Albert Hoiland was born in Rushford, Minnesota on April 23, 1869.  His family came to Dakota and settled on a farm south of Valley City in Barnes County.

After farming at Nome, ND and distributing windwill feed grinders, Hoiland became an active inventor eventually holding 26 patents.  Some of his inventions are: a wild oats separator, a shutter for automobile radiators and a lignite grate.