This collection contains oral histories pertaining to life and events in Swift County, Minnesota. The oral histories range greatly in topic and time period.
The digitization of these oral histories was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Any views, findings, opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, or the Minnesota Historic Resources Advisory Committee.
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Orville Tatge Interview, 1973
Orville Tatge
Orville Tatge was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1920 and moved to Minnesota in 1927. He served in the Armed Forces in World War II. He has been active in the National Farmers Organization (NFO) since 1962, and was elected President of the Swift County NFO in 1963. He was appointed County Treasurer in 1969.
In this interview, Orville Tatge discusses the Farmer's Holiday Movement and life during the Great Depression. He compares different farmers organizations and their functions. He then goes into his activities in the NFO, and the meat holding of 1964.
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James M. Youngdale Interview, 1973
James M. Youngdale
James Youngdale was raised on a farm in Swift County and was active in politics in the area for many years. After graduating from Carleton College in 1940, Youngdale served on a government internships and then the Navy. Youngdale, the author of a book in Minnesota politics, ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Congress several times between 1940 and 1966.
In this interview, James Youngdale discusses his personal and family background. He gives a brief history of early Swift County and the Depression in Swift County. He discusses his party affiliation, Minnesota politics in the 1930s and 1940s, Elmer Benson, and the election of 1948. He discusses the Democrat tradition vs. the Farmer-Labor tradition, the DFL convention of 1948, and Swift County as a politically active county. He also discusses the influence of ethnic groups in Swift County, Youngdale's historical research and writing, the Independent Voters of Minnesota, Youngdale's election attempts, and the National Farmers Organization (NFO).
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James Youngdale Interview, 1984
James M. Youngdale
Born in central Iowa, James Youngdale eventually migrated to Benson, Minnesota. After majoring in Economics in Carleton College and serving a brief sting in the U.S. Navy, Youngdale became a candidate for Congress in the seventh district. However, he was unsuccessful in all three attempts.
In this interview, James Youngdale discusses his relationship with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) and party policies in West Central Minnesota.