| Summary: | passengers ran through Lakota on March 25,1883. There was no man more outstanding in the county than M.N. Johnson. Born in Wisconsin in 1850, a graduate of Iowa University, coming to Nelson County in ’82 with less than $100. His farm later consisted of 2,300 acres, well improved land. He studied law and was in the state legislature in Iowa before coming to North Dakota. He was elected district attorney in ’86, a member of North Dakota construction convention in ’89, and later he was a senator. He was delegated by the people in town opposed to giving Lakota a lottery company. A franchise, 20 year lease to work again. There was no man more active in Nelson County affairs then J. P. Lamb. He was born at Port Huron, Michigan, October 13, 1858, and came to Nelson County in 1882 and started the first store in the county of Harrisburg in that year. He moved to the present site of Michigan City in 1883. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the Second Legislative Assembly in 1891-1893, and elected to the state senate for the Third and Fourth Legislative Assemblies in 1893 and 1897. He was also a member of the local school board for 25 to 30 years and up to the time of his death. He continued to take an active part in Democratic politics up to the time of his death. In 1917 to 1919 he was chairman of the Liberty Loan Committee for Nelson County. From 1917 to the time of his death he was chairman of the Red Cross for the county. In 1919 he arranged for the purchase of the present site of Old Settlers Park for Nelson County Old Settlers Association which organization he was active in organizing several years before. He was actively engaged in bringing settlers into the county from the early days up until he died also active in many other projects for the betterment and development of the local community, county and the state. He died November 4,1921. There was no more interesting character in the county than John Sutherland Sinclair, a kindly unassuming Scotch gentleman who had been here for some time before it was discovered that he was Lord Berriedale. Later through the death of an uncle he became Earl of Caithness. His estate consisted of a 10 miles strip across the entire north of Scotland but with a seat in Parliament and the attendant financial obligations entailed he came to America to seek hjs fortune and settled here in 1883. His farm consisted of 3,040 acres, six miles north of Lakota. He erected splendid buildings and kept many men employed and his farm was the outstanding farm of the county in those days. He bred fine horses and had some sixty cows and conducted a modern dairy with creamery fitted up with modern appliances. He sold butter in town as well as shipping out a great deal. He drove a buck board and delivered the butter in person and the housewives appreciated the fact that it was rather unusual to have one’s butter delivered by a nobleman, who could trace his descent to Robert Bruce. Many stories are told of his kindliness and unassuming ways. He was a staunch supporter of the Episcopal church and aided in its erection. An amusing story is told of a young lady visiting in town who was told that at a social affair that night in the courthouse, she would meet a real lord. She was so thrilled and later on meeting Mr. Sinclair and his inquiring whether she was enjoying herself, replied that her evening had been spoiled because Lord Berriedale had not come. He remarked that he was a very quiet sort and did not care much for social affairs, and did not reveal his identity to her. It was not until she returned to her sister’s home that evening that she became aware of the facts. He sold the Berriedale farm in 1906, returned to his estate in Scotland, after 22 years residence in Nelson County, and made many improvements for his tenants and on the castle in Aberdeenshire, but the lure of America called him back. He returned to the Peace River Territory in Canada, and later moved to California where he was secretary of a copper mining corporation, living unostentatiously at the Hotel Balboa in Los Angeles. He was injured in a traffic accident and died of the injuries received and so at the end of a day of sunshine a funeral party took its way beneath the pepper trees of Hollywood cemetery to the brink of a freshly dug grave and the body of Lord Berriedale of Aberdeenshire, the seventh Earl of Caithness and Baronet of Nova Scotia found its resting place in alien soil. Though three years a resident of Los Angeles but two persons knew the real identity of John Sinclair. Another outstanding man in the county was M. N. Johnson, coming in 1882 to the territory, with less than $100, his farm of 2,300 acres and it was one of the most improved in the county. He was born in Wisconsin, in 1850 he graduated from Iowa University, later studied law and moved to Dakota Territory. He was elected district attorney in 1886, was a member of the N.D. Constitutional Convention in '89 and later U.S. Senator. The question of giving a 20 year lease to the Louisiana Lottery Co., at the time the county was organized, was a burning issue. Many people favored it, but Johnson was delegated by the opposition and won the point. No man in our county has won more nationwide prominence than the late A.J. Gronna who came to North Dakota in 1879, engaged in farming and teaching in Traill County. He moved to Lakota in 1887, conducted a mercantile business, was a member of the territorial legislature of 1889, held many local offices, was chairman of County Central Com. 1903-06, was a member of the Board of Regents of the University, was elected to the ’59-’60-’61 Congress serving from 1905 to 1911, when he resigned to ' --- -f-i-l-iiano- -a- vacancy caused by the death of M.N. enter Senate filling a t Johnson. He made his home in Lakota from 1887 until his death in 1922. In 1889-90 Sitting Bull caused an uprising of the Sioux at Standing Rock, the soldiers rounded up the Indians but they had concealed weapons under their blankets and a number of soldiers were killed. The Indians in this vicinity began holding war dances and coming to town wishing to trade any of their possessions for firearms, an Indian would suddenly appear in a window or walk in unceremoniously and demand food. War dances were held at night, and great anxiety was felt among the settlers. In Lakota the Methodist church was chosen as a fort and all the men went about armed, but nothing came of it but a scare. Among the pioneers in Lakota and vicinity are George Barrett, A. C. Wehe, Frank Goldammer, Fred Ferris and James Murphy — all successful businessmen who made their first venture at Bartlett, J. M. C. McMaster, now of Devils Lake and T. J. Baird recently moved, A. E. Sheets (deceased) and C. A. Hall who taught in Bartlett in ’88-’89, moving to Lakota, and was principle of the schools for the three years following and then filling the office of county superintendent was one of the outstanding men of the county for many years. Peter Sjurseth came in ’86 and with John Lynch, our present postmaster conducted a blacksmith shop in Lakota. Jim Beatty, who took a homestead between Bartlett and Lakota, which is still his home. Mrs. Lettie Durnell conducted a restaurant in the early ’80s. Sydney St. John, a druggist who came to Mayville in ’82, bought a threshing machine, one of the first in use in the county. John M. Hartin and Ole Olson who came in ’85. Mrs. Harry Groves, whose father Halvor Rasmussen, located a claim in ’83 and Peter Fenney, George Kanause, Henry Blaufuss, all successful farmers. The Metcalf boys, Angus and Dan Campbell, Robert Gardner, who has had much to do with the history of Cleveland Township, John Nerison, who took land near Harrisburg, Sam Foster who was one of the earliest settlers on Stump Lake arrived in the winter of ’80-’81. Our 1421 Scanned with a Czur book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited in Adobe Acrobat Pro
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