Atlas of Benson County, 1910 Plat Map
Portions as published in the
Harlow Golden Jubilee book
1912-1962
Written by Ole and Alma Ronning
and
Seventy-five Years Leeds/York 1886-1961 Jubilee book and Our Heritage: Leeds York 1886-196
It has been said that the land west from Brinsmade was considered a "dry area", so for a time no one cared to venture this way. When someone did dare, and found that the soil was good, it wasn't long before others also came. It appears that the homesteaders started coming in 1894 and ended by 1906 or soon after because all the land was taken. There were over 150 homesteaders in the township. A great many of whose names are unfamiliar to us. Some probably "proved up", sold out and left, and others did not stay long enough to do even that.
We do not know who the first settler or settlers were in Butte Valley township. Those who arrived in 1894 were: Archie and Christine Hofstrand McArthur, Louis Hoff, Ole Tollefson and C.L. Peterson; in 1895: Rev. M. Albert, K. Myking and C. Johnson; in 1896: Lois Larson Ulvestad, O. Ronning, K.O. Knutson, O.S. Christine and O. Kvammen, S Medhus, O. K. Helgeson, J. Tovsrud, G. Wray, C. Muri, T.M. Thompson and G.H.F. Von Aspern; in 1897: C.O. Lunde, J. Swansby, Magda Torgenrud Westrum, E. Evenson and A. Planting; om 1899: O. Helling; in 1900: O. Groff, Jennie Alm Hermanson and C.O Gunderud; in 1901: H. Hermanson; in 1902 O. Ehrhardt and A. Pearson; in 1903 H. Vesleset and C. Alm; in 1904 A. Loen; in 1905: K. Hagen and J. Meyer and in 1906: K. Groff, W. Wraight and E. Swenson.
Other homesteaders whose names are familiar, but for whom there are no dates or information are as follows: Andrew, Ole and Iver Kinneberg, L. Tollefson, T. Groff, A. Kaupang, T. Torgerson, B. Swenson, M. Rude, C. Olson, Mary A, Morris, S. Muri, O.D. Comstock, E. Lyons, W.B. Hathaway, M. Norrick, Clara Cinclair, A. Kirkeby and O. Overland.
The township was officially organized in 1904, and the first township meeting was held the same year. The first officers elected were: L.L. Peterson, O. Tollefson and T.M. Thompson, surpervisors; M. Albert,clerk, M. Hostrand, treasurer; O. Helling, assessor; W. Boppre, justice of peace; L. Tollefson, E Lyons, L. Hoff and H. Hermanson, commissioners of conciliation; C. Muri, poundmaster; I. Gibson, constable; O. Kinneberg, overseer of highways-road district one and H. Hermanson, overseer of highways-road district two.
We have compiled a short history of the homesteaders we were able to get any information about. They are as follows:
Rev. M. Albert, pioneer pastor of this country and a territorial missionary, was born Oct. 2, 1861, at Wurzburg, Bavaria, Germany. He was of noble family and bore the rank of count. The Albert family traced their line back over 400 years to the time of Maximillian.
A member of the German nobility, Rev. Albert left his native Bavaria in 1877 and came to America. He studied for the ministry at Wheaton Seminary in Illinois. He was ordained in the ministry in 1887 in Dakota Territory and served the mission field for several years.
He came to Minnewaukan in 1894 where a struggling Presbyterian congregation welcomed him as its eleventh pastor in as many years. Rev. Albert doubled the size of the congregation in a month. He organized Presbyterian churches at Leeds, Brinsmade, and Harlow and was one of the first ministers to serve at these points. He was instrumental in organizing the Benson County Sunday School Association.
He took a homestead in the Harlow community in 1895 and made his home there until his death, serving his various churches. He was first treasurer of Hathaway School District and first clerk of the township board. He passed away Dec. 14, 1942, at Devils Lake where he had lived for several years.
Carl O. Lunde was born in Kristiansand, Norway, July 6, 1874. At the age of 14 he immigrated to America and came to Churchs Ferry, where he worked for his uncle on a farm for several years. In 1897 he filed on a homestead in Butte Valley township. On July 30, 1902, he was united in marriage to Anna Flaagan at Tolna, N. Dak. He served as director on the Harlow School board, the Harlow Farmers Union Co-op Elevator board, and the REA board. Upon retiring from the farm in 1945, he and his wife took up residence in Brinsmade. He passed away Feb. 16, 1956. His wife still continues to live there.
Olai Ronning was born in Christiana (Oslo) Norway, January 12, 1873. He came to the United States in 1883, growing to manhood on his parents' homestead in what is now Pelican township, Ramsey County, west of Devils Lake. He filed on a homestead in Butte Valley Township just northwest of Harlow in 1896. He built a sod house in the northeast corner of the present farm year. Later, he bult a lumber shack on the hill north of our place which blew down in a wind storm. In the fall of 1902 he bought L.L Ulvestad's homestead and built his home. In June, 1904 he was united in marriage to Johanna Jensen. After their house burned in 1910, they moved to a farm east of Brinsmade which they had bought. Mr. Ronning sold the right of way to the Soo Line Railroad March 9, 1911. He passed away March 29, 1912. Mrs. Ronning sold the rest of "Ulvestad's homestead" to the Tri State Land Company on May 10, 1912. This was what became the townsite of Harlow. She, with her family of four children came back to the original homestead in 1915 and built a home where she resided until her death July 5, 1945.
Knute (K.O.) Knutson, born in Hornindal, Norway, January 23, 1875 came to the United States in 1893 to an uncle near Churchs Ferry. In 1896 he filed on a homestead in Butte Valley Township. He was united in marriage December 4, 1902 to Ida Peterson, daughter of Martin Peterson, homesteader in Normania Township. In 1918 he and his family moved to the home just east of Harlow where he farmed until his retirement in 1944. He was also in the threshing business for over thirty-five years. In 1945 he and his wife moved to Devils Lake where he lived until he passed away November 5,1948. Mrs. Knutson continued to live there until she passed away January 14,1955.
Siblings Ole S. Kvammen was born January 28,1868; Christine Kvammen born July 4, 1870; and Ole Kvammen born April 25, 1874, in Hallingdal, Norway. They, with their mother and another siter, immigrated to the United States in 1881.They first lived at Montevideo, Minnesota for a short time; then in the Reynolds, North Dakota vicinity; and later in Orway Township, Ramsey County west of Devils Lake. In 1896 Ole S., Christine, and Ole homesteaded in Butte Valley Township. Their mother moved here in 1898 from her homestead in Ramsey County. It was at her home north of Harlow that the Harlow Lutheran Ladies Aid was organized in June 6, 1908. Ole S. met with an accident when he was 21 years of age, blinding him for life. He passed away July 21, 1941. Ole, the other brother, retired from farming in 1942, and he and his sister, Christine moved to Harlow; then in 1949 they moved to Leeds. He passed away January 21, 1958. Christine was the first president of the Harlow Lutheran Ladies Aid from 1908 to 1915. They were all charter members of Our Savior's Lutheran Church. Christine later resided at Good Samaritan Hospital in Rugby North Dakota.
John Swansby born March 3, 1872 at Snarum, Norway immigrated to the United States in 1893, coming to Churchs Ferry, North Dakota. He filed on a homestead in Butte Valley Township in 1897. Later, he went to Alaska as a Klondike gold prospector. While there he met with an accident that left him crippled for life. After a few years he returned here and continued to be a resident of Harlow and vicinity, except for the last four years of his life which he spent as a patient in the General Hospital at Devils Lake, North Dakota. He passed away in 1940. His brother, Hans Swansby, Puyallup, Washington, who passed away some years later, also was a homesteader in Butte Valley Township.
Syver S. Medhus was born in Hol Hallingdal, Norway on July 2, 1870. He came to the United States in 1893, residing at Reynolds, North Dakoa for three years. Coming to Leeds, North Dakota in 1896, he filed on a homestead in Butte Valley Township. Five years later he settled on his father's farm north of Leeds. On August 24, 1903 he was united in marriage to Inger J. Tagen at Leeds. He passed away December 1, 1943.
Herman Hermanson was born at Waterville, Iowa in 1874. He came to Maddock, North Dakota in 1899, and in 1901 filed a homestead in Butte Valley Township. He owned and operated a threshing rig in his community for 50 years. The family lived for a few years on the homestead on which his wife, Jennie Alm Hermanson had filed in 1898. Mr. Hermanson filed in 1907 on land which adjoined hers. Jennie was born in Regerili, Norway on September 7,1877. She came with her parents, the Ole Alms to the United States in 1881 coming to Rothsay, Minnesota. The family came to Minnewaukan by ox team to where her parents homesteaded in Albert Township on June 6, 1886. She grew to womanhood there and in 1900 she filed on a homestead in Butte Valley Township. She was united in marriage to Herman Hermanson on October 12, 1900. She passed away on October 29, 1945 and Herman on May 10, 1953.
Carl O. Alm, the brother of Jennie Am Hermanson was also a homesteader in Butte Valley Township in 1903. He was born in Norway on September 21, 1875. He was united in marriage to Karen Sophie Larson on April 7, 1929. He farmed until 1929 when he and his wife and son Oscar L moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota. He passed away on April 26, 1948 at Minot and his wife some years later.
John Lysne came to the United States in the spring of 1891, coming directly to North Dakota, where he found employment near Grand Forks. He came to Ramsey County later and worked at miscellaneous jobs for several years. He bought a farm of three quarters near Minnewaukan in 1902, and farmed there for three years. In 1907, he bought a farm in Butte Valley Township.
Iver Kinneberg came from Hallingdal, Norway to Churchs Ferry about 1894, and worked in that area prior to filing on a homestead in Butte Valley Township, one-half mile south of St. Petri Church. Later he bought the Kennedy farm.
Ole Groff was born in Gol Hallingdal, Norway on September 4, 1871. In the spring of 1898 he immigrated to the United States coming to Grand Forks North Dakota to a cousin living there. After working for two years in Ramsey County, he filed on a homestead in Butte Valley Township in 1900. He was a charter member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church and served as secretary from 1903 to 1907 and from 1918 to the time of his death. On October 27, 1908 he was united in marriage to Ingeborg Hagen also from Hallingdal. He was engaged in farming from the time he homesteaded until his death on July 20, 1944.
Kittel Groff was born in Gol Hallingdal, Norway on April 22, 1874. He came to Grand Forks, North Dakota upon immigrating to the United States from Norway in 1896. In 1906 he homesteaded in Butte Valley Township north of Harlow. He returned to Norway in 1908 and was united in marriage to Birgit Torjusdatter Sire. He came back to North Dakota in 1910, staying three years and then returning to Norway. He rented his farm to Nels Hermanson and later to his brother, Ole. On May 9, 1929 he returned to his farm with his family. He passed away in July of 1932. His wife Birgit and son, Ole lived on the homestead.
Andrew Loen was born in Nordfjord, Norway on August 2, 1876. Coming to the United States in 1896 he homesteaded in Butte Valley Township in 1904. He was united in marriage to Nettie Peterson on October 20, 1908. They farmed until November 16, 1918 when the family moved to Cromwell, Washington. Mr. Loen passed away there November 24, 1915. In 1931, Mrs. Loen with her children returned to North Dakota to again live on their farm, returning to Washington in 1936 where she passed away on February 21, 1951.
Portions as published in the Harlow Golden Jubilee book
1912-1962
Written by Ole and Alma Ronning
In 1896, when many of our pioneers had decided to find homes in this section of Benson County, a man by the name of Lois Larsen Ulvestad homesteaded a hundred and sixty acres in the NW 1/4 part of Section 15 of what is now Butte Valley township. He had many times made the statement that some day a town would grow up on his land. This statement proved correct as his land did many years later become the townsite of Harlow. After he had proved up the land he decided in the spring of 1902 to pull up stakes and go to Canada. On Nov 19 1902, he sold his homestead to Olai Ronning, packed his trunk, and with the money he had received for the land, took his leave from these parts. His trunk arrived at his destination but nothing was heard further of Ulvestad, so people thought he might have met with foul play. He couldn't count money so that could have been a motive for his disappearance.
Older residents of Harlow and their arrival date include: Jacob Jacoson (1912), Andrew Anas, Robert Waller (1930) and A.E. Tufte (1946). Mr. Tufte was a homesteader in Twin Lake Township.
Olai Ronning, after proving up his homestead in the south-east corner of section 9, built a home where Ulvestad had lived. This is where Mrs. Alma Romig now lives. He married in June of 1904, and three of the four children were born there- the oldest being my husband (Ole Ronning). In 1910 the house burned and they moved to the Big Coulee community in Ramsey County, east of Brinsmade. On Mar 9, 1911, he sold the right of way to the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste Marie Railway Company (Soo Line) for section 15 and 16. They were to have 50 feet on each side. Mr. Ronning had passed away so on May 10, 1912, Mrs. Ronning sold the rest of NW 1/4 of Section 15, Township 154 Range 69, to the Tri State Land Company. "They caused this land to be surveyed, platted and dedicated to public use forever all streets, avenues, and alleys therein shown." This was done on July 2, 1912 by O. M. Axtell.
This is what then became the townsite of Harlow. As far as we are able to find out, Harlow was founded in 1912 and unincorporated, was named by the townsite officials for G.H. Harlow, an officer of the railroad construction company. Thus, when the Soo Line Railroad came through Harlow began to grow. Mail was carried by the Soo Line until the Star Route coming out of Leeds was authorized by the Postal Department in the fall of 1949. It took in the towns of Harlow, Baker and Fillmore. The first Star Route carrier was J.F. Henretta, followed by Lloyd Kirkeide, Bernt Axness and Elring Axness.
In the summer of 1911, Jacob Jacobson and his brother Morris, built a blacksmith shop in the north-east corner of Christ Muri's eighty, section 21, just south of our land. They lived in Maddock while building the shop and rode bicycles back and forth to work. They could just as well have walked as cycling was slow traveling due to poor road conditions. After the townsite of Harlow was platted they moved the blacksmith shop to where Ruth Knutson's caragana shrubs now grow. This was the first building in the new village. One of Mr. Jacobson's main jobs was shoeing horses, as they were the main mode of power in those long age days. He and his family lived in the back of the blacksmith shop for about three years, and then he built a house where the Melvin Olson's now reside. They lived here several years and then moved out, going into farming. They rented the Hermanson farm for two years while they were in Iowa, and then moved to where their sons Orville and Victor now farm. Some years ago they bought the Dyrud farm just south of the Immanuel Church on No. 30 where they with their son Julin, are living. This then is the story of one of Harlow's first families and businesses.
Main Street of Harlow in those years consisted from south to north of-the bank; Harlow Hardware and Implement Store; Charley and Harry Huff's Pool Hall with barber chair and lunch counter; Quale and Olson Grocery and General Merchandise Store: Hathaway Pool Hall; and the Post Office. From north to south, across the street was B. Olson's Shoe Repair and Harness Shop; a tin warehouse; Archie McArthur's Mercantile Store with a hall upstairs; and a little green shack housing a Photograph Shop.
The bank was built and opened in 1912. It was organized by an investment company known as Ross-Davidson-Hegge Company, and Mr. O. I. Hegge of Minnewaukan was one of the officers. Mr. Hegge died in 1919 and the Mr. J.I. Hegge of Maddock then took his brother's place as an office. Mr. A.O. Molden was the first cashier and operated the bank until June 30,1919, at which time he resigned and Mr. C.B. Arneson became cashier. The bank closed in 1923.
The Harlow Hardware and Implement Store, north of the bank, was built and operated by G.N. and C.A. Larson. They also operated a similar business in Minnewaukan and York which were discontinued later. They also had an agency for the Overland Car. C.A. Larson built the house now occupied by Albert Kvens, and G.N. Larson built the present A.E. Tufte house. They were built in 1913. The Larson brothers sold their hardware business later to Peter Lalum and it became known as the Lalum Hardware Store. Albert Bratvold worked there for many years. A.E. Swan was Pontiac car salesman for them. This hardware business was discontinued when they went into business at Devils Lake. Later Albert Bratvold came back to operate the Hardware Store but he died shortly afterwards. His wife continued the business for several years.
Our Savior's Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Big Butte, North Dakota was organized on June 3, 1900 by Rev. A. A. Brunsvold of Leeds, North Dakota at the Knut Myking farm home. The first members who assisted in forming the congregation were: Mr. and Mrs. Knut Myking, Mrs. Margit Kvammen, Ole S., Christine, and Ole Kvammen, Mr. and Mrs. E.O. Gunnerud, S.S. Medhus, L.L. Ness, Martin Rude, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Helling, Olai Ronning, Mr. and Mrs. Ole Kinneberg, Hans Swansby, Kittel, Ole and Torjus Groff, Andrew Kinneberg and Mr. and Mrs. Christian Muri.
Other early members who had joined the congregation while the church was at its original site were: Mr. and Mrs. K.O. Knutson (1908), Mr. and Mrs. Jens Tovsrud (1911), Mr. and Mrs. Louis Hoff (1911); Mr. and Mrs. Nels Gustafson (1911), Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Loen (1912), Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Bakke (1912), Mr. and Mrs. A.O. Molden (1916), and Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Jacobson (1916). Mrs. Olai Ronning and Mrs. Ole Grof should be mentioned as they were of the early members though not listed.
Our Saviors Cemetery is located one mile east and half a mile north of Harlow. This cemetery was started in 1903 on one and a half acres of land purchased from Henry E.W. Waltenberg at twenty dollars per acre. To reach this cemetery from Harlow, ND, from the north edge of town, off Hwy #30 take a gravel road 1 mile east and then proceed north 1/4 mile to the cemetery. This cemetery was established by Our Savior Lutheran Church in the early 1900s. The Harlow Buttes are directly north of the cemetery which also sits on a small knoll, which makes for a very picturesque part of Benson County. The church is in the town of Harlow, ND and is no longer in use. Nonetheless there is a cemetery board which governs the cemetery and sees to its upkeep. It is completely enclosed by a fence with three blocks of graves.
The first school in Butte Valley Township was located two miles from the Knute Myking homestead on the George W. Smith land. Mr. L.W. Harwood of Fillmore was the first teacher, boarding at the Myking Home. The first term of school was taught from June to September, 1900 with the following pupils attending: Nellie Erwin, Martha Smith, Pernella Muri, Ruda, Gunda, Clarence, and Oswald Torgerson, Ole, Henning and Aagodt Myking, Albertina and Ludvig Helling and Russel Harwood.
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Colleen Goltz
Benson County Coordinator
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