Marietta, MN 9/11

Our RV is parked on the perimeter of the county fair grounds here. We awoke to find several vendors setting up to sell farm fresh produce. Barb eagerly bought beans, tomatoes, eggplant, etc. just a few feet from our front door. Interesting way to start our day.

Another day of roadblocks. This time we would like to locate the Aune land here and the church they attended. Hopefully answers will come tomorrow as was the case in Ryder. After arriving in Madison, MN yesterday and checking out the county court house records, we ended up in the local museum. We were given several names to contact.

For breakfast, we met Don Ranson, because “Don always eats breakfast at 8:30 at DeToys restaurant on Tuesday.” Barb and I were there at 8:15. Don, around 75, walked in at 8:30. Again, I introduced myself and told my story. He was sitting with 3 other guys and all were from Marietta. They gave us a list of contacts but none knew the name Aune.

We traveled the 10 miles of flat road to Marietta. It is now a small town of 140 or so with pleasant homes and empty businesses. The first stop was at the Senior Center. We walked in around 10 AM and found four ladies playing the card game 31. They later told us that when Barb and I walked in, they thought they were “busted”. “We don’t get strangers walking in here very often.”

Again, there was no recognition of Aune but they did give us the phone numbers of church members who are very involved in each of the two Lutheran Churches in the area that had Norwegian roots. I called Bill Bork for access to the records at Augusta. Bill (75 years old) drove over and told us to follow him. Even though the church is in Marietta, he led us out of town to a pleasant farm (They are all beautiful here, no old equipment lying around, homes maintained, driveways graveled, lawns and shoulders are mowed.). I was introduced to Robin who shook my hand and said, “I’ll be right back with the records,” and she ran into the house. There were about 15 pickups parked by their very nice enclosed 6 bay shed. Several men were standing around. I asked Bill what was going on.

It turned out that Robin’s husband (never met him) owns a seed business and is working with ag businesses and researchers to develop the best hybrids of corn for ethanol production. Robin’s husband was standing in front of about a 100 yard test plot of tall corn and around 20 signs designating variety of seed time and variety of hybrid seed, and was making a presentation to the group of farmers, probably numbering 40 or so. Harvest was still a few weeks away and ethanol production is an exciting facet here. The gas stations are selling fuel at the 85% ethanol level, the price is 50 cents less per gallon than regular gas, but you’ve got to have the right equipment. Most new cars in this area, so I am told, have the ethanol capability.

Robin returned with a ream of records. “Hope you can read Norwegian.” We can’t but it is easy to figure out baptism from confirmation. Robin invited us in to sit at one of the 8 tables set up for lunch in the shed (I use the term “shed” reluctantly. It is a farm equipment storage and shop combination but the place is immaculate, The concrete floor is as clean as your sidewalk. All tools and equipment are stored in an organized manner. There is not as much as a cob web to be seen.) We are told that a pork chop lunch for the visitors is on the docket.

Barb and I sifted through the records from 1903 to 1912 and found no reference to Aune. We bid farewell and drove to the other church. Zoar Lutheran is located about 6 miles west and just a few yards, I think, inside the South Dakota border. It fits the description that my Aunt Mae left for my cousin Karen. There is no one at the country church so Barb and I walked the cemetery and found the names of Slind, Harstad, Garberg, Eidem, Klegseth,(Gladys 1906-1911), The church is unlocked but as a stranger to this area, I did not feel comfortable in entering.

Then we drove to our last link. Charles and Arlene Woolery live around 4 miles north and west in the South Dakota town of Revillo. Again, Revillo shows signs of a glorious past but now is a village with huge grain elevators and an empty commercial district. We stopped at the store, introduced ourselves, told our story, and asked the lady behind the counter to call Arlene. The clerk dialed her number and handed me the phone and Arlene gladly invited us to her house.

After graciously inviting us into the house, we found that Arlene is the second or third cousin of Barbara Kyllo (Ole). Her grandparents’ last names are Harstad, Garberg, Eidem, and Slind, Arlene’s maiden name was Harstad. All of these, and many more from her church, came from Selbu Norway, the village of my ancestry. “This has got to be your grandparents’ church,” is her response.

She was, however, not familiar with the name Aune. We examined the centennial record and found no Aune reference. However, that report listed building and program history, marriages, confirmations and deaths. None of our family experienced any of the above here. I asked her about baptisms. If this is the Aune church, there should have been five. Her eyes brightened. “I don’t know,” she says. “We didn’t list those in the report.” But we do have them. They are at the pastor’s house in a safe. He’ll be back late tonight.”

Again, we have local Norsks on the hunt. We will call Arlene tomorrow morning. I have an idea that Arlene will be in the church parsonage either late tonight or early tomorrow morning to pour over the baptism lists.

Barb made a great egg plant dish for dinner. Mushrooms, onions, crackers, soup, and a few spices. Delicious.