Glen Rude’s Auction This Sunday
Main Street Dunseith, ND
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Blog (469) posted on May 25, 2009
Posted on May 25, 2009
Reply from Bill Krause (74): Dickinson, ND
Gary and Everyone especially Bev….This past Mothers Day I made my usual call to my Mother there in Dunseith and chatted about the usual things we talk about when I call.(not as often as I should!)After the call ended I thought about the other Mom that used to be in my life so many years ago but still lives in my memory every day.When Bev posted that picture of her Mother the other day it brought back wonderful memories of her again.My second Mom as I use to call her.If ever anyone had a problem that they could not talk to anyone else about you could always count on Francis to be there and listen to you over a game of cards(Nerts if I remember right)and a cup of coffee..No matter how bad or how good she was feeling that day she ALWAYS had time..For that I will always love her!The best second Mom a troubled teenager could have asked for!! Oh ya and she was never afraid to tell you if you were messing up.
As we all get older and God knows we are,our goals and priorities in life change.Although for the select few,that old, very narrow road will always be the same!But thats ok too.. The ones that were once important in our lives get replaced with new ones and so forth.But once we reach that plateau that we have strived most of our life to reach, the one that every person reaches at some point in their lives ,we settle down with that one special someone we will spend the rest of lives with,start a family,be content with your choices and most of all be dedicated to those in your life that are closest to you.But everyonce in a while,we go back to our high school days and relive,if for only a very short while, all those memories that will always be in the back of our mind.That Gary, is why, this that you do for us all, is so very important and meaningful!! Thanks, Bill Krause
Bill, You sure hit the nail on the head with what you said. Very well written. Gary
Reply from Bill Hosmer (48): Tucson, AZ & Lake Metigoshe, ND
Gary and Erling Landsverk, This posting by Erling was poignant to me because Don and Bernice were special friends of mine. Also, I’ve had some one on one with Erling on other matters. Since I just returned to Lake Metigoshe and shopped at Bottineau for groceries, I mentioned to Sharon Landsverk who works in our grocery store that Erling and I had been in contact. She mentioned a book he has written. Today, I purchased it, and when I get through sorting out our stuff I’ll read it. It is titled “My Dakota Years”. I look forward to it because I think it will add to the knowledge we are interested in regarding our wonderful place of growing up. Hopefully,Erling, you will get a marketing plan underway and gain some fans. I suggested to Sharon that it go on sale at the Log House in Dunseith, and anywhere else that will bring some profit and further understanding of our land. I’m enjoying catching up on three weeks of mail. Cheers, Bill Hosmer
Bill, Where were you able to purchase Erling’s book? Erling is such a remarkable guy. He doesn’t let being blind stand in his way. Yes, Sharon Landsverk has been a checker, for decades, at the Jack & Jill store there in Bottineau. I always try to wait for a lull in her line so I can shoot the breeze a bit with her on my way out whether I’ve purchased anything or not. She’s a good old Willow Lake/Dunseith gal. She and Erling are first cousins. Gary
Reply from Aggie Casavant (69): Fort Mill, SC
Wow Dick, the pictures of that Chevy coup you shared are exactly like the car we wrecked that night.I’ll never forget that night. It was Bobby driving that night, with me in the middle in the front next to Bobby with Maryann by the door, Eddie and Jimmy were in the back. We were on our way back from our Uncle Lucien’s place after visiting our cousins Ricky & DuWayne Casavant. Bobby was driving too fast for night driving and I had just told him to slow down, cuz Shaney Vrems cows some times got loose. I never sooner said it, and we came over the hill and saw these two shinny eyes in the road, Maryann said, mmm there they are. Bobby hit the brakes hard, and when he did the car pulled to one side kinda side way, and the cow kept getting closer. We were driving south and when we hit the cow it spun us around going north and down this steep ditch. I could feel I was sliding into Maryann, so I grabbed onto the rear view mirror. Well by the time the car stopped, the door had flew opened and Maryann and I flew out of the car with me landing on top of Maryann, with the rear view mirror in my hand. (That poor little rear view mirror was no match to keep chubby “Aga-nus” in place, super glue wasn’t invented yet…LOL) Anyway, Maryann was crying and said she hurt her knee, and in the moonlight we could see the car leaning like it was ready to tip over on us. As we made our way up the ditch totally stunned and dazed, poor Maryann was in front of me trying to get up the ditch. All of a sudden she trips over something and falls, and me right behind her falls on top of her again…I bet by this time she was thinking she would of been better off being the cow we just hit. Well by the time we got up the ditch, Shaney had heard us hit, and drove out to us. When his truck lights shined on us, he looked at us like speechless cuz we were covered in blood….Not our blood, but when Maryann had fell over something in the ditch it was the cow we had hit and needless to say it was injured pretty bad…So Shaney gave us all a ride home, and told Maryann and I to stay outside while he went in to give our Mom & Dad a heads up before they saw Maryann and I. If I remember correctly, our Dad and Shaney went back out there that night and kinda like finished butchering the cow, saved the meat, and everyone lived happily ever after.
Dick I was surprised how accurately you remember our Mom riding the school bus, and no she didn’t drive. Us kids tried to teach her but that’s a whole other story. She rode the bus and worked at the school till Jimmy got hurt at the graduation party, then she pretty much retired to take care of Jimmy. Thanks for all the nice compliments about our Mom, and our family Dick, I know it will mean allot to my family when they read it. God Bless you and take care. Aggie
Reply to Dick Johnson from Diane Larson Sjol (70): Minot, ND
Dick,
I know Gerald Casavant was in the service….Colette Schimetz and I
used to write to him…he was in Vietnam too I believe. I used to
have a big crush on Joe many years ago from afar….Gerald and Joe
were always fun to be around
Lucy & Joe Casavant (65) 7-12-07
Reply from Gary Metcalfe (57): Forsyth, MO
To Dick Johnson
The picture of your barn Dick motivated me to talk about the barn I moved to the Lee Striker place in the 60’s. It was Joe Borgan’s barn from near Souris. Col. Richard Rocheleau had a young man with enough nerve to start his barn moving business. Well, Vern, from Rugby thought my dad was holding him back coming up through the hills on 43 highway. It was January–cold and lots of snow. So Vern run the hill east of Ike Hagen’s and I am sure he was proud of the time he made. I missed out on most of this adventure as I was working in Belcourt building houses, a good winter job, so I hired my dad and Mike Brennan to help. When they got to that notorious hill east of Arnold Zieler’s, before they could get George Gregory’s maintainer hooked on behind the barn to hold it back, Vern took off, had to kick it out of gear to save the motor from blowing a rod, so he coasted up the hill aways on the uphill side, then rolled back into a deep ditch. It sat over night like a ship on the ocean in a bad hurricane. Next day was Saturday, we worked all day with come alongs, braces and planks. LeRoy Strong was on the front with a D8 cat and we got it up on the road about an hour before dark. I watched the chain break, the motor on the truck screamed and ran backwards and the barn stopped rolling back. Mike Brennan had thrown a railroad tie under the duals at the back of the barn, we replaced the chain with a large cable and I walked ahead of the barn to insure that Vern did not put it in the ditch again.
That little doll house that Lee Striker raised his family was where I learned I did not like living alone. I bought that quarter of land from Henry Miller from Cando, who was related to Lee someway. Maybe Janice could talk some about her dad. Lee was certainly one of my dad’s colorful pals. I bet she remembers his little mare, Patsy and his unique stock saddle. I wouldn’t doubt that Patsy brought him back from Kelvin that night when he pulled Herman House’s tooth with a pair of farm pliers. Every self respecting farmer carried a pair of pliers in his overall special pocket. The farm in those days was not the best place to be if you had asthma as bad as Lee did, but I think it added to his personality….hands on his knees whenever he was sitting. Those were the days when Lee and Emma were probably snowed in for weeks at a time in the winter. Roads came up there in the 50’s, could be off a couple years. Gary Metcalfe
Reply from Cheryl Larson Dakin (71): BEDFORD, TX
To Mark Schimetz…I love the wedding photo of your parents. Thanks for sending. In the spirit of 1950 weddings I wanted to include a photo of my Mom and Dad – Mensvil Norman Larson, Jr. and Verdellis L. Richard married August 21, 1950. Another of them is taken at the locks in Seattle not too much later than that.
Cheryl Larson Dakin
Mensvil Norman Larson, Jr. and Verdellis L. Richard – August 21, 1959
Mensvil Norman, Jr & Verdellis (Richard) Larson
Replies from Sharron Gottbreht Shen (59): Everett, WA
Gary,
I spent some time today trying to send various Footnote items to you. No Luck! It seems that Footnote has blocked further mail to you? I thought they encouarged sharing but it seems they only want subscribers.
I searched for mention of Harman Hiatt today – no mention anywhere that I have found. Three Hiatt’s were registered for Selective Service in Rolette County: Albert Hazen Hiatt; Amos Albert Hiatt; Willie Edwin Hiatt, all of Dunseith postal service.
In the 1930 Census the Henry A and Charlotte Hiatt family are listed in Bottineau County. Henry A, age 47 born Iowa, parents b Iowa; Charlotte O, age 42 b Sweden, parents b Sweden. Harold R 19; Amos A 16; Alice M 14; Marie M 10; Ethel E 8; Gladys L 6; Lillie O 4 3/12; Betty J 1 9/12. All b ND. Both Henry and Harold were listed as laborers/general farming.
Bill Hosmer might have some interesting memories to share of the trip to Hudsons Bay mentioned June 1931 in the TMS Dunseith News? I would love such an adventure.
There is mention of the Stokes family; before your time Gary.
The Borland family made a permanent move to Idaho shortly after this the trip west mentioned here.
Miss Elsie Lafrance was the adopted daughter of Joe and Mary Louise La France. She was blind from birth. Elsie studied Braille in Philadelphia. Alice Tennancour Berube said that Elsie would often read to her and her sisters from her books in Braille.
The over 1500 young men called by the Selective Service Act are all listed in early 1940. Men were then called in smaller groups from this list by lottery for induction. These items might interest with Memorial Day around the corner.
Sharron
Sharron
From Sharron:
Billie Jack Hosmer’s birthday was celebrated 9 months after the Hudson holiday of Jack and Ines Hosmer! His mom held a party 17 Oct 1938 and entertained 12 guests. Bill might share their story of the trip to Hudsons Bay.
I have so many wonderful memories of Jack and Ines Hosmer, Bob and Lee Hosmer, Martinson’s Bakery and the beautiful Morinville couple that it is hard to know where to start. For a retired person, I have many distractions, all of my own making! Having left home in 1958, I see most folks of Dunseith as they were then – forever young.
At the time of the centennial celebration, Jack Hosmer sent word that I should come by and visit. He had a copy of the photo of George Gottbreht and himself on the streets of St Louis, MO, as I recall. They had traveled further south with invite for black baseball players to come to Dunseith. Certainly board and room must have been part of the package. Snips of the Dunseith Colored Giants keep appearing in old issues of Turtle Mountain Star. You could see that Jack relished the memory of the trip and later result. At that visit Jack also reminded me of the many occasions their Metigoshe cabin was open for young visitors. Foremost is the recollection of Lee, having taken a crew of girls their for some fishing from shore – she patiently spent about an hour unsnarling the mother of all knots from my reel! Wonderful, wonderful people.
Speaking of fishing, Marc and I had two days on the Spokane River near his home last year, end of March. I would phone our fish report and ETA to Kathy. The final day of that outing, Kathy said to hurry, the Blue Angels were exercising right above Marc’s home. We arrived for the last 5 minutes. Unbelievable events happen to heart rate and respiration when face to face with the pilot. I have bad knees now, but I was jumping, shouting and waving at the marvel. Marc and I were the sole observers standing in his wide open ten acres. Wow! I’ve so enjoyed every item of the Dunseith fly over and Bill Hosmers comments/commendations. I am attaching a Star item about his big brother Clark Hosmer, lest we forget a single hero.
Keep well, Sharron
Sharren, this is the item attached. I’ll post the Clark Hosmer Article with a later message. Gary
Turtle Mountain Star – October 1938
