Title
ADAM A. LEFOR
Creator
Mrs. Catherine Raschko (daughter)
Coverage
TOWNSHIP 137N RANGE 94W
Text
ADAM A. LEFOR
Adam A. Lefor was born in Ernesthaza, Austria-Hungary, 1881. With his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adam Lefor, Sr., five brothers and three sisters, he immigrated to Stark Co., 1893. They arrived by train at Richardton, fall 1893, with $80 in cash and no ability to speak English. A friend with a team of oxen took them 16 miles south to the present site of St. Stephen's Community. Bewildered by the lack of building materials, they hardly knew what to do. Someone suggested that they dig a hole in the hillside, cover it with brush and trees and crawl in. They did just that and later recalled that some of their happiest days were spent there. 1897, the family homesteaded in the Lefor area.
Adam A. Lefor left the farm and went to work for the Koesel store, Gladstone. 1901, he married Elizabeth Schaffer who had immigrated to this area, 1895. They moved to Dickinson, 1903, where he worked for the Dickinson Mercantile Co. When he was offered a raise in salary, he reasoned to himself, “If I am worth that much to him, I must be worth twice that much to myself,” and he quit. He then went into partnership with his father and brothers and bought the Koesel store, Gladstone, 1905. They operated the store until they sold it, 1909, and each shareholder realized a $7,000 profit.
Fall 1911, Mr. Lefor founded the town of Lefor. He built a basement for the first store in the town and had a telephone line extended to that site from Gladstone. 1910, he erected the store building which was three stones high. In the basement were two modern bowling alleys, a general store was on the main floor, his residence and dance hall on the second floor and six bedrooms on the third floor for travelers and hired help. At this time he established the post office. Not having a cancelling stamp as yet, the letters were postmarked by drawing a circle, tracing the base of a spool of thread, drawing lines and then writing the date and Lefor. At this time, Mr. Lefor started a bank and a lumber yard and built homes in Lefor. They were bought or rented as fast as they were completed 1912, they had the first 4th of July celebration, featuring the first Lefor Band, John Lefor was the leader of the band and Adam Lefor created all the acts for the celebration using local talent. The store was destroyed by fire, 1912, and rebuilt, 1915. He owned and managed the store until 1919, when he sold it.
That same year, he bought the bank in Belfield and founded banks in Dickinson and Gladstone. His interest in banking led him to be appointed state bank examiner by Gov. William Langer a position he held from 1933-1939. During that time he and his wife resided in Bismarck. 1927, they resided in Dickinson and, 1913, built the Lefor Apartments (now named the Coutts Apartments). 1928 he merged the Gladstone Bank with the Dickinson Bank which was named the Farmers State Bank. 1944, the bank was liquidated and Mr. and Mrs. Lefor moved to Salem, Oreg. where they resided until their deaths. They had two daughters, Mrs. Bertha Becker and Mrs. Katherine Raschko.
By Mrs. Catherine Raschko (daughter)
Adam A. Lefor was born in Ernesthaza, Austria-Hungary, 1881. With his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adam Lefor, Sr., five brothers and three sisters, he immigrated to Stark Co., 1893. They arrived by train at Richardton, fall 1893, with $80 in cash and no ability to speak English. A friend with a team of oxen took them 16 miles south to the present site of St. Stephen's Community. Bewildered by the lack of building materials, they hardly knew what to do. Someone suggested that they dig a hole in the hillside, cover it with brush and trees and crawl in. They did just that and later recalled that some of their happiest days were spent there. 1897, the family homesteaded in the Lefor area.
Adam A. Lefor left the farm and went to work for the Koesel store, Gladstone. 1901, he married Elizabeth Schaffer who had immigrated to this area, 1895. They moved to Dickinson, 1903, where he worked for the Dickinson Mercantile Co. When he was offered a raise in salary, he reasoned to himself, “If I am worth that much to him, I must be worth twice that much to myself,” and he quit. He then went into partnership with his father and brothers and bought the Koesel store, Gladstone, 1905. They operated the store until they sold it, 1909, and each shareholder realized a $7,000 profit.
Fall 1911, Mr. Lefor founded the town of Lefor. He built a basement for the first store in the town and had a telephone line extended to that site from Gladstone. 1910, he erected the store building which was three stones high. In the basement were two modern bowling alleys, a general store was on the main floor, his residence and dance hall on the second floor and six bedrooms on the third floor for travelers and hired help. At this time he established the post office. Not having a cancelling stamp as yet, the letters were postmarked by drawing a circle, tracing the base of a spool of thread, drawing lines and then writing the date and Lefor. At this time, Mr. Lefor started a bank and a lumber yard and built homes in Lefor. They were bought or rented as fast as they were completed 1912, they had the first 4th of July celebration, featuring the first Lefor Band, John Lefor was the leader of the band and Adam Lefor created all the acts for the celebration using local talent. The store was destroyed by fire, 1912, and rebuilt, 1915. He owned and managed the store until 1919, when he sold it.
That same year, he bought the bank in Belfield and founded banks in Dickinson and Gladstone. His interest in banking led him to be appointed state bank examiner by Gov. William Langer a position he held from 1933-1939. During that time he and his wife resided in Bismarck. 1927, they resided in Dickinson and, 1913, built the Lefor Apartments (now named the Coutts Apartments). 1928 he merged the Gladstone Bank with the Dickinson Bank which was named the Farmers State Bank. 1944, the bank was liquidated and Mr. and Mrs. Lefor moved to Salem, Oreg. where they resided until their deaths. They had two daughters, Mrs. Bertha Becker and Mrs. Katherine Raschko.
By Mrs. Catherine Raschko (daughter)