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Benson County North Dakota Genealogy

York Township, North Dakota

History of York

Taken from Leeds/York Seventy-five Years Diamond Jubilee 1886-1961 book
and
Our Heritage: Leeds, York 1886-1986

York didn't really begin to grow until a year after the railroad came through, and there were only two families living here, George Wilson and William R. Bell. Mr. Wilson and Mr. Colonel Uline of Devils Lake looked over the land and helped to plan the road. In this way Mr. Wilson learned of the townsite which was being plotted by the Great Northern Company.

Taking advantage of this lead, Mr. Wilson squatted on the land north of the tracks and sent for his daughter, Cora Wilson. Miss Wilson helped to make a new home in a comparative wilderness. She arrived in the fall of 1886. Because there was as yet no passenger train, Miss Wilson came in a box car to reach her father's land. A section house was erected by the railroad company and a family moved in. This was William R. Bell, first section boss in the town, and his family. The Bells and Wilsons were the only families here.

That winter Mr. William R. Tarwill was transferred to York from St. John and he was the first telegraph operator and had his office in the section house. In the spring he was furnished a car house by the company. This made a total of three families in town. The residents were quite thrilled as this expansion seemed to be an omen of the growth to come. This belief was soon fulfilled by the flood immigration which started building u the community later that spring.

For several years after the railroad went through, the town had no official name. In fact, the town was quite well developed before James Hill, railroad magnate, took the trouble to give it an official title. It was not, however, entirely nameless. Those acquainted with the settlement know it as Wilson's Siding, after one of the original owners of the townsite, George Wilson.

Mr. Wilson sold that part of the townsite which lies east of the depot to the railroad. After Mr. Bell left York, Con Whalen took his place as section foreman, a position he held for a number of years. Three of the Whalen children were born in the section house. William who died in the first World War, was born there September 23 1888 and Frank, who still  resides at York, and a sister, Ethel, who has made her home at Clarmore, Oklahoma for many years were all born in the section house which was located 1/4 mile east of the great Northern depot.

The first store was built by C.O. Richard. The lumber was hauled in from St. John. Next came the Amberson brothers store, but they remained only a short while. The Power Elevator was the first one to be built, and was operated by Henry A. Smith.

Of the earliest families after the town started growing, six or eight were Canadian while four others moved in from Missouri. The new settlement teemed with activity, the future seemed assured and everyone worked willing to earn his share. The first cloud came with a drought in 1890. When it continued the next year, things looked black. For many it was the last straw, when in 1893, many moved away. Most of the Canadians returned to the north. Others followed this example and only seven families remained to continue what seemed a losing battle. In 1895 the faith of the courageous handful was rewarded. The community struck one of those North Dakota gold mines a bumper crop. Things boomed again and the little settlement took on a new lease on life.

A few years later this district received another boost. The Max Bass immigration got under way. Carload after carload of new settlers poured into the country. Mr. Wilson did his part getting the land settled. He worked with Max Bass in helping newcomers to locate claims. There was a newspaper established in 1889 by A.J. Garver. This was called the York Pioneer. At the same time J.A. Thomas started a lumber year. After the last immigration, the lumber yard was replaced, and the paper didn't exist.

One of the earliest settlers in the York vicinity was J.L. Johnson, who filed on a homestead a mile west of the present town in August 1887. Mrs. Johnson came the next year. At that time there was not much of a town and what there was, was located along the north side of the tracks. When the Johnsons moved into town a few years later, they too, settled on the north side. After a few months they moved to the south side of the track, where they set up their first store building and thus became the first to start business in what is now the business section of the town. Mr. Johnson sold to the Sebelius brothers, Gene and Nobel in 1923. Mr. J.L. Johnson passed away in 1930. The Sebelius brothers had the store until they both retired, and C.K. Rude purchased the building in 1959, the only grocery store in the town.

Engebert C. Rude was one of the earliest merchants at York. This pioneer came to the community in 1899 as a bookkeeper for Solberg and Studness. From this beginning he worked up until he took over the general merchandise and hardware business.

Early Pioneers

Taken from Leeds/York Seventy-five Years Diamond Jubilee 1886-1961 book

William Runcorn

This is a record of some of W.B. Runcorn's early days when he came from Plainfield, Wisconsin in April 1886 to Devils Lake, as told by himself. "When I think back and remember many years ago when I came here, I can only marvel at the great changes that have come this country since then. It seems a long time when I look back. It has gone by very quickly. In fact, before we old pioneers realize, the grim reaper has taken many of our old neighbors. "

"It was in April 1886 that my old friend and neighbor (Charles Plummer) arrived in Devils Lake (from Plainfield, Wisc.) the end of the railroad. Here we gathered our things together, purchased lumber for our shacks and other provisions and started out for what now is Cando. The spring was late and the early rains made the travel almost impossible. We had tow wagons and eight head of oxen.

The first day we got only two miles out of Devils Lake. Our oxen mired and we were in mud up to the axles of our wagons. While we were trying every known and some unknown methods of getting out of the mud, Mr. Crider (the man who was later murdered in Cando) with his family came along. He had a span of good horses and was bound for Cando, and he helped us out of our predicament. We camped that night two miles west of Devils Lake, and the next day the three of us resumed our journey, making the trip in three days. Here I rented land from the banker in Cando, and sowed forty acres into wheat. This was done by hand, and harrowed with oxen.

Then during this summer I moved to Hurricane Lake, in Pierce county, where I still own land. The first post office was located there in 1887, with Mrs. Howay as postmaster. She also had a hotel known as the Half-way House, since it was located about half way between Devils Lake and St. John, on the stage coach route. Later my brother Frank had care of this post office and still later in 1888 I was post master there.

During the months of 1904, I drove ten miles to town, making 60 trips that winter, hauling 6,000 bushels of wheat.  Among my first acquaintances in the new town of Leeds, which had not even begun, when I first came were Dave Howrey and Frank Spauling. I was one of the first Pierce county commissioners. My wife passed away in 1905 and in 1906 I moved to York and rented my farm. I had five sons and five daughters. Two sons, Harry and Fred and daughter, Nina passed away."  Mr. Runcorn passed away Oct 30, 11954 at the age of 93 at York and was returned to his old home at Plainfield to be buried beside his wife and son Harry. His children are Guy Runcorn, Audrey Engebretson, Dick Runcorn, Lana Whalen, Frances Staubtz, Mary Hough and Walter Runcorn.

James McCarty

James McCarty came to Benson County in 1883 from Illinois. Later he took his homestead in York township, where he continued to make his home. In 1897 he married Johanna Russell, who came to Leeds in 1892. She was one of the first teachers in Leeds township. She also taught school at Oberon. Four children were born to this union, Charles, John, Dorothy and James. His son John farmed the land next and then his grandson, John.

James Cassidy

Mr. Cassidy was originally from Ontario. He lived three years in Oregon and then spent a month with relatives in Michigan.

In 1886, while there, he decided to seed a new home in Dakota. He, with his brother-in-law, David Gillespie, came on the G.N. Railroad to Devils Lake reaching that place May 16, 1886. Before reaching Grand Forks they met a man, James Golding, who was seeking land but did not know where he was going. Mr. Cassidy and his brother-in-law persuaded Mr. Golding to go with them to Devils Lake. Fearing that some might not this this right, Mr. Cassidy took out papers and started to look for land, May 17, 1886.

The first day they walked to Churchs Ferry and spent the night with a squatter in his shanty. The next day they went as far as Pleasant Lake. It was a very hot day and to walk was too much for the fleshy and red-faced Mr. Golding, who got a severe nosebleed along the way. They did not like the land near the lake as it was too rough and sandy. They decided to return. They got William Riggin, later of Minnewaukan, to return with them. This man had been breaking up land near the lake. Mr. Golding decided on land three miles southwest of Leeds. Mr. Cassidy and his brother-in-law chose land two miles directly west of Leeds. They wished to be near Mr. Golding and like the looks of this land.

Mr. Cassidy took a homestead, a pre-emption, and a tree claim. His brother-in-law squatted nearby but gave up the land before it was surveyed. Mr. Cassidy could not file on the land as the land was not surveyed. Nevertheless, he squatted on the homestead and held the tree claim and pre-emption. The township lanes were marked off so they could figure out what would be school lands. As soon as they had decided upon this land, Mr. Cassidy and his brother- in-law went back to Devils Lake, where they bought some oxen and lumber. They built a shanty before the last of June. All the groceries had to be brought from Devils Lake. Mr. Cassidy's wife and five children arrived about a month later. In 1901 Sarah Jane Cassidy, daughter of James Cassidy, married Charles J Fox of Leeds.

Henry Jorgenson

Henry Jorgenson came from Norway and homesteaded near Baker in Boe township in the later part of 1889. There was no railroad then, and because it was so far to haul his grain to market, he sold his farm and bought land from the state in York township in 1903. He broke the land with three oxen and five horses. Whenever a storm would come up, he would sit under the oxen for shelter. One day when they were breaking, an electrical storm came up. Mr. Jorgenson left his oxen to help the hired man hold the horses who were very skittish because of the lightning and thunder there was a loud crash and when Mr. Jorgenson turned to look he saw all three oxen stretched out dead with smoke coming from their horns, His life had been spared because of the nervous horses. He married Ingeborg Domholt from Norway in 1909 and they had six children. When Mr. Jorgenson retired, his two sons, Jorgen and Harold, farmed the land.

Torger Sulland

When Torger Sulland came to York Township to homestead, his first home was a sod house. When he built his house, Mr. Sulland moved his family to their new home. His aged father who lived with them, refused to leave. He sat on his trunk and would not move so he had to be bodily carried to his new home. Andrew Iverson became the next owner of the farm until it was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Peiler.

Tim Russell

Tim Russell came from Iowa in 1883 and homesteaded on the farm next occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Ray Russell. Tim's wife came from Indiana in 1893 and also homesteaded. Besides farming, in 1914 he raised registered Percherons and sold the colts. Mr. and Mrs. Russell raised nine children.

Ole Hove

Ole Hove came to York township in the early 1890's. Before settling on his homestead, Mr. Hove worked with a government surveying crew. He helped survey the buttes south of Leeds. The camp consisted of two covered wagons-the cook wagon and the bunk wagon. They also had one team of horses, one team of oxen and a saddle horse. While they were surveying, someone found a pyrite rock. They all became excited as they thought they had struck gold. Mr. Hove died in 1950 at the age of 86.

Roy Long

Roy Long came from Iowa in 1906. He was a progressive and hard working person who took an active part in the community affairs. He was a staunch support of the Hurricane Lake Telephone compnay, helped organize the Farmers Union Oil and the Locker Plant at York and was a strong supporter of the Rural Electric Association.

William Oeffner

William Oeffner came from Wisconsin in 1904 and homesteaded in York township. When he died his son, Walter, purchased the farm. The farm was later purchased by Wayne Oeffner, so the farm has been in the family for three generatios,

Ole Bratterud

Ole Bratterud came to America in 1893 and homesteaded in York township in 1895. He married Julia Brenden in 1910. They raised three children and lived on their farmstead until 1929.

Art Silliman

Another early settler was Art Silliman who came from Iowa, March 8, 1916, and purchased a farm north of York. His family of five children came by train, and the horses, cattle, furniture and machinery came by freight. The men were allowed to ride in the caboose, so they rode along with their property. In Minneapolis the animals had to be unloaded and fed and watered. Four more children were born to the Silliman's. In 1945 Mr.Silliman sold his farm to his son Bill. Upon Bill's retirement, his son Robert purchased the farm,

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