Name/Title
Chase family: William B. & Irene (Kingsbury) Chase, 1882 Pioneers of Morgan Township in Traill County, DTEntry/Object ID
2026.1.1Description
This Wm B. and Irene Chase family history folder is based on information available in Ancestry.com (notably a Public Member Chase Family Tree entered by 123csc of New York), in local newspapers, in Find-a-Grave, and in Traill County Atlas plat maps. Information was also provided by a descendant, Carol Darling.
William Barnard Chase was born on 20 March 1857 in Dickinson, Franklin County, New York, and Irene Kingsbury was also born in New York, but in Lawrence County on 25 July 1861. They both grew up in New York. William B. Chase and Irene Kingsbury married in New York in 1878. In the 1880 US Census, they were recorded as residing in Dickinson, Franklin County, NY.
About three years later, in 1881 or 1882, William B. and Irene Chase came to Traill County, seeking new farmland in the Dakota Territory. As shown in a 1892 map of Morgan Township, "Mrs. I. Chase" was recorded as the owner of the south-half of both Sections 11 and 12 (see below). It is unclear as to why land was only shown in the name Wm B. Chase's wife, Irene Chase. But, by 1900, a land ownership map (below) shows that Irene Chase was recorded for the SE Qtr of Sect. 11 and the SW Qtr. of Sect. 12, but W. B. Chase was now recorded for the SE Qtr. of Sect. 12, and for the south-half of Sect. 9. Their land in Morgan Township was located about 8 miles west of Reynolds, ND.
We know that William B. and Irene had settled in Dakota Territory by 1882 because their first child, son Ira Chase, was born in DT in September 1882. Ira was age 2 at the time of the 1885 Traill County Census taken on 1 June. Ira Chase was 17 in the 1900 US Census but was not listed with his parents and siblings in the 1910 US Census. What became of Ira Chase after 1900 remains a mystery.
By the time the 1900 US Census was taken on 6 June in Morgan Township, William B. and Irene Chase had 6 children (family tree, below). The 1900 US Census also recorded that Irene had 8 children of which 6 were living, so William and Irene had lost two children by 1900. Their last son, William B. Jr. was born in September 1900, so they had a total of seven children who lived to adulthood.
William and Irene's second child, daughter Mary Chase, was born on 11 September 1885. Mary was age 14 in the 1900 US Census. Mary was not listed with her parents and siblings in the 1910 US Census because Mary had moved to Grand Forks where she attended Royal Grade School and entered Mayville Teachers College at the age of 14 [obit info, Missoulian, 26 Feb. 1989]. Mary B. Chase taught in rural schools and then married Bryant Dudley Wilcox of Wisconsin on 22 May 1912 in Hatton [news, Fargo Forum, 20 May 1912]. On 7 December 1913, they had a daughter, Alice Chase Wilcox, in Hatton, ND. In the 1920 US Census, Alice was age 6 and lived with her parents on Seventh St. in Hatton. Bryant was employed as a rural mail carrier out of Hatton. Evidently things were difficult because by the 1930 and 1940 US Census data, Bryant was on his own and working for farmers in Kane Township in Bottineau County, ND. But Mary went to the University of ND in Grand Forks, and graduated in 1928 [obit info, Missoulian, 26 Feb. 1989]. Mary then served as school superintendent for 28 years and upon retiring from teaching, worked in the US Naval Dept. for 12 years. In 1968, Mary moved to Troy, MT, to be with her daughter Alice and in 1985 moved to the Libby Care Center. There, Mary lived to the notable age of 103, passing away on 24 February 1989 in Libby MT. Mary (Chase) Wilcox was interred at the Toy Cemetery.
William and Irene's third child, son Earl Grant Chase, was born on 11 September 1885. Earl G. was age 13 in the 1900 US Census for Morgan Township. As a young man at age 19, Earl G., along with his father, William Sr., age 49, evidently tried to homestead land in the Humbolt District of Saskatchewan [1906 SK Census]. However, in the 1910 US Census, Earl G. Chase, age 23, and his father William Sr. were back in Morgan Township in Traill County. Earl G. Chase farmed by Reynolds for a number of year but also lived in Hannah, Sarles, and Grand Forks, ND, before eventually moving to Devils Lake, ND, in 1944 [obituary, Hillsboro Banner, 28 Apr. 1950]. In Devils Lake, Earl Grant Chase was employed as a clerk in a hotel, and died at age 63 at the General Hospital on 15 April 1950 [ND Death Certif.]. He was interred at the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) Cemetery in Devils Lake [US Find-a-Grave].
William and Irene's fourth child, son Orland rufus Chase, was born on 15 July 1891 in Traill County, ND. Orland was age 8 in the 1900 US Census for Morgan Township. Orland was not listed with his parents and siblings in the 1910 US Census for Morgan Township as he had moved to Grand Forks and on 10 December 1913 Orland R. Chase married Blanche Toplin of Wisconsin. They married in Minneapolis, MN. After they married, they moved to Skiff in Alberta, Canada. Sadly, Orland R. Chase died at the age of only 34 on 22 December 1925 in Lethbridge, Alberta, and was interred at the Americus-Saint Olaf Cemetery by Reynolds, ND [obituary, Reynolds Enterprise, 31 Dec. 1925].
William and Irene's fifth child, daughter Olive Myrtle Chase, was born in 5 May 1895 in Traill County, ND. Olive was age 5 in the 1900 US Census for Morgan Township, and age 14 in the 1910 US Census for Morgan Township. Olive Myrtle Chase married Robert Emmett Milligan on 15 January 1917 in the Village of Sarles in Cavalier County, ND. They rent in Sarles while Robert farmed rented land [1920 US Census]. By 1930, Robert and Olive, and their daughter Jean, had moved slightly east to the Village of Hannah in Cavalier County [1930 US Census], where Robert was a "Merchant" of a "Drug store". In 1940, Robert became the "Postmaster" at the post office in Hannah [1940 US Census]. Robert and Olive Milligan lived for many years in Hannah. Olive Myrtle Chase lived to the age of 77, passing away on 5 May 1972 in Grand Forks, ND. She was interred at the Americus-Saint Olaf Cemetery [US Find-a-Grave], which is located 1 mile north of Reynolds, ND. Robert later lived in California, where he passed away, age 89, in Santa Clara County, CA [US Find-a-Grave].
William and Irene's sixth child, daughter Lela Bernice Chase, was born in November 1897 in Traill County, ND. Lela was age 2 in the 1900 US Census for Morgan Township, and age 12 in the 1910 US Census for Morgan Township. Lela attended high school in Grand Forks. On 10 November 1916, Lela Bernice Chase married James Fred McDonnell in Ramsey County [ND Marriage Index]. Evidently, James and Lela soon divorced, and on 31 October 1922, Lela Chase married Thomas Hewlett in Montgomery, Alabama (AL Marriage Record]. After they married, they resided in Montgomery [1925 City Directory]. But in the 1930 US Census for Montgomery, Lela Hewlett was recorded as age 29, being born in North Dakota with parents born in New York, and as widowed. Lela was residing as a "Roomer" on "Court Street" while being employed as a "Stenographer" at the "Capital". Interestingly, in the 1940 US Census for Montgomery, Lela (Chase) Hewlett was listed as divorced, age 38, born in ND, and still employed as a "Stenographer". But Lela now resided on Monrow Avenue with her widowed mother-in-law, Evie Hewlett. Lela's daughter, Mary Lou Hewlett, age 15, born in Alabama, was also listed with her family. We know that by 1950, Lela (Chase) Hewlett had moved to Washington DC (brother's obituary). In July 1975, Lela (Chase) Hewlett passed away, age 77, in DC and was interred at the Fort Lincoln Cemetery in nearby Brentwood, Maryland [US Find-a-Grave]. Lela's grave-marker shows 1899 as her birth year, but in the 1900 US Census, Lela's birthdate was recorded as November 1897. The ages Lela provided in later US Census' and for marriages were not always correct.
William and Irene's seventh and last child, son William Bernard Chase Jr., was born on 14 June 1900 in Traill County, ND. In the 1910 US Census for Morgan Township, Willima Jr. was 9 years old. As a teen and young man, William Jr. helped his mother, Irene, and older brother Grant with farming operations [news, Reynolds Enterprise, 17 Nov 1924]; their father had left the family for Winnipeg, Canada, and had remarried (see below). On 19 October 1927, William B. Chase Jr., age 27, married Alice E. Simmons, age 23, of England, at the Presbyterian Church in Grand Forks, ND [ELCA Marriage Record]. After they married, they first lived with Alice's parents in Grand Forks [news, Hillsboro Banner, 20 Jan. 1928]. In 1930, William Jr. and Alice continued to reside with her mother, Annie Simmons, in a house on N 7th St. in Grand Forks [1930 US Census]. By 1940, they had moved to a rented home in Devils Lake, ND, where William Jr. was employed as a "Mechanic" in a "Garage" [1940 US Census]. By 1940, they had 3 children listed with them, including William B. Chase esq., Beverly I Chase and Robert A. Chase. By 1950, William Jr., Alice and children had moved to Havre, MT [1950 US Census], where William Jr. continued to work as a mechanic in a "Car repair shop". By 1950, William Jr. and Alice had two more children, Bruce O. Chase and Barbara A. Chase. They lived for many years in Havre. In retirement, William Jr. and Alice moved to Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana, where their son, Robert Chase lived. William B. Chase Jr. lived to the age of 86, passing away on 23 March 1987 in Martinsville, where he was interred in the North South Park Cemetery [obituary, Martinsville Reporter-Times, 25 Mar. 1987]. Alice (Simmons) Chase lived to the age of 83, passing away on 3 August 1988 in Martinsville [US Find-a-Grave].
In 1906, as noted earlier, William B. Chase Sr. was recorded on a farm in the Humbolt District of Saskatchewan [1906 SK Census]. But, by 1910, they were recorded as being back on the home farm in Morgan Township in Traill County [1910 US Census]. However, evidently William Sr. left his family and moved to Winnipeg, Canada, where on 22 January 1913 he married Veto Annice Barker. They resided in Winnipeg for many years. William Bernard Chase Sr. lived to the age of 73, passing away on 18 November 1930 in Winnipeg [CA Find-a-Grave], and was interred in the Elmwood Cemetery near Winnipeg [Monument photo, below]. Veto (Barker) Chase died on 23 September 1960 [CA Find-a-Grave], and was buried next to William Sr. in the Elmwood Cemetery [Monument photo, below].
Irene (Kingsbury) Chase lived to the age of 77, passing away on 1 June 1939 at the family farm operated by her son Grant Chase [obituary, below, Hillsboro Banner, 2 Jun. 1939.Acquisition
Accession
2026.1Source or Donor
Carol Darling, TCHS (Traill County Historical Society)Location
* Untyped Location
Resource RoomBuilding
Plummer House
