John Edward Bort was born July 4, 1858, at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. He married Jannet Niven at Bay City, Michigan, March 29, 1893. She was born at Bay City on August 16, 1870. Mr. Bort had come to Foster County in 1882 in a covered wagon. He was accompanied to Dakota by the Holcomb brothers. He helped Ben Holcomb plant his tree claim on the Southwest 1/4 of Section 14 in Carrington Township. This became the well-known "Holcomb's Grove". Mr. Sort homesteaded on Section 24 Southeast 1/4, claiming his land in 1884. Later the family moved to Section 25. The farm still remains in the family. John's son Lloyd purchased it in 1942. Lloyd's son Rodney now lives on the farm. John and Janet lived on the farm for over 60 years. They had three children, Ralph, Lloyd, Ruth. Mr. Sort died October 17, 1942, Mrs. Sort died November 28, 1958. They are buried at Carrington.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 17B