By Bessie Sandvol
(From Abstract)
A patent given by United States by Grover Cleveland, president, M. McKena, secretary to Northern Pacific Railroad Company.
Patent Book "D" Deeds page 400, Dated December 26, 1895.
Filed December 31, 1895 at 3 p.m. Range no. 64 containing 640 acres and other land.
After all claims are quieted the northeast No. 15 was sold to D.S.B. Johnston Land Company, a corporation for $660
Dated September 7, 1901; Filed October 10, 1901. D.S.B. Johnston Land Company gave a Warranty Deed: Dated August 20, 1901; Filed September 6, 1901 consideration $13,200 to John William Bennett.
John William Bennet and Lana, his wife gave Warren Buck a Warranty Deed November 26, 1901 filed December 2, 1901, Consideration $3,125.
A Warranty deed, dated April 5, 1910 filed April 13, 1910 was given by Warren T. Buck and M.J. Buck, his wife, to Dakota and Great Northern Townsite Company, a corporation, consideration, and $3,200.
The Dakota and Great Northern Townsite Company gave a deed dated May 10, 1910 filed May 19, 1910 to the Great Northern Railway Company and corporation, 18.29 acres.
Dakota and Great Northern Townsite Company gave Deed dated May 12, 1910 consideration $1 to the Foster County Realty Company the south 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 Section 15 except for the 18.29 acres the Great Northern purchased.
The Foster County Realty Company
A corporation
By Harry C. Sexton, president
To
Public
Plat Book "1" of plats page 18 Dated June 16, 1910
Filed June 16, 1910 at 6 o'clock p.m.
Two witnesses,
Corporate seal
Acknowledged June 17, 1910 by Harry C. Sexton,
President before J. Harry Johnson, Notary Public,
Eddy County, North Dakota
This is to certify that the Foster County Realty Company, a corporation, proprietor of all that part of the southeast 1/4 of section No. 15 township no. 147, Range no. 64 described as follows: Commencing at the Southeast corner of said quarter section, thence north on the east line of said quarter section 1278.21 feet to the northerly line of the right of way of the Great Northern Railway Company thence north 58 55 feet west on said right of way line 1182.19 feet to an iron monument at the point of beginning of land to be described, thence north 58 55 feet west on said right of way line 1472.69 feet to the north line of said quarter section; thence south 89 55 feet east on said north line 1719.23 feet thence south 30 05 feet west 885.47 to point of beginning containing 14.978 acres. Also all that part of the northeast 1/4 of afore said section described as follows: Commencing at the southeast corner of said section line thence north on the east line there of 1278.21 feet to the northerly line of the right of way of the Great Northern Railway Company thence north 58 55' west on said right of way line 2655.88 feet to the south line of afore said Northeast 1/4 section line being the point of beginning of land to be described
thence north 58 55' west on said right of way line 70 31 feet in an iron monument
thence north 32 05' 1164 feet thence South 58 55' east 1534 feet
thence south 31 05' w. 278.53 feet to the south line of the said northeast 1/4 section
thence north 89 55' west 1719.23 to point of beginning 26,280 acres, has caused the same to be surveyed and platted and hereafter known as Grace City, Foster County, North Dakota as shown by this plat and hereby dedicated.
I hereby certify to having surveyed and platted the property as described on this map as Grace City, Foster County, North Dakota and have placed iron monument as shown on this map and the same is correct. F. Milton Fowble.
Acknowledged June 9, 1910 by F. Milton Fowble, before H. Dougan, Notary Public, Ramsey County, Minnesota.
Foster County Realty Company,
A corporation
By T.W. Larson, president
To
The Public
Plat Book "2" of Plats, on page 3
Dated April 26, 1913 at 1 o'clock p.m.
Corporate Seal
Commencing at the iron pin, at the westerly corner of the townsite of Grace City, Foster County, North Dakota, as is shown on the recorded plat on file in the offices of the Register of Deeds in Carrington, North Dakota (Abstracted at entry No. 34 hereof) thence N 59 W along the northerly line of the Great Northern Railway right of way, thence hundred fifty one and four tenths feet to the quarter line running north and south through Section 15, township 147-64 thence north along said quarter line 1104.89 feet thence east 295 feet
thence south 59 E 668.7 feet, to the westerly line of said townsite of Grace City, thence S 51 W along townsite, 1089 feet to place of beginning. Have caused the same to be surveyed and platted as Tracy's Addition to Grace City, Foster County, North Dakota, as is shown on the annexed plat, and do hereby donate and dedicate to the public use, forever all streets, avenues and alleys shown on the annexed plat.
Acknowledged April 26, 1913 by T.W. Larson, president, before M. O'Neill, Notary Public, Kandiyoke County, Minnesota.
Certificate of G.W. Henimiller, Foster County Surveyor, acknowledged January 17, 1913 before C.W. Burnham, Notary Public, Foster County, North Dakota.
The abstract for the southeast of the original of Grace City, North Dakota Patent in Book "D" of deeds on page 400 dated December 20, 1895, filed December 31, 1895 United States of America by president Grover Cleveland to Northern Pacific Railroad 320 acres. D.S.B. Johnston Land Company (deed) September 26, 1899. Filed December 8, 1899 $440.
Henry S. Leonard (H.L. Leonard) (Warranty Deed) July 8, 1899, August 7, 1899, $1300
Oveda A. Trembley (Warranty Deed) January 14, 1905, January 20, 1905, $3600
E.R. Bradley (received warranty deed) March 14, 1910, March 15, 1910, $3200
Dakota and Great Northern townsite Company, a Minnesota Corporation, February 16, 1910, March 15, 1910, $3200.
(Conveys the North 1/2 Southeast 1/4 of Section 15, township 147, Range 64, subject to the right of Oveda A. Trembly to remove the buildings there on at any time within 90 days from May 1, 1910. )
Acknowledged February 16, 1910 by E.R. Bradley and Grace E. Bradley, his wife, before Charles G. Rudd, Notary Public, Barnes County, North Dakota.
Mrs. Oveda Trembley sold the North 1/2 Southeast 1/4 of section 15 township 147, Range 64 reserving five acres lying south of the right of way of the Great Northern Railway Company. They moved their house and barn which set in the vicinity of what is now the Dewey Heckaman lots and this became the Trembely addition to Grace City. (The house was moved with block and tackle and one horse.)
There was also a first and second addition added to the east side of Grace City but I do not have dates. Must have been 1910 or before Otto Topp built his house about that time.
Foster County Realty Company had 35.258 acres in original townsite, the public was given forever all the streets, alleys and avenues.
The choice of lots was first sold on June 8, 1910; first lot to the Grace City State Bank for $500. Total amount of sales was around $4000.
June 8, 1910, Foster County Realty Company sold to G.C. State Bank, Lots 1-2 Block 12 for $500.
August 18, 1910, Foster County Realty Company sold to James K. Bank, Lots 4-5-6 Block 12 for $650.
August 18, 1910, Foster County Realty Company sold to James K. Bank, Lots 1-2 Block 11 for $500.
November 17, 1910, James K. Banks sold to Independent Lumber, Lots 4-5-6 Block 12 for $650.
November 17, 1910 James K. Banks sold to Farmers Merchants Bank, Lots 1-2 Block 11 for $500.
August 22, 1910, Foster County Realty sold to Otto Topp, Lot 6 Block 11 for $300.
November 13, 1911 Foster County Realty sold to Ada L. Upson (M.E. Church) Lots 5-6 Block 4 for $100.
November 25, 1911, Foster County Realty sold to Swane Dufua, Lot 9 Block 11 for $300.
November 10, 1911, Grace City Bank sold to Union Investment Company Lots 1-2 Block 11 for $1.
February 21, 1912, Union Investment Company sold to John C. Nelson Lots 1-2 Block 11 for $1000.
March 18, 1912, John C. Nelson sold to First State Bank, Grace City, Lots 1-2 Block 11 for $1000.
April 13, 1912, Foster County Realty sold to L.R. Willis Lumber Company, Lots 7-8-9 Block 9 for $650.
March 26, 1912 Foster County Realty sold to C. E. Lange, Lots 1-2 Block 4 for $300.
April 18, 1912, Foster County Realty sold to Charles G. Banks, Lots 2-3-4-5 Block 14 for $400.
March 21, 1912, Swane Dufua sold to L.D. Hart first addition, $1450.
June 25, 1912, Foster County Realty sold to Independent Lumber Lot 8 Block 10 for $300.
July 2, 1912, Charles G. Banks sold to William Goddard 3N 2/3, 4, 14 for $1
July 2, 1912, Charles G. Banks sold to James K. Banks 2N 1/3, 4, 14 for $1.
August 3, 1912, Foster County Realty sold to James K. Banks Lot 9 Block 10 for $300.
John Aarestad sold 22 binders in 1915
Grace City Church, 1912
Residence street, 1922
August 3, 1912, Foster County Realty sold to James K. Banks Lot 1 Block 14 for $150.
August 7, 1912, James K. Banks sold to Independent Lumber Lot 9 Block 10 for $1.
December 4, 1912, Foster County Realty sold to J.J. Aarstad Lot 1 Block 9 for $125.
September 27, 1912, L.D. Hart sold to Claud Kumerine Lot 9 Block 11 for $1700.
November 2, 1913, Foster County Realty sold to Hans Aarstad Lots 3-7 Block 11, for $300.
November 18, 1912, Foster County Realty sold to G.C. Hardware and Implement Lots 3-4 Block 11 for $650.
February 3, 1913, Foster County Realty sold to S.A. Rood Lot 1 Block 12 for $200.
November 18, 1912, Foster County Realty sold to J.J. Aarstad Lot 2 Block 9 for $150.
February 5, 1913, Foster County Realty sold to S.J. Patterson and Grace Bradley Lot 10 Block 11 for $350.
February 12, 1913 Claude Kumerine sold to Rhode L. Kumerine Lot 9 Block 11 for $1.
February 13, 1913, Foster County Realty sold to J.M. Haberlein Lot 16 Block 10 for $250.
May 1, 1912, Foster County Realty sold to Orville Frink Lot 3 Block 15 for $100.
March 15, 1913, Orville Frink sold to Roy McDonald Lot 3 Block 15 for $1200.
September 9, 1912, Foster County Realty sold to Grace Bradley Lot 3 Block 10 for $300.
May 22, 1913, First State Bank sold to C.F. Bohner Lot 2 Block 11 for $600.
July 3, 1913, L.D. Hart sold to Emmanual Hildbrandt Lot 1 Block 1 for $50.
Mr. Bradley told me that when the surveyor started to work they had a plan for laying out the town but that Mr. Bradley had his ideas and told the surveyor that if he would use Bradley's plan and name the town Grace for his wife that he would give them a keg of beer. They agreed hence the name Grace City. I don't know when Mr. Bradley first owned land in Larrabee Township but do know that he did in 1904. He was an ardent promoter for Grace City and in 1914 put out a booklet "A North Dakota Ranch". Its buildings and new equipment in which he exploits the virtues of North Dakota
"A look backward after 12 years in North Dakota"
In issuing this little booklet it is my one wish and desire by speaking through the accuracy and truth of the camera, to break through the crust of prejudice that apparently exists through the East and South in regard to North Dakota. I am a thorough believer in the virtue of the great state of North Dakota as a panacea for the ills of poverty, and as this conditions exists to a larger degree in the congested district of the South and East than it does in the West, I hope to draw out toward the Sunkist prairies of North Dakota, those who desire a better heritage for themselves and their children. I do not want you to grasp the idea from this booklet that North Dakota is the place that the Irishmen who landed in New York City thought existed in America. Passing up Broadway, his companion stopped to pick up a dollar he saw in the street when Pat exclaimed, "Mike, don't waste your time with trifles, wait till we reach the pile." North Dakota is a state where opportunities are unlimited, but nothing but a resolution to labor and determination to succeed wins out. The state has a larger wealth than any state in the Union, yet is in its very infancy. The climate is ideal and very healthful; the death rate per capita being lowest."
He also states: "The North Dakota Year Book issued by the Department of Agriculture for 1941 has the following to say of Foster County: "It is thrifty little Foster County that has done more than its share in securing to North Dakota its title "Granary of the World". For though next to the smallest county in the state both in regard to size and population, it nevertheless produces far more proportionately than probably any other county in the state."
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 314