Name/Title
Gordon family: Lars H. and Anna Gordon, early settlers in Bingham Township, Traill County, Dakota TerritoryEntry/Object ID
2024.523.1Description
This family history file contains documents describing the lives of Lars H. and Anna Gordon. Lars H. Gordon was born in Norway on 28 July 1847. the oldest son of Hans Larson Gordon and his wife Kjersti Nelson, who had 11 children (family photo, left, Lars at back on left). Lars H. and Anna Gordon homesteaded in Bingham (previously N. Caledonia) Township in the late 1800s, and then resided in Hillsboro City in the early 1900s. This information is provided on page 64 in "Traill County History (Yesteryears in Traill), Vol I" (below). Other information was kindly provided by Traci (Gordon) Petersen, great granddaughter of Lars & Anna Gordon, and granddaughter of Harry Allen and Fay Gordon (photo, below), the first son of Lars and Anna Gordon. Traci (Gordon) Petersen also provided the website link "www.orneveien.org" where comprehensive family history information is available on Gordon families by clicking on "The Scandinavians" under a "Genealogy" heading, and then on "Gordon". This Gordon website provides family trees, maps, cemetery photos, Gordon reunion news and photos, newsletters, and other information on where the Gordon family name (Garden, farm) originated in Norway (a farm on a hillside facing southwest above Lake Mjosa southeast of Brottum).
As noted on page 64, Lars H. Gordon married Anna in 1879 in Caledonia. Anna was born in March 1863 in Norway. We know from other information on page 64 for Lars Gordon's brother, Charles L. Gordon (see Catalogit Family History entry 2024.522.1), that Lars was born to parents Hans and Kjerste Gordon, and that he emigrated from Norway in 1860 with his parents and siblings to La Crosse County, Wisconsin. After spending 11 years in La Crosse, Lars, his parents, and 11 siblings, left La Crosse for the Red River Valley. Lars, and brothers Charles and Andrew, and their father Hans Larson, took claims along the Marsh River near Shelly, Minnesota. When their claims were disrupted by a railroad survey, they took claims across the Red River in N Caledonia (later Bingham) Township in Traill County, Dakota Territory.
The 1882 Traill County tax records for N Caledonia Township (first records kept) document that Lars H. Gordon had claimed 138.73 acres of land in the N Half of Sect. 26, where Lars and Anna established a homestead along the Red River (1892 Traill County Atlas map, below). In 1882, Lars Gordon's land was valued at $414, with Traill County owed $14.58 in taxes. Under the "When paid" column, there is no record of payment by Lars, indicating he did not pay Traill County the taxes owed, as evident for other landowners--times were difficult. In 1882, Lars and Anna Gordon had personal property assed at a value of $172, with $8.51 in taxes due Traill County. As for his land, there is no record of tax payment by Lars. Unfortunately, by 1892 (see map) Lars Gordon's land was in the name of Hillsboro banker, A. L. Hanson, probably because Lars had to forfeit the land on a loan held by the banker, Hanson. Note that Lars Gordon's brother, Charles (Chas) L. Gordon, had land in Sections 14 and 22.
After losing his land to Hillsboro banker, A. L. Hanson, Lars and Anna, and their family, moved into Hillsboro, ND. The 1910 Traill County Tax records record that Lars H. Gordon was assessed as having $13 in personal property with $1.96 in taxes owed the City of Hillsboro. Lars paid these taxes due on 10 January 1911. Of interest is that in 1910 there is no record of Lars and Anna Gordon owning a lot in Hillsboro City, only personal property. But, Lars Gordon's brother Chas L. Gordon owned town Lot 3 in Block 1 of the Sergeants Addition (see map, below). And, there is no record of Chas Gordon being assessed for personal property in the City of Hillsboro, probably because in 1910 he resided on his rural land in N Caledonia (Bingham) Township. These data suggest that perhaps Charles had his brother Lars and family live at his place in Hillsboro.
As noted on page 64 of the Yesteryears in Traill book, in 1911, Lars, Anna and family left Hillsboro and settled on a farm near Shevlin, Minnesota, located in Clearwater County. Shevlin is located about 20 miles west of Bemidji, MN.
Lars and Anna had 13 children, as shown in a descendant's chart (below).
In the 1880 US Census for N Caledonia Township (later Bingham) in Traill County (below), Lars and Anna Gordon are not listed with any children, having recently married in 1879.
By the 1900 US Census, Lars and Anna had moved into Hillsboro (below). Their address was recorded as house number 5 on Fourth Street, and were listed with 8 children: Hilda, Clara, Agnus, Emily, Harry, Lawrence, Raymond and Ella. The fate of the two oldest children, Kristi and Clara Helen, in the descendant's chart (below) is uncertain, but it is likely that Clara Helen Gordon died young, as a later daughter, Clara Hermina Gordon, was named in honor of the first Clara.
By the 1910 US Census for Hillsboro City (below), Lars and Anna were recorded as residing on Third Street, likely the house on Lot 3 owned by Chas Gordon, as noted earlier (see Hillsboro City map, Sargeants Addition). In this 1910 census, Lars and Anna are listed with seven children: Clara, Emily, Harry, Lawrence, Raymond, Luella, and their youngest of 13 total children, Ernest M. Gordon.
As noted earlier, in 1911, Lars and Anna, and any children still at home, left Hillsboro, ND, and settled by Shevlin, MN (see the website: "www.orneveien.org" for information about their life in Shelvin).Acquisition
Accession
2024.523Source or Donor
Traci (Gordon) PetersenLocation
* Untyped Location
Resource RoomBuilding
Plummer House
