The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1939-10-26
Fortieth Anniversary Of
Milroy Church Observed


of Our Saviour's Lutheran church
of Milroy joined last week in cele-
brating the fortieth anniversary of
the church which was organized
October %, 1899 by Rev. j. /.
Mortenson of Lanberton.
All but one of the former pas
tors were present and took part
in the services. Rev. c. M. Toilet
son pastor for IA years, died this
spring.
The ministers who were present
were: Rev. Mortenson of Mime
apoliS, now retired; Rev. Albert
Framstad of Henning, Rev. r. A.
Hansen of Ellensburg, Wash. and
Rev. G. G. Olson of Fargo, N. d.
Rev. T. o. Burntvedt of Mime
apolis, president of the Lutheran
Free church, preached the ami
versary sermon Sunday morning.
Music was furnished by the
church choir and the Lucan and
Lamberton choirS, Rev. Olson and
Rev. Burntvedt, the Lamberton
made quartet and Girls Sextet,
| ..
Lucan and others.
John Rudd, secretary for the
congregation for Is years, COM
piled the church history, which
included the following informa-
ton:
In the '70's, this section of Red
wood county was homesteaded. AS
| every other section was railroad
grant, the settlers were scattered
far apart. This township was
settled mainly by Irish people.
Towards the east and north were
Danish and German settlements.
Farther north and to the south
there were Norwegian settlements
and to the west, Scotch and
French-Canadian.
During the latter part of the
'9C's, the railroad land was sold
and many Scandinavian people
moved in.
When Rev. Mortenson, on one
of his Home Mission trips through
the country, found Scandinavian
people scattered through this area,
he began work amongst them
meeting in schoolhouses and pri-
vate homes. Our Saviour's Luth-
eran church was organized as a
result. Some of the members lived
in Granite. Rock township and
others in Westline, SO Rev. Nor
tenson conducted services in both
townships.
Charter members included the
families of A. T. Brake, Gustav
Peterson, William Peterson, Ken
meth Peterson, Ed Ellefson, Claus
Strom, Christian Solseth, Ole Sol
seth, G. E. Levig, Hogan Johnson,
Halvor johnson, Enoch Ahlness,
Matt Ahlness, Ole o. Fredrickson,
Bennie and Carl Broste, Ole,
Henry and Andrew Lovald, Fred
Grove, Jens Peterson, Ole An
nundson, Hans and Marie Larson,
August Johnson, Ole Heller, Mar
tin Dahl, Sigurd Dahl, Lena Knut-
son, Anna Knutson, Gustave
Knutson, John Hustad, Ole Hus-
tad, Sivert Benson, Peter Benson,
Christopher Melting, Ingebrit
Lyse, Ole Lyse, Thore Ellingson,
Nels Ellingson, j. B. Johnson,
Louis Anderson, A. c. Mehl, Gre
CORY Huseby, Even Liagjold and
John K. Hanson.
First officers were Chris Nell
ing, Hans Larson and j. B. john
son, deacons; A. T. Brake, c. E.
Levig and A. c. Menk, trustees;
Martin Dahl, secretary and Claus
Strom, treasurer.
Helene Christine Dahl was the
first child in the congregation to
be baptized by Rev. Mortenson.
At meeting held June 80, 1902,
it was decided to build a church in
Milroy. A subscription committee
was elected, including G. E. Levig,
Ole Fredrickson and Halvor john
son. A building committee was
also elected, consisting of A. T.
Brake, Martin Dahl ard John
Rudd.
The church was completed in
January 1908 and on Palm Sum
day 1908, the first service was
held there. 1t was dedicated May
20, 1904.
Rev. Mortenson gave his fare
well sermon July 16, 1905 and was
succeeded by Rev. Albert Franz
stad, who served until July 1911.
Rev. R. A. Hanson was pastor
until 1916
Rev. c. M. Tollefson of Madelia
was pastor from 1916 to 1880 and
in 1888 and 1884, Rev. C. G.. Olson
serving in the intervening years.
Out of town folks who attended
anniversary services were: Mr..
and Mrs. John Olstad, Mr.. and
Mrs. c. Shelley, Mr.. and Mrs. J.
I. Mosenden, Mr.. and Mrs. Matt
Hansen and Christine Lilloeden
all of Hanska; Mrs. Martha Stfom
and Mrs. Josie Levig of Lake Cry
stall, Mr.. and Mrs. Theo Torgrim-
son ard MIR. and Mrs. Lyle Bisbee
of Tracy, Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Hell
geson, Mrs. Gordon Enemark, Mrs.
Knute Anderson, Mrs. Fehring,
Mrs. P. A. Strommen and son
Clair and Warren Bishop all of
Lamberton,
Mr.. and Mrs. liver Melting, Mrs.
Ole Froland, Mr.. and Mrs. H. L.
Hogren, Mr.. and Mrs. Marvin
Severson end Mr.. and Mrs. w. S.
Southmayd all of Vesta; Bertha
Anderson and Mrs. Framstad of
Henning; Rev. Hanson of Jackson,
Mr.. and Mrs. Milton Jensen, Mr..
and Mrs. William Hansen, Mrs.
Louis Grams, Mr.. and Mrs. Phillip
Raveling and Bernetta, Meta and
George, Mrs. 0. H. Gehrke, Mrs.
Charles Jones, Mr.. and Mrs. AL
bert Hansen, Mrs. Henry Hansen,
Mrs. Erwin Bruins, L. o. Timm,
Mrs. F. c. Wegner, Mr.. and Mrs.
Frank Norcutt, Mrs. Severt Ben
son, Mrs Howard Grams and Bert