Folsom Dow
| Date of Interment or Death | 10/03/1914 |
|---|---|
| Location | Old Fairview |
| Section | A |
| Block-Lot-Grave | 1-4-1 |
Obituary
Folsom Dow-1914
ANOTHER OLD SETTLER PASSES AWAY, JUDGE DOW WAS WELL KNOWN SETTLED IN WAHPETON IN 1871 Has Seen Wahpeton Grow from One Home, and Taken Active Part in Its Growth
Folsom Dow, one of the very first settlers of Wahpeton and Richland County, died at his home in this city, Thursday, October 1, at the age of 80 years, 1 month and 26 days. The cause of death was the wearing out of old age. Funeral services were held at the Dow home on 8th street Saturday afternoon Rev. Sewrey of the Congregational church conducting the services. Interment was made in Fairview cemetery, under the direction of J. W. Worner. All the immediate family were present, beside a large number of the friends of the deceased.
With the passing of Folsom Dow, Wahpeton loses one of her pioneer settlers. He came to this locality in 1871, when there were only one or two dwellings here, and has been prominent in the life and growth of the city from the date of his arrival.
Folsom Dow was born in West Epping, New Hampshire, and spent his boyhood on the farm and attending the district school. At fourteen he entered Phillips academy, where he remained until he was seventeen years of age, at which time he began the study of law with James McMurphy, Esq., at Epping, N. H. He later continued his legal studies in winter and working on the farm in the summer until 1864, when he was admitted to practice until 1870. His mother’s death occurred in this year, and he settled up the estate and came west.
Yankton, Dakota Territory, was his first settling place, and he remained there bout a year, and in 1871 he came north to Richville with a surveying party and remained here ever since. He watched Richville grow into a village, saw the name changed to Chi-hin-ka-pa, and the to Wahpeton, and has been an active participant in all affairs of the city and county. Mr. Dow was the first postmaster at Wahpeton, for Richville, as it was then known, having been appointed to that office in 1871. He staked out a claim upon his arrival here, and put 40 acres under cultivation, but the law still had its hold upon him and he opened an office in his house, and was the first regularly admitted lawyer in the county. He was a member of the first school board of he county, which was organized in 1873, and retained this office until 1887, when he resigned. He was the first justice if the peace in the county, being elected in 1873, and has held that position most of the time until his death. As justice of the peace he married the first couple to be married in the county. This couple camped on the river bank the day of their wedding, and the next day purchased
some household goods and drove their ox team out to their new home on the banks of the Sheyenne river. The judge has officiated at more marriages, perhaps, than any other three men in the county.
In January, 1882, he was married to Miss Josephine Losinger, of Rochester, Minn., and they have two children, Mrs. Jos. Richter of this city and Clarance Dow of Rudyard, Mont. both of whom were present at the time of his death. In politics Judge Dow has always supported the principles of the republican party and in the days before he became enfeebled by age he was always an active participant in its affairs. The Judge was one of the last of the old settlers who saw Wahpeton in its very beginning. He will be greatly missed by many who have grown used to his presence on the streets of this city and in his office of justice of the peace.
Headstone photograph(s)
Location
Old Fairview is located on the southern half of the cemetery grounds.