Leopold Schwehr was a tough German. Just how tough was demonstrated on the day he bought the farm that Robert (his son) and John (his grandson) live on today. He walked from a farm near Valley City (where he was working as a hired hand) to the acreage six miles north of Sanborn, decided to buy it, then continued walking to Jamestown to close the deal. He ate his only meal that day in Jamestown.

He was born August 3, 1870 at Mildmay, Ontario, Canada, one of 15 brothers and sisters. Three of his brothers, Fredolin (Fred), William, Robert, and he immigrated to North Dakota in the late 1800s. William bought a farm near Oriska, Robert bought a farm near Spiritwood, and Fred and Leopold bought farms near each other north of Sanborn.

Leopold established his residence on the land he bought and returned to Canada to marry a girl he knew there, Barbara Moyer, on March 6, 1905, at Mildmay, Ontario, Canada.

Barbara Moyer was born October 29, 1881 at Mildmay, Ontario, Canada. She was one of 15 children born to Henry and Mary Moyer. Before her marriage she worked at home helping to care for the family as she was the oldest. She died December 24, 1965. Leopold and Barbara had 12 children. Two died in infancy. Seven of them attended high school at Sanborn; five graduated from there. Their children are: Robert (January 27, 1906); Mary C. (November 17, 1907); Leo (January 6, 1910); Henry (February 27, 1911); Anna Mary (February 9, 1913); Paul (January 15, 1915); Elizabeth (June 17, 1917); Marie Rose (May 3, 1919); Peter (June 4, 1920); and Regina (November 2, 1921).

The oldest in the family, Robert, finished 8th grade at Bowers School and two years of High School at Sanborn. He could not speak or understand a word of English when he started school as the family spoke only German. From then on only English was used in the home. He began farming with his Dad and still resides with his wife, Mary, on the family farm in a house remodeled from the Law rural school from District #63.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 219