15f« ,.> F- 644 . P35S S36 1964 c. c Scholz, Martha. Our 50th year, 1914-1364 BISMARCK 58501 North Dakota We Library Bismarck, NO 58505 AUG 2 6 1974 WRUmmifMnaa .,„.1,1111111111111111111 Ml 3 3105 00052 9873 NORTH DAKOTA BOOK OR AUTHOR PARSHALL, NORTH DAKOTA North Dakota State Library Bismarck.'ND 58501 ... 1 a r yn =** r. 06/ Foreword We, of the Historical Group wish to submit this statement as a means of showing our appreciation and thanks to everyone who supplied us with the necessary material to compile this booklet. The work was not easy. It entailed a mass of research on the part of many, for old pictures had to be located, old records had to be gone through, pioneers who have moved away had to be located and contacted personally, if possible, otherwise by letter. Many old records have been lost, thus accounting for items that should be in this book and are not. It was a type of work in which we all lacked experience so - please accept our most humble apologies for errors, misconceptions, omission, etc. We did our best! Thank you. The Historical Committee Martha Scholz, Chrm. Jennie Shubert Bertie Spitzer — 3 — Parshall, North Dakota - one year old. Winter street scene, 1916 - Parshall, North Dakota. .' _. 4 _ Dedication We dedicate this book to those hardy, determined pioneers who had the fortitude to blaze the trail to give of their ALL that their children and children's children might be spared like situations and circumstances. — 5 GEORGE PARSHALL — 6 — Parshall In. or about, the year of 1910, the northern portion of the Fort Berthold Reservation became a part of the public domain. Appraisal of the land had to be made. Mr. George Parshall was a member of the group who evaluated the land. Being the son of a surveyor who had surveyed for the government in years prior to this may have been one of the reasons why George Parshall was always intensely interested in work of this type. It became their custom to apply the name of a member to a probable townsite, so when this group came upon the townsite on the land described as SE'/» - Sec. 25, Twp. 152, Range 90, to it was given the name of Parshall. This city was established in the year of 1914 and the name, Parshall, was officially adopted. An excerpt taken from the address given by Jefferson B. Smith at the 1954 dedication of the monument commemorative to George Par- shall, in the City of Parshall, he says: He was a fine, calm, undaunted, appreciative man. He loved life. He valued the friendship of every one, helped many, hurt few. His devotion to his family was very no ticeable. He was sincere and dependable. He had a strong mind and a resolute will. He loved his country; he was an outstanding citizen. Noone ever met him and left without being impressed with his goodness. 7 — Building the railroad with horse power - 1916. Parshall Township — 1914-1964 Parshall Township was organized on November 2, 1915 by petition to the County Commissioners who approved said petition. A notice of election of officers was mailed to the sheriff for posting according to law. Said election to be held at 2 p.m. on November 20, 1915. George Jordet was appointed temporary clerk of the election and it was signed by H. P. Duggen, County Auditor. According to record, the election of November 20, 1915, was held in the Congregational Church in Parshall Township to elect the first Township Officers who were to serve until the regular election date of March 21, 1916. Oscar Qualley and Jacob Lauridson were appointed Judges of Election. Elected to the Township Board as the first officials were: H. Damschen, D. C. Darringon, Axel Nelson as supervisors. George Jordet as clerk, M. E. Monson as treasurer. Ole Christianson as assessor. N. N. Aune, Ted Johnson, Justices of the Peace, Bernhard Maurer, Constable, F. F. Stanek, Poundmaster, F. F. Heuer, Road Overseer. These were the first elected men to run the business of Parshall Township. The township consisted of Indian Reservation land and 9 sections of land on the north side called "The Strip", that was homesteaded in 1906. Those early people had to walk or drive to Berthold to the nearest railroad station. The first Annual Meeting was held on March 21, 1916, and the following men were elected: N. N. Aune, D. C. Darrington and Hans P. Larson, Supervisors. George Jordet, Clerk, M. E. Monson, Treasurer. M. G. Evans, Assessor, L. E. Berntson, Justice of the Peace, Bernhard Mauer, Con stable. Also elected at that time were : L. E. Berntson, J. J. Balotis, John Havlis, Alf Hjelle, Commissioners of Conciliation. The newly elected Township Board began to organize a road district and began to improve bad spots on road lines. It was a four road district in the township. The township bought a school building for their township hall and it is still in use today; some over 55 years old. It had been used as a schoolhouse on "The Strip" north of Parshall. Time passed by. People got settled on this new reservation land, roads were improved, and the village of Parshall grew to be a good sized town. In Parshall township in the late 20's we had 118 voters, quite a contrast to 45 at this writing! It is also interesting to know the wages paid for labor. Records show $3.00 per day for man and team for 10 hours of work per day. Official pay for elected men was $3.00 per meeting. A list of those who held township offices for a long time were : George Jordet, clerk for 40 years, also assessor for many terms. He also held a secretary's job in the Co-op Elevator, the Farmers Telephone Co., and Farmers Union Local. M. E. Monson, Treasurer, Carl Melin, Hans P. — 9 — A. A. McNutt's "Slow but Sure" dependable power near Parshall about 1915. Breaking virgin sod. First steam outfit in Parshall area owned by Tony Fiella. — 10 — Larsen, John Hermundstad, John Havlis, William Bonsall, Supervisors; L. C. Berntson, Assessor and Treasurer, Also R. E. Runquist, Chris Clem- enson became a member of the Township Board in the late 30's and is supervisor at this meeting. John Hermundson served as Clerk until 1962. During the 50 years existence of Parshall Township, much has taken place. We have good roads, telephone service and electric power around the clock. A modern school costing over $1,000,000,00. The Parshall Township has more good roads than any other township around Parshall City. We should not forget to mention the ten dry years that we lived through in the 30's. As one year became worse than the other one would frequently hear that this land should be turned back to the Indians. Indeed, it was a long period of suffering. Many people did leave this part of the Parshall Territory never to return. Almost all of the people had some government surplus rations. PWA and some surplus commodities were divided among the people by county committees. We had to get seed, feed, oil and gas at loan from the government to seed the land, and by the end of the dry period we owed the government may thousands of dollars. Then, the rains began to come in the 1940's and this cursed land started to produce crops. Prices came up and the poor years were soon forgotten. We have had lean crop years after that, too, but improved farming methods have helped to raise crops with less rain. The present supervisors that have served many terms are: Oscar Skogen, Chris Clemenson, Ralph Bartelson with Raymond Hovda as the Treasurer. Those old timers still living on their farms are: Mr. and Mrs. Fred Maurer, Mr. and Mrs. Chris Clemenson, John Hanzal, Sr., John Hermund stad and August Haas. How will things look and be in another fifty years? The east half of Parshall Township and the Village of Parshall were organized as Parshall Common School District No. 3, September 7, 1915. First chairman was David Larin. The directors were : Hermann Damschen, N. O. Sanden, clerk; E. B. Kjelstrup, Treasurer; A. O. Fuglie. The west half of Parshall Township organized Division School District No. 20. Their first officials were; Directors, Chris Clemenson, John Ahlgren, Martin Blank. Treasurer was Carl Melin and the Clerk was Charlie Carmody. It is now a part of Parshall School District. In this 5^ years this school has grown from a few teachers to 28 who are now on the pay roll. I think it is a fine, remarkable accomp lishment. The foregoing is a few remarks of Parshall History in the 50 years of it's existence. —John Hermundstad. — 11 — This Is A List Of The Homesteaders In Parshall Township As Of 1917 Sec. 1 Stina Hovdestad Sec. 13 Martin Evans Sec. 26 Alfred Iverson Carl Monson Syver Hoff Olive Warren John P. Holmen August Haas Olaf Faro Edwin Monson Hans Larson Sec. 2 R. D. Ward Sec. 14 Bernt Berntson Sec. 27 Oscar Olson Charlie C Peterson David Darrington Julius Risan George Jordet John Geving Henry Olson Ben Monson David Bartelson James Higgins See. 3 W. M. Richmond Sec. 15 Martin Monson Sec. 28 Jane Smith Ole Christianson Carl Monson Clarence Christen Mrs. Stina Wick Angel Hjelle Charles Lavean Bank of Minot Magnus Paulson John Loock Sec. 4 Christian Ruud Sec. 17 Channey Morris Sec, 29 Chas. Hornaday Andrew Skolaas Ed.

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