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
Kusba, Anna (Sladkey) (1853 - 1932), Melba Peterson
Kusba, Charles A. (1880 - 1917), Melba Peterson
Kusba, Joseph, Sr. (1846 - 1917), Melba Peterson
Kutzer, Ferdinand (1868 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Labben, Lars L. (1863 - 1937), Melba Peterson
Lambach, Mary Ann (Huschle) (1862 - ), Gilbert Bunt
Lamb, Charles D. (1837 - ), Tresa Gruber
Lambert, Arthur J. (1882 - ), Gilbert Bunt
Lamberty, Henry (1853 - ), N. P. Kruchten
Lamb, Frances Winfield (1861 - 1935), Melba Peterson
Lamb, Philoman (Philorman) (1831 - 1910), Tresa Gruber and Melba Peterson
Lammerson, Bernard F. (1863 - 1934), Dean Nelson
Landwehr, William H. (1868 - ), N. P. Kruchten
Langer, John (1855 - ), Gilbert Bunt and Walter Jernberg
Larson, Andrew (1857 - 1933), Melba Peterson
Larson, Andrew W. (1851 - 1914), Melba Peterson
Larson, John (1865 - ), Dean Nelson
Larson, John (Hegsted) (1846 - 1926), Dean Nelson
Larson, Olaf H. (1853 - 1913), Walter Jernberg
Larson, Peter (1859 - ), Dean Nelson
Latch, Edward (1834 - 1874), Tresa Gruber
Laudenbach, Henry (1863 - ), Walter Jernberg
Laudenback, Benedict D. (1863 - ), Tresa Gruber
Lauer, George (1867 - 1921), N. P. Kruchten
Lauermann, John Peter (1863 - 1932), Nick P. Kruchten and Dean Nelson
Lavaque, George Nelson (1843 - 1906), Tresa Gruber
Leavitt, E.J. (1829 - ), Melba Peterson
Leer, Steven (1841 - ), Gilbert Bunt
Lefstedt, Caroline (Ericson) Peterson (1862 - 1930), Melba Peterson
Lehner, Joseph (1866 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Leim, Paul, Sr. (1835 - 1922), Walter Jernberg
Leisen, Mathias (1868 - 1922), Virgil Chirhart
Leither, George (1830 - 1912), Dean Nelson
Leither, John (1867 - 1937), Walter Jernberg
Lemke, Frank August (1861 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Lemm, Henry Hubert (1866 - ), Nick P. Kruchten
Lenger, Anna (Haehn) (1861 - ), Virgil Chirhart and Tresa Gruber
Lenger, Anthony (1853 - 1895), Nick P. Kruchten and Dean Nelson
Leonard, Lawrence P. (1864 - ), Dean Nelson
Leonardy, Ernest (1823 - ), Tresa Gruber
Lepinski, Anna (Ruhoff) (1873 - ), Gilbert Bunt
Lepinski, Emil (1872 - ), Gilbert Bunt
Levanseler, F.E. (1850 - ), Tresa Gruber
Levarson, Gustav, Melba Peterson
Lewerenz, Wilhelm (1858 - 1934), Clarence Chisholm
Lewis, Isaac Ives, Tresa Gruber
Lewis, Israel (Warner) (1842 - 1921), Melba Peterson
Ley, Hubert Peter (1832 - 1924), Dean Nelson
Ley, John Hubert (1873 - ), Dean Nelson
Ley, Peter Hubert (1833 - 1924), Tresa Gruber
Libby, Asa (1826 - 1900), Tresa Gruber
Libert, Nicholas (1854 - 1918), Dean Nelson
Lies, Peter J. (1868 - ), N. P. Kruchten
Lietch, Henry S. (1863 - ), Tresa Gruber
Liljedahl, Gustaf (1859 - ), Dean Nelson
Lindbergh, August, Dorothy Hansmann
Lindbergh, Charles August (1859 - ), Tresa Gruber
Linneman, John H. (1825 - 1907), Tresa Gruber
Linn, George W. (1852 - 1935), Dean Nelson
Lobitz, Gustave (1859 - 1932), Clarence Chisholm
Locke, Joseph H. (1820 - 1891), Tresa Gruber
Lockhead, Mary Mildred (Wood) (1853 - ), Dorothy Hansmann
Locnikar, Bernard R.C. (1848 - ), Tresa Gruber
Lodermeier, Adam (1856 - ), Dean Nelson
Loesch, Nicholas (1829 - ), Tresa Gruber
Loesch, Nicholas B. (1868 - 1934), Tresa Gruber
Lohmeirer, Nicholas (1863 - ), N. P. Kruchten
Loid, John (1847 - 1928), Dorothy Hansmann
Lommel, Charles (1854 - 1935), Walter Jernberg
Looman, Adolph (1850 - ), Dean Nelson
Loosbroek, Henry (1838 - 1921), Tresa Gruber
Lorinser, Vincent (1860 - ), Virgil Chirhart
Loso, Peter (1824 - 1877), Tresa Gruber
Lotz, Leonard (1868 - ), Gilbert Bunt and Walter Jernberg
Lowry, Sylvanus B., Tresa Gruber
Lucius, Mrs. Catherine C. (Hinnen) (1868 - ), Virgil Chirhart and Tresa Gruber
Luckeroth, Peter (1861 - ), N. P. Kruchten
Luckeroth, William (1866 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Lufkin, Harry (1878 - ), Dean Nelson
Lukkasson, Christian (1841-1908), Melba Peterson
Lutz, Aloys (1851 - 1920), Walter B. Haupt
Lyman, Arthur Edgar (1867 - 1913), Dorothy Hansmann
Lyng, Herman Renholt Valdemar (1852 - ), Melba Peterson
Lyng, Julia Pederson (Haroldseth) (1850 - ), Melba Peterson
Lyons, B.T. (1813 - ), Tresa Gruber
MacDonald, Colin Francis (1843 - 1919), Tresa Gruber
Mackerell, William (1881 - ), Dean Nelson
Madland, Marcus R. (1855 - 1937), Dorothy Hansmann
Magnuson, Edward (1876 - ), Dean Nelson
Magnuson, John William (1835 - 1911), Melba Peterson
Maier, Henry (1855 - ), Walter B. Haupt
Maihs, John (1861 - ), Dean Nelson
Majerus, John M. (1857 - ), Virgil Chirhart
Mandernach, John (1857 - ), Alexander Pallansch
Mann, Minnie (Moore) (1868 - ), Dorothy Hansmann
Markham, Selah (1813 - ), Tresa Gruber
Markley, Joseph Henry (1818 - 1899), Walter Jernberg
Marlatt, Silas (1826 - 1903), Tresa Gruber
Marlowe, Cyrus E. (1866 - ), Dean Nelson
Marogna, Demetrius, R.C. (1802 - 1869), Tresa Gruber
