John and Anna Stolz Thilmony came to America in 1879 from Bisson, Luxemburg. They lived for one year in Loda, Illinois. Then they came to Valley City and homesteaded in Cuba township - the Northwest ΒΌ of Section 8, where they lived the rest of their lives.
To this union ten children were born -6 sons and 4 daughters, namely:
Joseph,
Henry,
Elizabeth,
Theresa,
Julia,
John Jr.,
Albert,
Frank,
Tony and
Marie.
John Jr., died at the age of 3 years from diphtheria, which took many children at that time. Only Frank and Marie are living at this time. John passed away in 1909; Anna passed away in 1930. They lived in Valley City until they got the homestead then the Weiss brothers loaded their little claim shanty on a hay wagon and hauled it to their homestead. The Weiss brothers already had horses.
Anna used to tell how she plowed with a steer and the milk cow while Joseph and Henry had to sit on the end of the field while she plowed. John and other neighbor men went to the Sheyenne river to chop wood for winter fuel.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 246