William J. Price, born on August 16, 1868, in Stockton-on-Tees, England, was the president of Fargo Plumbing & Heating Company, which he established in 1890 in Fargo, North Dakota. After learning the trade in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he moved to Fargo in 1889. Price married Alice M. Purcell of Faulkton, South Dakota, on January 10, 1895, and they had three sons. A dedicated Republican, he served on the Fargo Board of Education and the board of trustees for the school for the feeble-minded in Grafton. Price was an active Mason and past president of the North Dakota Firemen’s Association.
William J. Price, of Fargo, North Dakota, is the president of the well-known Fargo Plumbing & Heating Company, which he established in 1890 after gaining experience in the business in several major cities across the United States. He learned the plumbing and heating trade while attending night school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for three years. Upon completing his apprenticeship, he initially ventured to Chicago and then continued his journey, eventually reaching Fargo in the spring of 1889. He briefly left Fargo but returned in the fall of the same year. In that winter, he opened his current plumbing and heating business, which has thrived ever since.
Mr. Price was born in Stockton-on-Tees, England, on August 16, 1868. He was raised in Bradford, Yorkshire, where he received a common school education. As a teenager, he immigrated to the United States and settled in Pittsburgh, where he immediately began preparing for the independent business career he has pursued since then. On January 10, 1895, he married Miss Alice M. Purcell of Faulkton, South Dakota, and they have three sons.
In terms of politics, Mr. Price has always been a Republican and has served in various local offices, demonstrating his loyalty to the party and earning respect from both his constituents and himself. He was a member of the Fargo Board of Education for three years and actively participated in its proceedings. He also served on the board of trustees that established the school for the feeble-minded in Grafton. In 1900, he served as the president of the North Dakota Firemen’s Association and was elected as a representative from the ninth district to the eleventh legislative assembly.
Mr. Price is also a highly ranked Mason, belonging to both the York Rite and Scottish Rite bodies. He is a Shriner as well. In Fargo Lodge No. 260 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, he holds the title of Past Exalted Ruler.
Mr. Price’s opinions on general business matters, as well as on any topics of interest to his town and county, are highly respected. He is widely regarded as one of the leading citizens of Fargo.
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.