James Rae McFadgen

James Rae McFadgen arrived in Barnes County at the age of 5 years with his two brothers, four sisters and his parents, John and Eliz. (Rae) McFadgen.

Arriving in the spring of 1880, they were domiciled in the glorified log house of Donald D. McFadgen located where the Mercy Hospital now stands. Donald, an uncle, had built the log cabin before the Northern Pacific Railroad arrived.

James Rae McFadgen was born on July 4, 1874 near Guelph, Ontario, Canada. In 1883 the James Rae McFadgen family moved from Valley City to Stewart Township, where John homesteaded in Section 12 with his wife Elizabeth taking the Northeast quarter in Section 13, south of the quarter in Section 12. Here James grew to manhood. He attended the Matteson School, located just to the north of the farm.

As James attained his place in the community, he became a member of the school board and held various township offices for many years.

On August 16, 1899 he married Mattie Stearns. She passed away on Easter Sunday in 1917. Two sons were born to this union, Kenneth and Lyle.

On June 4, 1919 James Rae married Betty McPherson and his union produced two children, Gordon and Ruth.

Known as a scrupulously honest man, he was highly respected by all who had occasion to know him. James Rae McFadgen passed away March 17, 1948 after an illness of four years duration.

Gordon McFadgen, the son of James Rae and Betty McPherson, was born in 1921. He is the third generation to farm the original homestead of John McFadgen, located in the East one-half of Section 11, Stewart Township. He is married to Cecelia Stavert of Rolla, North Dakota and they have two children, Jean and Jim.

Ruth McFadgen married George Paulson in 1948. George is the son of Theodore and Olga Paulson and was born in 1921. He served in the Army in World War 2. Eight children have been born to Ruth and George Paulson as follows:

  1. David, of Inkster, North Dakota;

  2. Mary (Mrs. Wayne Berglund) of Hancock, Minnesota;

  3. Neil (a Warrant Officer killed in a helicopter crash in 1975);

  4. Nancy (Mrs. Jerry Colby) of Valley City;

  5. Peter, who will farm the family property; and

  6. Scott,

  7. Dean and

  8. Amy at home.,

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 146