Born in 1824, Gurden Town was of Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. He was born near Dunkirk, New York and attended a medical school near Chautauqua, New York but left school before graduation. He was blind in his left eye from a sanding incident.

In the late 1840's Gurden married Sa??rona Spink, who was born in 1826. She was of English descent, with flaming red hair and brown eyes.

Moving westward, the Towns moved to Minnieska, Minnesota and there knew John Gage, the "man of the Whitewater River," whose son, Charles, and daughter, Harriet, were to intermarry with the Towns.

In 1879 Gurden Town, Frank Sherman, Edwin Priest and Richard Schuler arrived in Tower City and all filed claims in Minnie Lake Township. The next year, Gurden brought his wife and children to the new homestead. By 1890 there were 44 Town relations in Minnie Lake and Ellsbury Townships.

The Town children were as follows: Mary (Mrs. Francis Sherman - 6 children) Elizabeth (Mrs. Sylvanus Gregory - 1 child), Frank Town married Harriet Gage - 1 child, Ida Pamela Town (Mrs. Charles A. Gage), Flora (deceased), Hettie Town (Mrs. William Coates - 7 children).

In 1890 Saffrona Spink Town died.

Gurden Town went west to the Minot area where he purchased land six miles east of Minot and, with his son, Wil, platted the village of "Surrey." He invited his relations from Kansas and Nebraska to settle there.

After 1900, Gurden sold his properties in Surrey and returned to live out his years with his son, Wil. In 1906 this pioneer passed on. Gurden Town was known for his success in tree planting in the area, utilizing saplings from the Sheyenne River Valley.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 250