Articles

Eriksmoen: Horrific murder of North Dakotan made headlines

The 1931 horrific murder of an “attractive and bright” 24-year-old woman from North Dakota grabbed the attention of the nation.

• Hedvig “Sammy” Samuelson

Eriksmoen: Founder of Grand Forks Herald wielded political influence in North Dakota

From 1882 to 1906, Republican kingpin Alexander McKenzie and his lieutenants controlled most of the political decisions made in northern Dakota Territory, and later in North Dakota.

• George Winship

Eriksmoen: Grand Forks Herald founder involved in many historic adventures

The man who established the Grand Forks Herald and built it into one of the strongest newspapers in North Dakota lived an adventurous life prior to moving to Grand Forks.

• George Winship

Eriksmoen: North Dakota colonel had Custer arrested for ignoring order

Following the Civil War and his involvement in Mexico to stop the French from meddling in Mexico’s internal affairs, Col. David Stanley chose to stay in the regular Army and was assigned command of the reorganized 22nd Infantry on Sept. 21, 1866.

• Col. David Stanley

Eriksmoen: Custer’s first Dakota commander cut teeth in Civil War

Earlier this year, Linda Swink released her book, “In Their Honor.” One of the “heroes” she profiled was Lt. Col. George Custer’s first commanding officer in Dakota Territory.

• Col. David S. Stanley

Eriksmoen: Man from North Dakota became famous for miniature writing

The man who created what the United Press International called “the finest piece of fine art” was born and raised in North Dakota.

• Curtis Eriksmoen

Eriksmoen: Dakota Territory legislator became Winnipeg businessman

The first Dakota Territory legislator from what is now North Dakota was later arrested in Canada for trying to persuade the leader of “the North West Territories” (now Manitoba) to secede from Canada and have that land annexed by the U.S.

• Hugh Donaldson

Eriksmoen: Dakota Territory legislator involved in many events

Few people have been involved in important historical events in more locations than Hugh S. Donaldson.

• Hugh S. Donaldson

Eriksmoen: River boat captain had bullet in wrist for 34 years

The bullet that killed Wild Bill Hickok later ended up in a casket and was buried with another man.

• Capt. Bill Massie

Eriksmoen: Movie star Michael Forest born in North Dakota

An international movie star was born in North Dakota. For 60 years, Michael Forest has been one of the busiest men in show business and has remained in constant demand to perform in movies, television and the theater.

• Curtis Eriksmoen
• Michael Forest

Columns

Eriksmoen: Award-winning country star born in Grand Forks

The first female country singer to appear regularly on network television was a teenager born in Grand Forks.

• Curtis Eriksmoen
• Lynn Anderson

Eriksmoen: North Dakota National Guard pilot, UFO in dogfight over Fargo

An aerial dogfight between a pilot of the North Dakota Air National Guard and a UFO took place in the skies over Fargo on Oct. 1, 1948.

• Curtis Eriksmoen
• H.E. Johnson, George Gorman and Lloyd D. Jensen

Eriksmoen: Radcliffe was first black to manage white baseball team

Five members of the Major League Hall of Fame played professional baseball in North Dakota: Happy Chandler in Grafton, Satchel Paige in Bismarck and Minot, Hilton Smith in Bismarck, Willard Brown in Minot, and Willie Stargell in Grand Forks.

• Curtis Eriksmoen
• Ted “Double-Duty” Radcliffe

Eriksmoen: North Dakota's Carl Ben Eielson left mark all over world

The North Dakotan who owns the most world records is also the person born in the state who has the most structures and geographic landmarks named in his honor.

• Curtis Eriksmoen
• Carl Ben Eielson

Eriksmoen: Pilot Eielson a hero in Alaska as well as in North Dakota

The first pilot to fly over the North Pole was killed 18 months later when his plane crashed while he was trying to rescue passengers and cargo from a ship that was lodged in the ice off the shore of Siberia. Carl Ben Eielson was also the first airmail pilot in Alaska and Atlanta. Not only is Eielson a hero in North Dakota, but Alaska honors him as one of their own.

• Curtis Eriksmoen
• Carl Ben Eielson

Eriksmoen: North Dakota boat captain transported soldiers, Sitting Bull

The riverboat captain who brought wounded soldiers back from the battlefield at the Little Big Horn in 1876 was responsible, six years later, for bringing Sitting Bull to the Standing Rock Reservation.

• Grant Marsh

Eriksmoen: Famous author saved riverboat pilot’s life

The man called the “finest riverboat pilot who ever lived” claimed that his life was saved early in his career by the wise decision of his boatmate and good friend, Sam Clemens.

• Grant Marsh

Eriksmoen: Civil War veteran one of North Dakota’s richest citizens

Despite being misinformed by the brother of the president of the Northern Pacific about the location where the railroad would cross the Red River, Civil War veteran Newton Hubbard emerged to become one of the wealthiest men of North Dakota in the late 1800s.

• Newton Hubbard

Eriksmoen: Anthropologist met tragic death in Brazilian jungle

One of the most promising anthropologists of the 1930s met a tragic death in the Brazilian jungles at the age of 27. Buell Quain, born into a prominent family in Bismarck, became the protégé of the most respected anthropologists in the country.

• Buell Quain

Eriksmoen: North Dakota should be listed officially as 39th state

Was North Dakota the 39th or 40th state to enter the Union? Because President Benjamin Harrison purposely shuffled and then blindly signed the admission papers of North and South Dakota, no one knows for sure the order that these two states became a part of the United States.

• President Benjamin Harrison