Jamestown reported a story on this day in 1916 concerning their resident ‘Turtle Man.’ John Bugger, or Turtle John as he became known, made a fortune fishing giant turtles from the James River. John returned to North Dakota every summer and fished for turtles from May until November. He resided in Montpelier, but was a common sight all along the James River valley in his trusty rowboat. When news spread about the large amount of money John collected for his turtles, Hugh Weston, the editor of the Montpelier Magnet, went to investigate. To his surprise, he found the stories true; John was making fifty to seventy-five dollars a week fishing for his turtles. He sold the turtles to markets in Sioux City and Chicago, shipping them on the express train to his customers. The turtles brought in four cents a pound, and weighed from twenty-five to fifty pounds a piece. The editor returned and reported that Turtle John really was making a fortune using only his boat and jack-rabbit bait.

Source:
Fargo Forum and Daily Republican (Evening ed.). September 2, 1916: p. 2.
-Jayme L. Job

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