Compendium of history and biography of North Dakota: containing a history of North Dakota . also a compendium of biography of North Dakota

• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
• Subjects: Grand Forks; Griffith; Norway; Stephenson; Brenna; Nordland; Tromsoe
• Online Access: http://cdm16921.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/ndsl-books/id/52113

9S4 COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHY. j\Irs. Thayer, and are named as follows : Eva May, deceased Carrie M., now Mrs. M. Prindel,of Aneta and Frederick Ward, now engaged in farming with our subject. Mr. Thayer early became identified with the Republican party in political faith, and served many years as a member of the county central committee, and is a regular attendant at county and state conventions. He is a robust man of great men-tal and physical vigor and has surmounted every obstacle which came to him in his pioneer life in Xorth Dakota. CORNELIUS DANIELS. This gentleman is well known as one of the foremost etlucatprs and agriculturists of Urenna township, where he is an od settler. He has followed teaching throughout his career with good results, and -has intelligently applied himself to agriculture since taking up his residence in North JJakota in connection with his school work, and is now the fortunate possessor of a fine farm of one half-section. Our subject is a native of Norway, and was born September i6, 1838. His parents, Daniel Ole-son and Marie (Stephenson) Daniels, were natives also of Norway, and passed their lives in Nordland, near Tromsoe. Three sons and two daughters were born to them, of whom our subject and one daughter are the only ones in the United States. Mr. Daniels was reared and educated in Nor-way, and attended the seminary, and in 1868 came to the L^nited States, and in November of that year located at Paxton, Illinois, where he attended Au-gustana College and then attended St. Paul's Col-lege at Springfield, one year. He completed his Studies with a year's course at Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis. He then taught school in Wiscon-sin seven years, and in the spring of 1878 went to Grand Forks, North Dakota, and soon afterward located land in section 27 of Brenna township, where he has since resided. He now owns a half-section of valuable land, and has made a success of his labors in that line. He has also followed teaching and has aided in promoting eilucational work in his district. Our subject has served as supervisor of his township and assisted in the organization of the township. Politically he is independent and lends his influence for good local government. Our subject is one nf the bachelor fanners pecu-liar to Dakota. HERBERT C. THOMSON, a member of the firm of Thomson Brothers, dealers in hardware and lumber, in Bowesmont, Pembina county, is one of the rising young business men of that locality. He has been identified with tlie financial growth of the town and county and is widely and favorably known. Our subject was born in Goderich, Ontario, Can-ada, December 19, 1864, and was the fourth in a fam-ily of five children liorn to James and Elizabeth (Collins) Thomson. His father is well known in Pembina county as a gentleman of good business ability and much social influence. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in November, 1830, and is now traveling in quest of better health. The mother of our subject was a native of England, and the parents emigrated to, America while children, and were married in London, Ontario, where the father established himself in the wagon-maker's trade. To provide land and possessions for his chil-dren he went to Pembina county, North Dakota, in September, 1880, and entered claim to land in section 21, in Lincoln township, and the family joined him there in the spring of 1881. This was the beginning of a permanent settlement near Bowes-mont, and through the influence of i\Ir. Thomson many Canadian families were induced to try their fortunes in Dakota. The father of our subject sold his farming interests in 1887 and removed to Neche, Pembina county, and became cashier of the Bank of Neche. He went to Bowesmont, in July, 1890, and established a hardware and lumber business, and in 1891 our subject became a partner of the business. A brother, Oscar \\., bought a partnership in the business in 1895, and the father retired to private life, and now enjoys the fruit of his labors. He was always a stanch Republican and a man of broad ideas and good business qualifications. JMr. Tliomson has prospered in the mercantile business and the firm now has a liberal trade and is one of the well known business firms of that lo-cality. Our subject has served as postmaster of the Bowesmont office since 1S94 and is a popular and efficient officer. j\Ir. Thomson was married, in 1888, to ]\IissMary Spinning. Five children have been born to 'Sir. and Mrs. Thomson, named as follows : Edna, Roy, Ross, Lynn and Fred. Mr. Thomson is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and Ancient Order of United Workmen. In political faith he is a Demo-crat and is firm in his convictions, but is popular with the people regardless of party affiliations. THO-MAS D. LEWIS, one of the extensive land owners, stock raisers, and general farmers of Foster county, is a pioneer settler of that region, and has accumulated his fortune only through honest industry and good management. He is now the owner of one thousand eight hundred acres of land, and his farm is fuH\- equipped with every comfort and convenience found on a model farm. He makes his home in section 10, in township 145, range 65. A portrait of Mr. Lewis appears on another page. Our subject was born on a farm in Wales, March 8, 1855. His father. John Lewis, was a farmer, as was also his father, Griffith Lewis. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Catherine Evans, and his father, Daniel Evans, was a farmer by occupation. Mr. Lewis was the oldest in a family of eight Internet Archive