Hon. C. N. Valentine. Among the leading and influential citizens of Fargo, North Dakota, is this gentleman, who for fourteen years has been prominently identified with the interests of the state and is now serving as register of the United States land office. He was born in La Porte County, Indiana, May 14, 1850, and is a son of William and Samantha (Taylor) Valentine, both natives of New York, the former born in 1804, the latter in 1811. The paternal grandfather, Alexander Valentine, also a native of New York, was a soldier of the Revolutionary War and later was a commissioned officer in the state troops. In 1849 the parents of our subject removed from New York to Michigan, where the father followed farming until his death, which occurred in 1875. In his family were six sons, but our subject is the only one of the number living in Dakota.
On the home farm in Berrien County, Michigan, C. M. Valentine was reared to manhood, and in the public schools of his neighborhood he acquired a good practical education. For a time he was engaged in the drug trade in Three Oaks, that state, and from there removed to Benton Harbor, Michigan, where he had charge of a lumber pier and later engaged in boating, and was employed as bookkeeper for four years. In 1886 he came to La Moure, North Dakota, where he was successfully engaged in the drug business until February, 1897, when he was appointed to his present position, that of register of the land office at Fargo.
On the 27th of September, 1876, Mr. Valentine was united in marriage with Miss Lucy Wilcox, a native of Wisconsin, and to them have been born two children: Josephine and Maurice. Since attaining his majority Mr. Valentine has never wavered in his support of the Republican party and its principles, and being a man of recognized ability, progressive and public-spirited, he has been honored with some important official positions, having served as senator from the twenty-fourth senatorial district of North Dakota for four years, and county surveyor for the same length of time. Socially he is a member of the Masonic order and is a man of prominence in his community.
Source: Compendium and History of North Dakota 1900 Page 204