FAMILY HISTORIES

All Family Histories Edited by Mrs. Myrtle Porterville

In a book commemorating Cooperstown's 75th anniversary it would seem fitting and proper that an historical record of the very earliest families should be included. In many counties this is comparatively simple since settlement was more or less gradual. A family or two of the more adventurous type would first settle in an area, followed by others the following year and so on until the area was fully settled. While it appeared that Griggs county would follow a similar pattern after the first permanent settler, Omund Nelson Opheim, established his home on the Sheyenne, the Cooper brothers entrance in the picture changed the usual course. Cooper's wealth, plus theirs and the railroad company's "boom" advertising brought an influx of people that populated the area almost overnight. To adequately record the families of all the early residents would be so voluminous that it would immediately exclude consideration in a book of so limited nature. Therefore, we have picked at random a few families from various parts of the county for thumbnail sketches that some recognition be given the early pioneers whose descendents, in most cases, reside here. It is deeply regretted that space did not permit inclusion of a greater number.

Source:  Cooperstown Diamond Jubilee 1882-1957 Page 58