Grand Forks, Grand Forks County, ND Biography - Owens

This biography submitted by Diane Owens, DHOwens@aol.com, on 1 Mar 1999.
NDGenWeb Archivist Garnett J. Zsedeny, jzsed@worldnet.att.net.

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Copyright (c) 1999 Diane Owens

PAUL RAYMOND OWENS  was born on 3 October 1901 in Lewistown, Mifflin
County, Pennsylvania, and died in March 1975 in Deming, New Mexico.  He
married MARY EMILINE ALLEN on 10 August 1925 in Grand Forks, North Dakota,
daughter of CHARLES ALLEN and SARAH CAROTHERS who were among the first
settlers of Grand Forks, North Dakota.

        Paul grew up on the family farm in Lewistown, Pennsylvania.  He
attended Penn State College where he met his future wife.   Paul and his
wife made their first home in Cambridge, Ohio, where he worked for a
nurseryman.  They moved to Minot, North Dakota where their fist child was
born in 1927.

        In the 1930's Paul worked for Wyman Shepard, a nurseryman and later
for the city parks department.  In 1939 he applied his knowledge and
experience in the nursery business to his own benefit and started a floral
and nursery business, OWENS FLORAL.  He bought more land, three blocks along
Fifth Avenue in Grand Forks.  The recession of the 1950's caused him to sell
this land but the shop continued to be a success.

        Paul was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where he served
as an elder.  He was also head of the Mariners Club, a couples group of the
church. Both Paul and Mary belonged to the Eastern Star serving as Worthy
Matron and Patron during the late 1940's.

        Paul  was also active in civic affairs serving as a member of the
Chamber of Commerce, Lt. Governor in Kiwanas which encompassed the states of
North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.  In 1946-7 he was elected "Man of
the Year" by the Chamber of Commerce.

        In 1967 Paul sold his business in Grand Forks.  He and Mary and
daughter Sara moved to Deming, New Mexico where they built a home.  Paul
continued his "art" by planting a garden which was no easy fete in the arid
southwest desert.

        Children of  PAUL OWENS and MARY ALLEN are:
        i.      MARY MARGARETTA6 OWENS, b. 21 May 1927, Grand Forks, ND; d.
Feb 1932, Grand Forks, ND. Died of a mastoid infection.
        ii.     SARA MADGE OWENS, b. 21 May 1934, Grand Forks, ND.
        iii.    PAUL ROBERT OWENS, b. 11 Jul 1939, Grand Forks, ND.