Biography - Elmer Francis

ELMER FRANCIS, one of Ward county's most prominent farmers, and a pioneer whose experiences have seldom been equaled in western frontier life, is a resident of township 153, range 81, his pleasant home being located on section 4 of that township.

Mr. Francis was born in Rock county, Wisconsin, on a farm, May 27, 1852. He was the second child in a family of eight children born to Cyrus and Elmira (Hatfield) Francis, farming people of New England. The family removed to Minnesota when our subject was a child, and he was reared in the western part of that state, on a farm, and received a limited common school education. His home was about fifty miles from the scene of the Mankato massacre. At the age of twenty-four years our subject began farming for himself, and in June, 1882, came to Dakota, locating in the Mouse river country, fifteen miles from the site of the present city of Minot. He drove overland from Minnesota by ox teams, the trip requiring six weeks. He arrived in August and put up a log shanty 18x22 feet and began farming. He had good success from the start, and he continued for eight years to use oxen for farm work. He has since made many valuable improvements upon his land, and has devoted much time of late years to, stock raising, with great success. He recounts many trying experiences with blizzards and prairie fires. On one occasion he had gone to Larimore tor household goods, and one of his horses choked to death and he had to trade the wagon for a sleigh, and finally had to abandon it and walk home. The first year he was in the county he shot and badly crippled one hand and arm and has had trouble with it ever since.

Mr. Francis was married, in 1875, to Miss Lydia Robins, a native of Wisconsin, and daughter of J. L. Robins. To Mr. and Mrs. Francis nine children have been born, as follows: Mark, Amy, Earl and Gertrude, born in Minnesota, and Ralph, Harry, Nellie, Frank and Lucy, born in Dakota.

Mr. Francis is a Democrat and has been active in local public affairs. He has been school director for many years and has served as assessor, and has been active in party affairs, attending numerous conventions of his party. He is well known in the county, being a pioneer of that section of the state.

Extracted 26 Dec 2019 by Norma Hass from Compendium History and Biographies of North Dakota, published in 1900, pages 1406-1407.

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