Howard Wilson, one of the earliest pioneers of Griggs county, is successfully pursuing agriculture in Dover township, and has a pleasant home on section 6. He endured the hardships incident to life in an unsettled country, and made his way forward to his present comfortable circumstances with a determination worthy of following.
Our subject was born on a farm in York county, Canada, May 18, 1860, and was the third child and eldest son in a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters. The father, Samuel L. Wilson, was a native of York county, and was a farmer and carpenter. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Jane Walks. The father died in 1878, and the mother survives him and makes her home with her children, all of whom are still living.
Our subject attended the district school near his home and assisted his father on the farm until he was eighteen years of age, when he began to work for others, and in 1883 went to Barnes county, North Dakota, where he remained, and on the 8th day of June, of that year, he filed a claim to his present farm as a homestead. He is now the owner of nine quarter-sections of land, and one quarter-section is in Stutsman county. He worked in the pineries of Minnesota during the winters of 1883, 1884 and 1885, and the following winter carried mail each Saturday, from Uxbridge, now Leal, to Sanborn and return, and spent the balance of the week attending school at Leal. When he located on his farm for permanent residence he was his own housekeeper for three years, and then employed a housekeeper three years. His first wheat crop was from ten acres of land, and after hauling it five miles to have it threshed and putting it into the granary, prairie fire destroyed the annual products. Such discouragements did not daunt him and he is now among the fortunate farmers of that locality.
Our subject was married, in Cooperstown, June 19, 1893, to Miss Mary E. Hilborn, a native of York county, Canada, and a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Hilborn, prominent farmers of Barnes county. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, as follows: Milton H., Clifford H. and Fred S. Mr. Wilson is prominent in public affairs, and has held various offices in his county and township. He was appointed to fill an unexpired term on the board of county commissioners, in 1896, and the following year was elected to serve a term of three years in that capacity. He has always taken an active interest in educational affairs, and has served as school clerk in his district for the past ten years. In point of continuous residence he is the oldest settler in Dover township, and is highly esteemed throughout that region. Politically he is an independent voter.
Source: Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota 1900 Page 357