Anna Tranberg Coen: A Life In Photographs

Ancestral Treasure (Descendents of Nathan Richardson)

Art & Jan Warner

Avatars Are Nothing New

Ben Hawkinson

Carl Weyerhaeuser: Dreams Fulfilled

Clifton & Anna Tidd

Douglas Birk – Archaeologist

Ed Tanner’s Snowsuit

Ernest & Mary LaFond

Everything That I Looked At Made Me So Lonesome – Harry Scott

Getting to Know an Ernest Mann (Larry F. Johnson)

Ernest Mann Collection

Ernest Mann – Portals to Paradise

Ernest Mann Revisited

Freaks, Geeks, and Creeps: The Exploitation of Disability in the Advent of Photography

G.W. Karlson, Founder of Little Falls Granite Works

In Memory of Art Warner

Jan Warner Retires from MCHS After Over 50 Years of Service

Jim Crow in Morrison County: Rose Winch’s Experience

John Pigman

John Vertin

Joseph Nicollet – The Careful Mapmaker

Laura Jane Moyer

Lee Mero: A Christmas Artist

Lillian Sundquist-Pigman

M.M. Williams – An Influential Man

Mary E. Butler’s photo album

Morrison County Influentials

Morrison County Murders Index (pdf)

Mrs. Marie Gross Ruth

Nate Richardson

Nathan Richardson: A Big Hearted Paleface Man

Pete Liljedahl: Little Falls’ Coach & World War I Hero

Questions from the Murder Box

The Andreas & Marie Juba W.P.A.

The Legend of Hole in the Day (Discusses legend surrounding the death of Chief Hole in the Day I, whose burial site is on the bluff north of Little Falls, MN – pdf document)

The Musser-Weyerhaeuser Legacy (Richard Drew Musser & Charles A. Weyerhaeuser)

The Search for Rachael Carew (pdf document)

Unsolved: Disappearance of Harold Tidd

Valentine Kasparek

Vernon Pick: Two Rivers Mill to Delta Uranium Mine (pdf document)

Wes Sod and American Regionalism

What’s It Like […] in Morrison County? (Essay project of MCHS – Link will take you to a separate site.)

William Morrison – Fur Trader

27 Replies to “People”

  1. Hello. I would like to get any newpaper or articales on the following people I would appreciate any help. George Pierzine born 11/16/1882 in Swanriver Minnesote Louise Blair born 11/24/ 1894. John Pierzina born in Poland Johanna Crech born in Poland Peter Blair 6/29/1865 Emma Woeczprel 3/2/1870 born in Berlin Germany.
    These are my great grandparents. I understand that they were farmers around the township of Sobeski and that Charles Lindberg use to be a farm helper during their lives. My address is Julie Farr 3219 Hermosa Street Pinole CA 94564. Please let me know any costs that incure and I will gladly pay you.

    Thank you so much
    Julie Blair Farr

  2. Hi, Julie – We’ll get to work on your research request right away. Do you want us to leave your address listed within your comment? (We can remove it if you’d like.)

    Mary Warner

  3. Hello! I am trying to find out some of my family tree and I was wondering if you might be able to help me. My Grandmother is Odessa (Tonn) Como and she was married to my Grandfather Maurice Steven Como. I am interested in any information on either side but I was wondering if there is a relationship between the Tonn buiding in Little Falls? Also I know he died when my Grandmother, her sister and brother where very young and just found a short posting on ancestry.com that he was killed by lightning? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Sincerely, Lori Como Ebiner

  4. Hi, Lori – There is nothing in our Como Family File on Maurice Como, although there are several other Comos represented in the file. I also checked the Minnesota Historical Society’s state death index, but Maurice didn’t show up so I can’t find a death date.

    It is unclear from our Tonn file whether Odessa is related to the William Tonn who had the Tonn block (i.e. building) built. It looks like there are two William Tonns represented in our files. One was married to Marie (Zebert) Tonn. John Tonn was a son of William and Marie. According to his obit, he was survived by the following brothers and sisters:

    Perry Stith, Roland Stith, Odessa Como, Lucille Young, and Marie Tesch.

    Note the last names of Perry and Roland. They are not Tonn. I don’t know whether this indicates step-children or something else.

    We have an obit for William Tonn, Sr., whose wife is listed as Wilhelmina Krieger in his obit, but is listed as Fredericka on another document. I’m not sure why there is a discrepancy. Their children are listed as Louis, Alma, William Jr., Elmer and Lulu. This is the William who had the Tonn block built. He was a saloon keeper.

    Could it be that the first William I mentioned, father of Odessa and John, is actually William Jr. listed in William Sr.’s obit? I don’t have enough information in the file to figure that out. Perhaps what I’ve provided here will make sense to you.

    Thanks for your comment,

    Mary Warner
    Museum Manager

    1. Perry, Roland and Marie are from Marie Zebert Tonn Stith’s second marriage. Marie Louise Stith Tesch was my grandmother before her death in 2014. After William Tonn’s death, Marie Zebert Tonn married Perry Stith who had been married twice before. The last names are different due to being half siblings.

      1. Hi Brandi! So if I am getting this right our grandmother’s were half sisters? 🙂 Do you have much information on your (our) great grandmother? I think our grandmother’s were in contact with each other at least into the 80s. I would love anything you can tell me. Also if you have any photos of your great grandma and grandma (this summer I will be going through a box of unmarked photos 🙁 trying to figure out who is who.) I would love a copy over the Internet 🙂 If I find any of your grandma I’d be happy to mail them to you.
        Thank you, Lori

    2. Can you believe I just saw your answer…. Yes! My grandmother would call me Lulu when I was little and said that was her aunts name! I also have a necklace that beloved to her. 🙂 so….. that means the Tonn building was my great great grandfather’s! 🙂 very neat! This summer I am planning on diving back into my ancestry!

  5. Hi, I’m searching for information on the Jesse/Isaac Mannin & Patrick Loftis families. Mannin’s arrived in this area around 1870-80s and Patrick arrived around 1900. He was from WI.

    Particularly two people have disappeared: Jesse Mannin and wife Janella Hatton who as a widow may have married Isaac Mannin (widowed from T. “Hattie”)ANY help is appreciated; thanks, Joyce

  6. Hi Joyce, there wasn’t any information on the families readily available. If you would like us to look further you can send us an email with any other information you have, like specific dates. For further research, there is a research fee. Our e-mail address is contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org
    Marissa- Intern

  7. Greetings,

    According to an obit in “The Little Falls Sun” Volume 2 #50, Thursday, September 4, 1884: “Antonie Bourgois [Antoine Bourgeois], of Belle Prairie, this county, died last week. He was nearly sixty years of age and among the oldest residents of the county, having located here forty years ago, when few white men dared to brave the hostilities of the Red man.” His wife was Vitaline LeDoux (various spellings) – all of their children were born in your area.

    I cannot find anything else about him except a few censuses – do you have anything on this family or can direct me somewhere?? My husband is a direct descendent.

    Thank you a hundred times in advance!

    Lynn

  8. I read on line that there is a handwritten (now typed) biography of Adolph H. Vonderhaar (former resident of Pierz , now deceased). I believe it was written by John Schmolke and Betty Pierzina.
    Do you know how I could get a copy of that biography?
    Gratefully, Marnie

    1. Hello Marnie,
      I am direct descendant of Adolph and was wondering if you could forward me the biography if you did end up ordering it? It would mean a lot.
      Thank you much,
      Stefan

  9. Hi, Marnie – Sounds like you want one of our WPA biographies. To get one, send us an email that includes the name of the person interviewed (that would be Adolph) and include your mailing address. We currently charge $5 plus postage (& tax if you’re a MN resident) for a minimum research fee for the first 1/2 hour of research. Copying Adolph’s bio would fall under this fee.

    In order to see a full list of our WPA biographies, check out this link: http://morrisoncountyhistory.org/?page_id=1606

    Our email address is contactstaff@morrisoncountyhistory.org. We await your request.

    Mary Warner
    Museum Manager

  10. Hi,

    I am trying to find information on my grandfather(Oskar Nicklasson) and his relatives(Olson). In 1896 he immigrated thru Philadelphia. Records show that he was on his way to his uncle & aunt (Kirslada-? Olson) who lived at Box 737 Little Falls, MN.

    Is there any way to find out more info on the Olsons?

    1. Barb – We have quite a large Family File on the Olson surname in the museum collection. If you are able to visit our site, you can look through the file and other information we might have in the collections related to your family members. If not, we would be happy to do research for you. If you have not already done so, please visit the “Fees & Policies” section of our website for a list of research fees and resources. We look forward to hearing from you and/or seeing you at the museum! Ann Marie Johnson, Curator of Collections

  11. Hi. I am researching the Raymond Janski line. I read somewhere that he was born in Two Rivers Township in 1899. I know that he married Frances Klasen but cannot find anything about her. Do you have any information about either?

    Thank you,
    James Janski

  12. James, notation in Family File from Alfred W. Janske states Raymond Janski, born 1899, died 1929, buried Calvary Cemetery, St. Cloud (8c). MN Historical Soc.,www.mnhs.org, death certificate, states died 11 Jan 1929 Stearns Co. Nothing on wife on quick check. Check newspapers in St. Cloud for obituary. It may have more info. Thank you for contacting us. Alice Smuda, Museum Assistant.

  13. Hi, Looking for 3 baby graves. Eleanor Virginia Safarz born 1919 & died
    June 14, 1920 in Morrison Cty. Leonard J. Safarz born May 21, 1924 in Morrison Cty. Richard Leonard born March 2, 1927 & died May 6 1927 in Morrison Cty. Parents were Frank & Catherine Safarz. ( maided name is Kross or Cross) Would be in a Catholic Cemetery. Any information? Thank you very much.

    1. Mary Augustine – Thanks for your message requesting information on grave locations for three children from the Safarz family. We would be happy to do research for you. If you have not already done so, please visit the Fees & Policies section of our website for a list of research fees and resources. Thanks! Ann Marire

  14. I am looking for information on Richard Chester Neill (born January 1936, Granby, Quebec Canada) and his wife Mary Eleanor Thompson (born 1838, Ohio). They lived near Little Falls, Minnesota and were farmers. Richard lived until 14 January 1920, and was buried in Crow Wing Minnesota. He appears to have been involved in the Civil War. They had eight children, six who survived after his death. Thank you for your help.

    1. Hi Roberta!

      We can absolutely help you with that. We do charge a research fee, $25 per hour of research, along with a fee for shipping and any copies made. You would be sent an invoice upon completion of the research. If that’s alright by you, can you send an email to staff@morrisoncountyhistory.org including your mailing address? Thanks!

      Grace Duxbury
      Museum Assistant

  15. On your website I found an excerpt from History of Morrison and Todd counties, Minnesota, by Clara K Fuller.
    Browsing the Internet I found that it is in the public domain. I can find a vol 1 and a vol 2. My questions: How many volumes are there? You listed the people with last names starting with H. from the book Are you planning on listing the other entries for the rest of the people? Can we ask if certain people are listed in the books? Will the books be readable online? Are your biographies based on these books or should I obtain both in order to get a person’s information? Thank you so much for your time. I am hoping to find parental information about Edward Larson, who died in Elmdale (clipping in the newspaper) in March 1920.

    1. Carole-

      There are two volumes of the History of Morrison and Todd Counties by Clara Fuller. Both books can be found online and are searchable through google books here and here. We do not have a list of everyone mentioned in the books at the museum, though we can search through them. As of now we have no plans to post more of the book on our website.

      We have biographies in our collections, however those were from the 1930’s as a part of the Works Progress Administration, and are separate from Clara Fuller’s work.

      We do have an extensive Larson file in our collections, so it’s possible there may be information about Edward’s family in there. Since there are a Lot of Larsons in the area, it would take a bit of digging, so our research rates would apply. $25/hour for research time, plus a small fee for any copies and shipping (around .20 + tax per page). It shouldn’t take more than that base hour, in this case. If that would interest you, please feel free to email us at staff@morrisoncountyhistory.org.

      Thank you so much for reaching out to us!

      Grace Duxbury
      Museum Manager

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