All Minnesota Oral Histories

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  Ernie Hansen Interview, 1978

  Ernie Hansen

  Ernie Hansen was born in Ashby in the house in which he resided during the interview.

  In this interview, Ernie Hansen talks about the immigration of his parents from Denmark and his father's blacksmith occupation. His own occupation as a rural mail carrier for 46 years, the Depression in the Ashby area, and the Non-Partisan League are also briefly discussed.

  Grant County

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  Helen Hanson Interview, ca. 1979

  Helen Hanson

  Helen Hanson was born in 1900 in Grant County and was 79 years old. Her family moved to Stevens County when she was young. She lived in Donnelly at the time of the interview.

  In this interview, Helen recalls education in a country school in District 33, Rendsville Township in Stevens County. She also recalls farm chores and the difficulties of farm homemaking before electricity. She talks about various chores and aspects of the farm, including baking, laundry, and farming turkeys. She also discusses her church: the Kongsvinger Church in Donnelly, Minnesota.

  Stevens County

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  Herbert Hanson Interview, ca. 1977

  Herbert Hanson

  Herb Hanson was 94 years old and was born in Morris. He was involved in the mercantile business, which his father had been owned before him.

  In this interview, Herb discusses a business course he took and talks about selling clothes, and the types of clothes that were sold. He mentions the operation of the store he ran in Browns Valley and his membership in the Masonic Lodge. He was, at that time, the longest member in the state of Minnesota in the Freemasons.

  Stevens County and Traverse County

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  Herbert M. Hanson, Linda Hanson, and Neil Harcum Interview, 1978

  Herbert M. Hanson, Linda Hanson, and Neil Harcum

  Herbert Hanson was born in Morris, Minnesota in 1884 where he worked until 1922 in his father's dry goods store. He met Linda there and they married in 1922, then moved to Browns Valley to take over his brother's dry goods store. They operated the store until 1951 when he and Linda retired.

  Neil Harcum lived all his life in Browns Valley and worked for a monument company for over 50 years.

  In this interview, these long-time friends discuss the early Republican Party, the Non-Partisan League, the social and civic clubs in Browns Valley, the Corn and Alfalfa Exposition in Morris in 1912, the Farm Bureau, and operating a store in West Central Minnesota.

  Traverse County

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  Nels P. Hanson Interview, 1976

  Nels P. Hanson

  Nels P. Hanson was born in 1899 in Westbrook, Minnesota. He attended the School of Agriculture and the University of Minnesota College of Agriculture, graduating in 1933. He came to Pope County in May of 1934.

  In this interview, Nels Hanson discusses the Non-Partisan League, the effects of the Great Depression on farmers in the Pope County area, and the politics of Pope County during the 1930s.

  Pope County

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  Neil Harcum Interview, ca. 1977

  Neil Harcum

  Neil Harcum was 77 years old.

  In this interview, Neil talks about the history of Browns Valley. He discussed how the town got its name from Joseph R. Brown and his son. He tells some tales about them. He discusses the Native Americans in the region and the fair William Palm set up. He finally discusses the grain elevators and how people would haul their grain on barges and, in the winter, on sleds. He also discusses the dry weather at the time of the interview and the 1930s.

  Traverse County

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  Earl Hauge Interview, 1979

  Earl Hauge

  Earl Hauge was born on October 18, 1940 and resided in Glenwood, Minnesota. He was a farmer and former parish pastor, and was active in the Powerline protest in the late 1970s. Hauge was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party and served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for District 15A from 1981-1982.

  In this interview, Earl Hauge discusses the reasons for his defeat in the 1978 election for legislator in District 15A, running against Delbert Anderson. Earl Hauge also discussed issues related to his bid for office, such as education and the Powerline controversy. He also mentions some basic strategy he planned to use in the election of 1980 that was different from his strategies in 1978.

  Pope County

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  Florence Hedberg Interview, ca. 1976

  Florence Hedberg

  Florence Hedberg was one of the co-founders of KMRS radio station.

  In this interview, she discusses how she and her husband Cliff and their son Paul started KMRS 20 years ago. She tells of how they chose the site for the radio station and the blizzards they survived through.

  Stevens County

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  Reuben Heggen Interview, 1973

  Reuben Heggen

  Reuben Heggen's father, Thomas Heggen, was involved in the moving of the Traverse County seat from Brown's Valley to Wheaton. Reuben Heggen was a long-time resident of Wheaton.

  In this interview, Heggen discusses the moving of the county seat from Browns Valley to Wheaton. He discusses why Wheaton wanted the seat, the raiding of the Browns Valley Courthouse, and animosity between Browns Valley and Wheaton.

  Traverse County

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  Albert Hendrickson Interview, ca. 1979

  Albert Hendrickson

  Albert Hendrickson was 89 years old and was born in Pope County in 1890. He grew up on a farm, worked as a hired hand and a driver for a veterinarian in South Dakota before settling down in Hancock in a blacksmith and auto repair shop. He came to Morris in 1942 and worked for Ecklund's Auto Body Repair for 27 years.

  In this interview, he discusses early blacksmithing, shoeing horses, and wagon repair in Stevens County. He also discusses working in auto repair.

  Pope County and Stevens County

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  Bert Henningson, Jr. Interview, 1988

  Bert Henningson Jr. and Charles McLoughlin

  Bert Henningson, Jr. grew up on a farm east of Graceville, Minnesota. In this oral history, he discusses his political activism and career in agriculture and politics. He discusses the National Farmers Organization and his time working for Representative Bob Bergland and Representative Rick Nolan. He discusses the Department of Agriculture, the tractorcade protest by the American Agriculture Movement, Groundswell, the farm foreclosures of the 1980s, and farm politics.

  Big Stone County

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  Grant Herfindahl Interview, 1979

  Grant Herfindahl

  This interview centers around Norwegian settlement patterns in Swift County around Benson. The role of culture and kinship in determining settlements was discussed. The centrality of the church in the ethnic community was another topic mentioned. Herfindahl discusses his family's relationship to the Farmer/Labor party and to "radical" politics in general. Language and generational attitudes towards language maintenance are discussed.

  Swift County

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  Ed Hilbrand Interview, ca. 1977

  Ed Hilbrand

  Ed Hilbrand was 96 years old and lived in Morris. He was born in Iowa in 1880.

  In this interview, he discusses diseases, the depression, and the changeover from horses to cars. He farmed for some time and then had other jobs including working in a packing house and as a watchman. He got his last job when he was 80 years old.

  Stevens County

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  Ora Hills Interview, ca. 1978

  Ora Hills

  Ora Hills was 78 years old and was a lifetime resident of Beardsley, Minnesota.

  In this interview, he discusses farming, horses in farming, and some of the big storms of the past. He also talks about the custom combining work he used to do down south.

  Big Stone County

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  Drucella Hodgson Nelson Interview, 1972

  Drucella Hodgson Nelson

  Drucella Hodgson Nelson was born in 1886 in Delaware Township. Her parents were Thomas C. Hodgson and Eliza Clegg Hodgson, who were both born on the Isle of Mann in the Irish Sea.

  In this interview, Drucella Hodgson Nelson talks about Bill Moses and his farm and how he started the county fair. She discusses the Moses "Big Farm" and its running water. She talks about General Barrett and how he discussed politics with her father. She discusses her father, Thomas C. Hodgson, and his university education at Hamline University and how he fought in the Civil War in the New Ulm raid. She also discusses her education, going to Elbow Lake High School and going to the University of Minnesota.

  Grant County

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  Harry Holzer Interview, 1975

  Harry Holzer

  Harry Holzer was born in November of 1900 in Montevideo, Minnesota. He graduated from Montevideo High School and Carleton College. For 47 years he was a journalist with the Montevideo paper. He served in World War II and at the time of the interview was working at the print shop in Montevideo. During his years in Montevideo, he was very active in civic affairs, serving on the school board for 12 years, working with the Chamber of Commerce, aiding in founding Fiesta Days and numerous activities.

  In this interview, Harry Holzer discusses a variety of topics including remembrances of college, prohibition, World War II activities, and the development of Montevideo.

  Chippewa County

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  Henry Hull Interview, 1975

  Henry Hull Jr.

  Mr. Hull was born August 30, 1929 in Worthington, Minnesota. He was actively involved with law enforcement for fourteen years full time and four years part time prior to his appointment to his office in Morris in 1968.

  In this interview, Chief Hull talks of law enforcement in Morris, the crime rate, citizen-police relationships, new developments in law enforcement, requirements to become a police officer, and the nature of police work.

  Stevens County

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  Edelweiss Peterson Huntly Interview, ca. 1977

  Edelweiss Peterson Huntly

  Edelweiss Peterson Huntly was 81 years old and was born in Hancock. She lived in Cyrus for a lot of her life. She taught school and her husband was manager of the telephone cooperative in Cyrus.

  In this interview, Edelweiss discusses her education. She talks about the changes in teaching and her work with reading for the blind. She mentions working as an operator in the telephone cooperative in Cyrus, and discusses the phone system and problems with party lines.

  Pope County

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  Tegner Hustad Interview, 1975

  Tegner Hustad

  Tegner Hustad was born in 1911 and lived in the area all of his life. He worked for eight years as a state park ranger at Glacial Lakes State Park. Bird watching and ecology were life-long hobbies.

  In this interview, Tegner Hustad discusses the preservation of prairie lands, management of the land, and the changes he has observed in plan and animal life on the prairie.

  Pope County

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  Tegner Hustad Interview, 1978

  Tegner Hustad

  Tegner Hustad was born and raised on a farm north of Starbuck which both his father and his grandfather had farmed. Tegner farmed that land for a few years, then went on to be the first park ranger at Glacier Lake State Park for 7 years. He was employed at the time of the interview as a field supervisor for the Minnesota Valley Breeders' Association.

  In this interview, Tegner Hustad discusses the early settling of the Starbuck area and why people settled there. He discusses the founding of the Starbuck school and church, the effect of the railroad on the growth of the community, early health care, relations with local Native American tribes, and the founding of the Pope County Bank. He also discusses the conditions that caused Norwegians to immigrate to the United States, and the problems they encountered on arrival.

  Pope County

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  Agatha Itzen Interview, ca. 1978

  Agatha Itzen

  Agatha Itzen was 85 years old at the time of the interview and was born in Iowa. She came to Minnesota when she was 20 and was married for 63 years.

  In this interview, Agatha discusses the reasons she moved to Minnesota and the changes in agriculture and lifestyles.

  Stevens County

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  Carl M. Iverson Interview, 1973

  Carl M. Iverson

  Carl Iverson was born in 1894 in Ashby, Minnesota. He was a long-serving representative in the Minnesota Legislature (1919-1966). He served in the House (1919-30 and from 1939-1966) and the Senate (1931-1934). He was first elected as part of the Minnesota Nonpartisan League.

  In this interview, Carl Iverson discusses farming operations in 1868, the Pomme de Terre fort and station schooling, the Non-Partisan League, the organization of the Cooperative, the Farmer-Labor Party, the Depression, farm mortgages, dust storms, the State Legislature, state income tax, the University of Minnesota Morris, Medicare, no-fault insurance, probate court, the planned experimental city near Ashby, and farmer's holiday.

  Grant County

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  Carl M. Iverson Interview, 1978

  Carl M. Iverson

  Carl Iverson was born in 1894 in Ashby, Minnesota. He was a long-serving representative in the Minnesota Legislature (1919-1966). He served in the House (1919-30 and from 1939-1966) and the Senate (1931-1934). He was first elected as part of the Minnesota Nonpartisan League.

  In this interview, Carl Iverson discusses the Farmers Equity Exchange, the Grain Cooperative, Shipping Associations, Farmers Cooperative on a broader basis, and the Non-Partisan League

  Grant County

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  Mrs. John Jackson Interview, ca. 1979

  Mrs. John Jackson

  Mrs. John Jackson was 83 years old and was born in Iowa. Her family moved to Minnesota when she was 7 years old because of the cheaper land prices.

  In this interview, Mrs. John Jackson describes how they moved by train. She also discusses growing up on the farm, chores, picking mustard, catching and selling frogs, collecting metal during World War II, and changes in Morris over the years. She also talks about the Indian School and working as a pastry cook.

  Stevens County

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  Carl Jallo Interview, ca. 1977

  Carl Jallo

  Carl Jallo attended the West Central School of Agriculture. He then went into music and played for bands in Fargo and Minneapolis for 6 years. In 1920, he went into farming.

  In this interview, Carl discusses his time as a musician and big band music.

  Stevens County