This series consists of over 1500 biographical sketches created by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1936 though 1939. These sketches focus on early settlers of Stearns County, Minnesota, who lived predominantly during the 1800s, though a few can be dated to the late 1700s. By keeping their focus on the "common" person in society, the WPA biographies present examples of how the working class spent their lives. In addition, there are several immigrant accounts that share struggles and triumphs of settling in Stearns County.
A combination of interviews, information taken from books or newspapers, census data and courthouse records are put together in these files to create as complete of a genealogical picture as possible. All files are different - some may contain a combination of an interview summary, information taken from published sources, and census data and courthouse from the Stearns County courthouse. If the interview is not conducted with the subject themselves, they were usually conducted with a family member. This information is listed at the end of each sketch along with the name of the interviewer. Birth and death dates were included if known. It is believed that the people presented in these biographies were selected at random which come from diverse backgrounds. Some of the subjects discuss their interactions with Native Americans, while others briefly talk about their daily routine.
The finding aid for the biographies can be found here.
Visit the University Archives for more information.
Interviews
Nett, Peter J., Jr. (1846 - 1912), Walter B. Haupt
Neutzling, Frank (1855 - ), Gilbert Bunt
Nickel, Albert J. (1855 - 1934), Nick P. Kruchten and Dean Nelson
Nickey, H. Elmer (1884 - ), Gilbert Bunt
Nied, Siegfreid (1844 - 1929), Tresa Gruber
Niehaus, Nicholas (1874 - ), Alexander Pallansch
Nilson, Nils (1843 - 1929), Melba Peterson
Noel, Milton P. (1831 - 1926), Virgil Chirhart
Noel, Mrs. Emma (Dickinson) (1847 - ), Virgil Chirhart
Nohner, Jacob (1887 - ), Nick P. Kruchten
Nolen, Andrew (1851 - 1917), Tresa Gruber
Noll, John C. (1825 - 1904), Alexander Pallansch
Nordberg, John (1870 - ), Dean Nelson
Nordeen, Axel (1868 - 1924), Walter Jernberg
Norris, James A. (1843 - ), Melba Peterson
Northman, Ulric R.C. (1846 - 1890), Tresa Gruber
Novak, Joseph (1858 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Noyes, John K. (1814 - 1883), Works Progress Administration
O'Brien, William (1869 - ), Tresa Gruber
O'Brien, William Smith, Jr. (1859 - ), Dorothy Hansmann
Odell, August (1856 - ), Dorothy Hansmann
Ohmann, John (1866 - 1936), Walter B. Haupt
Olds, Charles S. (1876 - ), Walter Jernberg
Olson, Alfred (1874 - 1936), Dean Nelson
Olson, Asle (1883 - ), Melba Peterson
Olson, Elmer C. (1886 - ), Dean Nelson
Olson, Eric John (1879 - ), Virgil Chirhart
Olson, John (1848 - 1928), Melba Peterson
Olson, John (1860 - ), Dean Nelson
Opitz, Herman, Sr. (1856 - 1936), Walter Jernberg
Orren, Joseph F. (1858 - ), Tresa Gruber
Orrvar, Louis Peter (1845 - 1932), Melba Peterson
Orth, August (1866 - ), Tresa Gruber
Osgood, William P. (1850 - 1931), Virgil Chirhart
Osmanski, Joseph (1871 - ), Dean Nelson
Ostendorf, Augusta (Wittcho) (1854 - ), Ann Kramer
Ostvolden, Ole N. (1847 - 1913), Melba Peterson
Otte, Mary (Macke) (1850 - ), Ann Kramer
Otto, John B. (1863 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Otto, Julius (1870 - ), Clarence Chisholm
Overbeck, George H. (1852 - 1925), Tresa Gruber
Owen, John H. (1825 - 1888), Tresa Gruber
Pallansch, John (1862 - ), Alexander Pallansch
Pallies, Mrs. John (1866 - ), Walter Jernberg
Palmer, Dr. Benjamin Robinson (1815 - 1882), Dorothy Hansmann, Tresa Gruber, and Melba Peterson
Pangburn, David (1832 - ), Dorothy Hansmann
Pangburn, Mrs. Ella Elizabeth (Barnard) (1848 - 1930), Dorothy Hansmann
Pangburn, William (1836 - 1915), Dorothy Hansmann
Parchner, Tnman (1811 - ), Works Progress Administration
Parker, Ann (Eatwell) (Woodford) (1834 - 1908), Melba Peterson
Parker, Clarence W. (1859 - 1920), Melba Peterson
Parker, Henry (1835 - 1912), Melba Peterson
Parks, Joseph H. (1852 - 1935), Dorothy Hansmann
Parr, Samuel S. (1847 - 1900), Tresa Gruber
Partridge, Thomas C. (1815 - 1902), Tresa Gruber
Pattison, Edith Sarah (1861 - ), Virgil Chirhart
Pattison, Estelle Eda (1860 - ), Virgil Chirhart
Payden, Joseph, Sr. (1841 - 1912), Walter Jernberg
Payne, John (1826 - ), Tresa Gruber
Peglow, William Fred (1864 - 1927), Melba Peterson
Pelton, Ernest (1857 - ), Dean Nelson
Pendergast, Solomon (ca. 1833/1834 - 1910), Melba Peterson
Perkins, A.F. (1833 - ), Tresa Gruber
Perkins, Daniel A. (1834 - 1920), Tresa Gruber
Perkins, Daniel F. (1829 - 1863), Works Progress Administration
Perkins, John B. (1843 - 1910), Tresa Gruber and Melba Peterson
Perkinson, Charles E. (1870 - 1938), Dorothy Hansmann
Perkinson, William B. (1827 - 1906), Dorothy Hansmann
Perry, Ralph Winslow (1880 - ), Virgil Chirhart
Perschek, John (1840 - 1922), Dorothy Hansmann
Peterson, Anna (Breckey) (1871 - ), Gilbert Bunt and Walter Jernberg
Peterson, Carl (1873 - ), Walter Jernberg
Peterson, Ernst (1876 - ), Gilbert Bunt
Peterson, Gust (1860 - 1929), Dean Nelson
Peterson, James W. (1873 - ), Dean Nelson
Peterson, Magnus (1874 - ), Walter Jernberg
Peterson, William (1858 - 1929), Walter Jernberg
Petters, Charles (1858 - 1907), Tresa Gruber
Petty, Hezikiah C. (1846 - 1932), Dean Nelson and Marjory D. Carter
Phillips, Alois (1873 - ), Virgil Chirhart
Phipps, John (1825 - ), Works Progress Administration
Piplow, August George (1865 - 1914), Virgil Chirhart
Pirec, Francis R.C. (1785 - 1880), Tresa Gruber
Pirz, Bartholomew (1819 - ), Tresa Gruber
Pischke, Paul (1864 - ), Nick P. Kruchten
Pitts, Christian (Puetz) (1826 - 1915), Tresa Gruber
Plantikow, Michael Friedrick (1820 - 1903), Clarence Chisholm
Platz, Charles (1854 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Poepke, Charles (1866 - ), Walter Jernberg
Pogatchnick, Joseph (1871 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Pogatchnik, Ursala (Meshishnick) (1847 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Pogatschnick, Joseph (1861 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Popp, Edward H. (1875 - ), Gilbert Bunt
Porwoll, Frank (1854 - 1931), Tresa Gruber
Powers, A.C., Works Progress Administration
Pramann, Henry (1861 - 1931), Dean Nelson
Pratschner, Michael (1856 - 1935), Walter B. Haupt
Preiss, Andrew, Sr. (1835 - 1932), Walter Jernberg
Preusser, Frank (1880 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Proell, Anna Catherine (Korte) (1860 - 1932), Dorothy Hansmann
