Stevens County

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  Helen Bouressa Interview, 1990

  Helen Bouressa

  n this interview, Helen Bouressa reminisces about the golden era of radio. Mrs. Bouressa was born in March of 1919 in Stevens County. She guesses she was about 12 years old when they got their first radio.

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  Grace Bratton Interview, ca. 1977

  Grace Bratton

  Grace Bratton was 89 years old and was born in Illinois. She then moved to Iowa, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

  In this interview, she discusses the homesteading procedure and the breaking up of virgin land, plus how sod houses were made. She also talks about farm work and the effect of the depression.

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  Peter Braun Interview, ca. 1977

  Peter Braun

  Peter Braun was 87 years old and was born in South Dakota. From there, the family moved to De Graff to farm. They had to clear out the trees and build their own house. They moved to Alberta then and owned a business there and farmed. Peter was retired at the time of the interview and lived in Donnelly where some of his sons took care of his farm.

  In this interview, he discusses farm life in De Graff, the family businesses in Alberta, and the Barrett Ranch.

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  Lily Brendon Interview, ca. 1977

  Lily Brendon

  Lily Brendon was 82 years old and born in Illinois. Her family moved to the Alberta area when she was 8 years old because of the cheaper land prices.

  In this interview, Lily describes the process of moving by train and traveling in the area. She also discusses the Alberta School, milking cows, their first car, experiences as a bus driver driving the horse-drawn school bus, her job at the Villa of St. Francis, and her current job with Head Start.

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  Charles Broten Interview, 1978

  Charles Broten

  Mr. Broten is the Director of the Older American Program and had observed and contributed to the development of the Morris Senior Citizens Center.

  In this interview, Mr. Broten discusses the financial aspects of the Morris Senior Citizens Center. He discusses how the Center was funded and its activities, programs, and special services to the elderly.

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  Neal Brown Interview, ca. 1977

  Neal Brown

  Neal Brown was originally from Minneapolis. He moved to Alberta, Minnesota in 1966, and he also spent some time working in Wales Wisconsin at the Wisconsin State School for Boys. He worked in security at the University of Minnesota Morris when he moved back to Minnesota until his retirement.

  In this interview, Neal Brown discusses his work at the First National Bank and his work with bonds and securities. He talks about his work with delinquent boys in the Wisconsin State School for Boys. He then talks about working as a security officer at the University of Minnesota Morris. Finally, he talks a little bit about his political views and philosophy.

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  Ed Buntje Interview, 1978

  Edward Buntje

  Ed Buntje was born in 1916 south of Morris and grew up in the Morris area. He worked as a truck driver until 1958 when he began doing construction work with John Naegle, a large Morris contractor. Ed Buntje discusses changes in construction in the previous 20 years, different types of materials used, specialization of labor, and old hotels in Morris.

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  Edna Mae Busch Interview, 1990

  Edna Mae Busch

  In this interview, Edna Mae Busch reminisces about the golden era of radio. Mrs. Busch was born on April 29, 1911. Edna first listened to a radio in her home in 1924.

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  Edna Mae Busch Interview, 1995

  Edna Mae Busch

  In this interview, Edna Mae Busch reminisces about the early days of television. Ms. Busch was born in Iowa and moved to Stevens County when she was ten. She purchased her first television in the early fifties.

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  Larry Busch Interview, 1975

  Larry Busch

  Mr. Busch was born on March 28, 1908 in Pepperton Township. He lived in the area most of his life and held a number of different jobs.

  In this interview, Mr. Busch reminisces about his early life and experiences. He discusses his time in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). He also discusses WPA, the National Guard, his hobbies, and his present activities.

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  Adeline Carbert Interview, 1977

  Adeline Carbert

  In this interview, Mrs. Carbert discusses her years as a school teacher in District 8, near Morris. She taught from 1928 through the 1930 school year. She discusses all aspects of teaching at District 8. She also touches on her years as a member of the school board in District 8.

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  Art Carlson Interview, ca. 1976

  Art Carlson

  Art Carlson was 82 years old. His father ran an electric light plan for Stuart. Art worked as a messenger boy on the Benson-Huron Railroad and later became an electrical contractor following the introduction of electricity to West Central Minnesota. He acquired the Coast to Coast franchise in 1932.

  In this interview, Art Carlson reflects on merchandizing then vs. now. He recalls the old flour mill and the pre-WPA dam. He remembers the first car in Morris in 1901. He also talks about the operation of the railroad in Morris.

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  Mabel Cartwright Interview, 1976

  Mabel Cartwright

  Mabel Stone Cartwright discusses her own personal history, giving some insight into the social history of the community.

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  Erland Charles Interview, 1975

  Erland Charles

  Mr Charles was involved in politics from the 1940s to the 1970s for the Republican Party. He was the County Chairman from 1959-1962 and chairman of the 6th District from 1961-1968 for the Republican Party.

  In this interview, Mr. Charles discusses U.S. elections from 1948-1960 and politics and politicians from 1938-1968. He also discusses the CIO, Henry Wallace, the 1948 election, the Democratic and Republican Parties, farming, and the American Communist Party.

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  Ruby Charles Interview, 1978

  Ruby Charles

  Mrs. Charles was born in Morris in April 27, 1895. She went to school in Morris and acquired her teaching certificate from Morris High School in 1913. She taught in six schools around the area for about thirty five years. She lives today on a farm outside of Hancock.

  In this interview, Mrs. Charles discusses information on rural schools in Stevens County and their general organization. She also discusses the life of a teacher in rural Minnesota.

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  Ruby Charles Interview, 1990

  Ruby Charles

  In this interview, Ruby Charles reminisces about the golden era of radio. Mrs. Charles was born in Stevens County, MN in 1895.

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  Dorothy Chizek Interview, 1995

  Dorothy Chizek

  In this interview, Dorothy Chizek reminisces about the early days of television. Mrs. Chizek was sixty-three years old at the time of the interview and lived in Stevens County since 1958.

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  Lyle Christiansen Interview, 1995

  Lyle Christiansen

  In this interview, Lyle Christiansen reminisces about the early days of television. Mr. Christiansen was born in Stevens County in 1930.

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  Chris Christianson Interview, ca. 1979

  Chris Christianson

  Chris Christianson was born in Denmark and lived there until he was 19. He moved to Iowa when he came to the United States, where he did work digging ditches and started farming in 1915. He volunteered for the army in World War I and served as an ambulance driver. After the war, he married and moved to Stevens County working as a thresher. At the time of the interview, Chris was 86 years old.

  In this interview, Chris discusses his schooling in Denmark and the differences between farming in Denmark versus the United States. He discusses the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean and his cross-country trip to Iowa. He talks about his work digging ditches, and some of the issues they encountered such as quicksand. He discussed ambulance driving during World War I and his work in the Medical Corps during the war. He discusses his citizenship proceedings after the war. Then he mentions the transition from use of horses to the use of tractor machinery.

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  Edwin Christianson Interview, ca. 1977

  Edwin Christianson

  Edwin Christianson was 81 years old and from Morris, Minnesota. He moved to Morris in 1903 from Rock County in southern Minnesota. He grew up on a farm and ended up farming himself.

  In this interview, he talks about World War I and his patriotic reasons for enlisting. He talks about the influenza epidemic in 1918. He relates farming experiences and talks about changes that have occurred. He talks about harvesting corn by hand and threshing. He discusses some of the items and implements he invented. Finally, he mentions his hunting, fishing, and trapping experiences.

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  Terry P. Collins Interview, 1978

  Terry P. Collins

  Mr. Collins is an attorney in Morris, Minnesota.

  In this interview, Mr. Collins discusses his involvement in making the Morris Senior Citizens Center a corporation and discusses that process.

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  Lillian Cook Interview, ca. 1979

  Lillian Cook

  Lillian Cook was 95 years old and lived in Alberta, Minnesota. Her parents homesteaded in Stevens County, where she was born. Her mother was Norwegian and her father was English.

  In this interview, Lillian discusses her ethnic background, threshing experiences, prices, and her farm wife experiences including baking bread, milking, canning, and gardening.

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  Kenneth Cruze Interview, 1995

  Kenneth Cruze

  In this interview, Kenneth Cruze reminisces about the early days of television. Mr. Cruze was a former manager of a Morris store that sold televisions.

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  Keith Davison Interview, 2022

  Keith Davison and Miranda Jennings

  Keith Davison of Morris, Minnesota discusses his time in the Army during World War I. He talks about his position as a lawyer and judge in Morris, Minnesota. Keith discusses playing the tuba in community bands and music in the region. He also talks about the neighborhood swimming pool he built in his retirement.

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  Eugene Day Interview, 1990

  Eugene Day

  In this interview, Eugene Day reminisces about the golden era of radio. Mr. Day was born in 1918 and did not move to the Stevens County area until 1950. Mr. Day remembers a lot about how radios worked and where the stations broadcasted from in those days.