A Way to Cross...

A Way to Cross the Sheyenne - Freighters, military personnel, and others traveling between Fort Abercrombie and Fort Ransom needed to cross the Sheyenne River if they wanted to take the direct route. Bridges hadn’t yet been built, but a little problem like that didn’t stop them. One of the spots on the river in Ransom County was shallow enough to ford since the water only came up to their shins. Putting together the two descriptive words of shin and ford results in “shinford.” That name continues today with a slight spelling change as Shenford Township. Of the two, I prefer Shinford because of the mental picture it creates.

•  A question was asked, why is Shenford so much larger than the usual township? The reference I found regarding Shenford Township’s being oversized was in the red Sheldon Community History, 1981, p. 155. - “On April 28th, 1888 the County Commissioners met and the following resolution was passed: ‘Whereas the proper number of the residents of Sheldon and Shenford School Township have petitioned the Board of County Commissioners to annex the south two tiers of the section of the Sheldon School Township to the Shenford School Township. The north two tiers of the sections in Township 135-54 be the same is hereby detached from Sheldon School Township No. 2 and attached to the Shenford School Township No. 8 for school purposes and the County Auditor to notify the County School Superintendent.’”

  
  

  
  The article goes on to say the township records from Shenford were destroyed when the township clerk’s house burned down. I can’t further clarify anything and now wonder how many sections did the Sheldon district have so they could lose some?

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