Details
Collection: 00032 - North Dakota Oral History Project Photograph Collection
Folder: RI-17
Item: 00019
Title: John Hurst Movius and his family in front of their home Lidgerwood (N.D.)
Date: 1902
Creator: Movius, Gilbert H
Inscription/Marks: [on caption below photograph] Col. 32-RI/17-19 [facsimile file] Written in Sprunk's handwriting on reverse: Home of John H. Movius built in 1902.
Summary: John Hurst Movius stands on the front steps of his home in Lidgerwood (N.D.) while four of his children watch from the second story porch. [Movius, John Hurst--1860-1941; Children: Harrison, Eva H. Movius--1895-1985; Movius, Charles Emil--1897-1988; Happ, Gretchen Helen Movius--1898-1969; Movius, Virginia--1901-1993; Movius, Gilbert Hurst --1903-1976] [Biography-North Dakota History and People Vol2 p327-328] John Hurst Movius, of Lidgerwood, president and manager of the Movius Land and Loan Company, devotes the greater part of his time to looking after the land business of the concern, which is one of the largest of its kind in the state, and he also has a number of other important interests in Richland County. A native of Germany, he was born on the 24th of June, 1860, a son of John W. and Henriette (Bratz) Movius, who were born in that country on the 23rd of July 1821 and the 30th of November, 1822, respectively. The genealogy of the family is traced back to Rambau von der Movius, who is said to have owned a castle at Wartislaf, near Stettin, in Pommerania, in 1463. The grandfather of our subject, Johann Friedrich Movius, was born January 28, 1789, and became head forester for a nobleman at Golnow, Germany. He married Charlotte Zahl and lived to an advanced age, passing away on the 21st of February, 1873. The maternal grandparents were August and Wilhelmina (Erdmann) Bratz, born respectively on the 24th of July, 1798, and on the 27th of April, 1796. The grandfather died on the 10th of October, 1863, and the grandmother passed away at Odessa, Minnesota on the 30th of April, 1876. John W. Movius was educated for the medical profession in Germany and after removing to this country practiced in Glenwood, Sleepy Eye and New Ulm, Minnesota, gaining an enviable reputation as a physician. At that time he was quite well off but lost heavily by an investment in a mill and also from the grasshopper plague. He was well informed on all questions of general interest and was a public speaker of more than usual ability, making his points clearly and forcefully. He was appointed one of the first supervisors of Bigstone County, Minnesota, and was recognized as a leader in local republican circles. He was a man of strong character and one of his salient traits was his loyalty and devotion to his friends. The motive force of his life was his Christian faith and for years he was a devout member of the Lutheran church, later becoming identified with the Evangelical Association. He was married on the 23rd of October 1840 and passed away on the 21st of October, 1877 at New Ulm, Minnesota. His widow survived for almost thirty years, dying in Lidgerwood, North Dakota, on the 22nd of August 1907. To their union was born eleven children, five of whom are still living. A sketch of William R. Movius appears elsewhere in this work. Ernest F. Movius is a retired minister of the Evangelical Association, residing in Lidgerwood. He was educated in Germany and was accounted one of the ablest ministers of his denomination in the Dakotas. He had charge of churches in both North and South Dakota and also served as presiding elder in both states. A sketch of Emil A. Movius, deceased appears elsewhere in this work. Anna Movius married Emil Selin, who is engaged in the machine and automobile business in Odessa, Minnesota, and who has large farm holdings. John Hurst Movius is the next in order of birth. Mary O. Movius is now president of the First National Bank of Lidgerwood. John Hurst Movius received his education in the public schools of New Ulm, Minnesota and in a private school conducted by Professor Campbell. After finishing his education he engaged in the machine business in Bigstone City, South Dakota, with his brother Emil A. Movius, remaining in that connection from 1883 until 1887. In the latter year they arrived in Lidgerwood and established a machine business there. Subsequently they began dealing in furniture, became owners of livery and sales stables and also established a general store. They also turned their attention to banking and subsequently organized the Movius Land and Loan Company. They started in business in debt but the firm is now among the most important factors in the business life of that part of the state. In 1902 they suffered a fire loss of thirty thousand dollars on their store and after allowing for this loss their year’s profit totaled forty-two thousand dollars. The land company is capitalized for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and does an enormous business, buying and selling land outright and loaning money on land as security. Our subject concentrates his energies largely upon this phase of his business interests and is recognized as an authority on lands and farm loans. He is also vice president of the First National Bank of Veblen, South Dakota. On New Year’s Day, 1895, Mr. John Hurst Movius was united in marriage to Miss Margaret W. Wagner, a daughter of Charles Wagner, and to this union have been born five children. Eva Movius graduated from the high school and later took a preparatory course at Poughkeepsie, New York. She is now studying in a school of expression and music at Los Angeles, California. Carl E. Movius has completed the regular course in the Galahad School for Boys at Hudson, Wisconsin, and is now a student at Princeton College in Princeton, New Jersey. H. Grechen Movius was the youngest student graduated from the Lidgerwood High School, completing the course there when not yet fourteen years of age. She subsequently took further preparatory work at Poughkeepsie, New York, and then entered Vassar College. Although she was one of the youngest students to enter that famous school she has made an excellent record, especially in mathematics. Virginia and Gilbert Hurst Movius are both attending high school at Lidgerwood. Mr. John Hurst Movius is a republican in politics and has been president of the local school board and trustee of the State Science School at Wahpeton. He holds membership in the Evangelical Association and his wife is a communicant of the Episcopal Church. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has passed through the chairs: with the Rebekahs, in which he has served as noble grand; and with the Masonic Blue Lodge, of which he has been master; the Royal Arch Chapter; the consistory; and the Shrine. Although he has given the strictest attention to his business affairs and has become one of the wealthy men of his country, he has never forgotten that there are other interests in life than the material ones and has given freely of his time and energy to the promotion of the educational, civic and moral advancement of his community.
Red ID: PH_I_123407 Image ID: 170901 Image Notes: 00032-RI-17-00019
Collection: 00032 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: North Dakota Oral History Project Photograph Collection
Date: 1880-1977
Summary: Consists of copies of photographs belonging to people interviewed for the North Dakota Oral History Project. The Project was undertaken by Larry Sprunk, with the cooperation of the North Dakota American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, the North Dakota Farmers Union, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota. The primary objective of the North Dakota Oral History Project was to conduct oral tape recorded interviews with North Dakotans who lived through the state's history and who could speak of this history from a first-hand basis. Interviewees were photographed at the time of their interviews. In addition, the project borrowed over 6,000 historical photographs which were copied and added to the State Historical Society's collection. Many interviewees also donated family histories, documents, letters, ledgers, books, and artifacts.
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