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Seventeeth of May Celebration Held Recently: Norway’s Independence Day was Observed May 16 at Hawk Creek Bridge by A.A. Davidson published in the Renville Star Farmer May 27, 1937

The 17th of May celebration, Norway’s Independence Day was celebrated last Sunday at the new Hawk Creek bridge. It was a success as to program and attendance. In fact we never did know Lief Errickson had so many decendents in this country. The crowd almost filled the Minnesota valley from bluff to bluff. Parking space was at ta premium, cars stood along the road a half a mile from the picnic grounds.

The Colorful Tom Davis of statewide political fame pointed a crown of golry to the Skandinaven race fro their achievement as citizens in our state. Also mising in a little politics. Tom is gifted with a oritorical ability possessed by very few men in our state. Attorney Haugland of Monty gave a review of the significate of the day going back 500 years into the history of Norway.

A male quartett from Sacred Heart sung several patriotic songs in two languages.

Miss Froyis Kittlsland, a fourth generation American born school teacher, sung the Norwegian National song in Norwegian.

Hawk Creek is a most beautiful place. Digging into its early history we find John C. Fremont once a candidate for the presidency of the United States. On an exploring expedition up the Minnesota river in 1862 mapped this region and gave the vailley its name on his map of that date.

We also find Louis Roberts a steam boat captain whom Roberts Street in St. Paul is named visited this place in 1858 and was so taken up with its beauty he decided to establish a town there. A store was built and stocked. It flourished althrough the Indian outbreak of 1862, had a post office call Jannett. This village was in existence till 1878 when the railroad came through and Sacred Heart was established.

Editor’s Note: A.A. Davidson was a charter member of the Renville County Historical Society helping establish it in 1940. According the the Renville County History book of 1980 published by RCHS “Hawk Creek Post Office, also called Jeanetville was established about 1869 by J.S. Earl. Later postmasters were G.B. Mulford and F.W. Brasch. The last postmaster was Ole Fugleskjel, who kept it at his place in section 10 until it was discontinued.”

2024 Featured City: Buffalo Lake

Buffalo Lake won the 2022 Donate to Vote which was held at the Renville County Fair. Buffalo will be on exhibit through July 2024.

RCHS will begin phasing in the 2024/2024 Renville County featured city of Hector after the 2024 Renville County Fair.

Grover Cleveland Jaehning, Morton Pharmacist 1908-1958

Dr. Fletcher Penhall in front of the City Drug Store owned by Grover Jaehning in Morton, Minnesota. This building is currently the River Valley Art Center building on the corner at the four-way stop. The children are unidentified. The photograph is copy and very pixilated when scanned. There isn’t a year on the image.

Grover Cleveland Jaehning was the first subject Reverand Leroy Lothert wrote about in the “Profiles of the Past” published in the Morton Reminder. Rev. Lothert’s book, “Profiles of the Past”, a collection of his articles is available on the online gift store or at the Museum.

Grover C. Jaehning came to Morton in November 1908 at the age of 23 and purchased the Morton Drug Store from Charles Orth. The store featured the latest in gas lighting, and all popular brands of cigars. In the Morton Enterprise on July 20, 1917 it states Jaehning bought the stock of drugs from H.H. Logan who at the time owned the Red Cross Pharmancy. He started his pharmacy career in Sleepy Eye where he met his wife, Louise Ott. They were married June 15, 1910. They had three children: Julia (Charles) Lothrup; Richard George and Ruth Nurmi.

Grover sold his business in 1951 when he retired but when the business was changing hands again in November 1958 he got behind the counter again. The business when to Al Tourville in December 1958.

Grover & Louise lived out their lives in Morton, Minnesota except after retirement they would winter on the west coast. Louise passed away March 5, 1978 and Grover on October 13, 1986. Both services were held at the Morton Methodist Church and burial at the Redwood Falls Cemetery. Grove’s brother, Alfred H. and George Jaehning was a hardware dealers in Redwood Falls. There was an article published in the Redwood Gazette on March 5, 1959 by Perry Galvin with an interview with Grover about the changes in the pharmacy world over his years. Stop by the Museum to learn more!

Grover Cleveland Jaehning in his retirement years.
Grover Cleveland Jaehning at the 1984 Morton Centennial Celebration!

Donation Items for the Museum: RCHS preserves the history of Renville County from Yesterday until Tomorrow

Have you ever considered donating items to the Renville County Historical Society? While cleaning out your closets, attics or garages keep RCHS in mind for Renville County related items. RCHS preserves the history of Renville County from yesterday until tomorrow. It is the Mission of RCHS to discover, preserve and share the history of Renville County. Before you throw it away give Nicole a call at the Museum to see if it is needed for the RCHS artifact or archive collection.

Keep the following list in mind:

· Obituaries & funeral cards, feature stories from across the county, church anniversary booklets, graduation & wedding invitations, wedding & birth announcements

· Yearbooks for ALL schools in Renville County. See the RCHS BLOG for a list of the Yearbooks we have in the research library.

· Items that have business names on them and given out as gifts/premiums (prior 2019)

· Renville County Related Photographs (family, sports, activities, businesses, churches, etc.)

· Additional history & photographs on the ‘Old Villages’ of Renville County

· Renville County Related Military items & photographs and Legion & VFW histories

· Renville County Platbooks & Maps. See the RCHS BLOG for a list of the platbooks in the Research Library.

RCHS also accepts Day-to-Day items

· Office Supplies: 1/5 Cut Manila File Folders, #10 Envelopes and First Class Stamps, Copy Paper (8 1/2” x 11” & 11”x17”, 110# 8 1/2” x 11” multi-colored cardstock); 9”x12” manila envelopes

· Other Supplies: toilet paper, paper towels, dusting wipes, antibacterial wipes, bathroom & kitchen cleaning solutions, toilet bowl cleaner, etc.

Marilyn Betty Jacobson marries Harvey William Vosika on November 21, 1959

Married on November 21, 1959 at Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Sacred Heart, Minnesota.

Published in the Sacred Heart News on December 10, 1959, is the following about the wedding. Marilyn’s family donated her wedding dress and veil to RCHS March 2021.

Marilyn Jacobson and Harvey Vosika wed November 21

            The marriage of Marilyn Betty Jacobson and Harvey William Vosika took place Saturday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Sacred Heart.

            The parents of the bride are Mr. and Mrs. Millard Jacobson of Sacred Heart; the groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Vosika of Danube.

            Pastor Donald A Borlaug conducted the double ring service in a setting of candlelight, ferns, and bouquets of yellow and white mums. The pews were marked with white bows.

            The bride entered in the arm of her father, to the music of Gounod’s Marche Romaine processional, played on the organ by Mrs. Rudolph Nelson. The recessional was the Mendelsohn wedding march. John Isaak, a soloist sang “O Perfect Love and the Wedding Prayer.

            The bride’s gown was fashioned with a floor-length skirt of nylon tulle, tiers outlined in imported Chantilly lace over bridal satin. The molded bodice was of Chantilly lace over satin with a Queen Victoria collar and traditional long sleeves. The bodice and collar were embroidered in iridescent sequins. Her veil was a coronet of lace embroidered in pearls, with a fingertip length veil of silk illusion. Her flowers were white-feathered mums and talisman roses. Her gift from the groom was a pearl necklace and matching earrings.

            Maid of honor was Dorothy Meyer, friend of the bride. Wanda McBroom, cousin of the bride, and Janet Vosika, sister of the groom, were bridesmaids. They all wore gowns of copper crystallite fashioned with a square neckline coming to a V in back, with full puffed sleeves and full ballerina length skirt with a cummerbund. They wore matching headpieces with crown and veil and carried yellow and bronze mums. Their gifts from the bride were pearl necklaces and earrings.

            Pamela Blagsvedt, a friend of the bride, was flower girl. She wore a floor-length gown of silk organza, full-skirted on a molded bodice with bell sleeves and a small collar. The taffeta midriff ended in a bow with drape ends at center back. She carried a cascade bouquet of yellow and bronze mums and wore her gift from the bride, a pearl necklace.

            Mrs. Ben Bersle, aunt of the bride was her personal attendant.

            The groom’s attendants were his brother-in-law, Ardell Lossow, as best man, his friends Norman Blume and Richard Tauber as groomsmen, and the bride’s little friend, Del Ray Lecy as ring bearer. They all wore white dinner jackets with midnight blue trousers, black cummerbunds and bow ties. They wore white carnation boutonnieres. The groom wore white gold cuff links and tie clasp given him by the bride. His gifts to his attendants were gold cuff links and tie clasps.

            Orlando Johnson, classmate of the bride and Dale Klemenhagen, cousin of the groom, were ushers. They wore white dinner jackets and black cummerbunds and bowties, with white carnation boutonnieres.

            The bride’s mother wore a two-piece suit dress in royal blue and black, with matching accessories. The mother of the groom wore a blue and black-figured dress with matching accessories. Their corsages were of white mums and talisman coursages.

            Corsages were presented to the three grandmothers, Mrs. Inger Jacobson of Sacred Heart, Mrs. Mary Vosika of Olivia and Mrs. Fred Schmidt of Danube.

            Two hundred and fifty guests were received in the church parlors following the wedding. A four-tiered wedding cake and candles formed the centerpiece of the bridal table. Mrs. Ardelle Lossow, sister of the groom, was in charge of the guest book. At the gift table were Mrs. Vyonne Dickey, cousin of the bride and Mrs. Dirk Allen, Mrs. David Albu and Miss Barbara Kvernes, friends.

            Mrs. Ben Bersle, aunt of the bride and Mrs. Bill Schmidt, aunt of the groom, had charge of the coffee service. Cutting the cake were Mrs. Guy Jacobson, aunt of the bride, Mrs. Al Klemenhagen, aunt of the groom. All were presented with corsages.

            The waitresses were Sharon Schmidt, cousin of the groom, Dianne McBroom, cousin of the bride, Marilyn Vosika, sister of the groom, and Marlyn Eliason, Evelyn Hardy, Elsie Olson, Mrs. Roger Robinson and Henrietta Meyer, friends of the bride. They were presented with nylon aprons by the bride. The ladies aid of the church took care of work in the kitchen.

            Mr. and Mrs. Vosika are now at home in Olivia, after a wedding trip to Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Iowa and Illinois.

            Guests who attended the wedding were from Willmar, Granite Falls, Danube, Olivia, Renville, Bird Island, Montevideo, Hendricks, Lake Lillian, Cottonwood, Belview, Clara City and Stillwater.

            Mr. and Mrs. Sid Blagsveldt, friends of the bride, assisted as host and hostess.

Editor’s Note: A big thank you to our volunteer, Linda Balk for typing up this from the newspaper. RCHS continues to work on the Wedding Dress exhibit. RCHS received over 10 new dresses for the collection to fill out the decades. We will be publishing a press release when the exhibit is complete.