1900 Biography - Eugene S. Owen

EUGENE S. OWEN, treasurer of Kidder county, is a gentleman of the highest integrity and enjoys the confidence of his fellow men. He has served as a public official in various capacities and in every instance has discharged his duties with faithfulness and has become one of the honored men of his community. He was a pioneer farmer of that locality, but has disposed of his farming interests and makes his home in Steele, North Dakota.

Our subject was born on a farm in Seneca county, Ohio, November 17, 1858, and was a son of Alanson S. and Lydia (Slaughter) Owen, both of whom were born in the same county in the state of New York. The families are old New England families and both settled in Ohio when the parents of our subject were but children, and were pioneers of that state. The parents were reared in Seneca county and there married, and two children were born to them, Myra B. and Eugene S., our subject.

Mr. Owen attended the country schools and also Hillsdale College, in Michigan, and at the age of twenty-one years began farming for himself on the old homestead farm and followed the same there seven years. He left his father's place in 1886 and went to North Dakota and arrived at Dawson, Kidder county, in April of that year, and took government land ten miles north of Dawson. He built a small shanty and had a few tools and entered into partnership with his father-in-law, and continued there until 1890, when he was appointed register of deeds in April and in the fall was elected to the same office, which he filled two years. He was elected county auditor in 1892 and served one term, and in 1895 and 1896 engaged in farming and stock raising, and in January, 1897, was appointed deputy county treasurer, and in the fall of 1898 was elected county treasurer, and is now discharging the duties of that office in an able and satisfactory manner. He improved three hundred and twenty acres of land, which he has since disposed of, and takes no time from his public office to operate farm land.

Our subject was married, December 27, 1883, to Miss Ella M. Shoemaker, a native of Seneca county, Ohio. Mrs. Owen's father, Eleazer Shoemaker, was of German descent and was a farmer. Her mother was born in Pennsylvania and was of English parentage. One child has blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Owen, named Floren Aften, who was born October 9, 1895. Mr. Owen is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and politically is a Republican and active in party movements.

Extracted 22 Nov 2020, by Norma Hass, from Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota published in 1900, pages 846-847.