Andrew Voigt 1867-1939.
A man who spent all his life attaining one great ambition, that of hospitality
to all, was justly selected as a 1962 Honoree from North Dakota in the
Hall of Fame of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame and
Western Heritage Center, located in Oklahoma City. That man was Andrew
Voigt.
He was born in Saxony, Germany,
on February 7, 1867. he came to North Dakota as a young man, full
of courage and with an abundance of faith in this western country.
Voigt was one of the most beloved
pioneer ranchers in western North Dakota, numbering among his friends,
both whites and Indians. He was of deep religious convictions and
because of this and his generous heart, Voigt fulfilled his life's ambition;
to help others.
This sturdy and hard-working
cattleman was a great friend of the Indian and was highly respected by
all the ranchers and those others who knew him.
His ranch was a "Headquarters
of Hospitality" for hungry cowboys and Indians. He also donated beef
and mutton for the Indian Mission at Elbowoods for years and to many hungry
Indians in financial distress all through the years.
Voigt was ever ready to help
anyone in need of help.
The famous Sioux Indian, Crows
Heart, who's monument is placed in the State historical Museum in Bismarck,
named him: "Andrew, Big Heart White Man Can't Say No."
His passing left a place in the
community which never can be filled.
He married Anna Berger in 1889
and they had seven sons and two daughters who ranched with him, west of
Elbowood for many years on a large spread raising Hereford cattle, Percheron
horses and sheep.
Even though starting from a very
meager beginning with borrowed money, Andrew Voigt, with his hard working
family, built a large and profitable ranching unit which was looked up
to as a model of private enterprise in that vast ranching area, demonstrating
the accomplishments of a great American family, working together.
His seven sons were all highly
respected, working cowboys in every sense of the word and since the Voigt
ranches have been inundated by the Garrison Dam, a number of the boys are
operating their own ranches in other parts of western North Dakota.
Mrs. Anna Voigt died in 1931
and he remarried Mrs. Monica Gress in 1935. She is still living,
although Andrew Voigt died July 17, 1939.
The senior Voigt was the only
Honoree from North Dakota to be named to the National Cowboy Hall of Fame
of 1962. Named from South Dakota was Tom Berry and John Survant was
named from Montana.
