Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-12-19

for the upbuilding of the city than
Colonel Brown. He came here. in
1877, just a few years after the be-
ginning of this city. During the Civil
war he served as lieutenant in h
10th Massachusetts regiment, during
which time he became acquainted
with James J.. Hill, the pioneer rail-
used this friendship to good advant-
age in helping to bring the Great
Northern railroad to Grand Forks.
Later Colonel Brown was elected to
the house of representatives from the
seventh district and also served two
terms as sergeant of arms in the SEN
ate.
Another of the carly builders of
Grand Forks. who is buried at the
cemetery here, is Henry Gotzian. He
came to Grand, Forks in 1879 and
opened the first exclusive shoe and
boot Gin those days the average citi-
zen wore boots) store. The first two
story brick building of the city was
erected by Mr.. Gotham. 1t was To-
Gated where the Poppler Piano store
now is.
! Names on h tombstones brought
to mind many others of the pioneers
who spent their days in the interest of
this community. Judge John M.
, C~ochrane, who served several years on
the supreme bench and helped to
shape the destiny Of the state also
rests here, as do Judge c. F. Temple
ton. who served in the same position.
M. T. Caswell Inc W. G. Nash. George
Wheeler, the first superintendent Of
schools, Captain William Selby, Civil
war veteran, and many others were
noted.
Among the early city and county
officials who were buried here might
he roorfinro1 Mot 1EoCNio~iS ~ of
the first county commissioners. John
j. Cavanaugh I'M M. L. Gordon, two
of the early city treasurers. Pat Hen
nessey, the first chief Of police of
Grand Forks and Mike Hoffman. the
first sheriff of Grand Forks county.
The first burials' in the city did not
take place at the Memorial Park GEN.
etery, for in the earliest days that was
not established. The first mar buried
there was Doctor c. H.. Hacston, a
i Civil war veteran who practiced med
cine in Grand Forks in the seventies.
He contracted smallpox while treat
ing some patients in Bentru township
"a martyr to his calling.
The first man buried in Grand
Forks was called Allie and very few
knew him by n other name. He
was drowned by falling off a raft al
the mouth of the Red Lake river. and
was buried some place between where
the Hotel Dacotah and the First Ma
tional bank now stand. This was in
1871. A stage driver was the e to
succomb to the hardships of. pioneer
days. He died from typhoid fever the
following e ear the same place,
Stevens was the next nan buried here
He was murdered by a notorious char
acter called Catfish joe" His bones
also rested on North Third street.
Jake Elmer was the last person
buried in this place. He froze tc
death near what in those days was
called the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES" Typ
ical of the strenuous days OF the early
times, many of the first to be buried
met violent death.
We cannot help but think Of the
people and the hopes and am
billions thai once stirred in the
breast of those now lying ir
the grave. Were they ever real
lied? Never FULLY SO. But they die
their bit gladly for those who came
after, and who knows but that the
turf of the Memorial Park cemetery
covers one who under different cir
cumstances might ave become one
of the notables of the world. Thoma:
Gray, in his famous "Elegy Writer
in a Country Churchyard," expresses
this thought most e~lcquently:
Perhaps in this neglected spot i
laid
Some heart once pregnant with celes
Hands hat the rod of empire nigh
have swayed,
Or walked to ecstacy the living Tyre.
I F