Samuel Lycurgus Large was a pioneer settler in Barnes County on Section 14, in Alta Township two miles west of Oriska. He was born on August 7, 1848 in Pittsburg, PA, son of Levi and Nancy (Kennedy) Large. His grandfather Jonathan Large, a native of New Jersey and a colonial descendant with his sons Levi and Jonathan were in the milling business in Pennsylvania later coming to Wisconsin. Samuel L. Large spent his boyhood in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where he attended local schools and later the University at Madison.
Prior to coming to Dakota Territory he worked for four years as a government surveyor at Niagara Falls, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie and in the Denver, Colorado area in 1877. In 1881 Samuel Large came to Dakota Territory and took a tree claim in Barnes County. By 1884 he had added to this by purchase of more acres and owned three quarters of Section 14.
Returning to Wisconsin he married Jennie M. McGinnis, (also called Mary Jane) on January 25, 1888. She was born on March 27, 1857 the daughter of Alexander McGinnis of Fond du Lac. Two children were born to them, a daughter Dora Margaret born at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin on March 19, 1889 and a son Elwyn Bird Large born at Oriska, North Dakota on October 19, 1891.
The family farmed in Alta Township until 1921 when Mr. and Mrs. Large and Dora moved to Valley City. Dora taught in several schools and later was librarian at the college in Valley City. She never married. Mr. and Mrs. Large died in January and May 1925. Dora died in April 1964.
The son Elwyn, after serving two years in the army and overseas in World War I, returned to take over the farming operation. He married Valentine Burley on September 14, 1921 at Alexandria, Minnesota. Her parents were pioneers of Cass County, North Dakota having come to Casselton in 1885 where Valentine was born.
Elwyn and Valentine had a daughter Florence Ruth, born June 5, 1925, and a son Bruce Elwyn born November 20, 1928. Florence graduated as a Registered Nurse at Mercy Hospital in Valley City. She married Robert G. King at Redlands, California. They had two children. After the death of her husband she continued her vocation as a nurse at El Cajon, California. Bruce graduated from Valley City High School and VCSC and served in the army overseas in the Korean Conflict. He teaches science at Mahnomen, Minnesota. He married Janice Stegman, also a teacher, at Neche, North Dakota in June 1964. They have two boys, Jeffrey Todd and Jonathan Bruce Large.
Elwyn B. Large died of pneumonia on January 9, 1937.
An interesting item is that the Territorial Tax on the 160 acres in 1887 was $18.43. Tax receipts were signed by C. A. Benson, Treasurer of Barnes County and Dakota Territory. Farming was done by horse power. Plow lays were sharpened by James T. Gamble, a blacksmith in Oriska, at 350 each.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 135