FRANK SANFORD. Barnes county's well-known and popular register of deeds has an interesting record, and from the study of his life history one can learn valuable lessons. The spirit of self-help is the source of all genuine worth in the individual and is the means of bringing to man success which has no advantages of wealth or influence to aid him. It illustrates in no uncertain manner what it is possible to accomplish when perseverance and determination form the keynote to a man's life. Depending on his own resources, looking, for no outside aid or support, Mr. Sanford has become one of the most prosperous and influential citizens of Valley City.
He was born in Liberty township, Jackson county, Michigan, September 25, 1860, a son of James P. and Cornelia (Nutten) Sanford. The mother, who was a native of Pan Yan, New York, died in Michigan, at the early age of thirty-two years, and for his second wife the father married Alice McCormick, of Rochester, New York. He was born in the Empire state in 1830, but since a boy of four years has made his home in Michigan, and is now living on the farm which his father, Abraham Sanford, took up from the government. The latter removed to that state when it was still a territory, and helped construct the old state road from Detroit to Chicago. He died in Jackson county, Michigan, in 1880, at the age of seventy-seven years and five months.
Frank Sanford attended the district schools near his boyhood home and later was a student in the high school at Hillsdale, Michigan. On leaving that institution Inc went to Logansport, Indana, where he took a course of study in higher mathematics at the Smithson College and remained there until the school was abandoned. On his return to Michigan he taught school for a number of terms in that state and also for one term at Momence, Kankakee county, Illinois.
On the 18th of March, 1882, Mr. Sanford first set foot in Valley City, North Dakota, and at once located land on section 20, township 142, range 59 west, as a homestead. He also took up a tree claim and pre-empted other land. Industrious, enterprising and persevering, he has met with well deserved success during his residence in this state, and is now the owner of a two and three-quarter sections of land in one body, while his wife has a section, of very fine land in Griggs county, North Dakota. He was first married, November 20, 1879, to Miss Esther Rhoades a native of Jackson county, Michigan, who died on the homestead in Barnes county, North Dakota, June 26, 1882, and on the 13th of October, 1886, he led to the marriage altar Miss Helen S. Kingsley, a native of New York state.
Mr. Sanford has always taken an active part in political affairs and is a stanch supporter of the Independent party. He has represented his district on the board of county commissioners, being elected in 1891, and in 1894 was first elected register of deeds, in which office he is now serving his third term with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. He is a prominent Mason, a member of the Mystic Shrine which meets at El Zagal temple, Fargo. For the success that he has achieved in life he deserves great credit, for it is due entirely to his own well-directed efforts and good management. During his early residence in this state he would return to Michigan during the winter and teach school in order to defray the expenses of improving his land.
Source: Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota 1900 Page 208