The following information was provided by Jack Lee Funk, son of Patrick and Gladys Martinson Funk and grandson of Charles and Ezma Funk.
My Grandfather, my Dad’s Dad, Charles Funk was born April 13, 1878 in Waukesha City, Wisconsin and died September 17, 1914 near Lakeside, MN. He is buried in Stewart, MN.
Charles’ parents were Samuel Harvey Funk and Jane Elizabeth Niver. Samuel was born June 3, 1840 in Pennsylvania and died in 1918 in Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin. Jane was born March 13, 1843 in Churchtown, New York and died July 16, 1926 in Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin. Further information on Samuel H. Funk can be found in Attachments I.
Samuel H. Funk and Jane Elizabeth Niver Funk had the following children:
Etta (1868), Sarah (1869), Kate (1870), William (1873), Robert (1874), Charles (1876), Leah (1878), Edith (1880), Emma (1882), Emery (1882), Samuel (1885), Anna (1888). Children born prior to 1880 were born in Wisconsin. Children after 1880 were born in Minnesota. Note, that Emma and Emery are twins.
Author's Note: The 1880 census lists 2 other children: Laura, age 2, and Bell, age zero. This gives rise to the question: who is and Laura and Bell? Was Laura really Leah? And, was Bell a different name for Edith? Or, was Bell a twin to Edith and who subsequently died? The 1895 census lists Leah Funk as 17 years old. There is no listing for Laura.
Charles married Ezma L. Dawson Funk on June 19, 1905 in McLeod County. Ezma was born November 11, 1885 in Clarion, Iowa; and died November 18, 1958 in Minneapolis.Charles and Ezma are buried in the Lakeside Cemetery at Stewart, MN.
Charles and Ezma had 6 children:
Emery Sam Funk (August 4, 1905-April 7, 1994) married to Helene Aye (October 2, 1905-August 17, 2000) on August 21, 1924 in McLeod County, Minnesota.
Pearl Funk was born between May and December, 1906 and died December 1, 1923.
Lloyd Charles Funk (March 24, 1908-November 24, 1964) married Barbara Catherine Gertie Funk Krueger (February 11, 1906 born in Kansas?-August 14, 1977) on July 28, 1934 in Renville County, Minnesota.
Merrill Leroy Funk (November 24, 1910-June 12, 1944) KIA in Normany, France. Merrill (Chance) landed with the D-Day forces at Utah Beach on June 6th, 1944 and was killed in action on June 12, 1944 in Normandy, France near the Merderet River. He is buried at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach near Colleville-sur-Mer.
Bernard Harry Funk (November 24, 1912-August 26, 1989) married Ida Marie Bricker (March 11, 1909-February 13, 1996) on October 10, 1931 in Renville County, Minnesota.
Patrick (No Middle Name) Funk (March 17, 1914-October 10, 2001) married Gladys Rosalie Martinson (April 18, 1915-December 31, 1988) in Minneapolis, MN
Despondent after losing $2000.00 in some venture Charles Funk committed suicide by shooting himself in the barn of a rented farm that was a few miles east of Lakeside in Collins township, McLeod county. (Lakeside is a small burg, southwest of Hutchinson, MN at the intersections of Co.Hwy 11 and Co. Hwy 24.) Sometime later the family moved to a small house in Lakeside. Lakeside probably never had more than 10 houses, a school, a store and a creamery? Charles left Ezma to provide for 6 young children and the sacrifices that she must have went through. She cooked for threshing crews, road crews, gave haircuts, took in sewing, probably washing and all various odd jobs. My impression is that, Emery, the oldest, became the surrogate Father.
A description of Lakeside is below in Attachment II. It was written by Joyce Ann Kurth Young in 1991.
Attachment I
Samuel H. Funk
Author unknown- Likely Hazel Knutson, Jack’s Great Aunt
A veteran of the Civil War was born in Pennsylvania June 3, 1840 of German parentage, and came to Fort Wayne, Indiana where he grew to manhood and engaged in farming.
He later came to Waukesha Co., Wisconsin and settled a farm, where he remained for fifteen years, coming to Minnesota in 1880. He came to Renville Co. and rented a farm in section 30, Boon Lake twp. Later he homesteaded in section 16 and build frame buildings. He had used oxen when farming on the rented place, but secured a team of horses when he homesteaded.
He had driven into the Co. from Wis, with horses, the trip taking 18 days. He lived there until 1901 improving the place, and then sold the farm and retired to Weyerhauser, Wis. Mr. Funk served on the board of supervisors in his twp.
He married in Wis to Jane Elizabeth Niver, a native of that state and of Dutch decent. She was supposed to of come across the ocean from Holland, when a very small girl about 15 or 16 yrs.
They had the following children Etta, Sarah, Kate, Leah, William, Robert, Charles, Edith, Emery & Emma twins and Samuel.
Robert H. Funk born Feb 8, 1875 married to Nanna Anderson Feb 7, 1900 the daughter of John and Mary Anderson. They had one child LeRoy Harvey Funk.
Author’s note: Etta May Funk born 1868 in Wisconsin and died July 5, 1951 in North Dakota.
Attachment II
The Lakeside Story
store - creamery - school
Joyce Ann Kurth Young
Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council
Emerging Artist Grant - 1991
INTRODUCTION
The September 19, 1968, issue of the Buffalo Lake News printed a picture and six related sentences including "One of the old landmarks of this area is being tom down. It is the Lakeside Store, which was built about 90 years ago. Old timers say it was a cigar factory in the l880s and later became a general store. W. J. Kurth operated it as a store for many years. It is owned by the Lakeside Creamery and used for a warehouse."
I drove to the site and retrieved a Sunshine Biscuits Box cover and a wooden dowel; I returned to my home filled with memories and a heavy heart. Over twenty years later, I submitted an application to Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council to do an historical research project to include a series of watercolor paintings of the Lakeside area. I was awarded an Emerging Artist Grant and began work in January 1991.
The resulting notes are a collection of comments by Lakeside neighbors, who shared memories and photographs with me. Notes are also included from material gleaned at the Renville Library, the Renville Museum, Walker Library, and the McLeod County Heritage Center. This booklet is dedicated to those people who helped in the research and to their families who lived around Lakeside, especially to my "Grandpa Lakeside", W.J. (Bill) Kurth, and his four sons: Perley, Alvin, Wallace (my dad), and Wendell.
HOUSE
The Lakeside area is near Lake Allie in Boon Lake Township, Renville County, Minnesota. It is four miles south and nine miles west of Hutchinson, Minnesota.
A homestead grant for land purchase was registered as early as 1856. Native American people stopped there as early as 1862. The house across from the store was typical of many homes built after the Civil War in 1865. The section with big windows was the original building and additions were made to the north end of the house. The house still stands with many additions and much remodeling. I remember the wood stove in the kitchen, player piano in the parlor, the feather-bed upstairs, and the cistern pump in the washroom where the "new" bathroom was installed. I also remember the pump with a cup hanging on it outside, the "Northwest" as the outhouse was called, and the arbor with a trellis filled with singing birds.
Stories that are shared by members of the Kurth family may typify those of others in the area during the Lakeside years:
Kurth grandchildren collecting glass quart jars full of fireflies in the yard across from the store.
Grandma Kurth running out of the house to rescue three grandchildren from a pack of dogs encircling them with mouths open, "ready to devour" the children who froze in their tracks.
The call up the stairway at the homestead" Are you jumping on the bed?" and many grandchildren with red sweaty faces. out of breath, would call down, "No we aren't."
Grandchildren wearing plastic bowl covers on their hair to keep it dry during showers in the "new" bathroom.
Rides in Grandpa's Buick.
Pushing the pedal to make the wheel go around on the old grindstone in the backyard.
Calling grandparents Grandpa and Grandma "lakeside" instead of Kurth.
Having store lunch and taking home a bag of candy.
The house became home to other families after 1960 and is presently occupied by the descendents of the Dennison family, early settlers in the Lakeside area.
STORE
The Lakeside Store holds a special place in many hearts. First records indicate a store was built by M.A. Carrigan and Lindsey McLoufflin around 1878. It started as a tobacco processing business on the north shore of Lake Allie. Tobacco was first brought to the Lake Allie area past the Sheppard place. Later the business was moved by Fred Fisher to the Lakeside location two miles north of the lake. Fred Fisher was one of the earliest Lakeside storekeepers. Cigars were sold in boxes with the Lakeside name. Bill Briggs built additions on the store. A second story was added to be used for community activities. A stairway to the upstairs hall and a shipping/receiving area were added around back. An addition along the north end of the store was used for the grocery business.
Bill Grunke and George Schutz together owned the store until Schutz was drafted in World War I and lost his life. Bill Grunke continued to operate the store for a time and later moved to a farm.
Ben Loeffers and W.J. (Bill) Kurth owned the store together at one time. The title was registered at the Renville County Courthouse. Ben came from the Appleton Creamery and stayed on to run the store for two years. Bill went to Barnesville and Hawley, but returned and bought the
store from Ben. Ben bought a farm by Church Hill. Bill “Grandpa Lakeside” ran the store for many years. His wife and sons Perley, Alvin, Wallace, and Wendell worked at the store during the time it was owned by the Kurths.
Recalling the lives of the patrons, their activities, and involvement in the Lakeside area becomes a lesson in history and nostalgia for those days. Their names are intertwined with the stories about the store.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembers that Bill Briggs and Gus Krasean were carpenters and steam engine threshers there. A couple of times Oliver Sayles went to Hutchinson with horses and sled to take in eggs and bring out supplies for W.J. (Bill). The first vehicle used to get supplies (which were usually picked up in Hutchinson rather than Buffalo Lake) was a Model T one-ton truck with solid rubber tires on the rear; later a pickup truck was used.
Together we recall that inside on the south side of the store were overalls, shoes, women's clothes, hats, underware, dry goods of all kinds, glass on the shelves along the wall and stools along the counter. There were new dishes in the front along the window sill. In the middle there
were fabrics and sewing items--thread, bias tape, buttons, and yard goods on bolts. Toward the back of the store was the potbelly stove with a shield around the back of it. There was a spitoon on the floor near the stove.
Alvin and Florence Kurth remember that the Litchfield Produce truck stopped to pick up eggs and poultry in "cackle crates” twice a week. Eggs were candled one by one, way in the back of the store. It was fascinating to see how if the egg was too mature, a chick would be forming and could be seen in the light. David Kurth also remembers helping candle eggs when he stayed with Grandpa Lakeside during a summer visit. Cases were brought by nearby farmers. The eggs were candled as they were unloaded and the amount allowed was traded for groceries.
The other side of the store was filled with groceries. The top shelves were stocked with cereal. Below that were canned goods. There was a "grabber," a pincher claw with a long extension rod, to get the cereal boxes
down.
Groceries were put in empty egg cases. Other items were wrapped in brown paper that came from a large roll. W.J. (Bill) Kurth had a flair for pulling the string off the cone-shaped spool, diagonally twisting it around the brown wrapping paper--so quickly and effortlessly--finishing with his special knot and a quick tug to break the string. Bill Bradford recalled watching the procedure many times as he waited for a package.
There were the rubber bands around the shirt sleeves to hold the sleeve up on the arm. Mrs. Wendell (Gladys Bach) Kurth recalled how Grandma Lakeside would work in the store and go home to fix meals. Grandma always wore an apron for her duties. Gladys has the hat
stretcher used at the store, the old knife used to cut bologna for store lunches, and an old motor robe used on the sleigh to go to church on Sundays.
Way in the back of the store were 49 pound sacks of flour (the Pure-a-Snow and later Gold Medal cloth sacks which were used in many ways by homemakers) and 50 gallon vinegar barrels (folks brought jars from home to fill with white or brown vinegar). Sugar was sold as requested (for example fifty cents or one dollar's worth). In the summer it was ha to keep enough rubber rings and jar lids on hand. These canning supplies sold well in season. Kerosine was sold from a tank and there was a huge scale by a large double door. Oyster shells and salt blocks were stored in the warehouse. Crated chickens were kept in the truck shed across the driveway east of the store.
There was a manual cash register, a "huge" safe, a roll-top desk, a pop cooler with fancy Coca Cola ads. There were calendars on the wall and an ice cream freezer with six to eight flavors in the round metal, and later, cardboard containers. It cost five cents for a cone; most ended up as "double or triple deckers."
The big decision fur children to make came by way of "penny candy "--root beer barrels; licorice; butterscotch; lemon drops; peppermint, soft or hard, pink or white; corn candy; angel food chunks; and chocolate covered cherries. Mrs. Vernon (Lucille Buehler) Ruschmeyer recalls the little sack of candy for kids to take home. Pick out the kinds, watch it go into the brown bag (with always a few extras) and ration it out until the next store trip came.
There were cookies in the Sunshine Biscuit boxes with their glass covers. Molasses, sugar, windmill, and "Ladies Aid" wafers--strawberry, chocolate, or vanilla--to go on the top of a dish of ice cream.
Then there was the" store lunch", the treat for many a neighbor; cheese and crackers for the mail carriers, Don Richards and Emil Wallner delivery people and special customers like Dr. Scholp who got bologna and crackers. For grandchildren who came each Wednesday evening from Hutchinson, the store lunch followed grocery shopping. Out would come the brown wrapping paper placed on the end of the counter, the soda crackers, sardines, the sausage or cheese, cookies, pop--root beer, creme soda, orange crush, grape, or strawberry soda--and often an ice cream cone! What a banquet; a feast in a youngster's eyes to be sure.
Most of the hardware and groceries came by rail via Hutchinson Great Northern Depot, but later truck deliveries to the store became more common. Groceries were bought from the following companies: Winston- Harbor-Fisher, Griggs Cooper (Home Brand), I.G.A., and Super Valu, all fro the Twin City area. Other products sold at the store were from: Hancock-Nelson, New Ulm Grocery, Henry Candy Company of Will mar, Swift Meat, Willis Nelson, Flavorite, Ambassador, Wonder Bread, Holsum Bread, ice cream from Marshall, and soft drinks from Hutchinson Bottling Works. Hardware and paint was from Jenny Semple Hill of Minneapolis (King England was the salesman and lived in Hutchinson) and Farwell Osmun Kirk (FOK) of St. Paul.
The store was open from 5:00 a.m. to 11:30 at night. Customers would often come with a twelve-dozen case of eggs, milk for the creamery and a grocery list. There were some cash customers, most were charges 0 even barter. Ken Hubin remembers hearing "charge it" when he was in the store. Many times the grocery exchange was the housewife's "contribution". She had charge of the laying hens and chickens. The monthly cream checks were kept in the safe at the store and were picked up from there by the patrons. Often the patron used the check to pay 0111 his account at the store.
The store closed at 6:00 p.m. during the war. It was closed for church on Sunday morning. Clancey Kurth remembers the young men at the store on Sunday afternoons. It was their "hangout" and usually included food consumption. The store was also a gathering place after ballgames and for card playing. Later, the store was closed Sunday afternoons. There was a skating rink behind the store in the winter. The creamery cistern pumped out to flood the rink for skating. There was an ice house on the south side of the driveway east of the store.
Records in the Renville Library show that the Lakeside Comets were organized in 1928 as the first 4H club in the county. Ray Fitzloff remembers that Alvin Katzenmeyer and Ed Fitzloff were senior leaders. The 4H group put on plays in the Lakeside Hall upstairs. There was a stage, dressing room, and a number of chairs. Ray recalls basket socials, school plays, creamery association meetings, and Farm Bureau meetings.
Mrs. James (Annabel Bradford) Reid remembers the Farm Bureau meetings best of all. There were recitations, readings, singing (like: "There's bacon frying in the pan"), and even rope twirling.
For the meetings, W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth made sack lunches consisting of a bun with sliced ham or sandwich meat. There was a plain cake donut and coffee, which was served in tin cups with big handles.
Sometimes wieners were served after being heated in a milk can by a steam hose. Mrs. Pernell (Ruth Loeffer,) Utgaard remembers her father, Ben, sending a tub of wieners upstairs with Emery Funk. As he waited, he saw Emery come falling all the way down the steps. Asking if he was hurt, Emery replied, "Aw, heck no, I was coming down anyway."
The meetings were long and drawn out, in the evening, with entertainment and food for the whole family A band played including Herman Schroeder on concertina, Frank Lamp on drum" and others Florence (Kurth) Waggonner provided music at time, A quartet was Gail Richard, on guitar, Charles Reid Helen Buehler and Annabel Bradford. Sometimes Frank Lamp played concertina Gus Krasean played the violin James and Susan Reid were the program committee They got musicians from further away, such as Olivia, but people didn't respond as well. It was for Gus Krasean they applauded loudest
Many folks remember the dances in the Lakeside Hall Each noted that the floor would vibrate as the dancers twirled. On at least one occasion W.J (Bill) Kurth went upstairs in a hurry to ask them to stop. That time a wooden beam had slipped out from it, braces as the swaying floor moved up and down Eventually the dances were banned, and ultimately crowds were no longer allowed in the upstairs hall. Mrs. Glenn (Marith Kurth) Witte has the piano from the Lakeside Hall.
Each Christmas, new store calendars were given out to customers during the time the Kurths ran the store. These Lakeside calendars were elegant, with embossed edge, sparkled with snow glitter Christmas scenes with a packet for notes on the bottom.
Mrs. Perley (Gretchen Prieve) Kurth recalled the telephones for Hutchinson and Buffalo Lake that were lined up on the back wall. Customers could use these without having to pay "long distance". The telephones were in big wooden boxes, the ringer was on the side and was turned by hand to make a call. Walt Duesterhoeft added that few people had telephones in their homes; however moot people had telephones when the Kurths were operating the store. Later, there were 18 home telephones on a party line The term "rubber in" refers to listening to other people’s conversations. It was so common, it became accepted. Listeners even called back to one of the callers that had been talking to get clarification on a specific point.
In the Lakeside area, farmers with little time on their hands gathered around the wood stove on cold winter days At other times during the week, men would be lined up waiting to get milk into the creamery and there they had time for story telling .
Gasoline pumps replaced hitching posts. The first pumps worked by gravity to fill tanks. Walt remembers there were two Shell pumps; later the Texaco look appeared. All totaled, Shell, Lone Star Gas (Skelly), and Texaco figured in the gas supplied at Lakeside. Greg Witte still has an old pump.
Lakeside Store was closed in the late 1950s and sold to the Creamery Association in 1960. Rollie Hall straightened nails from the store and sold them when the store was torn down in 1968. A new Lakeside store was opened by Mrs. Holverton’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Morgan in the old District 120 school building which was moved forward and remodeled. The country store tradition continued for some time. Bev Julius bought that store after working there for awhile. She remembered growing up in the Lakeside area and coming to the Lakeside store. Finally it became a bait shop and later closed
CREAMERY
When pioneers moved westward, butter, milk, and cheese helped feed their families. More cattle were kept as land was settled and soil management improved. Surplus milk was sold.
For many years dairy products were manufactured on farms, but as cities grew larger and markets increased it became necessary and profitable to process milk un a larger scale. The first butter factory, or creamery, was set up in New York in 1856. The manufacture of milk became industrialized and creameries were formed throughout the country.
The Lakeside Cooperative Creamery has documentation in records held by Harry Kurth and has an inclusion in the Renville County Historical Book. It is known as the first cooperative creamery in Renville County with an ongoing operation of ninety one years The warranty deed was filed on December 16. 1897 and was incorporated on January 24, 1898 as the Boon Lake Cooperative Creamery Company on the Hugh Carrigan place. In 1912 one-half acre was added from the Arthur Butler place. There was a re-incorporation on March 30, 1921, and it became the Lakeside Cooperative Creamery Association. This illustrious longevity brings fond memories to those involved .
The first board consisted of H.B. Boorman,, president; W.W. Forbes, vice president; Orville J. Ebner, secretary; William Kurth, Fred Lindstadt, Hugh Carrigan, and Fred Jarcho, directors. Other early patrons were George Richards, Sr., John Runke, Sr., William Runke, and Henry Wesleloh.
W.J. (Bill) Kurth started work as a helper in the Creamery for nine months in 1905. He was seventeen years old. B.F. Sheppard was president; William Kurth, treasurer; H.D. Boorman, secretary; J.H. Runke, director; and A. Mikkelson was buttermaker. In December W.J. (Bill) went to the University of Minnesota with Reiner Beilke. Upon completion of a course W.J. (Bill) was hired as an operator and later became buttermaker at Lakeside for twenty five years. He left to go to Hawley and Barnesville as a buttermaker.
In 1921, when the Cooperative was re-incorporated, the board was composed of Herman Rannow, president; William Kurth, treasurer; Fred Jarcho, vice president; W.J. (Bill) Kurth, secretary; W.J. Carrigan, W.H. Fallon, and Max Fisher, directors.
Early in the Twentieth Century, farmers were separating their milk, selling the cream, and feeding the skim milk to animals. Early processing factories were located in rural heavy milk areas where hauling distances for the raw milk were minimal. These factories were also specialized. Buttermilk is a by-product of the churning of cream. In the past, the cream often was sour, leaving it suitable only for animal food. The buttermilk by-product was auctioned off to the highest bidder at the annual meeting. It was that person’s responsibility to pick up the buttermilk at the creamery and if he could not use it all he could sel1 it off
Butter is a concentrate of butterfat or milk fat. Creams of various fat content are intermediate products in butter manufacture Butter is churned from cream. Cream has ten times as much butterfat as milk does, Cream is mixed rapidly at a certain temperature. Droplets form butter granules which are churned to form butter. Creameries make butter through pasteurization to kill harmful bacteria and prevent spoiling, and by churning to turn butterfat to butter by continuous, or conventional methods.
Butter was first made by separating cream from milk by gravity and then subjecting it to mechanical agitation. Invention of the cream separator made it possible to gather large amounts of cream in one place and this moved buttermaking from the home to the factory. Here the cream was churned and worked in a wooden or metal churn.
In 1879, a centrifugal separator for removing cream from milk was invented and patented by a Swedish engineer. The centrifugal separator hastens the breakdown of fat granules to produce a plasma (skim milk) and a cream phase more rapidly and efficiently than gravity systems. In churning about half of the fat globule, material is liberated into buttermilk. Continuous buttermaking was introduced after World War II. Milk fat clumps together and becomes stabilized by milk protein to allow creaming. Raw milk is put into the separator where it goes to the skim milk storage tank or the cream storage tank .
The buttermaker’s job included producing quality butter. It should be firm, waxy and of good spreading quality. Its granules should be close knit and cut clean when sliced. The water droplets should he well distributed throughout the mass. Defective butter quality allowed butter to be crumbly, leaky, sticky and weak In the case of W.J. (Bill) Kurth, his son Wallace told of his own "butter testing," the tip of his finger into the fresh butter. It was so wonderful that by the age of 14, Wallace had reached the "5 x 5" size (five feet tall and five feet around) as shown on his confirmation picture
Top butter received a 93 percent score at Land o' Lakes. That was the best quality and received top price. Land o' Lakes organized June 7, 1921 Lakeside Creamery was a charter member and marketed their butter through the organization.
Later plants received milk and processed it into a variety of products such as pasteurized milk cream, cultured buttermilk, and yogurt. Specialized factories make concentrated and dry milks, butter, cheese, and ice cream.
Milk and its products containing high moisture content and needing artificial preservation by addition of sugar or by sterilization require refrigeration during storage and distribution. These are products of today’s fluid milk industry as distinguished from the concentrated and dry milk, butter, and ice cream.
Pasteurized milk came along with its specialized handling needs; special vat type, high temperatures, fast cooling methods. The creamery at Lakeside did not handle pasteurized milk.
Sixty pounds of butter was put in wooden barrels with a metal cover and transported by rail to Land o' Lakes points at Hutchinson and Buffalo Lake. At first, a horse team pulled a wagon, or in winter, a sleigh loaded with the butter. The back haul often included coal wbich was used to run the creamery boiler. Coal was hand shoveled into the coal bin next to the creamery, at the northeast corner. Mrs. Dewey (Helen Braithwaite) Carrigan recalls that for several years Dewey hauled butter from Lakeside Creamery to either Buffalo Lake or Stewart for shipment. His return trip brought coal for the creamery. Water was heated on the original boiler, eventually the boiler was converted to fuel oil. The metal cover on the butter barrel was used by creamery meeting participants as their tray when refreshments were served al the meeting.
Ice was cut each winter at Lake Allie, It was used at the creamery and stored in the ice house next to the building at Lakeside. There also was an area for storage by the store.
The creamery purchased its first truck, a Ford, for $805.00 on January 30, 1929. It was used to haul canned cream.
George Fellrath was the creamery manager from 1926 to 1945. His name is mentioned more than any other manager, possibly because of the length of time he managed the creamery, perhaps because raised his family there, and many residents still in the area remember him, but probably because he managed the creamery before and after "the fire." Those were important times at the height Lakeside history.
The first creamery building burned on April 16, 1930. The Buffalo Lake Fire Department came to the fire with a pumper and their equipment. They pumped from a dredge ditch, but the building could not be saved. Not even the cornerstone was visible in the charred remains.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that the fire was in the spring and his dad was hauling manure. The telephone rang a long, two shorts, and a long: "The creamery was burning" so everybody heard about it and went. He headed for the fire so quickly when he found out, his steam engine was still going after he left. Harold Carrigan was a student at School District 120 at that time. He recalls seeing smoke and fire coming from the creamery when he was returning from the outhouse. Students were not allowed to speak out of turn in class, so he did not report what he saw. When the teacher smelled smoke, she remembered Harold was the last one outside and asked him what he knew about the smoke. When he told her the creamery was burning, class was immediately dismissed. Cinders were blowing over as far as the school building.
The current creamery building was built later that year. It was dedicated with a great celebration. The use of butter reached its peak after the new creamery was built. Ray Fitzloff recalls delivering cream during peak years, but later there was a drop in dairying. For awhile Litchfield bought milk in the area, but the creamery wanted bulk milk only; it was not suited for handling whole milk. Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that farmers went directly to Glencoe Litchfield, and Hutchinson in the early years. Later, the First District Association developed to include the Litchfield Creamery business. The association had bulk milk picked up and taken to Litchfield.
Some dairymen kept their skim milk to feed calves even after milk replacers were available. It became a matter of choice.
Mrs. George (Florence) Fellrath helped with bookwork at the Creamery. Mr. and Mrs. Dwight McEwen did the overall bookwork. Gus and Edie Krasean, W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth, the Ezma Funk family, and the Fellraths were living in the four houses close to the Lakeside corner. Fellraths had a large garden just east of the creamery. They carried water from the creamery for their house since they didn’t have running water. They had a rock garden which had water running into a pool containing large goldfish. Florence Fellrath also remembers their "pergola"--seats in a sort of shelter in the backyard. A path lead to it from the house and it was a nice place to sit and watch the children play. Managers of the creamery included George Fellrath, Wendell Witte, George Johnson, Marvin Shrequin, Adolph Peterson, Herbert Breth, Leslie Brundell, Luverne Wehking, David Werner, and Bruce Karl.
In 1943, a separator was installed and the creamery started buying whole canned milk. In 1945, a feed shed was added. Mrs. Reynold (Lyla Vorbeck) Otto recalls that her husband and Wendell Witte worked at the creamery between 1947 and 1951 making butter. In 1955, Harry Kurth started as a director and in 1956 Wendell Kurth was reelected. After 1955, under manager Adolph Peterson, Lakeside Creamery discontinued making butter, but continued to buy milk and cream. In 1957, the creamery association voted to add to the feed shed and to keep the school to use for storage rather than sell it to the township. Seed, feed, and fertilizer was sold in bags. Farmers brought milk to the creamery and took feed home. In 1960, a motion passed to buy a half acre, the Lakeside Store building, a garage, and two underground tanks south of the creamery property. A vote also passed to sell the school property for $500.00 if used as a store and for $600.00 if used for another purpose.
In August 1960, a motion passed to sell the old gas tanks. One sold for $40.00 and two sold for $75.00. The store was taken down later.
After seventy years, the 1968 board included Vernon Ruschmeyer, president; Everett Henschke, vice president; Lowell Richards, secretary; Harry Kurth, treasurer; George Kurth, William Karl, and Richard Prellwitz, directors; and Leslie Brundell, manager.
Third generation representative patrons were Lowell Richards; Harry, George, and Arthur Kurth; Walter, Marvin, and Arnold Runke; LeRoy and Lyle Runke, and Larry Lang. Harry Kurth shared the growth activities and involvement with the Lakeside Cooperative Creamery Association. He and others like him were dedicated to the creamery operation. In 1975, under manager Bruce Karl, the creamery converted to bulk milk and discontinued buying canned milk. Lakeside Creamery continued to sell feed and seed and handled their account with First District. Fertilizer sales were discontinued when it went to bulk sales.
Fourth generation patrons were Mike and Charles Richards, LeRoy, Glen, and Roger Kurth, and Randall Runke. It is understandable that it was not until after every option had been investigated that association members could agree on the last order of business. Along with changes in dairying, the population shift to cities and the introduction of margarine to the market, the buttermaking industry was no longer lucrative after 1970.
Officers and directors in 1979 were Harry Kurth, president; Edward Markgraf, vice president; Lowell Richards, secretary; George Kurth, treasurer; and Edward Karl, John Runke, and Almer Vorbeck, directors.
On March 13, 1989, a vote closed the creamery with all twenty eight stockholders present. The association was dissolved in April 1989. On May 24, 1989, a Galaxy ad gave notice of bidding to open for the creamery building. Henry (Hank) Schlagel purchased the building on May 26, 1989, to be used as a garage business.
Although there was a vote to close the creamery, members of the cooperative still have equity in the First District Association and Land o' Lakes.
Trustees continue for disbursement of outstanding equity: LeRoy Kurth, president; Gale Schlueter, vice president; Harry Kurth, secretary; Harold Hanson, treasurer; Donald Lang, Gail Ryberg, and LeRoy Markgraf are directors. Judith Bleth is the bookkeeper who issues equity checks on a percentage basis.
SCHOOL
Some teachers at Lakeside School District # 120
Ben Sheppard 1893 Rudolph Schmidt
Miss Eva Braithwait (Mrs. Ben Sheppard) Miss Evelyn Rassmussen Lindquist
Miss Lydia Margaret Brecher 1906 Miss Alice Skucius (Mrs. Harry Kosak)
Miss Eva M. Cook 1907 1933-34
Miss Beryl Rich 1910 Miss Carol Minser (Mrs. Harold Juul then
Miss Emma Rettman Mrs. Jack Bush)
Thomas Mahulda Miss Rosemary Bradford
Miss Bumstead Miss Margie Sheppard (Mrs. Westby)
Miss Rose Weseloh Miss Lucille Hackbarth (Mrs. John Donalds)
Miss Mabel Weseloh Miss Myra Otto (Mrs. Henry Petzier)
Mrs. Rodmeyer Miss Lyla Vorbeck (Mrs. Reynold Otto)
Miss Esther Bonde (Mrs. George Betker) 1924 1948-50
Miss Elizabeth Meiers Miss Lillian Lipke (Mrs. LeMoyne Bleck)
1950-52
Teachers, called "boarders", stayed with Lakeside area residents. Many local people remember having the teacher stay even when their house was filled with family members. Some students would see their relatives substitute for the teacher when necessary. Younger students even had older brothers or sisters teach school.
The first mention of education for Lakeside gives the name of Belle Jewel as teacher of public school in 1870. She taught in her home during the summer months. School District # 120 began later in Renville County with eight grades taught in one room. Approximately 30 students attended annually.
Records at the Renville Library show 35 students listed on the school census from July to October in 1924. The census was taken February 23, 1924. with a second census completed on October 1, 1924, showing 27 students enrolled. Another record shows 31 students in the census on August 28, 1930. In two file drawers at the Renvil1e Library are school records dating from 1917 to 1930. There are also files on other schools in the county, but up until now there have been no photographs or momentos of District # 120 at the library.
The head of family is listed with the names of children and their birth date. Family names during this period, and in photographs include: Albrecht, Bahr, Barfknecht, Beihoffer, Braithwaite, Carrigan, Duesterhoeft, Fallon, Francis, Fitzloff, Fratzke, Funk, Haberstich, Hager, Hardel, Heineke, Hodges, Jorgenson, Krasean, Kurth, Leander, Linstead, Marsh, McEwen, Mead, Meier, Minnick, Nelson, Phare, Rannow, Rassmussen, Rich, Riebe, Rewerts, Sandman, Schafer, Sheppard, Vorbeck, and Witte. The Carrigan, Heineke, Riebe, and Rewerts families had four and five children in the one room school in 1930.
Ray Fitzloff shared his certificate of completion from eighth grade dated June 23, 1936. It was signed by B.N. Hendrickson, county superintendent. Ray remembers that the school was heated by a round, tall, coal stove that had a metal jacket around it to prevent bums. Coal and wood had to be carried into the school house. Students placed their lunches along the top of the stove to keep food warm.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that one side froze and the other side was hot. When it was cold, lunches would freeze--eggs in the lunch would freeze and explode. There was a cubby hole nearby where students' coats were hung and the stove kept them warm as well. Later, a "cloak room" was added as a front entry.
There was time to recite in front of the class. There was a recitation bench. Students could listen to their classmates in other grades. It was not uncommon to be in several different levels of subjects. Students who moved along quickly could "skip grades." Students finished their eight grades at different ages and could move on to high schools in Buffalo Lake, Hector, or Hutchinson.
Some sources remember a water pump outside the school. Others remember that the creamery supplied school water. All remember that there was an outhouse. Ray Fitzloff remembers playing in an old gravel pit behind the school.
The school building was made of dark red brick. It had a wooden entryway with two front doors at the top of the entryway stairs. The research of schools in Minnesota did not turn up a similar building.
School was in session from nine o'clock to four o'clock with one half hour off for recess. The very earliest reports of school in Lakeside in 1900 refer to school being in session only during summer months due to hazards of driving in the winter. Later, for those who lived some distance away, it was only the oldest boy in the family who went during the winter months.
W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth lived next door to the school with their four sons, Perley, Alvin, Wallace, and Wendell. Wallace's wife Hilda recalls hearing about their routine in the morning on school days. The boy who got up first had the first choice of clothes hanging on the hook; the last of the four to rise, usually Wallace, got the shirt and pants that were left. The range in size and age was enough that "one size fits all" was in fashion long before its time. The boys would run around to the side of the house and squeeze through the lilac hedge to get to school. The last one made it through as the school bell rang.
Mrs. Gordon (Margaret Carrigan) Richards recalled the Christmas programs held in the school. There was memorization of dialogue, songs, and poems. Classmates would draw names among themselves and bring a gift to exchange. Each gift had a price limit. Each family also brought a lunch packed for the basket social. The baskets would be auctioned off to the highest bidder. That would take care of entertainment and lunch for the evening.
Mrs. LeMoyne (Lillian Lipke) Bleck taught the last two years before Lakeside School closed (1950-52). She recalled that Mrs. Alvin (Florence Witte) Kurth came to play the piano for the students at that time. Everett Henschke, Vernon Ruschmeyer and Mr. Witte were on the School Board.
Since all country schools were closed around 1952, little was written about Lakeside specifically. The store and creamery, as well as the school, held families' interest, young and old, together. Lillian Bleck considered Lakeside a closely knit community; lacking only a church.
Country schools were closed in the 1950s due to consolidation mandated by the state legislature. Mrs. Roger (Clara Schlagel) Betker remembers the original school just before it was closed. Later, it was made into a store.
CONCLUSION
Looking through newspapers gives an idea of activities such as: Buffalo Lake News
January 26, 1917--Boon Lake Creamery Company paid $0.44 for butterfat for the month of December.
February 9, 1919--Due to a blizzard the butter team did not go to Hutchinson last week, but this week three loads were hauled by Carrigan, Duesterhoeft, and Pundt.
February 24, 1917-- There will be a basket social at the Lakeside Hall Saturday evening February 24. Everybody is invited.
March 23, 1917--The mail carriers failed to make the routes Friday, Saturday, and Monday on account of the bad roads and weather.
April 6, 1917--Boon Lake, a very large crowd attended the play given at the Lakeside Hall last evening. The play was enjoyed by everyone.
Dance at the Lakeside Hall next Monday evening.
April 6, 1917-- T .E. Richards and Charles Abrahamson hauled butter to Hutchinson for the Boon Lake Creamery Wednesday.
May 25, 1917--The Boon Lake Creamery is putting up a larger coaling shed.
Advertisements for Castoria, the Mother's Friend, and Lydia E. Pinkham's vegetable compound for relief of backaches.
..And memories from those who still recall events continue to enlighten and entertain:
--cream cans, water coolers, strainers, and separators seen when making creamery deliveries
--diversified farming: dairy, hogs, sheep, chickens, ducks on the farm places
--threshing company: Mr. Gus Krasean, Mr. Barfknecht, Mr. Duesterhoeft, and Mr. Fitzloff
--Pony Express delivered mail to the early Lakeside area
--During early times., a "light plant" allowed the use of electric light in the house- and store. It ran off a generator by the house and was used before electricity was installed
--Dewey Carrigan hauled ice cut from Lake Allie and the original Buffalo Lake which no longer exists north of the town. Ice was packed in sawdust, stored in ice houses to be used in ice boxes and to make ice cream. It was hauled to West Lynn.. Lakeside Creamery., Brookfield, Churchill, Buffalo Lake, and to neighbors.
--some crops put back as feed., some sold, and some traded: flax, oats, corn, barley, and wheat
--Irene Dennison and Ann Rannow riding horses together around Lakeside
--fireflies that came before rain, finding shelter under bedding by the horses
--Lake Allie July 4th Celebration with floats on the lake
The people who were raised at Lakeside went on to take their place in the world. Ann (Rannow) Groehler, church and community volunteer; Ann (Bradford) Reid, poet and artist; Drs. Ray and Ross Sheppard, both dentists; Dr. Harry Sheppard, veterinarian; and Dr. Charlie Sheppard, physician; Ray Fitzloff, mechanic and businessman; Perley Kurth., minister; Alvin Kurth, office and construction worker; Wallace Kurth, banker; Wendell Kurth, farmer and electrician; and so on. Each of these were known to each other, but newcomers in the area did not know of their common background. I had known and even worked for some of these people., but did not realize their ties to Lakeside until many years later.
Other names I had heard during my school years surfaced as I researched Lakeside--Duesterhoeft, Fallon, Buchoeffer, Wick, Luedtke, Carrigan, Richards, Zimmerman, Funk, Runke, and Vorbeck fit into the history and begin to weave into the present. Previously mentioned people were interviewed and quoted. It was a wonderful experience to learn how the memories of these people fit together to give credibility to my memories. The actual stories were told in an adult version and I recalled my memories of childhood as an adult; therefore both are accurate but may differ slightly.
Thursday, December 1950 August 16. 1951
Grocery Specials Wheat $2.10
Corn 1.53
Swansdown Cake Flour Oats .70
2 3/4 lb. package 39c Rye 1.46
Powdered Sugar Barley 1.26
2 lb. package 27c Soy beans 2.70
Coffee, "Jordans" Flax 3.20
1 lb. 83c Beauty Eggs, straight up .43
Oven Baked Beans "Brown Beauty”
2 cans 33c
Cheese, "Dairy Best"
2 lb. box 71c
Orange-Grapefruit, blended
46 oz. can 29c
Sweet Pickles, whole
22 oz. 38c
Apples, Delicious, extra fancy
20 lb. bag $2.25
Onions
10 lb. 29c
Grapefruit, Texas, large size
5 for 24
Links:
My Grandfather, my Dad’s Dad, Charles Funk was born April 13, 1878 in Waukesha City, Wisconsin and died September 17, 1914 near Lakeside, MN. He is buried in Stewart, MN.
Charles’ parents were Samuel Harvey Funk and Jane Elizabeth Niver. Samuel was born June 3, 1840 in Pennsylvania and died in 1918 in Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin. Jane was born March 13, 1843 in Churchtown, New York and died July 16, 1926 in Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin. Further information on Samuel H. Funk can be found in Attachments I.
Samuel H. Funk and Jane Elizabeth Niver Funk had the following children:
Etta (1868), Sarah (1869), Kate (1870), William (1873), Robert (1874), Charles (1876), Leah (1878), Edith (1880), Emma (1882), Emery (1882), Samuel (1885), Anna (1888). Children born prior to 1880 were born in Wisconsin. Children after 1880 were born in Minnesota. Note, that Emma and Emery are twins.
Author's Note: The 1880 census lists 2 other children: Laura, age 2, and Bell, age zero. This gives rise to the question: who is and Laura and Bell? Was Laura really Leah? And, was Bell a different name for Edith? Or, was Bell a twin to Edith and who subsequently died? The 1895 census lists Leah Funk as 17 years old. There is no listing for Laura.
Charles married Ezma L. Dawson Funk on June 19, 1905 in McLeod County. Ezma was born November 11, 1885 in Clarion, Iowa; and died November 18, 1958 in Minneapolis.Charles and Ezma are buried in the Lakeside Cemetery at Stewart, MN.
Charles and Ezma had 6 children:
Emery Sam Funk (August 4, 1905-April 7, 1994) married to Helene Aye (October 2, 1905-August 17, 2000) on August 21, 1924 in McLeod County, Minnesota.
Pearl Funk was born between May and December, 1906 and died December 1, 1923.
Lloyd Charles Funk (March 24, 1908-November 24, 1964) married Barbara Catherine Gertie Funk Krueger (February 11, 1906 born in Kansas?-August 14, 1977) on July 28, 1934 in Renville County, Minnesota.
Merrill Leroy Funk (November 24, 1910-June 12, 1944) KIA in Normany, France. Merrill (Chance) landed with the D-Day forces at Utah Beach on June 6th, 1944 and was killed in action on June 12, 1944 in Normandy, France near the Merderet River. He is buried at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach near Colleville-sur-Mer.
Bernard Harry Funk (November 24, 1912-August 26, 1989) married Ida Marie Bricker (March 11, 1909-February 13, 1996) on October 10, 1931 in Renville County, Minnesota.
Patrick (No Middle Name) Funk (March 17, 1914-October 10, 2001) married Gladys Rosalie Martinson (April 18, 1915-December 31, 1988) in Minneapolis, MN
Despondent after losing $2000.00 in some venture Charles Funk committed suicide by shooting himself in the barn of a rented farm that was a few miles east of Lakeside in Collins township, McLeod county. (Lakeside is a small burg, southwest of Hutchinson, MN at the intersections of Co.Hwy 11 and Co. Hwy 24.) Sometime later the family moved to a small house in Lakeside. Lakeside probably never had more than 10 houses, a school, a store and a creamery? Charles left Ezma to provide for 6 young children and the sacrifices that she must have went through. She cooked for threshing crews, road crews, gave haircuts, took in sewing, probably washing and all various odd jobs. My impression is that, Emery, the oldest, became the surrogate Father.
A description of Lakeside is below in Attachment II. It was written by Joyce Ann Kurth Young in 1991.
Attachment I
Samuel H. Funk
Author unknown- Likely Hazel Knutson, Jack’s Great Aunt
A veteran of the Civil War was born in Pennsylvania June 3, 1840 of German parentage, and came to Fort Wayne, Indiana where he grew to manhood and engaged in farming.
He later came to Waukesha Co., Wisconsin and settled a farm, where he remained for fifteen years, coming to Minnesota in 1880. He came to Renville Co. and rented a farm in section 30, Boon Lake twp. Later he homesteaded in section 16 and build frame buildings. He had used oxen when farming on the rented place, but secured a team of horses when he homesteaded.
He had driven into the Co. from Wis, with horses, the trip taking 18 days. He lived there until 1901 improving the place, and then sold the farm and retired to Weyerhauser, Wis. Mr. Funk served on the board of supervisors in his twp.
He married in Wis to Jane Elizabeth Niver, a native of that state and of Dutch decent. She was supposed to of come across the ocean from Holland, when a very small girl about 15 or 16 yrs.
They had the following children Etta, Sarah, Kate, Leah, William, Robert, Charles, Edith, Emery & Emma twins and Samuel.
Robert H. Funk born Feb 8, 1875 married to Nanna Anderson Feb 7, 1900 the daughter of John and Mary Anderson. They had one child LeRoy Harvey Funk.
Author’s note: Etta May Funk born 1868 in Wisconsin and died July 5, 1951 in North Dakota.
Attachment II
The Lakeside Story
store - creamery - school
Joyce Ann Kurth Young
Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council
Emerging Artist Grant - 1991
INTRODUCTION
The September 19, 1968, issue of the Buffalo Lake News printed a picture and six related sentences including "One of the old landmarks of this area is being tom down. It is the Lakeside Store, which was built about 90 years ago. Old timers say it was a cigar factory in the l880s and later became a general store. W. J. Kurth operated it as a store for many years. It is owned by the Lakeside Creamery and used for a warehouse."
I drove to the site and retrieved a Sunshine Biscuits Box cover and a wooden dowel; I returned to my home filled with memories and a heavy heart. Over twenty years later, I submitted an application to Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council to do an historical research project to include a series of watercolor paintings of the Lakeside area. I was awarded an Emerging Artist Grant and began work in January 1991.
The resulting notes are a collection of comments by Lakeside neighbors, who shared memories and photographs with me. Notes are also included from material gleaned at the Renville Library, the Renville Museum, Walker Library, and the McLeod County Heritage Center. This booklet is dedicated to those people who helped in the research and to their families who lived around Lakeside, especially to my "Grandpa Lakeside", W.J. (Bill) Kurth, and his four sons: Perley, Alvin, Wallace (my dad), and Wendell.
HOUSE
The Lakeside area is near Lake Allie in Boon Lake Township, Renville County, Minnesota. It is four miles south and nine miles west of Hutchinson, Minnesota.
A homestead grant for land purchase was registered as early as 1856. Native American people stopped there as early as 1862. The house across from the store was typical of many homes built after the Civil War in 1865. The section with big windows was the original building and additions were made to the north end of the house. The house still stands with many additions and much remodeling. I remember the wood stove in the kitchen, player piano in the parlor, the feather-bed upstairs, and the cistern pump in the washroom where the "new" bathroom was installed. I also remember the pump with a cup hanging on it outside, the "Northwest" as the outhouse was called, and the arbor with a trellis filled with singing birds.
Stories that are shared by members of the Kurth family may typify those of others in the area during the Lakeside years:
Kurth grandchildren collecting glass quart jars full of fireflies in the yard across from the store.
Grandma Kurth running out of the house to rescue three grandchildren from a pack of dogs encircling them with mouths open, "ready to devour" the children who froze in their tracks.
The call up the stairway at the homestead" Are you jumping on the bed?" and many grandchildren with red sweaty faces. out of breath, would call down, "No we aren't."
Grandchildren wearing plastic bowl covers on their hair to keep it dry during showers in the "new" bathroom.
Rides in Grandpa's Buick.
Pushing the pedal to make the wheel go around on the old grindstone in the backyard.
Calling grandparents Grandpa and Grandma "lakeside" instead of Kurth.
Having store lunch and taking home a bag of candy.
The house became home to other families after 1960 and is presently occupied by the descendents of the Dennison family, early settlers in the Lakeside area.
STORE
The Lakeside Store holds a special place in many hearts. First records indicate a store was built by M.A. Carrigan and Lindsey McLoufflin around 1878. It started as a tobacco processing business on the north shore of Lake Allie. Tobacco was first brought to the Lake Allie area past the Sheppard place. Later the business was moved by Fred Fisher to the Lakeside location two miles north of the lake. Fred Fisher was one of the earliest Lakeside storekeepers. Cigars were sold in boxes with the Lakeside name. Bill Briggs built additions on the store. A second story was added to be used for community activities. A stairway to the upstairs hall and a shipping/receiving area were added around back. An addition along the north end of the store was used for the grocery business.
Bill Grunke and George Schutz together owned the store until Schutz was drafted in World War I and lost his life. Bill Grunke continued to operate the store for a time and later moved to a farm.
Ben Loeffers and W.J. (Bill) Kurth owned the store together at one time. The title was registered at the Renville County Courthouse. Ben came from the Appleton Creamery and stayed on to run the store for two years. Bill went to Barnesville and Hawley, but returned and bought the
store from Ben. Ben bought a farm by Church Hill. Bill “Grandpa Lakeside” ran the store for many years. His wife and sons Perley, Alvin, Wallace, and Wendell worked at the store during the time it was owned by the Kurths.
Recalling the lives of the patrons, their activities, and involvement in the Lakeside area becomes a lesson in history and nostalgia for those days. Their names are intertwined with the stories about the store.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembers that Bill Briggs and Gus Krasean were carpenters and steam engine threshers there. A couple of times Oliver Sayles went to Hutchinson with horses and sled to take in eggs and bring out supplies for W.J. (Bill). The first vehicle used to get supplies (which were usually picked up in Hutchinson rather than Buffalo Lake) was a Model T one-ton truck with solid rubber tires on the rear; later a pickup truck was used.
Together we recall that inside on the south side of the store were overalls, shoes, women's clothes, hats, underware, dry goods of all kinds, glass on the shelves along the wall and stools along the counter. There were new dishes in the front along the window sill. In the middle there
were fabrics and sewing items--thread, bias tape, buttons, and yard goods on bolts. Toward the back of the store was the potbelly stove with a shield around the back of it. There was a spitoon on the floor near the stove.
Alvin and Florence Kurth remember that the Litchfield Produce truck stopped to pick up eggs and poultry in "cackle crates” twice a week. Eggs were candled one by one, way in the back of the store. It was fascinating to see how if the egg was too mature, a chick would be forming and could be seen in the light. David Kurth also remembers helping candle eggs when he stayed with Grandpa Lakeside during a summer visit. Cases were brought by nearby farmers. The eggs were candled as they were unloaded and the amount allowed was traded for groceries.
The other side of the store was filled with groceries. The top shelves were stocked with cereal. Below that were canned goods. There was a "grabber," a pincher claw with a long extension rod, to get the cereal boxes
down.
Groceries were put in empty egg cases. Other items were wrapped in brown paper that came from a large roll. W.J. (Bill) Kurth had a flair for pulling the string off the cone-shaped spool, diagonally twisting it around the brown wrapping paper--so quickly and effortlessly--finishing with his special knot and a quick tug to break the string. Bill Bradford recalled watching the procedure many times as he waited for a package.
There were the rubber bands around the shirt sleeves to hold the sleeve up on the arm. Mrs. Wendell (Gladys Bach) Kurth recalled how Grandma Lakeside would work in the store and go home to fix meals. Grandma always wore an apron for her duties. Gladys has the hat
stretcher used at the store, the old knife used to cut bologna for store lunches, and an old motor robe used on the sleigh to go to church on Sundays.
Way in the back of the store were 49 pound sacks of flour (the Pure-a-Snow and later Gold Medal cloth sacks which were used in many ways by homemakers) and 50 gallon vinegar barrels (folks brought jars from home to fill with white or brown vinegar). Sugar was sold as requested (for example fifty cents or one dollar's worth). In the summer it was ha to keep enough rubber rings and jar lids on hand. These canning supplies sold well in season. Kerosine was sold from a tank and there was a huge scale by a large double door. Oyster shells and salt blocks were stored in the warehouse. Crated chickens were kept in the truck shed across the driveway east of the store.
There was a manual cash register, a "huge" safe, a roll-top desk, a pop cooler with fancy Coca Cola ads. There were calendars on the wall and an ice cream freezer with six to eight flavors in the round metal, and later, cardboard containers. It cost five cents for a cone; most ended up as "double or triple deckers."
The big decision fur children to make came by way of "penny candy "--root beer barrels; licorice; butterscotch; lemon drops; peppermint, soft or hard, pink or white; corn candy; angel food chunks; and chocolate covered cherries. Mrs. Vernon (Lucille Buehler) Ruschmeyer recalls the little sack of candy for kids to take home. Pick out the kinds, watch it go into the brown bag (with always a few extras) and ration it out until the next store trip came.
There were cookies in the Sunshine Biscuit boxes with their glass covers. Molasses, sugar, windmill, and "Ladies Aid" wafers--strawberry, chocolate, or vanilla--to go on the top of a dish of ice cream.
Then there was the" store lunch", the treat for many a neighbor; cheese and crackers for the mail carriers, Don Richards and Emil Wallner delivery people and special customers like Dr. Scholp who got bologna and crackers. For grandchildren who came each Wednesday evening from Hutchinson, the store lunch followed grocery shopping. Out would come the brown wrapping paper placed on the end of the counter, the soda crackers, sardines, the sausage or cheese, cookies, pop--root beer, creme soda, orange crush, grape, or strawberry soda--and often an ice cream cone! What a banquet; a feast in a youngster's eyes to be sure.
Most of the hardware and groceries came by rail via Hutchinson Great Northern Depot, but later truck deliveries to the store became more common. Groceries were bought from the following companies: Winston- Harbor-Fisher, Griggs Cooper (Home Brand), I.G.A., and Super Valu, all fro the Twin City area. Other products sold at the store were from: Hancock-Nelson, New Ulm Grocery, Henry Candy Company of Will mar, Swift Meat, Willis Nelson, Flavorite, Ambassador, Wonder Bread, Holsum Bread, ice cream from Marshall, and soft drinks from Hutchinson Bottling Works. Hardware and paint was from Jenny Semple Hill of Minneapolis (King England was the salesman and lived in Hutchinson) and Farwell Osmun Kirk (FOK) of St. Paul.
The store was open from 5:00 a.m. to 11:30 at night. Customers would often come with a twelve-dozen case of eggs, milk for the creamery and a grocery list. There were some cash customers, most were charges 0 even barter. Ken Hubin remembers hearing "charge it" when he was in the store. Many times the grocery exchange was the housewife's "contribution". She had charge of the laying hens and chickens. The monthly cream checks were kept in the safe at the store and were picked up from there by the patrons. Often the patron used the check to pay 0111 his account at the store.
The store closed at 6:00 p.m. during the war. It was closed for church on Sunday morning. Clancey Kurth remembers the young men at the store on Sunday afternoons. It was their "hangout" and usually included food consumption. The store was also a gathering place after ballgames and for card playing. Later, the store was closed Sunday afternoons. There was a skating rink behind the store in the winter. The creamery cistern pumped out to flood the rink for skating. There was an ice house on the south side of the driveway east of the store.
Records in the Renville Library show that the Lakeside Comets were organized in 1928 as the first 4H club in the county. Ray Fitzloff remembers that Alvin Katzenmeyer and Ed Fitzloff were senior leaders. The 4H group put on plays in the Lakeside Hall upstairs. There was a stage, dressing room, and a number of chairs. Ray recalls basket socials, school plays, creamery association meetings, and Farm Bureau meetings.
Mrs. James (Annabel Bradford) Reid remembers the Farm Bureau meetings best of all. There were recitations, readings, singing (like: "There's bacon frying in the pan"), and even rope twirling.
For the meetings, W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth made sack lunches consisting of a bun with sliced ham or sandwich meat. There was a plain cake donut and coffee, which was served in tin cups with big handles.
Sometimes wieners were served after being heated in a milk can by a steam hose. Mrs. Pernell (Ruth Loeffer,) Utgaard remembers her father, Ben, sending a tub of wieners upstairs with Emery Funk. As he waited, he saw Emery come falling all the way down the steps. Asking if he was hurt, Emery replied, "Aw, heck no, I was coming down anyway."
The meetings were long and drawn out, in the evening, with entertainment and food for the whole family A band played including Herman Schroeder on concertina, Frank Lamp on drum" and others Florence (Kurth) Waggonner provided music at time, A quartet was Gail Richard, on guitar, Charles Reid Helen Buehler and Annabel Bradford. Sometimes Frank Lamp played concertina Gus Krasean played the violin James and Susan Reid were the program committee They got musicians from further away, such as Olivia, but people didn't respond as well. It was for Gus Krasean they applauded loudest
Many folks remember the dances in the Lakeside Hall Each noted that the floor would vibrate as the dancers twirled. On at least one occasion W.J (Bill) Kurth went upstairs in a hurry to ask them to stop. That time a wooden beam had slipped out from it, braces as the swaying floor moved up and down Eventually the dances were banned, and ultimately crowds were no longer allowed in the upstairs hall. Mrs. Glenn (Marith Kurth) Witte has the piano from the Lakeside Hall.
Each Christmas, new store calendars were given out to customers during the time the Kurths ran the store. These Lakeside calendars were elegant, with embossed edge, sparkled with snow glitter Christmas scenes with a packet for notes on the bottom.
Mrs. Perley (Gretchen Prieve) Kurth recalled the telephones for Hutchinson and Buffalo Lake that were lined up on the back wall. Customers could use these without having to pay "long distance". The telephones were in big wooden boxes, the ringer was on the side and was turned by hand to make a call. Walt Duesterhoeft added that few people had telephones in their homes; however moot people had telephones when the Kurths were operating the store. Later, there were 18 home telephones on a party line The term "rubber in" refers to listening to other people’s conversations. It was so common, it became accepted. Listeners even called back to one of the callers that had been talking to get clarification on a specific point.
In the Lakeside area, farmers with little time on their hands gathered around the wood stove on cold winter days At other times during the week, men would be lined up waiting to get milk into the creamery and there they had time for story telling .
Gasoline pumps replaced hitching posts. The first pumps worked by gravity to fill tanks. Walt remembers there were two Shell pumps; later the Texaco look appeared. All totaled, Shell, Lone Star Gas (Skelly), and Texaco figured in the gas supplied at Lakeside. Greg Witte still has an old pump.
Lakeside Store was closed in the late 1950s and sold to the Creamery Association in 1960. Rollie Hall straightened nails from the store and sold them when the store was torn down in 1968. A new Lakeside store was opened by Mrs. Holverton’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Morgan in the old District 120 school building which was moved forward and remodeled. The country store tradition continued for some time. Bev Julius bought that store after working there for awhile. She remembered growing up in the Lakeside area and coming to the Lakeside store. Finally it became a bait shop and later closed
CREAMERY
When pioneers moved westward, butter, milk, and cheese helped feed their families. More cattle were kept as land was settled and soil management improved. Surplus milk was sold.
For many years dairy products were manufactured on farms, but as cities grew larger and markets increased it became necessary and profitable to process milk un a larger scale. The first butter factory, or creamery, was set up in New York in 1856. The manufacture of milk became industrialized and creameries were formed throughout the country.
The Lakeside Cooperative Creamery has documentation in records held by Harry Kurth and has an inclusion in the Renville County Historical Book. It is known as the first cooperative creamery in Renville County with an ongoing operation of ninety one years The warranty deed was filed on December 16. 1897 and was incorporated on January 24, 1898 as the Boon Lake Cooperative Creamery Company on the Hugh Carrigan place. In 1912 one-half acre was added from the Arthur Butler place. There was a re-incorporation on March 30, 1921, and it became the Lakeside Cooperative Creamery Association. This illustrious longevity brings fond memories to those involved .
The first board consisted of H.B. Boorman,, president; W.W. Forbes, vice president; Orville J. Ebner, secretary; William Kurth, Fred Lindstadt, Hugh Carrigan, and Fred Jarcho, directors. Other early patrons were George Richards, Sr., John Runke, Sr., William Runke, and Henry Wesleloh.
W.J. (Bill) Kurth started work as a helper in the Creamery for nine months in 1905. He was seventeen years old. B.F. Sheppard was president; William Kurth, treasurer; H.D. Boorman, secretary; J.H. Runke, director; and A. Mikkelson was buttermaker. In December W.J. (Bill) went to the University of Minnesota with Reiner Beilke. Upon completion of a course W.J. (Bill) was hired as an operator and later became buttermaker at Lakeside for twenty five years. He left to go to Hawley and Barnesville as a buttermaker.
In 1921, when the Cooperative was re-incorporated, the board was composed of Herman Rannow, president; William Kurth, treasurer; Fred Jarcho, vice president; W.J. (Bill) Kurth, secretary; W.J. Carrigan, W.H. Fallon, and Max Fisher, directors.
Early in the Twentieth Century, farmers were separating their milk, selling the cream, and feeding the skim milk to animals. Early processing factories were located in rural heavy milk areas where hauling distances for the raw milk were minimal. These factories were also specialized. Buttermilk is a by-product of the churning of cream. In the past, the cream often was sour, leaving it suitable only for animal food. The buttermilk by-product was auctioned off to the highest bidder at the annual meeting. It was that person’s responsibility to pick up the buttermilk at the creamery and if he could not use it all he could sel1 it off
Butter is a concentrate of butterfat or milk fat. Creams of various fat content are intermediate products in butter manufacture Butter is churned from cream. Cream has ten times as much butterfat as milk does, Cream is mixed rapidly at a certain temperature. Droplets form butter granules which are churned to form butter. Creameries make butter through pasteurization to kill harmful bacteria and prevent spoiling, and by churning to turn butterfat to butter by continuous, or conventional methods.
Butter was first made by separating cream from milk by gravity and then subjecting it to mechanical agitation. Invention of the cream separator made it possible to gather large amounts of cream in one place and this moved buttermaking from the home to the factory. Here the cream was churned and worked in a wooden or metal churn.
In 1879, a centrifugal separator for removing cream from milk was invented and patented by a Swedish engineer. The centrifugal separator hastens the breakdown of fat granules to produce a plasma (skim milk) and a cream phase more rapidly and efficiently than gravity systems. In churning about half of the fat globule, material is liberated into buttermilk. Continuous buttermaking was introduced after World War II. Milk fat clumps together and becomes stabilized by milk protein to allow creaming. Raw milk is put into the separator where it goes to the skim milk storage tank or the cream storage tank .
The buttermaker’s job included producing quality butter. It should be firm, waxy and of good spreading quality. Its granules should be close knit and cut clean when sliced. The water droplets should he well distributed throughout the mass. Defective butter quality allowed butter to be crumbly, leaky, sticky and weak In the case of W.J. (Bill) Kurth, his son Wallace told of his own "butter testing," the tip of his finger into the fresh butter. It was so wonderful that by the age of 14, Wallace had reached the "5 x 5" size (five feet tall and five feet around) as shown on his confirmation picture
Top butter received a 93 percent score at Land o' Lakes. That was the best quality and received top price. Land o' Lakes organized June 7, 1921 Lakeside Creamery was a charter member and marketed their butter through the organization.
Later plants received milk and processed it into a variety of products such as pasteurized milk cream, cultured buttermilk, and yogurt. Specialized factories make concentrated and dry milks, butter, cheese, and ice cream.
Milk and its products containing high moisture content and needing artificial preservation by addition of sugar or by sterilization require refrigeration during storage and distribution. These are products of today’s fluid milk industry as distinguished from the concentrated and dry milk, butter, and ice cream.
Pasteurized milk came along with its specialized handling needs; special vat type, high temperatures, fast cooling methods. The creamery at Lakeside did not handle pasteurized milk.
Sixty pounds of butter was put in wooden barrels with a metal cover and transported by rail to Land o' Lakes points at Hutchinson and Buffalo Lake. At first, a horse team pulled a wagon, or in winter, a sleigh loaded with the butter. The back haul often included coal wbich was used to run the creamery boiler. Coal was hand shoveled into the coal bin next to the creamery, at the northeast corner. Mrs. Dewey (Helen Braithwaite) Carrigan recalls that for several years Dewey hauled butter from Lakeside Creamery to either Buffalo Lake or Stewart for shipment. His return trip brought coal for the creamery. Water was heated on the original boiler, eventually the boiler was converted to fuel oil. The metal cover on the butter barrel was used by creamery meeting participants as their tray when refreshments were served al the meeting.
Ice was cut each winter at Lake Allie, It was used at the creamery and stored in the ice house next to the building at Lakeside. There also was an area for storage by the store.
The creamery purchased its first truck, a Ford, for $805.00 on January 30, 1929. It was used to haul canned cream.
George Fellrath was the creamery manager from 1926 to 1945. His name is mentioned more than any other manager, possibly because of the length of time he managed the creamery, perhaps because raised his family there, and many residents still in the area remember him, but probably because he managed the creamery before and after "the fire." Those were important times at the height Lakeside history.
The first creamery building burned on April 16, 1930. The Buffalo Lake Fire Department came to the fire with a pumper and their equipment. They pumped from a dredge ditch, but the building could not be saved. Not even the cornerstone was visible in the charred remains.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that the fire was in the spring and his dad was hauling manure. The telephone rang a long, two shorts, and a long: "The creamery was burning" so everybody heard about it and went. He headed for the fire so quickly when he found out, his steam engine was still going after he left. Harold Carrigan was a student at School District 120 at that time. He recalls seeing smoke and fire coming from the creamery when he was returning from the outhouse. Students were not allowed to speak out of turn in class, so he did not report what he saw. When the teacher smelled smoke, she remembered Harold was the last one outside and asked him what he knew about the smoke. When he told her the creamery was burning, class was immediately dismissed. Cinders were blowing over as far as the school building.
The current creamery building was built later that year. It was dedicated with a great celebration. The use of butter reached its peak after the new creamery was built. Ray Fitzloff recalls delivering cream during peak years, but later there was a drop in dairying. For awhile Litchfield bought milk in the area, but the creamery wanted bulk milk only; it was not suited for handling whole milk. Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that farmers went directly to Glencoe Litchfield, and Hutchinson in the early years. Later, the First District Association developed to include the Litchfield Creamery business. The association had bulk milk picked up and taken to Litchfield.
Some dairymen kept their skim milk to feed calves even after milk replacers were available. It became a matter of choice.
Mrs. George (Florence) Fellrath helped with bookwork at the Creamery. Mr. and Mrs. Dwight McEwen did the overall bookwork. Gus and Edie Krasean, W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth, the Ezma Funk family, and the Fellraths were living in the four houses close to the Lakeside corner. Fellraths had a large garden just east of the creamery. They carried water from the creamery for their house since they didn’t have running water. They had a rock garden which had water running into a pool containing large goldfish. Florence Fellrath also remembers their "pergola"--seats in a sort of shelter in the backyard. A path lead to it from the house and it was a nice place to sit and watch the children play. Managers of the creamery included George Fellrath, Wendell Witte, George Johnson, Marvin Shrequin, Adolph Peterson, Herbert Breth, Leslie Brundell, Luverne Wehking, David Werner, and Bruce Karl.
In 1943, a separator was installed and the creamery started buying whole canned milk. In 1945, a feed shed was added. Mrs. Reynold (Lyla Vorbeck) Otto recalls that her husband and Wendell Witte worked at the creamery between 1947 and 1951 making butter. In 1955, Harry Kurth started as a director and in 1956 Wendell Kurth was reelected. After 1955, under manager Adolph Peterson, Lakeside Creamery discontinued making butter, but continued to buy milk and cream. In 1957, the creamery association voted to add to the feed shed and to keep the school to use for storage rather than sell it to the township. Seed, feed, and fertilizer was sold in bags. Farmers brought milk to the creamery and took feed home. In 1960, a motion passed to buy a half acre, the Lakeside Store building, a garage, and two underground tanks south of the creamery property. A vote also passed to sell the school property for $500.00 if used as a store and for $600.00 if used for another purpose.
In August 1960, a motion passed to sell the old gas tanks. One sold for $40.00 and two sold for $75.00. The store was taken down later.
After seventy years, the 1968 board included Vernon Ruschmeyer, president; Everett Henschke, vice president; Lowell Richards, secretary; Harry Kurth, treasurer; George Kurth, William Karl, and Richard Prellwitz, directors; and Leslie Brundell, manager.
Third generation representative patrons were Lowell Richards; Harry, George, and Arthur Kurth; Walter, Marvin, and Arnold Runke; LeRoy and Lyle Runke, and Larry Lang. Harry Kurth shared the growth activities and involvement with the Lakeside Cooperative Creamery Association. He and others like him were dedicated to the creamery operation. In 1975, under manager Bruce Karl, the creamery converted to bulk milk and discontinued buying canned milk. Lakeside Creamery continued to sell feed and seed and handled their account with First District. Fertilizer sales were discontinued when it went to bulk sales.
Fourth generation patrons were Mike and Charles Richards, LeRoy, Glen, and Roger Kurth, and Randall Runke. It is understandable that it was not until after every option had been investigated that association members could agree on the last order of business. Along with changes in dairying, the population shift to cities and the introduction of margarine to the market, the buttermaking industry was no longer lucrative after 1970.
Officers and directors in 1979 were Harry Kurth, president; Edward Markgraf, vice president; Lowell Richards, secretary; George Kurth, treasurer; and Edward Karl, John Runke, and Almer Vorbeck, directors.
On March 13, 1989, a vote closed the creamery with all twenty eight stockholders present. The association was dissolved in April 1989. On May 24, 1989, a Galaxy ad gave notice of bidding to open for the creamery building. Henry (Hank) Schlagel purchased the building on May 26, 1989, to be used as a garage business.
Although there was a vote to close the creamery, members of the cooperative still have equity in the First District Association and Land o' Lakes.
Trustees continue for disbursement of outstanding equity: LeRoy Kurth, president; Gale Schlueter, vice president; Harry Kurth, secretary; Harold Hanson, treasurer; Donald Lang, Gail Ryberg, and LeRoy Markgraf are directors. Judith Bleth is the bookkeeper who issues equity checks on a percentage basis.
SCHOOL
Some teachers at Lakeside School District # 120
Ben Sheppard 1893 Rudolph Schmidt
Miss Eva Braithwait (Mrs. Ben Sheppard) Miss Evelyn Rassmussen Lindquist
Miss Lydia Margaret Brecher 1906 Miss Alice Skucius (Mrs. Harry Kosak)
Miss Eva M. Cook 1907 1933-34
Miss Beryl Rich 1910 Miss Carol Minser (Mrs. Harold Juul then
Miss Emma Rettman Mrs. Jack Bush)
Thomas Mahulda Miss Rosemary Bradford
Miss Bumstead Miss Margie Sheppard (Mrs. Westby)
Miss Rose Weseloh Miss Lucille Hackbarth (Mrs. John Donalds)
Miss Mabel Weseloh Miss Myra Otto (Mrs. Henry Petzier)
Mrs. Rodmeyer Miss Lyla Vorbeck (Mrs. Reynold Otto)
Miss Esther Bonde (Mrs. George Betker) 1924 1948-50
Miss Elizabeth Meiers Miss Lillian Lipke (Mrs. LeMoyne Bleck)
1950-52
Teachers, called "boarders", stayed with Lakeside area residents. Many local people remember having the teacher stay even when their house was filled with family members. Some students would see their relatives substitute for the teacher when necessary. Younger students even had older brothers or sisters teach school.
The first mention of education for Lakeside gives the name of Belle Jewel as teacher of public school in 1870. She taught in her home during the summer months. School District # 120 began later in Renville County with eight grades taught in one room. Approximately 30 students attended annually.
Records at the Renville Library show 35 students listed on the school census from July to October in 1924. The census was taken February 23, 1924. with a second census completed on October 1, 1924, showing 27 students enrolled. Another record shows 31 students in the census on August 28, 1930. In two file drawers at the Renvil1e Library are school records dating from 1917 to 1930. There are also files on other schools in the county, but up until now there have been no photographs or momentos of District # 120 at the library.
The head of family is listed with the names of children and their birth date. Family names during this period, and in photographs include: Albrecht, Bahr, Barfknecht, Beihoffer, Braithwaite, Carrigan, Duesterhoeft, Fallon, Francis, Fitzloff, Fratzke, Funk, Haberstich, Hager, Hardel, Heineke, Hodges, Jorgenson, Krasean, Kurth, Leander, Linstead, Marsh, McEwen, Mead, Meier, Minnick, Nelson, Phare, Rannow, Rassmussen, Rich, Riebe, Rewerts, Sandman, Schafer, Sheppard, Vorbeck, and Witte. The Carrigan, Heineke, Riebe, and Rewerts families had four and five children in the one room school in 1930.
Ray Fitzloff shared his certificate of completion from eighth grade dated June 23, 1936. It was signed by B.N. Hendrickson, county superintendent. Ray remembers that the school was heated by a round, tall, coal stove that had a metal jacket around it to prevent bums. Coal and wood had to be carried into the school house. Students placed their lunches along the top of the stove to keep food warm.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that one side froze and the other side was hot. When it was cold, lunches would freeze--eggs in the lunch would freeze and explode. There was a cubby hole nearby where students' coats were hung and the stove kept them warm as well. Later, a "cloak room" was added as a front entry.
There was time to recite in front of the class. There was a recitation bench. Students could listen to their classmates in other grades. It was not uncommon to be in several different levels of subjects. Students who moved along quickly could "skip grades." Students finished their eight grades at different ages and could move on to high schools in Buffalo Lake, Hector, or Hutchinson.
Some sources remember a water pump outside the school. Others remember that the creamery supplied school water. All remember that there was an outhouse. Ray Fitzloff remembers playing in an old gravel pit behind the school.
The school building was made of dark red brick. It had a wooden entryway with two front doors at the top of the entryway stairs. The research of schools in Minnesota did not turn up a similar building.
School was in session from nine o'clock to four o'clock with one half hour off for recess. The very earliest reports of school in Lakeside in 1900 refer to school being in session only during summer months due to hazards of driving in the winter. Later, for those who lived some distance away, it was only the oldest boy in the family who went during the winter months.
W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth lived next door to the school with their four sons, Perley, Alvin, Wallace, and Wendell. Wallace's wife Hilda recalls hearing about their routine in the morning on school days. The boy who got up first had the first choice of clothes hanging on the hook; the last of the four to rise, usually Wallace, got the shirt and pants that were left. The range in size and age was enough that "one size fits all" was in fashion long before its time. The boys would run around to the side of the house and squeeze through the lilac hedge to get to school. The last one made it through as the school bell rang.
Mrs. Gordon (Margaret Carrigan) Richards recalled the Christmas programs held in the school. There was memorization of dialogue, songs, and poems. Classmates would draw names among themselves and bring a gift to exchange. Each gift had a price limit. Each family also brought a lunch packed for the basket social. The baskets would be auctioned off to the highest bidder. That would take care of entertainment and lunch for the evening.
Mrs. LeMoyne (Lillian Lipke) Bleck taught the last two years before Lakeside School closed (1950-52). She recalled that Mrs. Alvin (Florence Witte) Kurth came to play the piano for the students at that time. Everett Henschke, Vernon Ruschmeyer and Mr. Witte were on the School Board.
Since all country schools were closed around 1952, little was written about Lakeside specifically. The store and creamery, as well as the school, held families' interest, young and old, together. Lillian Bleck considered Lakeside a closely knit community; lacking only a church.
Country schools were closed in the 1950s due to consolidation mandated by the state legislature. Mrs. Roger (Clara Schlagel) Betker remembers the original school just before it was closed. Later, it was made into a store.
CONCLUSION
Looking through newspapers gives an idea of activities such as: Buffalo Lake News
January 26, 1917--Boon Lake Creamery Company paid $0.44 for butterfat for the month of December.
February 9, 1919--Due to a blizzard the butter team did not go to Hutchinson last week, but this week three loads were hauled by Carrigan, Duesterhoeft, and Pundt.
February 24, 1917-- There will be a basket social at the Lakeside Hall Saturday evening February 24. Everybody is invited.
March 23, 1917--The mail carriers failed to make the routes Friday, Saturday, and Monday on account of the bad roads and weather.
April 6, 1917--Boon Lake, a very large crowd attended the play given at the Lakeside Hall last evening. The play was enjoyed by everyone.
Dance at the Lakeside Hall next Monday evening.
April 6, 1917-- T .E. Richards and Charles Abrahamson hauled butter to Hutchinson for the Boon Lake Creamery Wednesday.
May 25, 1917--The Boon Lake Creamery is putting up a larger coaling shed.
Advertisements for Castoria, the Mother's Friend, and Lydia E. Pinkham's vegetable compound for relief of backaches.
..And memories from those who still recall events continue to enlighten and entertain:
--cream cans, water coolers, strainers, and separators seen when making creamery deliveries
--diversified farming: dairy, hogs, sheep, chickens, ducks on the farm places
--threshing company: Mr. Gus Krasean, Mr. Barfknecht, Mr. Duesterhoeft, and Mr. Fitzloff
--Pony Express delivered mail to the early Lakeside area
--During early times., a "light plant" allowed the use of electric light in the house- and store. It ran off a generator by the house and was used before electricity was installed
--Dewey Carrigan hauled ice cut from Lake Allie and the original Buffalo Lake which no longer exists north of the town. Ice was packed in sawdust, stored in ice houses to be used in ice boxes and to make ice cream. It was hauled to West Lynn.. Lakeside Creamery., Brookfield, Churchill, Buffalo Lake, and to neighbors.
--some crops put back as feed., some sold, and some traded: flax, oats, corn, barley, and wheat
--Irene Dennison and Ann Rannow riding horses together around Lakeside
--fireflies that came before rain, finding shelter under bedding by the horses
--Lake Allie July 4th Celebration with floats on the lake
The people who were raised at Lakeside went on to take their place in the world. Ann (Rannow) Groehler, church and community volunteer; Ann (Bradford) Reid, poet and artist; Drs. Ray and Ross Sheppard, both dentists; Dr. Harry Sheppard, veterinarian; and Dr. Charlie Sheppard, physician; Ray Fitzloff, mechanic and businessman; Perley Kurth., minister; Alvin Kurth, office and construction worker; Wallace Kurth, banker; Wendell Kurth, farmer and electrician; and so on. Each of these were known to each other, but newcomers in the area did not know of their common background. I had known and even worked for some of these people., but did not realize their ties to Lakeside until many years later.
Other names I had heard during my school years surfaced as I researched Lakeside--Duesterhoeft, Fallon, Buchoeffer, Wick, Luedtke, Carrigan, Richards, Zimmerman, Funk, Runke, and Vorbeck fit into the history and begin to weave into the present. Previously mentioned people were interviewed and quoted. It was a wonderful experience to learn how the memories of these people fit together to give credibility to my memories. The actual stories were told in an adult version and I recalled my memories of childhood as an adult; therefore both are accurate but may differ slightly.
Thursday, December 1950 August 16. 1951
Grocery Specials Wheat $2.10
Corn 1.53
Swansdown Cake Flour Oats .70
2 3/4 lb. package 39c Rye 1.46
Powdered Sugar Barley 1.26
2 lb. package 27c Soy beans 2.70
Coffee, "Jordans" Flax 3.20
1 lb. 83c Beauty Eggs, straight up .43
Oven Baked Beans "Brown Beauty”
2 cans 33c
Cheese, "Dairy Best"
2 lb. box 71c
Orange-Grapefruit, blended
46 oz. can 29c
Sweet Pickles, whole
22 oz. 38c
Apples, Delicious, extra fancy
20 lb. bag $2.25
Onions
10 lb. 29c
Grapefruit, Texas, large size
5 for 24
Links:
The following information was provided by Jack Lee Funk, son of Patrick and Gladys Martinson Funk and grandson of Charles and Ezma Funk.
My Grandfather, my Dad’s Dad, Charles Funk was born April 13, 1878 in Waukesha City, Wisconsin and died September 17, 1914 near Lakeside, MN. He is buried in Stewart, MN.
Charles’ parents were Samuel Harvey Funk and Jane Elizabeth Niver. Samuel was born June 3, 1840 in Pennsylvania and died in 1918 in Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin. Jane was born March 13, 1843 in Churchtown, New York and died July 16, 1926 in Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin. Further information on Samuel H. Funk can be found in Attachments I.
Samuel H. Funk and Jane Elizabeth Niver Funk had the following children:
Etta (1868), Sarah (1869), Kate (1870), William (1873), Robert (1874), Charles (1876), Leah (1878), Edith (1880), Emma (1882), Emery (1882), Samuel (1885), Anna (1888). Children born prior to 1880 were born in Wisconsin. Children after 1880 were born in Minnesota. Note, that Emma and Emery are twins.
Author's Note: The 1880 census lists 2 other children: Laura, age 2, and Bell, age zero. This gives rise to the question: who is and Laura and Bell? Was Laura really Leah? And, was Bell a different name for Edith? Or, was Bell a twin to Edith and who subsequently died? The 1895 census lists Leah Funk as 17 years old. There is no listing for Laura.
Charles married Ezma L. Dawson Funk on June 19, 1905 in McLeod County. Ezma was born November 11, 1885 in Clarion, Iowa; and died November 18, 1958 in Minneapolis.Charles and Ezma are buried in the Lakeside Cemetery at Stewart, MN.
Charles and Ezma had 6 children:
Emery Sam Funk (August 4, 1905-April 7, 1994) married to Helene Aye (October 2, 1905-August 17, 2000) on August 21, 1924 in McLeod County, Minnesota.
Pearl Funk was born between May and December, 1906 and died December 1, 1923.
Lloyd Charles Funk (March 24, 1908-November 24, 1964) married Barbara Catherine Gertie Funk Krueger (February 11, 1906 born in Kansas?-August 14, 1977) on July 28, 1934 in Renville County, Minnesota.
Merrill Leroy Funk (November 24, 1910-June 12, 1944) KIA in Normany, France. Merrill (Chance) landed with the D-Day forces at Utah Beach on June 6th, 1944 and was killed in action on June 12, 1944 in Normandy, France near the Merderet River. He is buried at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach near Colleville-sur-Mer.
Bernard Harry Funk (November 24, 1912-August 26, 1989) married Ida Marie Bricker (March 11, 1909-February 13, 1996) on October 10, 1931 in Renville County, Minnesota.
Patrick (No Middle Name) Funk (March 17, 1914-October 10, 2001) married Gladys Rosalie Martinson (April 18, 1915-December 31, 1988) in Minneapolis, MN
Despondent after losing $2000.00 in some venture Charles Funk committed suicide by shooting himself in the barn of a rented farm that was a few miles east of Lakeside in Collins township, McLeod county. (Lakeside is a small burg, southwest of Hutchinson, MN at the intersections of Co.Hwy 11 and Co. Hwy 24.) Sometime later the family moved to a small house in Lakeside. Lakeside probably never had more than 10 houses, a school, a store and a creamery? Charles left Ezma to provide for 6 young children and the sacrifices that she must have went through. She cooked for threshing crews, road crews, gave haircuts, took in sewing, probably washing and all various odd jobs. My impression is that, Emery, the oldest, became the surrogate Father.
A description of Lakeside is below in Attachment II. It was written by Joyce Ann Kurth Young in 1991.
Attachment I
Samuel H. Funk
Author unknown- Likely Hazel Knutson, Jack’s Great Aunt
A veteran of the Civil War was born in Pennsylvania June 3, 1840 of German parentage, and came to Fort Wayne, Indiana where he grew to manhood and engaged in farming.
He later came to Waukesha Co., Wisconsin and settled a farm, where he remained for fifteen years, coming to Minnesota in 1880. He came to Renville Co. and rented a farm in section 30, Boon Lake twp. Later he homesteaded in section 16 and build frame buildings. He had used oxen when farming on the rented place, but secured a team of horses when he homesteaded.
He had driven into the Co. from Wis, with horses, the trip taking 18 days. He lived there until 1901 improving the place, and then sold the farm and retired to Weyerhauser, Wis. Mr. Funk served on the board of supervisors in his twp.
He married in Wis to Jane Elizabeth Niver, a native of that state and of Dutch decent. She was supposed to of come across the ocean from Holland, when a very small girl about 15 or 16 yrs.
They had the following children Etta, Sarah, Kate, Leah, William, Robert, Charles, Edith, Emery & Emma twins and Samuel.
Robert H. Funk born Feb 8, 1875 married to Nanna Anderson Feb 7, 1900 the daughter of John and Mary Anderson. They had one child LeRoy Harvey Funk.
Author’s note: Etta May Funk born 1868 in Wisconsin and died July 5, 1951 in North Dakota.
Attachment II
The Lakeside Story
store - creamery - school
Joyce Ann Kurth Young
Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council
Emerging Artist Grant - 1991
INTRODUCTION
The September 19, 1968, issue of the Buffalo Lake News printed a picture and six related sentences including "One of the old landmarks of this area is being tom down. It is the Lakeside Store, which was built about 90 years ago. Old timers say it was a cigar factory in the l880s and later became a general store. W. J. Kurth operated it as a store for many years. It is owned by the Lakeside Creamery and used for a warehouse."
I drove to the site and retrieved a Sunshine Biscuits Box cover and a wooden dowel; I returned to my home filled with memories and a heavy heart. Over twenty years later, I submitted an application to Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council to do an historical research project to include a series of watercolor paintings of the Lakeside area. I was awarded an Emerging Artist Grant and began work in January 1991.
The resulting notes are a collection of comments by Lakeside neighbors, who shared memories and photographs with me. Notes are also included from material gleaned at the Renville Library, the Renville Museum, Walker Library, and the McLeod County Heritage Center. This booklet is dedicated to those people who helped in the research and to their families who lived around Lakeside, especially to my "Grandpa Lakeside", W.J. (Bill) Kurth, and his four sons: Perley, Alvin, Wallace (my dad), and Wendell.
HOUSE
The Lakeside area is near Lake Allie in Boon Lake Township, Renville County, Minnesota. It is four miles south and nine miles west of Hutchinson, Minnesota.
A homestead grant for land purchase was registered as early as 1856. Native American people stopped there as early as 1862. The house across from the store was typical of many homes built after the Civil War in 1865. The section with big windows was the original building and additions were made to the north end of the house. The house still stands with many additions and much remodeling. I remember the wood stove in the kitchen, player piano in the parlor, the feather-bed upstairs, and the cistern pump in the washroom where the "new" bathroom was installed. I also remember the pump with a cup hanging on it outside, the "Northwest" as the outhouse was called, and the arbor with a trellis filled with singing birds.
Stories that are shared by members of the Kurth family may typify those of others in the area during the Lakeside years:
Kurth grandchildren collecting glass quart jars full of fireflies in the yard across from the store.
Grandma Kurth running out of the house to rescue three grandchildren from a pack of dogs encircling them with mouths open, "ready to devour" the children who froze in their tracks.
The call up the stairway at the homestead" Are you jumping on the bed?" and many grandchildren with red sweaty faces. out of breath, would call down, "No we aren't."
Grandchildren wearing plastic bowl covers on their hair to keep it dry during showers in the "new" bathroom.
Rides in Grandpa's Buick.
Pushing the pedal to make the wheel go around on the old grindstone in the backyard.
Calling grandparents Grandpa and Grandma "lakeside" instead of Kurth.
Having store lunch and taking home a bag of candy.
The house became home to other families after 1960 and is presently occupied by the descendents of the Dennison family, early settlers in the Lakeside area.
STORE
The Lakeside Store holds a special place in many hearts. First records indicate a store was built by M.A. Carrigan and Lindsey McLoufflin around 1878. It started as a tobacco processing business on the north shore of Lake Allie. Tobacco was first brought to the Lake Allie area past the Sheppard place. Later the business was moved by Fred Fisher to the Lakeside location two miles north of the lake. Fred Fisher was one of the earliest Lakeside storekeepers. Cigars were sold in boxes with the Lakeside name. Bill Briggs built additions on the store. A second story was added to be used for community activities. A stairway to the upstairs hall and a shipping/receiving area were added around back. An addition along the north end of the store was used for the grocery business.
Bill Grunke and George Schutz together owned the store until Schutz was drafted in World War I and lost his life. Bill Grunke continued to operate the store for a time and later moved to a farm.
Ben Loeffers and W.J. (Bill) Kurth owned the store together at one time. The title was registered at the Renville County Courthouse. Ben came from the Appleton Creamery and stayed on to run the store for two years. Bill went to Barnesville and Hawley, but returned and bought the
store from Ben. Ben bought a farm by Church Hill. Bill “Grandpa Lakeside” ran the store for many years. His wife and sons Perley, Alvin, Wallace, and Wendell worked at the store during the time it was owned by the Kurths.
Recalling the lives of the patrons, their activities, and involvement in the Lakeside area becomes a lesson in history and nostalgia for those days. Their names are intertwined with the stories about the store.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembers that Bill Briggs and Gus Krasean were carpenters and steam engine threshers there. A couple of times Oliver Sayles went to Hutchinson with horses and sled to take in eggs and bring out supplies for W.J. (Bill). The first vehicle used to get supplies (which were usually picked up in Hutchinson rather than Buffalo Lake) was a Model T one-ton truck with solid rubber tires on the rear; later a pickup truck was used.
Together we recall that inside on the south side of the store were overalls, shoes, women's clothes, hats, underware, dry goods of all kinds, glass on the shelves along the wall and stools along the counter. There were new dishes in the front along the window sill. In the middle there
were fabrics and sewing items--thread, bias tape, buttons, and yard goods on bolts. Toward the back of the store was the potbelly stove with a shield around the back of it. There was a spitoon on the floor near the stove.
Alvin and Florence Kurth remember that the Litchfield Produce truck stopped to pick up eggs and poultry in "cackle crates” twice a week. Eggs were candled one by one, way in the back of the store. It was fascinating to see how if the egg was too mature, a chick would be forming and could be seen in the light. David Kurth also remembers helping candle eggs when he stayed with Grandpa Lakeside during a summer visit. Cases were brought by nearby farmers. The eggs were candled as they were unloaded and the amount allowed was traded for groceries.
The other side of the store was filled with groceries. The top shelves were stocked with cereal. Below that were canned goods. There was a "grabber," a pincher claw with a long extension rod, to get the cereal boxes
down.
Groceries were put in empty egg cases. Other items were wrapped in brown paper that came from a large roll. W.J. (Bill) Kurth had a flair for pulling the string off the cone-shaped spool, diagonally twisting it around the brown wrapping paper--so quickly and effortlessly--finishing with his special knot and a quick tug to break the string. Bill Bradford recalled watching the procedure many times as he waited for a package.
There were the rubber bands around the shirt sleeves to hold the sleeve up on the arm. Mrs. Wendell (Gladys Bach) Kurth recalled how Grandma Lakeside would work in the store and go home to fix meals. Grandma always wore an apron for her duties. Gladys has the hat
stretcher used at the store, the old knife used to cut bologna for store lunches, and an old motor robe used on the sleigh to go to church on Sundays.
Way in the back of the store were 49 pound sacks of flour (the Pure-a-Snow and later Gold Medal cloth sacks which were used in many ways by homemakers) and 50 gallon vinegar barrels (folks brought jars from home to fill with white or brown vinegar). Sugar was sold as requested (for example fifty cents or one dollar's worth). In the summer it was ha to keep enough rubber rings and jar lids on hand. These canning supplies sold well in season. Kerosine was sold from a tank and there was a huge scale by a large double door. Oyster shells and salt blocks were stored in the warehouse. Crated chickens were kept in the truck shed across the driveway east of the store.
There was a manual cash register, a "huge" safe, a roll-top desk, a pop cooler with fancy Coca Cola ads. There were calendars on the wall and an ice cream freezer with six to eight flavors in the round metal, and later, cardboard containers. It cost five cents for a cone; most ended up as "double or triple deckers."
The big decision fur children to make came by way of "penny candy "--root beer barrels; licorice; butterscotch; lemon drops; peppermint, soft or hard, pink or white; corn candy; angel food chunks; and chocolate covered cherries. Mrs. Vernon (Lucille Buehler) Ruschmeyer recalls the little sack of candy for kids to take home. Pick out the kinds, watch it go into the brown bag (with always a few extras) and ration it out until the next store trip came.
There were cookies in the Sunshine Biscuit boxes with their glass covers. Molasses, sugar, windmill, and "Ladies Aid" wafers--strawberry, chocolate, or vanilla--to go on the top of a dish of ice cream.
Then there was the" store lunch", the treat for many a neighbor; cheese and crackers for the mail carriers, Don Richards and Emil Wallner delivery people and special customers like Dr. Scholp who got bologna and crackers. For grandchildren who came each Wednesday evening from Hutchinson, the store lunch followed grocery shopping. Out would come the brown wrapping paper placed on the end of the counter, the soda crackers, sardines, the sausage or cheese, cookies, pop--root beer, creme soda, orange crush, grape, or strawberry soda--and often an ice cream cone! What a banquet; a feast in a youngster's eyes to be sure.
Most of the hardware and groceries came by rail via Hutchinson Great Northern Depot, but later truck deliveries to the store became more common. Groceries were bought from the following companies: Winston- Harbor-Fisher, Griggs Cooper (Home Brand), I.G.A., and Super Valu, all fro the Twin City area. Other products sold at the store were from: Hancock-Nelson, New Ulm Grocery, Henry Candy Company of Will mar, Swift Meat, Willis Nelson, Flavorite, Ambassador, Wonder Bread, Holsum Bread, ice cream from Marshall, and soft drinks from Hutchinson Bottling Works. Hardware and paint was from Jenny Semple Hill of Minneapolis (King England was the salesman and lived in Hutchinson) and Farwell Osmun Kirk (FOK) of St. Paul.
The store was open from 5:00 a.m. to 11:30 at night. Customers would often come with a twelve-dozen case of eggs, milk for the creamery and a grocery list. There were some cash customers, most were charges 0 even barter. Ken Hubin remembers hearing "charge it" when he was in the store. Many times the grocery exchange was the housewife's "contribution". She had charge of the laying hens and chickens. The monthly cream checks were kept in the safe at the store and were picked up from there by the patrons. Often the patron used the check to pay 0111 his account at the store.
The store closed at 6:00 p.m. during the war. It was closed for church on Sunday morning. Clancey Kurth remembers the young men at the store on Sunday afternoons. It was their "hangout" and usually included food consumption. The store was also a gathering place after ballgames and for card playing. Later, the store was closed Sunday afternoons. There was a skating rink behind the store in the winter. The creamery cistern pumped out to flood the rink for skating. There was an ice house on the south side of the driveway east of the store.
Records in the Renville Library show that the Lakeside Comets were organized in 1928 as the first 4H club in the county. Ray Fitzloff remembers that Alvin Katzenmeyer and Ed Fitzloff were senior leaders. The 4H group put on plays in the Lakeside Hall upstairs. There was a stage, dressing room, and a number of chairs. Ray recalls basket socials, school plays, creamery association meetings, and Farm Bureau meetings.
Mrs. James (Annabel Bradford) Reid remembers the Farm Bureau meetings best of all. There were recitations, readings, singing (like: "There's bacon frying in the pan"), and even rope twirling.
For the meetings, W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth made sack lunches consisting of a bun with sliced ham or sandwich meat. There was a plain cake donut and coffee, which was served in tin cups with big handles.
Sometimes wieners were served after being heated in a milk can by a steam hose. Mrs. Pernell (Ruth Loeffer,) Utgaard remembers her father, Ben, sending a tub of wieners upstairs with Emery Funk. As he waited, he saw Emery come falling all the way down the steps. Asking if he was hurt, Emery replied, "Aw, heck no, I was coming down anyway."
The meetings were long and drawn out, in the evening, with entertainment and food for the whole family A band played including Herman Schroeder on concertina, Frank Lamp on drum" and others Florence (Kurth) Waggonner provided music at time, A quartet was Gail Richard, on guitar, Charles Reid Helen Buehler and Annabel Bradford. Sometimes Frank Lamp played concertina Gus Krasean played the violin James and Susan Reid were the program committee They got musicians from further away, such as Olivia, but people didn't respond as well. It was for Gus Krasean they applauded loudest
Many folks remember the dances in the Lakeside Hall Each noted that the floor would vibrate as the dancers twirled. On at least one occasion W.J (Bill) Kurth went upstairs in a hurry to ask them to stop. That time a wooden beam had slipped out from it, braces as the swaying floor moved up and down Eventually the dances were banned, and ultimately crowds were no longer allowed in the upstairs hall. Mrs. Glenn (Marith Kurth) Witte has the piano from the Lakeside Hall.
Each Christmas, new store calendars were given out to customers during the time the Kurths ran the store. These Lakeside calendars were elegant, with embossed edge, sparkled with snow glitter Christmas scenes with a packet for notes on the bottom.
Mrs. Perley (Gretchen Prieve) Kurth recalled the telephones for Hutchinson and Buffalo Lake that were lined up on the back wall. Customers could use these without having to pay "long distance". The telephones were in big wooden boxes, the ringer was on the side and was turned by hand to make a call. Walt Duesterhoeft added that few people had telephones in their homes; however moot people had telephones when the Kurths were operating the store. Later, there were 18 home telephones on a party line The term "rubber in" refers to listening to other people’s conversations. It was so common, it became accepted. Listeners even called back to one of the callers that had been talking to get clarification on a specific point.
In the Lakeside area, farmers with little time on their hands gathered around the wood stove on cold winter days At other times during the week, men would be lined up waiting to get milk into the creamery and there they had time for story telling .
Gasoline pumps replaced hitching posts. The first pumps worked by gravity to fill tanks. Walt remembers there were two Shell pumps; later the Texaco look appeared. All totaled, Shell, Lone Star Gas (Skelly), and Texaco figured in the gas supplied at Lakeside. Greg Witte still has an old pump.
Lakeside Store was closed in the late 1950s and sold to the Creamery Association in 1960. Rollie Hall straightened nails from the store and sold them when the store was torn down in 1968. A new Lakeside store was opened by Mrs. Holverton’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Morgan in the old District 120 school building which was moved forward and remodeled. The country store tradition continued for some time. Bev Julius bought that store after working there for awhile. She remembered growing up in the Lakeside area and coming to the Lakeside store. Finally it became a bait shop and later closed
CREAMERY
When pioneers moved westward, butter, milk, and cheese helped feed their families. More cattle were kept as land was settled and soil management improved. Surplus milk was sold.
For many years dairy products were manufactured on farms, but as cities grew larger and markets increased it became necessary and profitable to process milk un a larger scale. The first butter factory, or creamery, was set up in New York in 1856. The manufacture of milk became industrialized and creameries were formed throughout the country.
The Lakeside Cooperative Creamery has documentation in records held by Harry Kurth and has an inclusion in the Renville County Historical Book. It is known as the first cooperative creamery in Renville County with an ongoing operation of ninety one years The warranty deed was filed on December 16. 1897 and was incorporated on January 24, 1898 as the Boon Lake Cooperative Creamery Company on the Hugh Carrigan place. In 1912 one-half acre was added from the Arthur Butler place. There was a re-incorporation on March 30, 1921, and it became the Lakeside Cooperative Creamery Association. This illustrious longevity brings fond memories to those involved .
The first board consisted of H.B. Boorman,, president; W.W. Forbes, vice president; Orville J. Ebner, secretary; William Kurth, Fred Lindstadt, Hugh Carrigan, and Fred Jarcho, directors. Other early patrons were George Richards, Sr., John Runke, Sr., William Runke, and Henry Wesleloh.
W.J. (Bill) Kurth started work as a helper in the Creamery for nine months in 1905. He was seventeen years old. B.F. Sheppard was president; William Kurth, treasurer; H.D. Boorman, secretary; J.H. Runke, director; and A. Mikkelson was buttermaker. In December W.J. (Bill) went to the University of Minnesota with Reiner Beilke. Upon completion of a course W.J. (Bill) was hired as an operator and later became buttermaker at Lakeside for twenty five years. He left to go to Hawley and Barnesville as a buttermaker.
In 1921, when the Cooperative was re-incorporated, the board was composed of Herman Rannow, president; William Kurth, treasurer; Fred Jarcho, vice president; W.J. (Bill) Kurth, secretary; W.J. Carrigan, W.H. Fallon, and Max Fisher, directors.
Early in the Twentieth Century, farmers were separating their milk, selling the cream, and feeding the skim milk to animals. Early processing factories were located in rural heavy milk areas where hauling distances for the raw milk were minimal. These factories were also specialized. Buttermilk is a by-product of the churning of cream. In the past, the cream often was sour, leaving it suitable only for animal food. The buttermilk by-product was auctioned off to the highest bidder at the annual meeting. It was that person’s responsibility to pick up the buttermilk at the creamery and if he could not use it all he could sel1 it off
Butter is a concentrate of butterfat or milk fat. Creams of various fat content are intermediate products in butter manufacture Butter is churned from cream. Cream has ten times as much butterfat as milk does, Cream is mixed rapidly at a certain temperature. Droplets form butter granules which are churned to form butter. Creameries make butter through pasteurization to kill harmful bacteria and prevent spoiling, and by churning to turn butterfat to butter by continuous, or conventional methods.
Butter was first made by separating cream from milk by gravity and then subjecting it to mechanical agitation. Invention of the cream separator made it possible to gather large amounts of cream in one place and this moved buttermaking from the home to the factory. Here the cream was churned and worked in a wooden or metal churn.
In 1879, a centrifugal separator for removing cream from milk was invented and patented by a Swedish engineer. The centrifugal separator hastens the breakdown of fat granules to produce a plasma (skim milk) and a cream phase more rapidly and efficiently than gravity systems. In churning about half of the fat globule, material is liberated into buttermilk. Continuous buttermaking was introduced after World War II. Milk fat clumps together and becomes stabilized by milk protein to allow creaming. Raw milk is put into the separator where it goes to the skim milk storage tank or the cream storage tank .
The buttermaker’s job included producing quality butter. It should be firm, waxy and of good spreading quality. Its granules should be close knit and cut clean when sliced. The water droplets should he well distributed throughout the mass. Defective butter quality allowed butter to be crumbly, leaky, sticky and weak In the case of W.J. (Bill) Kurth, his son Wallace told of his own "butter testing," the tip of his finger into the fresh butter. It was so wonderful that by the age of 14, Wallace had reached the "5 x 5" size (five feet tall and five feet around) as shown on his confirmation picture
Top butter received a 93 percent score at Land o' Lakes. That was the best quality and received top price. Land o' Lakes organized June 7, 1921 Lakeside Creamery was a charter member and marketed their butter through the organization.
Later plants received milk and processed it into a variety of products such as pasteurized milk cream, cultured buttermilk, and yogurt. Specialized factories make concentrated and dry milks, butter, cheese, and ice cream.
Milk and its products containing high moisture content and needing artificial preservation by addition of sugar or by sterilization require refrigeration during storage and distribution. These are products of today’s fluid milk industry as distinguished from the concentrated and dry milk, butter, and ice cream.
Pasteurized milk came along with its specialized handling needs; special vat type, high temperatures, fast cooling methods. The creamery at Lakeside did not handle pasteurized milk.
Sixty pounds of butter was put in wooden barrels with a metal cover and transported by rail to Land o' Lakes points at Hutchinson and Buffalo Lake. At first, a horse team pulled a wagon, or in winter, a sleigh loaded with the butter. The back haul often included coal wbich was used to run the creamery boiler. Coal was hand shoveled into the coal bin next to the creamery, at the northeast corner. Mrs. Dewey (Helen Braithwaite) Carrigan recalls that for several years Dewey hauled butter from Lakeside Creamery to either Buffalo Lake or Stewart for shipment. His return trip brought coal for the creamery. Water was heated on the original boiler, eventually the boiler was converted to fuel oil. The metal cover on the butter barrel was used by creamery meeting participants as their tray when refreshments were served al the meeting.
Ice was cut each winter at Lake Allie, It was used at the creamery and stored in the ice house next to the building at Lakeside. There also was an area for storage by the store.
The creamery purchased its first truck, a Ford, for $805.00 on January 30, 1929. It was used to haul canned cream.
George Fellrath was the creamery manager from 1926 to 1945. His name is mentioned more than any other manager, possibly because of the length of time he managed the creamery, perhaps because raised his family there, and many residents still in the area remember him, but probably because he managed the creamery before and after "the fire." Those were important times at the height Lakeside history.
The first creamery building burned on April 16, 1930. The Buffalo Lake Fire Department came to the fire with a pumper and their equipment. They pumped from a dredge ditch, but the building could not be saved. Not even the cornerstone was visible in the charred remains.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that the fire was in the spring and his dad was hauling manure. The telephone rang a long, two shorts, and a long: "The creamery was burning" so everybody heard about it and went. He headed for the fire so quickly when he found out, his steam engine was still going after he left. Harold Carrigan was a student at School District 120 at that time. He recalls seeing smoke and fire coming from the creamery when he was returning from the outhouse. Students were not allowed to speak out of turn in class, so he did not report what he saw. When the teacher smelled smoke, she remembered Harold was the last one outside and asked him what he knew about the smoke. When he told her the creamery was burning, class was immediately dismissed. Cinders were blowing over as far as the school building.
The current creamery building was built later that year. It was dedicated with a great celebration. The use of butter reached its peak after the new creamery was built. Ray Fitzloff recalls delivering cream during peak years, but later there was a drop in dairying. For awhile Litchfield bought milk in the area, but the creamery wanted bulk milk only; it was not suited for handling whole milk. Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that farmers went directly to Glencoe Litchfield, and Hutchinson in the early years. Later, the First District Association developed to include the Litchfield Creamery business. The association had bulk milk picked up and taken to Litchfield.
Some dairymen kept their skim milk to feed calves even after milk replacers were available. It became a matter of choice.
Mrs. George (Florence) Fellrath helped with bookwork at the Creamery. Mr. and Mrs. Dwight McEwen did the overall bookwork. Gus and Edie Krasean, W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth, the Ezma Funk family, and the Fellraths were living in the four houses close to the Lakeside corner. Fellraths had a large garden just east of the creamery. They carried water from the creamery for their house since they didn’t have running water. They had a rock garden which had water running into a pool containing large goldfish. Florence Fellrath also remembers their "pergola"--seats in a sort of shelter in the backyard. A path lead to it from the house and it was a nice place to sit and watch the children play. Managers of the creamery included George Fellrath, Wendell Witte, George Johnson, Marvin Shrequin, Adolph Peterson, Herbert Breth, Leslie Brundell, Luverne Wehking, David Werner, and Bruce Karl.
In 1943, a separator was installed and the creamery started buying whole canned milk. In 1945, a feed shed was added. Mrs. Reynold (Lyla Vorbeck) Otto recalls that her husband and Wendell Witte worked at the creamery between 1947 and 1951 making butter. In 1955, Harry Kurth started as a director and in 1956 Wendell Kurth was reelected. After 1955, under manager Adolph Peterson, Lakeside Creamery discontinued making butter, but continued to buy milk and cream. In 1957, the creamery association voted to add to the feed shed and to keep the school to use for storage rather than sell it to the township. Seed, feed, and fertilizer was sold in bags. Farmers brought milk to the creamery and took feed home. In 1960, a motion passed to buy a half acre, the Lakeside Store building, a garage, and two underground tanks south of the creamery property. A vote also passed to sell the school property for $500.00 if used as a store and for $600.00 if used for another purpose.
In August 1960, a motion passed to sell the old gas tanks. One sold for $40.00 and two sold for $75.00. The store was taken down later.
After seventy years, the 1968 board included Vernon Ruschmeyer, president; Everett Henschke, vice president; Lowell Richards, secretary; Harry Kurth, treasurer; George Kurth, William Karl, and Richard Prellwitz, directors; and Leslie Brundell, manager.
Third generation representative patrons were Lowell Richards; Harry, George, and Arthur Kurth; Walter, Marvin, and Arnold Runke; LeRoy and Lyle Runke, and Larry Lang. Harry Kurth shared the growth activities and involvement with the Lakeside Cooperative Creamery Association. He and others like him were dedicated to the creamery operation. In 1975, under manager Bruce Karl, the creamery converted to bulk milk and discontinued buying canned milk. Lakeside Creamery continued to sell feed and seed and handled their account with First District. Fertilizer sales were discontinued when it went to bulk sales.
Fourth generation patrons were Mike and Charles Richards, LeRoy, Glen, and Roger Kurth, and Randall Runke. It is understandable that it was not until after every option had been investigated that association members could agree on the last order of business. Along with changes in dairying, the population shift to cities and the introduction of margarine to the market, the buttermaking industry was no longer lucrative after 1970.
Officers and directors in 1979 were Harry Kurth, president; Edward Markgraf, vice president; Lowell Richards, secretary; George Kurth, treasurer; and Edward Karl, John Runke, and Almer Vorbeck, directors.
On March 13, 1989, a vote closed the creamery with all twenty eight stockholders present. The association was dissolved in April 1989. On May 24, 1989, a Galaxy ad gave notice of bidding to open for the creamery building. Henry (Hank) Schlagel purchased the building on May 26, 1989, to be used as a garage business.
Although there was a vote to close the creamery, members of the cooperative still have equity in the First District Association and Land o' Lakes.
Trustees continue for disbursement of outstanding equity: LeRoy Kurth, president; Gale Schlueter, vice president; Harry Kurth, secretary; Harold Hanson, treasurer; Donald Lang, Gail Ryberg, and LeRoy Markgraf are directors. Judith Bleth is the bookkeeper who issues equity checks on a percentage basis.
SCHOOL
Some teachers at Lakeside School District # 120
Ben Sheppard 1893 Rudolph Schmidt
Miss Eva Braithwait (Mrs. Ben Sheppard) Miss Evelyn Rassmussen Lindquist
Miss Lydia Margaret Brecher 1906 Miss Alice Skucius (Mrs. Harry Kosak)
Miss Eva M. Cook 1907 1933-34
Miss Beryl Rich 1910 Miss Carol Minser (Mrs. Harold Juul then
Miss Emma Rettman Mrs. Jack Bush)
Thomas Mahulda Miss Rosemary Bradford
Miss Bumstead Miss Margie Sheppard (Mrs. Westby)
Miss Rose Weseloh Miss Lucille Hackbarth (Mrs. John Donalds)
Miss Mabel Weseloh Miss Myra Otto (Mrs. Henry Petzier)
Mrs. Rodmeyer Miss Lyla Vorbeck (Mrs. Reynold Otto)
Miss Esther Bonde (Mrs. George Betker) 1924 1948-50
Miss Elizabeth Meiers Miss Lillian Lipke (Mrs. LeMoyne Bleck)
1950-52
Teachers, called "boarders", stayed with Lakeside area residents. Many local people remember having the teacher stay even when their house was filled with family members. Some students would see their relatives substitute for the teacher when necessary. Younger students even had older brothers or sisters teach school.
The first mention of education for Lakeside gives the name of Belle Jewel as teacher of public school in 1870. She taught in her home during the summer months. School District # 120 began later in Renville County with eight grades taught in one room. Approximately 30 students attended annually.
Records at the Renville Library show 35 students listed on the school census from July to October in 1924. The census was taken February 23, 1924. with a second census completed on October 1, 1924, showing 27 students enrolled. Another record shows 31 students in the census on August 28, 1930. In two file drawers at the Renvil1e Library are school records dating from 1917 to 1930. There are also files on other schools in the county, but up until now there have been no photographs or momentos of District # 120 at the library.
The head of family is listed with the names of children and their birth date. Family names during this period, and in photographs include: Albrecht, Bahr, Barfknecht, Beihoffer, Braithwaite, Carrigan, Duesterhoeft, Fallon, Francis, Fitzloff, Fratzke, Funk, Haberstich, Hager, Hardel, Heineke, Hodges, Jorgenson, Krasean, Kurth, Leander, Linstead, Marsh, McEwen, Mead, Meier, Minnick, Nelson, Phare, Rannow, Rassmussen, Rich, Riebe, Rewerts, Sandman, Schafer, Sheppard, Vorbeck, and Witte. The Carrigan, Heineke, Riebe, and Rewerts families had four and five children in the one room school in 1930.
Ray Fitzloff shared his certificate of completion from eighth grade dated June 23, 1936. It was signed by B.N. Hendrickson, county superintendent. Ray remembers that the school was heated by a round, tall, coal stove that had a metal jacket around it to prevent bums. Coal and wood had to be carried into the school house. Students placed their lunches along the top of the stove to keep food warm.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that one side froze and the other side was hot. When it was cold, lunches would freeze--eggs in the lunch would freeze and explode. There was a cubby hole nearby where students' coats were hung and the stove kept them warm as well. Later, a "cloak room" was added as a front entry.
There was time to recite in front of the class. There was a recitation bench. Students could listen to their classmates in other grades. It was not uncommon to be in several different levels of subjects. Students who moved along quickly could "skip grades." Students finished their eight grades at different ages and could move on to high schools in Buffalo Lake, Hector, or Hutchinson.
Some sources remember a water pump outside the school. Others remember that the creamery supplied school water. All remember that there was an outhouse. Ray Fitzloff remembers playing in an old gravel pit behind the school.
The school building was made of dark red brick. It had a wooden entryway with two front doors at the top of the entryway stairs. The research of schools in Minnesota did not turn up a similar building.
School was in session from nine o'clock to four o'clock with one half hour off for recess. The very earliest reports of school in Lakeside in 1900 refer to school being in session only during summer months due to hazards of driving in the winter. Later, for those who lived some distance away, it was only the oldest boy in the family who went during the winter months.
W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth lived next door to the school with their four sons, Perley, Alvin, Wallace, and Wendell. Wallace's wife Hilda recalls hearing about their routine in the morning on school days. The boy who got up first had the first choice of clothes hanging on the hook; the last of the four to rise, usually Wallace, got the shirt and pants that were left. The range in size and age was enough that "one size fits all" was in fashion long before its time. The boys would run around to the side of the house and squeeze through the lilac hedge to get to school. The last one made it through as the school bell rang.
Mrs. Gordon (Margaret Carrigan) Richards recalled the Christmas programs held in the school. There was memorization of dialogue, songs, and poems. Classmates would draw names among themselves and bring a gift to exchange. Each gift had a price limit. Each family also brought a lunch packed for the basket social. The baskets would be auctioned off to the highest bidder. That would take care of entertainment and lunch for the evening.
Mrs. LeMoyne (Lillian Lipke) Bleck taught the last two years before Lakeside School closed (1950-52). She recalled that Mrs. Alvin (Florence Witte) Kurth came to play the piano for the students at that time. Everett Henschke, Vernon Ruschmeyer and Mr. Witte were on the School Board.
Since all country schools were closed around 1952, little was written about Lakeside specifically. The store and creamery, as well as the school, held families' interest, young and old, together. Lillian Bleck considered Lakeside a closely knit community; lacking only a church.
Country schools were closed in the 1950s due to consolidation mandated by the state legislature. Mrs. Roger (Clara Schlagel) Betker remembers the original school just before it was closed. Later, it was made into a store.
CONCLUSION
Looking through newspapers gives an idea of activities such as: Buffalo Lake News
January 26, 1917--Boon Lake Creamery Company paid $0.44 for butterfat for the month of December.
February 9, 1919--Due to a blizzard the butter team did not go to Hutchinson last week, but this week three loads were hauled by Carrigan, Duesterhoeft, and Pundt.
February 24, 1917-- There will be a basket social at the Lakeside Hall Saturday evening February 24. Everybody is invited.
March 23, 1917--The mail carriers failed to make the routes Friday, Saturday, and Monday on account of the bad roads and weather.
April 6, 1917--Boon Lake, a very large crowd attended the play given at the Lakeside Hall last evening. The play was enjoyed by everyone.
Dance at the Lakeside Hall next Monday evening.
April 6, 1917-- T .E. Richards and Charles Abrahamson hauled butter to Hutchinson for the Boon Lake Creamery Wednesday.
May 25, 1917--The Boon Lake Creamery is putting up a larger coaling shed.
Advertisements for Castoria, the Mother's Friend, and Lydia E. Pinkham's vegetable compound for relief of backaches.
..And memories from those who still recall events continue to enlighten and entertain:
--cream cans, water coolers, strainers, and separators seen when making creamery deliveries
--diversified farming: dairy, hogs, sheep, chickens, ducks on the farm places
--threshing company: Mr. Gus Krasean, Mr. Barfknecht, Mr. Duesterhoeft, and Mr. Fitzloff
--Pony Express delivered mail to the early Lakeside area
--During early times., a "light plant" allowed the use of electric light in the house- and store. It ran off a generator by the house and was used before electricity was installed
--Dewey Carrigan hauled ice cut from Lake Allie and the original Buffalo Lake which no longer exists north of the town. Ice was packed in sawdust, stored in ice houses to be used in ice boxes and to make ice cream. It was hauled to West Lynn.. Lakeside Creamery., Brookfield, Churchill, Buffalo Lake, and to neighbors.
--some crops put back as feed., some sold, and some traded: flax, oats, corn, barley, and wheat
--Irene Dennison and Ann Rannow riding horses together around Lakeside
--fireflies that came before rain, finding shelter under bedding by the horses
--Lake Allie July 4th Celebration with floats on the lake
The people who were raised at Lakeside went on to take their place in the world. Ann (Rannow) Groehler, church and community volunteer; Ann (Bradford) Reid, poet and artist; Drs. Ray and Ross Sheppard, both dentists; Dr. Harry Sheppard, veterinarian; and Dr. Charlie Sheppard, physician; Ray Fitzloff, mechanic and businessman; Perley Kurth., minister; Alvin Kurth, office and construction worker; Wallace Kurth, banker; Wendell Kurth, farmer and electrician; and so on. Each of these were known to each other, but newcomers in the area did not know of their common background. I had known and even worked for some of these people., but did not realize their ties to Lakeside until many years later.
Other names I had heard during my school years surfaced as I researched Lakeside--Duesterhoeft, Fallon, Buchoeffer, Wick, Luedtke, Carrigan, Richards, Zimmerman, Funk, Runke, and Vorbeck fit into the history and begin to weave into the present. Previously mentioned people were interviewed and quoted. It was a wonderful experience to learn how the memories of these people fit together to give credibility to my memories. The actual stories were told in an adult version and I recalled my memories of childhood as an adult; therefore both are accurate but may differ slightly.
Thursday, December 1950 August 16. 1951
Grocery Specials Wheat $2.10
Corn 1.53
Swansdown Cake Flour Oats .70
2 3/4 lb. package 39c Rye 1.46
Powdered Sugar Barley 1.26
2 lb. package 27c Soy beans 2.70
Coffee, "Jordans" Flax 3.20
1 lb. 83c Beauty Eggs, straight up .43
Oven Baked Beans "Brown Beauty”
2 cans 33c
Cheese, "Dairy Best"
2 lb. box 71c
Orange-Grapefruit, blended
46 oz. can 29c
Sweet Pickles, whole
22 oz. 38c
Apples, Delicious, extra fancy
20 lb. bag $2.25
Onions
10 lb. 29c
Grapefruit, Texas, large size
5 for 24
Links:
My Grandfather, my Dad’s Dad, Charles Funk was born April 13, 1878 in Waukesha City, Wisconsin and died September 17, 1914 near Lakeside, MN. He is buried in Stewart, MN.
Charles’ parents were Samuel Harvey Funk and Jane Elizabeth Niver. Samuel was born June 3, 1840 in Pennsylvania and died in 1918 in Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin. Jane was born March 13, 1843 in Churchtown, New York and died July 16, 1926 in Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin. Further information on Samuel H. Funk can be found in Attachments I.
Samuel H. Funk and Jane Elizabeth Niver Funk had the following children:
Etta (1868), Sarah (1869), Kate (1870), William (1873), Robert (1874), Charles (1876), Leah (1878), Edith (1880), Emma (1882), Emery (1882), Samuel (1885), Anna (1888). Children born prior to 1880 were born in Wisconsin. Children after 1880 were born in Minnesota. Note, that Emma and Emery are twins.
Author's Note: The 1880 census lists 2 other children: Laura, age 2, and Bell, age zero. This gives rise to the question: who is and Laura and Bell? Was Laura really Leah? And, was Bell a different name for Edith? Or, was Bell a twin to Edith and who subsequently died? The 1895 census lists Leah Funk as 17 years old. There is no listing for Laura.
Charles married Ezma L. Dawson Funk on June 19, 1905 in McLeod County. Ezma was born November 11, 1885 in Clarion, Iowa; and died November 18, 1958 in Minneapolis.Charles and Ezma are buried in the Lakeside Cemetery at Stewart, MN.
Charles and Ezma had 6 children:
Emery Sam Funk (August 4, 1905-April 7, 1994) married to Helene Aye (October 2, 1905-August 17, 2000) on August 21, 1924 in McLeod County, Minnesota.
Pearl Funk was born between May and December, 1906 and died December 1, 1923.
Lloyd Charles Funk (March 24, 1908-November 24, 1964) married Barbara Catherine Gertie Funk Krueger (February 11, 1906 born in Kansas?-August 14, 1977) on July 28, 1934 in Renville County, Minnesota.
Merrill Leroy Funk (November 24, 1910-June 12, 1944) KIA in Normany, France. Merrill (Chance) landed with the D-Day forces at Utah Beach on June 6th, 1944 and was killed in action on June 12, 1944 in Normandy, France near the Merderet River. He is buried at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach near Colleville-sur-Mer.
Bernard Harry Funk (November 24, 1912-August 26, 1989) married Ida Marie Bricker (March 11, 1909-February 13, 1996) on October 10, 1931 in Renville County, Minnesota.
Patrick (No Middle Name) Funk (March 17, 1914-October 10, 2001) married Gladys Rosalie Martinson (April 18, 1915-December 31, 1988) in Minneapolis, MN
Despondent after losing $2000.00 in some venture Charles Funk committed suicide by shooting himself in the barn of a rented farm that was a few miles east of Lakeside in Collins township, McLeod county. (Lakeside is a small burg, southwest of Hutchinson, MN at the intersections of Co.Hwy 11 and Co. Hwy 24.) Sometime later the family moved to a small house in Lakeside. Lakeside probably never had more than 10 houses, a school, a store and a creamery? Charles left Ezma to provide for 6 young children and the sacrifices that she must have went through. She cooked for threshing crews, road crews, gave haircuts, took in sewing, probably washing and all various odd jobs. My impression is that, Emery, the oldest, became the surrogate Father.
A description of Lakeside is below in Attachment II. It was written by Joyce Ann Kurth Young in 1991.
Attachment I
Samuel H. Funk
Author unknown- Likely Hazel Knutson, Jack’s Great Aunt
A veteran of the Civil War was born in Pennsylvania June 3, 1840 of German parentage, and came to Fort Wayne, Indiana where he grew to manhood and engaged in farming.
He later came to Waukesha Co., Wisconsin and settled a farm, where he remained for fifteen years, coming to Minnesota in 1880. He came to Renville Co. and rented a farm in section 30, Boon Lake twp. Later he homesteaded in section 16 and build frame buildings. He had used oxen when farming on the rented place, but secured a team of horses when he homesteaded.
He had driven into the Co. from Wis, with horses, the trip taking 18 days. He lived there until 1901 improving the place, and then sold the farm and retired to Weyerhauser, Wis. Mr. Funk served on the board of supervisors in his twp.
He married in Wis to Jane Elizabeth Niver, a native of that state and of Dutch decent. She was supposed to of come across the ocean from Holland, when a very small girl about 15 or 16 yrs.
They had the following children Etta, Sarah, Kate, Leah, William, Robert, Charles, Edith, Emery & Emma twins and Samuel.
Robert H. Funk born Feb 8, 1875 married to Nanna Anderson Feb 7, 1900 the daughter of John and Mary Anderson. They had one child LeRoy Harvey Funk.
Author’s note: Etta May Funk born 1868 in Wisconsin and died July 5, 1951 in North Dakota.
Attachment II
The Lakeside Story
store - creamery - school
Joyce Ann Kurth Young
Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council
Emerging Artist Grant - 1991
INTRODUCTION
The September 19, 1968, issue of the Buffalo Lake News printed a picture and six related sentences including "One of the old landmarks of this area is being tom down. It is the Lakeside Store, which was built about 90 years ago. Old timers say it was a cigar factory in the l880s and later became a general store. W. J. Kurth operated it as a store for many years. It is owned by the Lakeside Creamery and used for a warehouse."
I drove to the site and retrieved a Sunshine Biscuits Box cover and a wooden dowel; I returned to my home filled with memories and a heavy heart. Over twenty years later, I submitted an application to Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council to do an historical research project to include a series of watercolor paintings of the Lakeside area. I was awarded an Emerging Artist Grant and began work in January 1991.
The resulting notes are a collection of comments by Lakeside neighbors, who shared memories and photographs with me. Notes are also included from material gleaned at the Renville Library, the Renville Museum, Walker Library, and the McLeod County Heritage Center. This booklet is dedicated to those people who helped in the research and to their families who lived around Lakeside, especially to my "Grandpa Lakeside", W.J. (Bill) Kurth, and his four sons: Perley, Alvin, Wallace (my dad), and Wendell.
HOUSE
The Lakeside area is near Lake Allie in Boon Lake Township, Renville County, Minnesota. It is four miles south and nine miles west of Hutchinson, Minnesota.
A homestead grant for land purchase was registered as early as 1856. Native American people stopped there as early as 1862. The house across from the store was typical of many homes built after the Civil War in 1865. The section with big windows was the original building and additions were made to the north end of the house. The house still stands with many additions and much remodeling. I remember the wood stove in the kitchen, player piano in the parlor, the feather-bed upstairs, and the cistern pump in the washroom where the "new" bathroom was installed. I also remember the pump with a cup hanging on it outside, the "Northwest" as the outhouse was called, and the arbor with a trellis filled with singing birds.
Stories that are shared by members of the Kurth family may typify those of others in the area during the Lakeside years:
Kurth grandchildren collecting glass quart jars full of fireflies in the yard across from the store.
Grandma Kurth running out of the house to rescue three grandchildren from a pack of dogs encircling them with mouths open, "ready to devour" the children who froze in their tracks.
The call up the stairway at the homestead" Are you jumping on the bed?" and many grandchildren with red sweaty faces. out of breath, would call down, "No we aren't."
Grandchildren wearing plastic bowl covers on their hair to keep it dry during showers in the "new" bathroom.
Rides in Grandpa's Buick.
Pushing the pedal to make the wheel go around on the old grindstone in the backyard.
Calling grandparents Grandpa and Grandma "lakeside" instead of Kurth.
Having store lunch and taking home a bag of candy.
The house became home to other families after 1960 and is presently occupied by the descendents of the Dennison family, early settlers in the Lakeside area.
STORE
The Lakeside Store holds a special place in many hearts. First records indicate a store was built by M.A. Carrigan and Lindsey McLoufflin around 1878. It started as a tobacco processing business on the north shore of Lake Allie. Tobacco was first brought to the Lake Allie area past the Sheppard place. Later the business was moved by Fred Fisher to the Lakeside location two miles north of the lake. Fred Fisher was one of the earliest Lakeside storekeepers. Cigars were sold in boxes with the Lakeside name. Bill Briggs built additions on the store. A second story was added to be used for community activities. A stairway to the upstairs hall and a shipping/receiving area were added around back. An addition along the north end of the store was used for the grocery business.
Bill Grunke and George Schutz together owned the store until Schutz was drafted in World War I and lost his life. Bill Grunke continued to operate the store for a time and later moved to a farm.
Ben Loeffers and W.J. (Bill) Kurth owned the store together at one time. The title was registered at the Renville County Courthouse. Ben came from the Appleton Creamery and stayed on to run the store for two years. Bill went to Barnesville and Hawley, but returned and bought the
store from Ben. Ben bought a farm by Church Hill. Bill “Grandpa Lakeside” ran the store for many years. His wife and sons Perley, Alvin, Wallace, and Wendell worked at the store during the time it was owned by the Kurths.
Recalling the lives of the patrons, their activities, and involvement in the Lakeside area becomes a lesson in history and nostalgia for those days. Their names are intertwined with the stories about the store.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembers that Bill Briggs and Gus Krasean were carpenters and steam engine threshers there. A couple of times Oliver Sayles went to Hutchinson with horses and sled to take in eggs and bring out supplies for W.J. (Bill). The first vehicle used to get supplies (which were usually picked up in Hutchinson rather than Buffalo Lake) was a Model T one-ton truck with solid rubber tires on the rear; later a pickup truck was used.
Together we recall that inside on the south side of the store were overalls, shoes, women's clothes, hats, underware, dry goods of all kinds, glass on the shelves along the wall and stools along the counter. There were new dishes in the front along the window sill. In the middle there
were fabrics and sewing items--thread, bias tape, buttons, and yard goods on bolts. Toward the back of the store was the potbelly stove with a shield around the back of it. There was a spitoon on the floor near the stove.
Alvin and Florence Kurth remember that the Litchfield Produce truck stopped to pick up eggs and poultry in "cackle crates” twice a week. Eggs were candled one by one, way in the back of the store. It was fascinating to see how if the egg was too mature, a chick would be forming and could be seen in the light. David Kurth also remembers helping candle eggs when he stayed with Grandpa Lakeside during a summer visit. Cases were brought by nearby farmers. The eggs were candled as they were unloaded and the amount allowed was traded for groceries.
The other side of the store was filled with groceries. The top shelves were stocked with cereal. Below that were canned goods. There was a "grabber," a pincher claw with a long extension rod, to get the cereal boxes
down.
Groceries were put in empty egg cases. Other items were wrapped in brown paper that came from a large roll. W.J. (Bill) Kurth had a flair for pulling the string off the cone-shaped spool, diagonally twisting it around the brown wrapping paper--so quickly and effortlessly--finishing with his special knot and a quick tug to break the string. Bill Bradford recalled watching the procedure many times as he waited for a package.
There were the rubber bands around the shirt sleeves to hold the sleeve up on the arm. Mrs. Wendell (Gladys Bach) Kurth recalled how Grandma Lakeside would work in the store and go home to fix meals. Grandma always wore an apron for her duties. Gladys has the hat
stretcher used at the store, the old knife used to cut bologna for store lunches, and an old motor robe used on the sleigh to go to church on Sundays.
Way in the back of the store were 49 pound sacks of flour (the Pure-a-Snow and later Gold Medal cloth sacks which were used in many ways by homemakers) and 50 gallon vinegar barrels (folks brought jars from home to fill with white or brown vinegar). Sugar was sold as requested (for example fifty cents or one dollar's worth). In the summer it was ha to keep enough rubber rings and jar lids on hand. These canning supplies sold well in season. Kerosine was sold from a tank and there was a huge scale by a large double door. Oyster shells and salt blocks were stored in the warehouse. Crated chickens were kept in the truck shed across the driveway east of the store.
There was a manual cash register, a "huge" safe, a roll-top desk, a pop cooler with fancy Coca Cola ads. There were calendars on the wall and an ice cream freezer with six to eight flavors in the round metal, and later, cardboard containers. It cost five cents for a cone; most ended up as "double or triple deckers."
The big decision fur children to make came by way of "penny candy "--root beer barrels; licorice; butterscotch; lemon drops; peppermint, soft or hard, pink or white; corn candy; angel food chunks; and chocolate covered cherries. Mrs. Vernon (Lucille Buehler) Ruschmeyer recalls the little sack of candy for kids to take home. Pick out the kinds, watch it go into the brown bag (with always a few extras) and ration it out until the next store trip came.
There were cookies in the Sunshine Biscuit boxes with their glass covers. Molasses, sugar, windmill, and "Ladies Aid" wafers--strawberry, chocolate, or vanilla--to go on the top of a dish of ice cream.
Then there was the" store lunch", the treat for many a neighbor; cheese and crackers for the mail carriers, Don Richards and Emil Wallner delivery people and special customers like Dr. Scholp who got bologna and crackers. For grandchildren who came each Wednesday evening from Hutchinson, the store lunch followed grocery shopping. Out would come the brown wrapping paper placed on the end of the counter, the soda crackers, sardines, the sausage or cheese, cookies, pop--root beer, creme soda, orange crush, grape, or strawberry soda--and often an ice cream cone! What a banquet; a feast in a youngster's eyes to be sure.
Most of the hardware and groceries came by rail via Hutchinson Great Northern Depot, but later truck deliveries to the store became more common. Groceries were bought from the following companies: Winston- Harbor-Fisher, Griggs Cooper (Home Brand), I.G.A., and Super Valu, all fro the Twin City area. Other products sold at the store were from: Hancock-Nelson, New Ulm Grocery, Henry Candy Company of Will mar, Swift Meat, Willis Nelson, Flavorite, Ambassador, Wonder Bread, Holsum Bread, ice cream from Marshall, and soft drinks from Hutchinson Bottling Works. Hardware and paint was from Jenny Semple Hill of Minneapolis (King England was the salesman and lived in Hutchinson) and Farwell Osmun Kirk (FOK) of St. Paul.
The store was open from 5:00 a.m. to 11:30 at night. Customers would often come with a twelve-dozen case of eggs, milk for the creamery and a grocery list. There were some cash customers, most were charges 0 even barter. Ken Hubin remembers hearing "charge it" when he was in the store. Many times the grocery exchange was the housewife's "contribution". She had charge of the laying hens and chickens. The monthly cream checks were kept in the safe at the store and were picked up from there by the patrons. Often the patron used the check to pay 0111 his account at the store.
The store closed at 6:00 p.m. during the war. It was closed for church on Sunday morning. Clancey Kurth remembers the young men at the store on Sunday afternoons. It was their "hangout" and usually included food consumption. The store was also a gathering place after ballgames and for card playing. Later, the store was closed Sunday afternoons. There was a skating rink behind the store in the winter. The creamery cistern pumped out to flood the rink for skating. There was an ice house on the south side of the driveway east of the store.
Records in the Renville Library show that the Lakeside Comets were organized in 1928 as the first 4H club in the county. Ray Fitzloff remembers that Alvin Katzenmeyer and Ed Fitzloff were senior leaders. The 4H group put on plays in the Lakeside Hall upstairs. There was a stage, dressing room, and a number of chairs. Ray recalls basket socials, school plays, creamery association meetings, and Farm Bureau meetings.
Mrs. James (Annabel Bradford) Reid remembers the Farm Bureau meetings best of all. There were recitations, readings, singing (like: "There's bacon frying in the pan"), and even rope twirling.
For the meetings, W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth made sack lunches consisting of a bun with sliced ham or sandwich meat. There was a plain cake donut and coffee, which was served in tin cups with big handles.
Sometimes wieners were served after being heated in a milk can by a steam hose. Mrs. Pernell (Ruth Loeffer,) Utgaard remembers her father, Ben, sending a tub of wieners upstairs with Emery Funk. As he waited, he saw Emery come falling all the way down the steps. Asking if he was hurt, Emery replied, "Aw, heck no, I was coming down anyway."
The meetings were long and drawn out, in the evening, with entertainment and food for the whole family A band played including Herman Schroeder on concertina, Frank Lamp on drum" and others Florence (Kurth) Waggonner provided music at time, A quartet was Gail Richard, on guitar, Charles Reid Helen Buehler and Annabel Bradford. Sometimes Frank Lamp played concertina Gus Krasean played the violin James and Susan Reid were the program committee They got musicians from further away, such as Olivia, but people didn't respond as well. It was for Gus Krasean they applauded loudest
Many folks remember the dances in the Lakeside Hall Each noted that the floor would vibrate as the dancers twirled. On at least one occasion W.J (Bill) Kurth went upstairs in a hurry to ask them to stop. That time a wooden beam had slipped out from it, braces as the swaying floor moved up and down Eventually the dances were banned, and ultimately crowds were no longer allowed in the upstairs hall. Mrs. Glenn (Marith Kurth) Witte has the piano from the Lakeside Hall.
Each Christmas, new store calendars were given out to customers during the time the Kurths ran the store. These Lakeside calendars were elegant, with embossed edge, sparkled with snow glitter Christmas scenes with a packet for notes on the bottom.
Mrs. Perley (Gretchen Prieve) Kurth recalled the telephones for Hutchinson and Buffalo Lake that were lined up on the back wall. Customers could use these without having to pay "long distance". The telephones were in big wooden boxes, the ringer was on the side and was turned by hand to make a call. Walt Duesterhoeft added that few people had telephones in their homes; however moot people had telephones when the Kurths were operating the store. Later, there were 18 home telephones on a party line The term "rubber in" refers to listening to other people’s conversations. It was so common, it became accepted. Listeners even called back to one of the callers that had been talking to get clarification on a specific point.
In the Lakeside area, farmers with little time on their hands gathered around the wood stove on cold winter days At other times during the week, men would be lined up waiting to get milk into the creamery and there they had time for story telling .
Gasoline pumps replaced hitching posts. The first pumps worked by gravity to fill tanks. Walt remembers there were two Shell pumps; later the Texaco look appeared. All totaled, Shell, Lone Star Gas (Skelly), and Texaco figured in the gas supplied at Lakeside. Greg Witte still has an old pump.
Lakeside Store was closed in the late 1950s and sold to the Creamery Association in 1960. Rollie Hall straightened nails from the store and sold them when the store was torn down in 1968. A new Lakeside store was opened by Mrs. Holverton’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Morgan in the old District 120 school building which was moved forward and remodeled. The country store tradition continued for some time. Bev Julius bought that store after working there for awhile. She remembered growing up in the Lakeside area and coming to the Lakeside store. Finally it became a bait shop and later closed
CREAMERY
When pioneers moved westward, butter, milk, and cheese helped feed their families. More cattle were kept as land was settled and soil management improved. Surplus milk was sold.
For many years dairy products were manufactured on farms, but as cities grew larger and markets increased it became necessary and profitable to process milk un a larger scale. The first butter factory, or creamery, was set up in New York in 1856. The manufacture of milk became industrialized and creameries were formed throughout the country.
The Lakeside Cooperative Creamery has documentation in records held by Harry Kurth and has an inclusion in the Renville County Historical Book. It is known as the first cooperative creamery in Renville County with an ongoing operation of ninety one years The warranty deed was filed on December 16. 1897 and was incorporated on January 24, 1898 as the Boon Lake Cooperative Creamery Company on the Hugh Carrigan place. In 1912 one-half acre was added from the Arthur Butler place. There was a re-incorporation on March 30, 1921, and it became the Lakeside Cooperative Creamery Association. This illustrious longevity brings fond memories to those involved .
The first board consisted of H.B. Boorman,, president; W.W. Forbes, vice president; Orville J. Ebner, secretary; William Kurth, Fred Lindstadt, Hugh Carrigan, and Fred Jarcho, directors. Other early patrons were George Richards, Sr., John Runke, Sr., William Runke, and Henry Wesleloh.
W.J. (Bill) Kurth started work as a helper in the Creamery for nine months in 1905. He was seventeen years old. B.F. Sheppard was president; William Kurth, treasurer; H.D. Boorman, secretary; J.H. Runke, director; and A. Mikkelson was buttermaker. In December W.J. (Bill) went to the University of Minnesota with Reiner Beilke. Upon completion of a course W.J. (Bill) was hired as an operator and later became buttermaker at Lakeside for twenty five years. He left to go to Hawley and Barnesville as a buttermaker.
In 1921, when the Cooperative was re-incorporated, the board was composed of Herman Rannow, president; William Kurth, treasurer; Fred Jarcho, vice president; W.J. (Bill) Kurth, secretary; W.J. Carrigan, W.H. Fallon, and Max Fisher, directors.
Early in the Twentieth Century, farmers were separating their milk, selling the cream, and feeding the skim milk to animals. Early processing factories were located in rural heavy milk areas where hauling distances for the raw milk were minimal. These factories were also specialized. Buttermilk is a by-product of the churning of cream. In the past, the cream often was sour, leaving it suitable only for animal food. The buttermilk by-product was auctioned off to the highest bidder at the annual meeting. It was that person’s responsibility to pick up the buttermilk at the creamery and if he could not use it all he could sel1 it off
Butter is a concentrate of butterfat or milk fat. Creams of various fat content are intermediate products in butter manufacture Butter is churned from cream. Cream has ten times as much butterfat as milk does, Cream is mixed rapidly at a certain temperature. Droplets form butter granules which are churned to form butter. Creameries make butter through pasteurization to kill harmful bacteria and prevent spoiling, and by churning to turn butterfat to butter by continuous, or conventional methods.
Butter was first made by separating cream from milk by gravity and then subjecting it to mechanical agitation. Invention of the cream separator made it possible to gather large amounts of cream in one place and this moved buttermaking from the home to the factory. Here the cream was churned and worked in a wooden or metal churn.
In 1879, a centrifugal separator for removing cream from milk was invented and patented by a Swedish engineer. The centrifugal separator hastens the breakdown of fat granules to produce a plasma (skim milk) and a cream phase more rapidly and efficiently than gravity systems. In churning about half of the fat globule, material is liberated into buttermilk. Continuous buttermaking was introduced after World War II. Milk fat clumps together and becomes stabilized by milk protein to allow creaming. Raw milk is put into the separator where it goes to the skim milk storage tank or the cream storage tank .
The buttermaker’s job included producing quality butter. It should be firm, waxy and of good spreading quality. Its granules should be close knit and cut clean when sliced. The water droplets should he well distributed throughout the mass. Defective butter quality allowed butter to be crumbly, leaky, sticky and weak In the case of W.J. (Bill) Kurth, his son Wallace told of his own "butter testing," the tip of his finger into the fresh butter. It was so wonderful that by the age of 14, Wallace had reached the "5 x 5" size (five feet tall and five feet around) as shown on his confirmation picture
Top butter received a 93 percent score at Land o' Lakes. That was the best quality and received top price. Land o' Lakes organized June 7, 1921 Lakeside Creamery was a charter member and marketed their butter through the organization.
Later plants received milk and processed it into a variety of products such as pasteurized milk cream, cultured buttermilk, and yogurt. Specialized factories make concentrated and dry milks, butter, cheese, and ice cream.
Milk and its products containing high moisture content and needing artificial preservation by addition of sugar or by sterilization require refrigeration during storage and distribution. These are products of today’s fluid milk industry as distinguished from the concentrated and dry milk, butter, and ice cream.
Pasteurized milk came along with its specialized handling needs; special vat type, high temperatures, fast cooling methods. The creamery at Lakeside did not handle pasteurized milk.
Sixty pounds of butter was put in wooden barrels with a metal cover and transported by rail to Land o' Lakes points at Hutchinson and Buffalo Lake. At first, a horse team pulled a wagon, or in winter, a sleigh loaded with the butter. The back haul often included coal wbich was used to run the creamery boiler. Coal was hand shoveled into the coal bin next to the creamery, at the northeast corner. Mrs. Dewey (Helen Braithwaite) Carrigan recalls that for several years Dewey hauled butter from Lakeside Creamery to either Buffalo Lake or Stewart for shipment. His return trip brought coal for the creamery. Water was heated on the original boiler, eventually the boiler was converted to fuel oil. The metal cover on the butter barrel was used by creamery meeting participants as their tray when refreshments were served al the meeting.
Ice was cut each winter at Lake Allie, It was used at the creamery and stored in the ice house next to the building at Lakeside. There also was an area for storage by the store.
The creamery purchased its first truck, a Ford, for $805.00 on January 30, 1929. It was used to haul canned cream.
George Fellrath was the creamery manager from 1926 to 1945. His name is mentioned more than any other manager, possibly because of the length of time he managed the creamery, perhaps because raised his family there, and many residents still in the area remember him, but probably because he managed the creamery before and after "the fire." Those were important times at the height Lakeside history.
The first creamery building burned on April 16, 1930. The Buffalo Lake Fire Department came to the fire with a pumper and their equipment. They pumped from a dredge ditch, but the building could not be saved. Not even the cornerstone was visible in the charred remains.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that the fire was in the spring and his dad was hauling manure. The telephone rang a long, two shorts, and a long: "The creamery was burning" so everybody heard about it and went. He headed for the fire so quickly when he found out, his steam engine was still going after he left. Harold Carrigan was a student at School District 120 at that time. He recalls seeing smoke and fire coming from the creamery when he was returning from the outhouse. Students were not allowed to speak out of turn in class, so he did not report what he saw. When the teacher smelled smoke, she remembered Harold was the last one outside and asked him what he knew about the smoke. When he told her the creamery was burning, class was immediately dismissed. Cinders were blowing over as far as the school building.
The current creamery building was built later that year. It was dedicated with a great celebration. The use of butter reached its peak after the new creamery was built. Ray Fitzloff recalls delivering cream during peak years, but later there was a drop in dairying. For awhile Litchfield bought milk in the area, but the creamery wanted bulk milk only; it was not suited for handling whole milk. Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that farmers went directly to Glencoe Litchfield, and Hutchinson in the early years. Later, the First District Association developed to include the Litchfield Creamery business. The association had bulk milk picked up and taken to Litchfield.
Some dairymen kept their skim milk to feed calves even after milk replacers were available. It became a matter of choice.
Mrs. George (Florence) Fellrath helped with bookwork at the Creamery. Mr. and Mrs. Dwight McEwen did the overall bookwork. Gus and Edie Krasean, W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth, the Ezma Funk family, and the Fellraths were living in the four houses close to the Lakeside corner. Fellraths had a large garden just east of the creamery. They carried water from the creamery for their house since they didn’t have running water. They had a rock garden which had water running into a pool containing large goldfish. Florence Fellrath also remembers their "pergola"--seats in a sort of shelter in the backyard. A path lead to it from the house and it was a nice place to sit and watch the children play. Managers of the creamery included George Fellrath, Wendell Witte, George Johnson, Marvin Shrequin, Adolph Peterson, Herbert Breth, Leslie Brundell, Luverne Wehking, David Werner, and Bruce Karl.
In 1943, a separator was installed and the creamery started buying whole canned milk. In 1945, a feed shed was added. Mrs. Reynold (Lyla Vorbeck) Otto recalls that her husband and Wendell Witte worked at the creamery between 1947 and 1951 making butter. In 1955, Harry Kurth started as a director and in 1956 Wendell Kurth was reelected. After 1955, under manager Adolph Peterson, Lakeside Creamery discontinued making butter, but continued to buy milk and cream. In 1957, the creamery association voted to add to the feed shed and to keep the school to use for storage rather than sell it to the township. Seed, feed, and fertilizer was sold in bags. Farmers brought milk to the creamery and took feed home. In 1960, a motion passed to buy a half acre, the Lakeside Store building, a garage, and two underground tanks south of the creamery property. A vote also passed to sell the school property for $500.00 if used as a store and for $600.00 if used for another purpose.
In August 1960, a motion passed to sell the old gas tanks. One sold for $40.00 and two sold for $75.00. The store was taken down later.
After seventy years, the 1968 board included Vernon Ruschmeyer, president; Everett Henschke, vice president; Lowell Richards, secretary; Harry Kurth, treasurer; George Kurth, William Karl, and Richard Prellwitz, directors; and Leslie Brundell, manager.
Third generation representative patrons were Lowell Richards; Harry, George, and Arthur Kurth; Walter, Marvin, and Arnold Runke; LeRoy and Lyle Runke, and Larry Lang. Harry Kurth shared the growth activities and involvement with the Lakeside Cooperative Creamery Association. He and others like him were dedicated to the creamery operation. In 1975, under manager Bruce Karl, the creamery converted to bulk milk and discontinued buying canned milk. Lakeside Creamery continued to sell feed and seed and handled their account with First District. Fertilizer sales were discontinued when it went to bulk sales.
Fourth generation patrons were Mike and Charles Richards, LeRoy, Glen, and Roger Kurth, and Randall Runke. It is understandable that it was not until after every option had been investigated that association members could agree on the last order of business. Along with changes in dairying, the population shift to cities and the introduction of margarine to the market, the buttermaking industry was no longer lucrative after 1970.
Officers and directors in 1979 were Harry Kurth, president; Edward Markgraf, vice president; Lowell Richards, secretary; George Kurth, treasurer; and Edward Karl, John Runke, and Almer Vorbeck, directors.
On March 13, 1989, a vote closed the creamery with all twenty eight stockholders present. The association was dissolved in April 1989. On May 24, 1989, a Galaxy ad gave notice of bidding to open for the creamery building. Henry (Hank) Schlagel purchased the building on May 26, 1989, to be used as a garage business.
Although there was a vote to close the creamery, members of the cooperative still have equity in the First District Association and Land o' Lakes.
Trustees continue for disbursement of outstanding equity: LeRoy Kurth, president; Gale Schlueter, vice president; Harry Kurth, secretary; Harold Hanson, treasurer; Donald Lang, Gail Ryberg, and LeRoy Markgraf are directors. Judith Bleth is the bookkeeper who issues equity checks on a percentage basis.
SCHOOL
Some teachers at Lakeside School District # 120
Ben Sheppard 1893 Rudolph Schmidt
Miss Eva Braithwait (Mrs. Ben Sheppard) Miss Evelyn Rassmussen Lindquist
Miss Lydia Margaret Brecher 1906 Miss Alice Skucius (Mrs. Harry Kosak)
Miss Eva M. Cook 1907 1933-34
Miss Beryl Rich 1910 Miss Carol Minser (Mrs. Harold Juul then
Miss Emma Rettman Mrs. Jack Bush)
Thomas Mahulda Miss Rosemary Bradford
Miss Bumstead Miss Margie Sheppard (Mrs. Westby)
Miss Rose Weseloh Miss Lucille Hackbarth (Mrs. John Donalds)
Miss Mabel Weseloh Miss Myra Otto (Mrs. Henry Petzier)
Mrs. Rodmeyer Miss Lyla Vorbeck (Mrs. Reynold Otto)
Miss Esther Bonde (Mrs. George Betker) 1924 1948-50
Miss Elizabeth Meiers Miss Lillian Lipke (Mrs. LeMoyne Bleck)
1950-52
Teachers, called "boarders", stayed with Lakeside area residents. Many local people remember having the teacher stay even when their house was filled with family members. Some students would see their relatives substitute for the teacher when necessary. Younger students even had older brothers or sisters teach school.
The first mention of education for Lakeside gives the name of Belle Jewel as teacher of public school in 1870. She taught in her home during the summer months. School District # 120 began later in Renville County with eight grades taught in one room. Approximately 30 students attended annually.
Records at the Renville Library show 35 students listed on the school census from July to October in 1924. The census was taken February 23, 1924. with a second census completed on October 1, 1924, showing 27 students enrolled. Another record shows 31 students in the census on August 28, 1930. In two file drawers at the Renvil1e Library are school records dating from 1917 to 1930. There are also files on other schools in the county, but up until now there have been no photographs or momentos of District # 120 at the library.
The head of family is listed with the names of children and their birth date. Family names during this period, and in photographs include: Albrecht, Bahr, Barfknecht, Beihoffer, Braithwaite, Carrigan, Duesterhoeft, Fallon, Francis, Fitzloff, Fratzke, Funk, Haberstich, Hager, Hardel, Heineke, Hodges, Jorgenson, Krasean, Kurth, Leander, Linstead, Marsh, McEwen, Mead, Meier, Minnick, Nelson, Phare, Rannow, Rassmussen, Rich, Riebe, Rewerts, Sandman, Schafer, Sheppard, Vorbeck, and Witte. The Carrigan, Heineke, Riebe, and Rewerts families had four and five children in the one room school in 1930.
Ray Fitzloff shared his certificate of completion from eighth grade dated June 23, 1936. It was signed by B.N. Hendrickson, county superintendent. Ray remembers that the school was heated by a round, tall, coal stove that had a metal jacket around it to prevent bums. Coal and wood had to be carried into the school house. Students placed their lunches along the top of the stove to keep food warm.
Walt Duesterhoeft remembered that one side froze and the other side was hot. When it was cold, lunches would freeze--eggs in the lunch would freeze and explode. There was a cubby hole nearby where students' coats were hung and the stove kept them warm as well. Later, a "cloak room" was added as a front entry.
There was time to recite in front of the class. There was a recitation bench. Students could listen to their classmates in other grades. It was not uncommon to be in several different levels of subjects. Students who moved along quickly could "skip grades." Students finished their eight grades at different ages and could move on to high schools in Buffalo Lake, Hector, or Hutchinson.
Some sources remember a water pump outside the school. Others remember that the creamery supplied school water. All remember that there was an outhouse. Ray Fitzloff remembers playing in an old gravel pit behind the school.
The school building was made of dark red brick. It had a wooden entryway with two front doors at the top of the entryway stairs. The research of schools in Minnesota did not turn up a similar building.
School was in session from nine o'clock to four o'clock with one half hour off for recess. The very earliest reports of school in Lakeside in 1900 refer to school being in session only during summer months due to hazards of driving in the winter. Later, for those who lived some distance away, it was only the oldest boy in the family who went during the winter months.
W.J. (Bill) and Emma Kurth lived next door to the school with their four sons, Perley, Alvin, Wallace, and Wendell. Wallace's wife Hilda recalls hearing about their routine in the morning on school days. The boy who got up first had the first choice of clothes hanging on the hook; the last of the four to rise, usually Wallace, got the shirt and pants that were left. The range in size and age was enough that "one size fits all" was in fashion long before its time. The boys would run around to the side of the house and squeeze through the lilac hedge to get to school. The last one made it through as the school bell rang.
Mrs. Gordon (Margaret Carrigan) Richards recalled the Christmas programs held in the school. There was memorization of dialogue, songs, and poems. Classmates would draw names among themselves and bring a gift to exchange. Each gift had a price limit. Each family also brought a lunch packed for the basket social. The baskets would be auctioned off to the highest bidder. That would take care of entertainment and lunch for the evening.
Mrs. LeMoyne (Lillian Lipke) Bleck taught the last two years before Lakeside School closed (1950-52). She recalled that Mrs. Alvin (Florence Witte) Kurth came to play the piano for the students at that time. Everett Henschke, Vernon Ruschmeyer and Mr. Witte were on the School Board.
Since all country schools were closed around 1952, little was written about Lakeside specifically. The store and creamery, as well as the school, held families' interest, young and old, together. Lillian Bleck considered Lakeside a closely knit community; lacking only a church.
Country schools were closed in the 1950s due to consolidation mandated by the state legislature. Mrs. Roger (Clara Schlagel) Betker remembers the original school just before it was closed. Later, it was made into a store.
CONCLUSION
Looking through newspapers gives an idea of activities such as: Buffalo Lake News
January 26, 1917--Boon Lake Creamery Company paid $0.44 for butterfat for the month of December.
February 9, 1919--Due to a blizzard the butter team did not go to Hutchinson last week, but this week three loads were hauled by Carrigan, Duesterhoeft, and Pundt.
February 24, 1917-- There will be a basket social at the Lakeside Hall Saturday evening February 24. Everybody is invited.
March 23, 1917--The mail carriers failed to make the routes Friday, Saturday, and Monday on account of the bad roads and weather.
April 6, 1917--Boon Lake, a very large crowd attended the play given at the Lakeside Hall last evening. The play was enjoyed by everyone.
Dance at the Lakeside Hall next Monday evening.
April 6, 1917-- T .E. Richards and Charles Abrahamson hauled butter to Hutchinson for the Boon Lake Creamery Wednesday.
May 25, 1917--The Boon Lake Creamery is putting up a larger coaling shed.
Advertisements for Castoria, the Mother's Friend, and Lydia E. Pinkham's vegetable compound for relief of backaches.
..And memories from those who still recall events continue to enlighten and entertain:
--cream cans, water coolers, strainers, and separators seen when making creamery deliveries
--diversified farming: dairy, hogs, sheep, chickens, ducks on the farm places
--threshing company: Mr. Gus Krasean, Mr. Barfknecht, Mr. Duesterhoeft, and Mr. Fitzloff
--Pony Express delivered mail to the early Lakeside area
--During early times., a "light plant" allowed the use of electric light in the house- and store. It ran off a generator by the house and was used before electricity was installed
--Dewey Carrigan hauled ice cut from Lake Allie and the original Buffalo Lake which no longer exists north of the town. Ice was packed in sawdust, stored in ice houses to be used in ice boxes and to make ice cream. It was hauled to West Lynn.. Lakeside Creamery., Brookfield, Churchill, Buffalo Lake, and to neighbors.
--some crops put back as feed., some sold, and some traded: flax, oats, corn, barley, and wheat
--Irene Dennison and Ann Rannow riding horses together around Lakeside
--fireflies that came before rain, finding shelter under bedding by the horses
--Lake Allie July 4th Celebration with floats on the lake
The people who were raised at Lakeside went on to take their place in the world. Ann (Rannow) Groehler, church and community volunteer; Ann (Bradford) Reid, poet and artist; Drs. Ray and Ross Sheppard, both dentists; Dr. Harry Sheppard, veterinarian; and Dr. Charlie Sheppard, physician; Ray Fitzloff, mechanic and businessman; Perley Kurth., minister; Alvin Kurth, office and construction worker; Wallace Kurth, banker; Wendell Kurth, farmer and electrician; and so on. Each of these were known to each other, but newcomers in the area did not know of their common background. I had known and even worked for some of these people., but did not realize their ties to Lakeside until many years later.
Other names I had heard during my school years surfaced as I researched Lakeside--Duesterhoeft, Fallon, Buchoeffer, Wick, Luedtke, Carrigan, Richards, Zimmerman, Funk, Runke, and Vorbeck fit into the history and begin to weave into the present. Previously mentioned people were interviewed and quoted. It was a wonderful experience to learn how the memories of these people fit together to give credibility to my memories. The actual stories were told in an adult version and I recalled my memories of childhood as an adult; therefore both are accurate but may differ slightly.
Thursday, December 1950 August 16. 1951
Grocery Specials Wheat $2.10
Corn 1.53
Swansdown Cake Flour Oats .70
2 3/4 lb. package 39c Rye 1.46
Powdered Sugar Barley 1.26
2 lb. package 27c Soy beans 2.70
Coffee, "Jordans" Flax 3.20
1 lb. 83c Beauty Eggs, straight up .43
Oven Baked Beans "Brown Beauty”
2 cans 33c
Cheese, "Dairy Best"
2 lb. box 71c
Orange-Grapefruit, blended
46 oz. can 29c
Sweet Pickles, whole
22 oz. 38c
Apples, Delicious, extra fancy
20 lb. bag $2.25
Onions
10 lb. 29c
Grapefruit, Texas, large size
5 for 24
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