History of Crookston Township - University of Minnesota Crookston

dren. Gretchen and Donald. Edwin and Gladys presently live
in East Grand Forks in the Lystad family home. Gretchen
attended the University of North Dakota, where she received
both a Bachelor and Master's Degree. She was a counselor at
the University of Wisconsin until her marriage. She is married
to Keith Cariw and now resides in Tucson, Arizona, where she
is a special education teacher. Donald attended the University
of Minnesota and graduated from Bemidji State College. He
married Carol Wood in 1961 , and they have two children,
Pamela and David. They live in Minneapolis where he is a
manage r of Systems Engineering for a computer firm, "Comten ."
[n 1923, Anchor married Nan Thompson Findlay and built
a home on the farm where they still live. Nan was born in
Aberdeen, Scotland. She came to the United States for a visit
and couldn't return home because of the first world war.
Anchor and Nan had three children : Robert, Frederick and
Margare t.
Margaret married William Miller in 1951 and lives in Whittier. California. She had four children: Deane, Gretchen ,
Pamela (now attending the University of North Dakota), and
Patricia. and one grandchild (Gretchen's daughter), Amy.
Frederick married Linda Kvasager in 195[ , and they have
three children : Scott, Valerie and Susan. They are presently
farming in Bygland Township.
Robert David Wurden married Eileen Hoye in 1953 and
they built a home on the site of the original August Wurden
house. They have four children : Roberty, Teresa, Jon, and
Barbara. Bob also farms, and Eileen is a Consultant Dietitian.
RICHARD ZALEWSKI
My husband was born on January 6, 1948, in Lomza ,
Poland. He came to the United States on May 2, 1963, on the
ship named " Batory". His family settled in Chicago, Illinois.
After Rich graduated from Wells High School in 1967, he
joined the United States Air Force. He was stationed in Texas,
Korea, the Philippines and finally at Grand Forks, North
Dakota.
Rich and I (Nancy Susan Krostue, born May 21 , 1953) met
in June. 1970, when I was working as a waitress at the Highway Host in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Rich and his friends
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Zalewski.
were the first people I had ever waited on. After I graduated
from East Grand Forks Senior High School in 1971, I went to
Chicago where I attended the Ray Vogue School of Fashion,
studying fashion merchandising. I graduated from Ray-Vogue
in June. 1972. I then worked at Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co. in
Chicago where I was head-of-stock of contemporary accessories and then assistant manager of the. blouse department.
Rich was in Security Police at the Grand Forks Air Force
Base, and in August, 1971 , he was discharged from the Air
Force. He enrolled at Allied Institute of Technology in Chicago. taking heating, air conditioning and refrigeration
courses. After graduating from Allied in 1972, he worked at
Central Service in Chicago.
Rich and I were married on May 27, 1973, in Chicago at
Holy Trinity Church. The reception was held at Garden Walk
in Chicago. We came home to visit my parents at the end of
September, 1973. He is an appliance service man at Sears. His
hobbies include guns, fishing and vegetable gardening.
History of Crookston Township
At a regular meeting of the County Commissioners of Polk
County. held on July 10, 1877, a petition was presented from
the citizens of Township 150 range 46 asking for the County
Board to have the Township 150 range 46 organized as a town
to be known as the Town of Crookston. The petition was
granted and the first meeting was set to be held on August 4,
1877, at the St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Depot in Crookston.
The first chairman of the board of supervisors was K. D.
Chase. Town clerk was E. M. Walsh . Other board members
were A. C. Johnson and Chris Sather. They met at the home of
the town clerks. In following years, much of the business pertained to building road and maintaining them . In a general
election of the state for governor in 1879, John S. Pillsbury
received nine votes. There were only nine votes cast in the
Township. In 1881 , the board voted to raise $250 for current
expenses. They had much volunteered labor. On June 14,1881,
there was a division line made between the Town of Fairflax
and the Town of Crookston.
Wild mustard was a big problem, if it wasn't destroyed the
citizens were fined . To construct three bridges and put in two
culverts the cost was $100 in June of 1882. In 1885 there was a
disease known as "glanders" in horses so many horses had to
be destroyed and buried and the board hired someone to do
that. Many public cartways were constructed. In 1891 a joint
meeting with the Town of Gentilly was held to discuss the public highway between the two townships. Road was built in
1892. The board had its meetings in the home of board members. A road was built in 1895 by the Experimental Station
between Section 19 and 20. Another road known as the "Billivans Road" was built in 1896. The township hired a Poundmaster those years, as they had to keep the animals in their
own premises; if not the Poundmaster would pick them up. In
1897, the board accepted certain territory attached to the
Town of Crookston detached from the Town of Gentilly. In
1889, the town was redistricted into 4-road districts, with
changes made in them in 1899. Hog cholera was also a problem in this year. Officers in 1900 were District 1, W. C. Collins;
District 2, L. J. Regimbal; District 3, Thomas Larson; District
4, Lewis Biladeau. There were some divisions in roads made
with the city of Crookston and town of Crookston in 1901.
Many roads were built in this year.
To hold the election they would rent school District 58's
School. At these elections around 65 votes were cast. Not
many women voted. After having meetings at different locations they appointed a committee to negotiate to use the school
house for meetings. A committee was appointed to inquire into
the legality of the town board to grant licenses to shows and
circuses to be held in the Township. An assessment of 5 mills
was ordered on real estate of the town on March 18, 1905, also
in 1905. They purchased 3 - $1000 bonds to help pay for
expenses. "Glander" in horses was still prevalent. In 1907, a
joint meeting was held between Lowell and the Town of
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Crookston for the purpose of dividing the four miles of the
town line between the two townships situated north of the city
limits of the city of Crookston.
In 1908, B. H. Cochrane was chairman of the board. A. J.
Kelly was town clerk In June, 1918, Louis J . Regimbal was
appointed clerk to fill the vacancy of A. J. Kelly, who passed
away after serving 25 years. In 1920 Joseph Amiot became
chairman with Adolph Heydt, treasurer and Louis J. Regimbal
town clerk, and Stephen Altepeter, Poundmaster. Many petitions for roads were brought to their attention, but not all were
granted . Edward Lanctot resigned after being a supervisor for
15 years. Dr. H. H. Hodgson was chosen the health officer in
1923. In 1938, Martin T . Larson was made a supervisor with R.
W. Meyer and H. P. Briden and Louis J. Regimbal. Meetings
were held in the city hall of Crookston. Willard Hedyt was
named assessor in 1939.
Harry Herberg became road overseer, a position he held for
36 years. being replaced in 1975 by Willis LaPlante. The
Township purchased four machines to combat the grasshopper
plague. In 1943. Dr. O. K. Behr was appointed health officer
when Dr. H. H. Hodgson resigned at the clinic due to poor
health. Joseph Brunelle became town clerk in June 1944. At
the present time, he is still serving in that capacity. Theo Amiot
was appointed treasurer to fill the unexpired term of Adolph
Heydt in 1950. R. W. Meyer resigned as township supervisor
in 1950. George Hodgson was appointed to fill the vacancy.
Thomas Brubakken became a board member in 1951 . Leo
Keller was constable for many years. In 1953, a special meeting was held for the purpose of purchasing school district number 181 for uS"e as a town hall. About the same time the town
board got the authority to sell school district number 255,
which the township owned. It was sold to Tony Elbinger. The
township has many good roads and equipment to maintain
them. In 1960, John Baird was appointed to replace Tom Brubakken who resigned. In 1961. the board decided to notify the
people in the township of fire protection. This protection
comes through the fire department of Crookston. Vernon Bratvoid replaced George Hodgson in 1961. One hundred or more
farm numbers and posts were purchased for the resident of the
township of Crookston for fire protection in 1962. Mr. Joseph
Kraft replaced Martin T. Larson in 1967. Mr. Larson served
faithfully for 29 years as a board member. Theo Amiot was
elected chairman of the board in 1967. Joe Kraft rendered his
resignation in January 1971. The board appointed Claire
DeBoer to hold the office till the next annual meeting in
March . In 1972 Rosaire Boucher replaced John Baird. The
present board consists of Theo Amiot , Vernon Bratvold,
Joseph Brunelle, Claire DeBoer and Willis LaPlante, Road
Overseer.
RURAL SCHOOLS
IN CROOKSTON TOWNSHIP
By an Act of Congress in 1849, when Minnesota was made a
territory. sections 16 and 36 were set aside in each township as
"school sections" . This was to encourage the establishment of
schools for the education of the children of the early settlers.
Crookston Township was organized in 1876 and in the same
year District # I was established in the City of Crookston.
Christopher Steenerson was appointed the first County Superintendent that year with a salary of $50 a year.
The first rural school in Crookston Township was in District
55 organized in 1881. The school was located in the southwest
corner of the Southwest quarter of Section 34, south of the Red
Lake River. Also in 1881 District 58 was formed north of the
river. This school was located in the northeast corner of the
Northeast quarter of Section 27 on land now owned by Erick
and Marvin Asker.
In 1885 another school was erected south of the river. District # 140 built its school in the southwest corner of the
Southwest quarter of Section 36. The next year, in 1886, District # 181 was established. There the school building was
located in the southwest corner of the Northwest quarter of
Section 9 and was known as the "Walker School". In 1932 a
new school building was built to replace the old one, but on
216
District #255 : Back row: Duane Norrie, Dorothy Norrie, Vernon
Hoiseth, Luke Boileau, Melitzin Lessard, Edmund Boileau and Orville
Steinbrink. Front row: 110 Barlow, Harold Barlow, Myra Hoiseth, Olivine Amiot, Napoleon Amiot and Roy Steinbrink.
the west side of the road. which was the southeast corner of the
Northeast quarter of Section 8. School began in this building
in 1933. and is the same building now used as the Crookston
Town Hall where elections and town board meetings are held
and also meetings of the North Star 4-H Club. The old school
building was moved to the Hulst farm, where Roger Janssen
now lives. and was used as a chicken house.
As more people moved into the area it was necessary to have
yet another school . so District # 255 was formed . In March,
1900 school opened in a school building located in the southwest corner of the Southwest quarter of Section 12, and was
known as the Valley View School. The same building was used
for all the years the school was in operation. After the school
closed. the building was moved to the Dorothy area where it
was remodeled into a home.
School was in session only six months out of the year in the
early days. September, October and November in the fall, and
March, April and May in the spring. Some people remember
when teacher's wages were $35 a month and they did their own
janitor work. In the depression years of the 1930's one former
teacher told of wages going from $75 a month down to $66.50,
then to $50. and finally to $40 a month. The supply of teachers
was plentiful so they were glad to have a job at any wage, as
there were no unemployment checks, food stamps or welfare
assistance at that time. Schools in the early days had no indoor
plumbing and no electricity. The heating system was a round
heater usually in one corner of the room, sometimes with a circular bench around part of it where children sat to thaw out in
the morning. They carried their noon lunches from home.
These often froze on the way, and some times hardly thawed
out by noon. On extremely cold days these buildings just could
not be kept warm . The fuel was mostly wood as it was plentiful. Water was often carried from the nearest farm home and
pupils drank out of the dipper. Later wells were dug on the
school ground and a handpump installed. A step ahead in sanitation was the invention of the water fountain but water still
had to be carried and poured into it. Most rural schools of that
time had barns located on the school grounds where horses
that pulled a sled or buggy, or were ridden by the pupils, could
be kept during the day.
As roads improved, some of the districts close to Crookston
discontinued school in their local schools and took their children to the school in town. Then in 1953, all five districts
decided in an election to consolidate with Crookston District
and since then have been a part of the present District # 593.
JOSEPH AMIOT
Joseph's father J. B. Amiot was born in 1852 in Quebec,
Canada and came to Polk County in 1879 to homestead on
Section 12 of Gentilly Township. His wife (the former Celina
Bouthelier) was born in St. Wurban, Quebec. Canada. in 1852.
ROSAIRE BOUCHER
Joseph and Olive Amiot 50th Wedding Anniversary.
Joseph was born in 1881 the 3rd of 13 children. Joseph was
on ly 17 years old when his father died . He stayed home until
1904 when he married Olive Fortier. Joseph and Olive farmed
one year about five miles east of Gentilly . Delia was born
there. Then we moved to four miles east of Crookston on Section 2 of Fairfax Township. We went to St. Anne's Catholic
church during those seven years. Theodore was born in 1907
and Arthur in 1908. Then we moved one mile east of here on
Section I. Theodore and I started school. I t was lucky for us
that Edith Duval, the teacher, spoke French as we knew no
English. Olivine was born here in 1913. During this year,
father purchased a quarter of land, brush and trees, on Section
II. Crookston Township. Fall of 1913, we moved to Section
14. We built a granary that fall and a barn in February. In
March we moved into the granary a nd into the new house in
July. Napoleon was born there in 1916, and in the hot dry summer of 1923 Ann was born. There was lots of hard work to
clear the land. We always had horses, cattle, hogs and chickens. Raised most of our food. We attended St. Peter's Church
in Gentilly. We all graduated the eighth grade at District 255.
Many of the teacher lived at our home. Our father was on the
school board for many years and treasurer for the Catholic
Order of Foresters for 25 years. April 1931 , Delia married
George Donahue . They bought their farm in Section 17 of
Crookston Township in 1939. They have two children , Doroth y and Lawrence. Theodore (Ted) married Dora Plante ,
October 1931. They purchased their farm in Section 12 in
1945. They have two children, Jean and Donald. Ted was on
the Township Board since 1951. He also served as A.S.e.
Committeeman twenty-nine years, crop reporter twenty-eight
years, Gen tilly Fire Insurance Board since 1946, Crookston
Farmers Elevator Board for fifteen years.
Arthur (Art) married Jeannette Dufault August of 1940.
They bought her father's farm, Section 4 of Fairfax Township.
Art's been record ing secretary of the Catholic Order of Foresters for thirteen years, crop reporter for twelve years, Director
of Farmers Union Oil for twelve years, on the school board for
twelve years, and a member of Gentilly Fire Insurance and
Waseco Insurance Company. He has two children, Janet and
Roger.
Olivine married Henry Keller September 1936. They have
six children: Joan, Rosalie , David, Ronald , Richard and
Keith. Napoleon married Alexina Tougas October 1937 in
Brooks. They bought his parents' farm in 1945, stayed with
them that summer while folks built a home on Ash Street in
Crookston. Napoleon has been Financial Secretary of the
Catholic Order of Foresters since 1945, been employed at the
U.M.e. since 1958. This year, his son Regis and wife purchased the home place, making the third generation owning it.
Napoleon is building a home in Crookston. They have five
children: Robe rt, Pauline, Monica, Regis and Mark . Ann married Leo Keller June 1941, they bought their farm on Section
15, Crookston Township, and farmed until 1963, when they
moved into town where he has been working for the sisters of
Mount St. Benedict. They have three children : Joseph, Alice
and Bonnie. Ann passed away in July 1967. There are now
thirty-nine grandchildren.
Rosaire Boucher was born August 28, 1915 at Crookston.
He is th e son of the late Wilfred Boucher and Pamelia Riopelle. His brothers and sisters are Donald (deceased), Robert,
Lorraine (Mrs. Walter Holm), and Valeri.an of Crookston, and
Yvonne (Mrs. Clayton Paulson) of Grand Forks.
His paternal grandparents were Jules Boucher and wife
(Denise Farley) who came from Quebec, Canada, and homesteaded in Lowell Township, south of Crookston in 1863.
His ma ternal grandparents were Delphis Riopelle and wife
(Euginie Beaudion) and they also were of French heritage
from Quebec, Canada. The Riopelles settled on a farm just
three miles north of Crookston. Rosaire purchased this farm in
1938 when his 'Grandma Ri opelle's estate was settled, and after
his marriage to Alice Capistran on June 21 , 1939, he moved to
this farm where they still reside and farm .
Miss Capistran is the daughter of the late Ben Capistran and
wife (Annie Conneran). Her grandparents were also early settlers in Polk County.
Her paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Onisime Capistran, came from Sorel, Quebec in Canada in 1883 and settled
on a farm four miles west of Crookston on the "Old River
Road" on the north side of town where they farmed . They
lived in a log house at that time.
Her maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Conneran
Sr., came from Ireland . They came to Polk County in 1879 and
settled on a farm about six miles southwest of Fisher and also
lived in a log house at first. He was a well-known farmer in the
Fisher area.
The Rosaire Bouchers have five children: Gayle (Mrs.
Edward G . Kline) born May 21 , 1940, graduated from College
of St. Benedict. Worked as a Social Worker in Polk County
and later in Hennepin County. Married in 1964 to Edward
(Ted) Kline of Williston, North Dakota who is presently assistant vice-president in Trust Equity Research Division in First
National Bank of Minneapolis. They live in Wayzata, Minnesota and have one son, David John, born January 18, 1966.
Deane, born September 29, 1941. He was a member of Boy
Scouts Troop 42 of Lake Agassiz Council and became an
Eagle Scout in 1957 and attended the National Boy Scout
Jamboree in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania . He attended Wahpeton State School of Science and joined the National Guard in
1962 and had basic training at Fort Polk Louisiana. He was a
member of Company C, 2nd B.G. 136th Infantry at Crookston
until 1968. He was married to Elaine DeHaan in 1967 and they
have three sons, Michael, Shane and John. He is engaged in
farming and has also been the Polaris Snowmobile Dealer in
Crookston since 1970.
Kathleen (Mrs. Randall Sautter) born September 14, 1948.
She graduated from St. Francis School of Practical Nursing in
Crookston in 1967. She worked as LPN in Twin Cities and
married in 1973 to Randall Sautter of Carlisle, Iowa. In 1975
they moved to Crookston where her husband is associated
with Rosaire and Deane in farming and she is employed as
LPN at Glenmore Foundation in Crookston. Bonnie (Mrs.
Allen Brost) born October 8, 1951. She graduated from Bemidji State College with an Associate of Arts Degree in Secretarial Science in 1971. She worked as secretary for a law firm in
Bemidji for one year before moving back to Crookston where
she worked as secretary for the Research Staff of the Northwest Experiment Station branch of the University of Minnesota for three and a half years. Married Allen Brost of Crookston in 1972 who is vice-president of Brost Chevrolet, Inc.
They have one son, Eric Allen, born November 18, 1975.
Mary, student, born September 10, 1954. She attended College
of St. Benedict one year and is presently enrolled at the University of Minnesota Technical College in Crookston majoring
in Sales and Marketing.
Rosaire Boucher is known as a successful, enterprising
farmer and has served on many boards and committees. He is
presently on the Crookston Township townboard and the
Crookston Grain Company board of directors.
Rosaire was appointed a member of the Governor's Farm
and Migratory Labor Advisory Committee for the State of
Minnesota in 1955 and was sent as a representative from Minnesota to Washin gton. D.e. in 1957 and again in 1958 to the
217
Mr. and Mrs.
Joseph Brunelle.
Mr. and Mrs. Rosaire Boucher.
National Labor Advisory Committee on Farm Labor. He
made several trips to St. Paul as an advisory member of this
board until 1962.
Rosaire is also known as an avid sportsman and enjoys
hunting and fishing of all kinds. He has gone on several hunting trips to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Canada for antelope. elk and moose, etc. His biggest thrill of all was when he
shot an elk with a seven-point rack near St. Regis, Montana in
October of 1964. Mr. Boucher is a member of both the 3rd and
4th Degree Knights of Columbus and Eagles Lodge. His wife,
the former Alice Capistran, was a rural school teacher in Polk
County for ten years and could give you many interesting
accounts of her teaching days. She still believes the one-room
school had many advantages over our centralized systems of
today in building strong-minded boys and girls.
Mr. and Mrs. Boucher were both former 4-H members and
later were adult 4-H leaders. All five of their children were in
4-H and all received the Key Award for achievement, and
Gayle also received the God-Horne-Country Award in 1958
for outstanding work in church, school and community. The
Bouchers took an active part in assisting other youth programs
such as Campfire , Boy Scouts , CYO and Farmers Union
Youth Programs. They are members of the St. Anne's Catholic
Church in Crookston where Mrs. Boucher is president of St.
Anne's Guild . She is also serving as president of West Polk
County Homemakers Council at the present time.
The Rosaire Boucher farm was just a little different than
most farms in the area as it was criss-crossed by two railroad
lines. The Great Northern Railway built its tracks across this
farm first in about 1879. Then the Northern Pacific Railroad
organized to construct a railroad from Fertile through Crookston to East Grand Forks and its tracks had to cross the Great
Northern which were already laid. Rosaire's grandmother told
of the fight the two opposing companies had with shovels and
pick axes, but the N .P. succeeded in getting their locomotive
engine across the others tracks. Both lines operated successfully for many years until the N .P. disbanded its services and
later the rails were torn out in 1974. The Great Northern still
operates under the name of the Burlington Northern .
In early days it was a common sight to see "bums" walking
the railroad tracks with a pack on their back. Often you would
see where they had slept on the hay in your barn . Some would
even come to the house for "a hand-out." But that too is something of the past. In fact, about 1940 was the last that anyone
remembers seeing any so-called "bums" walking the tracks.
got its na me.
In 1886, my father homesteaded 160 acres along the river.
My father made a trip to Gentilly, Canada on April 2, 1894 to
marry a girl he had known for many years. They made their
home in a log house in the homestead. They had three children : Wm. Brunelle, who resides in Yakima, Wash. ; Joseph
Brunelle of Crookston, Minnesota and Odella (Mrs. Harry
Patnode) now deceased. They built a modern frame home in
1898. the year Joseph was born. Joseph attended grade school
at a little country school house, and in 1917, he attended the
Northwest School of Agriculture graduating in 1920. He married Milvina Brule on June 2, 1926 and farmed the homestead
till his retirement. They have 3 children; Elaine (Mrs. Lyle
DeRosier) of Bemidji, Minnesota ; Willard, who now farms the
homestead ; Leona (Mrs. R. G. Gary) of Bemedji, Minnesota.
Joseph Brunelle served on many Boards. In 1946, he was
elected to the Board of Directors for the Red Lake Electric Cooperative where he served faithfully on for 28 years. In 1948,
he was elected director for the Farmers Union Oil Company of
Crookston and served 15 years. In 1949, he was elected to the
auditing Committee for the Red Lake Federal Co-operative
Credit Union of Red Lake Falls and still serves in this capacity. In 1936, he was elected a director for the Gentilly Dairy
Association till 1960. In 1942, he was elected community committeeman for Crookston township for S.S.C.S. till 1965. He
was elected clerk for Crookston Township in 1944, and still
serves. In 1968, he was elected to the board of Polk Co. Association of Township officers and still serves. The family are
members of St. Peter's Catholic Church of Gentilly, Minnesota.
WILLARD BRUNELLE
I. Willard Brunelle, only son of Joseph and Melvina Brunelle was born December 19, 1930, on the place I now reside. I
attended the same country school my father attended for eight
years. I attended the Northwest School of Agriculture and
graduated in 1948. In 1952, I married Joan St. Marie, on April
ARTHUR BRUNELLE
Arthur Brunelle was born September 2, 1862, in Gentilly,
Province of Quebec, Canada. He came to the U.S. with his
parents in 1880, settled in Minnesota along the Red Lake
River. Many ofthe pioneers who settled near Gentilly, Minnesota originated from Gentilly, Canada, so this is how Gentilly
218
The Willard Brunelle Family: Willard, Michael, Joann, Mary Jo,
Pamela, Daniel and Diana.
14. in Red Lake Falls. I farmed with my father till I enlisted in
the U.S. Air Force on November 18, 1952. I served as an aircraft mechanic in Texas, California, and Korea for four years.
I returned to Crookston, Minnesota in 1957 to start farming
and purchased the farm from my father in 1964. We have five
children: Michael, born December 20, 1956 who is the 10th
generation of Brunelles. Michael attended the same country
school for 3 years, that my father and I attended. This school
closed in 1964. Then he attended Washington Elementary
School in Red Lake Falls. After grade school, he attended Crosier Seminary of Onamia, Minnesota, for four years, graduating in May, 1975. He helps his father on the farm. Mary Jo,
born August 8, 1960, is a sophomore at Lafayette High School
in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. Pamela, born April I , 1963, is a
seventh grader at Lafayette Junior High. Diana, born July 20,
1964 is a 6th grader at St. Joseph's School in Red Lake Falls.
Daniel Allan, born January I, 1968, is a second grader at St.
Joseph's School in Red Lake Falls. Since we purchased the
farm, we have built a new home in 1964, a 40xl00 all steel
quonset in 1972, a 50x72 all steel machine shed in 1974, and
made many other improvements. I own 613 acres and rent
another 700 acres. I raise small grains and birdsfoot trefoil and
have a herd of 300 sheep.
I have been a director on the board of the Farmers Union
Oil Co. in Crookston since 1973. I organized the Huot Dam
Fact Finding Committee, an organization to study the large
reservoir that is proposed for our area.
Our family has taken in many foster children for the Catholic Social Services Association . We have also opened our home
to foreign students from Africa, Israel, and currently have a
16-year old Japanese girl living with us for one year. We find
this very educational and fun .
GEORGE DONAHUE
Timothy Donahue was born in 1858 in Wisconsin, and his
wife. Julia Casey, was born in Michigan in 1865. She came to
Minnesota when she was eleven years old. They married
November, 1884. They had eleven children. Their first born
lived only a few months, and Charley, their second was born in
1888 and lived until 1968. The next three children born lived a
year or less. Timothy, Junior lived until 1967 and died at the
age of seventy-one. Julia Florence died in 1967 at the age of
sixty-nine. She was married to Hans Hoffman. George was the
eighth child. Arthur, the ninth, died in 1925 when he was
twenty-five. Violet, now living in St. Paul, married Michael
Elbinger in 1944. He died in 1950 from a heart attack. Olive
married Paul Krengel in 1929. They had three children, Ronald in Denver, Colorado; Elaine Forliti and Kenneth of St.
Paul.
Charley married Elsie Hoffman in 1915. She died in 1962.
They had four children ; Albert who died in Arizona at the age
of fifty; Harvey who was lost at sea. He was a radio operator,
flying on a navigation mission when he went down in October,
1942. He was twenty-three years old . Loretta lives in California and Maxine lives at White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
George Donahue family, children and grandchildren.
George was born in Parnell township in 1889. In 1931 he
married Delia Amiot at Gentilly . They farmed for eight years
on Section 12 of the Crookston township. They have two children; Dorothy who was born in 1933 and Lawrence Joseph
who was born in 1938. Besides farming with horses, they had
cattle. chickens and hogs. The Donahues had a tractor and a
milking machine by 1939 when they purchased their farm,
one-fourth of Section 17, Crookston township. In 1953 they
sold out the hogs and in 1967 all of the cattle . At the age of seventy-two, George retired from farming. In 1973 they sold all
their laying hens . They always had a large garden and did lots
of canning and freezing. The Donahues are members of the
Cathedral Parish. In November 1952 , Dorothy married
Rapheal Drellock . He was a Korean Veteran. After a few years
of farming with his father, they moved to Fosston and then to
Brooks where he hauled milk a few years. They then moved to
Crookston where he hauled milk and had a mail route to
Fargo. In the fall of 1962 they started to build a home during a
nice winter just east of the Donahue garden. In 1968 he began
working at the Northwest Agricultural College. They have five
children : Michael who is married and works in Waseca, Minnesota at electronics ; Teresa who is married to Rick Aubol.
They live in Colorado and she works as a licensed practical
nurse in a rehabilitation center; Joyce is a junior at Mount St.
Benedict. Debra is in the eighth grade and Cathy is a fourth
grader at Cathedral. Lawrence Joseph married Carolyn Genereux of Brooks in 1959. He started as a parts man for Thibert
Chevrolet of Red Lake Falls. After a few years they moved to
Seattle. Washington for a year. There he started selling Kirby
Vacuum cleaners. He came to Grand Forks, North Dakota in
1963 and continued as a Kirby salesman. He became a sales
manager and in 1967 received the Kirby distributorship in Littleton. Colorado. In 1975 he became the Rocky Mountain
Divisional Supervisor. They have three children ; Suzanne
born in 1964, Timothy born in 1965 (both are adopted) and
Scott Kirby born in 1967. In 1973 they moved to Engelwood,
Colorado.
PETER HEYDT
Peter Heydt was born in Germany on March 27, 1848. In
the early 1870's he came to America and worked in the New
Ulm area for the railroad. He came to Polk County, Minnesota
where he founded a homestead in what is now Crookston
Township, two and a half miles east of Crookston.
In 1879. he went back to Germany where he married Karoline Louise Sibel on April 13. On June 10, 1879, he became a
citizen of the U.S.A., in the 103rd year of our independence.
President Rutherford B. Hayes signed the deed for the homestead in 1880.
Peter and Karoline had eigh t children: Adolph , who
remained on the farm ; Ervin , a rancher in Montana ; William,
Peter Heydt.
Karoline Heydt.
219
who was a policeman in Minneapolis; Herma n, a C.P.A. in
MinneapolIs.
Three of the girls married area farmers: Mrs. Emil (Louise)
Erdmann, Mrs. Martin (Ida) Wagner, Mrs. Louis (Gertrude)
Wentzel and HIlda, who became a school teacher and later
worked for th.e Internal Revenue Service. Of the eight only
three are stIlI lIving, Mrs. Wagner, Mrs. Erdmann and Hilda .
One story Karoline used to tell was of a time when two Indians came to the cabin . As neither Indian could speak English,
by uSing sIgns they let her know they were hungry . Though she
was frIghtened she fed them and they went on their way.
Several years la ter they returned and thanked her for having
fed them as by then they could all speak some English.
Peter dIed In March of 1930 and Karoline died on Aug II
1949.
. ,
Adolph's son , Willard is still living on the family farm.
ANDREW J. KELLEY
Andrew J . Kelley, Crookston township pioneer, was a Civil
War hero and one of few Polk County settlers who were possessors of the Congressional Medal of Honor. The Medal and
Citation are now on display at the Polk County Historical
Museum In Crookston having been willed to the Society by his
son Leonard who dIed In 1972. The Citation discloses that
"Mr. Kelley conducted himself with credit throughout the war,
dIstInguIshIng hImself at Knoxville , Tennessee where on
November 20, 1863 he led a party of six in firing a stone mansIon whIch was the key to the Confederate position. In recognitIOn of thIs servIce Congress voted him a medal of gallantry."
He enlIsted when only seventeen years of age.
I nCldently, hIs forebearers were gallant soldiers. He was
born In LaG rand County, Indiana September 3, 1845. His
grandfather served in the Revolutionary War and his father
John Kelley, was wounded by a tomahawk and left for dead
on the battlefields of Tippecanoe in 1811. Andrew's early boyhood was spent on his family farm. After the war he attended
college at Adrian , Michigan and in 1869 became an official of
the Penitentiary force at Jackson , Michigan. In the early
1870's having read of the possibilities of the Northwest he
came to Minneso ta seeking a homestead. At Detroit Minnesota land office officials directed him to Red Lake Crossing,
now Crookston. He preempted a claim and later purchased
200 acres In Crookston township. Later he acquired another
tract by use of hIs soldIers homestead right, all on the north
bank of the Red Lake River two miles east of Crookston. Part
of this land is still owned by the Kelley grandchildren .
In 1869 Andrew married Ella Fleming of Burr Oak, Michigan, a daughter of Reverend Samuel Fleming, a noted scholar
and author as well as a Presbyterian minister. They were parents of three sons and four daughters. Herbert Kelly served as
a surveyor for the Canadian government for over 50 years.
EdWin Kelley, a Spanish-American War veteran and later
SherIff and Deputy Sheriff of Polk County married Stella Barlow. were parents of one son and four daughters. He also
engaged In farming. Leonard served in the Mexican Border
War under General Pershing in 1916 and later in World War I
in France. Clara married Bert Cochrane and they had one
Andrew and Ella
Kelley.
daughter and three sons. Mabe l a former school teacher married David Fleming. They werd parents of two sons and four
daughters. Maude married Michael O'Boyle and they had six
sons and two da ughters. Two sons died in infancy. Lulu was a
school teacher for a number of years and was later employed
In the offIces of the Polk County Auditor and Treasurer. All of
the Kelley famIly are now deceased. They are presently survIved by 15 grandc hildren.
After Mr. Kelley's death in 1918 Mrs . Kelley purchased a
home In Crookston where she resided with her son Leonard
and daughter Lulu until her death in 1925.
Mr. Kelley was keenly interested in local public affairs and
aSSIsted In the organIzatIOn of Crookston Township, having
served as Clerk from .the date of organization until his death .
He was also actIve In the Congregational Church and the
Grand Army of the Republic, the Civil War veteran organizatIOn, haVing served as Commander.
In a sketch printed in 1902 of the History of the Northwest
we are told "He is a man of intelligence and true worth and
enJoys well-merIted esteem and respect of his fellow man."
DAN KREUTZBERG
Our family is made up of Father: Daniel Michael, born September 1945. Mother: Mary Clair, maiden name Van Camp,
born Apnl 1946. ChIldren: Regina Marie, born November 25
'
1974, another child expected in August.
. Dan's are EI'!1er and Theresa Kreutzberg who have
lIved all of theIr lIves In or near Appleton, Wisconsin. D an
attended grade school and high school in Appleton and
attended St. Mary's College, Winona, Minnesota. He graduated In .1967 WIth a B.S. Degree in Bio-Chemistry. He was
drafted Into the Army In 1968 and spent most of his two years
in the Medical .L aboratory at Fort Baker Army post near SausalIto, CalIfornIa. Dan came to Crookston in January, 1970 to
work as a chemIst at Foremont-McKesson Jiffy Fry now Simplot Potato Company. He worked there one year, but found he
was not dOing that for which he had been trained. He then
became self-employed for a short time having a pony farm and
dOing constructIon work.
He bought four and a half acres of land and a house in September 1970 from Millie Moran. She and her husband Pat
had owned and lived in this place for many years. They owned other land along Highway 75 north, two and a half
miles north of the University of Minnesota, Crookston Technical College. ThIS four. acres of land is almost completely surrounded by trees whIch were planted over thirty years ago.
They are the approxImate age of the trees surrounding the
University Technical College, as all were planted about the
same tIme.
In February 1973, Dan took a job as a chemist at the UniverSIty of North Dakota, Grand Forks and continues to work
there. He works at the Human Nutrition Laboratory which is
connected WIth the University and is a U.S.D.A. Laboratory.
On hIS land whIch he has made into a small farm he raises
part-bred Arabians and a variety of small animals such as
goats and lambs.
Mary was born and raised in Freedom, Wisconsin. Her parents Jacob Sr. and Regina Van Camp who have lived all
theIr lIves .at Freedom. She attended Stout State University,
MenomOnIe, WIsconsin and graduated in 1968 with a B.S.
Degree in General Home Economics. Mary came to Crookston in July of 1968 to work for the Polk County Welfare
Department as a Social Worker. She continued to work there
until January 1975 when she resigned to raise her family .
. Dan and . Mary met in Crookston although they grew up
WIthin 10 mIles from each other in Wisconsin . They were marned In December 1971 , and now live on their rural Crookston
property. We both enjoy living in Polk County and in our rural
setting. We would lIke to become as self-sufficient as we can in
today's society. We feel Crookston is our home and a fine
place to raise our children .
MARTIN LARSON
Martin and Clara (Hoiseth) Larson live in Section 13 of
220
now living in Seattle; and Melvin, born in 1937, married to
Patricia O·Boyle. and lives on and operates the home farm.
They have four children: KeVIn , MIchaeL Colleen. and
Heather.
Their farming in the past consisted of small grain, dairying,
hogs. poultry and sheep. The later years it has been mostly
small grain and sunflowers, and stIll raISIng a few sheep.
.
Through the years both Martin and Clara have been actIve
in church and communtty affaIrs. Clara IS an ac tIve mef!1ber of
the ALCW at Trinity Lutheran in Crookston. and Marttn . now
retired from farming. has been active in Farm Bureau, Farmers Union. Vineland Fire Insurance Company. ASC Board.
School Board . Town Board. and has been both trustee and
deacon at Trinity Lutheran where they are still members.
CHRISTINE MEINE
The Martin Larson Family.
Crookston Tow nship on a farm that been in the family
ever since this area was first settled. Marttn IS the only chIld of
Thomas and Malene (Lundervold) Larson. both of whom were
born in Tysver in Stavanger, Norway. Thomas was a saIlor on
a Norwegian ship. One time when he came to Duluth on hIs
ship. he decided to stay. He sent for hIs future WIfe to come
from Norway. and in 1892 arrived .they were marned.
Martin was born in Duluth 10 1893. and 10 1897 the famIly
came to Crookston. The father had purchased. sight unseen.
land from the Great Northern Railroad for $5 an acre. The
land was almost all covered with trees and brush. The Larson.s
stayed for a time with Peter Berg. who lived 1/2 mile south, untIl
a home could be built. Their first house was a small frame
building covered with tarpaper. They soon acquired three
cows. so with the dairy products and a garden, not much more
was needed in the grocery line. Martin snared rabbIts and
hunted wild game to supply meat. Extra butter was taken to
town to trade for necessary groceries which was carned home
in a sac k on the back . The mode of transportatIon was mostly
walking. with wolves howling along the way. There was an
Indian trail across the north SIde of the farm where [ndlans
from the northeast came on their way to Crookston. Often
they stopped at the Larson home asking for food. They were
.
always peacefuL never caused any trouble.
The Larsons belonged to the Hauge's Minde Church whIch
was located on Hunter Street in Crookston, but the pastor
came out to the country and held Sunday School and servIces
in the schoolhouse or in the homes. Marttn attended Sunday
School and was confirmed in the front room of his home in a
service by Rev. O. S. Johnson .
Gradually the land was cleared and sod broken, horses and
machinery were acquired and crops were planted. After the
grain was cut and stacked 10 the fall , the fat her .would walk to
North Dakota to help with harvest there. One tIme he walked
90 miles to a job. Later in the fall, a thresh 109 machtne would
move into the Larson's yard and thresh the stacks WIth SIX men
pitching the bundles into the separator.
.
From the beginning, the famIly had sheep to furnish wool
for some of the clothing. Mr. Larson would do the sheanng
and carding and Mrs. Larson would do the sptnntng and kntt-
Christine Meine was born July 4, 1895 to Brent and Johanna
(Olson) Abrahamson. who were from Kjakan. Northland.
Norway. She was the seventh child and had nine brothers and
sisters: Marie. Anna. Mary. Ole. Englen. Helof, Mable. Bert
and Elmer who were twins. They grew up in Onstad TownshIp
in Polk County and went to the country school there. They
also attended Our Savior's Lutheran Church on Onstad Township.
.
Christine met Henry Meine in 1920, when she was cook 109
for the threshing crew of John CambeL who rented Henr:(s
farm in Crookston township. Henry had bought that farm 10
1917 and came up for threshing from Illinois, where he had a
dairy farm. They made a date and Henry went back to to sell his farm. When he came back they were marrIed
December I L 1921. Henry was 42 and Christine was 25.
Henry was born in Steincke County, Neinburg, Germany near
Hanover on January 28. 1879. Henry's family moved to United States. Illinois. when he was three years old. WIth hIS
father Fred. mother Sophia (Biermann). brother Herman . sister Christina. Henry and Christtne worked together farm 109.
Helen (Swift) was the first born. September 2, 1922 ; Clara
(Klooz) September 22. 1927; Gladys (Opperud) February 23,
1931: Elsworth. January 16. 1936 ; WIllard. Apnl 19. 1942;
Duane. September 4. 1948.
.
.
..
Henry and Christine worked SIde by SIde mIlktng cows.
seeding grain. threshing and filling silo. The.x would thresh for
Paul Baird. Adolph Heydt. Hultz brothers WIth theIr help. and
then their own farm in Crookston Township . Then they would
go to Hammond Township each morning after milking and
thresh with the help of Paul BaIrd. ChnstIne would run the
binder. with horses and Henry and Paul would shock the
grain. Then Henry would run his threshing machine while Paul
Baird and Christine would haul the bundles. Bill Peet would
haul grain to town with his truck, as it was too far and slow to
haul with horses.
They attended Trinity Lutheran Church where they brought
up their children. Christine belonged to the Ruth GUIld.
went to school in District 255. He also helped with
the farm work . [n 1922, he married Clara Hoiseth. Clara was
born in Crookston in 1902 to Oscar and Katie (Mertens) HOlseth. Katie Mertens was of German descent and parents were from Stavanger, Norway. Both had lIved 10 Iowa
and were married there just before coming to Crookston. Clara
was educated in the Carmen school and 10 1916 she moved
with her parents and brothers and sisters to a farm 10 the SW
quarter of Section 2 in Crookston Township. .
.
The Martin Larsons have 2 chIldren: LIllIan, born 10 1923,
The Henry Meine Family: Henry, Gladys, Elsward, Clara, Christine
.and Wil1ard.
221
Henry and Christine attended the North Star 4-H Club with
their children. The children went to the North Star Country
School in Crookston Township.
1n the fall of 1950 Henry had a stroke and was bed-ridden
for four years. Christine nursed him at home, and managed the
farm.
Henry passed away on May 2, 1954 at the age of 75. Christine remained on the farm and continued to farm the rest of
her years. Christine celebrated her last birthday July 4, 1975 at
a picnic in the park with her family. She passed away July 17,
1975 at her home at the age of 79. At that time she was still caring for her animals: seven cattle, sixty-four sheep, some geese
and forty-two chickens.
Christine has thirty-two grandchildren and eighteen great,
grandchildren.
VERLE PETERSON
Verle Peterson lives in Section 27 of Crookston Township.
He was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota on June 16, 1938,
and lived with his parents, Vincent and Gladys Peterson, in
Section 12. Bygland Township, four miles west of Fisher. His
parents were members of the Bygland Lutheran Church and
Verle was baptized there in July, 1938. In 1939 the family
moved to Section I of Fisher Township. Verle entered the
Fisher School in 1944 and was graduated from High School in
1956. 1n high school he was on the basketball team, was a
member of F.F.A .. chorus, and band where he played trumpet ;
was a Boys' Stater and a 4-H member. After high school graduation he attended the University of North Dakota for one
year. then transferred to the University of Minnesota. From
there he was graduated in 1960 with distinction , with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics. While serving for six years in the Air National Guard, he became a fulltime farmer with his brother Ronald. In 1969 he moved to
Crookston Township where he lives now. His farming operation consists of a herd of beef cows, and the raising of sugar
beets and small grains. He is a member of Fisher Lutheran
Church where he attended Sunday School, was confirmed,
graduated from the Senior Bible Department. He sings in the
choir and is presently President of Fisher Lutheran Congregation.
children attended a rural school in District #222 ne'ar the
Elmer Thompson farm. After completing 8th grade, Vincent
remained at home assisting with farm work with the exception
of the winter of 1921-22 which he spent working in a lumber
camp at Effie, Minnesota.
Vincent was active in the Bygland Lutheran Church where
he participated in the Luther League and sang in the choir. He
also sang with a male octette and the Northwest Singers, a
group of men from throughout the county who sang for the
Winter Shows and other events. Bygland and Fisher confirmation classes. of which Vincent was a member, were confirmed
together in the Fisher Lutheran Church in 1920. Due to heavy
rains the river was a half mile wide at the Fisher bridge. So all
the people west of Fisher had to be transported ac ross the
swollen river by boat to their confirmation service.
Gladys is the daughter of Oscar and Julia (Knutson)
Strande and was born in 1909 on a farm near Arnegard, North
Dakota where her parents had gone to file claim on a homestead. There Gladys attended a "little red schoolhouse" one
and one-half miles from home, either walking, or in winter
using skiis. There were prairie dogs that would sit up on their
hind legs and bark as one walked along. After dark, coyotes
howled. sometimes very close by. Even in daylight hours, if a
hen strayed away from the buildings it might get snatched up.
The living house was made of wood, but the barn and other
out-buildings were made of sod.
A rural Lutheran Church was soon organized which first
held services in the homes or in the schoolhouse. Later a
church was built one mile away where Gladys and the family
went to church and Sunday School. Though the furnishings
were meager. there was a reed organ which Gladys often
played for church services. Fuel used in the home was mostly
lignite dug out of the hills, and the only fruit was wild plums
and buffalo berries that grew along the Little Missouri River.
There was a very dry period in orth Dakota, and it became
increasingly difficult to eke out a living, so in the spring of
1920 the family moved back to Minnesota to a farm northwest
of Fisher. Gladys entered the Fisher School in the sixth grade
with Ruth Rhinehart the teacher and John Haugen the Superintendent. She was confirmed in Fisher Lutheran Church in
1924 by Reverend O. M. Stensgaard, and was graduated from
Fisher High School in 1926. The next school year, she attended
the one-year Teacher-training Department in Crookston and
taught for six years in the rural schools in Polk County. In
1933 she and Vincent were married by the Reverend Hallvard
Lie at her parents home north of Fisher. They moved to a farm
west of Fisher in Section Twelve, Bygland Township where
they lived until 1939 when they moved to a farm in Section I,
Fisher Township. The sons, Verle and Ronald grew up there
and attended the Fisher School. There they lived until 1969
when they moved to their present location in Crookston Township.
Vincent and Gladys are members of Fisher Lutheran
Church where both have sung in the choir and held some
offices in the church and the ALCW. Gladys was church
organist from 1955 to 1972 and taught Sunday School and
Release time classes. Vincent has been retired from active
farming since 1968.
DENNIS AND CECILIA PLANTE
Verle Peterson.
Vincent and Gladys Peterson.
VINCENT PETERSON
Vincent and Gladys (Strande) Peterson live with their son
Verle in Section 27, Crookston Township. One other son, Ronald. his wife, Jean (Amiot) and daughters Brenda, Carol ,
Annette and Mary live in Section I, Fisher Township.
Vincent is the son of Swan August and Amanda (Gustafson)
Peterson and was born in Lynn Center, Illinois on June 24,
1903. He came to Fisher with his family in 1917 and settled on
a farm in Section 13, Bygland Township where they raised
small grain and potatoes besides milk cows, and poultry. The
222
Dennis Plante was born to Orville and Annette Plante and
raised in Polk County, near the village of Gentilly. He was the
oldest of eight children. His brothers and sisters are Merle,
Lenore (Mrs. Leonard Perreault), Jim (Willis), Eileen (Mrs.
Wallace Baird), Lowell, Keith and Monica (Mrs. Clarion
Baird). They all attended Kripple Kreek School District.
Cecilia Merschman Plante first came to Polk County from
neighboring Clearwater County to take normal training at
East Grand Forks. to qualify for being a rural school teacher.
She was born to Frank and Regina Merschman and raised
near Bagley. She has five brothers: Eugene, Leroy, Larry and
Gary of Bagley, and Kenny of Bemidji.
Cecilia's first experience as a rural teacher was at Kripple
Kreek School where she taught four of Dennis's younger
brothers and sisters. She taught three years in rural schools in
Polk County, at the time consolidation was moving rapidly.
She and Dennis married after her first year teaching and purchased the farm they live on today seven miles east of Crookston, along Highway 2 in Kertsonville Township. Dennis was
drafted into the Korean Conflict the second year of their marriage, so he sold the cattle and leased .out the farm: J:Ie took
training at Camp Gordon, GeorgIa, wIth CeCIlIa hIm
after basics. While living there, she did substitute teaching In
the John M illedge School, Augusta , Georgia. They were
expecting their first child when Dennis was assigned to Korea.
Cecilia returned to Bagley to awaIt the arrIval of theIr chIld,
when complications set in and the baby died the day after she
was born.
Upon recuperation, with Dennis in Korea, Cecilia to continue on with her education and enrolled at BemIdjI
State graduating with an Association Degree in elementary
education and began her teaching career in city schools.
.
Dennis returned from the service and they returned to theIr
farm. Dennis farmed, but also did construction work.
Cecilia taught until Renee was born in September of 1955.
She kept her teaching certificate in force by taking classes and
teaching until Marcia was born in 1958 and was called back
and taught until Diana was born in 1960. She then decided to
stay home to raise her three little girls, but did substitute teaching in Euclid, Crookston and Red Lake Falls.
In 1965, and two children later, (Randy and Todd were
added to the family), she was hired as the Director of the Polk
County Day Activities Center. She held that position for five
yeras. [n those five years, two more children were added to the
family, Beth and Kyle. With seven children, a reliable babysitter, and an understanding husband, she decided to make her
employment more profitable, and attended classes at Moorhead State evenings and summer to receive her Bachelor
Degree . She taught at Franklin School, Special Education
since 1970. Cecilia is active in several organizations, Association for Retarded Citizens, Youth Associations for Retarded
Citizens, Advisor, Polk County Group Home Incorporated
chairperson, 4-H leader, Degree of Honor, American Association for University Women Homemakers, NEA, MEA, CEA,
Parent Teacher Association, St. Peter's Church Council, St.
Anne's Sodality, and Catholic Daughters of America.
Dennis has been busy farming, driving grain trucks from
Montana, and the Dakotas to Duluth or Minneapolis and in
the past thirteen years has been employed by American Crystal.
Their children are now between the age of seven and twenty.
Renee, married Darrell Maygra on October 4, 1975 and the
remaining six children are attending Crookston schools. Dennis and Cecilia will celebrate their 25th Wedding Anniversary
on August L 1976.
ROBERT ROUSSEAU
We came to Crookston in August, 1954 from Moorhead, as
Bob was transferred by American Crystal Sugar. We bought
five acres of land from Patrick Moran three miles north of
Minnesota Technical College (which was AC School then).
Our land was a pasture so we rented an apartment and made
plans to build a double garage. We planned to live in one half
and have our car in the other half. However, the car was only
in the garage once because of all our personal belongings. We
moved into our garage about six weeks after we started building it. We did most of the work ourselves, with some help from
Dennis and Cecilia Plante , Renee and Darrell Maygra , Marcia ,
Randy, Todd, Kyle, Beth and Diana.
our families who live forty miles from here. This was the first
building Bob had built. We borrowed a plow and tractor from
our neighbor to plow ground to get ready for a crop in the
spring. We didn't have a well, so we hauled water from the
neighbors in a cream can for drinking and cooking. We melted
snow in the winter for washing clothes. In the summer of 1955
we built a cistern to store water which we hauled in by a 550gallon tank . Then we put a cistern pump in our garage. Our
first child was born in September, 1955.
In 1956 we built a quonset to have a place to store machinery and materials for our new home which we started to build.
Our garage was getting rather small as we were expecting our
second child in the spring of 1957.
We had the basement bulldozed out by Pribula Construction. We poured the basement floor by mixing our own gravel
and cement with the help of fellow employees of American
Crystal and neighbors. Bob got the house enclosed by fall. In
Novem ber 1958, our third girl was born, so we were getting
anxious to get into the new house. We moved in November,
1959 with only the kitchen partly done; no cupboards or running water and only one bedroom finished. We finished the
house slowly, but surely. We decided to build a little barn to
raise our own beef.
In the fall of 1960, we bought six 4-day old calves and kept
them a year and butchered what we needed and sold the rest.
With the money gained we bought back more baby calves for
our own beef for the next year. In the fall of 1963, aUf son was
born. We decided to go into caged-laying hens so that meant
to build another building 30' x [ 10', which housed 2,800 hens.
They had to be fed and eggs picked once a day. This was a
family project as Bob fed them in the morning, and I and the
girls picked the eggs every afternoon. We cleaned the house
once a month. By the summer of 1970, we decided to quit with
the chickens because of low prices. Bob did all this extra work
besides working eight hours a day at American Crystal. [,
Joan , started working as a teacher's aide for trainable retarded
children. So with working and household tasks we are kept
busy. Our oldest daughter, Roberta was married in June 1975,
Renae is ajunior and Kelly is in sixth grade at Highland Middle School.
223
East Polk County
IVER AMUNDSON
Iver Amundson and Syverine Bilden were married at
Mcintosh. Minnesota. Polk County. on March 2, 1896, by F.
S. Reishus. Lutheran pastor. Iver was born in Nordland. Norway. on June 24. 1865. of parents Amund and Aletta Sorfjord.
Vesteraalen. Since he was a son of Amund his name became
Amundson. Syverine Bilden was born in Hadeland, Norway.
on July 10. 1874. of parents Gulbrand and Anne Haugen, who
changed their name to Bilden after arriving in America. They
lived in a two-room log house, which was later enlarged. To
this union ten children were born: Oscar; Anna, Mrs. Soren
Smith: Gustav: Helen. Mrs. Gilbert Fosse; Godfred; Mabel.
Mrs. Alfred Gravos; Ingeman ; Otto; Eunice, Mrs. Vincent
Rh odes: and Roald. They had 23 grandchi ldren . All the chi ldren were born and raised on the 160-acre farm in Badger
township about five miles north of Erskine. The Amundsons
were charter members of Saron Lutheran church where all
their children have been baptized and confirmed .
Iver was active in community affairs, being a member of
township. school and church boards. He was custodian of
Saron church for many years, serving without salary, as his
special service to the Lord.
In January. 1908. Iver met with a painful accident, which
nearly cost him his life. While sawing wood with a circular saw
with the help of neighbors at his home, he slipped on the ice
and his right knee cap was cut badly. After suffering many
weeks at a Crookston hospital. he returned to his home with a
stiff knee. Later he got around as well as anyone.
Another disaster which took place on his birthday, June 24.
1947. was a tornado which destroyed most of the farm buildings. Fortunately they saw it coming, so they lay down under
some low bushes and plum trees, where nothing happened to
fall. Iver talked often about watching the barn taken up and
exploding all over the place . Many animals were killed and
machinery smashed. Much of the contents of the second floor
of the farm house were scattered over a wide area. How they
appreciated the help of kind friends and neighbors at times
like that!
On their farm. the Amundsons raised cattle, hogs and chickens. oats. barley and hay and a large garden. They also kept
bees. and honey was a welcome substitute in the sugar shortage during the first World War. Eggs and cream supplied most
of the money for groceries and clothing. much of which was
purchased at the little country store at Cisco, and at T. K.
Berges at Erskine.
Mr. Amundson never drove a car, but often talked about
earlier pioneer days when he and neighbors walked to Crook-
Mr. and Mrs. Iver Amundson and Family: Top row: Oscar, Anna, Otto,
Helen and Ingeman. Sealed: Mabel , Mr. Amundson , Roald, Mrs.
Amundson and Eunice.
224
ston and back . to get necessities. This was a distance of 45
miles. What an advan tage when later they owned oxen and
horses. I n spite of hardships and privation, theirs was a happy
home' The doors were a lways open for friends and neighbors.
church groups such as Ladies Aid, choirs and prayer meetings.
All were welcome especially in winter when it was not practica l to heat the church. They never owned keys for their doors.
Mrs. Amundson's hobby was raising flowers. Many of her
lovely bouquets found their way to sick neighbors, and to the
church at funerals . When young. she had stud ied dress-making. which came in handy with so much sewing to do. She
corded and spun wool into yarn and knitted a ll the socks and
mittens for the family. She was never known to sit down to rest
without her knitting. All the children learned to read Norwegian before starting school.
Mr. Amundson passed away in 1939, and his wife in 1945.
They were buried near Saron Lutheran church .
II
Pioneer log house of Mr. and Mrs. Iver Amundson 1896. With them is
Iver's Mother.
A.G.CAYLER
Allen G. Thurman Cayler settled in Polk County in 1903.
He was born in Webster Coun ty, Iowa, in 1876. He traveled to
northwestern Minnesota from Iowa in a covered wagon pulled
by a team of horses and leading a saddle horse. He made his
living by farming. digging wells and threshing. He loved to
work with gas engines and steam threshing rigs. He later
worked for the Great Northern Railroad at the Crookston
roundhouse repairing steam locomotives.
He was married to Laura Louise Mitchell in 1909. Laura
Mitchell was a school teacher and was born in Woodside
township. a daughter of Henry G. Mitchell. Mr. a nd Mrs. Cayler raised a family of four children: Myrtle Grace, the oldest,
married Russell Moline of Lansing, Iowa. Allen, the second
child. married Marian Rude, a daughter of the Martin Rudes.
Marian died. leaving a family of six small children, five boys
and one girl. Allen now lives in Alpena, Michigan. Russell , the
third child. lives at Mentor , Minnesota, and Donald , the
fourth. lives at Erskine, Minnesota.
Mr. Cayler died in 1954. Mrs. Cayler is 90 years old and
lives at Rivervi ew Nursing Home in Crookston. Mrs. Cayler
has 32 great-grandchildren and 14 grandchildren .
When I was very young, we lived on a farm approximately
ten miles north of Crookston. Mother made a lot of butter a nd
took it to town with a horse and buggy, taking my brother a nd
me along. One time a car came up behind us frightening the
horse. so that she jumped toward the water-filled ditch but,
luckily. we stayed upright.