John D. Faxon, county auditor of Foster County is one of the well-known citizens and business men of that region, and his name is connected with the history of Foster county. He is a man of intelligence and enterprise and at all times has shown an active public spirit.
Our subject was born at Fort Ann, Washington County, New York, July 15, 1846. His father, Horace Faxon, was born in America, and was a contractor and builder. The family settled in America in colonial days, two brothers, Thomas and Richard Faxon, coining from England and locating at Braintree, Massachusetts, about 1600, and they and their families took part in the early wars in the United States. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Jane White, was of Irish-Welsh descent, although her parents were also born in New York State.
Mr. Faxon was the second in a family of four children, and was given a common-school education. His father died when our subject was but seven years of age, and at the age of fifteen he began working for others during the summer months and attending school in the winter. He engaged at farming and clerking, and at the age of nineteen years learned the carpenter's trade, after which he went to Buffalo. New York, where he worked in the car shops of the Buffalo & Erie Railway for two years. He then took a position in the car shops at Salem, New York, where he remained ten years and in 1879 went to Albany and spent one year there, going from thence to Virginia City, Nevada, thinking to benefit his health. He spent some time during the same year at the carpenter's trade in Minnesota, and built the Dalton hotel and other buildings at Dalton, Minnesota. This was then a new town and he remained there four years, working at his trade as much as his health would permit. He went to Cass County, North Dakota, in the fall of 1884 and after spending the winter there took land in Eddy County, North Dakota, on which he erected a house, barn and other farm buildings, and began the cultivation of his land. He put in crops four seasons, and one only was a profitable yield, and in 1887 fire destroyed his house, granary, together with grain, and his household goods, entailing a loss of two thousand dollars. He then moved to New Rockford, and accepted a position with the Duluth & Dakota Elevator Company, and in 1889 gave up his farming interests. He went to St. Paid in the fall of 1889, and in August of the following year went to Carrington, North Dakota, and accepted a position with the North Dakota Elevator Company. He spent six years with them, and in the meantime established the farm implement business. He left the employ of the elevator company in 1896, since which time he has purchased grain for his own business. He has a building 24 x 60 feet erected near the Northern Pacific tracks, and has been successful in that business. He also owns farm land in Eddy County, North Dakota. He was elected county auditor on the Democratic ticket in the fall of 1898, and has been discharging the duties of that position since March 6, 1899, for the term.
Our subject was married at Salem, New York, to Miss Sarah Snowden, who was born and raised at Albany, New York, and is a daughter of John Snowden. Her father was of English birth, and was a machinist by trade. Mrs. Faxon is a lady of good education, and a graduate of the high school of New York City. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Faxon, as follows: Helen and Marillo. Mr. Faxon has always taken an active interest in public affairs wherever he has chosen his home, and while a resident of New York was collector of taxes in Salem. He was a candidate on the Democratic ticket for representative to the state legislature from the twenty-second district of North Dakota. He is a member of the state central committee of the Democratic party, and has been chairman of the county central committee for a number of years.
Source: Compendium and History of North Dakota 1900 Page 190