• Welcome
  • About Us
    • Employment and Volunteer Opportunities
    • Local Links
  • DHC Contributors
    • Bridgewater Township
    • Carleton College
    • Christdala Church Preservation and Cemetery Association
    • City of Dundas
    • First National Bank of Northfield
    • First United Church of Christ
    • KYMN Radio
    • Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Service
    • Northfield Arts Guild
    • Northfield Historical Society
    • Northfield Hospital
    • Northfield News
    • Northfield Public Library
    • Northfield Student Research Collection
    • Rice County Historical Society
    • St. John’s Lutheran Church
    • St. Olaf College
    • Three Links Care Center
  • Collection Guides
    • James-Younger Gang Bank Raid collection guide
    • World War I in Northfield and Rice County Collection Guide
  • Primary Source Sets
    • Settlement & Immigration in Northfield
    • James-Younger Gang Bank Raid
    • Malt-O-Meal in Northfield
    • Agriculture in the Northfield Region
    • Milling in the Northfield-Dundas Area
    • Women in the Northfield Area
    • World War I on the Northfield Home Front
    • The 1918 Influenza Epidemic in Northfield
    • World War II in Northfield
    • Religion in the Northfield area
    • Entertainment in Northfield
  • History Blog
  • How To
  • Contact Us

Northfield-Rice County Digital History Collection

Northfield-Rice County Digital History Collection

Author Archives: Stephanie Hess

Rice County World War I Soldier Records

07 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by Stephanie Hess in History Blog, Military, People, Rice County Historical Society, World War I

≈ Leave a Comment

Highlights of the World War I digitization project, part 1

Today I would like to share with you some of the great resources I have been able to digitize as a part of this World War I project.

One of our contributors, the Rice County Historical Society, is home to an amazing collection of World War I records created by the Rice County War Records Committee. This committee was formed while World War I was underway primarily to create a historical record of those who served in the war from Rice County. The RCHS’s collection includes a basic index of names for servicemen arranged by township or city, a huge ledger with double-sided pages for everyone who served, and individual soldier files – many of which include original induction cards, photographs, correspondence, and more.

Individual soldier file for Frank Paul Delesha of Faribault, Rice County Historical Society collection

Since the entire collection takes up two wooden four-drawer file cabinets, the Collaborative has decided to scan only the ledger book and a small selection of individual soldier files. We chose to include folders from soldiers who came from various Rice County cities, villages, and townships that contained unique stories. And what stories they tell!

In summary form, we can learn about the soldiers’ families, residences and occupation prior to service, military training, ranks and departments, stations and battles, whether or not they were injured or killed, and (in some cases) what they did after the war. As a whole, this digitized collection gives us all a very broad perspective on the variety of ways men (and some women) could serve in the military during this time.

Individually, we get snapshots of experiences that are fascinating on many levels, not only for war history buffs. Genealogists, family historians, social historians, and more can find something of interest in this collection.

For example, the record for Roy James Kallak includes a personal account of life in the United States Navy, written by Roy himself. Part of his job was to escort troopships across the Atlantic Ocean for service in the trenches. They were constantly on the lookout for enemy submarines hoping to torpedo the American soldiers. At the end of his account, Roy writes:

It may be well to add, in the interests of those Minnesota “Leather-Necks,” especially the Faribault boys who left New York with our convoy Oct. 13th 1918, that I have since learned…that the ship has been officially notified through the Navy Department, by information received from Germany, that that convoy was followed by a submarine for thirteen hours, it being unable to get a shot in because of the series of zig-zag courses we run [sic].

Thanks to Roy and his Navy crew, those Faribault boys crossed safely over the ocean.

Portrait of Roy Kallak, Rice County Historical Society collection

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Items on exhibit at NHS

28 Wednesday Jun 2017

Posted by Stephanie Hess in History Blog, Military, Northfield Historical Society, World War I

≈ Leave a Comment

Items of the week: World War I artifacts

Front cover of Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly Newspaper, with the headline “For God’s Sake, Hurry Up!” May 11, 1918. Northfield Historical Society collection. See it on the Collaborative.

Poster, “Come On! Buy more Liberty Bonds,” 1918. Northfield Historical Society collection. See it on the Collaborative.

Military service banner for World War I. Stars represent family members in military service: Oscar and Walter Gustafson, who were both drafted and served in France. Northfield Historical Society collection. See it on the Collaborative.

“V for Victory Liberty Loan” window decal. Displayed in the home of a subscriber to the liberty loan program during World War I. Northfield Historical Society collection. See it on the Collaborative.

“Liberty Loan Committee” ribbon used during World War I. Northfield Historical Society collection. See it on the Collaborative.

Come to the Northfield Historical Society to see some of these World War I items in our latest exhibit – open until January 2018!

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

World War I-era sheet music

15 Thursday Jun 2017

Posted by Stephanie Hess in Arts and Culture, History Blog, Military, World War I

≈ Leave a Comment

Items of the week, for you music lovers: World War I-era sheet music.

The copies we have digitized include hits like “When the War is Over, Will There Be Any Home Sweet Home?” and more.

Sheet music from the World War I era titled “After the War is Over, Will There Be Any ‘Home Sweet Home’?” copyright 1917. Northfield Historical Society collection. See it on the Collaborative.

The lyrics offer great hints on how Americans felt about war service. For example, the song titled “America He’s For You!” by Andrew B. Sterling offers a mother’s perspective on sacrificing her sons to the war cause:

[Verse 1]
This is just another story of a mother and three sons,
How she gave them to Old Glory like a million other ones
And when she sits alone at night to pray,
These are the words that mother has to say:

[Chorus]
One bears a gun, and is beating back the Hun on the banks of the River Marne
The next oldest brother will fight just like the other whatever battlefield he’s on,
The third makes his stand out in No Man’s Land Just like the other two,
There’s a baby in the cradle and as soon as he is able America he’s for you.

[Verse 2]
Tho’ they may return with Glory and the cross each hero wears,
There may be another story of the cross that mother bears
With beating heart she heard her country call,
She did not give them one, she gave them all:

[Chorus]
One bears a gun, and is beating back the Hun on the banks of the River Marne
The next oldest brother will fight just like the other whatever battlefield he’s on,
The third makes his stand out in No Man’s Land Just like the other two,
There’s a baby in the cradle and as soon as he is able America he’s for you.

While appearing to support the war effort, this song also hints at some disquiet in terms of offering children up to fight and die while leaving their families behind. In any case, you can see the Northfield Historical Society’s set of sheet music (and play along!) here on the Collaborative today!

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Pvt. John Fredrickson and the 54th Pioneers

02 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by Stephanie Hess in History Blog, Military, People, Rice County Historical Society, World War I

≈ Leave a Comment

Item of the Week:

Here is Private John Fredrickson’s handwritten poem about his unit in World War I: Company L of The 54th Pioneers, who were cross-trained in combat engineering and infantry tactics, and often were responsible for building the roads for their fellow troops – all while under heavy bombardment.

The Pioneers, Private John Fredrickson. Rice County Historical Society Collection.

Apparently the Pioneer Infantry units were often overlooked in stories about the war, and Fredrickson felt the need to laud their efforts when he wrote:

We read about the dough boys and their valor, which is true,
And of the valiant part they played for old Red, White and Blue;
We read about the H.F.A. [heavy field artillery] and their ever roaring guns,
Also the heavy part they played in blowing up the Hun;
The Infantry, the Cavalry, the hardy engineers,
But we never read a single line about “The Pioneers.”

He continues:

The Pioneers, Private John Fredrickson. Rice County Historical Society Collection.

He sums up his work in this way:

We didn’t really fight the battles,
Nor really chase the Hun,
Our bit was just to keep on working,
And not to shoot a gun.
But tell your friends and neighbors, Frank
We helped old Bill’s retreat
For every road was fixed for loads
For troops and trucks and tanks.

Read more about Pvt. John Fredrickson and see his photographs in his war service record on the Collaborative.

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

The St. Olaf Victory Viking Yearbook

17 Wednesday May 2017

Posted by Stephanie Hess in History Blog, Military, Northfield Historical Society, People, St. Olaf College, World War I

≈ Leave a Comment

In the spring of 1919, St. Olaf College published an annual yearbook commemorating the classes of 1919, 1920, 1921, and the Freshmen. It was a special year for St. Olaf students, since many of them in these classes had participated in World War I service at home, on military bases, and in Europe. For this reason, the yearbook was dedicated to those who served in the cause of world freedom. They called it the Victory Viking.

Dedication page of the Victory Viking yearbook.

Hints of war service appear on many of the pages within this yearbook. Illustrations of tanks and ships appear below photographs of campus scenes.

Drawing of a tank under a photograph of St. Olaf campus.

Notice of war service appears with the biographies of faculty.

William Clarence Benson’s biography in the Faculty section.

The student sections are divided up into subsections of students in service and students who were not, including all the women and a few men, too. Details about the war service of each man appear with their college activities, and they are pictured in uniform. If they participated in battles and were wounded, that was listed, as well. Even the letters V-I-C-T-O-R-Y appear among the portraits of the students.

Examples of Juniors in Service.

Many of the students who served participated in Company A or B of the Student Army Training Corps based on campus. The S. A. T. C. units were mobilized from October 1 through December 10, 1918, a relatively brief period. The 228 enlisted men participated in military drills, learned the basics of military life, and gained specialized training that could be used for further war service. For more details on the S. A. T. C., see also this page from the St. Olaf Archives.

Company B of the Student Army Training Corps on the St. Olaf campus.

In addition to these historical details of the wartime experiences at St. Olaf, the yearbook includes many instances of artistic interpretation of that momentous time – including poems, songs, short stories, photographs, and more. An alumni names Bjorn Winger, class of 1914, contributed a number of poems inspired by his war service.

Poem by Bjorn Winger, ’14.

While the entire yearbook has not been digitized at this time, you can explore more of its war-related features online via the Northfield History Collaborative. To view it in its entirety, please set up an appointment with the staff at the Northfield Historical Society.

Snapshots of men and women in service.

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Private Arthur N. Persons

05 Friday May 2017

Posted by Stephanie Hess in History Blog, Military, World War I

≈ Leave a Comment

Today I’d like to introduce you to one of Northfield’s servicemen during World War I.

Private Arthur N. Persons in uniform, 1918. Rice County Historical Society collection.

Arthur Newton Persons was born November 26, 1891 to Newton and Phebe Persons in Waterford. He attended Carleton College, graduating in 1915. He registered for the draft alongside his fellow Northfield citizens after the U.S. entered the Great War in 1917. On June 25, 1918, he was drafted into the U.S. Army.

Arthur N. Person’s induction card, 1918. Rice County Historical Society collection.

He spent the rest of the summer training at Camp Grant in Illinois, and we have recently digitized a large collection of letters that he received during that time from his family – including his mother – and friends – including Cecile Sletten, who became his wife in 1922. Selections of these letters, along with his war record from the Rice County Historical Society, will soon be uploaded to the Northfield History Collaborative‘s website.

Envelope containing a letter to Arthur Persons from his mother Phebe Persons while he was training at Camp Grant. Northfield Historical Society collection.

Despite repeated pleas from his mother to choose a “safe” clerking job – which he could easily have done, since he was a banker – Arthur was assigned to a Machine Gun company in the 55th Infantry, Seventh Div., and shipped overseas in September of 1918. His unit served in France during the Puvenelle defensive October 21 through November 9, 1918 and the Puvenelle offensive November 9 through November 11, 1918, when the war was officially declared over.

Arthur and his unit did not just return home that November, however. He stayed in France with the American Expeditionary Forces until June of 1919.

Envelope from a letter sent to Arthur Persons with the American Expeditionary Forces in France, May 1919. Northfield Historical Society collection.

Our records don’t tell us what exactly he did there from November 1918 through June 1919, but it doesn’t appear to have been very strenuous. In her closing remarks to Arthur, his future wife Cecile writes that she hopes he is enjoying himself. Not exactly what you might expect from war correspondence, right?

Letter from Cecile Sletten to Arthur Persons, May 20, 1919.

In any case, after his honorable discharge June 27, 1919, Arthur returned to his life in Northfield. He became head cashier at the Northwestern State Bank for many years prior to his retirement. He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 84 and a member of the Last Mans Club. He was a 50 year member of the Masons and a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church. He died May 16, 1982. His records, and those of his family, are preserved at the Northfield Historical Society. We are very glad that now many of them can be digitized and shared more widely!

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

World War I primary source sets

28 Friday Apr 2017

Posted by Stephanie Hess in History Blog, World War I

≈ Leave a Comment

Primary source sets are online tools created by organizations like the Library of Congress, Digital Public Library of America, and the Minnesota Digital Library. They are devoted to a specific topic and include multiple types of digitized historical records (photographs, documents, artifacts, and more) and are meant to foster critical thinking. Usually they come with a topic overview, high-quality reproductions, teachers’ guides, and related resource lists.

Envelope for a letter from Phebe Persons to her son Arthur while he was at training camp, 1918.

In light of the centennial of the U.S. entry into World War I, you may not be surprised that each of those institutions listed above have a primary source set devoted to World War I.

Library of Congress

Digital Public Library of America

Minnesota Digital Library

Although these are specifically designed to help history and social studies teachers, I find them helpful for my own research, and inspiring too. It’s possible I may create a primary source set on Northfield’s experience during the war based on these examples. Would you find that a useful tool to help our audience better utilize the history we have shared on the Northfield History Collaborative?

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Service and Sacrifice

21 Friday Apr 2017

Posted by Stephanie Hess in History Blog, Military, People, Rice County Historical Society, World War I

≈ Leave a Comment

Two of the major themes we are exploring at the Northfield Historical Society for our centennial commemoration of World War I are service and sacrifice, both at home and abroad. While going through some of the individual soldier records in the Rice County War Records Commission collection at the Rice County Historical Society (2 file cabinets full!) I have already found a few examples of both service and sacrifice from Northfield-area citizens.

Delphine Carpenter in uniform. Rice County Historical Society collection.

Miss Delphine Carpenter is one of the few women included in the files. She was from Northfield and served the U.S. Navy as a Yeoman 3 Class Female, one of the few ways women could directly serve the U.S. military during the war. She was stationed at Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. for the duration of the war until she was discharged in 1920.

Ralph W. Cornell in uniform. Rice County Historical Society collection.

Ralph W. Cornell was drafted on June 25, 1918 in Faribault. He served with the infantry in the battles of Argonne Forest in November of 1918, and was badly wounded by shrapnel in his neck and shoulder. After he returned to civilian life, he only worked two days before his wound opened and he was unable to work consistently for years after he returned. He sent this photograph to the War Records Committee along with a letter describing when it was taken:

Letter from Ralph Cornell to Frank Kaisersatt, 1919. Rice County Historical Society collection.

“From appearances,” he wrote, “you would hardly think me badly injured would you?” He continued, “Still the left arm at that time was paralized [sic] and an ugly hole through the base of neck and left shoulder also a portion of the spine shot away, and since then have had one rib removed etc.” Living with the realities of his wound, he concluded that his arm “hasn’t weakened yet but may get thin some day.”

Arthur H. Drewitz in uniform. Rice County Historical Society collection.

Finally, some of the greatest sacrifices were borne by the families of soldiers. Arthur Drewitz served with the infantry in France from August to October 1918. He was declared missing in action since October 8, 1918.

Telegram sent to Arthur Drewitz’s parents, December 1918. Rice County Historical Society collection.

His mother wrote the following letter in March of 1919 asking the Rice County War Records Committee to track down any information they could about her “Dear boy” Arthur. She asked them to do what they could so that she “may know what has become of him” and to “find out if he is alive yet or if he is in some prisoners camp yet or any place in Germany.” She had not heard from her son since his last letter of September 15, 1918.

Letter from Mrs. Hermann Drewitz, March 26, 1919. Rice County Historical Society collection.

Many of the soldiers initially listed as missing in action were later classified as killed in action, but their bodies were never recovered. Can you imagine the pain of not knowing anything about your son like Mrs. Hermann Drewitz? Or living with chronic pain from shrapnel wounds? Even despite these sacrifices, though, most of those who served remained proud of their service. Even Private Cornell, disabled as he was, said, “I am sure proud to say I did my little bit over there for Minnesota.”

The full records of these individuals, among others, will soon be posted on the Northfield History Collaborative site. You can view more of them in person in Faribault at the Rice County Historical Society.

 

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Company D from Northfield

14 Friday Apr 2017

Posted by Stephanie Hess in History Blog, Military, People, Politics and Government, World War I

≈ Leave a Comment

Even though the Great War had been raging in Europe since 1914, in 1916 most Northfielders were more interested in what was going on at the border with Mexico. Why? Because their friends and relatives were serving in Company D of the 2nd Infantry Regiment of the Minnesota National Guard.

Company D, 2nd Regiment, Minnesota National Guard posed at camp. Northfield Historical Society. View larger photograph on the Collaborative.

After Mexican leader Pancho Villa started raiding in Texas and New Mexico, President Wilson called National Guard units into federal service to guard the border, and Northfield’s Company D was officially mobilized. The mobilization point for Northfield’s Company D was at Fort Snelling in St. Paul. Their camp was called Camp Bobleter after Colonel Joseph Bobleter, who had commanded the 12th Minnesota during the Spanish-American War.

Company D, 2nd Infantry Regiment, Minnesota National Guard at Camp Bobleter, Fort Snelling, July 1, 1916. Northfield Historical Society. View larger photograph on the Collaborative

Northfield’s Co. D returned January 24, 1917 after serving a few months at the Mexican border, marked mostly by dust and tedium. The Northfield News described their return on January 26, 1917: “Home again! And mighty glad to get back. Without the loss of a man, with every man in fine physical condition the soldiers of Co. D returned to Northfield Wednesday afternoon with six months in the service of their “Uncle Sam” to their credit.”

Northfield News, January 26, 1917. Northfield Historical Society collection.

Only a few months later, the United States had officially entered the Great War in Europe. But by May 2017, Northfield had given up Company D since there were not enough men who would fill its ranks at war strength for a federal force.

Excerpt from the Northfield News, May 4, 1917.

Some men from Company D did serve in World War I, but on an individual basis in other branches of the military, not with their original National Guard unit based in Northfield.

Story about Company D members enlisting for service in World War I. Northfield News, June 22, 1917.

Company D men proudly served their unit, their city, and their state, and many of them gained valuable experience that would help them get through the Great War and beyond.

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Rice County War Records Commission

30 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by Stephanie Hess in History Blog, Military, People, Rice County Historical Society, World War I

≈ Leave a Comment

One of the reasons we chose to focus our digitization efforts on World War I materials this year is the fact that there is a massive collection of documents from the Rice County War Records Commission at the Rice County Historical Society. But they have never been digitized, so our ability to share the information contained within is limited.

I am pleased to say that I have recently begun the long process of scanning one of the most important documents in that collection – a massive bound ledger with two-sided pages dedicated to individual soldiers who came from Rice County, Minnesota. The pages contain family history, enlistment data, department and rank served, and any other miscellaneous information (often including Army serial numbers, name of ship that carried them to Europe, where stationed, which battles fought, and date and location of discharge).

Cover of the Record of Soldiers in World War I, Rice County Historical Society collection (2010.119.04)

The State of Minnesota created the War Records Commission in 1918 to ensure that the activities of Minnesota individuals and units were properly documented in a central location, usually based in each county. In prior wars, there had been no organized system to collect this kind of data, and some veterans had difficulties proving that they had even served in the military. State leadership realized if they did not work to collect this information from this Great War, it would be more difficult to bring it all together before too much time had passed.

The Rice County War Records Commission was based in Faribault and Frank M. Kaisersatt, a prominent citizen from Wheatland Township, was its chairman. Over the course of about five years, the commission located and recorded the information from as many men who served in some capacity during World War I as they could find. Some records exist only as a name, with no other information. Others offer a wealth of knowledge, including even names of commanders or more. A few note that the man was killed “somewhere in France,” which highlights the fact that tracking down some of these men – some of which had no family at home – was very difficult considering the circumstances of conflict and disease.

Excerpt from Thomas Ansems’ record

While going through even just a few of these records, I am amazed by the variety of ways in which these people from Rice County served during the war. Some were cooks. Some joined the medical corps, or sanitation, or the air service. Others were in the ammunition trains. Some barely made it to Europe before the end of the war in November 1918, so they stayed over with the American Expeditionary Force as the Army of Occupation in Germany from 1918 through 1919. One soldier enlisted in the Student Army Training Corps (S.A.T.C.) at Carleton College on October 11, 1918, exactly one month before the armistice. He trained there for only two months before being discharged, but his record exists in this book, as well.

Excerpt from Claude Revier Babcock’s record

And they had a variety of backgrounds, as well. Considering Rice County’s agriculture-based economy, many servicemen were farmers, but there were also teachers, mechanics, a “Proprietor of a Machine Shop and Foundry,” and a professor of chemistry at St. Olaf College who wasn’t even born in Rice County.

Excerpt from Arthur Van Krogh Anderson’s record

While there are many pages to go before this book will be shared in its entirety on the Northfield History Collaborative, I can already see how it will add to our understanding of Northfield-area experiences during World War I – which is exactly the purpose of this digitization project. Stay tuned for more updates!

Note: there are many resources out there on the state level on the War Records Commission in Minnesota, or World War I military service records in general. They include:

  • A Library Guide to Military Records of World War I at the Minnesota Historical Society’s Gale Family Library
  • Family History Resources for Military Records available from the Minnesota Historical Society based on type of record or particular conflict
  • A Finding Aid for World War I soldier photographs from the Minnesota War Records Commission at the Minnesota Historical Society

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
← Older posts
Newer posts →

♣ Search the DHC

Search collections by keyword

Advanced Search

Browse all items from the DHC contributors

♣ DHC Partners

  • Bridgewater Township
  • Carleton College
  • Christdala Church Preservation and Cemetery Association
  • City of Dundas
  • First National Bank of Northfield
  • First United Church of Christ
  • KYMN Radio
  • Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Service
  • Northfield Arts Guild
  • Northfield Historical Society
  • Northfield Hospital
  • Northfield News
  • Northfield Public Library
  • Rice County Historical Society
  • St. John’s Lutheran Church
  • St. Olaf College
  • Three Links Care Center

♣ Recent History Blogs

  • Entertainment history
  • Local Architecture Resources
  • Settlement and Immigration primary source set
  • Primary Source Sets released
  • Women in Northfield local history resource

♣ Northfield-Rice County Digital History Collection

Northfield-Rice County Digital History Collection

Proudly powered by WordPress Theme: Chateau by Ignacio Ricci.

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.