Saturday, June 6, 2015

On this date in Minnesota History: June 6

June 6, 1906 – A tornado struck Ham Lake country this evening, nine miles east of Anoka, bringing heavy destruction to area farms and timber.

According to witnesses, a large quantity of water was sucked up from Ham Lake and came out over the top of the cloud in the shape of an immense umbrella. Citizens took to their cellars. Peter Johnson’s family was saved by lying prone on the ground in their yard; all of their buildings were damaged.

The house and other buildings of F. A. Blanchard were destroyed. A neighbor saw Blanchard’s house 200 feet in the air. Only a few pieces of boards that were part of it can be found. All the furniture and household goods have completely disappeared.

A horse was carried a long distance and landed in a marsh unhurt. The town hall at Ham Lake was moved fifteen feet. Sheds that surrounded the hall cannot be found. Not a scrap remains to mark the place where they stood.

A clean swath was mowed through a heavily timbered island in Ham Lake. All kinds of farm animals showed the utmost fear before the storm struck. The area damaged was from 100 to 300 feet wide and was ten miles in length. The homes of ten farmers were either destroyed or heavily damaged.

Minneapolis Journal; “Lake Lifted Up, Scattered Afar. Fright-Stricken Citizens of Ham Lake See Appalling Power of Tornado. Houses Hurled 200 Feet into the Air. Clean Swath Mowed Thru a Timbered Isle in the Midst of the Lake.”; June 8, 1906; p. 1.



http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/4752/p1010129kb7.jpg

               __________________________________________________________

If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching  genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including:
census records,  birth records,  death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records.  I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MHS records.  Both short searches and family history reports.

Website: 
TheMemoryQuilt.com ®  click on Family History

Contact me at:
pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com  










Friday, June 5, 2015

On this date in Minnesota History: June 5

June 5, 1918 - An order making idleness a crime, punishable by imprisonment or fine was adopted by the State Public Safety commission.

The order is based on the necessity of utilizing the maximum manpower toward the prosecution of the war and particularly to provide labor to take the places  of men who have left food production and other civilian occupations to enlist in military service.

The Bemidji Daily Pioneer;
“Idleness is Made a Crime in Minnesota”; June 05, 1918; p. 1


               __________________________________________________________

If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching  genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including:
census records,  birth records,  death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records.  I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MHS records.  Both short searches and family history reports.

Website: 
TheMemoryQuilt.com ®  click on Family History

Contact me at:
pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com 


 

Thursday, June 4, 2015

On this date in Minnesota History: June 4

June 4, 1987 - Coldest June temperature in Preston, Minn.: 31 degrees.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crh/ssd/pdf/tsp-11.pdf



Photo taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain Jan. 15, 2013,
as long as acknowledgement included.
 


               __________________________________________________________

If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching  genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including:
census records,  birth records,  death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records.  I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MHS records.  Both short searches and family history reports.

Website: 
TheMemoryQuilt.com ®  click on Family History

Contact me at:
pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com 

 


Wednesday, June 3, 2015

On this date in Minnesota History: June 3

June 3, 1901 – A cold-blooded murder occurred in Carver, Minn., at 6:15 this morning.

Andrew Tapper, a bartender, committed the deed and Miss Rosa Mix, a hired girl, was his victim. Both were employed by John Leonard, proprietor of the Balser House. The girl was 20- years-old and her parents live in Montgomery.

Tapper used a large knife, and cut two large gashes in the girl’s throat and one in her left shoulder. He then went to the river and tried to drown himself, but failed.

He returned to the house, saw the girl lying on the floor in a pool of blood, and then started off down the park road with the marshal after him. He is now safely behind bars in the county jail at Chaska.

Jealousy is supposed to have been the motive of the crime. Trapper was a suitor of Miss Mix, but had been repeatedly rejected by her. The indignation of citizens is at a high point, but the law will probably be permitted to take its course, the facts being so clear that punishment is certain. Miss Mix’s parents have been notified of the murder, but have not reached Carver as yet.

The Minneapolis Journal; “Murder at Carver. Andrew Tapper, a Bartender, Cuts the Throat of a Girl. Attempts Suicide by Drowning. Returns to Look at his Victim and Is Caught by the Town Marshal.”; June 3, 1901; p. 1.



Photos taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain June 3, 2015, 
as long as acknowledgement included.


               __________________________________________________________

If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching  genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including:
census records,  birth records,  death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records.  I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MHS records.  Both short searches and family history reports.

Website: 
TheMemoryQuilt.com ®  click on Family History

Contact me at:
pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com 

 


Tuesday, June 2, 2015

On this date in Minnesota History: June 2

June 2, 1891 – “The May Flower was a Great Lakes wooden schooner and the first shipwreck of this type documents in Minnesota’s portion of Lake Superior. Built in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., the ship wrecked on [this date] while transporting sandstone blocks from Portage, Mich., to Duluth. She capsized in heavy seas just four miles from the harbor entrance. As a two-masted scow schooner, the ship could sail on her own, but the available historical records all indicate that she was towed by another steam-powered vessel.

Investigations have revealed that the May Flower has construction features that differentiate her from the few scows known from the lower Great Lakes; rather, her features are similar to scows used in New Zealand. The remains were discovered in 1991 and retain significant archeological integrity, providing a wealth of information on the construction and use of scow schooners not only on Lake Superior, but throughout the Great Lakes as well.”

http://sites.mnhs.org/historic-sites/split-rock-lighthouse/minnesota-shipwrecks


 

Wreckage of the May Flower

http://sites.mnhs.org/historic-sites/split-rock-lighthouse/minnesota-shipwrecks

               __________________________________________________________


If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching  genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including:
census records,  birth records,  death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records.  I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MHS records.  Both short searches and family history reports.

Website: 
TheMemoryQuilt.com ®  click on Family History

Contact me at:
pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com  




Monday, June 1, 2015

On this date in Minnesota History: June 1

June 1, 1979 – “Gerry Spiess [set] sail across the North Atlantic Ocean in his homemade 10-foot sailboat, Yankee Girl [on this date]. The voyage takes 54 days covering nearly 3,800 nautical miles. Spiess [built] the sailboat in his Bald Eagle, [Minn.,] garage.”

http://www.ci.white-bear-township.mn.us/vertical/sites/%7B801D228F-081F-4123-B371-0DC5894FC6D6%7D/uploads/%7BC459BB85-FE9B-48EF-BD64-4A2FA70A3744%7D.PDF




http://www.ci.white-bear-township.mn.us/vertical/sites/%7B801D228F-081F-4123-B371-0DC5894FC6D6%7D/uploads/%7BC459BB85-FE9B-48EF-BD64-4A2FA70A3744%7D.PDF


               __________________________________________________________

If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching  genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including:
census records,  birth records,  death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records.  I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MHS records.  Both short searches and family history reports.

Website: 
TheMemoryQuilt.com ®  click on Family History

Contact me at:
pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com 


 

Sunday, May 31, 2015

On This Date in Minnesota History: May 31

May 31, 1916 – Simplicity that marked the life of James J. Hill was the dominant feature of his funeral today. The well-known railroad executive passed away on May 29.

Democracy of the deceased rail magnate is shown in his selection of Charles Maitland, for 30 years Hill’s favorite coachman, as one of his pallbearers. Maitland, whose financial success has made him a close friend and associate of the Hill family, acted with R. Brown, for many years Hill’s private secretary; Ralph Budd, assistant to the president of the Great Northern; J. M. Gruber, operating vice president of the Great Northern; W. P. Kennedy, traffic vice president; John J. Toemey, Hill’s confidential business agent; P. L. Rowe, Minneapolis; Charles W. Gordon, George A. MacPherson and Theodore Schultz, St. Paul, merchants and personal friends.

All trains of the Great Northern, Northern Pacific and Burlington lines, which Hill controlled, stopped still from 2 to 2:05 this afternoon. Funeral services were held at the house at 2 p.m. today. Rev. Thomas J. Gibbons, vicar general, diocese of St. Paul, Roman Catholic, officiated. Great Northern veteran employees, some of whom Hill rode with in engine cabs, were the only persons outside Hill’s immediate family circle, allowed to view the remains. Burial was at Hill’s farm, North Oaks. 
(Eventually, his grave was moved to Resurrection Cemetery in St. Paul.*)

Soon after the news of Hill’s death was flashed over the country, telegrams from every quarter of the nation began pouring in upon the Hill family. These continued today. While telegraph companies put on extra operators, the Hill family today assigned three secretaries to receive and file these messages.


The Bemidji Daily Pioneer
; “Simplicity Is Feature Of The Burial Of Hill. Remains of ‘Empire Builder’ Placed at Rest at North Oaks Farm. All Trains Stop For Five Minutes. Favorite Coachman is a Pallbearer; Hill Was Active Until His Death.”; May 31, 1916; P.1.

* http://forgottenminnesota.com/2014/10/james-j-hills-north-oaks-farm/




James J. Hill's funeral on his North Oaks farm


http://forgottenminnesota.com/2014/10/james-j-hills-north-oaks-farm/

               __________________________________________________________

If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching  genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including:
census records,  birth records,  death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records.  I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MHS records.  Both short searches and family history reports.

Website: 
TheMemoryQuilt.com ®  click on Family History

Contact me at:
pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com