Title: Morrene Haugen Wisdahl
Date: 1919
Collection Number: 2018-P-061
Quantity: 23 items
Abstract: Copies of photographs taken by A. M. Thompson of A. C. Townley speaking at political rally at Crosby (N.D.) on June 11, 1919 and Willow Lake (N.D.) and real photo postcards of Ray and Williston (N.D.).
Provenance: No Gift Agreement, real photo postcards by A. M. Thompson of Crosby (N.D.) borrowed from Morrene and Melvin Wisdahl on October 15, 1993, copied and returned on December 21, 1993 with complementary set of copies. Acknowledged by letter from Todd Strand, Photo Archivist dated December 21, 1993. Gift Agreement sent to donor on September 4, 2018 for signature.
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.
Biographical Sketch: Morrene Haugen Wisdahl
Morrene Haugen Wisdahl was born in 1931 to Olaf (1903-1990) and Bonita Emelie (Wells) (1906-1989) Haugen in Frederick, Divide County (N.D.). Her father was born in South Dakota of Norwegian ancestry and her mother was born in North Dakota. Olaf and Bonita Haugen farmed on rented land in Frederick (N.D.). Morrene attended school in Frederick (N.D.) and graduated there around 1949. Morrene married Melvin Wisdahl in 1957 and they moved to a farm in Corinth (N.D.). In 1966 Mrs. Melvin Wisdahl was the superintendent of Sunday School in Corinth (N.D.). Morrene and Melvin became very active in the political area with her testifying in 1993 about the prohibitive cost of health insurance. In 2000, she represented District 2 commenting on the “Freedom to Farm” and the resulting farm crisis. She and her husband Melvin were staunch supporters of Medicare, publishing a letter to the editor in the Bismarck Tribune in August of 2001 celebrating the 36th anniversary of its establishment and how it has kept many seniors out of poverty. Morrene and Melvin moved to Williston (N.D.) where they still reside. They had two children: Marshall (1961-2008) Wisdahl, Scott M. Wisdahl (1959-).
Biographical Sketch: Melvin I. Wisdahl
Melvin I. Wisdahl was born in 1925 in Corinth, Williams County (N.D.) to Peder “Peter” (1885-1959) and Thora (Kolbak) (1884-1941) Wisdahl. He was raised in Corinth with his siblings, Elmer Julius (1918-2001), Ruth and Raymond Olando (1923-1997) Wisdahl. On October 24th, 1944, Melvin enlisted in the army at Fort Snelling, Minnesota and served for the duration of World War II. He married Morrene Haugen in 1957 and they moved to Corinth (N.D.) He worked for years for the US Post Office doing rural delivery in Williams County (N.D.) while farming a couple of thousand acres on his own time. Melvin was appointed to the State Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service Committee in July 1993. At the time Melvin was retired from farming after 35 years. He moved with Morrene to Williston (N.D.) where his son, Scott lived. In 2016, at the age of 90, he was confined to a nursing home because of ill health, but continued be active, starring in a documentary entitled “The Rain Will Follow” in which he spoke of wartime and strife, and the struggles of early Norwegian settlers of North Dakota. Melvin and Morrene had two children: Marshall (1961-2008) Wisdahl, Scott M. Wisdahl (1959-).
Biographical Sketch: A. M. (Albert M.) Thompson
A. M. (Albert M.) Thompson was born July 7, 1874 in Brandon (Minn.) to Ole and Lena Thompson. He had one brother and one sister. He was married to Clara Emile Reishus (1873-1926) by Reverend Sathre in December 1894 in Brandon (Minn.). They rented farmland in Brandon (Minn.) and farmed there until they moved to North Dakota in April 1904. A.M. and Clara moved their family to Palmer Township near Ray (N.D.) to the homestead that A. M. Thompson had filed upon and built a house in August of 1903. They had three children Lilah Constance (1896-1918), Alma Leonorah (1899-1979), and Ralph (1901-1929). The children attended school in Willow Lake (N.D.). They raised crops on their farm in Wildrose (N.D.) until 1910 when they moved to Montana. There he operated a photo gallery on 5th Avenue in Rosebud (Mont.) as noted in the 1910 U.S. Census. The Polk Directory also has him operating a studio in Montrose (N.D.). He worked as a photographer in Rosebud (Mont.) until 1913, when they returned to their farm in Wildrose (N.D.). The 1915 and 1925 North Dakota State Census shows them working their farm in Wildrose (N.D.). His wife died in 1926 and he remarried in 1927 to Florence Satrom (1906-1991) of Wildrose (N.D.). He had a son by his second wife, Helaire Larue born in 1928, who died in 1992. His Pioneer Biography states: “He has always farmed and had as a hobby, photography. He is a good photographer and has certain days when he comes to town and works at it. He has had a shop in Wildrose for about thirty years.” Thompson had moved the studio from Montrose (N.D.) to Wildrose (N.D.) after the town was torn down for the railroad. He operated it almost as long as Wildrose (N.D.) existed. He died in Wildrose, Williams County (N.D.) on February 28, 1957. His wife Florence died in 1991. The family is buried in Grace Cemetery in Wildrose, Williams County (N.D.).
Sources:
Bismarck Tribune, Bismarck (N.D.), Ancestry.com, U.S. Public Records, U.S. Social Security Index, U.S. Census Records, U.S. Public Records Index, Newspapers.com, Find-A-Grave, Golden Jubilee of Alamo, Appam, Corinth, North Dakota, 1916-1966, Wildrose 50th Anniversary: A History of Wildrose,
North Dakota, 1910-1960, 30529 Pioneer Biographies.
INVENTORY
2018-P-061-00001 View looking up Main Street in Crosby (N.D.) June 11 1919 Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00002 Elevated view looking up Main Street in Crosby (N.D.) June 11 1919 Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00003 Elevated view looking towards the railroad tracks in Crosby (N.D.) June 11 1919 Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00004 Elevated view looking towards the railroad tracks in Crosby (N.D.) June 11 1919 Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00005 Large crowd of people standing and in automobiles gather to hear A. C. Townley speak in front of the Divide County Court House in Crosby (N.D.) on June 11, 1919. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00006 Large crowd of people standing listening to A. C. Townley speak on platform in front of the Divide County Court House in Crosby (N.D.) on June 11, 1919. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00007 Closer image of large crowd of people standing listening to A. C. Townley speak on platform in front of the Divide County Court House in Crosby (N.D.) on June 11, 1919. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00008 Large crowd of people standing listening to A. C. Townley speak on platform in front of the Divide County Court House in Crosby (N.D.) on June 11, 1919. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00009 View from in front of the platform of large crowd of people standing listening to A. C. Townley speak on platform in front of the Divide County Court House in Crosby (N.D.) on June 11, 1919. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00010 View from left side of the platform of large crowd of people standing listening to A. C. Townley speak on platform in front of the Divide County Court House in Crosby (N.D.) on June 11, 1919. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00011 Closer view from left side of platform of large crowd of people standing listening to A. C. Townley speak on platform in front of the Divide County Court House in Crosby (N.D.) on June 11, 1919. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00012 Closer view from right side of the platform of A. C. Townley speaking on platform in front of the Divide County Court House in Crosby (N.D.) on June 11, 1919. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00013 Enlarged view from right side of the platform of A. C. Townley speaking on platform in front of the Divide County Court House in Crosby (N.D.) on June 11, 1919. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00014 Three-quarter view of the Divide County Court House in Crosby (N.D.) showing the entranceway and left side of building on June 11, 1919. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00015 Young girls in front of Divide County Court House Crosby (N.D.) Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00016 Large gathering of people and automobiles at Willow Lake, Divide County (N.D.) to hear A. C. Townley. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00017 A. C. Townley standing on platform speaking to gathering at Willow Lake, Divide County (N.D.) in 1919. Below him is a sheet with the goat symbol of the Non-partisan League (NPL). Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00018 Closer view of A. C. Townley standing on platform speaking to gathering at Willow Lake, Divide County, N.D. in 1919. Below him is a sheet with the goat symbol of the Non-partisan League (NPL). Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00019 Bi-plane carrying a "Frazier for Governor" sign. Townley or Frazier flew the plane to a gathering in Divide County (N.D.). The pilot stands to photo right wearing goggles and resting his right arm on the wing of the biplane. Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00020 Vertical view of A. C. Townley standing on platform speaking to gathering at Willow Lake, Divide County, N.D. in 1919. Below him is a sheet with the goat symbol of the Non-partisan League (NPL). Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00021 Closer view of A. C. Townley standing on platform speaking to gathering at Willow Lake, Divide County, N.D. in 1919. Below him is a sheet with the goat symbol of the Non-partisan League (NPL). Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00022 View looking up the west side of Main Street North in Ray (N.D.) Photo by A.M. Thompson
2018-P-061-00023 View looking up Main Street in Williston (N.D.) Photo by A.M. Thompson
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