Showing 121 results

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/45 [13669]

Biographical Information: Willis Young was born in Princeton, Minnesota on February 5, 1913. His early life was split between Princeton and the nearby community of Brickton. In Brickton, he attended school and his father worked as a foreman at a brickyard. Shortly after high school, Young joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933. For two years, he helped expand and preserve forests in northern Minnesota. After the CCC, Young worked in a variety of jobs during the rest of the Great Depression. In 1940, Young joined the U.S. Army and served during World War II. As a logistician, he saw action in North Africa, Italy, Corsica, and France. After the war, Young returned to Princeton and worked as a mailman until his retirement in 1975. He met his wife Inez Blasberg in 1946 and they had a son together.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on April 12, 1978, Willis Young discussed his family history and life in Brickton and Princeton, Minnesota. Young said his family settled in Princeton after the conclusion of the Civil War in 1865 - his grandfather served as a Union soldier. His father later relocated their family to the neighboring community of Brickton, where he worked as a brickyard foreman. Young mentioned his family was fortunate to make a stable living during the Great Depression but said many people in Brickton were living in poverty. Young discussed his time in the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s, as well as his service in North Africa and Europe during World War II. Additionally, Young discussed his post-war career as a mail carrier in Princeton, meeting his wife Inez in 1946 and his participation with the Minnesota Historical Society after retirement in 1975.

Interview conducted by Cal Gower and John LaDoux

Two tapes

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/43 [13668]

Biographical Information: John Willenbring was born in Richmond, Minnesota, on December 10, 1882, into a family of German immigrants. Much of Willenbring’s childhood was split between working on his family’s farm and attending school. As an adult, Willenbring married his first wife, Mary Braegelman, in 1908, and purchased her father’s farm. They worked the farm until Mary passed away in 1933. Willenbring then moved to St. Cloud in 1935, where he married Agnes Digelski and worked until 1959 as a boiler inspector and labor organizer affiliated with the Farmer-Labor Party. Willenbring passed away on January 27, 1983 at the age of 100.

Transcript Summary: In a pair of interviews conducted on December 14 and December 17, 1976, John Willenbring discussed his life as a resident of central Minnesota. Willenbring described that his early life was spent working on his parent’s farm, where he stayed until the age of 26. He then he married and purchased his father-in-law’s farm, which he worked until his wife passed away in 1933. Willenbring decided to relocate to St. Cloud in 1935, where he spent the next twenty-four years working as a boiler inspector for St. Cloud State University. He retired in 1959. Aside from his work and family life, Willenbring also discussed his role in organized labor movement. Willenbring said he helped to spearhead the creation of new unions for low-wage workers. Likewise, he also worked closely with the Farmer-Labor Party and, later, its successor, the Democratic Farmer-Labor Party. He frequently collaborated with prominent members of the party like Minnesota governors Floyd Olson and Elmer Benson.

Interview conducted by James Robak and Calvin Gower

One tape

Biographical Information: Fred Wendt was born in Faribault, Minnesota, on June 7, 1883. In 1903, he moved to Sauk Rapids, where he resided at the time of this interview and spent most of his career working as an educator. Upon relocating to Sauk Rapids, Wendt spent five years studying at a teacher’s school to become an educator and subsequently worked as a public-school teacher in Sauk Rapids for several years. He later became the principal of the Trinity Lutheran School for 45 years. Wendt passed away in 1973 and survived by his six children and thirteen grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on April 5, 1968, Fred Wendt discussed his life as an educator within Minnesota. Wendt noted that he was originally born in Faribault, Minnesota, in 1883, but moved to Sauk Rapids twenty years later to pursue a career as an educator. Wendt said he originally started out as a public-school teacher responsible for educating students of all grade levels, but later was appointed as the principal of the Trinity Lutheran School. He held that position for 45 years before his retirement. Additionally, Wendt also noted multiple other positions that he held during his time as an educator, including the role of secretary-treasurer for Sauk Rapids public schools and the position of Vice President of the State Teachers of Church Schools in Minnesota.

Interview conducted by C. Perry Schenk

There is no audio.

One tape

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/44 [16061]

Biographical Information: Harriet Christensen Walker was born on July 7, 1895, in Centerville, South Dakota, to a family of Danish and German immigrants. In 1904, the family later moved to Hill City, Minnesota. Walker attended the St. Cloud Normal School (now St. Cloud State University) to become a teacher, graduating in 1916. She intended to further her education elsewhere but chose to remain in Hill City. During her time as a teacher in Hill City, Walker taught second, fifth, and sixth grade students. She also met her future husband - a colleague of hers, whom she married in 1919 and raised two children with named Charles and Carol. Walker passed away on September 27, 1983, at the age of 88.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on January 22, 1977, Harriet Walker discussed her life as a resident of Hill City Minnesota. Walker noted that she was originally born in Centerville, South Dakota, but that her parents decided to move to Hill City when she was nine. Walker wanted to be a teacher from a young age, later graduating from the St. Cloud Normal in 1916. She subsequently worked at the local school district in Hill City, a position that she occupied throughout most of her adult life. Walker noted that she enjoyed working as a teacher and interacting with second, fifth, and sixth grade students, who she also helped to organize extracurricular activities like school plays and musicals. Additionally, Walker mentioned that she met her husband, Harold, while working as a teacher in Hill City, a fellow educator whom she married in 1919.

Interview conducted by James Robak

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/42/ [15547]

Biographical Information: Cyril Tenvoorde was born on September 25, 1905, in St Cloud Minnesota, to a family of German and Dutch immigrants. From an early age, Tenvoorde spent much of his time working in the automobile industry, helping his father and brothers Lloyd and Wally assemble Model Ts at the age of twelve. He became bookkeeper for their business at the age of sixteen. Aside from his work, Tenvoorde enjoyed spending time hunting and fishing and married his wife Beatrice in 1937. They raised three children named John, David, and Paul. Tenvoorde passed away on September 20, 1995 at the age of 89.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on June 30, 1977, Cy Tenvoorde discussed his life in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and his role in the local automobile industry. Tenvoorde was born in St. Cloud to a family of German and Dutch immigrants in 1905, and that from a young age, he was actively working alongside his father and brothers in their family’s automobile business. Tenvoorde assembled Ford Model Ts when he was twelve. By the age of sixteen, he helped manage the business as a bookkeeper, a position that he continued to do at the time of the interview). Additionally, Tenvoorde worked at the dealership during the Great Depression and World War II. The work proved to be challenging but lucrative work all the same. Aside from his career, Tenvoorde also discussed his family life. He married his wife Beatrice on June 8, 1937 and had had three sons and eight grandchildren. Beatrice passed away in 1974.

Interview conducted by James Robak

Includes 2 newspaper clippings. Audio recording is on the same reel-to-reel tape as J. Leonard Carroll from Church Oral Histories.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/16 [13667]

Biographical Information: Edwin O. Swanson was a storekeeper, farmer, and community leader in Freedhem, MN. He was born on August 8, 1903 in Freedhem to Alfred and Anna Swanson. Swanson was one of six children—two boys and four girls. Swanson established the Freedhem Telephone Co. and was the first chairman of the Board of the Consolidated Telephone Co. of Brainerd for 30 years. In addition, Swanson served as Belle Prairie Township Clerk for 23 years, Belle Prairie Fire Department treasurer, Freedhem Cemetery Board as secretary, treasurer and maintenance and member of School District 89 Board, Freedhem Creamery Board, and Bethel Lutheran Church. On June 12, 1929, Swanson married Elvira Johnson and they had one son. Swanson died on August 13, 1985 and buried in the Freedhem Cemetery.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on May 15, 1978, Swanson discussed the growth of the town of Freedhem, the various ethnic identities of the town’s inhabitants over time, his family history; the history of the town’s churches, the town’s first mail and telephone systems, and business and farming practices in the early 1900s. Around 1898, his parents immigrated from Sweden to pursue economic opportunities, rather than escape religious oppression, and established the Lutheran church in town. In 1902, Swanson’s father and one of his older sons opened a general store in Freedhem and sold groceries, clothing, and hardware to the local farmers. The family also farmed 80 acres of land. Swanson’s mother died in 1911 and his father died in 1914. An uncle, who previously had come from Sweden to be a cook for the family, cared for the children. All of the children assisted with the running of the family’s small dairy farm, the general store, and a community co-op creamery. In 1929, Swanson married and began farming on his own. He discussed the dire Great Depression era conditions, their impact on farming, and government subsidies for agriculture. He ceased farming and purchased the family’s general store in 1943, when his uncle could no longer run it. Swanson sold the store in 1974, due in part to advanced age and competition from JC Penney, but he continued to work there until his death. Swanson also chronicled establishing the Freedhem Rural Telephone Company in the early 1930s and discussed its growth over time. It was still in operation at the time of the interview.

Interviewed by Calvin Gower and John Ladoux

One tape

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/40 [13666]

Biographical Information: Clemment Stromwell was born on January 24, 1907, in the town of Foreston, Minnesota. Much of his early life, from the age of 17 and onward, was spent working as an iron rigger in Minnesota’s Iron Range, a job that he held until the Great Depression in 1929. During the Great Depression, Stromwell worked in various positions to support himself and his wife, who he married in 1934, before finding permanent employment as a mail carrier. He was a mail carrier until his retirement in 1972. Aside from his work, Stromwell also possessed a passion for music. He played the violin, banjo, saxophone, accordion, trumpet, and drums and spent much of his free time performing in local bands in Foreston.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on March 16, 1978, Clemment Stromwell discussed his life in Minnesota, as well as his experiences during the Great Depression and Prohibition. Stromwell said he was born on January 24, 1907, in Foreston, Minnesota, where he also attended school during his childhood and adolescent years. Stromwell said upon turning 17, he relocated to the Iron Range to work as an iron rigger, a position that he held until the start of the Great Depression in 1929. Following the start of the Great Depression, Stromwell spent time working in various professions to support himself and his family, before becoming a mail carrier. He held this position until his retirement in 1972. Aside from his work, Stromwell also discussed changes in Foreston throughout his life. He noted the number of local businesses gradually dwindled over time, but the population of the town, including its number of homeowners, steadily increased. He said this was due in large part to a new sewer system and the growth of the local forestry industry.

Interview conducted by John LaDoux

Two tapes

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/39 [13665]

Biographical Information: Herman Stebner was born in Wood Lake, Minnesota, on October 9, 1892, into a family of German immigrants. Stebner attended the St. Cloud Normal School (now St. Cloud State University) and graduated in 1915. He later attended the University of Minnesota with aspirations to become a school superintendent. His studies were interrupted by World War I when he was drafted and sent to France. At the end of the war, Stebner relocated to Waite Park and found work in an automobile garage until 1943. Afterwards he spent some time constructing military aircraft for Curtiss-Wright before his retirement in 1953. While in Waite Park, Stebner met his wife Mabel and they married in 1923. Together they raised two children.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on March 27, 1978, Herman Stebner discussed his life. Stebner said he was born in Wood Lake, Minnesota, on October 9, 1892, but chose to relocate to St. Cloud and, later, the Twin Cities to attend college and become a school superintendent. However, Stebner’s goal never happened due to being drafted due to World War I and sent to France. Due to his service, he said he suffered from a “nervous spell” for several years thereafter. Stebner asserted that his relocation to the Waite Park area after the war turned out for the best. Here he managed to find steady work in an automobile garage and met his wife Mabel in 1923. Additionally, Stebner also spoke about his experiences during the Great Depression and World War II. He noted that he served as a school board member in Waite Park and spent some time constructing military aircraft for Curtiss-Wright before ultimately retiring in 1953.

Interview conducted by Cal Gower and John LaDoux

One tape

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/37/ [13664]

Biographical Information: Gus Spanos was born in the Greek town of Selene (on the island of Marmara in the Aegean Sea) on November 23, 1893. In 1912, he left Greece and immigrated to the United States of America. Spanos originally lived in Wisconsin, finding work in construction and with the Great Northern Railroad company. He arrived in St. Cloud, Minnesota, in 1914, where he later opened his own grocery store. Spanos married his wife Ruth Stewart (a native of St. Cloud) in 1923, and the couple managed their store together for the next forty years. They together raised two sons and two daughters. Spanos passed away on February 8, 1991, at the age of 97.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on April 5, 1978, Gus Spanos discussed his life. Spanos said he was originally born in Greece, but chose to emigrate to the United States in 1912 at the age of 19. Spanos mentioned that his early years in the U.S. were somewhat difficult, largely on account of the physically taxing work in the construction and railroad industries, as well as struggling with the English language. However, Spanos also affirmed that his life as an immigrant began to greatly improve following his relocation to St. Cloud in 1914. Here he opened his own grocery store at 10th Street South and 1st Avenue South, often called “Gus’s” or “Riverside Store”. Spanos also spoke of his strong ties with the wider St. Cloud community, especially with St. Cloud State. He discussed that St. Cloud State students and faculty regularly made up a large portion of his store’s customer base, right up until its closure in 1963.

Interview conducted by Cal Gower and John LeDoux

One tape

One 60 minute audio cassette

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/41 [16078]

Biographical Information: Esther Sorenson was born on October 24, 1899 in Clinton Iowa and relocated to Askov, Minnesota. Josephine Krogh was born on July 14, 1909 in Askov, Minnesota. Both Sorenson and Krogh were born into Danish immigrant families that supported themselves through work as dairy farmers, which choose to settle permanently in Askov thanks to the large Danish population.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on October 28, 1980, Esther Sorenson and Josephine Krogh discussed their lives within the community of Askov, Minnesota, and the broader history of the community. Sorenson and Krogh noted that Askov was established circa 1905 by Danish immigrants. Their families were drawn to the community due to their own Danish heritage. Both families worked as dairy farmers, yet that the town had local industries for employment, including a hardware store, a blacksmith’s shop, a saw mill, two grocery stores, a creamery, and a post office. Sorenson and Krogh also noted that Danish culture played an important role in defining Askov as a distinct community. Their church services and school functions were conducted entirely in Danish. The community regularly celebrated various Danish folk holidays such as “Nastelavms,” which they identified as a kind of “Danish Mardi Gras”.

Interview conducted by Calvin Gower and Alan Nielsen

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/38/ [13663]

Biographical Information: Glanville Smith was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, in 1901. Smith attended school in St. Cloud throughout his childhood and adolescent years. He then attended the University of Minnesota for four years, where he majored in architecture. Much of the work that Smith pursued following his college years involved writing travel pieces for various publications, including The Atlantic and the New Republic, along with a brief stint in the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s. In addition to his professional work, Smith also dedicated much of his life to educational institutions like the Stearns County Historical Society, serving as that organization’s president for a time. He also donated 125 acres of land to St. Cloud State for use as a wilderness laboratory. Smith passed away on February 14, 1987, at the age of 86 and buried in St. Cloud’s North Star Cemetery.

Transcript Summary: In a series of interviews conducted between March 29 and November 3 of 1976, Glanville Smith recounted his career and personal life as a citizen of Minnesota. Smith noted that he originally aspired to be an architect, but ultimately pursued his passion for travel and writing instead, publishing various articles and travel guides on the Caribbean and Polynesia for publications like The Atlantic and the New Republic. Smith also spoke about several important historical events and developments that he lived through, recounting the celebrations at the end of World War I, along with his life in Cold Spring, Minnesota, during the Great Depression. Smith affirmed many of his friends and family experienced economic difficulties with finding steady work. Aside from his brief service in the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s, his life remained largely unchanged. Additionally, Smith noted his family’s close ties to several prominent and well-to-do Minnesotans, including his father’s close friendship with Charles Lindbergh Sr. and Jr.

Interview conducted by John Decker

Three tapes.  Third tape may be incomplete.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/33/ [16077]

Biographical Information: Louis Schumann was born in Albion Center, Minnesota on October 15, 1912, into a family of German immigrant farmers. Much of Schumann’s early life was spent working on his parent’s farm, before economic difficulties spurred by the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression prompted him to join the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1933. After his time in the CCC, Schumann was a truck driver, worked for Northwestern Airlines during World War II, owned a service station in Waite Park, and a custodian and Bethlehem Lutheran Church. He retired in 1974. He married his wife Marge on September 26, 1938, and together raised two daughters. Schumann passed away on February 9, 1993 and is buried at the Fairhaven Town Cemetery in Fairhaven, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on August 17, 1981, Louis Schumann discussed his time with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1933-1934. Schumann mentioned that he originally started working on his parent’s farm, but was drawn to the CCC after the Dust Bowl worsened their economic situation and finding other employment difficult. Schumann noted that during his time with the CCC, he helped construct roads, care for forests, drove an ambulance. Working for the CCC wasn’t always easy and not a perfect fit for others, Schumann enjoyed his time with the CCC and appreciated its role in helping him to keep afloat financially.

Interview conducted by Calvin Gower

One 60 minute audio cassette

Biographical Information: Charles Herman Richter was born on June 3, 1893 in Farber Township, Minnesota, into a family of German immigrants. His parents moved to the United States from the Kingdom of Saxony. Richter sought to become a lawyer from a young age, and originally attended the University of Minnesota Law College in 1915. In 1917, his studies were delayed when he was drafted and sent to France during World War I. After his military service, Richter returned to Minnesota, resumed his law school studies, and graduated in 1920. Afterwards, Richter moved to St. Cloud, where he established his own law practice, married Mazie Brownell in 1921, and later helped to establish a veteran’s hospital in 1927. Richter passed away on April 26, 1983. He was survived by his three children and ten grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on August 3, 1977, Charles Herman Richter discussed his life within Minnesota and his career as a lawyer. Richter noted that he originally sought to become a lawyer from a young age and entered the the University of Minnesota Law College in 1915. However, his studies were put on hold due to World War I. He was drafted into the U.S. military and served in France until his discharge in 1919. Richter noted that after returning to the U.S. in July of that same year, he resumed his law school studies and graduated in 1920. Richter discussed his subsequent relocation to St. Cloud – he felt it was a good place to open a law practice due to its central location within Minnesota in 1921. He also talked about his marriage to Mazie Brownell in that same year and his role in establishing a veteran’s hospital within St. Cloud in 1927.

Interview conducted by Calvin Gower and James Robak

Includes one newspaper clipping. There is no audio.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/31/ [15725]

Biographical Information: Fred Pieri was born in Elk River, Minnesota, on April 4, 1909. Fred spent most of life working as a farmer throughout Minnesota. He also worked in other professions on the side such as construction and plumbing, retiring in 1972. Fred married his wife Clara in 1933, and the couple had two sons and three daughters together. Fred away on November 22, 1990.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on December 31, 1976, Fred Pieri discussed his life living in Minnesota. Fred mentioned living through multiple significant historical events like World War I (although as a child at the time, he remembered very little about it) and the Great Depression (which caused great financial difficulties for his family). Fred noted that he worked in a variety of different jobs throughout his life, including as a construction worker, plumber, and most importantly as a farmer. In 1942, he received recognition and an award from the Roosevelt Administration in 1942 for his farm’s high output of agricultural products. In addition to his work, Fred also spoke briefly about his family life, discussing his heritage as the son of German and Italian immigrant families, his marriage to his wife Clara in 1933, and the five children that they raised together.

Interview conducted by James Robak

One tape. The two interviews appear on the same reel to reel tape.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/34/ [16062]

Biographical Information: Eldred Peters was born and raised in Cold Spring, Minnesota, in 1902, to a family of German immigrants. Peters attended college at the University of St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota but later chose to emulate his father and brother by working as a butcher and grocer. Aside from his work, Peters also dedicated much of his spare time to organizations like the Boy Scouts, Juvenile Foresters, and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, while he played for the Cold Spring baseball team for many years. Peters also married his wife Frencella Olmscheid in 1943, and the couple had one son together. Eldred died on May 15, 1988 and is buried in the St. Boniface Cemetery in Cold Spring, Minnesota.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on August 19, 1976, Eldred Peters discussed his time as a lifelong resident of Cold Spring, Minnesota. Peters noted that he was born in Cold Spring in 1902 into a family of German immigrants. While much of the local community regularly spoke German throughout his childhood (particularly within local schools), this practice was discontinued as a result of World War I and the wave of anti-German sentiment nationwide. Peters also mentioned that despite attending college at St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota, he chose to support his father and brother with their grocery store, a business that he acquired ownership later in life. Aside from his work and education, Peters discussed his involvement with a variety of different local organizations, and acknowledged his fondness for baseball, which he played as a member of the Cold Spring baseball team.

Interview conducted by John Decker

One tape

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/32/ [13662]

Biographical Information: Herman Nelson was born in Milaca, Minnesota, in 1900 to Swedish immigrant parents. Most of Nelson’s early years were spent working on his family’s dairy farm. He later worked as a machinist in the 1930s, a position he held until his retirement in 1963. Nelson and his wife were married in 1924, and together, the couple had four children.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on January 19, 1978, Herman Nelson discussed his life in Minnesota, along with details pertaining to his family and his work experiences. Nelson said that much of his youth in Milaca was spent working alongside his parents on their dairy farm. He then later worked as a machinist until his 1963 retirement. Nelson mentioned his interest in history and genealogy, noting his parent’s Swedish heritage and that he helped to write multiple books on the history of Aitkin County and local area churches. Additionally, Nelson discussed his family life, affirming that he was married in 1924, and that he and his wife raised two sons and two daughters together over the course of their marriage.

Interview conducted by Cal Gower and John LaDoux

One tape

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/25/ [15731]

Biographical Information: Everette Moberg was born in Taylor Falls, Minnesota, in 1893. He attended grade school there before studying at the University of Minnesota. He then briefly served in the armed forces as a stretcher bearer during World War I. Following his stint in the military, Moberg returned to Taylor Falls and worked in a variety of careers throughout his adult life, including as a farmer, lumberjack, and most notably as a banker, a position that he occupied for the better part of 35 years.

Transcript Summary:

In an interview conducted on June 29, 1973, Everette Moberg discussed his life as a resident of Taylor Falls, Minnesota, and shared some of the region’s history. Moberg noted that prior to the establishment of Taylor Falls, the area had long been contested by members of the Dakota and Chippewa nations, and was also inhabited by French fur traders at various points in time. For his part, Moberg noted that he was born and raised in the area, and that aside from spending a few years outside of the community when he attended the University of Minnesota and during his World War I military service. Most of his youth and adult life was spent living and working within Taylor Falls, primarily as a banker for 35 years.

Interview conducted by Thomas Przibrilla

Two tapes

Medical doctor, Central Minnesota. Discusses the nature of medical care in the early 1900s. There is no audio.
Done for the Benton County Historical Society.

Two 60 minute audio cassettes

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/24/ [16076]

Biographical Information: Dolores Manthey was born on October 4, 1916, in Avon, Minnesota. She and her husband Richard were married on February 22, 1941, and the couple subsequently went into the printing industry together. Dolores became CEO of the Sentinel Printing Company sometime during the early 1950s (the same time that Marvin Bauer joined the company as an assistant general manager), a role that Dolores (formerly chairman of the board) later filled after her husband’s death, until 1986. Dolores passed away on January 14, 2010 at the age of 93, survived by four children, eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on June 21, 1978, Dolores Manthey and Marvin Bauer discussed some of the history of and day-to-day work involved with their business, the Sentinel Printing Company, of which Dolores served as the CEO (a role previously filled by her late husband Richard) while Marvin worked as an assistant general manager. Dolores and Marvin both expressed pride in their work, noting their positive local reputation among the people of St. Cloud and their satisfaction with enabling customers to observe the printing of their materials firsthand. However, the two also noted a number of difficulties that came with their line of work, including competition with other local newspapers, specifically, the St. Cloud Times, rising costs of materials like paper, and even general economic difficulties like inflation, which they credited with decreasing the purchasing power of their customers over time.

Interview conducted by John LeDoux and Mark Stone

Biographical Information: Willard Lorette was born on May 17, 1935, in the town of Renville, Minnesota. From a young age, he was motivated by a desire to practice law, and to this end, he attended Gustavus Adolphus College and Columbia Law School. After college, Lorette moved to St. Cloud to work for the Atwood and Fletcher law firm and later was appointed as a probate and juvenile judge in 1966. He continued to serve as a judge within Minnesota for many years thereafter, before retiring in 1995. He passed away on February 26, 2017.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on December 10, 1991, Willard Lorette discussed his career as lawyer and judge within Central Minnesota. Lorette noted that after graduating from college, he spent much of the late 1960s and early 1970s working part-time with both the Atwood and Fletcher law firm in St. Cloud, and as a probate and juvenile judge in Foley. While he enjoyed his work overall, Lorette also expressed his frustrations with new challenges that emerged within the judiciary over the course of his career. For instance, he noted that because of the Nixon Administration’s role in the Watergate scandal in 1972, public faith in state institutions (including judiciaries at all levels of state and national governments) had drastically declined over time. Additionally, Lorette noted that despite steady population growth within Central Minnesota towns like Foley over the course of his career, legal institutions like sheriff’s departments, clerk’s office, and welfare departments had not maintained a proportional rate of growth, leaving many of them understaffed and overworked.

Interview conducted by Kevin Schafer

One 90 minute audio cassette

One 90 minute audio cassette

Biographical Information: Albert C. Lebrun was a probation officer and parole agent with the state of Minnesota. He started in this line of work as a guard at a corrections facility in September of 1969, before acquiring a BA in Sociology at Minnesota State University in Mankato. After acquiring his degree (a perquisite to becoming a probation officer), Lebrun became a caseworker in corrections, a position which he continued to work in throughout the 1990s (including during the time of this interview, from May 13, 1993).

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on May 13, 1993, Albert C. Lebrun discussed his role as a probation officer and parole agent within corrections facilities administered by the state of Minnesota. Lebrun stated that he originally began working in corrections in September of 1969 as a guard, but later became a caseworker after acquiring a BA in Sociology from Minnesota State University in Mankato. Lebrun noted that in his time as a caseworker, several negative developments had gradually become more commonplace, including more widespread privatizations of facilities/resources, growing caseloads, and higher rates of violent crimes committed by juveniles, among other matters. Nevertheless, he also expressed enthusiasm for his job, noting that it paid well, that more opportunities for women workers in corrections had steadily opened up since the 1970s, and that above all else, his position gave him a unique and rewarding opportunity to help others change their lives for the better.

Interview conducted by Calvin Miller

Founder, Okay Insurance and Loan Agency and community leader including the Chamber of Commerce, Sauk Rapids, MN. Discusses community and business growth of the city. Done for the Benton County Historical Society

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/23/ [16073]

Biographical Information: Linus Koopmeiners was born on July 13, 1939, in Freeport, Minnesota. Koopmeiners moved to the St. Cloud area in 1959, where he began work as an apprentice welder and machinist with the Gran-A-Stone Company. Here he eventually achieved the position of general manager in the company by 1969. During this time, Koopmeiners also started a family with his wife Marina and raised six children: Scott, Daniel, Kelly, Kurt, Stephanie, and Terry. Koopmeiners passed away on June 14, 2015 at the age of 75.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on July 12, 1978, Linus Koopmeiners discussed his life within the St. Cloud area, including about his job and family. Koopmeiners noted that he originally moved to St. Cloud from Freeport in 1959, and began working at the Gran-A-Stone Company as an apprentice welder and machinist, helping produce “building trades,” such as fireplace components. Koopmeiners also acknowledged his success with the company (in which he worked his way up to the position of general manager in 1969), attributing it to a mixture of luck and, even more so, hard work. Aside from his work, Koopmeiner’s also discussed information pertaining to his family, including his parent’s German roots and as a parent alongside his wife Marina to their six children.

Interview conducted by Mark Stone

One 60 minute audio cassette

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/29/ [15730]

Biographical Information: Frank Kolbinger was born in Becker, Minnesota, on April 5, 1918. Frank’s early years were largely spent attending school and working on his family’s farm (located a few miles east of Becker), before he enlisted as a soldier during World War II. Upon the conclusion of his military service, Frank returned home to Becker, where he worked as a general store owner and later as the town’s postmaster for multiple years. Kolbinger passed away on March 4, 1977 at the age of 58. He was survived by his wife Agnes, three daughters, and eight grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on June 27, 1973, Frank Kolbinger discussed his life within Becker, Minnesota. Much of Frank’s interview touched on his childhood and adolescent years during the Great Depression, where he emphasized various differences in living conditions between his life then and at the time of the interview. Frank noted that during the Great Depression, his family frequently faced problems like a lack of running water, electricity, and refrigeration, while machines like snowplows and school buses that made getting to school easier were only rarely present (if at all) within Becker at the time. Additionally, Frank also discussed some of the different jobs that he worked during his adult life, including during World War II where he landed in France on D-Day, and his later positions as a general store owner and the postmaster of Becker.

Interview conducted by Thomas Przybilla

One tape

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/20/ [13660]

Biographical Information: Jerry Kigin was born in Lake Crystal, Minnesota, on February 7, 1921. After graduating from high school in Mankato, he originally intended to become an educator, attending the Mankato Teacher’s College from 1938 to 1940, but switched his profession to banking that same year (interrupted by a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps that lasted from 1942 to 1946). Kigin originally “worked his way up from the bottom” at the Mankato National Citizen’s Bank before moving to St. Cloud in 1948. Here he ultimately achieved the position of Northwestern Bank and Trust Company president. In addition to his activities as a banker, Kigin volunteered much of his spare time to various civic organizations within the St. Cloud area. Here he assisted groups like St. Cloud Opportunities in purchasing and renovating properties for use as public parks and helping the Downtown Association facilitate the construction of the Crossroads Center Mall, among other endeavors. Kigin passed away at the age of 76 on August 6, 1997, and was survived by his wife Marjorie, their seven children (five sons and two daughters), and their fifteen grandchildren. He was buried at the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Transcript Summary:

In an interview conducted on March 24, 1977, Jerry Kigin discussed his life in Minnesota, particularly his profession as a banker and his role as a community volunteer with multiple organizations in St. Cloud. Kigin noted that he never originally expected to become a banker, as he previously studied to become an educator and served as a Marine during World War II and worked in finance to fund his college education. However, he realized quickly that he enjoyed working in finance. He started as a messenger at the Mankato National Citizen’s Bank and worked his way up to become the Northwestern Bank and Trust Company president in St. Cloud. He held this position between 1955 and 1979. Additionally, Kigin also discussed his work as a volunteer with a myriad of organizations throughout St. Cloud, including the local school board and the Civic Music Association, along with numerous other initiatives to benefit the city of St. Cloud and its people.

Interview conducted by James Robak.

One tape.  The two interviews appear on the same reel to reel tape.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/22/ [15732]

Biographical Information: Donald Keller was born on July 28, 1900, and Hanna Keller (formerly Skuza) was born on February 8, 1901. Donald and Hanna each lived in a variety of locations throughout the United States and worked in a variety of different professions during their youth, but did not become a couple until August 27, 1939 (after Hanna’s first husband passed away in 1936). After marrying, the couple permanently resided in Sauk Rapids, where Hanna worked as a homemaker and bartender while Donald worked as the manager of the Municipal Liquor Store until 1962. Donald passed away on December 18, 1987, and Hanna passed away on December 30, 1994. They were survived by Hanna’s daughters Genevieve and Audrey, 10 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on August 6, 1973, Donald and Hanna Keller discuss various details pertaining to their lives, as well as some of the broader history of the Sauk Rapids area. Much of the interview contrasted the couple’s relatively difficult living situations in the early 1900s with those of Americans in the 1970s, in which they noted that (even prior to beginning of The Great Depression in 1929) economic conditions in Sauk Rapids were largely lackluster. It was not until World War II that revitalized the area’s fortunes. The couple also provided commentary on events like World War I and World War II, the former of which Donald was drafted into in 1918 (although the war ended before he arrived in Europe). Hanna’s son Arnold served in World War II where he was killed in action in October 1944. Additionally, both Donald and Hanna also spoke extensively about the different professions that they worked in throughout their lives - restaurant owner and liquor store owner for Hanna, along with iron miner, bartender, and farmer for Donald, among others.

Interview conducted by Thomas Raiche

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/gen_oh/21/ [13659]

Biographical Information: Randolph Johnson was born on September 6, 1908, in Cambridge, Minnesota. At the time of Johnson’s birth, Cambridge was largely comprised of Swedish immigrant families, including his own parents, with families that migrated from Sweden to the United States during the late 19th century. Johnson spent most of his life living and working in Cambridge. Here he worked primarily as a farmer and frequently helped to research/write several books detailing the history of Cambridge. Johnson passed away on March 11, 1990, and buried in the Cambridge Lutheran Cemetery.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on April 27, 1978, Randolph Johnson spoke about his life in the town of Cambridge, his family, and some of the town’s general history, including its experiences with the Great Depression, Dust Bowl, and World War II. Johnson noted that much of his life was spent working on farmland, initially for his father (who also served as the sheriff of Cambridge for multiple decades) and later for himself. Johnson noted that during his youth, Cambridge was largely comprised of Swedish Protestant families (including his own), but that its population began to increasingly diversify following the end of World War II. Likewise, much of Johnson’s interview accounts for other changes to Cambridge during and after the 1940s. This included the initial adoption of phone lines, the growth of its population and schools, and the increasing mechanization of local agriculture (with the addition of more trucks and tractors). While he didn’t view these changes in a negative light, Johnson lamented that Cambridge’s expansion did serve in some respects to weaken the traditionally tight-knit nature of its community, in which everyone knew and frequently interacted with their neighbors and the rest of the community at large.

Interview conducted by John LeDoux

One tape

Biographical Information: Dorein Johnson was an adjunct professor with a master of science in criminal justice administration, who also worked as a correction security case worker at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud during the 1980s and 1990s.

Transcript Summary: In an interview conducted on April 15, 1993, Dorein Johnson discussed her career as a correction security case worker at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud throughout much of the 1980s and early 1990s. She noted that this facility and line of work were traditionally occupied exclusively by men. This began to change in 1977 after the Minnesota Correctional Facility hired its first women workers to staff observation towers. In this same respect, Johnson affirmed that while not all of the male staff were initially pleased by the hiring of women, such attitudes throughout the facility and the corrections system as a whole have become less commonplace over time, just as new opportunities for women workers and the number of positions occupied by women have increased in tandem. Additionally, Johnson noted that while working as a corrections officer can be very tedious and emotionally taxing at times, she believed the profession to be fulfilling overall, and took pride in the fact that multiple inmates that she has worked with over the years were able to “do a complete 180 degree switch” and better themselves through academic/vocational programs.

One 90 minute audio cassette