Col. William C. Treumann. This gentleman is well known in Grafton and vicinity as a loyal citizen and successful business man. He is engaged in the abstract business and has the only set of abstract books in the county, and has been a resident of Grafton since 1884, and has been identified with the business interests of that thriving city since that date.
Our subject was born near Hamburg, in the province of Holstein, Germany, December 14, 1862, and is a son of August and Anna (Koenig) Treumann, both of whom were natives of the same province. The mother died in 1872, and in the same year the father and our subject and sister emigrated to America and settled near Defiance, Ohio. The father was a 'sailor and ship carpenter in Germany, and in 1873 they moved to LeSueur County, Minnesota, and there the father entered the employ of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad Company, and was killed at Mankato, in 1899, while in the discharge of his duties.
Mr. Treumann was reared and educated in Minnesota, and worked in a mercantile establishment and kept books, and November 15, 1881, he came to Grand Forks, and began keeping books for a mercantile firm and filled that position for some time. He assumed charge of the branch store of the firm at Grafton in 1884, and continued with the house until 1885, when he engaged in the collection and loan business, and also served as deputy register of deeds. He began abstracting in 1888 and has continued in this business since, with marked success. He became a member of a military company in 1885, and was elected second lieutenant, and in 1887 the company became Company C, of the National Guard of North Dakota. He was lieutenant-colonel of the First North Dakota Volunteer Infantry, and had command of the regiment during the campaign in the Philippines. He also commanded a brigade on several occasions and had command of the transport Grant on the return to this country. The regiment was in thirty-seven engagements, including the battles of Manila in August, 1898 and February, 1899 and Mr. Treumann was with his regiment in all battles with the exception of those of the Santa Cruz expedition, when only a part of the regiment went. He escaped without wounds and served eighteen months and was then mustered out as lieutenant-colonel of the regiment, September 25, 1899, and at once returned home and resumed his business in Grafton. He was brevetted colonel of volunteers, upon the recommendation of General Lawton.
Our subject was married November 29, 1888, to Miss Elizabeth Baird, a native of Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Treumann are the parents of three children, as follows: William K., Oscar B., and Agnes E., all of whom are living. Mr. Treumann is a member of the Masonic fraternity in all branches, the Knights of Pythias, and Foresters, and was master of the North Dakota Military lodge at Manila. Politically be is a Republican.
Source: Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota 1900 Page 174