Bits By Betty

1941: Sundum is newest diamond club member
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
November 12, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Nov. 27, 1941. “To get the fullest enjoyment provided by the modern conveniences of this day and age, it is necessary that you have experienced life in an earlier era.” This is the contention of Mrs. Marit Sundem, 90, of Hills, this week’s Diamond club member. “What the younger generation takes for granted today—the speedy automobiles, the…
1941: Magnolia pioneer recalls coming west
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
November 05, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Nov. 20, 1941. Fred A. Baker, Magnolia, recalls “roaring west” Days when this part of the country was part of the “roaring west” are vividly recalled by Fred A. Baker, Magnolia pioneer. Mr. Baker came to the middle west from Canton, N.Y., at the age of seven. Living in Illinois two years, the family moved to Sioux City in 1868 in a covered…
1941: Frank Wiggins served as sheriff and chief lamp lighter
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
October 29, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Nov. 13, 1941. Nights when only 20 streetlights penetrated the darkness of Luverne’s streets are well remembered by Frank H. Wiggins, Luverne, this week’s Diamond Club member. Wiggins, a resident of Rock county for 55 years, recalls that the marshall’s job, in addition to preserving peace and order, also called for keeping street lamps…
1941: Clarence LaDue known for milk deliveries by wagon
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
October 22, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Nov. 6, 1941. One of the most familiar sights on the Luverne streets now, and for almost 60 years, is one of Clarence M. LaDue and his horse drawn milk wagon. At the age of 86, he is hale, hearty and agile, and getting down from the seat of the wagon and getting back up on it is no trick at all for him. That he still uses the horse drawn…
1941: Iserman becomes 'Jack of all trades'
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
October 15, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Oct. 30, 1941. “I guess I’ve been what they call ‘Jack of all trades’,” says William Iserman, Luverne, this week’s member of The Star’s Diamond Club. Mr. Iserman, who lives alone in the home he built for himself just back of the Presbyterian parsonage, is healthy and active, and thrives on his own cooking. As a matter of fact, cooking was one…
1941: Swedbergs first met in Rock County
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
October 08, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Oct. 23, 1941. Enjoying the distinction of being the only living charter members of the Luverne chapter of the Order of Eastern Star are Mr. and Mrs. Mark Swedberg, this week’s Diamond Club members. Active in lodge work, Mr. and Mrs. Swedberg helped organize the Eastern Star and have continued to maintain their memberships until the present…
1941: Henry Lauck of Steen knows 'child 'labor' firsthand
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
September 24, 2025
The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Oct. 9, 1941. Did you ever try to herd a bunch of hogs – or even try to chase one into an open door or thru a gate? If so, you have somewhat of an idea how hard Henry J. Lauck, Steen, had to work at the age of eight to get…
1941: Norton's life story continues
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
September 17, 2025
The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Sept. 25, 1941. (Robert Norton continues his story with almost being caught in a blizzard.) The storm was so bad that they could not see the buildings, and although they walked in the general direction of them, missed them…
1941: Norton travels by wagon to Rock County in 1868
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
September 10, 2025
The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Sept. 25, 1941. As far as is known, no one in Rock county has lived on the same farm as long as Robert C. Norton who resides a mile east and one and one-half miles north of Luverne. It was 72 years ago that Mr. Norton…
1941: Wiese twins recall move to Luverne in 1884
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
September 03, 2025
The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Sept. 18, 1941. Twins, who came to Rock county to break the prairie in 1884, are this week’s Diamond Club members. They are Carl and Julius Wiese, above, the former a resident of Luverne, and the latter of Crookston. Julius,…
1941: Lure of western world brings Horne to America
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
August 27, 2025
The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Sept. 11, 1941. Because there was not enough to do on an eight acre farm in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, for 11 children, James Horne, 79, of Luverne decided the thing for him to do was to find work and support himself. A visit…
1941: Petersen recalls events as 'part of boyhood adventure'
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
August 20, 2025
The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Sept. 4, 1941. Holding an Australian cavalryman’s horse, hearing the whine of bullets and watching four powerful horses slip and slide on an icy road in an attempt to move a heavy cannon sounds like story book stuff. But in…
1941: John Oye prefers 'walking' machinery
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
August 13, 2025
The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Aug. 28, 1941. Ask John Oye, retired Mound township farmer who lives here, where he was born, he’ll tell you frankly he isn’t sure. At the time when he came into the world, the part of Europe where his parents lived was…
1941: Diamond Club features resume with O.E. Ferguson
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
August 06, 2025
The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Aug. 21, 1941. From the standpoint of years, it is doubtful if there is a public official in Minnesota today who has held an elective office as long as O. E. Ferguson, former county clerk of court and present judge of…
1963 Star Herald reminisces about 1900s voting machines
By Betty Mann
July 23, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on March 7, 1963. Hills had voting machine company in early 1900s Remember when C.S. Bruce and August Rathjen ran for county auditor of Rock county? Or when John Lind ran on the democratic ticket for governor of Minnesota? He was opposed by Samuel Van Sant on the Republican ticket and Brent Haugen on the prohibition ticket that year. Chances…
In 1963 officials address hospital rates, electricity, airport and wells
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
July 16, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 14, 1963. Council votes to increase hospital rates The Luverne city council last Tuesday night gave the Community Hospital board the go-ahead to raise the room rate at the hospital here. The raise in rates approval came following a recommendation by Howard Nelson of the hospital board. The new rates, effective March 1, are as follows…

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Bits By Betty 12 November 2025

1941: Sundum is newest diamond club member

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Nov. 27, 1941.

Bits By Betty 5 November 2025

1941: Magnolia pioneer recalls coming west

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Nov. 20, 1941.

Fred A. Baker, Magnolia, recalls “roaring west”

Community Bits By Betty 29 October 2025

1941: Frank Wiggins served as sheriff and chief lamp lighter

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Nov. 13, 1941.

Bits By Betty Columns 22 October 2025

1941: Clarence LaDue known for milk deliveries by wagon

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Nov. 6, 1941.

Bits By Betty 15 October 2025

1941: Iserman becomes 'Jack of all trades'

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Oct. 30, 1941.

Bits By Betty 8 October 2025

1941: Swedbergs first met in Rock County

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Oct. 23, 1941.

Opinion Columns 1 October 2025

1941: Wold recalls early immigration in Rock County

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Oct. 16, 1941.

Bits By Betty 24 September 2025

1941: Henry Lauck of Steen knows 'child 'labor' firsthand

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Oct. 9, 1941.

Bits By Betty 17 September 2025

1941: Norton's life story continues

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Sept. 25, 1941.

Bits By Betty 10 September 2025

1941: Norton travels by wagon to Rock County in 1868

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Sept. 25, 1941.