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.
Thomas Nisbet is a prosperous businessman and landowner in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He was born on December 24, 1843, in Delhousie, Ontario, and is the son of William and Christina (Lindsay) Nisbet. He attended the public schools in his hometown during his childhood and lived on his father’s farm until the age of seventeen. He then worked as a blacksmith until he reached adulthood.
In 1865, he moved to Winona, Minnesota, and worked at his trade there for thirteen years. In 1878, he relocated to Polk County, Minnesota, where he purchased a 400-acre tract of railroad land near Mallory for $1,500. He cultivated 300 acres, built structures, and acquired the necessary equipment to operate a farm. He engaged in farming there for approximately five years before selling the property in 1883 for $9,600. Over the next thirteen years, Mr. Nisbet resided in Mallory and conducted extensive dealings in farm lands. In 1895, he moved to Grand Forks, where he purchased and furnished the elegant and spacious home in which he currently resides.
Throughout the years, Mr. Nisbet has been involved in numerous successful real estate transactions and now owns 2,000 acres of excellent farming land in Polk County. He personally oversees the cultivation of these lands.
Mr. Nisbet is known for his astute judgment and foresight in matters related to his primary interests. He has been an active member of the Masonic Order for many years and holds the highest degree, the thirty-second degree.
On December 30, 1873, Mr. Nisbet married Miss Jeanette, the daughter of Mr. Thomas Robertson of Winona, Minnesota. They have five children, four of whom are living: Ada, William G., Jennie, and May. Their second child, Maggie, is deceased.
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.