Thank you.
Verena

Thanks Lloyd for the information on Clint Anderson’s cream station. It
was just a wild guess on my part that the bigger building beside it
might have been the dance hall that burned on New Years Eve. I thought
Glen Shelver told me it was in the early 30s and you have it as ’31 so
it fits together well. More correct history from those who remember!
Glen said they were warming up the hall for the New Years Eve dance and
the stove must have started the fire. I can only assume the cream
station burned along with the hall, as they appear nearly connected. Is
this correct or was it torn down later? Thanks Lloyd!

To Erling Landsverk– Yesterday Gary Metcalfe mentioned that Harold
Larson is Harry’s son. Gary said Harold has two daughters in the Twin
Cities. I think he had three daughters. Harold Larson also has a
daughter named Jeannie who is married to Dave Schneibel and lives at
Rugby. We were friends with Dan Schneibel who taught in Bottineau. He is
Dave’s brother and this is how I know about the connection. Jeannie’s
phone number is 701-776-5066.

Gary Morgan’s story about his dad and Rene Bedard and hunting ducks
sure brings back the memories. I used to use my grandpa’s old 1887
Winchester lever action 12 gauge shotgun when I was 11 or 12 and had
some real lessons to learn. That big old shotgun was ‘shot out’ and had
a pattern that could cover the barn door at 10 paces! The only prayer I
had was to sneak up close and then blast a few on the water. One day in
the fall it was real cold and I walked out to the point by Axel’s old
house to see if I could get a couple ducks. I crawled up to the edge of
the rise above the lake and peeked over the grass to see the lake shore.
There were a bunch of ducks sitting on the rocks and a few just barely
into the water. I jumped up and ‘ground balled’ a couple with the first
shot and then set the shotgun stock on my belt buckle so I could run the
lever and get another shell in the barrel of the old beast. It was cold
and I had grabbed a pair of Grandpa’s old ragged work gloves before I
left the house. Well, when I closed the lever the big ragged glove
caught the trigger, giving me the entire recoil right in the belly! When
I woke up—– there were two dead ducks floating in the water and the
rest were probably half way to town! I still have the old shotgun and
later found out that it was designed for black powder and should never
be loaded with modern ammo. I shot any and every kind of ammo I could
find in that old gun and never had a problem of any kind.A few years
later and with newer guns, John Bogus and I decided that we should both
learn how to shoot ducks on the fly. One evening we shot almost two
boxes (50 shells) at bluebills flying overhead—and never touched a
duck! I remember John saying, with a big grin, “We better not tell
anyone about this.” I never shot trap or skeet in my life until just a
couple years ago. My son is one of the best in the Fargo area where his
team won a big trap shoot at Horace (Fargo Gun Club). He came up to St.
John a couple years ago and shot trap for a fund raiser for the FFA.
When it was over, some of the bystanders, me included, took a crack at
it. With his coaching, I got 16 out of 25 on my first go around. He
asked, “Why are you waiting so long before you shoot? The clays are only
3 feet off the ground when you fire!” I told him, ” They are going
slower when they get way out there and I have a bigger pattern.” He
about died laughing! My old hunting habits must have worked in reverse
when I had a good shotgun. He nailed the targets within a few yards of
the launch so my technique was hilarious to him! Oh well, I did get 16!
Thanks Gary!

Dick

To Larry Hackman: Within the next few weeks we intend to go up to New Haven, Gerald and Hermann, Missouri. I thought some of your relatives were from Hermann, but I am not sure. With the Dietrick’s and Hackman’s and the church location, we should be able to find some relatives, after all your grandfather Hackman had lots of brothers and sisters that may have stayed in that area. We love Missouri with it’s 6,000 caves and clear water rivers and streams, so we camp often and look for out of the way adventures. Looking up some of your family will give us a reason to go that way. If you have any information about any of them, please let us know.

Gary Metcalfe