Part ten of a series It became associated with Sadie Hawkins, a 1937 cartoon character. But 57 years earlier, a similar social event occurred in 1880 Caledonia. The 1882 History of Houston County recounted notable events year by year. THE YEAR 1878 (continued) In December, Mr. John Knock, a German living in the township of Brownsville, was killed by the fall of a large limb … [Read more...]
The altar
By Pastor Jeff Jacobs Unity Lutheran Parish - St. Paul, Saetersdal and St. Matthew’s, Granger One of my favorite poets is George Herbert, who is commemorated in the Lutheran church on the date of his death, March 1, 1633. He was born April 3, 1593, in Montgomery, Wales, into an aristocratic family. In 1609 he began studies at Trinity College, Cambridge, where in 1616 he … [Read more...]
Prepare for Liftoff!
With a big yawn, I exclaimed, “I dreamt I could fly!” I remember the weightless feeling of levitating like Superman into the air. From the time I was young, I have dreamed of flying both nocturnally and in conscious thought. My brother and I would always see how much air we could get. I remember packing snow up over the old stump in the middle of our sledding hill to make a … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Sleeping through a theft, auspicious celebration in Brownsville
Part nine of a series A local organization of the national anti-liquor movement, the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, was founded in Caledonia on November 1, 1878, “with many of the leading ladies of the village as officers.” This was published in an 1882 History of Houston County, which included year-by-year newsworthy events during the county’s first three decades. … [Read more...]
The Arctic Blast
February, though a short month, has signaled some important dates of the year. Birthdays for important individuals, such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, my brother, two of our daughters and one grandson, are remembered this time of year. Some Februarys make for snowy, frigid days. Others flirt with springtime temperatures. With Christmas in the rear-view mirror, it … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past The approach of day warned them to “git”
Part eight of a series This account of an 1877 robbery was published in the 1882 History of Houston County with preservation of the original spelling and punc-tuation. On Mon-day night, June 3d, a most persistent attempt was made to rob the safe in the County Treasurer’s office. Nothing was known of the affair until 7 o’clock on Tuesday morning, when the Auditor, Mr. Trask, … [Read more...]
The importance of your witness
By Pastor Paul Hauschild Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches The philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once told a story about a circus that caught fire. The flames from the circus fire spread to the fields surrounding the circus grounds and began to burn toward the village below. The circus master, convinced that the village would be destroyed and the people killed … [Read more...]
Do I every day?
What if “I do” wasn’t about taking? FamilyLife Today sends a daily marriage tip to my inbox. The subject never fails to give me pause. “I Do Every Day,” it reads, followed by whatever topic is being covered for that day. The first “I Do” I said on my wedding day in response to the long string of intense questioning about having and holding, forsaking all others, in sickness, … [Read more...]
Today’s not the day the teddy bears have their picnic
He had a voice like a truck rolling north on I-35. “I’ll tell you what winter isn’t.” He paused to let the anticipation build. The clock in my brain ticked, “One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi...” I waited because I wanted to hear. People are fond of telling us what winter is, but seldom tell us what it isn’t. “It’s no picnic,” he said solemnly. I … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Perception of witchcraft
By Maddy Bergey The supernatural, sorcery, and spells – key words associated with witchcraft. By definition found in Oxford’s Dictionary, witchcraft is “the practice of magic, especially for evil purposes or the use of spells.” Though witchcraft started as a medieval practice, variations of this mysterious art are still surfacing in today’s world. In the present day, however, … [Read more...]