Perhaps no one has as many places in North Dakota named for themselves as Judson LaMoure. Political boss Alexander McKenzie comes close with two towns and one county, but Jud LaMoure has him beat. LaMoure was a Dakota territorial lawmaker whose name is in LaMoure County and the towns of Jud, Judson and LaMoure.
LaMoure was born in 1839 in Quebec and came to Dakota Territory in 1860 after time in Iowa and the goldfields of Colorado. He farmed in Union County in southern Dakota, worked for a transportation business, and was also a subagent for the Lower Brule Reservation. In 1870, he moved to Pembina County in far northeastern Dakota, where for decades he owned a mercantile business at Neche.
LaMoure was also a politician, serving in the legislature a record sixteen terms from 1872 to 1911. That included two terms in the Dakota Territorial House of Representatives, two terms in the Territorial Council and twelve terms in the North Dakota State Senate. He was also on the Dakota Territorial Board of Railroad Commissioners for an appointed term in 1889, and even did duty as a U.S. deputy marshal for many years.
LaMoure was just 34 years old when LaMoure County was created and named for him in 1873. The county’s only town at the time was Grand Rapids, which became the county seat by default. In 1882, the town of LaMoure incorporated, and on this date that year, the town’s post office was established. In 1884, after a bitter contest with Grand Rapids, LaMoure won an election to wrest away the county seat. Today, Grand Rapids is no longer incorporated.
Also in LaMoure County is Jud – a railroad town south of Jamestown – renamed in LaMoure’s honor in 1906 after two name changes. Then there’s Judson, North Dakota, a ghost town west of Mandan. It was named in 1901 after its siting along the Northern Pacific Railroad.
Interestingly enough, LaMoure’s father-in-law was a prominent namesake too – Nelson E. Nelson of Nelson County fame.
And one other note. Judson LaMoure’s name also found a home on the high seas, as the United States Navy commissioned two tank landing ships named for the county. They were in service at different times, but both were christened the USS La Moure County.
Dakota Datebook by Jack Dura
Sources:
https://www.ndcourts.gov/court/news/longlegis1114.htm
https://puc.sd.gov/commission/Publication/PUC%20history.pdf
https://www.ndaco.org/about-counties/county-histories/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130767865/judson-lamoure
https://www.lamourend.com/history/
Gavett, J.L. (2008). North Dakota counties, towns and people, part I. Watchmaker Publishing, Ltd.: United States
Wick, D.A. (1989). North Dakota place names. Bismarck, ND: Prairie House
http://digitalhorizonsonline.org
