CHARLES KONO, sheriff of Stark county, was born in Germany, September 29, 1859. His father, Carl Kono, was a farmer, and came to America when Charles was five or six years of age. The family left Hamburg, landed in New York and proceeded to Wisconsin, where the father began farming. He was killed by a runaway team when our subject was nine years of age. Charles Kono thus began his career when a mere child, as he at once hired out at herding sheep at one dollar per week and board. He later worked at farm work and his school advantages were very limited. The county schools were very inferior and the farm work occupied the greater portion of his time.
In 1882 Charles Kono came to North Dakota, stopping first at Gladstone, April 29th. At that time there were only side tracks west of Mandan, and our subject took up government land and erected a shanty 10x12 feet, which blew down in a storm. He then erected another 12x16. He "batched it" most of the time for nine years. His team was a yoke of oxen at first and later he bought a team of mules. While at Gladstone, about two weeks after his arrival, he was attacked by the measles. He did not have the proper care and took cold before he had entirely recovered and was again confined to his bed and lost more than a month in this way, and was troubled with it so much that he was unable to but little work during the entire summer. He had to sleep in any place he could find, and at one time cut grass with a jack-knife for beds, carrying it two miles on his, back, in this way providing a bed for himself and another for a lady of the party. He was among the earliest pioneers of the county and for a time did a freighting business between the Northern Pacific and the Black Hills, carrying the first outfit to that region from Dickinson to Deadwood. He is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of valuable lands, half of which is cultivated annually and the balance in pasture. He followed grain raising; for a few years, but now is engaged in stock raising almost exclusively.
Mr. Kono was married, in 1889, to Miss Bessie Birdsall, daughter of Joseph Birdsall. Her family have been Americans for many generations. Mr. and Mrs. Kono are the parents of five children, namely: Hattie, Edna, Perry Birdsall, Watson Charles and one unmarried, all of whom were born on the farm in Dakota. Mr. Kono is a Republican in political sentiment and has been active in political matters in the county. He was nominated for sheriff in 1896 and was elected, although he had neither sought the office nor made a canvass for votes. He was re-elected in 1898 on an independent ticket, receiving a majority of all the votes cast, although there were two other candidates in the field. He is this year candidate on the Republican ticket for county judge and his faithfulness to duty and his long residence and popularity in the county will no doubt secure for him this honorable position. No man in the county is better posted upon the history and development of that section of North Dakota and no one is more favorably known in the county. This biography is from Stark County, ND.
SOURCE: Facebook- North Dakota Trails to the Past
Contributor # 47001358
In 1882 Charles Kono came to North Dakota, stopping first at Gladstone, April 29th. At that time there were only side tracks west of Mandan, and our subject took up government land and erected a shanty 10x12 feet, which blew down in a storm. He then erected another 12x16. He "batched it" most of the time for nine years. His team was a yoke of oxen at first and later he bought a team of mules. While at Gladstone, about two weeks after his arrival, he was attacked by the measles. He did not have the proper care and took cold before he had entirely recovered and was again confined to his bed and lost more than a month in this way, and was troubled with it so much that he was unable to but little work during the entire summer. He had to sleep in any place he could find, and at one time cut grass with a jack-knife for beds, carrying it two miles on his, back, in this way providing a bed for himself and another for a lady of the party. He was among the earliest pioneers of the county and for a time did a freighting business between the Northern Pacific and the Black Hills, carrying the first outfit to that region from Dickinson to Deadwood. He is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of valuable lands, half of which is cultivated annually and the balance in pasture. He followed grain raising; for a few years, but now is engaged in stock raising almost exclusively.
Mr. Kono was married, in 1889, to Miss Bessie Birdsall, daughter of Joseph Birdsall. Her family have been Americans for many generations. Mr. and Mrs. Kono are the parents of five children, namely: Hattie, Edna, Perry Birdsall, Watson Charles and one unmarried, all of whom were born on the farm in Dakota. Mr. Kono is a Republican in political sentiment and has been active in political matters in the county. He was nominated for sheriff in 1896 and was elected, although he had neither sought the office nor made a canvass for votes. He was re-elected in 1898 on an independent ticket, receiving a majority of all the votes cast, although there were two other candidates in the field. He is this year candidate on the Republican ticket for county judge and his faithfulness to duty and his long residence and popularity in the county will no doubt secure for him this honorable position. No man in the county is better posted upon the history and development of that section of North Dakota and no one is more favorably known in the county. This biography is from Stark County, ND.
SOURCE: Facebook- North Dakota Trails to the Past
Contributor # 47001358
CHARLES KONO, sheriff of Stark county, was born in Germany, September 29, 1859. His father, Carl Kono, was a farmer, and came to America when Charles was five or six years of age. The family left Hamburg, landed in New York and proceeded to Wisconsin, where the father began farming. He was killed by a runaway team when our subject was nine years of age. Charles Kono thus began his career when a mere child, as he at once hired out at herding sheep at one dollar per week and board. He later worked at farm work and his school advantages were very limited. The county schools were very inferior and the farm work occupied the greater portion of his time.
In 1882 Charles Kono came to North Dakota, stopping first at Gladstone, April 29th. At that time there were only side tracks west of Mandan, and our subject took up government land and erected a shanty 10x12 feet, which blew down in a storm. He then erected another 12x16. He "batched it" most of the time for nine years. His team was a yoke of oxen at first and later he bought a team of mules. While at Gladstone, about two weeks after his arrival, he was attacked by the measles. He did not have the proper care and took cold before he had entirely recovered and was again confined to his bed and lost more than a month in this way, and was troubled with it so much that he was unable to but little work during the entire summer. He had to sleep in any place he could find, and at one time cut grass with a jack-knife for beds, carrying it two miles on his, back, in this way providing a bed for himself and another for a lady of the party. He was among the earliest pioneers of the county and for a time did a freighting business between the Northern Pacific and the Black Hills, carrying the first outfit to that region from Dickinson to Deadwood. He is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of valuable lands, half of which is cultivated annually and the balance in pasture. He followed grain raising; for a few years, but now is engaged in stock raising almost exclusively.
Mr. Kono was married, in 1889, to Miss Bessie Birdsall, daughter of Joseph Birdsall. Her family have been Americans for many generations. Mr. and Mrs. Kono are the parents of five children, namely: Hattie, Edna, Perry Birdsall, Watson Charles and one unmarried, all of whom were born on the farm in Dakota. Mr. Kono is a Republican in political sentiment and has been active in political matters in the county. He was nominated for sheriff in 1896 and was elected, although he had neither sought the office nor made a canvass for votes. He was re-elected in 1898 on an independent ticket, receiving a majority of all the votes cast, although there were two other candidates in the field. He is this year candidate on the Republican ticket for county judge and his faithfulness to duty and his long residence and popularity in the county will no doubt secure for him this honorable position. No man in the county is better posted upon the history and development of that section of North Dakota and no one is more favorably known in the county. This biography is from Stark County, ND.
SOURCE: Facebook- North Dakota Trails to the Past
Contributor # 47001358
In 1882 Charles Kono came to North Dakota, stopping first at Gladstone, April 29th. At that time there were only side tracks west of Mandan, and our subject took up government land and erected a shanty 10x12 feet, which blew down in a storm. He then erected another 12x16. He "batched it" most of the time for nine years. His team was a yoke of oxen at first and later he bought a team of mules. While at Gladstone, about two weeks after his arrival, he was attacked by the measles. He did not have the proper care and took cold before he had entirely recovered and was again confined to his bed and lost more than a month in this way, and was troubled with it so much that he was unable to but little work during the entire summer. He had to sleep in any place he could find, and at one time cut grass with a jack-knife for beds, carrying it two miles on his, back, in this way providing a bed for himself and another for a lady of the party. He was among the earliest pioneers of the county and for a time did a freighting business between the Northern Pacific and the Black Hills, carrying the first outfit to that region from Dickinson to Deadwood. He is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of valuable lands, half of which is cultivated annually and the balance in pasture. He followed grain raising; for a few years, but now is engaged in stock raising almost exclusively.
Mr. Kono was married, in 1889, to Miss Bessie Birdsall, daughter of Joseph Birdsall. Her family have been Americans for many generations. Mr. and Mrs. Kono are the parents of five children, namely: Hattie, Edna, Perry Birdsall, Watson Charles and one unmarried, all of whom were born on the farm in Dakota. Mr. Kono is a Republican in political sentiment and has been active in political matters in the county. He was nominated for sheriff in 1896 and was elected, although he had neither sought the office nor made a canvass for votes. He was re-elected in 1898 on an independent ticket, receiving a majority of all the votes cast, although there were two other candidates in the field. He is this year candidate on the Republican ticket for county judge and his faithfulness to duty and his long residence and popularity in the county will no doubt secure for him this honorable position. No man in the county is better posted upon the history and development of that section of North Dakota and no one is more favorably known in the county. This biography is from Stark County, ND.
SOURCE: Facebook- North Dakota Trails to the Past
Contributor # 47001358
