William Young Quarton was born November 12, 1862, at Burnt Island, Scotland. He was a legal apprentice before coming to the United States. After arriving in New York at age 18, he worked his way across the country until he reached the Red River Valley area. He worked here for a few years to learn about farming until he was old enough to homestead.
He came to Foster County in 1883 or 1884 and filed a homestead in Longview Township on the Southwest 1/4 of Section 2. He lived on this farm until 1911, when he retired and moved to Carrington. He became a citizen in 1892 when he proved up on his land. His sister Barbara homesteaded on the Southeast 1/4 of Section 2.
Mr. Quarton sent money to Scotland for his mother and five sisters to come to the United States in about 1890.
William Quarton married Anna Laura Cushen in 1886. They had five children: three died in infancy. The two daughters who lived were Nellie and Barbara. Nellie married Frank Trullinger and they lived on the Quarton farm for several years.
Anna Laura died July 14, 1897 and is buried at Carrington.
He married Anna Mae Lower as his second wife. She died in October 1927 and is buried in the Carrington Cemetery. They had one daughter, Nancy (Mrs. Myron Sharrard).
Mr. Quarton was a charter member of the Masonic Lodge in Carrington. He died in January 1955 and is buried in Snohomish, Washington.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 69B