The first settlers in the Hannaford area had to haul the lumber for their homes and farm buildings from Sanborn, Valley City or Cooperstown. E. H. Groven carried a small stock of lumber in his general merchandise business and this Crane & Johnson bought out in 1897 and put in a complete stock of lumber. Their name was changed to Crane-Johnson in 1903 when they incorporated.
The Hannaford Lumber Company was organized in February 1905 with a capital stock of $25,000. The stockholders were H. Anundson, president, A. H. Berg, S. H. Berg, N. K. Markuson, W. S. Hyde, and H. H. Swingen. Mr. Swingen was the promoter of the enterprise. He was an experienced lumberman from Lake Mills, Iowa and was the manager of the new yard. This lumberyard was sold to the McCoy Lumber Company in January 1906, but Mr. Swingen remained as the manager. In January 1915 Crane-Johnson purchased the McCoy Lumber Yards at Hannaford, Karnak and Revere and from then on Hannaford had only one lumberyard. Mr. Swingen also managed this combined yard. He was with Crane-Johnson until his death in 1957. After Mr. Swingen, Paul Vance managed the Crane-Johnson yard for many years. He was followed by Ted Sonderby, Elton Kloster, Roger Haugrud and Ed Carlson. Crane-Johnson closed its yard in Hannaford in 1972. Claude Freer served as assistant manager for 15 years prior to the closing.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 117