Kenneth tells how at age 4, mad at his father and his brother for often siding against his mother, he ran away and was captured by and old man at whose house he spent the night and eventually was taken back home the next morning. This was the first…
Kenneth tells how at age 4 he would often go sledding down the hill on Main Street with the help of college students, and how his mother lived in terror as a result. He explains that though there were dangers, nothing bad actually happened.
Kenneth recalls the time when, at age 2, his baby buggy took off down the hill at full speed, his mother rushing down and sweeping him up, and how later on they both enjoyed reading a book about a baby riding in a baby buggy.
Kenneth tells about his infancy, how his Irish nurse would put whiskey in his milk to help him digest what he believes he could not disgest otherwise, and how his mother, on learning this, promptly fired the nurse.
Kenneth explains how, from his earliest childhood, he had a free pass for any train ride South of the Mississipi, and he travelled often, as soon as he was old enough to use it.
Thorina Chrisina married in 1876 and migrated to the US in 1883 with her two children and her mother, following the death of her husband and one of her children. They settled in Racine and Trine invested money in the business of her brother, Laurids,…
The newlyweds, Adelle and A.D. stayed at the Mortensens' house in Somers, WI, and A.D. had to bike to Racine for work. He had a special bike with a flanged wheel that he could ride on the railroad track into Racine, a distance of about ten miles.ﾠ
Margaret tells about her family and describes their physical characteristics. She begins with her grandfather, Laurids Jurgen Moeller Mortenson, from Denmark. He managed to come to the US and attended Garrett Biblical Institute. Upon graduation he…
Kenneth's father was of puritan congregational background. He rarely gave presents to his children, not even at Christmas (which he did not believe in). Kenneth tells about his shock when, following his marriage he discovered that his wife's…
Henry Landon, Kenneth's uncle, was a very bland person, a politician type, and very likable. He always knew what was going on and how to adjust to it. He was a very able civil engineer. (The clip contains some side information about the Landon…
Kenneth's father, Brad, was always after Ed (the other uncle of Kenneth besides Henry) to shape up. Brad and Henry were so successful that Ed just looked around and decided that it wasn't worth the effort, so he stayed home most of the time (in part…
Kenneth recalls the life of his father, Bradley William Landon his birth, youth, and physical appearance. He was a very influential person in the Erie Railroad and a very brilliant chemist, well-known throughout the United States. He tells of the…
One day Margaret saw Elisabeth hold sand in a cup. Mother was baking in the kitchen and as she turned to the sink Elizabeth dashed in an threw the sand into the flour bin
Evangeline was punished by her mom for running after and catching the streetcar. On another Margaret also was punished for running in front of the streetcar. Mom would usually punish the kids verbally.
Every Saturday afternoon, A.D., Margaret's father, would bring home a bag of candies after work. The girls were expected to be polite and nice to each other in their using of the candies.
Margaret acquired two kittens and one day they disappeared. Adelle didn't want to tell her about what had happened to the kittens, but she overheard her mom telling her dad that the tom had killed them both. That was her first experience of the death…
Margaret loved reading from the beginning of her schooling. She would complete and turn in her assignment before it was due in order to get to read one of the books that Miss Morse kept at the back of the classroom. She remembers her mom reading to…
Margaret recalls her first kindergarten project, a turkey cut out of paper and colored, and a sailboat cut out and put on a piece of paper. She also gives the names of her school teachers from kindergarten to eighth grade, and remembers one who was…
Margaret's mother kept a lot of memorabilia. On a small program for children's day at church, which her mother kept Margaret found written the date of her baptism: June 12, 1904, a short time before her first birthday.
Margaret's grandfather died in June 1907, at the age of seventy-one. Adelle and the two girls attended the funeral. The total expense of internment was $ 144.25
Margaret's grandmother died before she was born, but she has one memory of her grandfather Estberg. He came one day while she was playing with other kids and he stood behind her, a very tall man dressed in black. His image is mixed up with that of…
Margaret always loved desserts, so when she was convalescing her mother made her a batch of cream puffs. She was down to the last one when the doctor came in to see her, and mother suggested that she gave it to the doctor. "And to this day I can…
