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Leslie Ranard Burgum
(The following article appeared in volume 128, number 24, of the "United Methodist Reporter", circa 1981.
Leslie Ranard Burgum was born August 26, 1890 and died August 15, 1984).

"The voters of North Dakota don't want a preacher for Attorney General." So chided Leslie Burgum's opponent in 1956, when Burgum was surprising nominated by the Nonpartisan League for that office. "As much to my surprise as anybody's I defeated him!" reports Dr. Burgum today, still with a twinkle in his eye. A visit with North Dakota's Lawyer-Preacher is a delightful way to spend an afternoon.

Dr. Leslie Burgum, now 91 years of age, lives with his wife Blanche in Bismarck, in the apartment they occupied the years he served as Attorney General for the State of North Dakota. Mrs. Burgum has been handicapped with Multiple Sclerosis for almost 50 years.

Burgum was raised by his maternal grandparents because his mother died of tuberculosis in his infancy. His grandfather was a Civil War veteran with "many a salty tale to tell." His grandmother, Dr. Burgum reports, "was one of the saintliest persons Ive ever known. She believed in Christ; she believed in salvation; she was a devoted Methodist. My life in the ministry was just a projection of hers."

In January 1909 a woman preacher named Ginn issued an alter call and young Leslie Burgum responded. "It wasn't anything she said or did," he reports. "I was determined I was going to take a stand. That was my beginning."

And what a beginning it was! Burgum began lay preaching then in 1911 at a school house between Washburn and Underwood. He continued lay preaching right up to the time he was called into the army in 1917. "I got my exhorter's license in 1910, and my Local Preacher's License in 1912. Boy I really used them too."

When Burgum entered the army in 1917 they soon discovered he had been employed as a Deputy in the County Superintendent of Schools office in Washburn. "That made them think I belonged in education," he tells with a chuckle. So he reported to the School for Gas Defense at Camp Lewis, Washington and served as a Stenographer and Clerk. "I didn't accomplish much for anybody," he says, "but all experinces add up to something."

A lawyer in Washburn, for whom he had done some assistant work, encouraged him to go to Bismarck to attend business school. He returned to Washburn then and entered into partnership with a Lawyer named William Nestle, eventually a member of the State Supreme Court. For a while he worked for the States Attorney, but at the same time continued to serve as a Local Preacher.

He entered the University of North Dakota in 1924, at 34 years of age. "I only had two years of High School and I said to the Dean, "There's probably no place for me here," but the Dean said, "we'll put you on probation for a semester and see how it goes. I got the best marks of my University career that semester!"

In 1927 the Burgums were appointed to LaMoure. There they started "house-keeping." When appointed to Larimore in 1930 he finished up his work at UND Law School, and in 1933 he passed the Bar. Burgum served for six years as Superintendent of the Eastern District. "That opened my eyes to lots of things," he says. After serving on the District he returned to serve the church he had served before - First Methodist in Jamestown. "That was the height of my career."

The most significant movement in the church during his career, says Burgum, was the Holiness controversy. "The Conference was split wide open by it," he reports. The controversy centered around the question of what composed "Scriptural Holiness," and whether once "saved and sanctified" one could ever sin again. Samuel A. Danford was one of the District Superintendents at that time, committed to the holiness movement. "You couldn't get into his District unless you were committed to holiness. Well, maybe that's too tough a thing to say," quiped Burgum.

The Burgums raised one son and one daughter. The son, Tom, is presently working in Washington D.C. The daughter, Mary Lois, died of cancer a few years ago."

When asked how he sees the church now from his perspective, Burgum replied: "I've always felt the Methodist Church is the leading body of Protestant churches. It has the capacity to adapt itself to the climate where it is. That may or may not be a compliment, but I think it is. It has been a people's church. And because that's true, it has a bright future."

Dr. Leslie Burgum is remembered by many as an eloquent preacher and a great statesman of the church. The years seem only to have strengthened his interest in life and his love of the church. When asked whether his long years of ministry were "worth it" the reply came quick and to the point, "You bet!"

Leslie Ranard Burgum
(The following is an extract from "One Hundred Years with Arthur, 1882-1982").

Leslie Ranard Burgum, who made his home in Washburn with his grandparents, the Ranards, was graduated from Washburn High School and the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. He married Blanche Gustafson of Washburn, and they had two children. Mary Lois worked for the Basic Electric Co. in Bismarck until her death in 1977 at the age of forty-nine. Their son, Tom Leslie, a graduate of the Law School in Grand Forks, is employed in Washington D.C. Leslie Burgum went into the ministry when a young man. He was the Methodist pastor in several towns, some of which were Arthur, Larimore, MaMoure, and Jamestown.

While preaching in the Methodist Church in Larimore, Leslie also attended the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks and was graduated from the Law School. He was States Attorney for Stutsman County in Jamestown for a few years and then was elected to the office of Attorney General of North Dakota at Bismarck. He served a term of seven years as Attorney General, which was a record for the State of North Dakota. Mr and Mrs Burgum continue to make their home in Bismarck in the same apartment they had when moving to Bismarck as Attorney General. At the age of ninety-one, Leslie takes his daily walks summer and winter, when weather permits.

Lillie Marie Burgum
(The following is an extract from "One Hundred Years with Arthur, 1882-1982").

Lillie Marie Burgum was born in Arthur in 1902. She was graduated from the Arthur High School and Valley City State College, Valley City, North Dakota. Her first year of teaching was in a one-room country school in Rush River Township, southeast of Arthur. Later she taught in schools at Max, Fessenden and Alice, North Dakota. She was married at Arthur 19 1932 to Frank J. Hager of Alice. They had three children, Foster Raymond, Finley North Dakota, Marie Josephine (Mrs Llyod Cook), Burbank, California, and Robert Francis, Fargo, North Dakota. Mr and Mrs Hager lived in Alice, North Dakota, where he was manager of the Farmers Elevator Company and later bus driver for the Buffalo, North Dakota School. He died in 1970, and Mrs Hager continued to make her home in Alice until she moved to Fargo in 1979. While living in Alice, she was active in the community and served several terms as clerk of the Alice Town Board. Mrs Hager died in Fargo in 1980.

Ollie Mae Burgum
(The following is an extract from "One Hundred Years with Arthur, 1882-1982").

Ollie Mae Burgum, the oldest daughter of Mr and Mrs T. O. Burgum, was born on a farm west of Arthur, now known as the home of Mr and Mrs James Gebeke. She was graduated from the Hunter High School and the Valley City State College. For five years she taught primary grades in the Arthur School. Of all the pupils she taught during that time, only two are Arthur residents at this time: Mrs Alton Burgum (Dorothy Williams) and Eunice Iwen. Ollie taught one year at the State School for the Deaf at Devils Lake, North Dakota. For a time she was employed during the winter months at the ASC office in Fargo. In 1941 she returned to Arthur as the bookkeeper at the Arthur Creamery. She worked there until 1950 when she went to the Arthur Mercantile Company in Arthur as the bookkeeper and is still employed there. In the fall of 1965 she was married to Ray D. Waxler of Seattle, Washington, who, when a young man, lived in the Arthur area. They continued to make their home in Arthur. Mr Waxler died in 1972.

Ollie Mae Burgum
(I would like to add a story or two about my family - Ollie Waxler).

In the summer of about 1899, or there about, my father, T. O. Burgum, and his brother, Joseph Burgum, then living at Washburn, North Dakota had the contract to break land for the W. D. Washburn Land Company, near Washburn. My father was accompanied to Washburn by Fred Standfield who worked for my father on the farm for about fifteen years. These two men drove horses to Washburn to break this land, which was a distance of some 240 miles. The trip took them several days. Mr Standfield was the father of Mrs Sam Lako (Florence) and Mrs Art Hill (Dorothy) who both live in Arthur at the present time.

In January 1923 we lost our home by fire on a very stormy night. We were awakened about 6 A.M. by the smell of smoke. Our good neighbour, Louie Schur, went up town and rang the fire bell located just behind what was the Arthur Garage at that time. The Arthur and Mapleton Basketball teams had a game at Arthur that night and, due to the intense storm, the Mapleton boys did not go home. They stayed at what was known as the Arthur Hotel and spent the time playing cards with some of the Arthur men. When the fire bell rang, all of these men came to our home and helped save most of the furnishings on the first floor.

One article was a large grandfather clock, and after 80 years, this clock is now running in my home in Arthur. The men also saved all of my mother's Haviland china dishes. My mother, down on her knees, handed these dishes from the china closet to the men who carried them out and set them against a woven wire fence that was around our yard. As I recall only twelve cups were broken, and my mother replaced them soon after the fire.

Rick Burgum, Jody Burgum and Family
(The following is an extract from "One Hundred Years with Arthur, 1882-1982").

Rick attended public school in Arthur and graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1968. In 1971 he became associated with the Arthur Farmers Elevator Company and is currently secretary-treasurer of that company. Rick serves on the City Council, First State Bank Board, United Methodist Church Board, and the Volunteer Fire Department. In 1978, Rick married Jody Stibbe of Hunter, North Dakota. Jody attended public school in Hunter and graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1974. She taught special education classes in Twin Falls, Idaho; Arthur, and West Fargo, North Dakota. Jody is a member of the United Methodist Women, Arthur Town Homemakers, Firettes, and the Jr. League of Fargo-Moorhead. Jody and Rick are parents of a daughter, Katherine Jean, born in December 1980. In 1981, Rick developed a handball/racquetball sports club in Arthur.

Thomas Owen (T.O) Burgum and Family
(The following is an extract from "One Hundred Years with Arthur, 1882-1982").

Thomas Owen (T.O.) Burgum, the youngest son of Mr & Mrs Anthony T. (A.T.) Burgum, was born in Yorkshire County, England. (Please note - this is not true; T.O. was born in Woolhope, Herefordshire, England). At the age of ten he came with his parents and family to Villisca, Iowa. The family made their home in Iowa for ten years. The mother died while they were living there. The Burgum family arrived in Arthur, North Dakota in March 1882. Mr A.T. Burgum purchased land, southeast of Arthur, for $2.00 an acre. In the summer of 1884 Thomas Burgum and his brother, Joseph Burgum, went to Washburn, North Dakota where they filed on homesteads. Joseph Burgum made his home there for a few years, but Thomas returned to Arthur. While in Washburn, Thomas Burgum married Margaret Ranard, daughter of Mr and Mrs A.C Ranard, of Washburn.

The Ranard family came to North Dakota with the Burgum family, travelling in three covered wagons. Mr Thomas Burgum and his wife had two sons, Gordon Bradley and Leslie Ranard. Their mother died when Leslie Ranard was one and one-half years old so he was raised by his grandparents, Mr and Mrs A. C Ranard, at Washburn. Gordon and his father returned to Arthur and made their home with the A. T. Burgum family until Thomas Burgum was married to Marie Josephine Gillis at Fargo in November 1896. They moved to a farm west of Arthur where they lived until 1902 when they moved into Arthur.

Marie Josephine Gillis was born in Liverpool, England, and when eighteen years old, she came to New Richland, Minnesota with two families of friends. She worked one year for one of the families to pay her passage to the United States. In the spring of 1894 she came to Arthur and for two summers she worked for the A. T. Burgums on the farm. In the winters she would go to Fargo and attend the Sacred Heart Academy, located then in north Fargo. Here she took up the art of painting and sewing. Mrs Burgum continued the art of painting while raising her family. She would travel nine miles east of Arthur about once a week to take a painting lesson from Mrs W. A. Fridley. Some years later she took up china painting and she painted a complete set of Haviland china that her husband bought for her one Christmas from the T.J. Ross store in Arthur.

Mr Burgum was elected chairman of the Arthur Township Board when the township was first organized in the early days. Years later he served as assessor of the Arthur Township. In 1905 and 1907 he served two terms as representative to the State Legislature at Bismarck. Mr Burgum was always interested in seeing that young people would receive a good education, and he was instrumental in Arthur getting a high school. The burgums were the parents of five children, three sons and two daughters. Charles Freeman and William P. both died in infancy, and Foster Owen died at the age of twenty-seven. He graduated from the Law School at the University of North dakota, Grand Forks. Ollie Mae and Lillie Marie were the two daughters.

Annie Dohman (1895-1987)
(Death Certificate Report)

Annie Dohman was born 12 January 1895 in Arthur, North Dakota, a daughter of John K. See, born in Missouri, and Clara Burgum, born in England. Annie married Harry Dohman, who predeceased her. Annie died at St. Francis Nursing Home, Wilkin County, Minnesota, where she was an inpatient, on 17 October 1987 of bronchopneumonia, from which she had suffered for 4 days, with generalized arteriosclerosis as a significant contributing factor, and was buried on 19 October 1987 in Riverside Cemetery, Breckenridge, Minnesota, by Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home, 303 N. 5th Street, Breckenridge. Clark Dohman of Campbell, Minnesota, was the informant for the biographical data. Her social security number was 470 76 0495.

Clara A. Dohman (1905-1995)
(Death Certificate Report)

Clara A. Dohman was born 14 September 1905 in Arthur, North Dakota, a daughter of John See, born in Missouri, and Clara Burgum, born in England. Annie married Lee Arthur Dohman, who predeceased her. Clara died at St. Joseph's Medical Center, Brainerd, Crow Wing County, Minnesota, where she was an inpatient, on 4 June 1995 due to a myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock, and was buried in Lakeside Cemetery, Milnor, Sargent County, North Dakota, by Halvorson-Johnson Funeral Home of 703 Oak, Brainerd, Minnesota. She had made her home in Milnor at 212 6th Avenue. Audrey Gaukler of 965 10th Avenue NE, Valley City, North Dakota, was the informant for the biographical data. Clara's social security number was 501 82 8252.

Gladys Dohman (1897-1971)
(Death Certificate Report)

Gladys Dohman was born 27 July 1897 in Arthur, North Dakota, a daughter of John K. See, born in Missouri, and Clara Burgum, born in England. Gladys married Chester E. Dohman, who survived her. Gladys died suddenly at St. Francis Hospital, Wilkin County, Minnesota, on 23 April 1971 of cardiac failure, with the significant contributing factors of diabetes mellitus, from which she had suffered for 30 years, and arteriosclerotic heart disease, from which she had suffered for 5 years. She was buried on 27 April 1971 in Hunter Cemetery, Arthur, North Dakota, by Joseph Vertin and Sons Funeral Home, 303 N. 5th Street, Breckenridge, Minnesota. Her husband was the informant for the biographical data. Her place of residence was 105 North 10th Street, Breckenridge, Minnesota, and her social security number was 472 40 8555-B.

Mrs Theo. McConnachie
(Remembrance Card)

Frances Burgum was born in Arthur, Cass Co., North Dakota on 7th September 1895. Her parents were A.T. Burgum and Elizabeth E. Hall. She married Theodore McConachie and, after her marriage, she lived in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Together they had two sons, Robert and Gordon. Frances died in Grand Forks, Minnesota, October 26th 1923.

Bob & Jan Samuelson

On May 14, Bob and Jan Samuelson celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a luncheon at Reiman Gardens and a supper at their home at Northcrest with family coming from seven states, Florida, Montana, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Minnesota and Kansas.

They were married on May 28, 1955, at the United Methodist Church in Arthur, N.D. Their children are Mark (Suzanne), James (Jane), Peggy (Jerry) and John. They have five grandchildren.

The Tribune, Ames, Iowa, USA
Saturday, May 21, 2005

FF Family Tree References (Page 1)