Oscar H. Will was born at Pompey, New York on September 9, 1855, the son of Francis A. and Margaret (Barchie) Will.  After completing school at the age of thirteen, Mr. Will worked at various area village stores and then entered his brother's nursery business at Fayetteville, New York.  He was a traveling agent for the firm and also learned the florist trade.  In 1881 Mr. Will came to Bismarck, Dakota to work for E. M. Fuller who was establishing a greenhouse there.  A year later Mr. Will leased the business and introduced a line of seeds.  This new interest was due to the tree claim law and developing a corn adapted to the areas growing season.  Also, Mr. Will was able to homestead 15 miles east of Bismarck.  In 1882, he married Elvira Isabelle Bird of Bismarck.  They had two children, George and Mabel.  When the Bismarck boom ended in 1886-1887 Mr. Will concentrated on the seed and nursery business.  He was especially interested in promoting more and better corn varieties.  His seed company continued to expand, being known as Oscar H. Will & Co., and which was the first nursery in North Dakota.  After Mr. Will's death on August 26, 1917 in Bismarck, his son George took over the business.  Mr. Will was also president of the State Board of Agriculture.  In 1923, he was inducted into the North Dakota Agricultural Hall of Fame at the North Dakota Agricultural College.
 
 
 

Oscar H. Will Family Collection  |  Agriculture and Bonanza Page