 "ALVA D. TOMLINSON, one of the wealthiest and most influential agriculturists of Eddy county, resides on his elegant farm in township 149, range 66 [New Rockford Township].  He stands in the front rank as a citizen of broad mind, exemplary character, and exceptional ability, and conducts an extensive farming and stock business. Every arrangement has been made on his place by which the soil can be more easily tilled, and the products more perfectly garnered and disposed of, while the buildings for the comfort of the family and stock are of the best and his entire farm evidences prosperity and much care in its operations. His portrait is a valuable contribution to
this work.
Mr. Tomlinson was born in Howell, Livingston
County, Michigan, May 16, 1844, and is a son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Davis) Tomlinson. His father was a merchant in early life, and was later a farmer, and died when our subject was two years of age. He was born in Woodbury, Litchfield county, Connecticut, and was a man of wealth. He lost some fifteen thousand dollars on bonds for the state treasurer of Connecticut. The family originally came from England. The mother of our subject was of Dutch descent, and her people were farmers of New York.
Our subject was the youngest in a family of six
children, and was raised in Howell, and received a liberal education. He later began teaching and devoted eight years to that profession in Livingston, during which time he remained at home and assisted in the management of the farm. He assumed charge of his mother's farm in 1871, and followed farming thereon until 1880. He sold the farm in 1880 and moved to Bancroft, Michigan, where he entered into the mercantile business in company with his brother-in-law, Hiram Hemmanway [sic]. On account of failing health he disposed of his interests in Michigan in 1882, and went to Eddy county, North Dakota, and located on section 17, in township 149, range 66 [New Rockford Township], and erected a claim shanty, 12x14 feet, and a sod barn. He filed claim to the land without seeing it and fortunately became possessed of some of the finest farming land in the state. He bought oxen and a wagon in Larimore, North Dakota, and paid seventy dollars per thousand for lumber, and hauled it seventy miles overland to his farm. The Sheyenne river was a raging stream, and he had to float his load across. His nearest neighbor was fourteen miles, and the first year he had to go to Fort Totten to get his blacksmithing done, and his nearest post office was Brainard, eighteen miles distant. His wife joined him in the spring of 1883, traveling in the first train run north from Jamestown, and Carrington was the terminus of the road at that time. Our subject started a small store on his farm, and the first store established in the county, and he also conducted a lumber yard, and was the postmaster. His farm was headquarters for the stage line. He has added to his acreage from time to time, and is now the possessor of one thousand six hundred and forty-six acres of land, all but two hundred acres of which is under cultivation, and he has a grove of four acres on his place. His residence is a commodious and comfortable structure, and is in keeping with the other buildings of the farm, including three barns, an elevator with capacity of thirty thousand bushels, a tool house with wings on three sides for machinery, and a second tool house, wind mills and other outbuildings, and he has five wells on the place, any one furnishing a sufficient supply of water for farm use. He has numerous buildings on different parts of his extensive farm, and annually operates about two thousand acres of land. He has made a marked success in Dakota, and his farm is the best equipped of any in the county. He engages principally in grain raising, but keeps some horses, cattle and hogs, and he has paid as high as one thousand dollars in a season for threshing alone. Our subject also loans money aside from his farming interests.
Mr. Tomlinson was married, in 1875 [22 October 1876, Burns, Shiawassee County, Michigan], to Miss Lizzie [Eliza, Elizabeth] Cole, who was born and raised at Pontiac, Michigan, and was of Yankee descent. Her father, Abraham Cole, was a farmer by occupation, and went from New York state to Michigan. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Tomlinson, Alva N., who was born at Howell, Michigan, on the home farm where our subject was born. His birth is dated June 15, 1878. Mr. Tomlinson served as assessor of Eddy county from 1888-94, and was a nominee of the Republican party in 1898 for county treasurer. He has attended numerous conventions of the Republican party, whose principles he advocates. He holds membership in the Masonic fraternity, Alodern Woodmen of America, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Knights of Pythias and Brotherhood of American Yeomen, and has been president of the Old Settlers' Organization for several years."
George was born on 15 September 1843 in
Middletown Springs, Rutland County, Vermont to Henry and Elizabeth Trembley and died in Foster County on 7 May 1930. He is buried in Saint Johns Cemetery in New Rockford.
George served in the Civil War in Company B, 41st Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. He was a Private having served on 14 May 1864 until 23 September 1864 when his Regiment was mustered out.
He returned to Wisconsin after the war and married, on 25 April 1869 in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Oveda Almond Lucia who was born in Wisconsin in January 1850, the daughter of Joseph and Emeline Lucia. In 1870 the Trembley family was living in Springdale, Fond du Lac County. From there they lived in Dodge County, Minnesota before relocating to North Dakota. They had three children; George, Francis Andrew, and Joseph.
Oveda's Burial, Tombstone Photo |