ANDREW SHERVEN, one of the members of the agricultural community who have made Grand Harbor a prosperous township and added to the wealth of Ramsey county, is a native of Norway, and, like so many of her hardy sons, has found a congenial home in the great Northwest.

Mr. Sherven was born in Norway, November 11, 1849, and was reared on a farm in his native land until he was about twenty years of age, when, in 1869, he came to the United States. He first went to Dane county, Wisconsin, where he was employed in farm labor for three years. He then went to Goodhue county, Minnesota, where he remained about two years, and then went to the Red river valley, in North Dakota. Here he worked on the Northern Pacific Railroad one summer, when he returned to Goodhue county, Minnesota. He attended the Auxburg Seminary, at Minneapolis, for three years, and also took a business course in Curtiss Business College of that city.

In the spring of 1883 Mr. Sherven came to Ramsey county and took up one hundred and sixty acres of land, where he still makes his home. He has added many valuable improvements, and his property is one of the most desirable estates in Ramsey county. He is now the proprietor of three hundred and twenty acres of land, having added one hundred and sixty acres. He was engaged in the hotel business in Grafton for about a year and a half since coming to North Dakota.

Mr. Sherven was married in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Miss Mary Samuelson, who is also a native of Norway . They are the parents of four children, named in the order of their birth as follows: Andrew, Jr., Caroline, Matthew and Annetta. They have a comfortable home, supplied with all the conveniences of modern farm life. Mr. Sherven has taken an active part in the public affairs of his community and township, and has been entrusted with some of the more important offices of his township. Among others may be named that of supervisor, assessor, school director, etc. He has used his influence to advance the educational interests of his community, and has been a worker for the up building of the schools of the township. He is also a consistent member of the Norwegian Lutheran church.

PHIL H. SHORTT, editor and publisher of the "Devils Lake News." is a young man of marked ability and energetic character. He has been a resident of Devils Lake comparatively few years, but has gained a high station as a business man and citizen, and his public spirit and loyalty to the country commend him to the esteem of ail who know him.

Our subject was born in Mower county, Minnesota. July 23. 1869. He was reared in his native county and received a good education and remained at home until about seventeen years of age. He learned the printer's trade at Austin, Minnesota, and has followed that business continuously since that time. He came to Devils Lake and purchased the "News" in January, 1895. and has since conducted the paper with the exception of about one year, when he was in the United States service. He has met with unbounded success in his newspaper work and the circulation of the same steadily increases and the paper is fast taking a place among the metropolitan papers of the country. The "Devils Lake News" was established in May. 1883, under the name of the "Pioneer Press," and the name was soon afterward changed to the "Devils Lake News." and it has been under the present management since 1895, with the exception of about one year, the paper was leased in the absence of Mr. Shortt.

Mr. Shortt enlisted in Company D, First North Dakota Regiment, April 26, 1898. as a private, and was appointed first sergeant of his company May I, 1898. He served in the Philippines and participated in all the engagements of his company. He was discharged from the service at Manila, July 30, 1899, and returned to Devils Lake, North Dakota, and resumed charge of his paper in September of that year.

Mr. Shortt is intelligent and progressive, and at the request of Colonel Treumann and other officers of the First North Dakota Regiment he wrote a history of the regiment, which is prized by the members and friends of the regiment.

JOHN M. SOBY, a well-known business man of Ramsey county, conducts an extensive mercantile business in the village of Crary. He is one of the enterprising citizens who have helped to build up the business interests of the county and to bring it to the solid prosperity which it enjoys.

Mr. Soby was born in the kingdom of Norway, June 18, 1856. He was reared and educated in his native land and remained there until 1883, principally engaged in farming, but having also learned the blacksmith's trade in the meantime. In 1883 he came to the United States and proceeded at once to Fergus Falls, Minnesota. He engaged in farming in Ottertail county, Minnesota, remaining there about two years. He then went to Traill county, Dakota, where he worked at blacksmithing until 1886.

In 1886 Mr. Soby came to Ramsey county and selected the village of Crary as his permanent home. He opened a blacksmithing and general repair business and was successful in his undertaking, his work increasing each year and his profits keeping pace with the business. He continued in this line until 1893, when he opened up a mercantile business, in which he is still engaged. He is one of the solid business men of the community and his fair dealing and courteous treatment have won him a steadily increasing trade.

Mr. Soby was married at Mayville, North Dakota , to Miss Anna Emanuelson. Mrs. Soby is also a native of Norway and to her able assistance is due in a large degree the success which has attended their efforts to establish for themselves a comfortable home and competence for after years. To Mr. and Mrs. Soby six children have been born, named as follows: Martha, Alfred, Elida, Julia, Roy, Mabel. They compose a family of bright and intelligent children and their education is receiving due attention. Mr. Soby has many friends and is regarded as a model citizen and valued member of the community in which he lives.

RASMUS SORENSEN, residing on section 29, of Webster township, is proprietor of an elegant farm, which he has accumulated since taking up his residence in North Dakota. He is one of the early settlers of that region and has been thoroughly identified with its progress and development.

Our subject was born in Denmark, May 19, 1859. He was reared in his native land and continued his residence there until 1880, when he emigrated to America to seek his fortunes in the new world. He went to Meeker county, Minnesota, and resided there until 1882, in the spring of which year he became a resident of Ramsey county and located on a farm on which he has since been a resident. He has continued the improvement of his farm and now enjoys a comfortable, home, surrounded by good improvements and is the owner of one thousand two hundred and eighty acres of valuable land and is one of the substantial men of his township.

Our subject was married in Webster township, Ramsey county. North Dakota, to Miss Johanna Anderson, a native of Sweden . five children have been born to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Sorensen, upon whom they have bestowed the following names: Christian, Hilda, Alfred. Minnie and Agnes. Mr. Sorensen takes a hearty and intelligent interest in public affairs of his township and has held numerous offices of trust, including a member of the township board of supervisors.

Our subject was born in the county of Ontario, Canada. March 10, 1847. He was reared on a farm in his native place until he was eighteen years of age. when he engaged in the mercantile business and also operated a flouring-mill and saw-mill in Ontario county. He continued in business there for several years and also in Toronto for about four years in the mercantile and building business and went from Toronto to North Dakota in the spring of 1882. He pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres of land near Inkster, where he lived for several months and in the spring of 1893 went to Devils Lake and was engaged in contracting and building there about two years. He then located in Crary and has since engaged in the mercantile business in that city. He is also largely interested in real estate in that vicinity.

Our subject was married, in the province of Ontario, Ontario county, Canada, to Rebecca A. Marr, a native of Middlesex county, Ontario . Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one child living, named Eva V. M., and one son is now deceased, Oscar, who died at the age of four years. Mr. Smith held the office of postmaster at Crary eleven years, serving under the administration of both political parties, and he was an efficient and popular officer. He has served as justice of the peace and notary public and is prominent in school affairs, having held some school office for several years past. He is a trustee of the Congregational church and is active in church work of that denomination. In political faith Mr. Smith is a Republican and is a member of the Republican county central committee. He is a citizen of true worth and well merits his success and high standing.