HALVER P. HALVERSON, Sheyenne, Eddy county. North Dakota. The calling of a farmer is calculated to develop kindness and social culture, hospitality and charity, in a degree exceeded by no other vocation, while as to a business point it calls for the exercise of good judgment and close observation and energetic efforts. One of the farmers of township 150, range 67, in Eddy county, who is doing an extensive business and gaining a host of friends by his excellent character is the gentleman above named. Mr. Halverson is one of the early settlers of North Dakota, and is among the substantial men of his community.

Our subject was born in Nas Hallingdal, Norway, September 18, 1866, and is a son of Peder Halverson Pedersmoen and Kari M. Void, according to Norwegian nomenclature. The father and grandfather were farmers in Norway, and the parents of our subject came to America in 1886 and settled at Spring Grove, Houston county, Minnesota. They later removed to Dakota, and there, they both died December 26, 1897, being suffocated with coal gas at their home.

Our subject was raised on a farm in his native land, and attended the common schools, and at the age of nineteen years came to America with his sister, Mrs. Halver T. Hendrickson, landing at New York city. He located at Spring Grove, Minnesota, and was employed at farm work two years, and in the spring of 1888 went to Sheyenne, North Dakota, and filed claim to a pre-emption and then worked for others. He had but two cents after completing the filing of his claim, and his start in Dakota was made with borrowed money. He built a small shanty and a small barn and farmed with oxen, and lived alone on the farm nine years. He has experienced many vast prairie fires, and on one occasion fought the fire with his clothing, returning home with little left. He now has a farm of four hundred acres, three hundred acres under cultivation, and his place is thoroughly equipped and well stocked. He has a complete set of good farm buildings, and engages principally in grain raising. His success has been unbounded, and he now enjoys the comforts of country life.

Our subject was married, August 21, 1897, to Miss Martha Forde, a daughter of Ole F. Forde, who came from Voss, Norway, when he was seven years of age, and was a farmer by occupation. Mrs. Halverson was born near Casson, Dodge county, Minnesota, July 14. 1873. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Halverson, Peder K., born July 11, 1898, and Ole B., born April 11, 1900. Our subject and wife are members of the Lutheran church, and Mr. Halverson is one of the present church directors, and takes an active part in all social affairs of that denomination. He was elected county commissioner for the third district in 1899, and has held numerous school offices, and is an earnest supporter of every move calculated to benefit his township or county. Politically he is a Republican, and stands firmly for the principles of his party.

JOHN P. HEDMAN. one of the leading and extensive farmers of Eddy and Benson counties, has his home in township 151, range 66, where he has accumulated a valuable property and surrounded himself with the conveniences of modern farm life.

Mr. Hedman was born in Sweden June 1, 1851. His father, Peter Johnson, was a nurseryman in Sweden, and is now residing in America. Our subject was reared in his native land and attended the public schools. At the age of seventeen years he came to America with an uncle, and first settled in Minnesota, where he worked on the Great Northern Railroad one year. He and his uncle then bought land in Wright county, Minnesota, and in 1874 he began farming for himself. His last year in Minnesota he farmed in Kandiyohi county, near Willmar. At different times he owned several small farms in Minnesota. In July, 1882, he arrived at Larimore, and worked there for the Great Northern road and also at Grand Forks. In 1883 he moved to his claim in Eddy county, having at the time only about one hundred dollars. He worked out during 1883 and 1884, hiring improvements made on his claim, as he had nothing to farm with. In 1885 he and his uncle together purchased a yoke of oxen, and the next year he did his first farming in the state. Notwithstanding discouragements and losses, he worked steadily, and added to his possessions from time to time, and is now the owner of eleven hundred and sixty acres of land, more than half of which is under cultivation. He has a complete set of farm buildings, all necessary farm machinery, and plenty of stock. He owns one sixteen-horse-power threshing outfit and another of eighteen horse-power. He has engaged profitably in threshing since 1886.

Mr. Hedman was married, in 1874, to Miss Christena Hanson. Mrs. Hedman is a daughter of Peter Hanson, who was a farmer in Minnesota. She was born in Sweden, and came to America in 1862. Mr. and Mrs. Hedman have a family of six boys and three girls now living. Mr. Hedman is a Republican and takes a commendable interest in all public questions of general interest. He is a member of the Lutheran church and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

JACOB H. HOHL. This name is borne by a prominent citizen of Eddv county whose residence is at New Rockford. Since taking up his home in North Dakota his life has been one of continued successes in every direction and in every line in which his faculties have been directed, and he has acquired a comfortable competence and a good name. He is proprietor of the leading lumber yard of the town and is also engaged extensively in general farming near New Rockford.

Our subject was born on a farm near Ft. Madison, Lee county, lowa, and is the eldest in a family of four sons born to Martin and Christine (Schmidt) Hohl, both of whom are natives of Germany. His father came to America in 1843 and his mother emigrated to this country when twenty years of age. Mr. Hohl received a country-school education and assisted with the work on the home farm in Iowa and attended college one summer at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, at the age of seventeen years. He began working at the age of thirteen in a general store and after attending college was employed in a general store at Primrose, Iowa, where he remained as a clerk for three years. After having attended college at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, he came to North Dakota in 1883 and located at Valley City, where he worked in a general store over three years, and in 1886 came to New Rockford and in company with N. J. Hanson established a general store and also a lumber yard for the Gull River Lumber Company. Mr. Hanson conducted the store and our subject had charge of the lumber business. This yard was among the first in the town, as was also the store among the first, and the mercantile business was started in a 24x60 foot building, one of the largest in the town at that time. Business prospered and it was necessary to enlarge the building in 1893. and a 24x90-foot store and a forty-foot warehouse has been used since. Mr. Hanson died in October. 1898, and after his death our subject disposed of the store to Rodenberg Brothers, and Mr. Hohl devotes his attention to the lumber business and enjoys an extensive trade. He owns twelve hundred acres of land in partnership with F. E. Owen, and the land is devoted to general farming, with grain raising in the lead.

Mr. Hohl was married, in 1893, to Miss Margaret E. Wren, who was born and raised in Ontario, Canada . Mrs. Hohl's father, William Wren, is of Scotch-English descent, and died in Canada in February, 1900. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hohl, as follows: Gladys E.. Berenice A. and Janet L. Mr. Hohl is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and the Mystic Shrine, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Modern Woodmen of America and Knights of Pythias. Politically he is an independent voter, but prior to 1896 was identified with the Democratic party. He is a man who keeps pace with the times, and lends his influence for good local government.

BURTON HULBERT. Among the prosperous farmers of Eddy county, who have passed through pioneer experiences and have made a success of grain raising and are now enjoying the comforts of rural life, .the gentleman whose name heads this personal history deserves special mention. He was one of the earliest settlers of township 148, range 66, and has persevered although many discouragements beset his path, and he is now regarded as a farmer who is conducting an extensive business.

Our subject was born in Ontario county. New York, on a farm in 1842. His forefathers fought in the Revolutionary war, and the family record on the paternal side is as follows: Daniel, Russel and the father of our subject, Anson Hulbert. The last named was a farmer throughout his career, and the family is of English descent.

Mr. Hulbert was the fifth in order of birth in a family of six children, and was raised on a farm. At the age of eighteen years he enlisted in tlie Twenty-first New York Cavalry, in 1862, and was sent to join the Army of the Potomac. He participated in many of the hard fought battles of the war, including Gettysburg, Winchester and was at Richmond and Petersburg. He saw nearly three years of active service, and on one occasion the horse on which he was mounted was killed, and at another time one was wounded. After the close of the war he returned to New York state and followed painting, continuing in that trade twenty-five years in New York and Michigan, spending four years of the time in the latter state. He went to North Dakota in the fall of 1882 and looked over the country through Foster and Eddy counties, and in the spring of 1883 located in Carrington, and made his home there two years, working at his trade. Carrington was but a small place upon his arrival there, and the hotel being full of guests he was compelled to sleep the first two nights in a hog shed. His family joined him July 10, of that year, and in the spring of 1884 he took government land in Eddy county, which when surveyed proved to be the southeast quarter of section 2, in township 148, range 66. He built a claim shanty and began farming and also worked at his trade, and during the first two years farmed with oxen. His nearest neighbor was then two miles away, and there was not a house between his place and New Rockford. He and his wife now own four hundred and eighty acres of land, their son has three hundred and twenty acres, and their daughter one hundred and sixty acres, making a total of nearly one thousand acres controlled and owned by the family. Mr. Hulbert has four hundred acres under cultivation, and on his farm has all necessary machinery and buildings for the conduct of a modern farm. He engages in wheat raising almost exclusively, and in this line has been remarkably successful. He is a man of energy, and July 17. 1890, took the contract to carry the mails between New Rockford and Manis, by way of Tiffany, for four years. The distance is twenty-five miles, and it is to be made daily and home again, fifty miles in every kind of weather.

Our subject was married, in 1871, to Miss Elizi Waite. Mrs. Hulbert is of English descent and was born and raised in Kingston, New York. Her father, Hiram Waite. was an engineer on the great lakes. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hulbert. all of whom were born in New York state, and are named as follows: Angeline. now Mrs. Johnston: Mark and Ellen. Mr. Hulbert is a highly esteemed citizen of his community and is a man who keeps pace with current events. Politically he is a Republican.

AXTLE JOHNSON, stands among the foremost agriculturists of Eddy county, and is conducting general farming on an extensive plan with unbounded success. He was one of the pioneer settlers of North Dakota, and has experienced the discouragements which beset the early settlers of a country; but he has steadily gone forward with an indomitable will, and his energetic spirit and honest industry have brought him a fine estate and an enviable reputation.

Our subject was born in Porter county, Indiana, on a farm, December 29, 1853. His father, Andrew P. Johnson, was born in Sweden, and came to America when about eight years of age, and followed farming throughout his career, and now resides in Kansas. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Annie Robertson, was born near Cleveland, Ohio.

Mr. Johnson was raised on a farm in Indiana, and attended the common schools, and when he was thirteen years of age the family removed to Henry county, Illinois, and when seventeen years of age our subject completed his education at Galesburg high school, in Illinois, after which he went to Colorado and engaged in gold and silver mining till 1878, when he went to California, and from thence to South America, where he prospected for gold and silver. He returned to San Francisco, California, in 1879, and then went to Leadville, Colorado, and followed mining there two years, and then went to Idaho. He went to North Dakota in 1883 and settled in township 148, range 66, in Eddy county, and entered claim to government land. He had a team of mules, wagon, harness and fifteen dollars in money, and built a shanty 8x10 feet, with a board door on leather hinges, and had but just started his farming when a storm swept away the roof and sides of the shanty, leaving our subject standing on the floor without shelter. His wagon and box were broken also, and his sod stable had the roof taken off. Mr. Johnson fived alone, and broke land for others the first year, around Valley City. He plowed one hundred acres of land the first year, aside from breaking some land on his own place. He built a second shanty on his farm, and his first crop was on forty acres of his own land and thirty-five acres of rented land, and was a good yield. He added to his possessions as circumstances would permit, and became the owner of one thousand four hundred and forty acres of land, which he sold in 1897, together with the improvements thereon, for fourteen thousand dollars, and removed to Minneapolis. He remained there but a few months, and then returned to North Dakota and purchased land and erected good buildings thereon, and is now the owner of sixteen hundred acres of well-improved land, and cultivates about fourteen hundred acres. He is interested to some extent in stock raising, and keeps the Durham cattle, but follows grain raising to a greater extent. He has eighteen head of horses and all necessary machinery, including a fourteen-horse-power threshing machine, and has a well-equipped and pleasant farm. He has planted five thousand trees on the place, and it is an excellent estate.

Our subject was married, in 1893, to Miss Angeline Hulbert. Mrs. Johnson was born in New York and resided there till eleven years of age, when she removed to North Dakota, where she has since lived. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson: Ella, born February 27, 1894, and Percy, born July 1, 1896. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, Ancient Order of United Workmen and Brotherhood of American Yeomen. Politically, he is a Democrat.

Our subject was born in Sweden August 31, 1859, and was the oldest in a family of seven children. He was raised on a farm in his native land and received a common and high school education, and at the age of nineteen years came to America and located at Red Wing, Minnesota. He was there employed in a clothing store as salesman three years, and in 1882 went to St. Paul, Minnesota, and was employed as clothing salesman six years in the United States Clothing House. He went from St. Paul to North Dakota, in 1888. and was engaged in clerking in the clothing house of Hohl & Hanson one year, and in the fall of 1889 entered into partnership with D. Niven in the general merchandise business, under the firm name of Niven & Mattson, and conducted the business successfully till the spring of 1899, when Dowkes & Woodward became proprietors of the business. Mr. Mattson established the grain commission business in the fall of 1899 and solicits shipments of grain and deals in futures in grain, stock and provisions, and is successfully conducting the same. He owns one thousand acres of land nine miles northwest of New Rockford and cultivates six hundred acres. He engages in grain and stock raising, and his farm is valued at fifteen thousand dollars.

Our subject is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge and is prominent in the social affairs of the order and has represented his lodge at the Grand Lodge of the state for several years past. In political sentiment he is a Republican and is a man who keeps pace with the times and stands firmly for right and justice.