Grand Forks County Archives — Page 3 of 6

Biography of Thomas Hilliard Pugh of Larimore North Dakota

Thomas Hilliard Pugh, born July 6, 1868, in Peterboro, Ontario, was a distinguished lawyer in Larimore, North Dakota. Educated in Port Perry, Ontario, he initially taught school for four years. Pugh studied law under Charles E. Henry in AuSable, Michigan, and was admitted to the bar in 1891. After practicing law in Michigan for five years, he moved to Larimore in 1897, where he established a successful legal practice. Pugh was active in the Masonic Order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Knights of Pythias. He married Jessie Taylor in 1896, and they had four children: Mary, Evadne, Thomas Douglas, and Jessie Gayle.

Biography of Thomas Nisbet of Grand Forks North Dakota

Thomas Nisbet, born December 24, 1843, in Delhousie, Ontario, was a prominent businessman and landowner in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He moved to Winona, Minnesota, in 1865, and later to Polk County, Minnesota, where he engaged in farming and land transactions. In 1895, Nisbet relocated to Grand Forks, amassing 2,000 acres of farmland in Polk County. He was a 32nd degree Mason and married Jeanette Robertson in 1873, with whom he had five children.

Biography of Victor Scott Wisner of Larimore North Dakota

Victor Scott Wisner, D.D.S., born March 18, 1856, in Orange County, New York, is a prominent dentist and civic leader in Larimore, Grand Forks County, North Dakota. He moved to North Dakota around 1880, initially homesteading in Grand Forks before pursuing dental studies at Northwestern Dental College, Chicago. Returning to practice in North Dakota, he settled in Larimore in 1892. A dedicated Republican, Wisner served as mayor, city auditor, city council member, and state legislator. On May 31, 1893, he married Lillian M. DeKay of Warwick, New York.

Biography of William Henry Welch, M. D. of Larimore North Dakota

William Henry Welch, M.D., was born on June 30, 1854, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Hosea Welch, Jr., and Harriet (Davling) Welch, of Irish and Scottish descent. Educated at Caledonia County Grammar School and the medical department of the Academy of Vermont, he moved west in 1883, initially settling in Crookston, Minnesota. On December 1, 1889, he relocated to Larimore, North Dakota, to practice medicine. Dr. Welch served as the physician in charge of the Grand Forks County Hospital from 1898 to 1904. He was a member of several medical societies. He married Elizabeth Morrison on January 14, 1882, in Groton, Vermont.

Biography of William Horace Witherstine, M. D. of Grand Forks North Dakota

William Horace Witherstine, M.D., was born on November 7, 1880, in Dover, Minnesota, to Dr. Horace H. and Amelia Witherstine, both of German descent. He completed his preliminary education in Rochester, Minnesota, and graduated from Rush Medical College in 1904. After serving as an assistant surgeon at Cook County Hospital, he practiced in Rochester before moving to Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1907 to continue his medical career. He was a member of several medical societies and fraternal organizations. On June 1, 1906, he married Ida A. Dahlen in Joliet, Illinois. Their daughter, Ruth L., died in infancy.

Biography of William James Glass of Inkster North Dakota

William James Glass, born on December 3, 1861, in Glenville, Schenectady County, New York, was the son of Cornelius and Elizabeth Glass, Irish immigrants who settled in New York in 1848. Educated locally, he initially pursued teaching before transitioning to carpentry. In 1883, Glass moved to North Dakota, managing the Northwestern Lumber Company in Inkster for 23 years. After 1908, he focused on farming, owning significant land in the region. Glass held numerous local offices and was active in Masonic and fraternal organizations. In 1889, he married Ellen Mary Sorg, and they had one son, Elwyn Cornelius, born in 1894.

Biography of William Spriggs of Grand Forks North Dakota

William Spriggs, born on July 3, 1863, in Elyria, Ohio, was the son of Joseph and Lucy (Fretter-Harrison) Spriggs, natives of England who settled in Rice County, Minnesota, in 1863. Educated locally and at a business college in St. Paul, Spriggs gained experience in the plumbing and heating trade. He co-founded Spriggs Brothers, a leading firm in the industry. He held prominent positions in various organizations and served on the city council. On January 20, 1897, he married Jennie Cross (née Taylor), and they had two children, Alva J. and Louise M.

Biography of Joseph R. Poupore of Grand Forks North Dakota

Joseph R. Poupore, a prominent county commissioner and railroad contractor in the Red River Valley, was born in 1860 in Pontiac, Quebec, Canada. At sixteen, he began managing logging crews for his family’s lumber business, gaining valuable experience in labor management. Poupore moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1881, initially farming before transitioning to railroad contracting and large-scale projects. His work included street excavation, railroad grading, and bridge construction. Elected county treasurer in 1903 and county commissioner in 1905, Poupore also promoted the Grand Forks Central Creamery and managed the Poupore & Kennedy Brickyard. He married Teresa Landon in 1885, and they had ten children, with four surviving into 1909.

Biography of John W. Scott of Grand Forks County North Dakota

John W. Scott, born October 21, 1849, in Ontario, Canada, was a notable public official in Grand Forks County, North Dakota. He moved to Wisconsin in his youth and then to Grand Forks County in 1879, where he transformed his homestead into a model farm. A dedicated Republican, Scott was the first commissioner elected from the Fifth District in 1881 and later served in the Dakota Territory General Assembly. In 1892, he became the county auditor, a position he held for eight years. Scott married Ella Harshman in 1875 and, after her passing, married Hannah Varner in 1895. He had eight children from his first marriage and four from his second.

Biography of John Vallely of Grand Forks North Dakota

John Vallely, born January 21, 1861, in Lanark, Ontario, Canada, is president of the Western Collection Agency in Grand Forks, North Dakota. His parents, Michael and Mary (Ryan) Vallely, were farmers. John moved to North Dakota on June 2, 1882. He has been in the collection business since 1890 and helped establish the Western Collection Agency in 1907. Vallely served as an alderman and was active in the Democratic State Central Committee. He married Lila Moran on November 28, 1889, and they have four children: Mary Lillian, Margaret Irene, Alonza Joseph, and Michael Alexander.