Ellen Knudtson Howard memoir, 1969-1970

Ellen Knudtson Howard memoir, 1969-1970

NAHA 2019/964

1969-1970

Born in Independence, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, to Hellick Knudtson and Gunda Gunderson. Ellen married Wilhelm Berhart Howard and had 3 children.

Topics include:

• "My Trip to Little Norway" (Blue Mounds, Wisconsin), pgs. i-iv;
• immigrating in 1843 from Flesberg, Numedal Norway via Quebec (robbed of all assets), p. vi;
• traveling by covered wagon, p. viii;
• Christmas gifts made from wool, p. x;
• Section "Dad Meets Mother", pgs. x1v-xvii:
• Hellick Knudtson & Gunda Gunderson, settled in Independence, later Eleva, Wisconsin; School in Strum, Wisconsin, julebukk, p. xv;
• Church activities in Strum, Rev. Carl J. Helsem pg. xvi.

Section I: "My Earliest Recollections"

• Father's blacksmith shop, p. 2; 
• Childhood games (no toys), use of wood shavings as doll curls, pg. 3;
• Wedding gift of stove, kitchen chores, lefse making, p. 10;
• Spankings, p. 13;
• Paper dolls, p. 15, 25;
• May Day baskets, p. 15;
• Picking wild flowers & hazelnuts, pgs. 16, 18;
• Clothing (girl) and use of flour sacks (also for diapers), pgs. 17, 21, 33;
• Dressing an infant, p. 22;
• Christmas, p. 29;
• Washing/laundry, p. 31;
• Primary school, p. 33;
• Circus, p. 36;
• Funeral held in home, p. 40;
• Lunches & canning berries, p. 41. 

Section 2 : "Life on the Farm," Eleva, Wisconsinm 1900-1903

• Corn husks & straw for bedding, p. 4, 10;
• Kitchen table, p. 8;
• Quilts (flour sacks for backing), tying, quilting bees, crazy quilts, rag-rugs, hooked rugs, carpet rags, straw bedding for rugs, cleaning carpets, pgs, 10-12, 36-38;
• Mosquito netting, coffee, p. 14, 18;
• Chickens & eggs, p. 15;
• Milking cow, chasing flies, p. 16, 20;
• Blueberry picking, p. 21;
• Country school, water pail and dipper, slates, recess (not to speak Norwegian), parochial school (not to speak English), pgs. 23-26;
• Sex, p. 28;
• Hay shocks, p. 29;
• Weekly newspaper, Independence News Wave, p. 31;
• Assassination of Pres. McKinley, p. 32;
• Modern flush toilet, bed bugs, gypsy peddler, pgs. 34-40;
• Father's whiskers, p. 41;
• Grain threshing and shocks, p. 42;
• First orange eaten, stores and fruit, bananas (sent as stalks and cut off for patron) p. 43;
• Pregnancy and appearance, p. 45. 

Section 3: Post-high school

• Teacher's Institute, p. 81;
• Teaching in Strum, Wisconsin. (Hamlin School), p. 83;
• Aaker's Business School, p. 89;
• Teaching near Watertown, South Dakota (country school/Hayti), p. 102, 108;
• Powdered sugar/frosting, p. 104;
• Trumm family, p. 105;
• Sour family, Bryant, South Dakota, p. 118;
• Dances, p. 123, 152, 195;
• Rev. Dexheimer, p. 124;
• Teaching in Hayti, South Dakota (1913), p. 124.
• Teaching in Strum, Wisconsin (1913-1915), p. 131;
• Homesteading in Malta, Montana, p. 147;
• Indians (Native Americans), p. 155;
• Haug family, p. 154, 155;
• Free-Lutheran, p. 164;
• Single women homesteading/shack, clearing land, laundry, thunderstorms, p. 173-180, 293;
• sidecar motorcycle, p. 190, 200;
• Zortman, Montana; prairie fire/fire break, p. 202;
• Buffalo chips for heating, p. 204;
• Suffrage vote in Montana, 1916;
• Pregnancy/labor pains/delivery/nursing/clothing, p. 216, 222, 230, 236, 237,240;
• Wheat and patriotism, p. 228;
• Barley flour pancakes, World War I effort, patriotic pancakes, p. 245; 
• Cholichy baby, p. 247;
• Armistice/whistles blowing, p. 253;
• Raising chickens, p. 277;
• Rain water for coffee, p. 293;
• Vananda, Montana, p. 300;
• Wash machine/laundry, p. 308;
• 4th of July/fireworks, p. 310;
• Lambert, Montana, p. 312;
• Helena, Montana and Madame Ericke Zimmerman, p. 326;
• Albert Grorud, Thompson Falls, Montana and Hotel fire, p. 332;
• Polson & Dixon, Montana, p. 335-341;
• Miles City, Montana, p. 342;
• Rev. Stephen Dale, p. 343;
• St. Olaf Choir/F.M. Christiansen in Miles City, Montana, p. 344;
• Flour sacks made into sheets & pillow slips, p. 348;
• Glendive, Montana. "Heard first radio music, 'Yes sir, That's my baby!" (1926), p. 354;
• Ordered Easter lily, p. 355;
• Door-to-door saleslady (lingerie & magazines), p. 363;
• Collecting water from railroad tank cars, Vananda, Montana, p. 367;
• Superior, Wisconsin, p. 368;
• purchased grocery store "Howards Grocery" (1940), p. 371;
• World War II and Pearl Harbor, ration stamps, p. 379-381;
• two sons in military service, p. 381-401.

Formerly part of P539.

3 folders

English

Manuscripts

Reminiscing