Richard J. Albrant was born at Winchester, Ontario on October 10, 1875. He moved to St. Thomas N. D., in 1893, then lived in Fargo, N.D. and moved to Bemidji in 1900 when he went into business with his brother Charles E.. Albrant and purchased the Bemidji Steam Laundry. Richard was a carpenter by trade. As the Bemidji Pioneer reported on June 14, 1900, “The steam laundry has recently been equipped with new and important machinery, making it in every particular a first-class establishment. The proprietors, Albrant Bros., bought this laundry of D. B. Thompson. It had changed hands several times previous, but we believe it is now where it will stay. A good laundry is a necessity to a town’s future. With their new machinery, it will give general satisfaction to their patrons.”
Mr. Albrant was married on Dec 11, 1901 to Rosetta Josephine Moon in Bemidji, and three children were born to them.
As of Jan 1, 1902, the Albrant brothers dissolved the partnership of the steam laundry. C. E. Albrant assumed sole charge. The laundry continued to do a big business, and the public would dislike to see either leave town.
In Feb 1905, R. J. Albrant was hospitalized at Blackduck with hemorrhage of the lungs and his Bemidji friends hoped for a rapid recovery. His brother, William C. Albrant, an architect by profession and only a few years older than Richard, died in Fargo in August 1905. About the same time, Mr. Albrant became an invalid, his health being so poor that he was practically unable to perform any duties of an arduous nature or engage in business. In September of 1906, he visited Rochester, Minn., and consulted the Mayo brothers. They treated him, and were of the opinion that they could strengthen his heart, having found that he was afflicted with an enlargement of that organ. Mr. Albrant felt somewhat better after returning to Bemidji, but after he became afflicted with la grippe, the disease made rapid inroads on his weakened constitution and he died on Feb 3, 1907.
Sadly, his daughter Hazel contracted spinal meningitis and then pneumonia and died in December 1907. She was buried next to her father at Greenwood Cemetery.
Mrs. Josephine Albrant was married to Antone A. Licht on Jan 1, 1909 and moved to their claim at Bannock, near International Falls.