McHenry County, North Dakota Biographies

L. J. ALBRECHT. (Anamoose), of the 46th legislative district, was born October 13, 1867, at Dransfield, Hannover, Germany, and came to the United States in April, 1890, coming first to Chicago, and on February 5, 1899 came to North Dakota. He secured his education in the common and military schools of Germany. He has been school director of the Anamoose district since June, 1905. He was county commissioner of McHenry county for 1911 and 1912, and was elected to his present position in 1912 as a progressive republican. He is married and has four children, two sons and two daughters. He has been engaged in the mercantile business at Anamoose for the past fourteen years.
[Source: North Dakota Blue Book, 1913 Legislative Manual, Published under the direction of Thomas Hall, Secretary of State, 1913. Submitted by Linda R.]

FRED M. DOMPIER, a prominent and enterprising business man of Towner, McHenry county, is a native of Vermont and was born on a farm July 15. 1863. He is engaged in the meat business and also conducts an extensive ranch near Towner and has accumulated his possessions since taking up his residence in Dakota.
Our subject's father, Isaac Dompier, was born in France and came to America about 1850. He was a well digest and farmer. Of a family of seven children our subject was the second in order of birth. He has one half-sister and one half-brother. He was reared on a farm and received a limited schooling, and at the age of thirteen years left home and hired out at farm work, selling wood, etc., and at the age of sixteen entered the city school at Eau Claire, Wisconsin, paying his own way, and after completing his studies there he began business pursuits in Maudada, Minnesota. He remained there two years and in 1882 went to South Dakota. He soon afterward purchased horses and worked for others in Potter county and later took a pre-emption claim and began farming for himself. He freighted from Pierre to Forest City and La Beau and spent three years in Potter county. He went to North Dakota in 1885 on a visit and looked over the country along the Bouse river and selected land one-half mile west of Towner, and in the spring of 1886 sold his interests in Potter county. South Dakota, and with his family went to North Dakota. He began stock raising with sixteen head of cattle and built a log shanty and the first two weeks camped out. He drove overland from South Dakota and followed ranching there five years and then sold the ranch and purchased another in Pierce county, twenty-five miles southeast of Towner. He invested in sheep and cattle raising and also horses and resided there seven years and then removed to Towner for permanent residence. He had spent the winters in Towner for some years. He now has a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres with limitless range, and has plenty of timber, spring water and a complete set of buildings and his farm is one of the best improved in the county. In 1899 our subject established a meat market in Towner and in 1900 erected a two-story brick building which will be used for a market on the ground floor and the second story is devoted to a billiard hall and opera house and is the finest building in the county. Mr. Dompier has met with severe losses during the winters since locating in North Dakota, but has remained to gather a good estate and enjoys a good income.
Our subject was married, in Minnesota, January 7, 1883, to Miss Lusetta Lattin, a native of New York. Mrs. Dompier is a daughter of John Lattin, a pioneer settler of North Dakota. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dompier, who are named as follows: Jessie M., Lenn J., Orpha L., Lee A., Fred M. and Alice E. Mr. Dompier is a Republican politically and is a man of intelligence and keeps pace with the times.
Source: Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota, Publ. 1900. Transcribed by Dena Whitesell

FREMONT F. FRITZ, of the thirty-fourth legislative district, was born at Madison, Wis., August 24, 1861. His father, Fredrick Fritz, was a soldier of the Civil War, and died at the early age of twenty-six years, death being due to disease contracted as a soldier. After this the mother moved to Minnesota and a few years later died. He acquired his education at Wisconsin and Northfield College, Minnesota. He came to Dakota territory in 1883. He is engaged in the real estate business and is located at Towner, of which city he has been elected mayor. He was appointed by Governor Burke as trustee of the state reform school, Mandan. He is serving his second term as representative. He is unmarried. He is a democrat.
[Source: North Dakota Blue Book, 1913 Legislative Manual, Published under the direction of Thomas Hall, Secretary of State, 1913. Submitted by Linda R.]

CHANCELLOR WILLIAM HOOKWAY, of the thirty-fourth district, was born at West Lorne, Ontario, March 21, 1876, and moved with his parents to Pembina county in 1884. He received his education in the common and high schools of St. Thomas, and later attended the law department of the Minnesota university, graduating in 1900. In 1900 he took up the practice of his profession at Granville, N. D. He has held the position of city attorney for his home city since its incorporation. He is married and has one daughter. He was elected to his present position in November. 1910, as a republican.
[Source: North Dakota Blue Book, 1913 Legislative Manual, Published under the direction of Thomas Hall, Secretary of State, 1913. Submitted by Linda R.]

Biographical Information for JOHANN "AUGUST" ALBERT PAGEL
I am unaware of any published obituary, but possess a Notice of Death from the State Hospital for the Insane. My Grandfather, August was born 2 Nov 1856 in Sack, Kr. Regenwalde, Pommern, Prussia, for which I have been unable to locate source documentation. He immigrated VIA New York 15 Apr 1873 on the S.S. Minnesota with his family, and is improperly documented as 16 y.o. Augusta, likely on purpose, as he was escaping the military which was pursuing him. 30 Mar 1880 he married Albertine Ernestine Caroline Breitkreutz in Wausau, Marathon, WI. Apx 1898 he homesteaded near Anamoose, Pierce, ND, and the family is listed in the 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 Census, but Ernestine is listed as Anna in the latter. (If anyone knows anything about Ernestine's death I would enjoy hearing from them). August was placed in the State Hospital 28 May 1937 by his wife and daughter Emma Hedwig Auguste - Iverson, of Velva. He died 14 Dec 1938, age 80, of Aortic Thronbosis and my father, Walter Carl Herman Pagel was notified in Crosby, ND, as well as Emma, who had moved to Modesto, CA. Another son, Leo Friedrich Wilhelm Pagel also moved to Modesto, but I have no idea where his daughter Clara A. located (she may have married a Howard Knight.)
August is buried in the State Hospital Cemetery #2, Jamestown, Stutsman, ND.
Earl L. Pagel (Grand Son)

LEVI B. PENDROY, prominent among the business men of Towner and McHenry county, has been a resident of the county since its early settlement and has been successful in business and in all his undertakings.
Mr. Pendroy is a native of Iowa, and the date of his birth is July 12, 1861. He is the third child in a family of six children born to J. M. and Sarah (Haldwin) Pendroy, the former a native of Indiana and the latter born in Ohio. The two families trace their ancestors back for many generations in America.
Levi B. Pendroy was reared on a farm in his native state, and took such advantages as the school system of Iowa afforded at that time. At the age of twenty-two years, accompanying the family, he located in the Mouse river country of North Dakota, twenty-five miles from the site of the city of Towner. The trip from Iowa was made wholly by team and occupied several weeks in the journey. They made a location in 1882, in the fall of the year, and erected a log shanty 16X16 feet, and at once set about the work of farming and stock raising. In 1883 they raised little except garden stuff, but the next year they had an immense crop, the yield of wheat being forty bushels to the acre and oats one hundred and ten. He continued to farm for seven or eight years, and then, in 1892, moved to the city of Towner and for two years did contracting and job work. He then opened a meat market in 1894, and since its opening, July 9, of that year, he has done a prosperous and increasing business. His start was a modest one, having about fifty dollars invested; but in 1897 he had not only enlarged his business in that line but had added a line of general merchandise. He now occupies a building 40x60 feet, with storage warehouse in the rear, and does an immense business in all lines he handles.
Mr. Pendroy was married, in 1884, in Iowa, to Miss Jessie Robinson. Mrs. Pendroy was born in Illinois, the daughter of J. L. Robinson, who is also an old settler of North Dakota. Mr. and Airs. Pendroy have four children, named as follows: George, Lulu, Mattie and Myrtle, all born in North Dakota Mr. Pendroy is a Republican in political faith, and has taken an active part in political matters in the county. He has attended numerous conventions as a delegate, and has many friends throughout the county. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Modern Woodmen of America, and has been venerable consul of the latter since the local lodge was organized.
Source: Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota, Publ. 1900. Transcribed by B.Z.

S. H. PITKIN, Velva, of the forty-fifth legislative district, was born at Forest City, Ia., April 6. 1873. Was educated in the common schools of his native state. Came to North Dakota in March, 1900, and has engaged in the business of farming and land surveying for the past twenty years. Has held the office of county surveyor in his home county for ten years. He is married and has two children. He was elected representative as a progressive republican.
[Source: North Dakota Blue Book, 1913 Legislative Manual, Published under the direction of Thomas Hall, Secretary of State, 1913. Submitted by Linda R.]