Title
THE LILLIBRIDGE STORY
Creator
Blanche Lillibridge Harding
Coverage
TOWNSHIP 141N RANGE 93W
Text
THE LILLIBRIDGE STORY
Everyone comes from someplace to help settle a new country. Edward and Lillian Lillibridge came with four sons in 1902.
The big house at 611 Second Avenue West was occupied by the family for over fifty years. The only daughter Blanche was born in North Dakota and later lived in this same house.
What was it like to be a town family with country interests? Ed Lillibridge owned one of the first cars in town and made excursions all over the west river area on his real estate interests. Lillian, his lovely brown eyed wife, was very much a part of Dickinson. The Congregational Church had her as a Sunday School teacher and main stay for the ladies aid.
The Masonic Temple found Ed there for meetings of Masons, Shrine, Knight Templers. Lillian held all local chairs in Eastern Star, then went on to State Grand Chapter to be worthy grand matron. It was Lillian who started Rainbow for girls in North Dakota and was supreme inspector until her death. Lillian was a founder of Chapter B. in P.E.O. and went on to hold all state offices and was President of North Dakota State Chapter.
Lillian organized the first Camp Fire Girls group in Dickinson. Blanche, her only daughter, needed sisters. Each summer they would camp for 10 days primitive style to spots on Heart or Green River, Badlands, Knife River or the Killdeers.
Both Ed and Lillian played their part in politics. Ed ran for Commissioner of Agriculture — Lillian for state treasurer. That was in the days when Democrats in N. Dak. Were so few.
And what became of the family members? Roy — rancher at the Double L. Ranch north of Belfield; Harold — in medicine, practicing at Olympia, Wash.; Gordon — Civil Engineer in Oakland, Calif.; Richard — Motor Vehicle Department, Bismarck, N. Dak.; Blanche — married Roland (Tommy) Harding, industrial arts instructor at Dickinson State Teachers College.
By Blanche Lillibridge Harding
Everyone comes from someplace to help settle a new country. Edward and Lillian Lillibridge came with four sons in 1902.
The big house at 611 Second Avenue West was occupied by the family for over fifty years. The only daughter Blanche was born in North Dakota and later lived in this same house.
What was it like to be a town family with country interests? Ed Lillibridge owned one of the first cars in town and made excursions all over the west river area on his real estate interests. Lillian, his lovely brown eyed wife, was very much a part of Dickinson. The Congregational Church had her as a Sunday School teacher and main stay for the ladies aid.
The Masonic Temple found Ed there for meetings of Masons, Shrine, Knight Templers. Lillian held all local chairs in Eastern Star, then went on to State Grand Chapter to be worthy grand matron. It was Lillian who started Rainbow for girls in North Dakota and was supreme inspector until her death. Lillian was a founder of Chapter B. in P.E.O. and went on to hold all state offices and was President of North Dakota State Chapter.
Lillian organized the first Camp Fire Girls group in Dickinson. Blanche, her only daughter, needed sisters. Each summer they would camp for 10 days primitive style to spots on Heart or Green River, Badlands, Knife River or the Killdeers.
Both Ed and Lillian played their part in politics. Ed ran for Commissioner of Agriculture — Lillian for state treasurer. That was in the days when Democrats in N. Dak. Were so few.
And what became of the family members? Roy — rancher at the Double L. Ranch north of Belfield; Harold — in medicine, practicing at Olympia, Wash.; Gordon — Civil Engineer in Oakland, Calif.; Richard — Motor Vehicle Department, Bismarck, N. Dak.; Blanche — married Roland (Tommy) Harding, industrial arts instructor at Dickinson State Teachers College.
By Blanche Lillibridge Harding