110 YEARS AGO

From June 26, 1914

Ida Julia Barsness and Ole Disrud were married Wednesday noon at the Fron Lutheran Church.

Edwin Gjerdingen, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Gjerdingen of Rolling Forks and Alma Anondson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Torgy Anondson were married Sunday afternoon, June 20, at the home of the bride. The couple will make their home on the groom’s farm in Rolling Forks.

Dr. W.W. Larson of Warren, Minn., has decided to come to Starbuck and locate. He is of Norwegian-Swedish descent.

4th of July celebration at Christ Brevigs, under the arrangements of the Immanuel YPS and the Greenland Cornet Band. Speakers, music, amusements, fireworks and lots of races. How to get there? Follow the little green flags.

100 YEARS AGO

From June 20, 1924

The Northwest Angle, that part of Minnesota that points north from the international boundary in Lake of the Woods county, is being settled this spring. It consists mainly of timber land, principally cedar, spruce and tamarack, and some of the quarter sections have considerable value in timber. Soldiers with more than 19 months of service can prove up with seven months residence. Those who have no military service must put in three years before they can prove up. Filings are made at the U.S. Land Office at Crookston, Minn.

Theodore Christiansen, Republican candidate for governor, and Tom Davis, Farm-Labor candidate, carried the county on their respective tickets in the primary election.

90 YEARS AGO

From June 21, 1934

Graduation exercises for 137 rural school pupils will be held at the Glenwood Theatre next Tuesday afternoon, June 26. The class this year is one of the biggest in history of the county, and the percentage of eighth graders graduating is also one of the highest ever attained. Graduating with special honors will be Loretta Gaffaney from Dist. 18 and Bernice Berge from Dist. 77, each of whom have attained a mark of Passed. Others graduating with high honors are Lavina Bennett, Dist. 30; Leslie Lindor, Dist. 50; Warren Baukol, Dist. 53; Marion Hahn, Dist. 64; Joyce Sandvig, Dist. 82.

Dr. and Mrs. R.T. Seashore left last Saturday for Duluth where they will make their future home. Dr. Seashore will be in partnership with his uncle, who is one of the oldest physicians in Duluth.

Funeral services for Alfred Barsness, 31, son of Mrs. Julia Barsness of Blue Mounds were held at Fron church on Wednesday, Rev. M. Casper Johnson officiating. Mr. Barsness lost his life in a drowning accident in Lake Pelican last Saturday. Besides his mother he is survived by six brothers, Ole, Olger, Elmer, Dewey, Sherman, and Raymond; six sisters, Mrs. Ole Disrud (Ida), Mrs. Ferdinand Christianson, Jessie, Valborg, Mrs. Melvin Brandby (Anna) and Mrs. Henry Ness (Palma), two half brothers, Edwin and Julius and a half sister, Mrs. A. Golde.

Miss Eva Folin and Mr. Magnus Pederson were united in marriage at the St. Petri church in Cyrus on Monday afternoon. Their attendants were Miss Pearl Pederson and George Folin.

Miss Helen Marie Hagen and Martin B. Christenson were married at a pretty wedding Wednesday evening, June 13 by Rev. J. Vaage. The maid of honor was Miss Gladys Hagen and the groom was attended by Norman Nelson. 

80 YEARS AGO

From June 22, 1944

A deal was completed some time ago whereby M.P. Eidberg sold his elevator to Melvin L. Hanse of Cyrus. Mr. Hanse took possession June 1st.

Miss Juline Erlandson of Cyrus received word on Friday morning that her son, Cpl. Roy Erlandson had been killed in action in Italy on May 29.

Mr. and Mrs. Ole Ophaug are the parents of a boy, David, born June 16. This is their third child and first boy.

Funeral services for Mrs. Oline Kleven, 88, were held from the Fron Lutheran Church June 15. She is survived by nine children, Alfred O. Kleven, Annette Kleven, Bennie O. Kleven and William O. Kleven of Starbuck, Mathilda (Mrs. O.A. Olson) of Minneapolis, Gilbert S. Kleven of Montana, Mrs. Chester (Bertha) Bennett of Lowry and Anna Kleven of Anoka.

70 YEARS AGO

From June 24, 1954

A group from Starbuck went to Windom on Tuesday evening and enjoyed a picnic supper on the lawn at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl H. Heggestad. The occasion was in observance of the silver wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Heggestad, which is June 25. The following made the trip: Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Stensby and Mr. and Mrs. L.W. Brown.

For the first time in more than 400 years, a total eclipse of the sun will be visible in Minnesota. The date is June 30th, when most of the state’s population will watch. Although the sun’s light will rays are blacked out, the sun’s heat rays will still be potent  and show be viewed not through tinted spectacled but through smoked glass in order to avoid damage to your vision. 

The Cyrus Lutheran church was the scene of a beautiful wedding Saturday afternoon, June 12th, when Miss Beverly Solvie daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Solvie  of Cyrus, and Peter Reque, son of Rev. and Mrs. Paul Reque, Redwood Falls, exchanged marriage vows. The double ring ceremony was ready by Rev. Paul Johnshoy, assisted by Rev. Reque, father of the groom. 

60 YEARS AGO

From June 25, 1964

A vicious tornado which originated in the vicinity of Lake Emily, eight miles southwest of Starbuck, and hop-skipped across country in a northeasterly direction Thursday afternoon, June 18, caused heavy damage to lakeshore property, farm buildings and trees, and causes injuries to at least eight persons.

The twister cut a swath only about 50 yards wide, and touched down on the Olaf Tollefson, Palmer Opdahl and Luther Kirkwold farms, and at the Bryngel Johnson cottage on the south shore of Lake Minnewaska, at Silver Beach on the north shore, and at two resorts on the east shore of Pelican lake.

The Rev. Delano Lind will be installed as the new assistant pastor at Fron Lutheran Church next Sunday morning at their 9:30 service. At 11, he will be installed as a pastor of the Minnewaska Church. Rev. Paul Tolo will conduct the installation service at both churches. Pastor and Mrs. Lind have three children, Cheryle, Timothy and Christi. 

Miss Kathryn Anderson will also be installed at Fron as the new parish worker.

At the 4-H Share the Fun Festival to be held at the U.M.M. Campus on July 14, Pope County will represented by a 13 member group from the White Bear Lake 4-H club who will present a hootenanny. Participants are Julie Gorder, Susan Smedstad, Mary Teigen, Kathy Teigen, Linda Dahlseng, Linda Sumption, David Sumption, Mike Smedstad, Bruce Smedstad, Wayne Olson, Sharon Goodyear, Ruth Gilbertson and Curtis Bardal.

Henry T. (Bob) Belgum, Glenwood was elected governor of Dist. 5M4 Lions Clubs at the multiple Dist. 5M convention of  Lions International at Port Arthur and Fort William, Ont. last week. Stan Behl, a member of Starbuck Lions Club, has been appointed by Belgum as deputy district governor of Region III.  

50 YEARS AGO

From June 20, 1974

Bruce Gilbertson proudly displays a certificate he received from State Attorney General Warren Spannus indicating his completion of the “Basic Police Science Course.” Mayor Watnaas and Steve Thorstad presented the certificate. Both Starbuck law enforcement officers, Thorstad and Gilbertson have now taken and completed the course.

Mary Thompson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth Thompson was chosen as “Pope County Dairy Princess” at special coronation ceremonies held last Saturday night at the Minnewaska House. Other contestants were Ilene Tharaldson, daughter of Odean Tharaldson and Brenda Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Burton Johnson. 

The Agricultural Department announced last Wednesday the appointment of Tilmer Engebretson, a native of Starbuck, Minn., as U.S. agricultural attache on the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.

Since 1965, Engebretson has been European area officer for the Foreign Agricultural Service. He previously served as U.S. agricultural attache in Tehren, Iran, as agricultural officer in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, and in New Delhi, India. 

40 YEARS AGO

From June 20, 1984

To the delight of Starbuck children, new playground equipment is being installed at the Starbuck school. The above structure was installed on Saturday and will be interconnected with a tornado slide, tire swing, chain walk, ring ladder and a log roll. The new equipment was purchased by the Starbuck School District with special help from the Starbuck Parent Teachers Association (PTA). The PTA playground committee is installing the new equipment. The present equipment will remain on the playground with certain pieces to be updated for safety.

Funeral services for Emery E. Barsness, 41, a lifetime resident of Starbuck, were held on Thursday, June 14, 1984, from Immanuel Lutheran Church with Rev. Wayne Mensing officiating. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; two daughters, Ann and Marie; one son, Peder; and his mother, Jean Barsness, all of Starbuck.

Charges were filed against a rural Hancock woman for alleged unfair campaign practices which were to have occurred in the New Prairie Township election held in March. She is alleged to have sent letters to New Prairie Township residents before the March 13 election which were unsigned and had no political disclaimer.

30 YEARS AGO

From June 22, 1994

Each year the Minnewaska Area High School Laker Booster Club selects a couple/individual to honor as Fan-of-the-Year. This year the organization awarded the honor, posthumously, to two dedicated and faithful Laker fans. They were Ralph Ranum of Starbuck and Ruth E. Martinson of Glenwood. Both passed away from cancer this spring. Pictured in the Times accepting the plaque from Booster Club Vice President Colleen Olsen, were Ralph’s wife, Jackie Ranum, and two of the Ranum children, Robert and Rachel. Separate ceremonies were held in Glenwood where the Martinson family accepted their plaque.

In an effort to make the Starbuck Heritage Days Parade less congested, the parade committee announced a new route and final staging place. In past parades, the route took the entire parade out to the Starbuck Lakeshore Park, which caused traffic delays and general congestion. This year the route will be: start on John Street in front of or near Starbuck Elementary School, then proceed east on Sixth Street (passing in front of Fron Lutheran Church) for three blocks to main Street where the route will turn south and continue on Main Street to First Street (the Dairy Queen corner) where the parade will end.

Lois Thiesse, secretary at the Starbuck school for the past 21 years, retired. While at the school she worked for Superintendent E.J. Janisch and principals Roger Shelstad, Wayne Norby, Jerome Flom and Lyle Katzenmeyer.

20 YEARS AGO

From June 23, 2004 

Dale and Shirley Anderson were selected to serve as grand marshals in the Starbuck Heritage Days grand parade on Friday, July 2. They were selected as a recognition of their service to the community and active status with the Starbuck Area Chamber of Commerce. The Andersons met in Alexandria where Shirley was an art teacher and Dale was a piano tuner. They married and were looking for a small business in the area. They came across a Dairy Queen business for sale in Starbuck and bought the then five-year-old business from Luverne Barsness in 1956. Dale had family in Starbuck and had a hunch the ice cream business would work out well.

The 2004 Starbuck Junior Ambassadors were pictured in the Times. They are Courtney Erickson, Jacob Lafave, Rachel Erickson, Jena Janu, Nicholas Boots and Benjamin Reimers.

The Pope Soil and Water Conservation District announced the winners of its 2004 “Community Waters” themed poster contest. They were Andrew Amundson, Aaron Giese and Cathleen Jasmer. Jasmer and Giese are two of the top three overall contest winners and will continue on to the 15-county Area II competition. Jasmer was the top champion in the competition.

Brandon Flom and Dylan Hoffman advanced to the sectional competition of the Jaycees sponsored event, the Pepsi Pitch, Hit and Run held in Parkers Prairie. Both came back grand champions in their age bracket and will wait to see if they are chosen to advance to state competition at the Metrodome.

10 YEARS AGO

From June 25, 2014

The Lowry Police Department put on a Bike Safety Rodeo Saturday morning in Lowry as part of Lowry Days. The Lowry Police Department and may sponsors of the rodeo gave away eight bikes in a drawing. The winners of the bikes were Hailey Wesen, Axel Anderson, Tenley Erickson, Emma Koehntop, Connor Erickson, Kendall Erickson, Anna Uecker and Sidney Trouseil. 

Robert Nelson, a 1968 Starbuck High School graduate, was to be inducted into the Minnewaska Laker Foundation Athletic Hall of Fame. Nelson was a four-sport athlete (baseball, track, basketball and football) and 40-plus years after graduating was still listed in several of Minnesota football record categories.

The 32nd Annual Heritage Days celebration in Starbuck starts Wednesday, July 2 with a movie in the city park. New to this year’s Heritage Days is the first Miss Minnewaska  Kids Fun Run/Walk at the Starbuck City Park. The race will start buy the Water’s Edge.