A SOLDIER'S POEM

As perhaps many of you already know, 2017 marks the 100^th anniversary of the entry of the United States into World War I. This first global conflict was dubbed the “War to end all wars.”  It featured new forms of weaponry including the use of chemical weapons (mustard gas) and aerial combat. In addition, just as a measles outbreak caused the deaths of many young men during the Civil War, Spanish influenza ended the lives of thousands of armed service members while serving our country.  Our county alone suffered over 50 war casualties, plus many who were wounded.

The Kossuth County Genealogical Society has begun a project to gather and preserve information about Kossuth County residents who served in World War I.  We have been busy finding obituaries, service records, letters, and news articles, as well as seeking contributions from the public of things like discharge papers, photos, and journals for scanning and memorabilia that we could borrow for use at a display to be set up around Veteran’s Day.

PRIVATE HENRY B. STELPFLUG

While researching these brave men and women, I came across a poem written by Private Henry Stelpflug.  Born on a farm three miles northwest of Bancroft on April 10, 1893, Henry was the son of John A. Stelpflug and Mary (Emde) Stelpflug.  Both of his parents had immigrated to America from Germany.  They were married in Fayette County, Iowa, in 1884 and moved to Bancroft in 1889 when they purchased their farm.

Henry attended country schools in his neighborhood and the school in Bancroft.  He spent his entire life on the farm except for a little over a year that he spent serving during the war.  Private Stelpflug was inducted into the United States Army on May 28, 1918, in Algona and left immediately for Camp Dodge.  He was eventually assigned to the 352^nd Infantry, a part of the 88^th Infantry Division.

While stationed in the Haute-Alsace sector, the 88^th Division managed to hold the line preventing a huge force of German infantry, artillery and air power from getting to the Meuse-Argonne offensive, contributing indirectly to the success of that battle.  What Henry saw during his service left a big impression on him – enough to set his thoughts to verse.

From Bancroft Register, March 27, 1919

HENRY’S POEM

His poem was published on March 27, 1919 in the Bancroft Register and it describes his transport by ship and his experiences on the front. 

We left dear o’ homeland

        One bright sunny day

To clean up the Huns

        In lands far away.

We boarded the transport

        In dear old New York

And landed in England

        A few miles from “Cork.”

The trip was swell

        Across the ocean so blue

Living on hard tack

        And bully beef stew

We boarded the train at Liverpool

        And got off at Winchester

Like a lot of damn fools

We stayed over night

        And slept in a tent

Then we boarded the train

        And to Southampton we went

Then up the gang plank

        Again we did prance

Crossed the channel

        And landed in France.

Stayed a while in Le Havre

        Then we traveled some more

Till we got to Les Laumes

        Put up our dog tents

And sang “Home Sweet Home”

        Then once again we moved

On to Grigon

        And the doughboys life there

Certainly was grand.

Drilling and hiking

        And eating hard tack

I’d like to say more

        But I dare not give facts

Then on to Belfort

        Again we did go

And was rushed in caves

        From air raids you know.

Then we started to hike

        At eleven P.M.

And stopped at Laire

        And of gas drill and skirmish

We soon got enough

        So we moved on to Angate

And began to get rough

        Then to Angate we went

Four in a barn.

Some doughboys did joke

        And lit a cigarette

And she went up in smoke

        And then with a French pump

We worked half the night

        And the way fire did burn

It sure was a fright.

Then we got settled down

        For 2 days or more

Till some got sick

        And others foot sore

So with a small company

        Again we moved on

To the village of Ramagney.

There we stayed and rested

        Then we moved on again

The same as before

        Then into the dugouts

Together we went

        Back in reserve

One week there we spent.

Then up in the front

        There in a trench to lay still

Waiting for orders

        To go over and kill

We thought not of danger

        For it was such great fun

To sneak thru the trenches

        And watch for the Hun.

Then in the still of the night

        A signal would flash

And some timid sentinel

        Would sound the horn

And yell “gas”

        With explosions and air fight

It sure was such fun

        Oft times I regret

That our work there is done.

For one dark and dreary night

        We shouldered our guns

And went into Poppy

        For the battle was won

And then on to Lucy

        We started good living

For there in that town

        We spent our Thanksgiving.

Then into Ribeaucourt

        We soon settled down

Waiting for word

        To start homeward bound

Tis one Christmas day

        And sadly I say

We did not eat our turkey

        In the dear U.S.A.

But soon we will be leaving

        For the land o’er the foam

To settle forever

        In the dear old “Home Sweet Home”

Then by the fireside gleam

        Will sit there and tell

How the Hun yelled Komrad

        When we blowed them to H---

“This is the trip of the 352 Inf. Of which I believe I am the only doughboy of Kossuth County.”

Pft. Henry B. Stelpflug

Lo. C. 352 Inf.,

A. P. O. 795 A. E. F.

 
EPILOGUE

Henry was honorably discharged from service on June 13, 1919, at Camp Dodge.  He returned home to Bancroft where he was content to spend his days farming.  In addition to growing crops, he raised cattle and swine.  His Spotted Poland hogs became well known especially after one boar won first place for his division at the State Fair in 1929. 

Sadly, Henry died August 24, 1930, at the Veteran’s Hospital in Kansas City from an attack of tuberculosis brought on by the flu.  He was only 37.  Following a funeral service at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Bancroft, he was laid to rest beside his parents in the Catholic cemetery there.  Never married, he was survived by six sisters and one brother. 

CAN YOU HELP?

If you have any information or memorabilia about a World War I Kossuth County veteran, please consider sharing that information with the Kossuth County Genealogical Society so that it may be preserved for future generations.  Contact Manita Murphy at 515-320-2091 or by email at murphyconst@gmail.com to make arrangements for scanning of photos or other information or possible loan of artifacts for the display in November.

These brave veterans MUST NOT be forgotten. 

Until next time,

Kossuth County History Buff

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EVELYN'S GARDEN

This past weekend I spent the majority of my time assisting my 10 year old granddaughter, Evelyn, plant a flower garden as a 4-H project.  This is something we had talked about this past winter when I thought helping her with planning and planting a garden sounded like a fun thing to do.  While it certainly was fun, I have to admit by the end of each day I felt every bit of my age. However, the smile on that little girl’s face made each aching muscle and joint worth it.

Evelyn working in the dirt

With her parent’s permission she decided to plant a perennial garden directly in front of the house.  It was a fairly large area, but Evelyn has a vast imagination and was up for the challenge.  During our discussions last winter, we came up with the idea of having a “Grandma Garden.”  In order to keep costs to a minimum and to create memories at the same time, we decided that we would ask each grandma to “donate” perennials from their own gardens.  Evelyn is lucky to have two grandmas and one great-grandma to contribute to her cause.

Laying the matting

Evelyn began the project by clearing out all the grass and weeds that had taken over the spot.  Then dad brought it some extra soil to create a slope away from the house.  Dad also purchased a role of black matting and river rock to use in place of mulch.  This weekend Evelyn was our houseguest and it seemed a good time to get the project done.  Watching her excitement as she learned about each plant and the woman behind it, brought me much joy. Although it started out merely as a plan to build a flower garden, it instead turned out to be a unique celebration of Mother’s Day. 

GRANDMA JOSIE

Our first stop on Saturday morning was at Great Grandma Irene'shouse.  She shared some bluebells, iris, jonquils, and hybrid lilies.  A very special donation was a fern peony that came from her mother, Josephine Eischeid.  I have to admit that I took a start from that one as well.  Grandma Josie was such a special person.  Having not grown up with grandparents nearby, it was a real treat for me to marry a man who still had three of his grandparents. 

Great-Great Grandma Josie

Grandma Josie always treated me as if I was her grandchild too, which was such a special feeling.  A woman who began her life in a family of modest means, she was the youngest of three daughters who grew up to marry three Eischeid brothers.  Married at the age of 16 and a mother soon after, Josie was a town girl who came to love country life (a shining example for me).  She worked side by side with her husband on the farm, raising chickens, pigs and cattle, growing crops and children, being a friendly and generous neighbor, and cultivating a deep faith. She was notorious for always having cookies on hand when guests stopped by and her popcorn cake at Halloween drew trick or treaters to her door (but she always made sure to save some for her grandkids).  I am proud to have her fern peony in my garden and I know Evelyn is too.

GRANDMA EVELYN

Before heading to Evelyn’s house to begin planting, we dug some starts from my perennial garden.  I donated two different kind of lilies, hostas, two butterfly bushes, and my mother’s iris.

Planting iris

These iris mean a lot to me and to Evelyn.  To me they are a fragrant reminder of my mother every year when they bloom but to Evelyn they are a connection to her namesake, Evelyn Prothman.  I still remember the tears I shed when my son told me that my new little granddaughter would bear my mom’s name.  I could just hear mom say, “Now why would they call her an old fashioned name like that!”  Secretly she would have been so proud. 

Great Grandma Evelyn

Over the next two days, we spent a great deal of time talking about Great Grandma Evelyn.  I brought out mom’s last professional photo for little Evelyn to ponder.  I told her of mom’s loneliness being raised as an only child, the loss of her mother when she was 14, her strength when my dad went off to war leaving her to care for two small children when she did not even have a driver’s license and her desire to have a large family as she never wanted a child of hers to be lonely.  She was a person who gave love freely without expecting anything in return and always seemed to have an older person or two which she took care of, checking in on them every day.

Evelyn and I then walked through our house looking for things that had once belonged to mom and we talked about the traits the two share.  Excellent students, kind hearted and devoted to both friends and strangers, pet lovers, and talkers—boy, are they alike when it comes to talking!  I have often wished that I had inherited the gift of easy conversation from my mother but it warms my heart that her namesake received that genetic characteristic.

GRANDMA IRENE

Great Grandma Irene

Once we got going with planting, Evelyn carefully decided on locations for each variety based on height and color.  Grandma Irene’s lilies were the first things we planted which we placed right under the bay window.  The hardiness of these perennials reminded me very much of Irene.  She is one of the strongest women I know.  Born during the Great Depression, Irene attended country schools before transferring to St. Cecelia’s Academy.  Growing up when a lot of the farm chores were done by manual labor, Irene had to do her share.  She married a handsome young farmer and went on to raise eight children.  Farming was not just an occupation but was truly a family affair.  Through good times and bad, she persevered.  She was an example of strength when she lost her son in an accident, cared for aged parents, recovered from a broken hip, and said goodbye to her husband of 65 years.  Will Evelyn be as strong and resilient?  Only time will tell, but she certainly has a fine role model.

GRANDMA JOYCE

Grandma Joyce and Evelyn

On Sunday we received a pail of contributions from Evelyn’s maternal grandmother, Joyce, who lives near Ames.  More lilies, bee balm, a purple leafed plant and lamb’s ear brought more exclamations of joy.  I wish Joyce could have been here to witness Evelyn’s excitement.  She loves her Grandma Joyce very much and they share a special bond.  As a nurse, Joyce spent her life giving comfort and compassion to patients who were in need as well as to her family.  I can see that same compassionate spirit not only in Evelyn, but in her mom, Darcie, as well.  Important traits in this day and age when technology and other worldly things seem to distance us from the comfort of a human touch or embrace.

COMPLETING THE GARDEN

To complete the garden, we needed a little extra something and so we added some hostas from Darcie’s garden.  We also decided to have Evelyn purchase a couple of flowering plants to add color since the transplants would spend this season working on building their root system and not producing flowers.  She chose a red hybrid lily which was planted in the center of the lilies given to her and a dianthus with red flowers that resemble roses because she really wanted a rose bush which I discouraged because of the care needed.  By adding plants from Darcie and Evelyn, we actually turned the “Grandma” garden into a “Family Generations” garden.

Grandma Jean and Evelyn in her garden

Building Evelyn’s garden on Mother’s Day weekend began as a 4-H project but ended as a lesson in family history as I told her stories of these women who have been so influential in my life.  As Evelyn cultivates and enjoys her garden in coming years, I hope she will remember these stories of the women who contributed to her garden.  It is my hope that when she looks at the fern peony, she will be reminded to live a life of faith; that the fragrance of the iris will prompt her to be more loving; that seeing the resilient lily withstand turbulent winds will help her to stand strong through adversity; that the softness of the lamb’s ear will impress on her to lend a comforting hand to those in need; and that perhaps my butterfly bushes will remind her that work, when shared with someone you love, can result not only in a job well done but in memories that will last a lifetime.

Until next time,

Grandma Jean

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THE OLD MILL

One of my past posts told the story of the drowning of the young wife and two small children of Professor F.M. Shippey near the old mill.  Following that post I had several comments or questions concerning the mill itself and so I decided to delve into the history of the business. I grew up in the neighborhood where the mill was located and remember hiking in the area near the river as a child.

THE ERECTION OF THE MILL

In 1865 at the time the Civil War was still raging, a Mr. M. M. Foster began the construction not only of a saw mill but also the creation of a dam.  The mill was nestled on the south side of the bend of the river just west of the bridge across Old Mill Drive (which later became known as Highway 169) and north of today’s Veterans Park Drive.  In its early days, John Heckart, father of Sarah Call, operated a turning lathe there which he used to manufacture many pieces of furniture and other specialty items. 

Note wooden bridge over river

The original dam was constructed of brush and dirt by Mr. Foster which many locals believed to be unwise.  They were proven right when an enterprising muskrat burrowed his way through the dam.  Within an hour the rushing torrents swept away the dam and rolled the mill into the river.  Thankfully, J. E. Stacy came to the rescue, purchasing a half interest in the property.  With the help of the community a more substantial dam was installed.  The building itself was enlarged and a stone for grinding flour was added. 

Jerome E. Stacy

This was the first flour mill in the area.  Up to this time grain had to be hauled to either Iowa Falls or Fort Dodge to be ground.  There were no mills to the west or north of Algona.  Charging $5 per sack of flour, Stacy found grist milling to be a very profitable part of the business. 

Stacy bought out Foster’s interest in 1868 and eliminated the saw mill entirely.  D. W. King later purchased a half interest in the mill and actually ran it for many years.  In 1881 J.B. Jones purchased King’s interest and remained as co-owner under the firm name “Stacy & Jones.”  These partners would go on to operate the mill for 16 years.

1896 plat map showing mill and all three dams

During Jones tenure, two additional dams were installed to head off the river from cutting a new channel across the flat.  The old dam by the mill was also rebuilt on several occasions.  All of this came at a great cost to the owners.  It was estimated that over the years $5000 was spent in construction and maintenance of the dams alone.  They also enlarged the building, installed a boiler, an engine and improved machinery.

Note train on hill in background

The building was about 40x60 feet on the ground and 30 feet high.  The engine house was 18x30 feet.  The old portion of the building was framed in oak.

In 1897 Jones sold his interest to J.E. Stacy, making him once again the sole owner.  The following year Stacy sold a majority interest to Farmers’ Milling Company for $8,000.  The company had 125 shareholders with a board of directors consisting of C. Rickard, Myron Schenck, J.W. Wadsworth, C. Byson, H.W. Dryer, C.E. Heise, J.E. Stacy, James Nolan, and Sam Steussy.

A PHOTOGRAPHER’S DREAM 

The mill became a favorite for photographers of all skill levels.  It had been constructed on a scenic bend in the Des Moines river and the dam had created a mill pond nearby which was a popular spot for fishing, boating and swimming in the summer and ice skating in the winter.  The river in the area and the island to the north of the mill were lined with trees and shrubbery giving them a park-like appearance—just perfect for picture taking.  Postcards of children fishing along the banks of the river show the old mill as a backdrop and photos of the landmark graced calendars and other area advertising.

Metal bridge provided good view of dam

The bridge to the east of the mill was a favorite spot for spectators to view the dam, the mill and other activities in the area.  Visitors would sometimes spend several relaxing hours leaning on the side of the bridge watching the water tumble over the dam.

Unfortunately, the dam was also the site of several tragedies through the years.  In addition to the drowning of Mrs. Shippey and her children, Claude and Delta, a young Civil War veteran, O.A. Atwood, lost his life while swimming there on a hot summer afternoon.

A PIONEER RELIC GONE

While getting ready to turn in for the night around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, January 31, 1902, C.E. Heise happened to look out the north windows of his home located on the hill just to the south and noticed flames at the mill.  In a short time, many neighbors from the area rushed to the site.  Had buckets been available, it was theorized that the main part of the mill might have been saved.  However, by the time the fire department responded the flames were so hot the firemen could not get close enough to attempt to extinguish the fire.  The fact that the mill was situated beyond the water system of the city also limited the response.  Although not mentioned in the news articles of the time, the normal temperatures of a January night would surely have hampered any firefighting efforts.

The mill was soon engulfed with flames shooting up fifty feet high with the burning timbers giving off a white heat.  The main part of the building collapsed about 11:30 p.m. The intensity of the fire was sufficient to warp the new steel bridge over Old Mill Road slightly, but did not cause any serious damage. 

So how did the fire start?  Its origin was never officially pinpointed.  The mill had been closed that Friday for machinery repair.  When employees left that evening, there was no fire anywhere about the building nor had there been all day.  The blaze itself began on the north end of the engine room, away from the coal supply. 

There were several theories.  J.E. Stacy believed that someone fishing started a fire to keep warm and then did not fully extinguish the blaze before leaving.  The mill was banked with manure which could easily have ignited when an unattended fire spread to its location. 

A gentleman by the name of George Hollins claimed that when he was on his way home about 8 o’clock that evening he saw what appeared to be a lantern moving in the second story.  Had someone broken into the mill and started the fire?

Others thought the slack coal in the engine house spontaneously combusted causing the inferno.

Whatever the cause of the fire, it was soon discovered that the insurance policy covering the facility had expired just a few days before the event.  The milling company was incorporated which protected the private property of the stockholders with the exception of several board members who had guaranteed promissory notes.

Photo from 1913 History of Kossuth County showing road

PROTECTING THE DAM FOR THE TOWN

The community of Algona mourned the loss of this pioneer relic.  It wasn’t long, however, before citizens began to express their concern that the dam must be protected, especially if judgment creditors forced the property to be sold.  The high stage of water provided by the dam afforded a source of ice for Algona’s ice houses.  These businesses provided ice to creameries year round for a dozen miles in all directions. 

The City of Algona finally was able to purchase the dam for $250 in the spring of 1906 with plans of installing a dynamo to produce electricity, but also to provide a sufficient flow of water to clear sewage from the river so that ice could be provided to creameries and for other necessary uses.  I could not find any evidence that the dynamo project ever came to fruition.

TODAY

Today the bridge over the highway has been moved farther to the east and the “old mill road” has been redirected.  The channel of the river which cut to the north where dams were strategically installed to keep as much water flowing to the mill site as possible has been re-routed so that there is now only one channel that twists and turns through the north end of town.

Looking toward the site from the
bridge over Highway 169

It was said that J. E. Stacy would have died $50,000 richer if he had never seen the mill. Despite every effort to make the company successful, the old mill and the dams that served it were a poor business investment, due much to the fluctuating river levels.  Our early pioneers went to great lengths to bring innovation and progress to their new home, despite much personal financial and physical risk.  It is good that the memories of structures like the old mill linger on reminding us of their sacrifice.

Until next time,

Kossuth County History Buff

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THE ENTERPRISING LARS SORENSEN

The Kossuth County Genealogical Society received some photos and information from Jeanette Sorensen Ramseth who is the granddaughter of Lars Sorensen, long time grocer in Algona.  Among the materials she provided was a short rendition of her memories of growing up in Algona and facts about Sorensen Grocery Store which operated at the corner of State and Moore.  Those items in turn reminded me that Lars was featured in the book “Enterprising Men of Algona.”  With Jeanette’s permission, I want to use some of her materials along with my own research to recall the life of Lars Sorensen.

CAME FROM DENMARK

Lars was born in Albeck Skov, Denmark in 1869.  He was educated there and apprenticed as a butcher.  At the age of 21 he immigrated to the United States, coming directly to Kossuth County where he worked a time for Frank Winkel in his meat shop.  He left for a short period to work in Spencer and then in Chicago, but eventually came back to Algona where he opened his own meat market. 

He met a young woman by the name of Ida Olson and they were married December 11, 1895 in Burt.  Ida had come to the United States of America from Sweden four years before.  The newlyweds lived in Burt for three years before moving to Algona. 

Lars continued to run his meat shop until 1904 when another opportunity presented itself.  He and Wesley A. Dutton purchased the grocery business of Ed Gilmore and opened their own store known as “Dutton & Sorensen.”  Often known as the “Corner Grocery,” the business was located in the northeast corner of the intersection of State and Moore.  Besides stocking staples like flour and sugar, they carried a large selection of canned goods, meats and other grocery items.  They also carried China and Wedgwood creamware called queensware which was a big attraction to their lady customers.

The partners had purchased the Gilmore building and took great pride in its maintenance.  They repainted often and in 1913 installed an iron ceiling.  Although they were devoted to their business, the owners had a good sense of humor as well.  On April Fool’s Day in 1914, they cut a 2 x 4 on a slant and glued one to each side of a display window.  They then glued some pieces of broken glass to the window to give the impression of a damaged window.  That day many visitors stopped in the store to let them know that the 2x4 had fallen and broken the window, only to find the joke was on them.

Sorensen Grocery in the 1930s

Later that same year the two acquired the store of C.W. Cook in Hobart.  Jed Dutton was chosen to manage the store.  It was perhaps not as profitable as they had hoped as they sold it slightly more than a year later to Robert Vincent.

Storekeeping was not without its dangers.  In June of 1913, Dutton was getting a bag of flour from the back room for a customer when the pile of flour sacks – forty or fifty in all – toppled over on top of him and burying him and 12 cases of eggs, creating a mess and leaving him with bruises.  On another occasion, a Mr. Barker attempted to park his automobile in front of the store where he intended to sell eggs to the proprietors.  The gas pedal malfunctioned causing the vehicle to jump the curb and run into the front door of the establishment, breaking the door posts and its west window. 

The year 1914 saw the end of the partnership between Lars and Wes Dutton.  Sorensen purchased Dutton’s interest who went back into the flour and grain business. 

PERSONAL LIFE

During these years Lars personal life was busy too.  He became an American citizen.  He and Ida would go on to have eight children together, two of whom died in infancy.  Edna, Arthur, Russell, Evelyn, Harold and Richard grew up working in the store when needed.  He was active in the local Presbyterian church, serving many years as superintendent of their Sunday school.

Tragedy struck the family in October of 1918.  Ida was only 44 years of age when she contracted Spanish influenza which was sweeping the nation.  She then developed pneumonia.  It took her life after being ill for just one week, leaving her family motherless.  One of her sons, Arthur, was a soldier serving in France at the time of her death and word of her passing didn’t reach him until many weeks later. 

Just the month before Lars had sold the grocery business to S. J. Ramsey and Harry J. Liebenstein, retaining ownership of the building.  It is unknown what Lars’ plans were for his future following the sale of his grocery business, but with the loss of his wife, I am sure his world came tumbling down.  Over the next few years he worked in sales both at local stores and as a traveling salesman of products to grocery stores.

In 1924 Lars married Clara Stacy with whom he had a daughter, Frances. Unfortunately, the marriage proved to be an unhappy one and they were divorced in 1930.

THE “NEW” SORENSEN GROCERY

In 1930 Lars’ son, Harold Sorensen, was a newlywed working for Swift & Co. in Hutchinson, Kansas.  He and his wife, Mable, desired to move back to Algona and he and his father decided to re-open Sorensen Grocery which was quite an undertaking during the depression years.  Lars still owned the building at 201 East State Street where the original Sorensen Grocery had been located.  Ellis Runchey had been operating a grocery at the same location, but soon found another site to relocate.

Front: Woodrow Cook, Bert Randall, Ellen Pommerining,
Mable Sorensen, and Dick Sorensen;  Back: Harold Sorensen,
Robert Dutton, Julius Petersen and Lars Sorensen

Lars and Harold set out to make the layout of the store more convenient to serve their customers.  They left the refrigerated meat locker in the rear of the store which had been installed by Mr. Runchey where a rope operated, open elevator was also located which was used to move merchandise to and from the basement.  They remodeled the rest of the area moving the meat department closer to the front. They held their grand opening on January 31, 1931.

Mable Sorensen

The store was a busy place.  A true family affair, in addition to Lars and Harold, youngest son, Richard, worked there and Harold’s wife, Mable, would often work after hours stocking shelves while baby Jeanette napped in an orange crate.  The local telephone exchange was located on the upper floor of the building which added to the hustle and bustle as operators would come and go at all hours for the day.

In addition to selling meat and groceries, the proprietors also bought milk, eggs and produce from area farmers.  Many items such as sugar, nuts and candy came in bulk and had to be weighed and packaged by the pound.  The printed cloth sacks that flour came in became popular with customers who used them to make aprons and other items during those tough economic days.  Customers brought jugs to have them filled with vinegar from a big wooden barrel. 

TRIP BACK TO DENMARK

By 1936, Lars was yearning to visit Denmark.  In the 47 years he had lived in America he had only gone back once.  In July he and his niece, Mrs. Julius Petersen, began the journey of a lifetime.  They sailed for Europe, spending three months touring Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany.  Lars took his personal Chrysler auto along allowing convenient transportation during the visit.  Besides sightseeing he was able to visit many family members including spending the day with his sister when she celebrated her 80^th birthday.

Upon his return in October, he was shocked to learn of the sudden passing of his son, Harold, shortly before his return.  The family had refrained from notifying Lars and his niece of the death during their trip as they would have been unable to reach home in time for the funeral.

SORENSEN GROCERY ENDURES

With Harold’s passing, Richard “Dick” Sorensen and Harold’s widow, Mable Sorensen, operated the store.  During the next several years, Lars began to lessen his involvement in the enterprise.  He took another trip in 1938, this time a three-month sojourn in California.  In February of 1940 he and his friends celebrated his 71^st birthday and despite failing health, he took one more trip that fall to visit a sister that lived in Idaho.  A few days after his return, he traveled to Rochester for treatment.  Returning home, Lars died at General Hospital here in Algona on November 21, 1940.

The storefront today

Another view

Sorensen Grocery lived on for almost two decades, serving customers’ daily needs through the rationing days of World War II, numerous community events including the Centennial, and many holiday celebrations.  Dick Sorensen left the business in 1956, leaving Mable in charge.  Sorensen Grocery officially closed its doors in 1959.

Until next time,

Jean

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