From LeaRae Parrill Espe (67): Bottineau, ND.

SAMSKI VISIT

My mother received a letter from Carol Samski, daughter of Gene and Marion Samski. Carol and Gene will be in the Dunseith area for a nine day visit endingOctober 9th. They lived on the farm next to us in the foothills where Bonner & Carol Law, Jim & Marty Wheeler, Garret and Debbie Myer, & Charlene Woods later lived. They had five children when they moved to Lodi, California in Jan or Feb 1957-Douglas, Rodney, Diane, Carol and Maryls. Diane was in my grade and one of the 37 first graders mom had her first year of teaching in town 1955-56. Diane and I were best of friends. Mom and dad became good friends with the Samski’s even though we only lived neighbors for two years before they moved. Diane and I were pen pals for years. Our parents exchanged Christmas letters most every year since. Marion ended up with some type of dementia and passed away December 2007. The Samski’s had two or three more daughters after they moved.

I am thinking Rod or Douglas contributed to this blog quite awhile back.

Anyway, I just wanted to let people know that Gene is planning this visit. I called Carol last night to get more details, but could only leave a message. She lives in Hawaii and I believe it is five hours behind Central. I called at 10:30 PM our time.

Rod Samski (65)

From LeaRae

PARRILL BARN- More questions than answers

The picture Dick Johnson posted of the Parrill barn is a mystery to me. Dad told me that our Grandfather owned land in the Turtle Mt. that was sold to put a down payment on the land that his step father , Joe Cox, bought in the Red River Valley near Mountain (Cavalier), ND. This land was sold some time in the 1930s. Our grandfather, Cecil Day Parrill, came from Illinois and taught school (in Russell township ?) and then was Supt of Dunseith Public School at the time of his death in December 1918. He was a victim of the Flu Epidemic of 1918. My uncle Thurman was one year old and my dad (Dean Parrill) was born four months after his death. Cecil married Laura Melhus at John’s(?) Lutheran. This church later merged with Little Prairie.

I am wondering if this barn was North of Dunseith or North of Bottineau. I was always under the impression the land was North of Bottineau but it would actually make more sense that it was N of Dunseith, except I thought dad said it was over by Bottineau.

We have family history stating that the Parrills came to America from Scotland between 1660-1690. Hugh Parrill (9 generations back from me) settled in Virginia and was a neighbor of George Washington. (Some legal papers of Washington mention dealings with the Parrills).

Parrills fought on both sides in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. During the Civil War, some moved to West Virginia as they were against slavery and some stayed on the Virginia side as they were in favor of slavery. Three or four Parrills married Calverts, relations of Lord Baltimore (so it is written). Anne Calvert married Hugh Parrill. Later, some Parrills moved to Ohio and Illinois. Our grandfather came alone to ND to teach school after graduating (?)from Valparaiso University in Illinois. Dad attended a Parrill reunion in Illinois when he was about 20. We had Christmas cards from his uncle and cousins in Farina, ill, but otherwise we kids have never met any of our Parrill relatives. My brother Clark had a letter and emails from Michael Parrill of West Virginia. If anyone on the blog knows any Parrills, they are probably related. Some spellings are slightly different, but could still be related. (Actually, I think my cousin Myron met a Parrill in Grand Forks-think he worked at Menards. This was probably 20 years ago.)

Dick Johnson’s reply:

LeaRae,

I may have misread the writing on the old picture of the barn. It’s
very poorly written and may not be ‘Parels’ at all. We think it could be
‘Pauls’, which could then be my great grandfather Paul Strietzel’s barn
and would make more sense. I don’t remember this barn but it could have
been long gone before I was around. I’m old, but not that old! Sorry if
this caused any confusion, it looks like my mistake. If you write the
name ‘Paul’ and stretch out the U, it looks like an R and an E. Of
course it doesn’t with a typewriter. They obviously didn’t have Anna
Foss for English!!

Dick

Reply to Erling Lansverks question about finding an old teacher

From Sharron Gottbreht Shen (59): Everett, WA.

Good morning Gary,

There must be over 250 listings on Footnote for the family name Larson in the Turtle Mt Star. I have read about 40 items so far and found Harry Larson listed as school staff for the year 1938 at Dunseith No I. A Mrs. Harry Larson was hostess to the teachers’ sewing club mid April 1939. Victor and I leave for a week with Ivan and Nora in New Jersey this Sunday. I may have several idle hours to explore Larson entries then.

George mentioned the passing of Greg Grimme to me at our visit in Fort Benton, MT. This birthday event quite by chance coincided with the funeral services of Greg. Marc Gottbreht and George were shocked and saddened by the loss of Greg and offer their condolences.

Sharron

Reply to Dick Johnson (68) form Sybil Johnson: Cheyenne, WY.

Thanks Dick! I never heard the description of the house. Beckie will appreciate the article, for she also gets these blogs everyday. I don’t ever remember Uncle Raymond (Red) being called “Hobo” Red; even though it truly describes him very well. The stories that old man use tell were very entertaining. Like the one, about him and others being chased out of Mexico; or the one about him and others being called “soldiers of misfortune” instead of the usual “soldiers of fortune”. Thanks again, Dick. Sybil Johnson

Message / Picture from Dick Johnson (68): Dunseith, ND.

Gary and Friends,

Someone sent in a picture of Clint Anderson’s Cream Station quite a
while back. I have looked at that picture several times and can’t place
the building or the large building beside it. I was wondering if Lloyd
Awalt or one of our other contributors could tell me where it was
located? I remember hearing that a big hall burned down on the north end
of Main street on New Year’s Eve—OK Lloyd,(or whomever) what year?
Someone stated that Minnie and George Alvin took over the cream
business, but this isn’t the building they were in. At least not the one
I remember, across from Lamoureux Bros. Garage. There were many fires in
the old days and several businesses were lost so I wondered if this
could have been the fate of Clint Anderson’s cream station. Does anyone
know? I suppose many of the younger readers don’t know the difference
between a cream station and a creamery. A cream station bought cream
from the farmers and then sent it to a creamery for processing into all
the dairy products. They had to ‘test’ the cream for butter fat content
and the producer was paid accordingly. The picture below is the one of
Clint Anderson’s Cream Station sent in earlier. Thanks Gary!

Lutheran Picture L to R:

Back row
Clarence Bye, Clarence Christianson , Coonie McKay, Erling Berg, Stan Salmonson, Cliff
Salmonson, Art Henning, Ingolf Medlang

3rd row
Joan Salmonson, Alvina Christianson, Helen Bye, Agnes Salmonson, Ella Metcalfe, Dorothy
Halvorson

2nd row
Gladys Henning, Hannah Rude, Delores Berg , Bernice Johnson, Caroleen Williams,
Alma Halvorson, Alice McKay

Front row
Don Johnson, Art Rude, Cliff Halvorson, Lawrence Struck, Lester Halvorson,
Jim Metcalfe, Don Williams