Origins of North Dakota place names

• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: North Dakota State Library 2014
• Subjects: Homestead; Nicholson; Postville
• Online Access: http://cdm16921.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/ndsl-books/id/16781

was established in his farm house nearby, May 3, 1904 which was in operation but a few months when it was discontinued Aug. 9, 1904 and mail sent to Straubville. (1, p. 322; 80) NICHOLSON: In 1883 this townsite was platted on Sec. 6, Sargent Twp., the second Soo Line station west of Forman. Named for Thomas W. Nicholson, original townsite owner, and local homesteader who was appointed the first postmaster Jan. 25, 1886. The town declined after 1902; the post office discontinued and mail was sent to Cogswell. Nicholson is now but a flag stop with an elevator and a few homes. (78, p. 67; 80) OELLA: A rural post office on Sec. 15, Taylor Twp. established May 7, 1900 with Winifred S. Howard, postmaster, was named for the nearby lake, which was named for Oella Parson who owned the land surrounding the lake; discontinued Aug. 24, 1903 and mail sent to Havana. (80) PERRY: A village grew around the Soo Line station on Sec. 6, Ransom Twp. where a store, lumber yard and elevator were operated for a number of years. The post office was established Feb. 1, 1893 with Chester C. Numdale, postmaster; discontinued April 15, 1912 and mail sent to Ransom. It is not definitely known but it is supposedly named for Ebenezer P. Perry, a well known attorney of Dickey County or Perry Johnson, landowner and farmer in Shuman Twp. — while others think it was named by settlers from Perry, 111. or Perry, Mich., or Perry County, Missouri. (1, p. 488; 80) POSTVILLE: See HAMLIN RANSOM CITY: Named for its township (which later was renamed Rutland Twp.) and the bordering county on the north, which drew its name from Fort Ransom established in 1867 near Bear Den Hill on the Sheyenne River, an important post on the military trail of that day. In April 1882, Randolph Holding erected a store on his homestead bordering the Wild. Rice River Sec. 1-130-54 in which a post office was established June 29, 1882 with David S. Cobb, postmaster. A townsite was platted here in March 1883 but never developed; the store was moved to Cayuga by 1890; the Great Northern Ry. built one mile south in 1914 and Ransom City became a ghost town. (1, p. 472; 11, p. 203; 80) RIPLEY: A rural post office established on NWy4, Sec. 14-131-57 April 24, 1884 in the home of the postmaster, Samuel Bromley; discontinued Nov. 15, 1887. Supposedly named for Ripley, Jasper County, Indiana. RUTLAND: This village founded on Sec. 19, Ransom Twp. (later renamed Rutland Twp.) was originally named STEWART when the 280 Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.