Compendium of History and Biography
of North Dakota
Published by George A. Ogle & CO. in 1900

PETER ROBERTS, occupies a prominent place as a well-to-do and progressive member of the farming community of Foster County, and he has a fine farm in township 147. range 67. He is now retired from active labors and has accumulated a competence to tide him through his declining years.  Our subject was born in Wales, in 1844. and was a son of David and Mary Roberts, both of whom were natives of Wales. His father was one of the early settlers of Wisconsin, and took government land there. He spent the last of his career in his native land, and the mother of our subject died in Wisconsin at the age of eighty-three years. Mrs.  Roberts maiden name was Hughs. The Hughs family was quite a prominent family of England and were professional men, bankers, etc.

Mr. Roberts was the fourth in a family of nine children and at the age of three years came to America with his parents and was reared on a farm in Wisconsin. He was given a good common school education and attended two terms at Lawrence University at Appleton, Wisconsin. He began for himself at the age of sixteen years and after hiring out one year followed lumbering eight years and traveled from Warsaw, Wisconsin, to St. Louis, Missouri, for many years, and while raft pilot made seven dollars per day. He began farming in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, in 1871, and owned eighty acres of land, part of which was timber land, he made this a pleasant home and from the farm gained a comfortable competence, and when he disposed of his interests there was able to begin in Dakota with some means. He went to Foster County, North Dakota, in 1883, and entered claim to land as a pre-emption and tree claim in township 147. range 67, and erected a house and small barn.  He had about four thousand dollars and had all necessary machinery and began farming on an extensive scale. He and his children now own together seven hundred and twenty acres of land, on which he has erected a complete set of substantial buildings. His farm is within two miles of the station and a school building is erected on the land, and he has one and a half acres of forest trees and plenty of good water. Mr. Roberts was stricken with paralysis after completing arrangements for the economical conduct of the farm and the enjoyment of his fortune, and for the past two years has been an invalid and the farm has been in charge of his sons since 1897.

Our subject was married in 1870 to Miss Matilda Edwards, of Welsh descent. Mrs. Roberts' father, Hugh Edwards, was a farmer by occupation. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Roberts: M. Louisa, Edward W. and M.  Pierce. The youngest child died in infancy. Mrs.  Roberts was an invalid for ten years and her death occurred in 1892. Mr. Roberts has always taken an active interest in the welfare of his community and has held numerous township offices. Politically he is a Populist and is a man of worth and highly esteemed by his fellow men.

MRS. JOHN H. ROBERTSON, of whom a steel engraving will be found on another page, owns and operates one of the model farms of Foster county. She has managed the estate for the past four years, and success has attended her efforts. She is a lady of rare attainments, and was among the first settlers of that region, and has shared in the hardships and labors incident to pioneer life. Mr. Robertson passed away in 1897, leaving our subject with the care of the farm, and the estate has every appearance of a carefully cultivated and thoroughly improved tract. Mrs. Robertson was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, in August, 1853, and was a daughter of Andrew Lowdan, a native of Virginia, who was of Scotch-Irish descent. The grandfather of our subject, Samuel Lowdan, came from Londonderry, Ireland, and was one of the prominent Orangemen there. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was .Amelia Clark, was a grandniece of, General Greene, and was a native of Virginia, where the family settled when they came to America from Ireland, in the seventeenth century. The great-grandfather of our subject, John Greene, was killed in the Revolutionary war at the battle of Brandy-wine. The family on both sides have participated in the various wars of the country.

Mrs. Robertson was the sixth in a family of seven children, and was raised on a farm and attended the country schools. At the age of .sixteen years she removed to McLean county, Illinois, with her parents, and soon afterward began teaching school there, which profession she followed five years. She was married, in 1874, to John H. Robertson, a native of McLean county. Illinois. Mr. Robertson was of English descent, and his family came from South Carolina, where they settled in 1800, and in 1820 the family located in Kentucky, and later his parents moved to McLean county, Illinois. Mr. Robertson was a soldier in the Civil war, and saw four and a half years of active service. He was a loyal and brave soldier, and an esteemed citizen wherever he made his home. He was a blacksmith and made his home. He was a blacksmith and wagon maker by trade, and he and Mrs. Robertson resided in Downs, Illinois, seven years after their marriage, and then spent two years in Bloomington, Illinois, where Mr. Robertson was engaged in the hardware business.

The family moved to Foster county. North Dakota, in the spring of 1883, and located on the southeast quarter of section 8, in township 145, range 66, as a soldier's homestead. They erected a house and barn, and did the first farming with mules. The farm now comprises six hundred and forty acres, all of which is under cultivation, and Mrs. Robertson has entire control and management of the estate. An extensive grove of forest trees surrounding the buildings enhances the value of the property as well as adding to the beauty of the home, and every convenience of modern farming has been supplied. Carrington was but started when they located there, and Mrs. Robertson was the first woman to market there, and was the first to sell butter in Carrington. Their first home on the farm had no floor, windows or doors, and had a barley roof and sides, and Mrs. Robertson and her husband built their house and she gave it the first coat of paint. She engaged in every kind of work about the place, and also attended to her household duties, and presided with true womanly grace.

One daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Robertson, Amelia, who was born in Dakota, in 1888. Mr. Robertson was the father of two children by a former marriage, and each of the children were given their education at home by Mrs. Robertson, as there were no schools near their farm for several years after they took up their residence there. Mrs. Robertson justly deserves much praise for what she has accomplished, and her successful management of the farm for the past few years is evidence of her executive ability and practical nature.

WILLIAM ROBERTSON, a prosperous and intelligent farmer of township 147, range 66, in Foster county, was one of the earliest settlers of that locality and has witnessed the growth of that region and aided in its development.

Our subject was born on a farm in Scotland in 1858. His father, William Robertson, was a farmer and came to America and was an old settler in Dakota. Our subject was the fourth in a family of ten children and was raised in Scotland and attended the country schools until nineteen years of age, and remained at home two years thereafter and in 1879 emigrated to Canada, landing at Quebec. He worked in Pilkington county, Ontario, about five years and had charge of a large herd of fine bred cattle and horses, and then went to Youngstown, Ohio, where he hired out at farm labor and here had charge of a valuable herd of blooded cattle and horses, including one cow valued at ten thousand dollars and a horse valued at forty thousand dollars. He came to North Dakota in 1883 and located in Jamestown and rented land adjoining the town and fanned thereon one year, and in 1884 came to Foster county and entered claim to government land in section 34, township 147. range 66. He built a house, 30x16 feet, and his brother, Joseph, and sister, Maggie R., lived with him. He built a sod barn and in 1884 raised his first crop in Foster county on rented land. His house and contents burned the following spring and he lost one thousand dollars' worth of property and had nothing left. He cultivated one thousand acres of land in 1894 and hail destroyed the entire crop. He now has a farm of three hundred and twenty acres and operates eight hundred acres annually and in 1900 seeded six hundred acres. His buildings are of the most approved style and are commodious and substantial, and his farm is among the best in the township in the way of improvements. He engages in stock and grain raising and has nineteen head of horses and ten head of cattle, all necessary farm machinery and a well equipped farm in every particular. He followed threshing five years from 1887, and superintended the running of the machine personally. He was among the earliest settlers of township 147, range 66, and Carrington was a small village when he located in this county. He has traveled extensively and as an agricultural district North Dakota, in his judgment, is the best he has visited, and his success is due to his efforts here.

A. K. SPEER. This gentleman is the fortunate owner of one of the fine farms of Foster county, North Dakota, and makes his home in section 4, in township 146, range 67. He is well known as a man of good principles and honest dealings, and has acquired his estate by persistent efforts.

Mr. Speer was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, in 1851. His father, James K. Speer, was a descendant of an old New Jersey family, and he was a blacksmith by trade. The grandfather of our subject. Othnal Speer, was a ship carpenter. The mother of our subject was of an eastern Virginia family.

Mr. Speer was raised in his native city, and at the age of fourteen years was apprenticed to the blacksmith's trade, and spent five years thus, when he began working for himself, and followed his trade in Allegheny City and Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, for ten years. He went to Nebraska in 1877, and began farming in Colfax county. He purchased eighty acres of land, and remained there four years, but grasshoppers destroyed his crops and farming did not prove a success there, and he worked at his trade to pay his indebtedness. He then worked at blacksmithing three years at Pittsburg, and in 1884 went to North Dakota, and located at Melville, Foster county, where he established a blacksmith shop, and in 1886 entered claim to land as a pre-emption east of Melville. A shanty was already built on the place, and he lived therein alone and followed farming, and later proved up on his land. He returned to Pittsburg in the fall of 1887, and remained there until 1893. when he again took up his residence in Foster county. North Dakota, and purchased the east half of section 4. township 146, range 67. There was but one hundred acres under cultivation at the time, but he has increased the acreage under cultivation, and now has a fully improved estate. Hail has caused him losses of crops, and he has met with other discouragements, but has steadily improved the place, and now enjoys the comforts of a model farm. Mr. Speer is a man who keeps pace with the times, and is interested in all matters of a public nature. He is a Republican in political sentiment, and has been identified with that party since 1872. He is energetic and progressive, and is highly esteemed in his community.

JAMES SWEENEY, one of the most prosperous and enterprising farmers of Foster county, has his pleasant home in township 147, range 67, where he has accumulated a valuable property.

Mr. Sweeney was born in the town of Sligo, Ireland, in 1831. He is the youngest of a family of six children, born to John and Mary (McDermot) Sweeney, both natives of Ireland. The father was a cooper by trade, and followed that occupation all his life.

Our subject was reared on a farm and attended the public schools until he was seventeen years old, when he accompanied his parents to America. He started out to work for himself in New York state, doing farm work. At the age of twenty-three years he enlisted in the regular army. Company C, Fifth United States Infantry, and served five years. During that time he did duty in Florida, Texas, Kansas, Utah, Idaho and Nevada, and was in numerous skirmishes and fights with the Indians. He received his discharge at Camp Floyd, Utah, and then engaged in gold mining in Nevada. After one year in that state he went to Colorado and spent two years mining. In 1862 he mined on Salmon river, Idaho, and then went to Bannock, Montana, where he mined gold one year. In 1863 he went to Virginia City, and was first to discover gold in Alder gulch, Montana. He cleaned up $25,000 in that place, and mined in Montana until 1867. He then went to British Columbia and engaged in gold mining, In it shortly afterward returned to Utah and engaged in mining of lead and silver. About 1873 he went to the Black Hills and mined gold for one year, making a little "stake." After mining for some time at different places in Montana, with varied success, he finally purchased teams and began freighting between Cheyenne and Deadwood. He spent two years freighting between these points .and then freighted for one year between Colorado Springs and Leadville. He then moved his teams to Bannock, Montana, and freighted there about a year, and then to Miles City for a few months. From Miles City Mr. Sweeney came to North Dakota, in 1883 and filed claim to land in the northwest quarter of section 30, township 147, range 67, in Foster county. He put up a shanty and sod barn and began to improve his land. He owned five horses and an old wagon, and for the first two years he lived alone on his claim. He is now the owner of six hundred and forty acres of excellent land, five hundred and ninety of which are under cultivation. He has fruit trees, a complete set of farm buildings, with good machinery and plenty of stock, and is said to have one of the best equipped farms in Foster county.

Mr. Sweeney was married, in 1871, to Miss Winnifred Agan, who died in 1881. Mrs. Sweeney was a native of Ireland, though reared in America. Her father was a farmer. Before her marriage Mrs. Sweeney was with her brothers on the frontier, one of whom was an officer in the United States army, and the other a teamster for the government. Mr. and Mrs. Sweeney became the parents of six children, only two of whom are now living.

Mr. Sweeney is a Democrat in political belief, and takes a commendable interest in all public matters. He has held the office of treasurer of his township. He is one of the earliest settlers of Foster county, and is essentially a frontiersman of the old type.

LOREN SYVERSON. a prosperous farmer and well-known early settlers of Foster county, resides in township 145, range 62, and has one of the best farms of that region.

Our subject was born on a farm in Crawford county, Wisconsin, July 18, 1860. His father, S. Syverson, was born in Norway, and came to America in 1840, when about twenty years of age, and was married in this country. He was a farmer throughout his career. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Posy, was born in Tennessee and was of American descent. Her father, William Posy, was a farmer in Tennessee and Illinois. The parents, of our subject were married in Jo Daviess county, Illinois, and settled in Wisconsin about 1850. They were the parents of ten children, six sons and four daughters, of whom our subject was the sixth in order of birth.

Mr. Syverson was raised on the farm in Wisconsin and followed the plow at ten years of age. He attended the country schools and remained at home until twenty-two years of age, and in the spring of 1882 he went to Jamestown. North Dakota. He located land in section 26, township 145, range 62. in Foster county, and built a sod shanty and hired two acres of land broke. In August he went with a surveying party through Foster, Wells and Griggs counties, and during a four months' trip did not meet a dozen people. They lived in tents and were out until December 11, and our subject spent the rest of the winter at home. He again went to Dakota in the spring of 1883 and bought two yoke of cattle, and had a wagon and a breaking plow, and his brother, William J., went into partnership with him in 1882 and they continued together until 1890, and his sister made her home with them after the first three months. His first crop from his own land was in 1884, and he used oxen until the spring of 1887, and paid three hundred and fifty dollars for the first team of horses. His residence was destroyed by a hurricane in the summer of 1890, but was vacant at the time. Mr. Syverson has engaged principally in grain raising, and has raised nine thousand six hundred bushels of grain in one season. He has a farm of six hundred and forty acres, with five hundred sixty acres under cultivation and the balance in pasture land. His residence is a commodious and substantial structure and is one of the best farm houses in the locality, and with barn, granary and other outbuildings forms a home of more than usual comforts. He has all machinery for the economical conduct of the farm, and has about twelve horses working in the busy season, and has as fine a farm as is to be found in the east end of Foster county.

Our subject was married, in February, 1891, to Miss Levina M. Bond, a native of Minnesota. Mrs. Syverson's father, Henry Bond, is a native of Virginia, of Dutch, Irish and Welch descent, and is an old settler in North Dakota. Her mother was born in Kentucky, and was of Dutch-Irish descent. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Syverson, as follows: Leila, born February 13, 1892; Olive, born October 24, 1895, and Ethel, deceased. Mr. Syverson is a Republican in political faith, but takes little interest in affairs of this nature, devoting his entire attention to his farm work. He has passed through all the discouragements incident to pioneer life, and during the early days hauled supplies and grain many miles to market, and encountered severe storms, but he has made a success of his career, despite these drawbacks.

WILLIAM J. SYVERSON, a farmer who has made a success of agriculture in Foster county, North Dakota, resides in township 145, range 62, where he has developed a valuable farm.

Mr. Syverson was born in Illinois, August 28, 1855. At the age of two years he accompanied the family to Crawford county, Wisconsin, where he was reared on the farm, and attended the country schools. He found plenty of hard work, being engaged a good share of the time in grubbing on the farm. When he grew to manhood he began farming for himself in Crawford county, purchasing eighty acres of land, cleared it and grubbed it, and built a log house and stable. He boarded at home most of the time, and farmed for three years there with fair success.

In 1882 Mr. Syverson came to North Dakota in company with his brother, Louis Syverson, and they worked in partnership for several years. Our subject met with fair success, and is now the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of valuable land, four hundred of which is under cultivation and the rest in pasture. He has improved his land and erected a complete set of good farm buildings, has an abundance of farm machinery, and his farm is well stocked.

Mr. Syverson is a Republican in political sentiment, and has taken a considerable interest in public affairs of a local character. He is well known throughout the county, and is one of its pioneers.

JOHN C. WARNER. The subject of this life history, was one of the first settlers of township 145, range 66, in Foster county, and he can recount accurately many exciting experiences amid frontier surroundings. He has labored earnestly to make his farm one of the best in the county, and it is now known as the "Garden Farm of Foster County." Misfortunes have fallen to his lot. but nothing ever turned him from his fixed purpose, and he has surmounted every obstacle and is now accounted among the substantial men of his locality.

Mr. Warner was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1854, and was a son of Erastus and Mary (McFadden) Warner, the former of German and the latter of Irish descent. His grandfather was a farmer, and was one of the "Green Mountain boys," and participated in the war of the Revolution. The mother of our subject came to America when twelve years of age, and the grandfather of our subject, James McFadden, was an Irish lord.

Our subject was the tenth in a family of thirteen children, and was raised on a farm in Canada, and received a limited schooling. At the age of fourteen years he left home and worked out four years, when, in 1872, he went to Saginaw, Michigan, and worked in the lumber district in northern Michigan eight years, and also followed rafting. He went to Illinois in 1880,, and after one summer went to Minneapolis. Minnesota, and the following winter went to Montana and worked on the Northern Pacific Railroad between Miles City and Helena, Montana. He came to Jamestown, North Dakota, in the spring of 1882, and entered a claim to the southeast quarter of section 12, township 145, range 66, in Foster county, and was the farthest farmer north in the county. He erected a shanty of sod and boards and in 1886 began farming for himself. He worked for others and kept hotel at Melville until that year, and also worked at carpenter work. He built the first building in Carrington for Mr. Holsey, and also erected many other buildings in the town. He moved into his shanty and built a board barn in 18S6 and began farming with three horses. His first crop was a failure, but the following season he hired the crop sowed and the wheat was a profitable crop. That was in 1886, and he at once moved to the farm and gave up outside work. His horses were not able to do the breaking, and in the exchange he did not get any better, so necessarily lost his season's work in 1886, and was forced to borrow under mortgage. He had a contest over his land in 1886, and 1887, and this together with his other misfortunes kept him behind. He has raised several excellent crops since those early days, and is now the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of land, all of which is under cultivation, and he has a complete set of good farm buildings, and one of the best blizzard barns in the state, 40x50 feet, with the first twelve feet built of stone. He has all modern machinery, and engages successfully in grain raising principally, but is interested to a limited extent in the raising of stock.

Our subject was married, in 1884, to Miss Rose MacElroy. who was born and raised in Illinois. Mrs. Warner was a daughter of John MacElroy, who was a native of Ireland. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Warner, as follows: Mary, Edith, James. Bernice, Alice and Dewey. Mr. Warner was the first sheriff of Foster county, and at the time he served the Jamestown Northern Railroad was in course of construction, and made the country infested with many rough characters. Our subject is a member of the Maccabees lodge, and in political faith is a Republican.

MATHIAS WILTSCHKO, proprietor of one of the fine farms of township 147, range 67, in Foster county, is one of the men in whose coming to that region all who honor honest industry and good citizenship can rejoice. He has labored earnestly to advance the interests of his community and has acquired a comfortable competence and an enviable reputation.

Our subject was born in Austria, December 1, 1845. His father, John Wiltschko, was a tanner by trade, and came to America in 1854, and settled inWisconsin, where he followed his trade and was well to do. He also took government land in Wisconsin and engaged in farming, and his death occurred in 1878.

Our subject was the second in order of birth in a family of four children, and was raised on a farm in pioneer days and received a limited schooling. He left home at the age of twenty-three years and went to Michigan, where he worked in a blast furnace, and also did some carpenter work for about five years and then followed the life of a fisherman and lost three thousand dollars, aside from the hard work which he did, and then returned to Wisconsin and spent five years there at the carpenter's trade. He went to North Dakota in 1882 and entered claim to government land in township 147, range 67. He followed well drilling part of the time in Wisconsin and continued in the same line for about a year after taking up his residence in Dakota. His family joined him in the new home in 1883 and he built a sod shanty and a sod barn on the farm and began farming, but was without means. He followed farming until 1886, when he went to Montana and followed carpenter work there five years, and in June, 1891, returned to farming in Dakota. He is now the owner of six hundred and forty acres of land, about five hundred and twenty acres of which is under cultivation, and he has a pleasant estate. Forest trees enhance the beauty of the farm as well as its value, and he has all necessary equipments and stock for the assurance of a comfortable income.

Our subject was married at the age of twenty-three years, to Miss Margarette Kuplik, who was born and raised in Bohemia, Austria, and came to America in 1867. Her father was a farmer by occupation. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wiltschko, as follows: William and August. The elder was born in Michigan and the younger in Wisconsin. Mr. Wiltschko is a member of the Masonic fraternity and Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a gentleman of progressive ideas and takes an active interest in the welfare of his township and county, and has served as county assessor two terms. Politically he advocates free silver and stands staunchly for his principles.

GEORGE YOUNG, a successful and well-to-do farmer of township 145, range 62, Foster county, is one of the old settlers of that region, and his farm is one of the well improved estates of his vicinity, and has been acquired by persistent efforts and honest industry.

Our subject was born on a farm in Queen county, Ireland, November 24, 1852. His lather, John Young, was a farmer throughout his career, and lived and died m his native land, his ancestors came to Ireland with King William the Conqueror,, as his soldiers, as did also the ancestors on the mother's side. the mother of our subject bore, the maiden name of Helen Wallace, and was a native of Ireland.

Mr. Young was the fourth in a family of thirteen children, and was raised on the farm and attended the common school and assisted with the farm work. At the age of eighteen years he accepted a position as warden in a prison in Ireland and was there six months, when he resigned and remained at home on the farm about a year and a half, and in 1882 emigrated to Canada, landing at Quebec. He worked on a farm near Toronto and also in the city for about eight months, and in the fall of that year went to Duluth, Minnesota, where he railroaded on the Canadian Portage & Superior Railroad three months and then went to Montana and spent four months in working for the Northern Pacific Railroad. He went to Fargo, North Dakota, in July, 1883, and worked on a farm, and in the spring of 1884 went to Foster county. He entered claim to government land in township 145, range 62, and built a small shanty and hired some land broken and worked for others for the next seven years, hiring some work done on his own place each season. He worked in different parts of Foster and Stutsman counties, and has driven oxen many days, and lived alone, and experienced pioneer life. He began farming for himself in 1893 and had a team of horses, wagon and a little machinery, and his crop was forty acres of wheat and fifteen acres of oats, which returned a good yield. He now has a farm of six hundred and forty acres, with five hundred acres under cultivation, and on his home farm has a complete set of farm buildings of modern finish and design and substantial in every particular, including residence, barn, five granaries, and has all necessary farm machinery, and two four-horse teams, and one driving horse, and has a few cattle, and taken altogether his farm is one of the best improved in the neighborhood, and he is regarded as one of the solid men of Foster county.

Mr. Young is a member of the Episcopal church, and is a man of exemplary character and highly esteemed throughout his community. Politically he is a Democrat, and is strong in his convictions, but does not seek public office, devoting his attention wholly to tile conduct of his estate, and well merits his success and high standing.