When Jacob J. Tesky was three years old, he came to this country with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Tesky, landing in New York in May, 1885 and coming to Tripp, Dakota Territory by rail.

The Tesky family lived with an uncle of Jacob’s the remainder of that year and the beginning of 1886 until spring. In the spring of 1886, they moved on a farm near Menno and began farming. They purchased a team of oxen and a cow. The father worked in an elevator in Menno, his employer being a man named Seiler. He worked there for three years, his family doing the farm work.

Joining a caravan of nineteen covered wagons, pulled by nineteen team of oxen, they left Tripp some time during the summer of 1889, heading for what is now North Dakota. They traveled slowly and went through Ellendale and Ashley and the Teskys left the party about ten miles west of Ashley. Others had left the party to settle nearer Ashley and some going further.

Though just a lad of seven years, Mr. Tesky remembers coming to McIntosh County. He helped his father and mother build their first house which was made of sod. It was about 16 x 40 feet and took three weeks to build it. His father made a stove of sod bricks, it being about four feet wide and eight feet long and six feet high. As they were very poor and could not afford to buy fuel, the children gathered buffalo chips and bones to burn. Jacob and his brother slept on top of the stove when there was no fire in it.

Plowing was done with oxen and a wooden plow. The oxen had to be led, so either the mother or the older children did this, while their father handled the plow. The children also had to herd the cows and help get hay and twist it tight so that it would not burn so fast when used for fuel.

The Tesky family got their mail from Ashley once a week by walking a distance of eleven miles. One time, Jacob and his father walked to Eureka, South Dakota, a distance of twenty miles to get flour and other supplies. They purchased fifty pounds of flour, two gallons of syrup and a ten pound pail of jelly which they carried home. Two gallons of syrup cost 25 cents and flour about $1.00 a hundred.

Mr. Tesky tells of his first experience with Indians. One time, when the children were left at home alone, a band of Indians in six wagons stopped at their place. The children did not have time to lock the doors, so they crawled under the bed. After the Indians had seen the children and inspected everything in the house, they left. The children crawled from under the bed and ran to their nearest neighbor, John Goehring. They were so terrified that for a while they were speechless.

One time the Tesky family were without flour for a week. They were without funds and could not get any credit at that time. The father had to mortgage his team of oxen to obtain enough money to purchase a hundred pounds of flour, which cost $1.50.

Jacob J. Tesky and Christine Delzer were united in marriage in Venturia, North Dakota, on December 28 th , 1905, by Rev. Bischof, and are members of the Baptist Church.

Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Tesky, eleven of whom are living and are: Arthur and Ted, in Venturia; Anna, now Mrs. Arthur Gust, Alva, Okla.; Ida, now Mrs. Jacob Buck, Streeter, N. D.; Ervin, teaching school near Ashley; Harold in California; Theophil in High School at Ashley and Edna, Willard, Agnes and Octavia at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Tesky live in Venturia, N. D. Mr. Tesky is a rural mail carrier having held this position for several years.

The first day of Ashley’s Golden Jubilee, June 13 th , marks the birthday of our Jovial townsman, Ludwig Thurn. 1866 was the year of his birth in Neudorf in Kersochan Kraes, South Russia. Here he received his early schooling and grew to young manhood. Following the custom in that country he was in military service from 1887 to 1891. At the end of his term he returned home.

The land across the sea lured him and also his brother August. They too wanted to join the throngs of emigrants going to a country which promised riches and land for the taking. They departed from the old home in March, 1892, going from Bohnhof, Buersula, South Russia, through Schemerinka to 0st Preisan and then on through Berlin, Germany, to the seaport Bremen, Germany. This was a tedious journey and the thought of loved ones at home was ever present in their minds. But the journey was commenced and must be continued and completed. An America bound ship was boarded by these venturous youths and after 8 days sailing New York was reached. The journey westward was continued by rail, first through thickly populated cities and settlements and then on out into the broad open prairies with an occasional little town. Eureka, S. D., was their destination, and it was reached 21 days from the time they started. Friends were visited and messages delivered from relatives still in the "old country" before the boys traveled on to find a homestead. Later in the year both left Eureka and Ludwig filed on land in the Jewell township in McIntosh County. This farm is still owned by Mr. Thurn though he has not farmed for several years.

Mr. Thurn is the son of George Friedrich Thurn, born August 20, 1837, and Katharina Raile, born August 10, 1837. His parents emigrated to the U. S., and McIntosh County in 1893. At the time of taking up his land Mr. Thurn was still a single man. He met Rosina Schumacher, daughter of Wilhelm and Rosina (nee Schnabel) Schumacher, he was born in Glueckstal, South Russia, and emigrated to the U. S. in 1889, along with her parents and nine brothers and sisters. Her early home was the usual sod shanty with a home built stove constructed of sod and rock, with straw for fuel.

June 19, 1892, Ludwig Thurn and Rosina Schumacher were united in marriage by the Rev. Geo. Zapf, Pastor of the Lutheran Church, in the Jewell township. Mr. Thurn still maintains membership in this church.

Mr. and Mrs. Thurn are the parents of thirteen children, nine still living, namely: Ludwig, farmer, born April 21, 1894; August, farmer, born January 3, 1896; Mathilda, wife of Jacob Harter, born March 25, 1897; Lydia, wife of Ben Weiler, born September 3, 1898; Katharina, beautician, born December 26, 1901;

Adolf, Hardware dealer, born March 18, 1906; Martha, employed by the Northern Power and Light Company, born March 24, 1908; William, employed in County Agent’s office, born February 2, 1910; Gottlieb, teacher, born November 20, 1911, all the children are living in or near Ashley with the exception of Katharina who is in Fargo, N. D.

Mr. Thurn was active in affairs which served to make his community a better place in which to live and rear his children. He served as a member of the school board, postmaster for Jewell, McIntosh County, and as Assessor in the First District.

With the sum of $125.00 his entire inheritance, he came to McIntosh County and cast his lot with others, some who had more and others less than he. By hard work and good management his little stock of farm machinery, namely a wagon, old breaker plow, drag, mower and rake, was added to from time to time. When he retired from the well equipped farm in 1921, he moved his family to Ashley. With Philip Weisz as a partner he bought the Schauer hardware store. Eventually he bought out his partner and is still operating the business ably assisted by his son Adolf.

Mr. Thurn in talking of the early days states that all crops were not bountiful. Some years they were what one would call bumper crops and others almost a complete failure. Weather conditions also varied more or less with winters especially seeming very severe and blizzards raging wildly for days at a time. No drouth that he can recall compares with that which we have been experiencing the past few years. Grasshoppers were present in the early days but no apparent damage was suffered from them.

Today Mr. and Mrs. Thurn are living in their well built, nicely furnished home in Ashley, a far cry from the sod shanty of the early nineties, as in those days they welcomed their friends and neighbors at their home and are ready to assist in any outside activity for the betterment of the community.

Ludwig Ulmer was among the early pioneers of McIntosh County, coming in the spring of 1885. He was born on March 25 th , 1868, in Johannestal, South Russia, and was the son of Ludwig Ulmer and his wife Dora, born Miller. He accompanied them to America and arriving at New York, they took the train for Scotland, Dakota Territory. He and his parents stayed at Scotland all winter. In the spring, being attracted by the large and spacious land that was being opened for homestead entry in the north, the Ulmers left by oxen team. Mr. Ulmer’s parents located one mile from Greenway, but Ludwig came to McIntosh County and filed an a homestead 11 miles southeast of the present site of the town of Wishek.

Mr. Ulmer was united in marriage to Magdalena Gaier in 1885, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Kneehaus. Their house and barn were made of sod and with farm equipment consisting of a pair of oxen, wagon and a hand plow, they started to prepare for the spring work. Because the season was far advanced, just a few acres were sown that spring and it was sown by hand.

Eureka was their nearest town but they did not do all of their trading there. They gathered buffalo bones and hauled them to Ipswich. It took eight days to make the trip but they received $20.00 per ton for them and it was much more than any other town was offering. One time there was no sugar in the house and Mr. Ulmer was out of tobacco, so he walked to Eureka to buy these two items. It took him two days to go and two to come home.

Mr. Ulmer says that the winters were much colder and longer than they are now and there was much more snow. Storms and blizzards were common occurrences, often leaving all the buildings obscure from sight. Tunnels would hove to be shoveled from the house to the barn and then they would start to locate the rest of the buildings on the farm. The well was the hardest to find after a storm. With the slightest wind, these tunnels would fill up and have to be shoveled out again. When the snow melted in the spring, every slough and lake would be full of water.

There were five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Ulmer, three of whom are living and are: Emelia, now Mrs. William Rohrer, living an a farm near Tuttle, N. D.;

Willie, farmer, living near Danzig, N. D.; and Lydia, now Mrs. Henry Krein, Danzig, N. D.

In June, 1885, Mr. Ulmer made a baking mould out of wood. This they used for years. It is one of the few things they have left from the early days and is prized very highly.

Mrs. Ulmer died an December 23 rd , 1937. Mr. Ulmer resides on his farm southwest of Wishek.

Mr. Jacob Vossler, one of the outstanding residents of the western portion of McIntosh County a member of the Lutheran church, was born in Bessarabia, South Russia, on January 26, 1884. He emigrated to the United States with his parents in his early infancy, arriving at Scotland on Aug. 3, 1885. He lived there with his parents until the spring of 1886 when they moved by ox team to McIntosh County arriving in this county on April 6, 1886. His parents filed on land about sixteen miles north of the present town of Zeeland, in what is known as the Beaver Creek country.

His parents did not possess much in the way of worldly goods, when they arrived here, in fact they were, as is sometimes said, "flat broke", they did however, have a little machinery consisting of a hand plow, a stone boat, home made harrow, a hand seeder, a cow and two old oxen, all worth perhaps $125.00.

Mr. Vossler owing to his age never filed on any Government land, as by the time he became 21 years of age most of the good land in his locality had already been taken up. He however by hard work and persistent saving accumulated land and other property and at the age of 43 he married Eva Becker on July 5, 1927, and to this union two children were born, both attending school and living with their parents.

Most of Mr. Vossler’s life has been spent in farming, although he has been engaged in cream buying business, and was manager of an elevator for a time.

Frederich Wahl, son of Johannes and Barbara---nee Berkle---Wahl, was born October 15, 1862, in Hoffnungstal, South Russia. Here he grew up, and June 20, 1884, Margareta Schlenker became his wife. The marriage service was read by Pastor Peter. They worked and saved through the next year. Desiring a home and land of their own they decided to cast their lot with many others who were leaving the "old country" to establish homes in America.

Late in the spring of 1885, Mr. and Mrs. Wahl and son John, a babe but a few weeks old, bid goodbye to loved ones and fared forth. A few things were packed and taken with them, mostly bedding and cloth besides their clothing. They were not entirely alone on this long journey over the sea. Other families who came at the same time were those of Christian Becker, Jacob Kempf, Christoph Nitschke, Johannes Stehr, William Wahl, Mathis Dobler, Frederich Skaley, Frederich Bossert and Jacob Nill, Sr. With these friends time on the trip passed much more quickly than if they had been alone.

After landing at New York they were conducted to the railway station and entrained for Scotland, Dakota Territory. Here oxen and some other equipment was purchased, and the party drove overland with the oxen to McIntosh County arriving here June 11, 1885.

Mr. Wahl filed on the Northeast quarter of Section 5, Township 129, Range 68 -- about seven miles southeast of Ashley. Others of the party filed near by, and then began the work of breaking sod, planting grain and building homes. For his family Mr. Wahl built a sod house, and later a sod barn was built to shelter the live stock. In the little sod shanty the furnishings were scanty. They had been unable to bring furniture or kitchen ware from their native land owing to the distance. Money was none too plentiful, Mr. Wahl having about $250.00 which was to buy household furnishings, farm equipment, food and clothing. Lumber was bought, and beds, benches for chairs and a table were built. Their stove was a small kitchen type, and for light a kerosene lamp had been bought at Ipswich. The floor was a natural clay with light sand spread over it. And so with the home established the other work went forward.

Mr. Wahl owned two oxen, one cow and a wagon, and in partnership with C. C. Becker and Christoph Nitschke, a grass mower and rake. With the oxen and a hand plow about 50 acres was broken and planted to wheat. No modern type of seeder was known to exist then. Seed was strewn by hand. The sun and rain came, and the grain grew and ripened. Harvesting was accomplished with a "boden schnieder"---a machine similar to our present day mower. Attached to this was a rake-like affair that piled the cut grain in winnows. When time for threshing came a plot of ground was cleared and some of the straw placed upon it. Horses then tramped over the straw, and the grain was forced out. The straw was raked away leaving the golden kernels. This was a slow tedious job, and the next year all workers welcomed the appearance of a threshing machine. This was owned by Jacob Mayer and Daniel Rink.

After the first harvest preparations were made for winter. Few if any of these new settlers realized the long cold months they must endure before spring sunshine again warmed the land of their choice. Mr. Wahl made trips to Ellendale and Ipswich to sell his grain. These were long trips made with the slow stubborn oxen. The cold wind whipped across the prairie causing much suffering. Food supplies and clothing were purchased, and at Ipswich eight chickens were bought. Great joy was felt by the ones left at home when the father returned from his long trip to market.

Mr. Wahl tells of the first Christmas experienced in the new land. No church buildings had been erected but, true to their faith, these busy people found time to worship God. Christmas was observed by holding church in the home. The Bible was read and Christmas songs were sung and a Christmas sermon delivered. Perhaps many longed for their native land and loved ones across the sea. The second Christmas similar services and a program were given and enjoyed by all. In 1889 the first church, a frame building was erected. From that time an services were regular and Christmas observed each year with suitable programs.

In spite of the hardships experienced the first few years Mr. and Mrs. Wahl prospered. Better buildings were erected and mare modern farm equipment and household furnishings purchased. Seven children were born to them all of whom are living near Ashley and engaged in farming with the exception of Enoch. They are: John, born March 25, 1885, in Russia; Fred, Jr., born February 10, 1889;

Emelia, born February 18, 1892, wife of Gottlieb Haerter; Pauline, born February 7, 1896, wife of John Martz; Solomon, born October 9, 1899; Magdaline, born May 5, 1903, wife of Henry Huber, and Enoch, born August 29, 1905, Rural Mail carrier, Ashley, North Dakota.

The children all helped with the farm work and attended country school when in session. In 1918 Mr. Wahl having successfully conducted his farm for over 30 years retired from active work and moved with his family to Ashley. The two younger children attended school in Ashley, Enoch graduating in 1925. He later attended the University of North Dakota.

While on the farm Mr. Wahl served for four years as assessor, His sons John and Fred, Jr., have both served on the school board in their districts as director.

Following several happy years in town sorrow came to the Wahl family. Mrs. Wahl suffered illness and passed away January 28, 1931.

The Wahl family were brought up in the Lutheran faith and are still active in the support of this church.

Mr. Wahl remarried to Rosina Nitschke, and they have their home in Ashley at the present writing.

Fifty-three years ago Paul Welder left his native land in South Russia, with his parents and other members of the family to come to this country. In the fall of 1885 they arrived at Ipswich, South Dakota where they remained with friends over the winter.

The next spring the father purchased a pair of oxen, a plow, wagon and a reaper, loaded their equipment and set forth to find a new home and in April, 1886, the family homesteaded on land in Section 28, Township 129, Range 72, where Mr. Welder lives at the present time.

In a short time buildings were erected, being the common sod house and barn. The outlook for the Welder family was not very bright and many times they were quite discouraged, especially the first year, when they were compelled to go without sugar, flour or meat and no fuel except twisted grass.

Mr. Welder lived with his parents until 1898 when he married Katharina Weigel, the daughter of a pioneer neighbor. The young couple started with practically nothing but hard work and careful saving has repaid them.

In 1903 Mr. Welder filed on land which he later proved up. In spite of the early hardships Mr. and Mrs. Welder were able from time to time to acquire additional land and other property. Fifteen children, all living, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Welder all brought up in the Catholic faith to which Mr. and Mrs. Welder adhere. The children are: Carolina, born August 29, 1899, married and living at McIntosh, South Dakota; Barbara, born April 23, 1901; Mary, born June 20, 1904; Magdalena, born March 31, 1907, all married and living at Hague, N. D.; Katherina, born April 11, 1903, married and living at Glencross, S. D.;

Bernhard, born November 10, 1905, married and living at Mobridge, S. D., where he is employed by the Mobridge Wholesale Grocery Company; Anton, born January 13, 1909, married and living at Glencross, S. D.; Joseph, born October 19, 1910, single, living at Greenway, S. D., where he is manager of an elevator;

Paul Jr., born April 14, 1912, living at home with his parents; John, born November 2, 1913, single and runs a shooting gallery at Watertown, S. D.; Anna, born August 28, 1915, married, lives at Stockton, Calif.; Peter, born November 6, 1916, single, lives at home; Frank, born April 5, 1918; Mike, born May 23, 1919, and Rose, born September 30, 1920, all single and living at home with their parents. Mr. Welder has served as Vice-President and Director of the Northwest German Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, Eureka, South Dakota.

The subject of this story is the present postmaster of our neighbor town, Venturia, N. D.

He was born in South Russia on May 25, 1880. He was but ten years old when his parents joined the throng of German-Russian immigrants that were constantly leaving their fatherland for the new country across the sea.

They located one half mile west of Venturia, constructing the usual sod house and barn until they were financially able to build better. Their farm implements were somewhat better than the average, as in addition to the hand plow, they had a seeder, binder and harrow, the approximate value being $200.00.

Mr. Wiedmann some years later was married to Katharina Haas by the Rev. Christian Bischof.

In 1906 he started in business in Venturia, establishing a hardware and furniture store which he, together with his brother, conducts to the present writing.

Mr. Wiedmann served as Village Clerk for the Board of Trustees at Venturia for a term of ten years. He was also School Director of the Venturia school for six years and Clerk of the School Board for eight years. He has also served as Venturia postmaster continuously since February 14, 1916.

Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wiedmann, namely: Idalia Sayler, born June 2, 1910; Adeline, born May 4, 1912, and Malette, born April 29, 1914. The latter is a teacher and all reside at Venturia, N. D.

Mr. and Mrs. Wiedmann are members of the Baptist Church and make their home at Venturia, N. D.

Among the pioneers of McIntosh County who has made the best of his opportunities in his new homeland is Peter Wiest of Zeeland, N. D.

Peter Wiest was born in Rohrbach, South Russia, on August 25, 1866. He came to America with his parents in 1885, landing in New York in October of that year. From there the family went to Hutchinson County, S. D., near Menno.

From there they traveled overland with oxen to McIntosh County where they settled on land about thirteen miles northwest of Venturia, N. D.

The early years in McIntosh County were filled with hardships common to all pioneers. Farm equipment consisting of three hand plows which together with three pair of oxen comprised their total possessions. Getting located on their land, building the common clay house and getting water were among the outstanding early day hardships.

On April 8, 1887 Peter Wiest was united in marriage to Theresa Quast, the marriage being performed by Rev. E. F. Melchior and to this union seven children were born, namely: H. P. Wiest and Emil P. Wiest, both farming near Venturia, N. D.; Sophia Gruebele and Anna Pfeifle, both living on farms near Greenway, S. D.; Albert P. Wiest, farming near Venturia, N. D.; Sarah Ackerman, living an a farm near Greenway, S. D., and Lydia Heckenlaible living on a farm near Menno, S. D. Of the children Emil P. Wiest saw service in the World War. Mr. and Mrs. Wiest are members of the Reformed Church and now make their home in Zeeland, N. D.

It is seldom to be noted in the annals of history that the life history and development of a single individual so closely parallels the life, history and development of a City and County as is the case of John H. Wishek and McIntosh County. That such is exactly what happened can be understood only by those who knew the multiple abilities, force of character, iron will, keen foresight and pioneer frugality of the man. Coming to McIntosh County at the age of 29 years he made this County and State the field of his endeavor and enterprise during the remainder of his life.

John H. Wishek was always to be known as a "self-made" man. Born of poor parents on April 17 th , 1855, at Warren, Pennsylvania, the son of Charles Wishek, who immigrated from Baden, Germany, in 1849, and Barbara Salathe, born near Strasburg in the province of Lorraine, Germany, he early learned to forge for himself. He was possessed of a burning ambition to further himself and his family, and with this in mind, he worked as a mere youth in and about Sharon Center, Ohio, where the family had moved. He attended the country schools, and later a preparatory school at Lodi, Ohio. With earnings from labor as a stone mason, he entered the law school of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and graduated with an L. L. B. degree in 1878. Regardless of his many business ventures, he was to continue in the practice of law in North Dakota until his Death.

Before coming to North Dakota, Mr. Wishek entered the law office of A. B. Johnston at Kenton, Ohio, remaining there for one year. In 1879, he moved to the small town of Prospect, in Marion County, Ohio, where he formed a partnership with a Mr. Johnston, which continued until 1884. During this time, he was elected and served as mayor of Prospect for five years. He was acquainted with the family of President Harding, who lived at Marion.

John Wishek was always a man of action. He was decisive in word and deed. Furthermore, his judgment was sound and keen. He was the type of man needed to mould a new and virgin land. Qualities of leadership and organization soon made him indispensable to the little community on the shores of Lake Hoskins in 1884 and later years. Starting there with practically nothing, he expanded little by little until his holdings and his interests were vast and intricate.

Together with George W. Lilly, a civil engineer, and C. C. Morrell and others, he laid out and surveyed a tract for the first town in McIntosh County, Hoskins. He also assisted in the original Government survey of McIntosh County, and literally walked over many quarter sections of the County, carrying chains and aiding in the building of the description mounds.

That year also, was formed the partnership of Wishek & Lilly, which was well known to the early pioneers, as they assisted hundreds of emigrants in coming to the County and filing upon Government homesteads. The firm operated in a small frame building called the Land Office, which was later moved to Ashley, and housed the County Records until the first courthouse was built.

In 1885, Mr. Wishek and George Lilly organized the first bank in the County. It was a private bank. Later he engaged in the private banking business at Ashley in partnership with C. C. Hammond. The building and records were destroyed by fire and thereafter the two men were to continue in the business and political life of the County as rivals of the keenest kind, each with a sizable following, with the fortunes favoring first one then the other. This rivalry in both politics and business, was not to end until C. C. Hammond moved to St. Paul, Minn., and was kept up at intervals thereafter.

Mr. Wishek soon realized that the new country needed a railroad badly, and he worked hard and long to bring about the coming of the Soo Line railway into McIntosh County. He almost alone secured the right of way for the railroad from west of Kulm to Pollock, and also to some extent along the line from Wishek to Bismarck. While the grade was built in 1887 and 1888 the railroad was not actually completed to Ashley until 1901. In the meantime the town of Hoskins was moved to Ashley so that it would be on the railroad. It was in recognition of his untiring efforts to secure the extension of the railroad, that the town of Wishek was named for him.

In the year 1898, Mr. Wishek organized the First State Bank, Wishek, and then followed with the Ashley State Bank of Ashley, and along with others he also organized a bank at Pollock, and Fredonia and later at Zeeland. He became interested through ownership of stock in a large number of other banks, but did not give them his direct attention.

His energies soon found him engaged in the real estate business, the lumber and coal business, the implement and elevator business, nearly all of which were located at Ashley, or other towns in McIntosh or nearby counties. All together, it is estimated, he organized over thirty-five separate corporations, many of which are still doing business. He also owned townsites of Ashley, Wishek, Venturia, Artas and Pollock.

Always charitable by nature, Mr. Wishek deeded the sites of every church in Ashley, Wishek, Danzig, Venturia, Artas and Pollock without charge of any kind.

While imbued with so many of the rugged qualities necessary for the building of a new frontier, Mr. Wishek was also a refined gentleman and scholar. He never completed his education, but was continually reading and learning until the time of his death. He accumulated the finest and largest private library in the County and one of the best selected in the State. Possessed of an unusually retentive memory, he never forgot anything of importance that he read. He could, even in his later years, quote long passages of poetry that he read and learned as a young man.

Having an iron will, he could and did drive himself to do anything he set out to accomplish. No personal inconvenience would deter him until his object had been accomplished.

Of strong stature, he was suddenly told by his doctors that he had diabetes, and that he could no longer eat sugar or starches, and that he must stop smoking. He had for many years been an incessant smoker, lighting one cigar from the butt of another.

In spite of the habit of years, he stopped smoking on that day and never touched tobacco again. To curb the dreaded disease, diabetes, of which little was known at that time, he discontinued eating all starch and sugar. For bread he ate a hard unpalatable brown mixture made from bran. Every day thereafter, he made a daily examination and test of his condition and so effectively controlled the disease that he lived to the age of seventy-six years. He made a thorough study of the disease and knew much about it.

As was to be expected from a man of his varied interests and abilities, John Wishek was, during his whole life, interested in politics. His influence in this field was County and State-wide. When the county was organized, he served as the first Clerk of Court and was for many years Register of Deeds. Since he could not legally hold another office, he performed the duties of States Attorney without pay. In 1891, he was elected Representative from this district to the State Legislature. The following election, he ran for and was elected Senator. Thoroughly honest and frugal, as a legislator, he made a name for himself in his successful efforts to cut even the then reckless spending of the taxpayers money. In 1912, he was a Republican candidate for Governor of North Dakota, upon a personal liberty platform. Although, at this election, he was eliminated by Hon. L. B. Hanna, he received a large vote, especially in the southern counties of the state. In the early days he was identified with the political faction of Alex McKenzie, and it is known that McKenzie respected his political judgment.

Mr. Wishek was married in Aberdeen, South Dakota, on December 26 th , 1891, to Nina M. Farley. They have eight children, all of whom are living.

Esther Barbara was born March 25 th , 1894, and was married November 21, 1919, to Carl Tange. They have four children. Mr. Tange is a large farm operator and at present is serving a second term as County Commissioner of Sheridon County, Montana. Esther is an artist of talent.

Anna Farley was born July 3 rd , 1896, and was married April 26 th , 1918 to Ryland Benson, a chemist who perfected formulae for use in destroying weeds, which is widely used. Mr. Benson died in 1934. Mrs. Benson lives at Whittier, Calif., with her family of four children.

Carl Allison was born October 14 th , 1898, and was married July 30, 1935, to Eva Campanelli. They have one child and live at Lodi, Calif., where Carl is cashier and a director of the Farmers & Merchants Bank of that City.

John Henry was born April 2 nd ,1900, and was married March 21, 1926, to Lillian Mielke. They have four children, and live at Wishek, North Dakota, where John is in the First State Bank and looks after other family holdings there. John served as Secretary to the Industrial Commission and the Securities Commission under appointment of Governor Welford. Max Albert was born August 29, 1901, and was married April 8 th , 1925, to Viola Hezel. They have two children and live at Ashley. Max is a practicing attorney at Ashley and served six years as States Attorney of McIntosh County. He was graduated in 1924 from the University of Michigan law school, from which his father was graduated in 1878.

Jean Marion was born December 15 th , 1902, and was married February 24 th , 1927, to Norman Ofsthun, a successful estimator for a large contracting firm in Los Angeles, California. They have one child and live at Huntington Park, California.

Homer Cedric was born January 29 th , 1906, and was married June 28 th , 1930, to Justine McCarthy. They have two children and live at Ashley, where Homer is a practicing attorney and is active in the family business interests.

Paul Joseph was born October 24 th , 1908, and was married on December 3 rd , 1929, to Kathryn Prophet. They have three children and live at Huntington Park, California. Paul is the head of the escrow department of a branch of the Bank of America.

The large home which Mr. Wishek built for his family, thirty-two years ago is standing on his tree claim, adjoining Ashley on the east. It is noted for its whole-hearted hospitality. In the home and in the community are constant reminders of the man, known to many as "Father Wishek", who gave so much of his energy and resources to the land of his choice. He was ever a friend of the poor and unfortunate, and many stories are told of his aid to the distressed in the early days of the County, when a little help meant so much. For many years at Christmas time, needy families would receive a sack of flour or a box of apples from an unknown donor, strangely, a man of power, yet known as "Father Wishek."

Mrs. J. H. Wishek, was born Nina Mary Farley, at Almont. Lapeer County, Michigan, January 3, 1869. She grew up on a farm and attended a country school, later going to the Almont High School from which she graduated in the year 1886. In the year 1887, with her family, she came to McIntosh County, Dakota Territory, where her Father filed upon a homestead. In 1888, after the new town of Ashley had been established and built up, she was the first teacher in the first school in the town.

Before her marriage, she taught several Country schools, in Moscow, Antelope Valley and Jewell and Hoskins districts. She joined the Methodist church when she was still a young girl, and throughout the fifty years of her residence in Ashley, she retained her membership in the local church.

She is a charter member of the Thimble Bee of the Methodist Church, and was made president of the society for a number of years. In this work she has always worked devotedly for the good of the church and the society.

She is a member of the Ashley Woman’s Club, and has always been interested in local and State Club work. For eight years she was chairman of the history department in the Federated Womans’ Clubs of the State of North Dakota. As head of this department, she worked faithfully to gather and preserve data and history from all over the State. Filed in the archives of the Historical Library are about 200 manuscripts which she procured and sent in from clubs throughout the State. Mrs. Wishek has also held the position of director of the State Historical Society, which has its headquarters at Bismarck.

Although hers has always been a busy life, she was interested in art and literature. She took up painting and has painted in both oil and china. In her later years, she has been devoting her time more and more to writing. She has written a number of poems and has contributed poems to several Anthologies, including "North Dakota Singing", "Magazine Verse of 1933", and "Contemporary American Women Poets." She has also contributed to "Poetry House Anthology" and "Henry Harrison Anthology" which books will be published in 1938. During the past years, Mrs. Wishek has written a History of McIntosh County, which she intends to have published.

On December 26, 1891, she was married to John H. Wishek, at Aberdeen, South Dakota. Eight children were born to them, all of whom are living and are married. In the year 1938, she has twenty-one grand-children.

Mrs. Wishek has often recalled an incident in her life, which demonstrates the inconvenience which the pioneers often encountered in traveling from one town or county to another. In the winter of 1893, she accompanied Mr. Wishek to the Legislative Session at Bismarck which was 125 miles away. There was no train direct from Ashley to Bismarck at that time. The trip could be made only from Eureka by train. They drove with a team and sled to Eureka, South Dakota, on the first day. The next day they boarded a train for Aberdeen, where they stayed over night. On the third day they took the train from Aberdeen to Jamestown, where they again stayed over night. On the fourth day they took the train from Jamestown to Bismarck. This trip could not be made in less than four days by train at that time, while today, it could be made in one day. It is possible to travel the distance in three hours with a good automobile.

Since the death of Mr. Wishek, in 1932, Mrs. Wishek has kept the old Ashley home open, although she spends part of her time in, California. She still holds a keen interest in Ashley and McIntosh County. She is proud of the fact that she is a pioneer here and holds a particularly kindly feeling toward all the old pioneers.

Fred Wolf, a young man of nineteen years, heard considerable about the advantages and opportunities being offered in America, so he too decided to come to this "new land" as it was called and seek his fortune. He was born in Paulstal, South Russia, on January 12 th , 1870.

Upon his arrival in America he went to Eureka, where he filed on a homestead. He lived there until 1892. That year he came to McIntosh County and settled in Antelope Valley. In 1894 he was united in marriage to Mary Trichel. Their first house was made of sod and mud. At present the Wolf home is a large frame building. They did not have any money and the first years of their farm life were ones of toil and hardships. Their equipment consisted of a plow that Mr. Wolf bought for $16.00 and a crude binder, but as conditions improved and the grain brought a better price, better farm implements were added and the work was not so arduous. Their neighbors and friends were laboring under the same conditions and each helped the other in any possible way they could. The first crop that Mr. Wolf sold, he received forty-five cents per bushel for his wheat, fifteen cents for the barley and sixty-five cents for flax. That does not seem like very much at the present time but commodities were very cheap at that time and these people were thrifty and able to save.

There were nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wolf, seven of whom are living and are: Fred F., living on a farm near Fredonia, N. D.; Henry F., living in Ashley; Jacob F., living on a farm near Fredonia; Katie, now Mrs. John Jerke, living near Fredonia; Gottlieb F., living on farm near Lehr, N. D.; Mary, now Mrs. Gideon Frey, living near Lehr and Theodore living on the home place.

Mr. and Mrs. Wolf are members of the Berlin Baptist Church. Mr. Wolf served thirteen years as Deacon of the church and for many years was Superintendent of the Sunday School. He took an interest in county affairs and at various times served as assessor. He was elected Commissioner of his district in 1923, and again in 1931. He also held the position as clerk of the Rosenthal School District for about twenty years.

Mr. Wolf died on May 26 th , 1936, and internment was made in the Berlin Cemetery. Mrs. Wolf and her son Theodore live on the home place.

One of the early settlers of McIntosh County was John K. Wolf.

He was born November 15, 1865, in Elsass, Russia and grew up there receiving his schooling and religious training in the Catholic Church.

In 1886 he left Russia and came to America, spending two months in New York. From there he journeyed westward and landed at Ipswich, So. Dak. He drove up to McIntosh County with a team of oxen in September of 1886, and located on land in Section 32, Township 130, Range 72, and erected a sod house. Mr. Wolf had very little in the way of farm implements or money but by hard work and careful saving managed to provide for himself and family.

In October, 1888, Mr. Wolf was married to Francisca Feist by the Rev. Father Bernard Strasmeier and to this union the following children were born, namely:

John J., born September, 1890, now farming near Zeeland; Nick, born March 1892, also farming near Zeeland; Joseph, born June 1893, now a merchant at Herried, S. D.; Frank, born January 1898, now a merchant at Zeeland, N. D.; Mathias, born November, 1899, farming near Zeeland; Katharina, born October, 1901, wife of Math Schneider, Linton, N. D.; Juliana, born June, 1903, wife of Silvester Engelhart, Venturia, N. D.; Magdalene, born June, 1905, wife of Mathias Klein, Zeeland, N. D., and Bernhard, born June 1907, oil dealer, Zeeland, N. D.

Through hard work and careful saving the Wolf family prospered and are well known throughout the county of McIntosh. Mr. Wolf has long since retired from farming, and now makes his home in Zeeland, N. D.

George Wolff came to America in 1885 with his parents Johannes and Friedericka Wolff, and his four brothers, Johannes, Christian, Jacob and Gottlieb. George was born on March 29 th , 1882, in Marienberg, South Russia. Arriving in America, their first stop was at Menno, where they stayed long enough to purchase a team of oxen, a cow, and a wagon, and the bare necessities needed for life out on a prairie. They loaded their equipment in a freight car and boarded the train for Ipswich. From there the trip was continued by ox team.

The Wolffs located in McPherson County, not far from the McIntosh County line and it was here that George Wolff grew to manhood. After putting up a temporary abode, the soil was broken for planting flax and corn. Seven acres of corn were planted but did not mature because of a heavy frost in early August. A bushel of flax was planted and yielded 20 bushels which brought $1.25 per bushel. Threshing machines were unknown in the early days. Threshing was done by placing the grain on the ground and driving a team over it until the seed was crushed from the hulls and then tossing it in the wind to take away the chaff.

After the crop was in, the work on the house was started. The house and barn were made of sod. Logs for the rafters were hauled from the Missouri River and it required three trips, each trip taking three days, to get enough logs to use on the house and barn. Buffalo bones were, gathered by the Wolff boys and hauled to Ipswich, where they were sold for $10.00 per ton. This was their only means of support until after harvest.

In 1901, Mr. Wolff was united in marriage to Julianna Kusler. Rev. Rey of the Lutheran church performed the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Wolff established their home about six miles east of the present site of the town of Wishek. Here they erected a small frame house and a sod barn. The farm equipment consisted of a hand plow, mower and a hay rake and with these, they started to farm for themselves. Year after year, more land was cultivated and more acres seeded, each year producing a good yield.

Mrs. Wolff died in the early spring of 1908. Feeling the need of a mate and mother for his children, he married Mrs. Maria Pfeifle. Mrs. Pfeifle was a widow With three children.

Mr. Wolff’s children are, namely: Albert, farmer, Wishek, N. D.; Edwin, farmer, Wishek, N. D.; Ella, housewife, Lehr, N. D.; Emil, farmer, Wishek, N. D.; Frieda, in Washington; Arthur, Ottilia and Ruben at home; Annie, housewife at Wishek, N. D.; the stepchildren are: Art Pfeifle, Wishek, N. D.; Andrew, in Washington; and Ida, housewife at Fredonia, N. D.

Mr. Wolff has prospered through the years and today owns fourteen quarters of land in McIntosh and Logan Counties, 900 acres being under cultivation, and a well equipped farm.

He has always taken an active part in the welfare of his community, County and State. He has served as School Director for 14 years and School Clerk for 12 years. In 1934, he was elected County Commissioner of McIntosh County, and is still serving in that capacity.

Mr. and Mrs. Wolff are members of the German Lutheran Church at Wishek. They reside on their farm east of Wishek.

One of the pioneers of McIntosh County, who has seen this section grow from a prairie wilderness to a region of fine farms and enterprising towns is Fred Ziegenhagel, of Lehr, N. D.

Mr. Ziegenhagel was born in April, 1866, in South Russia, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Ziegenhagel, his mother being a daughter of Peter Georg. When but an infant six months old Mr. Ziegenhagel lost his father, his mother remarried Georg Bietz and until he was nine years old Mr. Ziegenhagel lived with his mother and stepfather. The next six years were spent with his grandparents and during this time he completed his schooling. Having reached the age of 15 years his guardians arranged for him to work for his clothing and 25 rubels a year. The value of a rubel was about fifty cents, so the amount was not very munificent. The next year, being a little older and wiser Mr. Ziegenhagel made his own bargain for wages and received 135 rubels. Mr. Ziegenhagel’s lot as an orphan was indeed hard and he decided that if he was to ever have money and property a new place to work would hove to be found. So as a youth he turned his back on his homeland and set forth in search of better things.

In May, 1884, Mr. Ziegenhagel arrived in Menno, S. D. He tells that he had acquired some very unpleasant companions on his journey across the ocean. They were very small, so small in fact one could hardly see them, but they made their presence known by an itchy sensation. No time was lost by Mr. Ziegenhagel in getting rid of these unwelcome visitors.

After becoming a little acquainted in this strange new country Mr. Ziegenhagel hired out for a period of 8 months for which he was to receive $135.00. At the expiration of this period he bought a pair of oxen for $110.00, some clothing and still had money to loan an uncle to buy flax seed. Conditions were better here at Menno than in the old country but friends and relatives talked of free land further north. After spending about two years at Menno they decided to seek this new territory. Mr. Ziegenhagel went with them taking his two oxen, a cow, a wagon and about $70.00 in cash which he had saved. They journeyed northward in May, 1886, there being in the group the following families: Fred Georg, Mr. Hoff, Johann Bittner, Andreas Lehr, and Johann Mayer. Their belongings were shipped to Ipswich, S. D., and then reloaded and hauled on wagons to the present site of Long Lake, S. D. Here a farmer by the name of Hupperle lived and he allowed them to leave their property there until they located land on which to file. Over the roadless prairie they continued northward and westward until they came to the town of Hoskins. There were but few buildings here but they were a pleasing sight to the weary travelers. Besides a small store building and a land office there was a print shop and a livery barn owned and operated by C. D. Johnson. Mr. Ziegenhagel and the other members of the party,J. H. Wishek and George Lilly asked where land could be had. When told, they journeyed on east about five miles and then northward. Sections were all marked so no difficulty was experienced in finding the sections upon which they wished to locate. The country looked good and seemed very well adapted to farming so land was chosen some miles south of the present site of Lehr. Back to Hoskins went the party and completed the necessary arrangements for filing. They then returned to Long Lake.

Mr. Ziegenhagel at this time was a single man and looked forward with dread to living alone on the prairie. Even though methods of travel were slow in those days some things did happen quickly. Mr. Ziegenhagel heard that a Mr. Ludwig Hoff, living 12 miles west of Long Lake, had a daughter of marriageable age. No time was lost in asking Mr. Hoff for his daughter Katherine. A minister was to come on the following Sunday and the marriage date was set. The minister Rev. Hetzel came and the wedding took place. After the wedding festivities were over Mr. Ziegenhagel had to go back to Long Lake. On Monday morning he and the other men of the group loaded their farm equipment on wagons and set forth for their claims near Lehr. They reached their destination toward evening and for their meal had bread and coffee. Water was secured from a small lake nearby as no well had been dug. A stove was not a part of their equipment so a hole was dug in the ground and reeds and grass burned to heat their coffee. The following week was spent in working and getting things ready for the women to come. Sunday was spent at Long Lake, and on Monday morning Mr. Ziegenhagel and his young bride started for their prairie home. In a wagon they had such furniture as the wife’s parents were able to give her. Many hardships were experienced. They had no coffee grinder, so Mrs. Ziegenhagel placed the coffee in a piece of cloth and pounded it with a monkey wrench. In their little sod house there was no stove. A hole was dug in the hillside and used as an oven in which to bake bread. Land was broken for planting but as 1886 was a very dry year, Mr. Ziegenhagel could not accomplish very much. He drove many miles to Ipswich and bought some lumber to erect a better home.

After Mr. and Mrs. Ziegenhagel had been in their new home for about two weeks the rest of the families who had emigrated from South Dakota came and settled in territory near the Ziegenhagel claim. In all there were fourteen families, among whom were Johann Becker, David Becker, Fred Becker, Heinrich Georg, Lot Lachenmeier, Jakob Goehring, Adam Nagel, Johann Mueller, Johann Mayer and a Mr. Hoff.

Ellendale, about 55 miles from the settlement was the nearest trading center; buffalo bones were gathered from the prairie and hauled to Ellendale where they were sold for $8.00 to $10.00 per ton. Until crops were raised and sold there was no other source of income. Only the plainest food was bought and luxuries could not be indulged in. One day Mr. Hoff shot a buffalo cow which was a welcome addition to the food supply. The meat was a bit darker than beef but was very tasty. Herds of antelope were sometimes seen in those early days.

During the first year a minister by the name of Rev. Berret came twice to the settlement where the Ziegenhagels were located. In 1887 Rev. Lewin was sent by the conference to remain in the district. A house and barn was built for him and also a church. According to Mr. Ziegenhagel this was the first church in the county. So anxious were people for regular services that they did not wait until the building was completed. They used wagon seats instead of pews and were happy to be in church. Many drove miles to hear the sermon. Some came riding in wagons, some on hay rakes, some in header boxes and some on stone boats. During the winter months revival services were conducted, people coming from far and near to attend.

As time went an conditions became better as all worked, saved and tried to get ahead. They were neighbors in the true sense of the word---ever ready to lend a helping hand whenever needed. No one was rich then---all had very little but all were happy in their work. Money was scarce and credit almost unheard of. Mr. Ziegenhagel recalls a time when his uncle bought some sugar at a store and took it out to his wagon. He came back in the store to pay for it and found he was a trifle short. The storekeeper become very angry and rushed out to the wagon, grabbed the sack and took it inside. He slammed it down so hard that it burst and the sugar was wasted. Another hardship experienced in the early days was lack of suitable clothing for comfort. No money was on hand to buy overshoes so old sacks were cut up and wound around the shoes.

But their hard work and frugal mode of living had its reward. The Ziegenhagels became one of the most prosperous farmers in the county. After many years of successful farming they moved into the town of Lehr and Mr. Ziegenhagel engaged in business there.

Mr. and Mrs. Ziegenhagel were the parents of the following named children:

Jacob, born May 10, 1889, now residing in Nebraska, and engaged in construction work; Art F., born December 24, 1890, living in Lehr and engaged in the hardware business; Adela, born July 13, 1892, died April 2, 1895; John, born June 27, 1894, died August, 4, 1927; David, born January 24, 1896, living in Lehr and engaged in the Implement business; Emma, born October 21, 1897, died July 14, 1898; Alma, born January 1, 1900, living in Wisconsin, married to Mr. Bricherd, who is engaged in Insurance business; Ida, born August 20, 1902, living in Lehr, with her husband Jacob Feichtner who is in the grain business, and Robert, born June 15, 1904, who lives in Lehr, and is engaged in farming.

On the 24 th of May 1936, Mr. and Mrs. Ziegenhagel had the joyful experience of celebrating their Golden Wedding anniversary. Their children, grand children and many friends were present at this celebration and helped make it a very happy occasion. Stories of the early day experiences were retold and the pioneers present agreed that conditions now and those of 50 years ago were vastly different.

Two weeks after this joyous gathering Mrs. Ziegenhagel became ill and passed away a short time later.

Mr. Ziegenhagel today makes his home in the town of Lehr respected and honored by all.

Jacob Zimmerman was born October 9, 1873, in Johannesthal, South Russia. His parents were Jacob and Barbara---nee Steiger---Zimmerman.

In 1892, Jacob and a brother Andreas decided to cross the ocean and seek their fortune in the Dakota Territory where many of their friends and neighbors had located. They spent two years in the vicinity of Menno, South Dakota, and then drove up from that place with a team arriving in McIntosh County in July, 1894. Jacob filed on land about three miles south of the present site of Venturia near where his parents had settled, they having came to America the previous year.

Life on the prairie was not always pleasant. Some one had loaned our subject $150.00 and this was used to buy the necessary farm equipment and build the usual sod house. Furniture for the house was made from lumber and a stove of the Russian Dutch oven type was used. The first seeding was done by hand and when harvesting time came a header was borrowed to complete the work. The winters were long and hard, much more so than the present ones. In 1897, great sorrow came to the family when the father became very sick and passed away. Jacobs own mother died in 1887. The stepmother was nee Barbara Koepple and is still living.

February 6, 1900, Jacob Zimmerman and Rosina Kaul were united in marriage by the Rev. A. Klaudt. Their children are: Gideon, born May 22, 1904, Life Insurance agent at Ashley, North Dakota; Martha, born March 19, 1909, wife of James Johnson, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and August, born April 4, 1911, Jeweler at Ashley, North Dakota. Three children died in infancy.

In 1920, the family moved to town and Mr. Zimmerman engaged in the hardware business for a time. He also managed the farm some years since then at present is engaged in the jewelry business in company with his son August.

The Zimmerman family are affiliated with the Baptist church.

© Tim Stowell 2001-2017