Last week’s Influentials:
116. R. A. (Tony) Randall (1912-1998). Insurance. Robert Anthony Randall was born in Little Falls, Minnesota, to Phil S. and Nora (Delahunt) Randall. In 1935, he married Marie Schmid and opened the R. A. Randall Insurance Agency in Little Falls. Tony held the position of president of the agency until he retired in 1977. Tony served in the United States military during World War II. In 1965, he was named a Knight of St. Gregory by Bishop Peter W. Bartholome. Two years after his first wife, Marie, died he married Luverne Powers. Tony had six children – Jim, Gertrude, Pat, Nora, Jackie, Mary.
117. Harry Norr (1913- ). Manager. Harry Norr was born in Illinois to Edwin and Jenny Mathilda (Dahl) Norr. In 1934, Harry began working for Minnesota Power and Light Western Division, based in Little Falls. Harry was customer services manager for the company until 1976, when he was named Western Division Superintendent. Harry opened the first broadcasting station in Little Falls in the fall of 1935. The station was operated from his home on Thirteenth Street Northwest and had the call letters W9VJP. Harry served in the United States military signal corps for four years during World War II. Harry and his wife, Lois, had four children – Catherine, James, Paul, and Robert. Harry and his wife lived in Little Falls until 1999, when they moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota.
118. Marcus Maurin (1837-1905). Businessman. Marcus Maurin was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1837. In 1855, he moved to America and settled in Chicago, Illinois. Two years later he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, and worked as a traveling merchant. In 1863, he married Mary Lauer in Chicago and the couple moved to Cold Spring, Minnesota, where Marcus established a mercantile and real estate business with his brother. Marcus and Mary had five children – Mary, Louisa, Annie, Peter, and Marcus. Marcus eventually opened a mercantile business in Little Falls. Maurin & Medved’s general merchandise store was established in Little Falls in 1878. The store carried dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes, crockery, glassware, groceries and provisions. Maurin not only managed the store, he was also a proprietor of the Little Falls Steam Brewery, was a member of the board of county commissioners, was a Little Falls councilman and served for five years as mayor of the village of Little Falls.
119. Z. N. Barnes (1859-1943). Businessman. Zueingles Norris (Z. N.) Barnes was born in Wisconsin to (William) Wallace and Olive (Nettleson) Barnes. In 1884, Z. N. married Mary Brown of Wisconsin. Z. N. and Mary had one child, Mildred Wanda. Z. N. came to Little Falls in 1895 to work for the Pine Tree Lumber Company (PTLCo.) and spent many years as a lumber salesman. In 1907, Z. N. was one of three employees of the PTLCo. who incorporated the Morrison County Lumber Company, a retail lumber and wood business. Z. N. served as president until 1920, when he resigned as manager. The next year, Z. N. opened a fuel business in Little Falls, selling wood and coal to local residents. In 1928, he sold the business to Lampert Bros. Lumber Company of Little Falls. Z. N. was also an amateur photographer and owned one of the first automobiles in Morrison County.
120. Phil S. Randall (1865-1960).Real Estate, Judge.Philip Sheridan Randall was born in Vermont in 1865 to Francis and Fanny (Colby) Randall.Phil married Nora Delahunt in 1890 at North Prairie, Minnesota.Phil and Nora had eight children – Bernadine, Walter, Francis, Ramona, Zella Marie, Robert Anthony, Phyllis, and Charles Edward.In 1903, the family moved from North Dakota to Little Falls and the next year Phil opened a land and real estate office in the city.In 1905, Phil was appointed city engineer, a post which he held for about fifteen years.Phil also served as justice of the peace, county surveyor, county highway engineer and deputy clerk of district court.Phil served as a municipal judge from 1922 until 1950.
This week’s Influentials:
121. The Brick Manufacturers
122. Sue Poser
123. Ron & Dan Shimek
124. Walter Folsom
125. Frank Gessell