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Benson County North Dakota Genealogy

Knox Township North Dakota
Township 156  North Range 70 West

Village of Knox

Inforamtion taken from "Our Heritage: Leeds York-1886-1986"

The earliest white men in Knox township area were trappers and hunters. It is thought the first know white man was Charlie Mendenhall who was in the area in the 1870's. Indian graves and artifacts such as arrowheads, spears, tomahawks, and clubs have been found through the years indicating Indians were in the are during those early years too. Around 1883 the village of Knox was formed and was first located in section 17. There are some who think Knox was named for John Knox, a Scottish religious reformer, or Major General Henry Knox, secretary of War from 1785-1795; others think the towns of Leeds, York, Knox and Rugby were named by the English and Scottish railroad investors of that time. The township was named after the village of Knox.

The first homes were usually sod home and Ole Steen as well as other homesteaders broke sod with oxen. The first lumber and flour used in the township was hauled out of Devils Lake by horses and wagons. All wells were dug by hand, and water was pulled up with a rope and bucket. H.A. Nikolson, and early homesteader, squatted on the land where Knox city is located now. In 1888 this land was purchased by John Delameter and his sons, Melvin and Ervin. Other early homesteaders in the town ship were: B.J. Steen, Ole Steen, James Steen, Andrew and Bill Swenson, Charlie Anderson, B. Pederson, W. Montgomery, Delameters, J. Kane, Simon J. Mears, G. Forner, S.S. Blocker, G. W. Jones, James Hodges, T. Topness, I. Iverson, A. Hartman, C.E. Baker, C. Baries, R. Russell, N. Gresseth, J. Stephens, H. Hock, J. Stearns, W. Umblebee, I.N. Burke, W. Whitney, W.S. Brown, J. Burns J. Britch, Con Whalen, B.H. Graves, E. Smith, H. Glasspool, N. Nelson, S. Ziegler, F. Cox, M. Steen, J. Pelon, T. Paulson, P. Tylden, M. Hanson, A.M. Fairbanks, H. Pargee, J. Randall, J. Noble, H. Moffit, Studness, Wirtz, McCarty, Graham, Fish, Jaques, Reorick, Dokken, Green, Martin, Uglandsm and possiby more.

The Knox township records show that the township was organized in 1898 at a township election held in Delameters Hall. By motion G. Brown was appointed chairman of the election; T.J. Russell, clerk; B.H. Graves, B.J. Steen and M.E. Delameter, judges. The following officers were elected: Joseph Stearns, chairman, M.E. Delameter and W.G. Umblebee supervisors; T.J. Russell, clerk; I.N. Burke, treasuer; W. Whitney, assessor; James Kane and Jeff Britsch, justices of the peace; W.G. Brown and Jacob Burns, constables; H. S. Russel, overseer of highway; and B.H. Graves, B.J. Steen, Ed Smith and H. Glasspool, commissioners.

Church services were generally held in the homes. Rev. A. J. Garry homesteaded northeast of Knox and in 1899 he built the Methodist church. The Knox Lutheran church was organized by B.J. Steen who helped build the church in 1895. S.S. Blocker helped form the Dunker church and later organized the church of Brethren who built their church in 1901. The Catholic families held their services mostly in the homes or had to go to Leeds or Rugby. Later they used the Methodist church for services and then purchased the Presbyterian church was used until 1954. At that time they built a new modern brick church.

A number of men in Knox township were active in public affairs and served the township and state well. In 1906 James Kane was the first county commission elected from the township. In 1910 he was elected state representative. Simon J. Mears was elected county commissioner in 1910. He also served on the township board for 25 years besides serving on the school board, Farmers Elevator board, as a Democratic precinct committee man and organizer of the Non-Partisan League. George Forner served as county commissioner from 1918-1926. John Randall was elected sheriff of Benson County in 1913-1916 and again in 1921-1924. He also served as a state representative in 1918-1920 and again in 1934-1936. Ed Wurgler served the longest term as clerk for Knox township for 38 year from 1940-1978.

School District #14

Information taken from "History of the Knox Community 1976"

On April 2, 1894 a petition was received for the organization of Township 156 (Knox) as a school district. The first election was held on May 5 1894 with the oldest officers on record: Con Whalen, Thomas Paulson, B.J. Steen, chairman elected June 16 1896.

Students listed for the school term from May 4, 1896 to October 16 1896 were:

Students listed for school term from July 13, 1896 to October 30 1896 were:

Cemeteries

St Mary's Cemetery located .5 miles SW of Knox.
Knox Cemetery located 1 mile S of Knox.

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