HON. HARRY S. OLIVER. postmaster of Lisbon, Ransom county, is a gentleman of excellent characteristics and one in whom all who honor true citizenship can find a ready friend. He has labored faithfully for the better interests of the state and his county, and thoroughly appreciates the wants of his community. He has been called upon by his fellow citizens to occupy various important official positions, and in every instance has proven his efficiency and has administered the duties of his various offices with rare fidelity and increasing popularity. He is owner of a fine estate about twelve miles from Lisbon, and makes his home in the city, placing a tenant on the farm.
Our subject was born in Chautauqua county, New York, July 27, 1855, and was the youngest in a family of eleven children born to Stephen and Mary (Loyd) Oliver, both of whom were natives of Biddenden, England. The father, his brother and our subject's grandfather were wholesale merchants in England and the father of our subject, upon coming to America. purchased a tract of land in New York, a portion of which is now included in the Chautauqua S. S. grounds. The father died in 1859, and the mother in 1866. Our subject received an academic education in the Friendship Academy, and after the death of his father his property was lost through the decline in oil. He went to work in Jamestown. New York, in a wholesale house and operated a hardware store in Friendship, New York, for a short time. He went to Lisbon, North Dakota, in 1880, and in December of that year purchased a farm about twelve miles from the city. He located there permanently in 1881 and opened up a large wheat farm, which soon covered one thousand acres of land. The family joined him in 1882. In 1881 our subject became interested in stock raising and now has a general farm, operated by a tenant.
Our subject was married, in 1879, to Miss Florence Waterhouse. Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Oliver, as follows: Fred and Harry. Mr. Oliver is a staunch Republican and is firm for the gold standard, and is one of the few men who stood firm for the principles of his party in 1895 and 1896, as regards that issue. He served as county assessor in 1882 and in 1884 was chairman of the county central committee and was re-elected is 1888, 1894 and 1896. He was a member of the territorial legislature in 1885 and 1886 and a member of the state legislature in the second and third sessions. He was the author of the "Open Wheat Market Bill." providing for the right of an individual to erect elevators. He was also chairman of the committee of county boundaries and Oliver county was named in his honor. In the special session of 1892 he introduced and secured the passage of the "platform bill." He was chairman of the committee on banks and banking in 1891 and in 1892 was chairman of the committee on grain grading and warehousing. He has attended all but one state and territorial convention since going to Dakota and numbers a large list of friends and acquaintances in all parts of the state. He is prominent in secret society circles and is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Ancient Order of United Workmen, Modern Woodmen of America and Royal Arcanum, and is commander of the Knights Templar commandery.
Source: Compendium of History and Biography of North Dakota 1900 Page 215