Cass County Pioneers

This article, Cass County Pioneers” presents a categorized list of early settlers in Cass County, North Dakota. Compiled by William H. White in 1907, the list distinguishes settlers by their arrival year and assigns each group a unique title. Those arriving before or during 1871 are deemed “The Honorable Aristocracy of the Catfish,” while those arriving between 1872 and 1876 are known as “Voyageurs by the Dog Train.” The “Pioneers of the Ox Cart” arrived from 1877 to 1879, and lastly, the “Passengers by the Stage Coach” arrived in 1880 and 1881. Each category highlights the evolving modes of transportation used by these early pioneers.

William H. White, Secretary of the Old Settlers’ Society, published in “Fargo Forum,” September 21, 1907, a list of the old settlers and the time of their arrival in the county, who settled in the valley in or prior to 1871, became entitled to the list known as

The Honorable Aristocracy of the Catfish

Admitted those who settled in the Red River valley on or prior to 1871:

Matt Hammes, May, 1867
N. K. Hubbard, September 30, 1870
Jacob Lowell, October 11, 1870
August Landblom, April 14, 1871
Andrew McHench, April 30, 1871
Mrs. Andrew McHench, April 30, 1871
N. B. Pinkham, April, 1871
George I. Foster, May, 1871
Hans Larson, May, 1871
Mrs. J. E. Haggart, June 2, 1871
G. J. Keeney, June, 1871
Thomas McKenzie, June, 1871
James Holes, July 18, 1871
Mrs. R. J. Wisnals, August 10, 1871
A. E. Froene, September, 1871
P. O. Ingebriktson, November, 1871
Mrs. P. O. Ingebriktson, November, 1871
Frank Raspberry, Fall, 1871
Charles Farrell, 1871.

Voyageurs by the Dog Train

Those who arrived in the Red River valley during 1872 and up to 1876 inclusive:

David Rae, March 11, 1872
J. C. Probert, April 7, 1872
T. C. Comstock, April 11, 1872
Ella J. Comstock, April 14, 1872
William H. White, April 15, 1872
H. H. Leverett, May, 1872
M. Hector, May, 1872
Charles Whitman, June 2, 1872
John O. Bye, June 26, 1872
M. J. Flatla, June 28, 1872
Leslie H. Low, July 15, 1872
Andrew J. Headland, July 20, 1872
C. A. Camden, September 10, 1872
F. Boman, September 15, 1872
John Dodd, December, 1872
Mrs. H. J. Rusch, 1872
Evan S. Tyler, March 1, 1873
C. A. Lounsberry, April 4, 1873
Sarah B. Lounsberry, April 4, 1873
P. Elliott, April 20, 1873
C. B. Thimens, April, 1873
Mrs. J. C. Probert, July 13, 1873
Mrs. Thomas McKenzie, September, 1873
Andrew Johnson, June 7, 1874
L. P. Jensen, Spring, 1874
Mons Monson, July 29, 1874
Augustus Roberts, Summer, 1874
Peter Madison, October, 1874
Peter Stewart, November 1, 1874
Dr. F. L. Richter, 1874
C. H. Thompson, April 15, 1875
Hector G. Barnes, May 6, 1875
Mrs. Mary J. Swift, December 1, 1875
Mrs. Bessie A. Hyslop, December 1, 1875
Richard Fields, March, 1876
Mrs. Andrew Johnson, April 30, 1876
J. H. McGuire, May 19, 1876
Stevenson Dunlop, May, 1876
J. J. McIntyre, June, 1876
Mrs. J. J. McIntyre, June, 1876
J. Lowell, Jr., September 13, 1876.

Pioneers of the Ox Cart

Those who came into the Red River valley during 1877 and up to 1879 inclusive:

William Stapleton, February, 1877
John Hass, May 7, 1877
C. B. Bearnstein, July 5, 1877
E. E. Redmon, August 1, 1877
Albert B. Guptill, August 12, 1877
George Q. Erskine, September, 1877
Stephen H. Hoag, October 16, 1877
Lincoln P. Chancey, October, 1877
P. P. Chancey, December, 1877
Mrs. P. Olson, 1877
E. C. Eddy, January 7, 1877
W. W. Smith, March 1, 1878
George E. V. McCormick, March 12, 1878
S. J. Hill, March 22, 1878
F. E. Palmer, March 29, 1878
Mrs. C. M. Palmer, March 29, 1878
E. H. Palmer, March 29, 1878
F. P. Pinkham, March 31, 1878
Claus A. Johnson, March, 1878
Dr. E. M. Darrow, April 11, 1878
George E. Nichols, April 12, 1878
Walter Thomson, April 27, 1878
Frank J. Thompson, April, 1878
J. W. Morrow, Spring, 1878
Charles H. Mitchell, Spring, 1878
William Hauser, May 5, 1878
H. F. Miller, May, 1878
James B. Radford, June 26, 1878
A. O. Rupert, June 30, 1878
Albert Still, June 4, 1878
Mrs. David Still, July 4, 1878
J. E. Landblom, September 10, 1878
Ferdinand Luger, October 15, 1878
Sam Matthews, October 29, 1878
James B. Crucial, October, 1878
John W. Searing, November, 1878
J. D. Vowles, December 31, 1878
W. F. Ball, December, 1878
John Schlanser, December, 1878
John L. Gunckle, 1878
Ira Eddy, January, 1879
James A. Chesley, March 10, 1879
George A. Kingsley, March 13, 1879
C. E. Robbins, March 22, 1879
F. J. Stumpt, March 23, 1879
B. F. Osborne, March 29, 1879
Mrs. M. Emmons, March 31, 1879
M. S. Mayo, March 29, 1879
Peter Westlund, March, 1879
John Hay, March, 1879
James H. Judd, March, 1879
Mrs. John Monson, March, 1879
James B. Judd, March, 1879
Michael Corrigan, April 1, 1879
D. B. Shotwell, April 30, 1879
Alex M. Anderson, April, 1879
Samuel McHenry, April, 1879
Mrs. C. F. Amidon, Spring, 1879
Henry G. Fish, May 11, 1879
Mrs. Bertha Luther, May 12, 1879
Otto M. Luther, May 12, 1879
Hedwig Luther, May 12, 1879
C. B. Wade, May 15, 1879
Peter Pastoret, May 30, 1879
Eugene J. deLendrecie, May, 1879
J. G. Ball, May, 1879
Frank G. Ball, May, 1879
Mrs. C. A. Wheelock, May, 1879
C. H. Porritt, June 7, 1879
George F. Miller, June 7, 1879
O. J. deLendrecie, June, 1879
R. A. Thompson, June, 1879
C. E. Webster, June, 1879
Bella M. Webster, June, 1879
A. A. Trovatten, June, 1879
K. Enerson, August 5, 1879
Rev. R. J. Wisnals, September 9, 1879
John M. Fisher, September 6, 1879
Mrs. D. B. Shotwell, September, 1879
Wayne G. Eddy, October 17, 1879
R. B. Boyd, October, 1879
F. A. Irish, November 28, 1879
C. B. Chacey, November, 1879
A. W. Edwards, Fall, 1879
Mrs. Abbie Best, December 10, 1879
Mrs. Augusta Kennedy, December, 1879
John Young, 1879.

Passengers by the Stage Coach

Those who reached the Red River valley during 1880 and 1881:

H. P. Lough, January 1, 1880
Rudolph A. Richter, January 15, 1880
T. J. Flamer, February 5, 1880
Edward A. Perry, February 20, 1880
Thomas Baker, Jr., March 4, 1880
James Kennedy, March 17, 1880
Mrs. E. A. Fitzgerald, March 18, 1880
Mrs. Thomas E. Dunn, March 18, 1880
Burleigh F. Spaulding, March 31, 1880
F. L. Stanley, March, 1880
Mrs. Mary Burritt, March, 1880
Henry O. Burritt, March, 1880
Mrs. G. M. Huffaker, March, 1880
John Wergin, April 1, 1880
Mrs. John Wergin, April 1, 1880
C. H. Laizure, April 9, 1880
J. F. Schoeninger, April 10, 1880
Theron D. Platt, April 20, 1880
Grace R. Platt, April 22, 1880
Eugene Sauvageau, April 28, 1880
Samuel Sauvageau, April 28, 1880
Joseph Sauvageau, April 28, 1880
Octave Sauvageau, April 28, 1880
Julius Sauvageau, April 28, 1880
Hubert Sauvageau, April 28, 1880
H. G. Edwards, April, 1880
Henry Krogh, Spring, 1880
Mortimer Webster, May 1, 1880
H. J. Rusch, May 2, 1880
Adam Spotts, May 10, 1880
W. R. Lasencke, May 22, 1880
J. P. Edwards, March, 1881
Mrs. William Hauser, June 1, 1880
H. A. McConville, June 15, 1880
Charles B. Miller, June 23, 1880
Mrs. Charles B. Miller, June 23, 1880
F. W. Pearson, June 24, 1880
Mrs. A. W. Edwards, June, 1880
Mrs. Marie E. Belknap, June, 1880
William R. Edwards, June, 1880
Louis Totop, June, 1880
Andrew Thomaier, July 3, 1880
Thomas McCulloch, July 9, 1880
Mrs. Peter Madison, July 14, 1880
H. C. Stebbins, July, 1880
Charles A. Morton, July, 1880
Mrs. J. L. Angell, August 12, 1880
Elizabeth Lindsay, August 26, 1880
Mary Lindsay, August 26, 1880
P. G. Tozier, September 1, 1880
Emma Tozier, September 1, 1880
Elizabeth Nichols, September 30, 1880
A. E. Bestic, September 10, 1880
Peter Pickton, September, 1880
Mrs. Peter Pickton, September, 1880
Fannie E. Pickton, September, 1880
Harry E. Magill, September, 1880
Isaac P. Clapp, October 14, 1880
Mrs. W. C. Shurlock, October 21, 1880
Harald Sunde, October, 1880
James H. Morrow, October, 1880
Frank L. Gage, December 1, 1880
C. R. Meredith, February 22, 1881
Mrs. M. M. Logan, March 27, 1881
Mrs. Frank Marsh, March 27, 1881
Mrs. H. C. Plumley, March, 1881
James D. Carpenter, March, 1881
Stewart Wilson, March 27, 1881
W. H. Aymar, April 2, 1881
H. C. Plumley, April 12, 1881
Frank McKenzie, April 13, 1881
Mrs. Josephine Tour, April 20, 1881
George D. Brown, April, 1881
Sarah G. Thimens, April, 1881
Anna D. Tyler, April, 1881
Jed L. Angell, May 11, 1881
George R. Freeman, May 21, 1881
James E. Johnson, June 10, 1881
Russell P. Freeman, July 1, 1881
Charles A. Pollock, July 8, 1881
Phillip Tessier, July, 1881
Ovid Tessier, July, 1881
Joseph Tessier, July, 1881
J. P. Birchall, August 1, 1881
E. D. Angell, August 5, 1881
S. M. Edwards, August 20, 1881
Mrs. Isabelle Wilson, August, 1881
Robert J. Wilson, August, 1881
Edward A. Wilson, August, 1881
John B. Wilson, August, 1881
Mrs. Frank McKenzie, August, 1881
Mrs. J. W. Kelly, September 1, 1881
Dan S. Stewart, September 29, 1881
Cora D. Stanford, October 27, 1881
Earle N. Stanford, October 27, 1881
Mrs. May O’Shea, October 27, 1881
Dr. L. C. Davenport, November 1Q, 1881
Las. C. McKendry, November 25, 1881
Mrs. S. G. Magill, November, 1881
Mrs. E. R. Orchard, November, 1881
A. L. Moody, Fall, 1881
J. B. Folsom, Fall, 1881
Taylor Crum, December, 1881
Harry J. Hammes, 1881
Sarah G. Thimens, 1881.