Saturday, December 15, 2018

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 15

December 15, 2011 – “Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch resigned her leadership position [on this date] after fellow Republicans confronted her about an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a direct subordinate.”

http://www.citypages.com/2011-12-21/news/amy-koch-affair/




Amy Koch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:19Koch.jpg
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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 MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.

                                                         


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Friday, December 14, 2018

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 14


December 14, 1998 – “Susan Kimberly, a former St. Paul, MN., city council president and a Transgendered woman, was appointed by St. Paul mayor Norm Coleman to be the city's deputy mayor effective Jan. 4,” 1999. “Kimberly was known as Bob Sylvester before undergoing sex-reassignment surgery” in 1983. She was the first trans-gendered deputy mayor in America.

http://www.ambushmag.com/is2698/news3.htm



Susan Kimberly

https://citizensleague.org/events/2017-civic-celebration-
honoring-dr-josie-johnson-and-susan-kimberly/

           __________________________________________________________

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 MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.

                                                         


Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.


Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

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Wednesday, December 12, 2018

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 12


December 12, 1971 - The University of Minnesota announced that Paul Giel would become the director of athletics. “He took on the job knowing that the sports department was $500,000 in debt, but he was able to turn the debt into a surplus during his 16-year tenure. The Gophers won a number of championships during the years that Giel directed the athletic program: two national hockey titles, three Big Ten baseball titles, three men’s gymnastics championships, and a men’s basketball Big Ten championship.”

http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/0b986aab



Paul Geil

http://www.hclib.org/pub/search/mplsphotos/mphotosaction.cfm?keyword=&subject=Baseball&Start=141

           __________________________________________________________

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 MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.

                                                         


Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.


Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

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Tuesday, December 11, 2018

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 11

December 11, 1912 – John Harvey of Pitt, Minn., died in the Spooner, Minn., hospital today from two shot wounds inflicted by Marshal A. H. Fryberg of Spooner. The shooting took place in front of the village auditorium last night. The deceased leaves a widow with four children. Marshal Fryberg is under arrest.

The marshal had been instructed by Mayor E. W. Koefed of Spooner to take a billy and a gun from, and arrest Frank Taylor, an alleged bad man. Koefed went with Fryberg through the different saloons and Taylor was located. Fryberg was outside on the lookout. When he saw a man he supposed to be Taylor come out, the marshal is said to have cried, “You are under arrest,” and fired the first shot. The supposed Taylor was actually John Harvey. Harvey walked off until the second shot was fired; he then fell.

The marshal said it was the first time he had used his new automatic gun and he had fired as a bluff.

The Minneapolis Morning Tribune; “Innocent Man Is Slain. Spooner Resident, Taken for Alleged Desperado, Killed—Officer Arrested.”; Dec. 12, 1912; p. 1.




http://townmapsusa.com/d/map-of-pitt-minnesota-mn/pitt_mn

           __________________________________________________________

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 MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.

                                                         


Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.


Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

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Monday, December 10, 2018

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 10


December 10, 1905 – Minnehaha Falls celebrated the semi-centennial of its immortalization today, but despite the significance of the occasion, a transient visitor to Minneapolis was the only person of the thousands in the Twin Cities to journey to congratulate the Laughing Water on the completion of its first half century of underlying fame.

The fact that Minnehaha was forced to celebrate its anniversary in solitude was most likely due to the fact that few residents of Minneapolis knew that it was just 50 years ago today that Longfellow, the poet, first gave his “Hiawatha” to the world.



Henry Wadsworth Longfellow1

A mere chance put Charles M. Simmons, a Chicago traveling man who stopped over Sunday at the West Hotel, in possession of the information this afternoon, promptly making the trip to the falls for the express purpose of being able to say that he viewed them on “Hiawatha’s” fiftieth anniversary.

It was on Dec. 10, 1855, that “Hiawatha” was published, and from the moment of its first appearance, Minnehaha Falls has been intimately associated with the poem. Hundreds of admirers of Longfellow have journeyed to Minneapolis for no other reason than to view the Falls of Laughing Water and peruse their well-worn editions of Longfellow under the shadow of the falls.



“The Song of Hiawatha”2


Simmons, the only visitor to this historical spot today, was greatly surprised upon reaching the falls to find that he was the only person there. According to him, the reputation of Minneapolis as a literary center is sure to suffer if it becomes generally known that such a significant anniversary as the one happening today went by with no apparent notice on the part of the literary public of the city.


“Yes, I believe that I hold the distinction of being the only person who visited Minnehaha Falls [today], although it was the most important date in the history of the spot. Judging from the appearance of the snow in the vicinity of the falls, no one has been within hearing distance of the waterfall for some time. In fact I experienced some difficulty in finding the way, owing to the absence of a beaten path through the snow.

“It was by the merest chance that I learned that this was the fiftieth anniversary of the appearance of Longfellow’s “Hiawatha.” I was looking at a stack of old books in one of your book stores Saturday, and while there I ran across a copy of a ‘Life of Longfellow,’  about the first thing I read was that the poem ‘Hiawatha’ was first published on December 10, 1855. Something about the date struck me as peculiar, and a moment later it dawned on me that the poem is 50 years old today. I formed an instant resolution to see what Minnehaha looks like in the winter time and incidentally to be able to tell my friends that I was there on the fiftieth anniversary of the event that made the falls immortal.”



Minnehaha Falls in the winter of 19063


 According to Simmons, Minnehaha is not likely to celebrate another semi-centennial unless immediate steps are taken to preserve the falls from being gradually eaten away. It is the Chicago man’s opinion that unless a retaining wall is built along the crest of the falls, there will soon be no falls to look at.


“Yesterday was not the first time that I ever saw Minnehaha Falls. Do not go off with that impression in your head. I saw the falls fully 20 years ago, but it happens that I never saw them in the winter time before today.


“The principal thing that struck me today in looking at them is the change that is apparent in their looks. There was a time not so long ago, when there was a big shelf behind the falls proper—so large, in fact,  that 20 or 30 persons could get behind the falling water without any difficulty. Now the shelf over which the water runs is so worn down and disintegrated that there is little space behind the falls, and, more than that, the rocky shelf itself is in danger of giving away entirely unless something is done to brace it up.

“A few thousand dollars spent in some such way as I have indicated would serve to keep your most famous landmark for the enjoyment of succeeding generations. On the other hand, the failure to do anything to preserve the falls will mean that in a few years Minnehaha Falls will be nothing more than a series of broken rapids with little of beauty about them and nothing at all of historic association.”

The Minneapolis Tribune; “Hiawatha. Semi-Centennial of Longfellow’s Famous Poem Is Celebrated Yesterday By Lone Traveler. Stranger in the City Finds Falls Deserted. Declares ‘Laughing Water’ Will Soon Be a Memory Unless a Retaining Wall Is Built.”; December 11, 1905; p. 1.

1https://www.biography.com/people/henry-wadsworth-longfellow-9385673

2https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/SONG-HIAWATHA-PLAYERS-EDITION-Introduction-Frank/10753731328/bd#&gid=1&pid=1

3http://www.lakesnwoods.com/images/1900s.10.jpg

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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 MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.

                                                         


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Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

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Sunday, December 9, 2018

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 9

December 9, 1904 – The little village of Thomson, two miles from Carlton, was struck by fire this morning, destroying three buildings, valued at about $5,000.

All of the buildings destroyed were vacant at the time of the fire. One was formerly occupied as a hotel and saloon combined. The second was the old post office building, and the third another saloon.

All of the buildings were frame and burned rapidly. The Carlton fire department was notified and succeeded in reaching the spot in time to save two residences adjoining the blazing buildings.

H. H. Hawkins, of Duluth, was the owner of the building formerly occupied by the saloon, and the Cloquet Lumber Company and F. L. Redfield owned the old hotel building.

There was no insurance on any of the property and the value of the structures, estimated at $5,000, will be a dead loss. The origin of the fire is unknown.


Duluth Evening Herald; “Buildings at Thomson Burned”; December 9, 1904; p. 1.



https://www.bestplaces.net/images/city/2764750_mn_thomson.png

           __________________________________________________________

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 MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.

                                                         


Discover your roots, and watch the branches of your family tree begin to grow.


Website:  TheMemoryQuilt.com > click on Family History

Contact me at:
pjefamilyresearch@gmail.com