JOSEPH B. AKESSON. The lands beyond the sea have sent their full quota of energetic and industrious men to Cass county. North Dakota, and many have won honorable stations as citizens, farmers and business men. Of this class is the subject of this brief life history. Mr. Akesson came to America when a young man, and has successfully followed agricultural pursuits in North Dakota and is one of the substantial and worthy citizens of Bell township, where he has resided for many years. He has a fine farm and enjoys a comfortable competence.

Our subject was born in the southern part of Sweden, May 26, 1856. His parents, Ake Josephson and Bengta (Nelson) Akesson, were natives of Sweden, and lived and died there, and his father was a farmer by occupation. Our subject had three brothers and two sisters, and one brother now resides in the United States.

Mr. Akesson was reared and educated in his native land and remained there until about fifteen years of age, when he came to the United States and located in Minnesota. He remained there until 1878, when he went to Fargo, North Dakota, and was employed on the Red river boats as engineer, after having spent one year in the shops at St. Paul, Minnesota. He went to Bell township, Cass county, in 1881, and purchased the farm where he now resides. The land was all wild land at the time and had little improvements thereon, and he has made his home there since that date and has succeeded in bringing the land to a high state of cultivation, and is now the owner of one section, all of which is tillable.

Our subject was married, February 15. 1899, to Annie C. Hanson, a native of Minnesota. Mr. Akesson has filled various local offices, including supervisor and school treasurer, and is actively interested in the welfare of his adopted land. He holds membership in the Masonic fraternity and the Foresters, and in political sentiment is independent. He has visited his native land twice since taking up his residence in America.

JULIUS E. ALBER, a public-spirited and enterprising member of the farming fraternity of Cass county, has devoted the greater part of his career to agriculture, in the pursuit of which he has been very fortunate and is proprietor of one of the fine farms of Warren township, wherein he located in pioneer days.

Our subject was born in Germany, September 7. 1857. and was a son of Ferdinand and Annetta (Threska) Alber, who were also natives of Germany. The family, consisting of parents and one son and four daughters, emigrated to the United States in 1876 and settled in Minnesota and in 1893 moved to La Moure county. North Dakota, where the father died in 1896. The mother survives and makes her home in La Moure county. They were parents of two sons and four daughters, all of whom reside in North Dakota, with the exception of one daughter.

Mr. Alber was educated in Germany and in 1872 came to America and settled in Winona county, Minnesota. He resided there until 1878 and then went to Cass County, North Dakota, and entered a pre-emption claim in section 28, in Warren township, and began at once to make a home there. He has resided thereon continuously since that date and now owns three quarter-sections of choice land and has his entire tract under cultivation and well improved and stocked. He has made a success of his vocation and is among the substantial men of his township.

Our subject was married, in 1882. to Dora Zoost, a native of Germany . Mrs. Alber came to America with her parents in 1872 and the family first settled in Illinois and later moved to Minnesota and in 1879 went to North Dakota . Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Alber, as follows: Henry F, Amelia M. and Lena D., all of whom are living. The family are members of the Lutheran church and are held in high respect by their friends throughout Warren township. Mr. Alber has served as a member of the town board and as chairman and treasurer of the same and is a man of sound judgment and active in public affairs of local importance. He has made a success of his career and is deservedly popular with those among whom he resides.

JUDGE CHARLES F. AMIDON, United States district judge for the district of North Dakota, and a leading attorney of Fargo, was born in Clymer, Chautauqua county, New York, August 17, 1856, a son of John S. and Charlotte A. (Curtis) Amidon, also natives of New York. The grand-father, Leonard Amidon, was one of the first settlers of Chautauqua county, having located there in 1820. He followed the occupation of farming throughout life. The father was a United Brethren minister, who had charge of churches in both New York and Pennsylvania. He was a strong anti-slavery man, and before the Civil war assisted many a poor negro on his way to Canada and freedom, his home being a station on the famous underground railroad. He cast the first vote for the Free Soil party in Chautauqua county. He died in New York, October 2, 1898, but the mother is still living. They were the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters, of whom the oldest son served for four and a half years in a New York regiment during the Rebellion.

Judge Amidon was educated in New York. He prepared for college at the Corry high school, and in 1878 entered Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, from which he was graduated in June. 1882.  The following August he came to Fargo. North Dakota, and for a year was principal of the high school at this place. He then entered the law office of Thomas & Benton, as a student, and in 1886 was admitted to the bar.   In January, 1887. he began practice as a member of the firm of Amidon & Bradley, which partnership existed until 1889, when the firm became Benton, Amidon & Bradley. Subsequently it was Benton & Amidon until 1896, when our subject was appointed judge to succeed Judge A. D. Thomas, deceased. He was appointed city attorney in 1890, and held that office for two terms, and in 1893 was appointed a member of the commission to revise the codes, the present codes being the result of their work.

In 1892 Judge Amidon led to the marriage altar Miss Beulah R. McHenry, of Fargo, and to them have been born three children: Beulah E., Charles C. and John M. The Judge is a member of the Unitarian society of Fargo, and is what may be termed a gold Democrat. Before his appointment as judge, he took an active interest in political affairs, and delivered many addresses throughout the county and state in the interest of his party.

The place he won in the legal profession is accorded him in recognition of his skill and ability, and the place he occupies in the social world is a tribute to that genuine worth and true nobleness of character which are universally recognized and honored.

ROBERT ANDERSON, one of the well known early settlers of Eldred township, Cass county, is a man of energetic nature, and has made a success of farming, his home being in section 34, where he is surrounded by all that goes to make farm life pleasant.

Our subject was born in Glasgow, Scotland, January 6, 1832, and was a son of Gilbert and Margaret (Maitland) Anderson. His parents were natives of Scotland and emigrated to Canada and settled in Ontario, Upper Canada. The father was a weaver by trade, but followed farming in Canada and both parents passed away there. Three sons and six daughters comprised the family of children, of whom one sister of our subject is in North Dakota, one in South Dakota, and one in Missouri, and one in Virginia. Of the brothers, one is in Canada, and with our subject completes the living children.

Mr. Anderson was reared and educated in Canada and followed farming there until 1880. he went to Cass county. North Dakota, and entered a homestead claim to land in section 34, of Eldred township. He was among the first settlers of that locality and has resided there continuously since that date. He has improved his farm and is now enjoying the fruits of a well-spent career.

Our subject was married in Canada in 1854 to Susan Phillipo, a native of London, England. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, as follows: Mary M., now Mrs. Flack, of North Dakota: Margaret, now Mrs. Thompson, of North Dakota; John, Gilbert, Eliza, now Mrs. Hunter, of Wheatland; James, Robert M., Jane, now Mrs. Joseph Small, of Cass county; Martha and Joseph, all of whom are living. Mr. Anderson served as chairman of the town board, and a member of the school board and justice of the peace, and is actively interested in public affairs of local importance. He is a man of excellent characteristics and is held in high esteem by his many friends.

CHRIS H. ANHEIER, cashier of the Citizens National Bank, is a man of excellent business qualifications and broad ideas and enjoys the confidence and esteem of a large circle of business and social friends. He was born in St. Croix county, Wisconsin, March 11, 1858, and was the son of William and Margaret (Moskop) Anheier.

The parents of our subject were natives of Germany and came to the United States about 1848, and were married in southern Illinois, where they resided for some time and then moved to Wisconsin, and from there, in 1864, to Minneapolis, where they still live, the father retired from active labors.

Our subject was one of two sons and the only one of the family in North Dakota. He was reared and educated in Minneapolis, where he remained with his father in the milling business until 1880, when he went to Grand Forks, North Dakota, and in 1881 went to Fargo as elevator manager and bought wheat one year and then was engaged as engineer for the city water works for a short time. He soon afterward engaged again in the elevator business and in 1886 was elected auditor of Cass county, on what was known as the farmers' ticket. He was re-elected in 1890 and again in 1892 and in the fall of 1895 was appointed bank examiner and served until July 1, 1898. During that time he was receiver of the Grand Forks National Bank for five months and in January, 1897, was appointed receiver of the Citizens' National Bank, of Fargo, which office he is now filling.

Our subject was married, in 1886, to Miss Kate Schulte, a native of Minnesota. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Anheier: Harry W., Clarence M., Carl, Marie and Walter. Mr. Anheier is a member of the Order of Foresters, of which order he is chief ranger. He is also a member of the Zodiac, recently organized, and is the executive officer of that order. He served as county judge for a short period during the absence of Judge Roberts and is one of the most-prominent men of Fargo and keenly alive to the welfare of that thriving city. He has been associated with the Democratic party since he attained his majority and is an ardent worker for the principles of that organization.

ADENIRAM J. AYRES is recognized as one of the leading farmers of Clifton township, Cass County. He was one of the earliest settlers of that region and has aided in the up building of the better interests and become thoroughly identified with the early history of that locality. He has a fine farm, and makes his home on section twenty-eight, where he is surrounded by every comfort of country life, and enjoys the highest esteem of his fellowmen.  Our subject was born at the foot of the Mansfield mountains, in Lamoille County, Vermont. May 13. 1847, and was the third in a family of thirteen children, born to Jasper and Malissa (Green) Ayres. His father was born in Maine, and was a carpenter and farmer by occupation, and when a young man was a captain in the Vermont militia. 

Mr. Ayres finished his education and grew to manhood in his native state, and after leaving school learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked in Vermont until 1869, and in the spring of that year started west. While traveling through Wisconsin he heard of the destruction by fire of the city of Chippewa Falls, and decided to go there, and upon his arrival began contracting and building, and was engaged in that business until he went to Dakota Territory, in 1879. He followed his business in the city about five years, and then decided to engage in farming, and accordingly filed claim to the northwest quarter of section 34. in Clifton township, which he still owns and where he lived about three years. He then removed to his present location in section 28 and his holdings now amount to one section of land.

Our subject was married, in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, in September. 1870, to Miss Jennett Sillers. Mrs. Ayers was born in Nova Scotia July 13. 1846, and was a daughter of William and Alexis (Corbitt) Sillers. Her father was a native of Nova Scotia and her mother of Scotland. One child, a son, has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ayers, who bears the name of Morton J. Mr. Ayers is a member of the Brotherhood of American Yoemen. He has served as chairman of the township board for a number of years and is active in public affairs.  Politically he is a Republican and is firm in his convictions.

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