Brian Stockton Interview with Grandpa Bert Hvidsten
Born Feb 2, 1905, at home, Stephen, MN, Marshall Co.
Bert Adolph Hvidsten
Youngest of 6 boys, 4 girls younger than me.
Father: Olaf
Mother: Anne
Could you Roller Skate: Roller
skate on sidewalk after we moved to town, Stephen,
MN
What kind of games did you play: Merry-Go-Round,
Drop the Hanky, Pig in the Parlor.
What were your favorite toys: Yes, I
had a bicycle I rode from morning till night.
Did you get to stay up and watch TV or listen to radio: We had no TV. Yes,
listened to radio
What kind of house did you grow up in: I
grew up in a two story house on the farm that my father homesteaded on.
Did you have a secret hiding place: Out
by the Farm Machinery.
Did you have a fire place: No we did
not have a fire place in the home. We
had a wood burning stove and I would carry in and stock up piles of wood to
carry over to the next day.
Did you have your own bedroom/bathroom: No, did not have
my own bedroom. We had a two story house
with two bedrooms upstairs. One bedroom
was reserved for the country teacher that boarded and roomed there at our
house. The other bedroom was for the 6
brothers (3 beds) in one room.
How did you keep your soda cold:
I did not know what soda was.
What kind of lights did you have: We
had kerosene burning lamps in the house and carried lanterns to the barn for
light.
Did you have jobs to do around the house: Yes, carry in
wood and water which we got from the pump in the yard. And also helped milk the cows before we went
to school, a walking distance of 1 mile.
Did you have an attic or basement: We
had an attic in the house and we used to store extra clothing and supplies.
Who Lived with You: Mother and Dad, 5
brothers, 4 sisters.
Did Firemen or Police ever come to your house: Once I set fire to the mattress upstairs in the house
while my parents were in town for groceries.
I was trying to light cigarettes wrapped with newspaper over corn fiber. I used a hairbrush to combat the fire in the
mattress, which was filled with shavings, which they used in those days.
What was the first Christmas you remember like: The first Christmas I remember was someone dressed like
Santa with long whiskers and a sack of presents. I was scared stiff at the time, I was about 4
years old.
Where did you hang stockings and how did you decorate the tree: I hung my stocking on the back of a chair placed in the
living room. The trees were decorated
with popcorn strings and candy canes etc.
During the night we would tip toe down the stairs and peak around the
doorway to see if Santa was bringing presents.
The biggest thrill was when we received a small phonograph. I think it was played from morning till
night. Mother used to get bored with the
noise sometimes.
Did Santa give you what you asked for: I never asked for
anything special
Did you have snow/go sleigh riding or skating: We used get a lot of snow. We went sleigh riding when we had
gatherings. I used to go skating on the
river every night. We would go down the
river several miles.
Did you go to your Grandma’s for Thanksgiving: No, Grandma lived
too far away.
How did you trick or treat on Halloween: We did not trick
or treat those days. Our big thrill was
to go blueberry picking in the Minnesota area around Roseau, MN.
What did you do on the 4th of July: We used to attend a picnic at a place called Happy
Corner. Lately they changed the
place. I don’t remember, but it was east
of Argyle, MN.
Did you send cards or candy
to girls on Valentine’s Day: I remember one girl that I sent a Valentine
card to. Her name was Francis Kuznia,
she later contracted Scarlet Fever and died.
She was a daughter of Frank Kuznia.
They lived 1 ½ miles east of our farm.
What were your family holiday traditions: We would visit
with neighbors back and forth. There
were families that we exchanged visits with.
Where did you go to school: I went to
school in the country, in Wanger Township, in Stephen, MN, until I was in grade
8. Then we moved into town and I continued
until my Junior year.
Did you like school: Yes
How did you get to school: We walked
to school most of the time, 1 mile. We
walked across the neighbors farm for short cut.
What classes did you like, hate: I
liked Arithmatic and grammer. I hated
history etc.
Were your report cards good, what was your best: My report cards
were fair to good. I do not remember,
but I don’t think I got a red mark.
Did you go out for
sports: Yes,
I went out for all sports. I played
football and basketball. Our team took
District Championship in Football.
Were you given lots of homework: No not much.
Where did you go on vacations Grandpa: We
did not take vacations. The only pace we
could go was Grandma’s farm, Karlstad, MN.
The name was Sylskar.
Did you go Camping or Fishing: No
Were you ever on a train trip:
My first train trip we bought a ticket to
Northcote, MN, to pick potatoes on the Jim Hill Farm. Potatoes were poor and all could not make our
board.
What was the longest trip you ever took: The longest trip
we took was to Grand Forks, ND, to visit my mother’s sister who lived there. Later she moved to Chicago, IL, Mrs. Rachell
Rayotte(sp), son Frank & Harry.
Did you go to the fair or carnival: That was the
biggest thrill, to go to the fair.
Did you ever go to Disneyland or Six Flags: No
What was the latest you ever stayed up: About Midnight
How old were you before you could date? Who was your first date: First Date
Freshman Year, Vera Clausen
When did you get your first knife, slingshot, gun: Knife when I was
about 6 years old. Slingshot 8th
grade. Gun, I was about 15 yrs.
Who taught you to drive? What was your first car: I learned by
watching my older brother. First car
Model A Ford Touring car.
Ever build a treehouse & swing: No
What was your nickname: Didn’t have
any
Did you used to catch lighting bugs? What kind of things did you
collect: No
How did you meet Grandma? Did you have any rivals: I met Irene at a
dance at the Park Pavilion in Drayton, ND.
Where did you go on your first date? Did you like her right
away? Did she write you love letters?
Did you ever get mad at Grandma while you were dating: Went to a theatre
in Hallock, MN, on first date. I fell in
love with her at once.
Where and when did you ask her to marry you: While parked in
the picnic grounds in the Drayton Park.
When did you get married?
What was your wedding like? Who
was in your wedding: We got married in the late
fall at the Ministers house in Crookston, MN.
Where did you go on your honeymoon: We drove over to
Thief River Falls, MN, and stayed at the hotel and returned home the next day.
Where was your first home: Our first home was in a house I rented from Mrs. Charles
Clark, north Stephen, MN.
Where were your babies born?
Who were they named after:
Allan born at home, Stephen,
MN.
Carol
at home with nurse from Kennedy, MN.
John
born Hallock Hospital.
Judith,
Neche, ND.
Kay
in Cavalier Nursing Home.
Did you work after school: Just
Housework.
What was your first job?
How much did you get paid: Worked for Roy Benson on farm, $50 per month.
How many different places did you work? Did you ever work on a farm:
Scandia State Bank, Stephen, MN
Stephen
Implement, Book keeper & Parts Man
Grafton
Implement Co, Grafton, ND, Salesman
Yes I worked on a farm for Roy Benson, at
Stephen, MN. I would get up early and
feed horses and harness them, and be in the house for breakfast at 6:00
am. And walk behind the horses mostly 20
miles a day.
Did you receive any special awards? Were you ever elected to office: I was alderman of
Stephen, MN and Mayor of Neche, ND.
Did you ever have your own stereo or tapes: No
Did you have to take music lessons: No
Did certain songs bring back memories: Yes
Do you remember your first dance?
Who with? What dances: First dance with
Iva Hood a classmate, Two-Step.