Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-27
NORTH DAKOTANS
/ ACTIVE IN SOCIETY
Group Formed in 1905 Has
Grown to Position of
Much Prestige.
RY MARGARET Is. DOWNING.

When the scattered citizens OF
North Dakota called Il meeting III the
FAN of 1903 to organize State
Society. their idea was to record out
standing events in the history of their
commonwealth and keep alive their
home traditions in the sons and
daughters who had moved their resi-
dence to the Capital City This first
, meeting was held in what was then
Hotel Johnson. now the Sterling. and
II was attended by practically every
citizen of the State in this city Henry
Clay Hansborough and Porter James
Nice lumber represented this vast por-
ton of the northwest in the Senate
and they, with their wives. We're
dominant figures in the beginnings of
their state Society. AISLE j. Gronna,
who afterwards went to the Senate,
was then in the House. and with his
aid and that of Mrs. Gronna and their
attractive daughters. the association
Was launched. under the most favor
atle auspices. and has since continued
70 increase in numbers and in prestige
The first president elected was Col.
Clement \. Launshury. who was then
living in Washington. but who had
been one of the Virile forces in the
Northwest country before and after
the DakotaS attained statehood. He
founded and edited the first news
paper published in his section. The
Bismarck Tribune" for years a power
in politics and good government in
North Dakota. Col LaunSbury in his
ei@htY-third year in the NeStOr of the
State Society. the foundation of which
he inspired and the meetings which
he attends aSSiduously notwithstand-
ing the weight of years The meetings
If a c1
sion dictates and for some special pur-
pose as the entertainment of a noted
visitor or the celebration of some out
standing event in the history of the
commonwealth. The annals of North
Dakota do not extend back half of
the years which Col Launsbury has
lived and he knows the details of it's
political and economic history prob
ably better than any living citizen of
the state. 1t was his influence which
gave the strong trend of historic in
vestigation to the programs prepared
for the meetings and which have re-
suited most beneficially for the mem
bers.
Other Prominent Leaders.
In addition to the entire representa-
Zion of North Dakota in Congress and
which include besides the Senators
succeed Hansborough. Representative
Thomas Frank Marshall figured
among the charter members. Others
were the present president. Charles d.
Tlamel, the late William Connolly.
former Secretary Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission. and his sister,
Miss Nellie Connolly. now Mrs John
Bowen of Ottowa, Canada: Theodore
Elton. Fred Bennett and Maj. J. II.
Hamilton, who served as the second
president.
The meetings for the first 10 years
were held at convenient points. usual
~ the hotels on Capitol Hill. but for
the past five years, they have been
called about three times each season
81 the Women's University Club in
] street near Seventeenth street. Gov.
Sarlie of North Dakota was among
the first visitors to Washington after
the State Association was In position
TO entertain and he addressed one Of
the early social meetings held in the
Winter of 1906. Miss Minnie Nelson,
State superintendent of education.
was in Washington public business in
1908 and she spoke several times be-
fore the society, tracing the progress
of education in the State and showing
an encouraging development from it's
admission in 1889. Col. Frank White,
the present treasurer of the United
States and an enthusiastic member of
lis state Society, has often addressed
ITS audiences on various vital themes.
Former Senator Gronna. a Norwegian.
had made intensive studies of the
great Scandinavian immigration which
poured into the Northwest from 1885
and he read some of the most inter
esting important historical sketches
which the members of the society
have heard and which have been
preserved in its archives.
State Officers Speak.
state officers of various degrees of
importance came to the Capital in
those early days of the society and
spoke before the members. These
SnCluded Mr.. {. Mcfarland. president
sof the state Normal School at Bis
nnarck, 6. frequent 2nd entertain
ing speaker. and so, too. DR.. c. T..
,.Allen. president of the Teachers Col
:1ege at Valley City. and r. B. Murphy.
o. hartman of the board of State ad-
sminstration. Young men and women
s-1as.assase { s.a !,
L a.