Treadwell Twichell, born on November 19, 1864, in Hastings, Minnesota, was a pioneer of North Dakota, settling in Mapleton at age 15. An influential figure, he owned a 5,200-acre farm in Cass County and was a successful ditch contractor. Twichell held numerous public offices, including state representative, state senator, and sheriff of Cass County. He was also chairman of the Republican Central Committee and served as Speaker of the North Dakota House of Representatives. Twichell married Grace B. Dill in 1900, and they had four children.
Treadwell Twichell, was born at Hastings, Minnesota, November 19, 1864, and was the eldest of eight children, born to Luther L. and Sallie Dance Twichell. He removed with his parents to Minneapolis in 1876, and came to North Dakota in 1879, alone, when but fifteen years of age. He located at Mapleton, in Cass county, and has lived there and at Fargo ever since. He is thus one of the pioneers of the state, although still a young man, and has been identified with the development of his section of the state, from an almost uninhabited plain to one of the most populous and prosperous sections of the West. Mr. Twichell received his education in the public and high schools. This rudimentary knowledge he has augmented by extensive reading and personal research, and there are few better posted men in the state. Mr. Twichell is very successfully engaged in farming, owning and operating a splendidly equipped farm of 5,200 acres in the best part of Cass county. He is also extensively engaged in business as a ditch contractor. Mr. Twichell has always taken an active interest in public affairs, and has been kept continuously in township and district offices ever since he became of age. He was elected chairman of the township board successively for nineteen years without a vote against him. Politically, Mr. Twichell has always been a Republican, and has taken a prominent part in the councils of his party, as well as serving the public in an official capacity. He was elected a member of the state house of representatives in 1894, re-elected in 1896, and was elected to the senate in 1898. He resigned his seat in the senate in 1900, to become a candidate for sheriff of Cass county. He was elected and served as sheriff for two terms. He was chosen as chairman of the Republican Central Committee in 1904, and served in that capacity with distinguished ability for two years. He was again elected to the house of representatives in 1906, and was made speaker of that body by an almost unanimous vote, filling the position in a manner which reflected the highest credit both on himself and the house of representatives. In 1908 he was the candidate of the progressive Republicans for the nomination for governor, and defeated.
Mr. Twichell was married in 1900 to Miss Grace B. Dill, daughter of Colonel Daniel J. Dill, of Prescott, Wis. They have a family of four children.
Source
C.F. Cooper & Company, History of the Red River Valley, Past And Present: Including an Account of the Counties, Cities, Towns And Villages of the Valley From the Time of Their First Settlement And Formation, volumes 1-2; Grand Forks: Herald printing company, 1909.