William Macnider was born near Huntingdon, Quebec, Canada, on February 5, 1850. At 5 years old, his family moved to the United States. He spent his childhood in Wisconsin. In 1872, he moved to Dakota Territory, settling in Jamestown where he worked in a store owned by his uncle. The store supplied goods to the railroad laborers building the Northern Pacific Railroad from Jamestown to Bismarck. In 1876, he established a trader’s post store at Fort Yates. He also established a cattle ranch near the mouth of Beaver Creek, and operated a post office at Emmonsburg.



William Macnider was married twice. First marriage was to Genevieve Helen Wheelan in 1880. She died in 1882. His second marriage was to Cynthia Pingree in 1897.



Cynthia Estella Pingree was born on July 24, 1858 in Denmark, Maine. She was educated at Fryeburg academy, and graduated from Gorham Normal School in Maine. She then attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Boston, and earned her medical degree. She moved to Fort Yates, as part of the American Missionary Medical association. After that she taught nursing in Mississippi, and had two years general practice in Chico, California, before returning to North Dakota and marrying William Macnider. The couple had two children, Mary Margaret in 1898, and John Robert in 1900.



In 1918, the couple retired and moved from Emmonsburg, to Linton. Then in 1939, they moved to Spiritwood, to live with their daughter’s family. William died on August 13, 1940, and Cynthia on May 4, 1943.