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Ramsey County History – Summer 2009: “Food for a Good Life: John J. Ryan and the Minnesota Grocers Association”

Mary Jo Richardson

Food for a Good Life: John J. Ryan and the Minnesota Grocers Association Author: Mary Jo Richardson This article, written by his granddaughter, is the story of J. J. Ryan, who made his mark both on the state and nation as a spokesman for retail grocers. He was born…

Ramsey County History – Spring 2009: “Minnesota Politics and Irish Identity: Five Sons of Erin at the State Capitol”

John W. Milton

Minnesota Politics and Irish Identity: Five Sons of Erin at the State Capitol Author: John W. Milton The author, a former state senator, researched the five men of Irish extraction who are honored in the State Capitol. The first is “The Senator: Nicholas David Coleman (1925–1981),” a St. Paulite…

Ramsey County History – Winter 2009: “Courthouse Sculptor: Lee Lawrie”

Paul D. Nelson

Courthouse Sculptor: Lee Lawrie Author: Paul D. Nelson A look at renowned sculptor Lee Lawrie (1887–1963), who designed the exterior artwork for the New York Rockefeller Center and the St. Paul City Hall and County Courthouse. His specialty was architectural sculpture or, so to speak, carving on buildings. Lawrie…

Ramsey County History – Winter 2009: “Stanford Newel, Proposal Rock, and Newell Park Widows: Newell Park Celebrates Its Centennial”

Krista Finstad Hanson

Stanford Newel, Proposal Rock, and Newell Park Widows: Newell Park Celebrates Its Centennial Author: Krista Finstad Hanson This article was timed to help Newell Park celebrate its hundredth anniversary in 2008. It starts with the early history of the land, which had been bought and sold often in the…

Ramsey County History – Fall 2008: “Pith Heart & Nerve, Truman M. Smith: From Banker to Market Gardener”

Barry L. & Joan Miller Cotter

Pith Heart & Nerve, Truman M. Smith: From Banker to Market Gardener Authors: Barry L. & Joan Miller Cotter According to the authors, Truman Smith did not give up in the face of a major economic collapse in 1857; instead he showed resilience and used “pith, heart, and nerve”…

Ramsey County History – Fall 2008: “Growing Up In Saint Paul: Random Recollections of Grace Flandrau”

Horace Blair Flandrau Klein

Growing Up In Saint Paul:  Random Recollections of Grace Flandrau Author: Horace Blair Flandrau Klein This is a memoir written by a nephew of Grace Flandrau, who was called  “Aunt Geese” by most of the youngsters of the family. The author, Horace Blair Flandrau Klein, remembered her as having…

Ramsey County History – Spring 2008: “A Whirlwind of Crimes: The Crimes and Times of Wonnigkeit and Ermisch”

Janice R. Quick

A Whirlwind of Crimes: The Crimes and Times of Wonnigkeit and Ermisch Author: Janice R. Quick The story of two friends who ran around together and ran afoul of the law together. Both were of German ancestry. They were first arrested for burglary in 1892 and were sentenced to…

Ramsey County History – Winter 2008: “Tommy Milton: The Story of ‘St. Paul’s Speed King’”

Steven C. Trimble 

Tommy Milton: The Story of “St. Paul’s Speed King” Author: Steven C. Trimble  While he is rarely remembered except by sports historians, “St. Paul’s Speed King,” Tommy Milton (1893–1962) was one of the most prominent race car drivers in America during the early years of the twentieth century. He…

Ramsey County History – Fall 2007: “Roseville’s ‘Lost Son’ Honored”

John M. Lindley

Roseville’s “Lost Son” Honored Author: John M. Lindley A short follow-up article to a Spring 2007 essay on early Roseville resident Benjamin Rose. Rose died while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, but his body was never returned. Until recently, it was unclear where his remains…