Judson LaMoure, born March 27, 1839, in Frelighsburgh, Quebec, Canada, served continuously in the North Dakota state senate since statehood. Educated locally and at Frelighsburgh Academy, he moved to Davenport, Iowa, in 1859. Following a brief stint in the Pike’s Peak gold rush, he settled in Union County, South Dakota, farming and working for H. D. Booge & Co. He later became a sub-agent for the Lower Brule Indians. Relocating to Pembina in 1870, he farmed and was elected to the territorial legislature in 1872. Married in 1874, he had six children. LaMoure, a prominent community figure, was elected to the first state legislature in 1889 and re-elected every four years thereafter.
Judson LaMoure, the only member of the state senate who has served continuously since statehood, was born on March 27, 1839, in the village of Frelighsburgh, County of Missisquoi, Province of Quebec, Canada. He received his education in the common schools of his town and attended two terms at the Frelighsburgh Academy.
At the age of twenty, on March 2, 1859, Mr. LaMoure left his home and moved to Davenport, Iowa, where he secured employment and stayed for a few months. In the spring of 1860, he joined the gold rush to Pike’s Peak but only remained until the fall of that year. He then relocated to South Dakota and settled in Union County. For the next decade, his primary occupation in South Dakota was farming. During this time, he also worked for H. D. Booge & Co., a transportation company based in Sioux City, Iowa. He continued with the company until 1865 when he was appointed sub-agent of the Lower Brule Indians at the mouth of the White Earth River. Five years later, he moved to Pembina, where he engaged in farming until 1872. In that year, he was elected to the territorial legislature.
On December 3, 1874, Mr. LaMoure married Miss Minnie Nelson, and they had a family of six children, three of whom are deceased. In 1876, he was elected to the territorial council and two years later started a mercantile business in Pembina. He later transferred the business to Neche, North Dakota, where it continues to operate under the name J. LaMoure & Co. In 1880, he was re-elected to the legislative assembly and was re-elected to the territorial council in 1884. In 1889, he was elected to the first state legislature as the senator from the First District, and he has been re-elected to this office every four years since.
Mr. LaMoure has long been the leading figure in his community and has played a significant role in the growth and development of North Dakota. He possesses deep knowledge of the state’s financial condition, making him an authority in this crucial aspect. His political views are broad and liberal, and he is known for his numerous acts of charity and goodwill. With his keen observation of legislative proceedings, he diligently safeguards the state’s finances, delivering concise and easily understood remarks on the floor of the senate. He has served as chairman of Republican State Conventions and has held a prominent position in his party’s councils for many years, playing a crucial role in shaping its policies.
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.