Mathias Dreis was born in Iowa in 1864. He farmed with his father near Hospers, Iowa, for a few years and then wanted to try farming in North Dakota. He took up a homestead on Section 14, Dazey Township, which is four miles east of Dazey. He had a two story house built there.
Mathias Dreis married Anna Kramer in May, 1898, and they moved on his homestead. Anna Kramer was born in 1879 and reared on a farm west of Valley City. Their children were: Ernest, Bernice, Vincent, Laurine, Mervin, Gregory, LeRoy, Emery, Orville, Darby, Marjorie, and Jerome. All attended the Bennett rural school, 'ten graduated from Dazey High School and seven attended Valley City State College.
Mr. Dreis served on the school board for, many years, and Mrs. Dreis sometimes acted as mid wife, assisting at births of babies in the neighborhood, as a doctor wasn't always available. Mr. and Mrs. Dreis participated in community activities.
Ernest Dreis worked as a farm laborer. He passed away in 1962. Bernice Dreis taught school for 25 years, of which 19 years were in Barnes County. She is now retired and lives in Valley City. Vincent Dreis married Gladys Myhre. They had one daughter, Mildred. Gladys Dreis was accidentally drowned in 1935. Some years later Vincent married Effie Laine and they have one daughter, Judith. They reside in Tacoma, Washington. Vincent is a retired construction foreman. Laurine Dreis married Harold Ford. Their children are Donald, Dorothy and Kenneth. The Fords farmed in Ashtabula Township for forty years, then retired and moved to Valley City in 1969. Dorothy, now Mrs. Eugene Klein, and Kenneth are residents of Valley City.
Mervin Dreis served in the United States Army during World War II. He married Johanna LeFor and they lived in Tacoma, Washington. He was a grade checker and powder man for a construction company. He died in 1974.
Gregory Dreis married Laura Undem. Their children are Galen and Loretta. They farmed in Barnes County for some years, then moved to Tacoma, Washington where Gregory worked as a carpenter. Later they moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, where he did the same work. He is now retired and they reside in Yakima, Washington.
LeRoy Dreis is a retired Lt. Col. having served in the United States Army during World War II and later. He married Vernice Webber and they now live in Aptos, California. They have two sons, Walter and Larry.
Emery Dreis served in the United States Army during World War II. He worked as a barber for a few years. He married Katherine Focht and they moved to Mansfield, Ohio, where he worked in a manufacturing plant. He died in 1966.
Orville Dreis farmed in Dazey Township many years. He married Vera Rondestvedt and they live in Berkeley, California, where he works as a machinist.
Darby Dreis served in the United States Navy for four years. He married Evelyn Christ and they reside in Van Nuys, California. Their children are: Deborah (now Mrs. Richard DeMars), Rebecca, Kathleen and Victoria. Darby has a managerial position with a water purification company.
Marjorie Dreis married Leonard Wright and they live in Fairbanks, Alaska. Leonard owns a construction company there. Marjorie taught school for many years but in recent years is a bookkeeper for their company.
Jerome passed away in 1924 at the age of three months.
Mathias Dreis died in 1942 and Anna Dreis died in 1956. Both had lived continually on their farm until their deaths.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 58

Married Anna Kramer in May, 1898.

Had 12 children:
1. Ernest John
2. Bernice
3. Vincent Francis
4. Laurine Ann
5. Mervin Joseph
6. Gregory
7. Leroy Lawrence
8. Emery Mathew
9. Orville Bernard
10. Darby
11. Marjorie
12. Jerome Leo