Saturday, February 2, 2019

On This Date in Minnesota History: February 2

February 2, 1987 – “Amid growing anger over the decline of American service, many U.S. companies defy the trend and flourish handsomely because of the care they lavish on customers.” So begins a "Time" magazine article entitled “Where the Customer Is Still King” that includes a review of the Twin Cities’ own Byerly’s grocery stores.

Don Byerly opened his first store in Golden Valley in 1968. He told "Time" that “he [had] almost never publicly advertised a product or price. ‘We spend the advertising money on service,’ he [explained].” The article goes on to say that “Byerly's places special emphasis on helpfulness.” According to Don Byerly, “The only reason people will come back to our store is because of what happened to them the last time they were here."

In April 1997, Byerly’s was purchased by Lund Food Holdings, Inc., parent company of Edina-based Lunds. In April 2015, the grocery stores were rebranded Lunds & Byerlys.

http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,963439,00.html

http://www.lundsandbyerlys.com/About/Our-History.aspx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunds_%26_Byerlys



Byerly's original store in Golden Valley

Photo taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain Feb. 2, 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 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



Friday, February 1, 2019

On This Date in Minnesota History: February 1

February 1, 1908 - At the Lyceum Theater this evening, the raffle prize of a real, live baby girl occurred just as Theater Manager Frank Priest had promised. Mrs. Mary Powers held the winning ticket number 5036. Mrs. Powers left the theater in company with the baby and its parents, and the final award will not be announced until Monday pending investigation to insure that the baby will have a good home.


Lyceum Theater1
 
Priest had announced last Wednesday
2 that Saturday’s evening performance at the Lyceum Theater would include selling “chances” to win a six-week old child, much to the angst and anger of the Children’s Humane Society. The plan was simply that every woman who buys a ticket for the Saturday evening performance will have a chance, and whoever draws a certain number will own the baby.

This afternoon Agent S. L. Van Etten of the Humane Society and a lawyer called on Priest and entered a protest against the plans for the disposal of the baby. They regretted that it was too late to get out an injunction to prevent the raffle, but in further conference the three agreed that great care would be taken that the baby fell into proper hands, even if it required repeated trials to bring about the desired end.

The names of the parents will be withheld until the baby is permanently located.

As for the infant, it is a live, active, roly-poly, laughing, dimple-faced baby.

But the novelty was not over with the goodbye to the baby. Something not on the program occurred, when a curly-tailed, stub-nosed, squealing piglet was given to “Plupy” Hendricks, who went home tonight weighed down with 15 pounds of combative grunting belligerent noise.

Priest claimed that he was offering a service, since babies for adoption had been greatly in demand in Minneapolis in the last few months; however, based on the play that was being performed, “Wanted, A Baby,”+ it appeared to be a plot to draw more people to the theater.


3


In fact, by Monday, after much investigation by Humane Society officers, the whole situation had turned out to be fake, pure and simple; nothing but a publicity stunt. The baby that Miss “Mary Powers” is supposed to have won legitimately with ticket 5036, was her own daughter, Julia, and “Miss Powers,” who literally raffled and won her own child is Mamie Dickerson, the wife of George Dickerson, property man at the Lyceum. The infant, who drew the Humane Society officers in in its protection, is the “property” of Mr. Dickerson, although she is not included in the inventory of the Lyceum stage property.


Monday afternoon S. L. Van Etten, Humane Society agent, in company with a local attorney and one of the officers of the society, appeared at the home of the alleged Miss Powers and demanded the custody of the child. The truth was disclosed after a dramatic scene at Mrs. Dickerson’s home had been enacted, when officer Van Etten attempted to secure the infant. Miss Powers refused to surrender the child and when the officers attempted to get possession of her through course of law, she went into hysterics and Mr. Dickerson came to the rescue revealing the whole situation.

Manager Frank Priest of the Lyceum had wished to add a little spice to the current performance at the theater, and called upon his property man, as was his custom when he wanted anything with which to add to his production. This time he demanded a real live baby, such as was used in the regular performance, but he wanted it for “keeps.”

Propertyman Dickerson was attentive to the situation and after a few hours of earnest pleading with his wife, succeeded in getting the “property” for his boss. When he brought his first born to the theater he had no idea of putting the baby up for raffle, but was advised of the fact by Manager Priest. The ludicrous part of the situation dawned upon Dickerson and after arranging a fake deal in which his wife would draw the winning number, he consented to the plans.

When the Humane Society officers found out that that a real baby was to be raffled off, action was at once taken to stop the allotment, but it was then too late to get an injunction. However, Priest convinced the officers that the baby would be well cared for and given to a good home.


The number was drawn Sat. night and the manager of the theater was content with the deal, but the humane officers had changed their minds about it and were determined to take the baby into the folds of the society and deprive the winner of her prize. They went to the home of “Miss Powers” on Mon. and discovered the truth.


The Lyceum Theater would today be located on the Peavey Plaza/Orchestra Hall block downtown Minneapolis. The two-story building on the far right is currently home to Brit’s Pub.
4



Etten, himself in earnest at the time of the investigation, felt completely “stung” when he found that he had been duped. But he is not so sure that there will be another part of the “stung” proposition before the matter is dropped. He feels that the fake business is grounds for some kind of a complaint. The baby has been allowed to remain with her mother and in spite of the hubbub, remains contented and happy.



1http://www.lileks.com/mpls/lyceum/index.html

The Minneapolis Tribune
; ”Wins Baby As Prize; Mrs. Mary Powers Holds Lucky Number at Lyceum Theater.”; Feb. 2, 1908; p. 6.

2The Minneapolis Tribune; “Give Baby to Holder of Right Seat Check; Lyceum Theater Management Has Clever Scheme for Filling House.”; January 29, 1908; p. 5.

The Minneapolis Tribune; “Baby Lottery Has String to Prize; Mother Allows Infant to Be Raffled, but Holds the Lucky Number. Humane Officers “Stung” While Trying to Prevent Parent Selling Child.”; Feb. 3, 1908; p. 5.

3The Minneapolis Tribune; January 31, 1908; p. 5.

4http://www.lileks.com/mpls/lyceum/2.html

+“Wanted, A Baby” is farce comedy of the most hilarious and rollicking kind and the Lyceum players will have plenty to keep them busy this week. The story is built for laughing purposes only, is that of a young man and a beautiful young girl who fall wildly in love. But the question of parental consent is one which they are unable to solve. Foolishly enough, they go and get married any way.

They succeed in keeping the marriage a secret as long as there are only two of them, but when the two become three, their troubles begin. The baby presents a real difficulty. Then the play takes on the appearance of a kind of dramatized game of “Button, button, who’s got the button?” and the action becomes uproarious.

The Minneapolis Tribune; January 26, 1908; p. 18.

           __________________________________________________________

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





Thursday, January 31, 2019

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 31


January 31, 1959 – “Buddy Holly, rock and roll singer, appeared at the Duluth Armory [on this date].” 

http://www.thehistorypeople.com/data/docs/timeline-part2.pdf



Buddy Holly

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Buddy_Holly_Brunswick_Records.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 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





Wednesday, January 30, 2019

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 30

January 30, 1958 – “Minnesota and North Dakota agreed that Minnesotans who worked in North Dakota and North Dakotans who worked in Minnesota would not be required to pay income tax in both states.” 

http://www.thehistorypeople.com/data/docs/timeline-part2.pdf




http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0PDoYDhlghRkFIA9.GJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3Dmaps%2Bof%2Bnorth%2Bdakota%2Band%2Bminnesota%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701-s%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D2&w=724&h=800&imgurl=www.united-states-map.com%2Froad%2Fusroad31.gif&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.united-states-map.com%2Froad%2Fnorthernplains.htm&size=67+KB&name=...+map+includes+%3Cb%3Enorth+dakota+%3C%2Fb%3Esouth+%3Cb%3Edakota+and+%3C%2Fb%3Emost+%3Cb%3Eof+minnesota+%3C%2Fb%3Eiowa+%3Cb%3Eand%3C%2Fb%3E&p=maps+of+north+dakota+and+minnesota&oid=37a0aa930c94a75bf60ded073b6a901c&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701-s&tt=...%2Bmap%2Bincludes%2B%253Cb%253Enorth%2Bdakota%2B%253C%252Fb%253Esouth%2B%253Cb%253Edakota%2Band%2B%253C%252Fb%253Emost%2B%253Cb%253Eof%2Bminnesota%2B%253C%252Fb%253Eiowa%2B%253Cb%253Eand%253C%252Fb%253E&b=0&ni=21&no=2&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=11oh56ou6&sigb=142ir57s6&sigi=11b8tq8o1&.crumb=DI4vTsQoKh9
           __________________________________________________________

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







Monday, January 28, 2019

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 28

January 28, 1925 – One of the first four women elected to the Minnesota Legislature, Hannah Jensen Kempfer was also the first woman to serve as the honorary speaker in the Minnesota House of Representatives after being so appointed on this date. 



Hannah Jensen Kempfer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Kempfer

           __________________________________________________________

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:
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Sunday, January 27, 2019

On This Date in Minnesota History: January 27


January 27, 1856 – The First Presbyterian Church in Hastings, Minn., was organized on this date. Worship services were first held at this site in 1876. In 1995, the church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.1  

1http://nrhp.mnhs.org/NRDetails.cfm?NPSNum=95000822






Photos taken by Pamela J. Erickson. Released into the public domain Jan. 27, 2012,
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 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