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  Howard Maxfield Interview, ca. 1978

  Howard Maxfield

  Howard was 83 years old and was born in New York in 1895. His father was a tinsmith, plumber, and steamfitter. His family moved to South Dakota when he was a child.

  In this interview, Howard talks about his experiences with the Boy Scouts, including the camping trips they had and building fires without matches. He then discusses his time in Europe in World War I and the weapons they used. He worked in the granite works for a while, then went into farming. He discusses an incident that happened while working at the granite works. He mentions the changes in farming and the change from horses to tractors. He talks about some of the prices of crops.

  Stevens County

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  Ken McKay Interview, ca. 1976

  Ken McKay

  Ken McKay was 80 years old and he came to Morris in 1920 to farm in Morris Township. He was elected Stevens County Treasurer in 1939.

  In this interview, Ken McKay discusses school district consolidation, the county hospital, the courthouse and district highway building. He also talks about the old personal property tax.

  Stevens County

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  Sophie Melchert Interview, ca. 1976

  Sophie Melchert

  Sophie Melchert was 86 years old. She moved to Stevens County as a young girl.

  In this interview, Sophie Melchert discusses what Morris was like when she moved here as a child in the early 1900s. She talks about how the winters were and what they did when the snow got to be as tall as the house. She discusses life on the farm, including wild animals, the roads, transportation, and the various chores.

  Stevens County

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  Meta Messenbrink Interview, ca. 1979

  Meta Messenbrink

  Meta Messenbrink was born in Stevens County in 1896 and lived in Morris at the time of the interview.; she was 82 years old Her mother came from Germany and her father came from Wisconsin.

  In this interview, Meta talks about her mother's death and her funeral. Meta recalls life on the farm in the early part of the 20th century and fieldwork and farm chores. She talks about the first time she had ice cream and the processing chores for their dairy and meat products. She reminisces about her country school education and the entertainment of barn raisings, house parties, and neighbors in music bands.

  Stevens County

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  Mildred Young Meyers Interview, 1978

  Mildred Young Meyers

  MIldred (Young) Meyers was born in Beardsley, Big Stone County in 1910. She attended nurse's training in Graceville and lived in West Central Minnesota until 1939 when she moved to Rutland, North Dakota. She lived there until 1961 when she returned to Wheaton, where she was living at the time of the interview. While in Rutland, she organized a maternity hospital, was active in school board politics, secretary to the health association, and active in the Republican Party. In Wheaton, she continued her nursing activities and served as Traverse County Republican Party chairperson from 1966-1972.

  In this interview, Mildred Meyers discusses her family history, her life biography, organization of the health association and maternity hospital, the Republican Party, a comparison of North Dakota and West Minnesota, and many refelctions on her activities in the health care field.

  Traverse County

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  Mabel Mithun Interview, ca. 1977

  Mabel Mithun

  Mabel Mithun was 86 years old and was born in New Prairie, Minnesota.

  In this interview, she discusses the location of New Prairie and what it consisted of. She also mentions growing up on a farm, the changes in types of machinery and the dances that were held near a hotel she used to work at.

  Pope County

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  Lars Mohagen Interview, ca. 1979

  Lars Mohagen

  Lars Mohagen was a lifetime resident of Elbow Lake and was 85 years old. He worked as a car salesman and repairman.

  In this interview, Lars talks about the types and prices of cars today compared with those in the past.

  Grant County

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  Elsie Mohr Interview, 1974

  Elsie Mohr

  Mrs. Mohr was born in 1890 in Nebraska. At the age of eleven, she and her family moved to Horton Township in Stevens County. She lived on a farm in that township for most of her life, though during the time of the interview she was living in the City of Morris.

  In this interview, Mrs. Mohr recalls her early experiences in a rural setting and compares life as a German American in World War I to World War II. In addition, she discusses the Spanish Flu epidemic, the boom and the depression of post-war Stevens County, and life living on a farm in rural Stevens County.

  Stevens County

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  Elsie Mohr Interview, ca. 1976

  Elsie Mohr

  Elsie Mohr was 85 years old and was born in Nebraska. She moved to Horton Township in 1902.

  In this interview, Elsie Mohr reflects on her life in the German community outside Hancock. She discusses using the German language and learning English, as well as German food. She discusses schools, churches, food, entertainment, shopping, and their first family car. She also discusses the Spanish Flu Epidemic and the Depression.

  Stevens County

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  Mary Murphy Interview, ca. 1978

  Mary Murphy

  Mary Murphy was born in Horton Township, Stevens County in 1891 and she grew up on a farm. She lived at the Villa of St. Francis in Morris at the time of the interview.

  In this interview, she reminisces about Christmas celebrations and programs as a kid. She also taught school for a number of years at the Horton Township country school.

  Stevens County

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  Agnes Nelson Interview, 1976

  Agnes Nelson

  Agnes Nelson's parents were born in Sweden and emigrated to the United States in March 1882. They settled in Atwater Minnesota (Kandiyohi County) for six years before moving to Big Stone County in 1888 where they farmed. She was among nine children; one died in infancy. Following her education in a rural elementary school and high school in Ortonville, Agnes Nelson taught in the rural schools. In 1934, she ran for superintendent of the rural school system in Big Stone County and won. This career occupied much of her life until 1958 when she resigned. She did some teaching with special needs children early in the 1960s.

  Since much of her life was involved with rural education in Big Stone County, this became the central focus of the interview. A rather complete outline of her career as a teacher, and later, her accomplishments as a superintendent are provided. Agnes Nelson delved into her own growing years in a rural school, her parents' philosophy of education and the experience of alternating the Swedish language and English between home life and school. Much of Agnes' philosophy on education is reflected in the interview; both in terms of how she taught and a critique of elementary and secondary education at the time of the interview.

  Big Stone County

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  Ed Nelson Interview, 1975

  Ed Nelson

  Ed Nelson was born on February 11, 1889. He grew up on a farm and at the age of 18 went to Willmar Seminary to study telegraphy. His first job was in Lester, Iowa, and after that in the Kerkhoven-Willmar area, and finally in Morris before retiring. He worked for over 50 years as a telegraph operator and depot agent with the Great Northern Railway.

  In this interview, Ed Nelson discusses his early life and his 50 years experience with the Great Northern Railroad. He also discusses working conditions, wages, and his relationship with the first union in 1918.

  Stevens County

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  Ed Nelson Interview, ca. 1975

  Ed Nelson

  Ed Nelson was 86 years old and was born in Kerkhoven, Minnesota. He worked for James J. Hill's Great Northern Railroad, first as a telegrapher and then later as the train station agent in Morris. He discusses the operation of the station during his tenure.

  Stevens County

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  Edwin and Alice Norby Interview, 1978

  Edwin Norby and Alice Norby

  In this interview, Mr. and Mrs. Norby discuss the changes and functions of the Morris Senior Citizens Center and the committees of the center.

  Stevens County

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  Edward Nordgaard Interview, 1978

  Edward Nordgaard

  Edward Nordgaard was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1900. He graduated from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa and began a 44-year teaching and administrative career in the Glenwood area. More than 30 years was spent as Glenwood Superintendent.

  In this interview, Ed Nordgaard discusses his family history, rural schools, city schools, the Minnesota High School League, school consolidation, teacher-administrator-community relations and related material.

  Pope County

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  David Nordholm Interview, ca. 1977

  David Nordholm

  David Nordholm was 71 years old and was born in Wolverton, Minnesota. He moved to Elbow Lake in 1934 when he began working with the State Highway Department.

  In this interview, he discusses the country school he went to near Wolverton. He talks about driving the horse-drawn school bus and the differences between the school buses of his childhood compared to modern school buses. He talks about a blizzard in 1923 when he and the other children were stuck at the school for two nights. He talks about his first automobile and first tractor. He reminisces about being a farmer and farming potatoes. He talks about working at the Minnesota Highway Department from 1934-1973 and the state of the roads during that time. He mentions the problems with the dirt and gravel roads and their use and maintenance.

  Grant County

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  Rowland and Gertrude Norman Interview, 1975

  Rowland Norman and Gertrude Norman

  Rowland Norman was born in 1903 on a farm in Chippewa County, Minnesota. He graduated from country school and farmed in the area most of his life. He was a member of the Chippewa County Historical Society for 20-25 years. Gertrude Norman was born on March 15, 1908 in Wheaton, Minnesota. After graduating from country school, she went to high school in Montevideo, graduating in 1926. She took one year of teacher training in Montevideo and taught country school for 4 years. She then married and farmed along with her husband until their retirement. The Normans were caretakers of the Swensson House from 1968 to the time of the interview.

  In this interview, Gertrude Norman discusses the first floor of the house, describing the various rooms and the artifacts in each. Rowland Norman then goes on to talk about the upstairs of the house, describing what is in the rooms and what they were used for. He also tells about the construction of the house, mentioning particularities and unique details. Both the Normans make references to the family during the course of the interview.

  Chippewa County

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  O.H. "Henning" Norreen Interview, ca. 1978

  O. H. Norreen

  Henning Norreen was 78 years old and was born near Herman, Minnesota. His parents were immigrants from Sweden.

  In this interview, Henning discusses country school, business college, tractors, and his Buick automobiles. He talks about blizzards, hunting and some of his activities including the town board, selective service board, and the telephone board.

  Grant County

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  Mamie Norsen Interview, ca. 1977

  Mamie Norsen

  Mamie Norsen was 90 years old. Her parents came from Sweden and came to Lake Park, Minnesota, then the Wheaton area. Her father built their house and picked out the land there because he felt more at home there. She has lived in the house ever since 2 1/2 years ago in which she spent time with her aunt in Duluth.

  In this interview, Mamie discusses her father, blizzards in Minnesota, farm life, and her father starting a rural telephone company.

  Traverse County

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  Fern Noyes Interview, ca. 1977

  Fern Noyes

  Fern Noyes is 79 years old and was born in Missouri. She moved to Morris in 1916 after she married, and they lived into the Le Grand Hotel.

  In this interview she talks a little about Le Grand Hotel. She discusses volunteering in the ration office during World War I. She explains what Morris was like when she arrived in 1916 and talks about their social life and the dances they went to. She discusses her husband's job as a cashier and operator at the Great Northern Railway. She talks about the changes that have happened in Morris over the years.

  Stevens County

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  Cora Nygaard Interview, 1975

  Cora Nygaard

  Cora Nygaard was born on a farm east of Wegdahl, Minnesota on December 12, 1897. She married in 1923 and had a variety of jobs before and after her marriage, all of which were in Minnesota. She and Emil Anderson are brother and sister. Having been a neighbor to the Swenssons, she often helped the Swensson women on a variety of occasions.

  In this interview, Cora Nygaard discusses her experiences with and recollections of the Swensson family.

  Chippewa County

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  Burton Nypen Interview, 1978

  Burton Nypen

  Mr. Nypen was superintendent of schools in Chokio-Alberta when the two schools were consolidated.

  In this interview, Superintendent Nypen discusses the consolidation proceedings and the many changes induced by the consolidation.

  Stevens County

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  Art Ohman Interview, ca. 1979

  Art Ohman and Clarence Larson

  Art Ohman was a lifetime resident of Kensington and was 88 years old. His parents came from Sweden.

  In this interview, he discusses the changes in Kensington and the various jobs he had. He talks about his father's discovery of the Kensington Runestone.

  Douglas County

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  Edward Ohman Interview, 1949

  Edward Ohman

  Edward Ohman discusses the discovery of the Kensington Runestone by his father Olof Ohman.

  Douglas County

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  Harold J. Olsen Interview, 1975

  Harold J. Olsen

  Harold Olsen was approximately 63 years old and was a butcher and resident of Hoffman for 38 years. He served as a City Councilman for six years.

  In this interview, he primarily discusses the changing responsibilities of government in Hoffman. He talks about World War II in Hoffman as well as the city government.

  Grant County