Follow

• 

  Peter Jensen Interview, ca. 1972

  Peter Jensen

  In this interview, Peter Jensen discusses Lake Traverse boat traffic, grain elevators, commerce on Lake Traverse, and experiences of a boat captain.

  Big Stone County

• 

  Mrs. George Jergenson Interview, ca. 1976

  Mrs. George Jergenson

  Mrs. George Jergenson was 93 years old and was born in Stearns County outside Donnelly. Her parents emigrated from Norway and were charter members of the Kongsvinger Lutheran Church.

  In this interview, Mrs. Jergenson talks about attending and teaching in a rural school, and the tasks involved in being a farm wife. She also reflects on her favorite presidents.

  Stearns County

• 

  Ruth Jesness Interview, 2005

  Ruth Jesness

  Ruth (Ross) Jesness graduated from WCSA in 1935, and attended the WCSA Advanced Class in 1936. She worked as an occupational therapist at the Fergus Falls State Hospital from 1936-1941, and then transferred to the newly opened Moose Lake facility. She married the barber from Moose Lake, who died three years later of a heart attack. Ruth worked as a seamstress to support her infant son, and later they moved to Michigan where she worked in the defense plant riveting B-24 bombers, thus becoming a “Rosie the Riveter.” In 1949, Ruth married Roy Jesness, who was a life-long farmer near Morris. The couple had two children, and Ruth took care of the home and made commercial jewelry. She and her children operated a concession stand at the Minnesota State Fair for over 23 years.

  Stevens

• 

  Chester Johanson Interview, ca. 1979

  Chester Johanson

  Chester Johanson was 83 years old and was born near Wheaton, Minnesota in 1896. His family homesteaded in the area in 1880, before the railroad arrived in the area or Wheaton was founded. His parents immigrated in 1879 from Sweden to the United States.

  In this interview, Chester discusses his family being stuck in the blizzard of 1880 in Minnesota shortly after they arrived. He talks about his family homesteading in the area. He discusses the rural school he attended. He talks about the founding of Wheaton and life on the farm as a child. He then talks about farming as an adult, and about his job at the farmer's cooperative in Wheaton. He discusses pricing of various items at the store, and the change in the price of land. He also discusses the founding of the senior center in Wheaton, Minnesota.

  Traverse County

• 

  Jerome Johnson Interview, ca. 1979

  Jerome Johnson

  Jerome Johnson was 74 years old and lived in Cyrus. His parents died when he was young and he went to live with relatives. He spent 62 years in the barbering business.

  In this interview, he reflects on many aspects of the barbering business over the years. He also mentions working for the railroad, living at Moose Island, and going to movies. He fixes up old cars as a hobby.

  Pope County

• 

  Lois Johnson Interview, 2005

  Lois Johnson

  Lois (Hennen) Johnson graduated from WCSA in 1947. Immediately following graduation, she worked at the Stevens County Hospital as a nurse’s aide, later as an LPN. She married Kenneth Johnson in 1952 and the couple moved to the Twin Cities, returning to Donnelly in 1956 to raise their three children. Lois returned to the Stevens County Hospital in 1957 and worked there as the newborn nursery nurse until her retirement in 1995.

  Stevens

• 

  Wilmar A. Johnson Interview, ca. 1977

  Wilmar A. Johnson

  Wilmar A. Johnson's parents came from Sweden and he spent most of his life farming. He grew up near Graceville, Minnesota.

  In this interview, he discusses the prices of equipment and crops, including during the Depression. He also talks about changes in farming. Finally, he talks about what he does now that he is retired, including jigsaw puzzles and cribbage.

  Big Stone County

• 

  Wilmer Johnson Interview, 1975

  Wilmer Johnson

  Wilmer Johnson was born on June 19, 1907 in Moonshine Township, Big Stone County. He farmed in that area until 1952 at which time he moved to Morris to work with Eames Distributing until his retirement.

  In this interview, Wilmer Johnson started by reviewing his life in near decade by decade terms dealing mainly with 1920-1950. He mostly discusses farming and youth. He then spoke of his family's background from Sweden and the new life in western Minnesota near Graceville. Finally, he gave some views on the changing of life for farmers and further recollections of past experiences.

  Big Stone County

• 

  Wilhelmina Jost Interview, ca. 1977

  Wilhelmina Josephine Jost

  Wilhelmina Josephine (Zaehringer) Jost was 83 years old and was born in Clinton, Iowa. She was a city girl growing up.

  In this interview, she talks about seeing the Wright Brothers first flight and the first hot air balloons. She discusses the county fairs, breakfast cereal, getting drinking water in the city, and her work in a candy factory. She discusses dating during that time. When she was married, she and her husband moved to a farm in Ortonville and she recollects some of the bad times getting used to being a new country girl. They then moved to a farm in Stevens County and then to the city.

  Big Stone County and Stevens County

• 

  Oliver Kahldahl Interview, ca. 1977

  Oliver Kahldahl

  Oliver "Tuddy" Kahldahl was 77 years old and lived in Glenwood.

  In this interview, he talks about ski jumping and his skiing career. He discusses various bands which appeared at the Lakeside Ballroom while he owned it. He talks about the decline of the big bands.

  Pope County

• 

  George P. Kampmeyer Interview, 1975

  George P. Kampmeyer

  George Kampmeyer was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and moved to Iowa, where he farmed for a period of time. At the age of 36, he was employed by the railroad. He served as an agent of the Northwestern Railroad, Currie, Minnesota, until his retirement at the age of 66.

  In this interview, George Kampmeyer discusses the history of railroads in Murray County and also recalls experiences working with the railroad.

  Murray County

• 

  Ernie and Tillie Kellenberger Interview, ca. 1979

  Ernie Kellenberger and Tillie Kellenberger

  Ernie Kellenberger was born in Kansas and lived in Iowa and Illinois before coming to Minnesota. He met his wife at the Elgin factory in Illinois. He then went to watchmaker's school and opened his own business in Morris. Tillie Kellenberger was born in Hancock and then moved to Illinois and then back to Morris. Ernie was 73 years old and Tillie was 72 years old.

  In this interview, Ernie discusses watchmaking and his education in that field. He talks about opening his watch business and business during the Depression. He discusses different brands of watches, particularly Elgin Watch Company. Tillie talks about working in the Elgin watch factory. She discusses the depression, homemaking, and her family.

  Stevens County

• 

  Jim Kenny Interview, ca. 1972

  Jim Kenny

  In this interview, Jim Kenny discusses his recollections of his experiences as a stagecoach driver.

  Big Stone County

• 

  Tib Kirwin Interview, ca. 1977

  Tib Kirwin

  Tib Kirwin was 75 years old. Tib's family was the 2nd Kirwin family in Morris.

  In this interview, he tells about what the town of Morris looked like back then and when they had to go to school with the horse and buggy. He attended St. Mary's School in the basement of the parish while the school was being built.

  Stevens County

• 

  Albin Kling Interview, ca. 1976

  Albin Kling

  Albin Kling was 80 years old and he was born outside Hoffman. He is a steam engine enthusiast.

  In this interview, Albin Kling discusses the early days of steam-driven threshers. He discusses the community cooperation in threshing and the process involved in operating the machines. He also mentions the threshers and their fate during the scrap iron drive of World War II. Finally he stresses the future of steam powered farm equipment.

  Grant County

• 

  Mabel Koch Interview, 1979

  Mabel Koch

  Mabel Koch discusses church activities and family life while growing up on a farm north of Cyrus, Minnesota in Pope County. She also discusses her Norwegian ethnicity, the use of Norwegian in the church she attended, Nora Lutheran Church, and that church's switch from using Norwegian in the services to using English. She also discusses the jobs she held in West Central Minnesota as a housekeeper for several families.

  Pope County

• 

  Kathryn Kohn Interview, 1975

  Kathryn Kohn

  Kathryn Kohn was born in Kiel, Germany on September 21, 1899. She immigrated to the United States with her family in 1907. Moving first to Luverne, she eventually settled in the Barrett area.

  In this interview, Kathryn talks of her early memories of Grant County, drawing some comparisons with life in Germany. The interview opens with her description of Theodore Roosevelt's speech in Luverne in 1912(?).

  Grant County

• 

  Rodney Koser Interview, 1975

  Rodney Koser

  Rodney Koser was born in 1929 and presently lives on a farm near Herman, Minnesota. He was a neighbor of the Helsene Prairie since 1941.

  In this interview, Rodney Koser talks about the prairie as private property, and as a part of the DNR Wetlands.

  Grant County

• 

  Gust Kositzke Interview, ca. 1977

  Gust Kositzke

  Gust Kositzke was 86 years old and lived in Florida at the time of the interview. His parents came from Germany to Michigan, where Gus grew up. He worked for the railroad for a time and then went to Appleton and farmed.

  In this interview, he discusses the changeover from horses to tractors. After he moved to town, he worked at custom corn picking, plumbing, carpentry, sold seed corn, and worked at the golf course. He also talks about buying up flax straw to make cigarette papers. He finally talks about his travels to Florida and moving to Florida to live permanently.

  Swift County

• 

  Frank Krafka Interview, ca. 1977

  Frank Krafka

  Frank Krafka was 77 years old and was born on September 20, 1900.

  In this interview, he talks about his 55 years of barbering in Barrett, the different machines he used and the different types of hair styles that have changed over the years.

  Grant County

• 

  Emil Kroening Interview, ca. 1976

  Emil Kroening

  Emil Kroening was 95 years old and was born in Winona County. He moved to the Morris area in 1920. He operated a dairy farm west of Morris.

  In this interview, Emil Kroening discusses farm life in the pre-tractor days.

  Stevens County

• 

  Marie Krogen Interview, ca. 1977

  Marie Krogen

  Marie Krogen was 83 years old and was born on a farm near Donnelly. After she married, she moved to Morris.

  In this interview, Marie Krogen discusses attending rural school and how they determined if the weather was safe enough to walk to school. She talks about living and working on a farm. She talks about the games and sports they played as children. She discusses the town of Morris and the development of the east side of town. She mentions a time when the circus came to town and the band that played in East Side Park. Marie's husband worked in construction, and she discusses how they used to dig and pour concrete basements. She also talks about food prices and the number of bars in Morris.

  Stevens County

• 

  Hazel Krueger Interview, 2005

  Hazel Krueger

  Hazel (Winter) Krueger attended WCSA (fall 1940-spring 1941) as an Advanced Student enrolled in the business course. From 1941-1944, she was secretary to WCSA Superintendent Theodore Fenske. She married Leroy Krueger, raised a daughter, and continued her career as a legal secretary to Attorney Tom Stahler (later Judge Stahler) in Morris, from 1948 until her retirement in 1983.

• 

  Leonard "Red" Kussatz Interview, ca. 1979

  Leonard Kussatz

  Leonard "Red" Kussatz was 70 years old and lived in Morris at the time of the interview. His dad immigrated when he was 4 years old from Germany and his mother was from Iowa. His parents worked as farmers.

  He discusses farm equipment, country school, and milking cows by hand. He talks about moving farms and the horses they had on the farm. He mentions planting corn and harvesting corn. He discusses playing baseball and his first tractor.

  Stevens County

• 

  Edward J. LaFave Interview, 1975

  Edward J. LaFave

  Mr. LaFave was born in 1924 in Starbuck, Minnesota. Upon graduating from the University of Minnesota with an economics major, he returned to Morris and became a banker. He also served as a member of the Area Health Care Committee.

  In this interview, Mr. LaFave discusses problems in area medical care in Stevens County and Morris. He discusses how the community became aware of the problems and what has been done to remedy the problem. He speaks about the Area Health Care Committee, as well as the bonds used to fund the new hospital building.

  Stevens County