Samuel Fletcher (1846-1934) born in Wellington County, Ontario, Canada, the son of Samuel and Rebecca (Coleman) Fletcher. Samuel Fletcher, Sr., was born in England and emigrated to Canada in 1841. Samuel Fletcher, Jr., received his education in the district schools and one of the leading academies of Ontario. He traveled for a nursery company and established his own nursery in Fergus, Ontario, until 1882 when he came to Dakota Territory. He filed on a claim in Stewart Township, Barnes County of 160 acres which he added to until he owned 1840 acres in 1900. Mr. Fletcher married Emilia McKee in 1872 in Ontario. She died in 1876 leaving two young children John R. and Rebecca. In 1878 Mr. Fletcher married Maria Norton (18521932). who was born in Massachusetts and came to Canada as a child. The children of this marriage are: Maria; Joseph -H. and William J., born in Canada, and Katie M.; Rosa E.; Laura, and Eva May born in Barnes County, North Dakota.
Mr. Fletcher was one of the first six pioneer farmers to be honored by having his picture placed in the "Hall of Fame" at NDAC. He was an exhibitor and winner of many awards for prize stock at the State Fairs, and at the International Stock Show din Chicago, Illinois. He was a pioneer in the raising of pure-bred shorthorn cattle. Maria Fletcher faced the pioneer years of frost, hail, Indians and prairie fires. Atone time she fought a prairie fire alone, and saved their home. As they added more land, the big house at Springdale Stock Farm was built and more hired help to feed. When the Soo line was built across the farm she was called upon to feed train crews as well as passengers when the train stalled. Their home was open to family and friends. In 1918 the Fletchers sold the farm and moved to Valley City where they lived for fifteen years. In 1926 Eva Fletcher, the only one of the family living in Valley City, was married to John P. Tullius. He was the only son of Joseph and Anna Tullius, Barnes County pioneers. Mr. Tullius was a conductor on the Northern Pacific Railroad for forty years. He died in 1973. They had two daughters - Dorothy - Mrs. Ian W. McKenzie of Northridge, California and Marilyn (Mrs. Russell Stanley) of Valley City, North Dakota.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 71