Biography - Ray B. Town

Ray Benjamin Town, progressive business man of Flaxton, was born on a farm in the town of Leon, Cattaraugus county, New York, on the 23d of February, 1874. His father, Benjamin T. Town, was born and spent his life in the same locality, and his mother, Emily Gail Town, was born in the town of Eden, Erie county, New York, and later with her parents removed to Garden City, Minnesota, where she resided until the time of her marriage.

R. B. Town received his education in the "district"' and village schools of his birthplace and at the age of seventeen began work as a helper in the office of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Company at Athol Springs, New York, where he remained for nearly a year, when he returned to the old home and spent a year in farming and working in the lumber woods. In the early spring of 1893 he removed to the city of Minneapolis, where he was employed for several years in the office of George W. Jenks, a banker and broker. When he severed that connection he went with the H. C. Akley Lumber Company and remained with that firm until the spring of 1901. On the 13th of September, 1899, he was married to Miss Belle M. Dolphin, who is a native of St. Peter, Minnesota, and attended school at that place and Minneapolis.

In the spring of 1901 Mr. Town came to North Dakota looking for a location in which to start in business for himself and finally landed in the then unplatted town of Postville, now Flaxton and, being satisfied with the prospects for this country, decided to locate. About the 1st of May, 1901. Mr. Town arrived in Bowbells with a carload of household goods and a team with which he moved his belongings to the present site of Flaxton, putting up a tent while constructing the first store building to be built in the new town site, in which building he and C. G. Davis opened up a general merchandise business under the firm name of Davis & Town, their firm acting as the town site agents during the first year. At this time Mr. Town's brother, W. S. Town, purchased the interests of Mr. Davis and the business was continued by them until the fall of 1903 when they sold out the general store to continue the farm implement business that Mr. Town had started with R. B. Burger of Bowbells. This business was incorporated during the year 1906 and has continued since that time as one of the leading implement houses of Burke county. During this time Mr. Town filed on a choice quarter section of land near Flaxton which he proved up. During their residence on the homestead a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Town. This was their only child and they were called upon to mourn his death when he was about nine years old.

Mr. Town is affiliated with the democratic party in politics though not taking an active part in political matters, never having sought an elective office. He has however filled various offices in local affairs, such as township, village, and school.

Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order, and he and his wife also belong to the Eastern Star. In church affairs they have always taken an active part, both belonging to the Church of Christ, Mr. Town being a member of the state board of missions. It was in their home that the first Sunday school of Flaxton was organized. This school has the distinction of having lived throughout the history of Flaxton, now being the Sunday school of St. Paul's Presbyterian church.

Mr. and Mrs. Town are not of the kind that seek public recognition but are always to be depended upon to furnish their help and means for any movement for the betterment of the community in which they live or the community at large. Wherever they are known they are held in high esteem and most of all where they are the best known. In an interview with the writer Mr. Town showed himself to be an enthusiastic booster for North Dakota and was particularly proud of the progress that has been made by the people of this state, speaking of the development he has witnessed from the unbroken prairie to a highly cultivated farming community, with all modern conveniences, such as rural delivery, rural telephone, a splendid school system with high schools in nearly every village of the state and electric lights in all the villages and on many of the farms, and all this within the short time of fifteen years from the date of settlement.

Extracted 05 Nov 2019 by Norma Hass from North Dakota History and People, published in 1917, volume 2, pages 355-356.