>>> TORNADOES AND EAGLES CLASH IN CAVALIER
The official newspaper of Cavalier County Theborderlandpress.com
In this issue:
Friday, November 15, 2024
Volume 3, Number 45
Honoring a Civil War veteran in Harvey Township By Hilary Nowatzki
In a small cemetery in Harvey Township, a group of American Legion Post 98 members recently gathered to honor a long-forgotten Civil War veteran. The journey to properly recognize Hamilton Burritt began nearly 10 years ago when American Legion member and adjunct, Leon Hiltner, first heard of an allegedly unmarked grave of a Civil War veteran nearby in Harvey. News: North Border Elementary celebrates local veterans with “A Patriotic Pageant,” Pg. A2
Lifestyle: Learn about ‘landscaping for the birds’ in this week’s Dakota Gardener, Pg. A7
Also a Veteran Service Officer at the time, Hiltner took it upon himself to order a new headstone for Burritt. However, further research revealed that Burritt was actually buried at the Lisbon Veterans Home Cemetery, not the Harvey Centre Cemetery. At the Lisbon location, Burritt, as Hiltner would later learn, already had a headstone. The new headstone sat for nearly a decade as Hiltner navigated the bureaucratic process of getting it properly placed. Finally, on the Saturday leading up to Veterans Day, Legionnaires and cemetery board members gathered to erect the headstone at the Harvey Cemetery. It will soon be engraved as ‘In memory of’ for Burritt and other Civil War veterans whose final resting place is in Cavalier County. According to Hiltner, local historian Rita Maisel did extensive research on Civil War veterans buried in the area
Photo of the newly erected memorial.
and identified around 35 in Cavalier County with 11 buried at the Lisbon Veterans Home Cemetery.
From (L-R) Earl “Butch” Welsh, Justin Ullyott, Leon Hiltner, Harvey Metzger, Larry Murie, Darrel Kempel, and Anna Spivey.
"It was nice that we did it close to Veterans Day, because you know that's the day you remember veterans, living and deceased,” said Hiltner. “And it's not every day you get to honor a Civil War veteran.”
documentation about their lives than others. For Burritt, a letter written in 1916 would detail his life on this earth vividly. Born in 1833, Burritt claimed to be the first Caucasian settler of Harvey Township. He would enlist in the fifth regiment of the Minnesota Volunteer Infantry in 1862, fight in the Civil War, and live until the age of 87, passing in 1920.
Some of these veterans have more
His lineage can be traced back to the
Mayflower, according to this letter. Burritt’s grandfather, a colonel in the British Army, and grandmother were the first settlers of a portion of wilderness in Canada not far from Ottawa. The 1,500 acres were an award for the colonel’s bravery and valor in the American Revolutionary War. The letter can be read in its entirety by visiting our QL page at myborderland. com.
NFI subsidiary MCI ships its first electric coach out of Pembina
Community: Langdon Drama Team takes home 1st place in competition, Pg. A10
Weather Nov. 15
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Langdon Arts and Crafts Fair to return
Homemade and handmade items are back for the holidays to benefit veterans memorial fund By Rebecca Davis
This holiday season, local residents can shop for unique gifts while supporting a meaningful cause at the upcoming Arts & Crafts Fair at the Langdon American Legion organized by Kari Phillips. The event will be held Saturday, November 16, from 10 am to 4 pm. with over 20 local vendors offering a diverse array of handmade goods and a festive shopping experience for everyone. In June, Phillips organized an arts and crafts fair as a fundraiser to support the Legion’s Veterans Memorial. Funds raised from vendor fees, along with lunch and bar sales, went directly to the cause. After finding success with the first event, Phillips asked vendors if they would be interested in participating in a fall or holiday event, and the response was an overwhelming yes. Shoppers can expect a wide variety of handmade items, including baked goods, sourdough bread, hand-knitted and crocheted items, macrame, cont’d. on page A10
The MCI Pembina team pose in front of their first electric coach assembled at the plant.
Pembina, N.D. - NFI Group Inc. (NFI) a leading independent bus and coach manufacturer and a leader in zero emission electric mass mobility solutions, subsidiary Motor Coach Industries (MCI), today announced it has shipped the first of nine battery-electric coaches built by its Pembina facility.
American footprint and the significant improvements in market conditions and demand for MCI coaches, saw a path to retain the long-standing Pembina facility. Over the past nine months, MCI has made significant infrastructure and labor investments in the Pembina facility, which has enabled them to support the completion of electric coaches. This infrastructure includes chargers, storage areas, and commissioning areas plus extensive training. “We are pleased to see these first electric coaches come off the assembly line in Pembina following a significant investment in training and infra-
The production of electric coaches is a major milestone for the Pembina facility and follows NFI’s November 2023 announcement that it was continuing operations in N.D. NFI had originally announced a planned closure by 2025 but after careful deliberations regarding NFI’s North
structure to support the transition to zero emission,” said Chris Stoddart, president of North American Bus and Coach, NFI. “Thank you to the over 120 team members at Pembina for your determination and dedication to MCI over the past few years, and I look forward to welcoming more team members as we continue to service our customers.” Gov. Doug Burgum commented on the feat as well. “As a major manufacturer and employer in northeast North Dakota, Motor Coach Industries’ investment in the Pembina facility is great news
for the region, our state’s economy and the hardworking North Dakotans who keep MCI on the industry’s cutting edge,” he stated. “Innovation drives our economy, and we congratulate MCI and NFI Group on achieving this significant milestone, setting the company up for further success in the future.” “MCI officially opened its Pembina facility in 1963, marking their entrance into the U.S. coach market,” said Paul Soubry, president and chief executive officer of NFI. “Since then, this facility has manufactured and delivered cont’d. on page B8
“Funds for Fighting” By Hilary Nowatzki
The Cavalier County Cancer Crusaders are continually raising funds to assist area residents who are suffering from the burdens of a cancer diagnosis. The organization conducts a variety of fundraisers throughout the year to raise money, which they then distribute to these individuals, no questions asked, in the form of checks each quarter. For the next month, until Dec. 15, the Crusaders have an opportunity to raise up to $20,000 thanks to the generosity of three Langdon businesses and the initiative of one family who has been heavily impacted by the
devastating blow this disease brings. The efforts have already been underway for two weeks so far. Mickey Cain, treasurer of the Cavalier County Cancer Crusaders, explained that the year before last, the Roy family approached the organization with a proposal to honor a beloved, Kathy Roy, who they had just lost her battle with cancer. They wanted to team up with three businesses - Langdon Implement, Christie Motors, and FM Bank - to match up to $10,000 in donations. David Roy, another dear family member, was in the midst of his battle with cancer at the time as well.
The Crusaders accepted the Roy family’s proposal, and this will be the second year the Crusaders, as well as the businesses, have held Funds for Fighting. This year, they will also be honoring David. "For the month of November and until Dec. 15, whatever we raise in donations, they would match funds up to $10,000," said Cain. This means that any donations made during this period have the potential to double in impact, allowing the community to come together and honor the memory of those who have fought, those who are still fighting, and those
who have conquered the battle cancer brings. Cain shared that the Roy family wanted a time to remember and honor everybody who has fought the battle, not just their family. They included that they credit their community for the heartwarming ability to host the fundraiser. Local residents are encouraged to participate and help reach the $20,000 goal. All donations are tax deductible and can be made by dropping them off or mailing them to Choice Financial Attn: Mickey Cain 210 8th Ave. Langdon, N.D.