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Title: Yegen and Schultz Family Photograph Collection
Dates: 1896-ca. 1973
Collection Number: 2012-P-048
Quantity: 53 items (including duplicates)
Abstract: Collection consists of photographs of the family of John Yegen, pioneer of Bismarck (ND) and includes portraits of John Yegen, his daughters Caroline and Margaret, son William, son-in-law Enoch Schultz, Enoch and Caroline's son John, John Schultz's children, Yegen relatives in Switzerland, Bismarck High School classmates of Margaret Ann and Caroline Yegen. The entire collection was digitized for long term preservation and two photographs were thrown due to mold damage. Biographical information available in case file.
Provenance: The creator of the collection was Caroline (Yegen) Schultz, daughter of John and Anna (Peterson) Yegen. The photographs were passed down to Caroline’s son John, and additional family photographs were added. John’s son Peter donated the collection in August 2012, and the collection was processed and digitized in September 2012.
Property Rights: The State Historical Society of North Dakota owns the property rights to this collection.
Copyrights: Copyrights to materials in this collection remain with the donor, publisher, author, or author's heirs. Researchers should consult the 1976 Copyright Act, Public Law 94-553, Title 17, U. S. Code and an archivist at this repository if clarification of copyright requirements is needed.
Access: This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
Related Collections:
MSS 10157 North Dakota Oral History Collection. Yegen, Margaret Bismarck, Burleigh. BL-18 0150B.
MSS 10202 North Dakota Federation of Women’s Clubs. Biographical material about Caroline (Yegen) Schultz.
MSS 11100 Alexander McKenzie Family Papers. Correspondence with John Yegen.
A5682. Photograph. Yegen Grocery, Bismarck (ND), ca. 1900.
MSS 10289 Bismarck Area Chamber of Commerce.John Yegen was an early member of the Club.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH, JOHN YEGEN
From John Yegen’s obituary in the Bismarck Tribune, October 28, 1929
“Opened Tent Store in Bismarck in 1874, After Freighting on the Red River.
Gave M'Kenzie First Work
Presbyterian Rites to Be Conducted for Swiss Immigrant Farmer-Grocer.
John Yegen, 85, pioneer of the West, as well as of North Dakota, died about 11 o’clock, Saturday night, from old age in a local hospital. He had been In the United States since 1868 and came to Bismarck 65 years ago. He was best known here as one of the [first] merchants, for he began business here in a tent pitched on the site of present Patterson hotel and for four years conducted a bakery and confectionery there.
Yegen was credited with giving Alex McKenzie his first job when that future political leader of the state came to Bismarck and decided to cast his fortunes in the growing town. From that start McKenzie developed into a political and financial power in North Dakota.
The funeral arrangements call for services at the Webb chapel at 11 o'clock Tuesday forenoon. They will be private. The Interment is to be in Fairview cemetery. All the old-timers are to be honorary pallbearers and some of them will be active. The body will lie in state at Webb’s this evening and until 10 a.m. tomorrow.
Yegen was born and raised at Chur, canton Graubünden (Grisons) Switzerland, January 8, 1844, son of Conrad and Mrs. (Emerita [Prader]) Yegen. The family owned a mountain farm (alm) and John and his brothers Peter and Chris, of Billings, Montana, and a sister, Mrs. Bettie Chapman, of Greybul, Wyoming, grew up on that, Christ being the schoolmaster of the neighborhood and also banker. About 1868 all of them migrated to America.
John Yegen worked in a bakery in New York for some years after arrival in America. Then he went to Minnesota and freighted along the Red River of the North. In 1872 he came to Dakota, first to Yankton by stage from Sioux City, and about 1874 he moved to Bismarck and entered the baking business. His tent place of business was known as the City bakery and restaurant. The store he built later was burned out in 1877, but he rebuilt and continued business.
Later he operated a general store and implement business. About 1901 he reduced his business to a grocery on Main Avenue below Seventh Street. He retired in 1919, but the store still is being continued by his daughter Margaret.
Born and raised on a farm, Mr. Yegen never lost his interest in agriculture and he used to own a farm two miles from the city, on which he instituted irrigation methods.
Mr. Yegen was married twice, the first time to Maggie McLaughlin, in 1879, and the second time to Anna Peterson, in 1892. Mrs. Yegen [was the daughter of Peter and Katherine Olson and died October 4, 1937 in Bismarck]. Yegen had nine sons and daughters: Emerita, Dora (Dorothea), Lyle, Christian, John Jr. and Conrad, William, Caroline and Margaret.
Mr. Yegen was a member of the Foresters, Odd Fellows and the old Macnnerchor singing society.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH, ANNA (PETERSON) YEGEN
From Anna Yegen’s obituary in the Bismarck Tribune, October 5, 1937
Mrs. Anna Peterson Yegen, widow of the late John Yegen, pioneer Bismarck merchant, died in a local hospital at 5:20 p.m. Monday of peritonitis. She had been ill only a week. Born in Arup, Sweden, October 15, 1868, Mrs. Yegen was 69 years old.
The daughter of Peter and Katherine Olson, Mrs. Yegen came to his country 49 years ago, coming at once to Burleigh County.
On March 26, 1893, she was married to John Yegen at Bismarck.
Of her six surviving children, five live in Bismarck. They are Christian P. Yegen, John Yegen, William Yegen, Mrs. E. Schultz and Margaret Yegen. Another son, Conrad Yegen, lives in Chicago. She also leaves one brother, John Peterson of Coleharbor.
Funeral services will be held at the Convert Funeral home at a time to be announced later, and will be private. Burial will be at the family plot at Fairview cemetery beside the grave of her husband, who died [nearly eight] years ago.
Although born in Sweden, Mrs. Yegen gave three sons to service in the army during the war. They are Chris, William, and John Yegen. William Yegen now is a vice commander of Lloyd Spetz Post No. 1 American Legion.
Pallbearers were Carl Nelson, Dave McDonald, R. C. Kirkwood, L. V. Spohn, B. F. Lawyer and August Harke.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH, CAROLINE (YEGEN) SCHULTZ
From Caroline Schultz’s obituary in the Bismarck Tribune, December 27, 1971, 38
Mrs. Enoch (Caroline) Schultz, 71, 212 S. 13th Street, died Sunday in an auto accident near Fergus Falls, MN.
Funeral services [were] held at 11 a.m. Wednesday [December 29] at the First Church of Christ Scientist with Orlando Wood officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.
Mrs. Schultz was born August 18, 1900, to John and Anna (Peterson) Yegen in Sweden, where her mother had gone to care for her mother.
Mrs. Schultz came to the United States as a child at attended school here. She graduated from Bismarck High School, North Dakota State University, and the University of Minnesota. She taught at Lincoln School in rural Morton County for several years. On Dec. 11, 1929, she married Enoch Schultz of Bismarck. They operated the Schultz Creamery until retiring in 1969.
She was active in many local clubs, including 30 years with the Girl Scouts. She was also a member of Business and Professional Women, League of Women Voters, Civic Music Association, Order of the Eastern Star, Burleigh County Pioneers, Zonta Club, and Shrine Hospital Auxiliary. In 1969, she was nominated by the Bismarck BPW and Bismarck Zonta as State Mother of the Year.
She leaves her husband; one son, John, Bismarck; three daughters, Mrs. Irvin (Margaret Anne) Anderson of Marion; Mrs. Ghazi (Virginia) Hassoun of Fargo and Mrs. C. A. (Carole) Lung of Huntington Beach, CA; one sister, Margaret Yegen, Bismarck; three brothers, Christ and William, Bismarck, and Conrad, Arcadia, CA, and eight grandchildren.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH, ENOCH SCHULTZ
From Enoch Schultz’s obituary in the Bismarck Tribune, November 26, 1984, 2A
Longtime Bismarck dairyman Enoch Schultz, 81, died of natural causes Monday at St. Vincent’s Nursing Home, Bismarck. Mr. Schultz, who formerly lived at 212 S. 13th Street, was owner-operator of Schultz Creamery in Bismarck, which he began operating in 1935 at 1221 E. Front Avenue.
The creamery, once touted as ‘the only privately owned creamery in Burleigh County,’ produced milk, butter, ice cream and cheese. Mr. Schultz began a cheese factory as part of his dairy operations in 1943. At the time, it was only the second cheese plant in North Dakota.
The dairy business has run in the Schultz family. Mr. Schultz attended dairy school in Brookings, SD, and worked for Armour Creamery and the Yegen Dairy Farm before starting Schultz Creamery. He married Caroline Yegen of the local Yegen Dairy family in 1929. Schultz Creamery is now operated as Capitol City Foods Inc. by his son, John E. Schulz, and grandson, John C. Schultz.
Services [were] held at 2 p.m. Thursday [November 29, 1984] at First United Methodist Church, Bismarck, with spring burial at the Glen Ullin Cemetery.
Mr. Schultz was born December 29, 1902, at Glen Ullin, where he attended schools. He graduated from Coyne Electrical School, Chicago, before attending dairy school in Brookings. He then worked for Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. in Bismarck before he began his local dairy career.
Mr. Schultz retired in 1967.
He was a charter member of Bismarck Moose Lodge and a member of the Elks, Eagles, Masonic Lodge No. 5, El Zagal Shrine, Mandan Indians, a unit of the Shrine, United Commercial Travelers and the Farm Bureau.
Caroline Schultz died in 1971. He married Marie Wolff in February 1974.
Other survivors are two daughters, Margaret Anderson, Marion, and Carole Lung, Huntington Beach, CA; three stepdaughters, Arlene Smith, Omaha, NE, LaVyrl Feland, Almont, and Jeannette Miller, Fort Dodge, IA; a sister, Mrs. Lydia Mills, Pasadena, CA; 10 grandchildren; 10 step-grandchildren; and one great grandson.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH, JOHN E. SCHULTZ
From John Schultz’s obituary in the Bismarck Tribune, November 25, 2003, 8A
John E. Schultz, Bismarck and Albuquerque, NM, passed away at a Rochester, MN hospice, November 22, 2003. His parents were Caroline Yegen Schultz and Enoch Schultz. He was preceded in passing by sisters Virginia Hassoun and Margaret Anne Anderson.
Born February 14, 1934, in Bismarck, John was a true North Dakotan, graduating from Bismarck High School (class of 1952); Bismarck Junior College (class of 1954) and North Dakota Agricultural College (class of 1956), with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering.
In 1957, he began his career as an engineer with Rockwell International in Los Angeles. In 1959, he moved with his young bride back to Bismarck to begin a lifelong career managing Enoch Schultz Creamery, a local family owned dairy processing business. He retired from the creamery in 1997.
He was an active Mason and past master of Bismarck Masonic Lodge No. 5.
Many family members, including his present wife, Lola Eagle, whom he married in 1998, and his sister Carole Lung, and her husband Bud, Huntington Beach, CA, survive him. His daughters include Tracy Clark and her husband Tony, Cody, WY and Elizabeth Schultz, Golden Valley, MN. His sons are Andy Schultz and Peter Schultz, both of Bismarck, and John C. Schultz and his wife Paivi, Columbus, Ohio. His grandchildren include, D. Michael Schultz, Portland, OR; and Daniel Schultz and Jay Bernavich, both of Cody. Also in Cody, is his former wife, Marilyn B. Schultz, who he married in 1958. In addition to his immediate family, John leaves behind the extended family of his present wife.
A memorial service will be held at a later date in Bismarck.
INVENTORY
2012-P-048-01 John Yegen portrait, ca. 1915
2012-P-048-02 Caroline (Yegen) Schultz 25th wedding anniversary portrait, December 11, 1954
2012-P-048-03 Enoch Schultz 25th wedding anniversary portrait, December 11, 1954
2012-P-048-04 Unidentified group graduation portrait, P. A. Johnson studio, Cumberland (WI), 1896
2012-P-048-05 Unidentified young girl portrait, ca. 1900
2012-P-048-06 Unidentified young woman portrait, Booen Studio, Miles City (MT), ca. 1920s-1930s
2012-P-048-07 Two unidentified children portrait, ca. 1910
2012-P-048-08 Unidentified woman portrait, Belgum & Schiong, New Rockford (ND), ca. 1910s
2012-P-048-09 Margaret Yegen speaking to unidentified woman in the Yegen Grocery Store, Bismarck (ND), ca. 1973
2012-P-048-10 Children of John E. Schultz and Marylin (Biggs) Schultz, left to right: Tracy, Elizabeth, Andrew, John Jr. and Peter (on lap), Bismarck (ND), ca. 1973
2012-P-048-11 Unidentified group of travelers
2012-P-048-12 Four unidentified people, Relatives in Switzerland? ca. 1930s-1940s
2012-P-048-13 Three unidentified people, ca. 1900
2012-P-048-14 John E. Schultz? and sister Carole? Switzerland?, ca. 1940s
2012-P-048-15 Yegen relatives, Switzerland? ca. 1940s
2012-P-048-16 Yegen relatives, Switzerland? Probably Caroline Yegen on far left, ca. 1940s
2012-P-048-17 Yegen relatives, Switzerland? ca. 1940s
2012-P-048-18 Yegen relative with young child, Switzerland? ca. 1940s
2012-P-048-19 Yegen family lodge, Rüti, Switzerland, 1966
2012-P-048-20 Yegen family lodge, Rüti, Switzerland, 1966
2012-P-048-21 Klosters, Rüti, Switzerland, 1946
2012-P-048-22 Yegen family lodge, Rüti, Switzerland, 1966
2012-P-048-23 Portrait of an unidentified young woman, Sarah ? Bismarck High School, unknown class, ca. 1920s
2012-P-048-24 Grant F. Knowles portrait, Bismarck High School class of 1926
2012-P-048-25 Grace Webster portrait, Bismarck High School class of 1926
2012-P-048-26 Portrait of an unidentified young woman, Bismarck High School class of 1926
2012-P-048-27 Winnie N. Malone portrait, Bismarck High School class of 1926
2012-P-048-28 Dorothy Jane Kaiser portrait (Bob Kaiser’s daughter), ca. 1920
2012-P-048-29 Probably Mrs. Bob Kaiser portrait, ca. 1920s
2012-P-048-30 Charles Kaiser portrait, ca. 1920s?
2012-P-048-31 Miriam Kaiser portrait (Bob Kaiser’s daughter), ca. 1920
2012-P-048-32 Unidentified young woman portrait, Bob Kaiser’s daughter, Rembrandt Studio, Bismarck (ND), ca. 1920
2012-P-048-33 Pradir boys portrait
2012-P-048-34 Pradir girls portrait, Belgum (Mons M.) Studio, New Rockford (ND)
2012-P-048-35 Unidentified woman portrait, Rembrandt Studio, Bismarck (ND), ca.
1920s
2012-P-048-36 Unidentified man portrait, might be Bismarck High School graduation, Butler Studio, Bismarck (ND), ca. 1920s
2012-P-048-37 Unidentified woman with violin portrait, Greene Studio, Portland (OR), ca. 1900
2012-P-048-38 Unidentified woman portrait, Mallette & Parent Studio, Montreal, Canada, ca. 1896
2012-P-048-39 Two unidentified men, Yegen relative? Ca. 1940s
2012-P-048-40 Unidentified U.S. soldiers, ca. 1940s
2012-P-048-41 Unidentified young child portrait, J. E. Waters Photographer, Chicago (IL)
2012-P-048-42 Unidentified young child portrait, J. E. Waters Photographer, Chicago (IL)
2012-P-048-43 Unidentified young child portrait, J. E. Waters Photographer, Chicago (IL)
2012-P-048-44 Unidentified young child portrait, J. E. Waters Photographer, Chicago (IL)
2012-P-048-45 Caroline Yegen, Bismarck High School graduation portrait, class of 1919
2012-P-048-46 Bill Yegen, Bismarck High School graduation portrait
2012-P-048-47 John Yegen (seated, third from left) with unidentified group of men, Arthur E. Boyce photograph, between 1900 and 1915
2012-P-048-48 Caroline (Yegen) Schultz portrait, ca. 1960s (digital file only)
2012-P-048-49 Enoch Schultz 25th wedding anniversary portrait, December 11, 1954
2012-P-048-50 Group of unidentified men (maybe students), M. M. Mudge, photographer Valparaiso (IN)
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