| Summary: | CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP Mr. George E. Weston was born in London, England on the twentieth day of November, 1832. Mr. Weston commenced life for himself when he was ten years old by clerking in a grocery store in London for a number of years. He then immigrated to America, landing in New York, where he hired out to a merchant in Albany and then in Buffalo, New York. After working and traveling in many different states and cities he went to Sioux City, Iowa where he stayed until the winter of 1860. He then went to DEVILs Lake in charge of supplies for a company. He had 36 wagons of provision and did an extensive amount of trade with the Indians. In March he returned to Ft. Abercrombie, where he built a boat and after stocking it with provisions, sailed down the Red River where he took up a claim at the mouth of the Goose River. He was recognized as the first settler in what later became Trail County. His nearest neighbor at this time was 35 miles away. At one time Mr. Weston took charge of the Hudson Bay Store at Georgetown. In 1873 the lust for adventure hit him again and he joined a surveying party going to the Yellowstone Park. This party had an escort of 800 soldiers. They had a number of engagements with Indians in Sitting Bull's Country and at one time he. went up the Missouri River and purchased 800 buffalo hides and on his return was attacked by Indians. Mr. Weston was married twice, first in 1858 to Miss Hanna Hawks. This union was blessed with three children: Frederick, Edward, and William. Mrs. Weston died in Sept., 1864. On Jan. 3, 1883, he was married to Miss Elizabeth McDonald, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Peter McDonald, natives of Scotland. Mr. George Weston died March, 1903 at Mine Center, Ontario. Canada. In 1877, Mr. & Mrs. Bernhard Bye moved to Caledonia, North Dakota. In 1878 they moved onto their homestead in Caledonia Township in the part that is now known as Her- berg Township. They resided here for 32 years and in 1910 they moved to Halstad, Minnesota. Mrs. Bye died in her home at Halstad, Minnesota, November 5, 1931. Burial was made in the Caledonia Cemetery, as was her husband. We have no information as to the date of his death. Mrs. Ida Butterfield (Ida May Corliss), was born in Suncook, New Hampshire on August 10, 1867. She came with her parents to Caledonia, Dakota Territory in September, 1879 and she received her education there in the common schools and spent nearly her entire life in that community. In 1893, she was united in marriage to M. B. Sullivan. In 1911, she married E. A. Butterfield, who passed away about 12 years before her death. Mrs. Butterfield was a member of the Congregational Church in Caledonia. She died at Montevideo and her remains were brought back to Caledonia for services and burial. She was survived by a son, Miles, at Montevideo, Minnesota. Two sons, Harry and Roy Sullivan passed away when they were very young. Alvin Briggs was born in Auson, Maine, August 7, 1844 and grew to manhood there. On June 17, 1871 he was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Marsh Pinkham. Two children were born to this union, Jennie May, and Alton Alvin. In 1883 he came to Dakota and located at Caledonia, North Dakota. Mr. Briggs died October 2, 1926 at Fargo, North Dakota. The funeral was held at the Congregational Church with interment in the Caledonia Church Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, a son, Alvin and a daughter, Mrs. A. D. Hall. He took an active interest in public affairs and he was appointed Deputy Sheriff before the county seat was moved to Hillsboro, North Dakota. He also served as Justice of Peace for a number of years. Dr. Erick Falk came to Caledonia, North Dakota in the year of 1878 and took up a practice in medicine and later entered into politics and served as County Auditor for Traill County a number of years. Later, he embarked into the newspaper business and printed the Traill County Times at Caledonia. Following the removal of the county seat to Hillsboro, he moved to Hillsboro with his publishing business and continued publishing the Times. He remained in Hillsboro until 1905 when he disposed of his newspaper and moved to Bagley, Minnesota. He died at the Old Soldiers home in Minneapolis, Minnesota March 9, 1925. He was a veteran of the Civil War. He had also spent several years at Stoughton, Wisconsin, where he was buried. Erick T. John was born in Gul- brandsdalen, Norway, December 10, 1841 and immigrated to America in 1866 locating on a farm in Coon Valley, Wisconsin. From there he moved to Fargo, North Dakota in 1875 and in 1876 he moved to Caledonia, North Dakota, where he opened the first hardware store in Traill County. He did a thriving business supplying stoves and other equipment to settlers. Mr. John once had a shipment of seven carloads of stoves, which he freighted from Ada, Minnesota, the nearest town with a railroad. It is said that he sold three carloads of these stoves in a single day. His store building was the old John McDonald Store in Caledonia. Mr. John was married in 1866 to Miss Marie Olson. He died at Northwood, North Dakota on February 26, 1916 and was buried in the Aal Lutheran Cemetery west of Hillsboro, North Dakota. He was survived by his brothers and sisters. Peter Herbranson was born in Norway, August 9, 1847. He immigrated to the United States in 1864 and settled in Clayton County, Iowa where he was employed at farming and lumbering until 1876. He then went to Ottertail County, Minn., and soon afterwards visited the Red River Valley and took a pre-emption claim near Caledonia, North Dakota and engaged in buying and shipping stock. He was married to Miss Carrie Nelson in 1873. They had six children: Mrs. Hartvig Floberg, Mrs. Zat Zam, Mrs, C. Morgon, Mrs. Leo Ap- pleman, Harry, and James Herbranson. He died at his farm home and the funeral was held on Jan. 15, 1930 at the age of 82 years. Interment was made in the Caledonia Cemetery. Rev Skunes of Halstad, Minnesota, conducted the services and six of his old friends from the pioneer days were the pallbearers. They were: Chas. Peterson, Hugh McDonald, Joseph Anderson, John Vennes, Paul Jacobson and Matt Johnson. Mr. Herbranson served Traill County in the lower House of the Legislature in the sessions of 1890-1895. He also served as a senator in the sessions of 1903, and 1905. He was also Postmaster at Caledonia for more than 20 years and county commissioner, first elected in 1878 and served continuously for 18 years and then after a few years was elected again. He was the last of the "11 Tigers of the Jungle." More about this group can be found elsewhere. 44 Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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