The Father of Macaroni Wheat

One day while wandering through the public radio archives of Dakota Datebook, I stumbled on a

title that made me stop and open “The Father of Macaroni Wheat.” It featured a man with the

familiar surname of Hitchcock, Charles A. Hitchcock from Buttzville who died in 1909.

To be called the father of anything besides his own children means he accomplished something

out of the ordinary. I didn’t know the story, but with a little digging it soon unfolded. In 1882 a

man named Christian came down from Canada to help with haymaking at Hitchcock’s farm. For

a reason of his own, the Canadian’s baggage included a small sack of what he called “rice

wheat.” However, he was soon called home to Canada to look after his ailing wife while leaving

something behind, that bag of wheat.

The Datebook story drew heavily from the evening edition of The Fargo Forum, January 22,

1907, which gave a more complete account. The article’s writer stated that Mr. Hitchcock threw

the sack in the corner of an old shack and promptly forgot about it. Remember the story was

written 115 years ago and the article contained what might be construed today as sexist language.

It reported, “In the spring of 1885 Mrs. Hitchcock like all good housewives was seized with one

of those characteristic feminine fits of thorough housecleaning.”

She cleaned out every nook and corner of the shanty until coming upon the sorry looking sack of

wheat on which mice had feasted. Luckily her husband interceded before she threw it away

because he was struck by the quality and large size of the few undamaged kernels. Able to

salvage about a teacup full, he planted them in his garden and harvested nearly two quarts which

he replanted next season. Those kernels yielded a bushel and a half, and he “kept on growing it

until in 1891 he harvested 1,600 bushels from forty acres.”

He shared his bounty with friends and neighbors by giving them seed to try. Roadblocks were

encountered. After selling a load to Colton’s Mill at the price of No. 1 Hard, Colton’s miller did

not succeed in making good flour. Elevators called it goose wheat and would buy it at feed prices

only. Fortunately, the local market for durum grew and thrived. In the present day North Dakota

often receives the honor for being Durum Wheat’s largest producing state.

But wait, there’s more to the story. A. H. Laughlin, the profuse historian and promoter from

Ransom County, authored the newspaper article in The Forum. We note that Laughlin was

elected Commissioner of Agriculture and Labor in 1894 from which he became a cheerleader

for the area. Was it he who hung the title of “Father of Durum Wheat” on Mr. Hitchcock?

Technically, the “father” appellation is somewhat of a misnomer since durum originally came

from Russia, and then made its way to Canada. Remember those seeds were brought by a hired

hand from Canada. Nevertheless, Hitchcock’s resolve must be credited for the interest, even

resolve, he took in propagating it in this country.We’re not done yet. There was a man named 

James A. Gates whom Laughlin called the “Father

of Macaroni Flour.” Gates, a miller, worked Colton’s mill and had set his mind to making good

flour. He succeeded in being the first miller in the region to make bread flour from macaroni

wheat. In 1889, Hitchcock took a load to him and asked Gates if he could make good flour. Gates

milled it and took a sample home to his wife who baked bread and reported it was “fine and

dandy.”

He ground nearly 2,000 bushels of it the next year for shipment, but their commission firm in

Chicago condemned it on account of its yellowish tinge. So they proceeded to sell it to local

consumers. Gates went on to work at the Walker’s mill in Fort Ransom and ground wheat to fill

their “Hold the Fort” brand flour sacks.

Local milling was common and many towns had a miller. A prominent name in the early county

history of Owego was Arntson, one of whom, Andrew, left us with written history about his

experience. In it he describes his journey by ox team: “An annual trip was made to the mill,

located at Lisbon in the fall one year, taking up a load of wheat and bringing back a year’s supply

of flour.” We learned from the quote that wheat was being sown and harvested at the early date;

pioneers worked hard at providing their own foodstuffs.

Laughlin concluded his article in the Fargo Forum by writing “The names of Charles Hitchcock

and J. A. Gates should be entered on the annals of history as public benefactors.” The Farmers

Union Grain Terminal Association saw fit to honor with a plaque stating “Charles Hitchcock in

1884 grew the first field of Amber Durum Wheat on the farm in Section 12 of Casey Township.

He thus introduced a crop of unique importance to the farmers of this state and the nation.”

Needless to say, durum makes ideal macaroni. On the backside of a box of a Creamette

macaroni box the company gave credit to Mr. Hitchcock saying what began so humbly years ago

is now the basis for several major industries that grow, process, package and ship pasta and

durum products around the world.