Becoming an American citizen was a chaotic process in the early days of the United States. During what became known as the Old Law period, there was no official federal oversight of the citizenship process. Early laws allowed any municipal, county, state, or federal court to grant citizenship and did not require courts to issue certificates.

The end of April sees North Dakota firmly into the spring season. Winter’s grip is largely absent, and the excitement of warmer weather and planting gardens brings optimism and happiness. Still, the weather sometimes has a few surprises for the region.

On this date in 1892, Wahpeton papers reported that Gertrude Weber had traveled to St. Joseph, Missouri, in search of her husband. With help from local police, she found him working at a shoe factory. To avoid arrest, Mr. Weber pretended to be overjoyed to see his wife and agreed to return with her to Wahpeton. He asked for a few hours to settle his affairs and gather his belongings. He took Mrs. Weber to a hotel but then escaped by train with the notorious Madam Dollie Anderson. Mrs. Weber soon realized she had been doubly duped.

John Delbert Allen was born in New York State in 1851 and grew up in Paw Paw, Michigan. He began experimenting with taxidermy at the age of 12.

General Stephen H. Long was truly a renaissance man. He was a civil engineer, a soldier, an explorer, a surveyor, and an inventor. He made advances in the development of steam locomotives with his new designs. He taught mathematics at West Point. And although his career as an explorer was relatively short-lived, he covered over 26,000 miles in five expeditions.

In the early 1800s, the government had to figure out what to do with people already claiming land in the West. On this date in 1820, Congress passed the Land Act, allowing settlers to purchase the land they had claimed. They could buy 160 acres at $1.25 per acre. The Land Act made it possible for people of modest means to purchase land and settle down. It also marked the beginning of an organized effort to settle the West.

In April of 1904, Wahpeton had four newspapers, each with its own political slant. At the time, J.A. Rickert was a prominent figure in Richland County. He’d served as County Commissioner, County Treasurer, County Sheriff, and President of the Board of Education. Rickert owned a significant amount of property and was known for his success in both farming and business, including a mercantile store in Lidgerwood.

On this date in 1911, The Bismarck Tribune reported an incident involving a 4-year-old boy in Jamestown. The child, Johnny, was playing with other small boys when he slipped and fell into an abandoned well. A passerby saw Johnny and rushed to help, managing to pull him out. Despite falling around 20 feet, Johnny was uninjured aside from some cuts and bruises.

During this week in 1996, Roosevelt Elementary School in Fargo, North Dakota, celebrated its 75th anniversary. Among the honored guests was one of the school’s most beloved retired teachers: 91-year-old music instructor Martha Hook.

Voters today take for granted their right to elect their United States Senators. Americans have been directly electing their Senators for over a hundred years, but it wasn’t always this way. Our Founding Fathers believed that allowing state legislatures to elect Senators would strengthen the bond between the federal and state governments. Article I, Section 3 of the United States Constitution stated, 'The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, chosen by the legislature thereof for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote.'