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  Anna Rasmussen Interview, ca. 1977

  Anna Rasmussen

  Anna Rasmussen was 90 years old and lived in Morris. She was born in Denmark and came to the United States in 1922.

  In this interview, Anna discusses life in Denmark and Danish foods. She worked on her farm and also held some restaurant jobs. Her husband was a road-builder, so she discusses the roads in Minnesota.

  Stevens County

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  Alma Rasmusson Interview, 1979

  Alma Rasmusson

  In this interview, Alma Rasmusson discusses her family heritage and Norwegian ethnicity along with her education and her teaching career in North Dakota. She discusses life on the farm in Pope County and Stevens County. Her sister Agnes Haldorson is also mentioned, who was a nurse in Hancock and Minneapolis. The interview consists mainly of reminiscences of her life and family.

  Pope County

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  Dayle Ray Interview, ca. 1977

  Dayle Ray

  Dayle Ray was 61 years old and born near Barrett. He then moved into the town of Barrett in 1961. Dayle Ray was the postmaster in Barrett, Minnesota and wrote a history of Barrett.

  In this interview, he discusses writing the history of Barrett. He talks about the radio station in Barrett, which was one of the earliest radio stations in the area. He talks about the history of the Barrett Ice Works and how the ice plant worked. He explains the Barrett Runestone. He discusses the Old Settlers Reunion in Barrett, Minnesota, which is an annual event.

  Grant County

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  Hervey Richardson Interview, 1975

  Hervey Richardson

  Mr. Richardson was born in 1901, went to Macalester College, and a retailing school in New York City. He started farming in 1924. He sold his farm in 1963 and moved to Morris. In 1965 he became the city assessor. He was also involved in DFL politics starting in the 1930s. He was an active member in many cooperatives in the Stevens County area.

  In this interview, Mr. Richardson discusses his cooperative memberships, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party and its politics, and the 1948 presidential election.

  Stevens County

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  Hervey Richardson Interview, 1977

  Hervey Richardson

  Hervey Richardson was born in 1901, went to Macalester College, and a retailing school in New York City. He started farming in 1924. He sold his farm in 1963 and moved to Morris. In 1965 he became the city assessor. He was also involved in DFL politics starting in the 1930s. He was an active member in many cooperatives in the Stevens County area.

  In this interview, Hervey Richardson discusses his role with the Federated Telephone Cooperative in Chokio. He talks about the phone and other general information such as switching and line repair. He discusses the reason the 24 mutual phone companies in the area combined to form Federated Telephone Cooperative. He talks about the early development of Federated and its dealings with the Bell system. He also talks about Federated's dealings with the Rural Electrification Administration (REA).

  Stevens County

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  Hervey Richardson Interview, ca. 1976

  Hervey Richardson

  Hervey Richardson is 75 years old and was born in Morris. His father was a congregational minister. Hervey Richardson graduated from Macalester College and received a fellowship to study retailing in New York. He returned to farm outside of Morris.

  In this interview, Hervey Richardson talks about farming and early tractors. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1960, and he mentions his role in determining the state bird. He then became the Morris City Assessor and he discusses the various aspects of that job.

  Stevens County

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  Thomas Riley Interview, ca. 1977

  Thomas Riley

  Tom Riley was 72 years old and was born in Murray County, Minnesota. His family then moved to Stevens County when he was a child. He was a farmer for his whole life.

  In this interview, Tom discusses the stagecoach in Murray County. He then talks about country life in Stevens County and St. Mary's Catholic School in Morris, Minnesota. He discusses living on a farm and threshing. He talks about picking corn by hand. He talks about the various crops he planted through his lifetime, and the changing trends in farming. He talks about bad winters and blizzards in the area.

  Stevens County and Murray County

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  Al Rinkenberger Interview, ca. 1979

  Al Rinkenberger

  Al Rinkenberger was born in Illinois in 1892. At the time of the interview, Al lived in Morris and worked in Stevens County and in Hancock since 1926. He was a policeman in Morris before the department had a car.

  In this interview, Al remembers living in northern Minnesota. He recalls blizzards of the north and compares farming in northern Minnesota with what he did in Stevens County. He talks about his work as a police officer, and how he got into the position.

  Stevens County

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  Hugh B. Robards Interview, 1976

  Hugh B. Robards

  Hugh Robards was born January 11, 1894 in Alexandria, Minnesota. He graduated from Carleton College in 1916 and served in the infantry in World War I. He was discharged in 1920, at which time he returned to Alexandria to take over operation of the Cowing Robards hardware store.

  In this interview, Hugh Robards discusses the early founding and development of the store, obtaining the Our Own Hardware franchise in 1913, advertising, business fluctuations in the Depression and World War II, and the rationing of products during World War II. He also discusses the time he spent in France during World War I, tourism in Alexandria, and the civic duties of citizens.

  Douglas County

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  Mike Roggeman Interview, ca. 1977

  Mike Roggeman

  Mike Roggeman is 70 years old and was born in Belgium. He immigrated to the United States when he was 4 years old.

  In this interview, he discusses immigrating to the United States and his time working as a farmer. He discusses playing as a musician at barn dances and other parties and shivarees. Then he discusses other occupations he held, such as working in a blacksmith shop and creating a new farm implement and purchasing and operating the liquor store in Alberta, Minnesota. Finally he discusses the softball games played in Alberta and the surrounding area.

  Stevens County

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  Mary Ronnie Interview, ca. 1976

  Mary Ronnie

  Mary Ronnie was 90 years old and was born in Norway. She worked in the tourist trade with her father in Norway.

  In this interview, Mary Ronnie discusses the government-operated churches and schools in Norway. She reminisces about emigration to the United States from Norway. She also discusses Cyrus in days past.

  Pope County

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  Robert Rose Interview, 1975

  Robert Rose

  Mr. Rose was born on January 7, 1923 and was a registered pharmacist and owned a drugstore for twenty years. Through his drugstore's association with the hospital, Mr. Rose became the Stevens County Memorial Hospital administrator.

  During this interview, Mr. Rose discusses problems in area medical care in Stevens County and the City of Morris. He discusses how the community became aware of the problems and what has been done in the past four or five years to remedy the situation. In particular, he discusses recruitment of doctors to the area and the hospital.

  Stevens County

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  Henry A. Roust Interview, 1975

  Henry A. Roust

  Dr. Henry Roust was born and raised in Mankato, Minnesota. Upon graduation from the University of Minnesota Medical School, he established his private practice in Montevideo in 1928. From 1953-1956 he held the mayor's office. At the time of the interview, he was the oldest living doctor in the area and was residing in his home in Montevideo.

  In this interview, Dr. Roust discusses a brief history of the Chippewa County Hospital and its Board, and also comments on the centralization of medical facilities and personnel. He then proceeds to talk about urban renewal in Montevideo and the development and future of the area.

  Chippewa County

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  Fred Rust Interview, ca. 1977

  Fred Rust

  Fred Rust was 67 years old and was born in Fargo, North Dakota. His father was born in Norway. His family moved to Cyrus, Minnesota, then moved to Norway for a year. After his father died in Norway, the family moved back to Cyrus, Minnesota.

  In this interview, Fred mostly talks about the various occupations he had. He worked for some time doing farm work. He then worked in road construction and setting pins in the bowling alley. He then worked as a welder and blacksmith; he talks briefly about an accident that occurred on the job and about what being a blacksmith entailed. He also discusses fishing as a hobby.

  Pope County

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  Arthur Sand Interview, 1974

  Arthur Sand

  In this interview, Arthur Sand discusses the Non-Partisan Party and Farmer Labor Party in depth. He also discusses how the Depression affected the parties and their relation to the Democratic Party. Also, he briefly discusses local reactions to current issues such as: the model city near Evansville, gun control, and taxes. The interview closes with references to the development of Wendell.

  Grant County

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  Art Sand Interview, ca. 1979

  Arthur Sand

  Art Sand was 77 years old and lived in Wendell. His grandparents came from Norway and settled in Grant County. He had an active political interest and was mayor of Wendell twice. He farmed for a few years and then worked as a car salesman, ran a general store, and was a director of the bank and had a real estate license at the time of the interview.

  In this interview, Art discusses his political activity and some of the issues in Wendell when he was mayor. He talks about meeting Hubert Humphrey. He discusses his time as a car salesmen and the cost of cars at that time. He talks about his general store and what they sold. He discusses the bank he directed. He discusses the fraternal organizations he was member of, and his trip to Norway.

  Grant County

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  Anna C. Sather Interview, ca. 1977

  Anna C. Sather

  Anna C. Sather was 74 years old and was born in Madagascar to Lutheran missionaries. She lived in Madagascar until she was 9 years old when her father died. Her family then moved to Minneapolis where she grew up.

  She discusses living in Madagascar and the trip back to the United States. She talk about her education in the United States, including getting her degree at Augsburg University. She discusses the differences of rural and urban living after she married her husband and moved to a farm with him. She talks about her misadventures in cooking and the difficulties of being a farm wife. She discusses being a teacher and the differences between education when she was teaching and modern teaching.

  Stevens County

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  Alfred Schaeffer Interivew, 1972

  Alfred Schaeffer

  Alfred Schaeffer was born in 1895 three miles south of the village of Pomme de Terre. His parents came from Goodhue County to Grant County in 1872.

  In this interview, Alfred Schaeffer talks about his early neighbors and teachers. He discusses the history of his grandfather who was a miller in the village of Pomme de Terre. He discusses the railroads and how they surveyed the village.

  Grant County

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  Elaine C. Schaeffer Interview, 1975

  Elaine C. Schaeffer

  Elaine Schaeffer was born in Pomme de Terre Village on February 16, 1903. She attended country school and graduated from Elbow Lake High School. In 1924, she received her B.A. in history from Macalester College in St. Paul and in 1930 she completed her requirements for a M.A. from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to her retirement to Elbow Lake in 1953, she was associated with a number of educational institutions in a variety of capacities. Those positions were: high school instructor in Mapleton MN (1924-25); assistant high school principal and instructor in Dickenson, N.D. (1930-1934); high school principal in Lasson, MN (1934-36); head of the history department and dean of women at Elgin Academy and Junior College in Elgin, Illinois (1936-45), dean of women, summer session, University of Montana (1945), College preparatory counselor at Milwaukee City Day School for Boys (1945-53). From 1953 to the time of the interview, she was the secretary for the Grant County Historical Society.

  In this interview, Elaine Schaeffer discusses the history of Pomme de Terre, the Schaeffer family history and her reminiscences of her early life, as well as her experiences in the field of education.

  Grant County

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  John Scharf Interview, 1975

  John Scharf

  John Scharf was born on October 30, 1929 in Minneapolis. He graduated from Washburn High School, Minneapolis and went on to get his B.S. and M.S. from the University of Minnesota. He worked with the Minnesota DNR as the Fish and Wildlife Manager from 1960 until the time of the interview, and he had lived and worked in Morris since 1960.

  In this interview, John Scharf discusses the acquisition of the Helsene Prairie land by the DNR and the history and objectives of its management. Some topics include planting that has been done, control of hunting, changes in wildlife populations and future plans.

  Grant County

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  John A. Scharf Interview, 1981

  John A. Scharf

  John Scharf was born on October 30, 1929 in Minneapolis. He graduated from Washburn High School and received his B.S. and M.S. from the University of Minnesota. He worked with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources as the Area Game Manager starting in 1959 and lived and worked in Morris.

  In this interview, Area Game Manager Scharf tells about the history of the Wildlife Management Areas statewide and within Stevens County. He reflects on his years of managing Wildlife Management Areas. Additional topics covered were: the number of WMAs within the county, acquisition of lands, management processes, uses of the areas, and the future of the wetlands.

  Stevens County

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  Vern Schendel Interview, ca. 1977

  Vern Schendel

  Rev. Vern Schendel was 62 years old and was born in Renville County, Minnesota.

  In this interview, he talks about he came to Norcross and helped develop the church there. He discusses the 40th anniversary of his marriage and the 40th appointment in the Norcross United Methodist Charge.

  Grant County

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  Harold Schinzel Interview, ca. 1977

  Harold Schinzel

  Harold Schinzel was 77 years old. Harold's father helped work on the inside work of the Le Grand Hotel and built the steeple of the Pepperton Church. In South Dakota, Harold herded cows on the Sutton Ranch. He also worked for the railroad in the Twin Cities and talked about tying up locomotives. He farmed in Donnelly with failing eyesight and now he makes doll furniture that has gone even to Africa and Tokyo.

  Stevens County

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  August Schmidt Interview, ca. 1977

  August Schmidt

  August Schmidt was 83 years old and was born in Illinois in 1893. His family moved to Minnesota when he was 7 years old in hopes of making a better life.

  In this interview, he discusses life on the farm and changes in farming. He also talks about the shoe shop he ran for 10 years in Clinton, Minnesota and getting electricity on his farm. He talked about county fairs and one year when he brought bees to the county fair. Finally, he talked about playing the fiddle.

  Big Stone County

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  Henry Schmidt Interview, ca. 1976

  Henry Schmidt

  Henry Schmidt was 89 years old and was born in Illinois. He moved to Morris in 1900.

  In this interview, Henry Schmidt remembers Morris as a town with "19 saloons where everybody drank." He talks about pre-tractor farming and farm prices. He operated a thresher for surrounding farmers. He talks about self-reliance and discusses the dwindling number of family farms and makes some judgements as to its cause.

  Stevens County