[Joseph M. Devine] [Frederick B. Fancher] [Frank White][Elmore Y. Sarles][John Burke]

Joseph M. Devine served as governor for less than one year. As lieutenant governor, he finished the term after Governor Frank A. Briggs died in office. Devine was known primarily for his efforts as an educator. He served two terms as lieutenant governor and part of a term as Governor.

Prior to serving as lieutenant governor, Devine was superintendent of schools in LaMoure County. He also served as president of the North Dakota Education Association.

After his brief stint as governor, Devine was elected lieutenant governor again. In 1900 he became state superintendent of schools. He became executive head of the State Training School at Mandan in 1914, and was appointed state immigration commissioner in 1922.

Lieutenant Governor Joseph McMurry Devine became governor after Frank Briggs died in office. Devine was noted primarily for his work in the field of education.

Former Governor Devine was among the dignitaries who dedicated the Peace Monument at Cannonball, September 3, 1932.

Frederick Bartlett Fancher was born in New York, and lived there until the age of fifteen. He moved to Michigan with his parents and was educated at Michigan State Normal School at Ypsilanti. In 1871 he went into the insurance business at Chicago.

Fancher came to North Dakota in 1881 and began a very large farming operation near Jamestown. He also ran an insurance company in Jamestown and served as president of the board of trustees of the State Hospital.

Fancher was president of the 1889 constitutional convention. He organized the Alliance Hail Association, then ran for state insurance commissioner, serving two terms. While Fancher was governor, the twine and cordage plant was established at the state penitentiary.

In 1901 Fancher moved to Sacramento, California, and operated a wholesale and retail grocery business until his retirement in 1925.

Governor Fancher's first political venture was in 1889 when he served as president of the Constitutional Convention.

Born in Illinois in 1856, Frank White was active in Republican politics most of his life. Serving in both the Spanish-American War and World War I, White was descended from Revolutionary War participants on both sides of his family. He received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering at the University of Illinois in 1880. He was awarded the Doctor of Laws degree from the same University in 1904, during his second term as governor of North Dakota.

White came to Valley City in 1882. He purchased land from the Northern Pacific Railroad and began farming. He joined the North Dakota National Guard soon after arriving in the state, and served as Captain of Company G.

When the Spanish-American War began, White resigned from the North Dakota State Senate and sold his farm. He was commissioned a major in the First North Dakota Volunteers. He served in the Philippines, and participated in the capture of Manila. He was highly respected as a leader and was awarded the Silver Star for bravery during combat.

After returning to civilian life in 1899, White purchased a new farm, this time near Litchville. In addition to farming, he was active in insurance and real estate, as well as politics.

White served two terms as governor of the state. The north wing of the old capitol was constructed during his administration. A $223,000 state deficit was eliminated during his term, and a sinking fund was created to pay the bonded debt.

After serving as governor, White returned to private business. He organized the Middlewest Fire Insurance Company and served as its president until 1913. In 1914 he organized the Middlewest Trust Company and served as president until the American entry into World War I.

White reentered active military service during the war. He commanded the Second North Dakota National Guard Regiment which later merged into the 41st Infantry Division. He was sent overseas in 1918. Due to his age, he was not assigned to combat duty. After the war, White returned to work as president of Middlewest Trust Company. However, he was still not finished with public service.

In 1921 Frank White was named U.S. treasurer by President Warren G. Harding. He succeeded Treasurer John Burke (who had also served as governor of North Dakota from 1907-1913). When Calvin Coolidge became president in 1924, he asked White to remain as treasurer.

White resigned as treasurer of the United States in 1928 to become president of Southern Mortgage Guaranty Corporation at Chattanooga, Tennessee. He continued to be active in business until he retired.

Frank White was the first North Dakota governor to serve two terms. He was active in farming, insurance, and banking. Frank White served as treasurer of the United States from 1921 to 1928.

Governor White was a major in the National Guard. He commanded the First North Dakota Volunteers in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. He commanded the Second North Dakota National Guard Regiment in World War I. (White is third from the left in the front row.)

Elmore Yocum Sarles attended public schools in Prescott, Wisconsin, and one year at Galesburg University at Galesburg, Wisconsin. He was one of five members of his high school graduating class to later become state governors.

Sarles was a shrewd, successful businessman. In 1881 he arrived in Hillsboro, Dakota Territory, and founded the Traill County Bank. In 1885 the bank nationalized as the First National Bank of Hillsboro, with Sarles as its president. Sarles and his business associates started or acquired additional banks at Caledonia, Grandin, Shelly, Minnesota, and Northwood.

In 1882 he founded a line of retail lumberyards, and was a partner in the J. H. and O. C. Sarles Lumber Company. He engaged in real estate and investment businesses, and owned huge tracts of farm lands in Traill County.

After serving one term as mayor of Hillsboro, Sarles was elected governor. His motto was "more business in government," and there was a surplus of $200,000 in the state treasury when he left office.

Elmore Y. Sarles was a wealthy, successful businessman in the Red River Valley. Sarles and his business associates owned banks in many North Dakota and Minnesota communities.

An Iowa farm boy, John Burke came to Dakota Territory as a penniless graduate lawyer. He began as a harvest hand in Traill County, then moved to Rolette County where he taught school, practiced law, and helped publish the town newspaper. In 1889 he became Rolette County judge.

During Governor Burke's administration, many changes were made to state law. Some of these changes included a corrupt practices act; a "short weights" law; pure seed, food, and sanitation laws; public utilities control laws; child labor regulations; and prohibition of personal lobbying except before legislative committees. The state tax commission, state employee compensation commission and public health laboratory were created during his administration. He also established juvenile courts.

Burke's terms marked the height of the progressive era in state legislation and the end of the McKenzie machine control of the Republican party.

After serving as United State treasurer, John Burke was asked by some North Dakota citizens to run for president of the United States, but he requested that his name be withdrawn at the Baltimore convention.

John Burke acquired the nickname "Honest John Burke" because of his forthrightness in business dealings. As governor he crusaded against corrupt business practices.

Governor John Burke and his family in the parlor of the governor's residence.

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