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 manager of Systems Engineering for a computer firm, "Com-ten ."

[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 Whit-tier. 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 High-way 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 accesso-ries 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 Chi-cago. 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 per-tained 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 pub-lic highway between the two townships. Road was built in

1892. The board had its meetings in the home of board mem-bers. A road was built in 1895 by the Experimental Station between Section 19 and 20. Another road known as the "Billi-vans Road" was built in 1896. The township hired a Pound-master 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 prob-lem 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 loca-tions 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 peti-tions 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 meet-ing was held for the purpose of purchasing school district num-ber 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 Bru-bakken 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 Brat-void 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 Super-intendent 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. Dis-trict # 140 built its school in the southwest corner of the Southwest quarter of Section 36. The next year, in 1886, Dis-trict # 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, Oli-vine 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 south-west 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 cir-cular 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 plenti-ful. 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 san-itation 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 chil-dren 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.

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 Sec-tion 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 and into the new house in July. Napoleon was born there in 1916, and in the hot dry sum-mer of 1923 Ann was born. There was lots of hard work to clear the land. We always had horses, cattle, hogs and chick-ens. 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 , Doro-thy 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 recording secretary of the Catholic Order of Fores-ters 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 pur-chased the home place, making the third generation owning it. Napoleon is building a home in Crookston. They have five children: Robert, Pauline, Monica, Regis and Mark . Ann mar-ried 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 Rosaire Boucher was born August 28, 1915 at Crookston.

He is th e son of the late Wilfred Boucher and Pamelia Rio-pelle. 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 home-steaded in Lowell Township, south of Crookston in 1863.

His maternal 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 Riopelle'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 set-tlers in Polk County.

Her paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Onisime Capis-tran, 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 assist-ant vice-president in Trust Equity Research Division in First National Bank of Minneapolis. They live in Wayzata, Minne-sota 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 Wahpe-ton 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 Bem-idji State College with an Associate of Arts Degree in Secretar-ial 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 North-west Experiment Station branch of the University of Minne-sota for three and a half years. Married Allen Brost of Crook-ston 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 Uni-versity 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 Min-nesota to Washington. D.e. in 1957 and again in 1958 to the

217

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 hunt-ing trips to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Canada for antel-ope. 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 Crook-ston 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 success-fully 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 some-thing of the past. In fact , about 1940 was the last that anyone remembers seeing any so-called "bums" walking the tracks.

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, Minne-sota originated from Gentilly, Canada, so this is how Gentilly 218

got its name.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Brunelle.

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 chil-dren : 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 mar-ried 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 Co-operative 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 capac-ity. In 1936, he was elected a director for the Gentilly Dairy Association till 1960. In 1942, he was elected community com-mitteeman 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. Associ-ation of Township officers and still serves. The family are members of St. Peter's Catholic Church of Gentilly, Minne-sota.

WILLARD BRUNELLE I. Willard Brunelle, only son of Joseph and Melvina Bru-

nelle 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

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 air-craft 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 Cro-sier Seminary of Onamia, Minnesota, for four years, graduat-ing 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 Catho-lic 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, Ron-ald 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 Califor-nia 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 chil-dren; 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 sev-enty-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, Min-nesota 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 Gener-eux 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 Lit-tleton. 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 Karo-line 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 home-stead 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; Herman, 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 Indi-ans 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 pos-sessors 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 man-sIon whIch was the key to the Confederate position. In recogni-tIOn 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 boy-hood 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 Minne-sota 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, Michi-gan, a daughter of Reverend Samuel Fleming, a noted scholar and author as well as a Presbyterian minister. They were par-ents 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 Bar-low. 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

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Andrew and Ella Kelley.

daughter and three sons. Mabel a former school teacher mar-ried David Fleming. They werd parents of two sons and four daughters. Maude married Michael O'Boyle and they had six sons and two daughters. 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 sur-vIved by 15 grandchildren.

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 organiza-tIOn, 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 Sep-

tember 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. Dan attended grade school and high school in Appleton and attended St. Mary's College, Winona, Minnesota. He gradu-ated 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 .Laboratory at Fort Baker Army post near Sau-salIto, CalIfornIa. Dan came to Crookston in January, 1970 to work as a chemIst at Foremont-McKesson Jiffy Fry now Sim-plot 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 Sep-tember 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 Techni-cal College. ThIS four. acres of land is almost completely sur-rounded 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 Uni-verSIty 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 par-ents 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 Crook-ston 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 mar-ned 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

The Martin Larson Family.

Crookston Township 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 father .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-

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) HOls-eth. Katie Mertens was of German descent and par-ents 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,

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, Farm-ers 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 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 Town-ship. .

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.

The Henry Meine Family: Henry, Gladys, Elsward, Clara, Christine .and Wil1ard.

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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.

1 n 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. Chris-tine 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 car-ing 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. 1 n 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 grad-uation 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 Bache-lor of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics. While serv-ing for six years in the Air National Guard, he became a full-time farmer with his brother Ronald. In 1969 he moved to Crookston Township where he lives now. His farming opera-tion 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 Congrega-tion.

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, Ron-ald. 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

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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 confirma-tion 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 across 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 home-stead. 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 Super-intendent. 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 Town-ship.

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 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 pur-chased the farm they live on today seven miles east of Crook-ston, along Highway 2 in Kertsonville Township. Dennis was drafted into the Korean Conflict the second year of their mar-riage, 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 Milledge 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 teach-ing 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 babysit-ter, and an understanding husband, she decided to make her employment more profitable, and attended classes at Moor-head State evenings and summer to receive her Bachelor Degree . She taught at Franklin School, Special Education since 1970. Cecilia is active in several organizations, Associa-tion for Retarded Citizens, Youth Associations for Retarded Citizens, Advisor, Polk County Group Home Incorporated chairperson, 4-H leader, Degree of Honor, American Associa-tion 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 Crys-tal.

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. Den-nis 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 build-ing 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 550-gallon 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 machin-ery 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 Construc-tion. 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 run-ning 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 Mid-dle School.

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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. Nor-way. 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 Rhodes: and Roald. They had 23 grandchi ldren . All the chi l-dren 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 build-ings. 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 chick-ens. oats. barley and hay and a large garden. They also kept bees. and honey was a welcome substitute in the sugar short-age 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.

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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 practi-ca 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-mak-ing. 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 Norwe-gian before starting school.

Mr. Amundson passed away in 1939, and his wife in 1945. They were buried near Saron Lutheran church.

I I

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. Cay-ler 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 Riverview 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.