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Note: Alexander, McKenzie Co., ND 9/15/1948 M. L. Cross Dies From Heart Attack While Fighting Fire
Funeral services were conducted Monday, September 20, (1948) at 2 p m. in the Trinity Lutheran church in Alexander for Melvin L. Cross, 82, who died from a heart attack while helping his neighbor fight a prairie fire. Rev. R. M. Williams was officiating pastor and burial was made in the Highland Lutheran cemetery. Returning to his home Wednesday, September 15, Mr. Cross noticed a prairie fire at the Orville Haugen farm in Moline township and stopped to assist the fire fighters. He overtaxed his strength and a heart attack followed. He died at the Haugen farm. Mr. Cross has been a resident of Burns precinct for 39 years since he homesteaded there in 1909. He came to North Dakota from Pine Island, Minnesota, where he was born January 6, 1886, received his education, and grew to young manhood. He was married to Oline Iverson at Williston October 30, 1913, and four sons were born to the family, Elmo I., now of Portland, Oregon; John M. of Helena, Montana; and Ralph J. and Morris of Alexander. Surviving, besides his wife and four sons, are two sisters, Mrs. Ira Newell of Wenatchee, Washington, Mrs. Leonard Smith of Rochester, Minnesota, and one (half) brother, Hiram Stevens of Kasson, Minnesota. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
Melvin Cross Memories according to notes from Elmo Cross
Born 1886- Pine Island Minnesota
Mother Emma Strombridge Lyke Cross
Leonard Jennings Cross - Brush and stone mason-drummer
Moved to St. Paul Homesteaded in Todd County Minn Moved to Kasson Minn Left family 1898 with half sister Julia Lyke and Jennie Greenslitt (Children) Ruby Melvin Catherine Spiral Harry Hazel (1898, at age of 12) Went to work for Port(er )Hemmingway (Puh? Rick ? Rit? Hemmingway) Climbed out the window the first nite and went home saying they were not good to him. His mother sent him (back saying she could not feed him).
First money he earned he gave to his mother to obtain a divorce (from Lenard).
Old man Hemmingway moved to SandPoint.
1902 went to work for Ole Ottness (Kasson, Dodge Co., MN) sharing the profits. Having as his share 75 pigs in 1907, when he quit them and went to Hibbing, Minn looking for work with one Walter Wilcox.
He worked for a year at odd jobs and came to N.D. in 1909 filing on a claim 12 miles south of Alexander. He worked for Frank McIntosh on the Romer ferry south of Williston 1910, 1911.
Then for D.E. Fuller, freighting from Williston to Alexander with wagon teams. Ray Mitten, K Krumwood Melvin Cross. 1912 ,1913.
Rudabrone got a new rifle and shot a squaw to try it out. and (was) skinned alive on Rawhide Creek in Montana. The Indians surrounded surrounded the whole party and threatened to massacre (all) if the guilty one was not turned over.
He had a job firing on the railroad but his mother wanted him to come out and stay with Aunt Ruby who was teaching school on her homestead shack(,) boarding the pupils right there.
Met Oline Iverson at Lovleins (Vic Millers) in 1912 on a thrashing rig. Dad was firing on a steam rig and mother was cooking in a cook car. Fall of 1913.
Married Oct. 30 1914 in Williston at the Lou Christinanson residence. Pastor Johnson pronouncing the vows.
Came to homestead in Moline a week later where they were cheveried. Zene Cox and Jack Kelly came down and tried to get mother and dad to leave and them gang got there before the switch was made and the party was on. There were jelly glasses on shelves and they were knocked off and broken in the middle of the floor. The mirror was swinging on the wall so it had to be taken down. Dishes were broken.
They lived on on the homestead 1914,1915. In 1915 they took Vern Strayer in as a partner and the place was known as Strayer & Cross. In 1916 they moved to present site and in 1917 Strayer sold out to Cross.
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