Joseph Pickard was born in England in 1873 and grew to manhood there. In 1894 he came to the United States and settled for a few years in Iowa. About the turn of the century he came to Barnes County. In 1903 he and Emma Noxon were married. They had two daughters. Laura, age 14 preceded him in death in 1920. They farmed in Pierce Township until his death in 1931.

Mr. Pickard was active in local affairs, serving on the Pierce school board and the township board. He was instrumental in organizing the Frazier Farmers Union

Elevator and was the first manager. Mrs. Pickard was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1883 and came with her parents to Dakota Territory in 1888. She obtained her education in Canada as there were no schools available at that time, close to their home in Uxbridge Township.

After her marriage she took an active interest in the Pierce Homemakers. Following the death of Mr. Pickard she and her daughter, Marian, moved to Valley City where she did dressmaking and later opened the "Balcony Shop." She sold this in 1950 and moved to Cleveland, Ohio. She passed away in 1959. Both she and Mr. Pickard are buried in Woodbine Cemetery in Valley City, North Dakota.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 195