Thomas Stee was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1 859 and came to Barnes County with his parents in 1880. They settled on a homestead northeast of Dazey. In May, 1884 he was married to Gurine Elstad, who was born in Eidsvold, Norway in 1856. She came with her parents to the United States in 1869 and lived near Farmington, Minnesota. Thomas and Gurine farmed near Dazey for more than 50 years, and built one of the first completely modern farm homes in the area.

Mr. and Mrs. Stee had seven children. The eldest, Reuben, was born in 1885. He was a graduate of the University of North Dakota Engineering School and married Agnes McCorkell of Valley City in 1925. They lived in Minot and Bismarck, where he died in 1941 at age 55.

Clarence, born in 1886, was graduated from the School of Mines at UND and worked as an engineer in gold mines in Peru, South America, Mexico, and Canada. In 1916 he married Stella Jacobson of Dazey and they were the parents of 6 children. They became Canadian citizens and Clarence was Supt. of Sisco Gold. Mines in northern Quebec for many years. He retired and moved to Toronto, Ontario, where he died in 1958 at age 72.

Mae was born in 1888. She was educated at UND and Valley City STC. She taught school before her marriage to John Sad in 1913.

Ernest, born in 1896, also studied engineering at UND. He married Olive Colville of Dazey in 1925 and they had a son and a daughter. They lived in Minot for a time? and moved to Bismarck where he was with the State Highway Dept. for many; years. He is now self-employed as a Consulting Engineer in Bismarck.

Inez, born in 1898, attended Valley City STC and taught school in the Dazey community, Walhalla, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Leavenworth, Washington. In 1951 she was forced to retire because of ill health and lived in Valley City until her death in 1961.

Two sons, Arthur and Sewald, died in childhood.

Thomas Stee died suddenly of a heart attack at his farm home in 1937 and his wife passed away in 1939 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John Sad in ,Valley City.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 234