Albert Lanterman was born on October 31, 1856 on a farm just outside of Blairstown, NJ to New Jersey natives Abraham and Jane Craig (LaRue) Lanterman. In addition to two brothers, he had at least four sisters, Georgia (Shaw), Ida, Emma and Elizabeth.
Albert completed his education in the Blair Presbyterial Academy in Blairstown, NJ. He moved to Fisher in southern Minnesota in 1875 to join two brothers who were already there. He and brother William would move in 1881 to Hillsboro, Dakota Territory and engaged in business there. He would return temporarily to Blairstown, NJ to marry Maria Rosencrans on February 2, 1882. The couple had one son, Everett Rosencrans Lanterman, being born to the union in 1896.
When in 1883 brother William moved onto Mandan, Albert remained behind for a year to despose of their assets there.
In Mandan, the brothers engaged in a varied line of business interests, including lumber and machinery, grain buying and banking. While he is frequently associated as vice-president to his brother's activities, Albert took the lead in managing their ranching, grain purchasing and real estate businesses, while William focused on managing the operation of the State Bank of Morton County.
Al was the owner of the Flakker Apartments, and his son Evertt built the house across the street known as the Biggs house for many years and later owned by Leo Eckroth. While he was hesitant in investing in farmland, he was a large holder of residential property in Mandan and in the latter years of his residence in Mandan, he devoted his time to supervising the rental of homes he owned.
A Lanterman Stock Brand
1906 Newspaper Ad for Haight Lumber
In October 1919 Albert and his son, Everett, narrowly escaped death surviving a roll-over accident involving their their automobile.
In the early days of Morton County, the brothers brought large flocks of sheep into Morton County from Oregon.
A shrewd businessman, his investments enabled him to build his future to over $2 million dollars ($25.2 million in 2010 equivalent) in the late 1920s. He was at one time the largest individual investor in Columbia Gas and Electric, a New Jersey public utilities corporation and other major stock holdings including in Sears Roebuck & Company. While the Great Depression reduced his net worth considerably, he always remained a wealthy man.
In October 1928, the couple as well as their son and daughter-in-law moved to the Los Angeles area. Albert and Maria sold their home at 219 North 3rd Avenue NW to Dr. L. G. Smith and his wife. The home, as well as the residence to the south, was torn down in the late 1970s and replaced by a new central telephone exchange for Northwestern Bell (now CenturyLink).
Harriet Maria Shaw died on March 9, 1924 in Glendale, California. Albert met Ellen Kelly and was engaged to marry her in 1931. However no confirmation of the marriage has been found to date. No reference to the second marriage was mentioned in the obituary printed by the Mandan Pioneer which announced his death on August 24, 1937. He spent several years living with his son and daughter-in-law before moving to an apartment at a Beverly Hills California hotel where he resided at the time of his death.
With his brother William, they were major contributers to the Deaconess Hospital (later renamed Mandan Hospital), the First Presbyterian Church,
Mr. Lanterman had undergone surgery at a Los Angeles hospital, but died on August 17, 1937 at the age of 81 due to complications associated with surgery. Funeral services were held at Church of the Flowers in Glendale, CA. He was buried in the family plot in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale.
The MHSoc's museum and office is located at 411 W Main St, Mandan, ND 58554 Contact us at info@mandanhistory.org or leave message at (701) 751-2983
