Langdon ND 1888-1988
Liebeler, Lloyd pg 346-347
Lloyd Harrison Liebeler was born in 1888 on his parents' homestead near Langdon to menno and Annie Thaler Liebeler. He was only ten when his father began an implement business in Langdon but that business became his life and Lloyd continued to run it until he was more than 90 yrs old. His familiar "Hi Neighbor" became his trademark. He served as mayor from 1926 to 1930 and the Liebeler family interest in flying dates to that time as under his administration the City of Langdon puchased the land for the Langdon Airport and employed the first airport manager, Claude Skinner.
In 1911 Lloyd married Grace Kelley, daughter of J. W. Kelley. Their children were Austin, who died in 1970, Arlo and Mabel. As teenagers, Arlo and Mabel received their first airplane ride from Skinner in return for washing and waxing his plane. Arlo began a long career in flying as an Air Force pilot in WWII and training cadets during the Korean Conflict. He was one of Langdon's earliest crop dusters and went on to become a commercial pilot with American Airlines for 26 years. Arlo's children are Linda, a marriage counselor near San Francisco, Jay in business in Issaquah, WA and Arlo Ray Jr, an account excecutive with E.F. Hutton in Jackson Hole, WY. Recently retired, Arlo lives in Michigan with traveling, skiing, racing cars and law school high on his list of activities. Mabel McNeil of Portland, OR is retired from the Oregon Dept of Environmental Quality. Her children are Heather, with the Red Cross and Kirk, a veternarian.
Lloyd married Ella Olson, daughter of Otto C. and Lillie Olson, in 1930. Ella was a teacher and Deputy Superintendent of Schools. They had four children. Ella died of cancer in 1956. James is on the UCLA law faculty. His wife Susan is Vice Chairman of the International Trade Comm. Jim received national recognition working on the committee preparing the Warren Commission Report on the death of President Kennedy and is now on sabbatical writing a book on Anti-Trust Law. He has three children: Lars, in law school; Eric at MIT; Jennifer at home. Patricia (Mrs paul Pearson) of Woodside, CA is actively involved in the management of Pearson Electronics Co of Palto Alto, CA. Pat has degrees from Morningside College at Sioux City, IA and San Francisco State. She taught for 14 years. Pat's daughter, Janine Wenzel is enrolled in a PhD program in clinical psychology.
Charlotte also majored in education and taught for several years in California before establishing and managing a helicopter charter company, Astro-Copters, in the Oakland area, now run by her husband, Dwayne Vandergriff. Charlotte's children are Catherine McGuire, architect in New York and Eric in school in Lafayette, CA. Charlotte died of cancer in 1975. Penelope Anne lives in Bainbridge Island, WA. Penny has three children: Quentin Boe, Holly (Mrs Brent Lundeby) of Moorhead and Heidi Boe, living with her mother in Washington.
A lifelong member of the Methodist Church, Lloyd gave the land for Maple Manor and the United Lutheran Church as well as a contribution to the United Methodist Church for building costs and future repairs. Through the years Lloyd farmed and gained much pleasure from his fields and stands of trees. Lloyd and Mildred Waldron were married in 1958. He died in 1980. -- recorded 5/85

Menno Liebeler pg 348-348
Menno Liebeler was born near Zurich, Ontario. When his mother died a few years later, he became part of the Jacob Kaercher family. Along with several of his cousins he came west to Dakota, walking across snowbanks from Neche to Cavalier in March 1881. They found work in Cavalier and when land was surveyed to the west staked claims in what would later be Manilla Township. A prairie fire destroyed their shack and claim markings so in 1884 they homesteaded again farther west and north in what is now Elgin Township. Menno was married in 1885 to Annie Thaler, also an Ontario native and their five children - Pearl, Lloyd, Sangster, Estelle and Rae - were born on the claim west of Langdon. Annie died in 1896 shortly after Rae's birth. A few months later Menno returned to Ontario and while there married Catherine Margaret Feick, a friend of his first wife. Menno and Catherine also had five children: Wilbert, Oscar, Edna, Salome and Sterling.
In 1898 Menno began the Liebeler Implement Co. and sold farm implements and buggies. When cars came into fashion, he also sold automobiles. Menno was a partner with Adam Birtch in the Birtch & Liebeler Real Estate firm which sold lots in the Canadian Northwest, a partner with Tom Finerty in the light plant they purchased in 1903, and a partner in the Liebeler and Hay Meat Market. years before, Menno and Moses Toman had designed their "dream house." Moses built his in Ontario and Menno hired Angus McPherson to build his copy in Langdon (now the Jack Fetsch residence). They also puchased the McPhail farm on the eastern edge of Langdon and lived there from 1910 to 1918 when they moved again to 7th Street. All the Liebeler children attended school in
Langdon. The family was active in the Methodist Church and Menno was especially active in rebuilding the church following the 1909 cyclone. Catherine died in 1937, Menno in 1939.
Making her home with her parents in their later years, Pearl never married. Sangster farmed the land just east of langdon until 1927 when he purchased a farm three miles east of Langdon which he farmed until his retirement in 1946. Stella married the Rev E. Ewart Dudley and moved to Massachusetts. Rae lived in Minnespolis and Florida. Both Oscar and Rae served in WWI. Oscar was in business in Langdon for about 20 years before moving to California. Wilbert A. (Woody) was a doctor in Grand Forks. Edna married M.J. Backes of Langdon and Salome married James Cheatly of Loma. Pearl, Sangster, Oscar, Edna, Salome and Sterling later made their homes in California. -- recorded 6/85