Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-08-07
PROMINENT PIONEER GONE.
Charles r. Cnvllcer Dies mt Pemblna
After q brief Illnean.

Charles f. Cnvllcer Dies MT Pembina
After a Brief Illness.
Charles +. Cavileer died at Pembina,
after an hours illness, aged eighty
four years.
Charles Cavileer, known far and wide
as the Father of Pembina," enjoyed
the unique distinction Of being not only
the Oldest living settler of that portion
Of the Red River valley, but likewise Of
the whole State of North Dakota. A
full and complete history of the life Of
this prominent and influential pioneer
of pioneers, since coming to this part
Of the country would present to our
minds most clearly the wonderful
growth ana development that has come
to this favored portion of the republic.
The interest that naturally attends the
narration of the life history of the pi-
8 neer is, III his case. made doubly
strong by the fact that in all the many
years of his residence there, he has
taken a leading and prominent part in
the political, business and official life
of this. his adopted home.
Mr.. Cavilaer was born in Springfield,
Clark county, Ohio, March 10, 1875 and
Is the son of Charles and Rachel
(Trease) Cavileer, natives Of Maine and
Pennsylvania, respectively. Receiving
in his native place the rudiments of a
common school education, at the age of
seventeen he removed to Mount Car
mel, Wabash county. Illinois, where he
learned the .saddlers trade. There he
remained, working as a journeyman,
until 1871. In that year he moved to
Minnesota, and for long time made
his home at Red Rock near st. Paul.
In 1S45, in that young city Mr.. Cavileer
established the pioneer harness shop OF
the State of Minnesota. This he con-
tinued for two years. In 1S4S, in COM
pany With Mr.. Dewey, he opened the
first drug store in st. Paul and the
state. In 1S4S Mr.. Cavileer was APP
1ointed by Gov. Alexander Ramsey 20
the position Of first territorial librarian.
This office he continued to hold until.
in 1851, he was appointed by President
Fillmore the first collector Of customs
for the district of Minnesota. Pemblna
was the port Of entry for the district,
and thither he moved. He settled down
to his official duties, which at that time
not sonly had to do with the customs,
but he was also representative of all
the other civil branches Of the United
States government. Aug. Is. 1851, in
company with Commodore Norman w.
Kittson, he arrived at what is now
Pembina In 1858 Mr. Cavileer, in part
nership with N. w. I<ittson and w. H.
Forbes, engaged in the fur trade. AT
the end of three years. Mr.. Forbes hav-
ing withdrawn, Mr.. Cavileer, with MT.
Kittson, formed a partnership with
Messrs. Culver Harrington and Sar-
gent, and engaged in the same line OF
business This continued for two years.
These five years We're doubtless the
most exciting ones, in a life replete
with adventurous incidents. 1t was
during this time that he made regular
trips to st. Paul with trains of from
eighty to a hundred "Red River carts"
loaded with furs and pelts. These trips
were long and wearisome, and often
dangerous from bands of rowing Indl-
ans and stampeding herds of buffalo.
Mr.. Cavilleer, in 1868, returned to
Pembina, he having, in the discharge OF
his business cares, resided at st. Jo-
seph, about thirty miles to the west
ward, at the foot of the Pemblna
mountains, and at Winnipeg. In 1861
ne was commissioned postmaster, po-
sition which he held until 1884, when the
weight of increasing years caused MN
to resign in favor of his son, Edmund.
The original plat of the city of Pembl-
ma. was laid out by the subject of this
sketch, and this was added to in the
shane of an extensive addition in lS'S'
when railroad connections with the CEN
ters of trade showed the need for en-
larging the limits of the city.
In his early days Mr.. Cavileer was a
regular correspondent of the Smlthso-
MAN Institute of Washington, D. z.
His sketches of pioneer days ana
graphic descriptions of scenes and char
,ecters are the delight of his friends and
neighbors, and the old settlers gener-
ally. These sketches, which have been
mostly for local papers and pioneer So
ciety meetings. are in the plain. blunt
straightforward and to-the-point style
of the Western plainsman, but also
have a deep unGercurrent of humor,
wholly his own.
March 10, 1857 Mr.. Cavileer was unit
ed in marriage with Miss Isabella Muir
nv, who was then sixteen years of age.
She was a lasse of Scottish ancentry,
daughter of Donald and Jeanne (1er-
ROM hurry, and was born and lived IN
the Red River valley of Canada. IheV
made a visit, as a bridal tour. to ms
former home, in Springfield. ONO. MI:
and Mrs, Cavileer are the parents OF
five children: Sarah who died In IN
fancy: Edmund X, William NJ, Albert
D. and Lulah Bell.