Lumber Companies
A.O. CONDE, our first lumber dealer was supposedly settled here before the railroad came through. Because the pioneers had to go such great distances for their lumber in 1871, he perhaps did not have a large supply. In 1875 Mr. CONDE enlarged his warehouse here and was buying wheat. In 1875 he was a member of the Board of Co. Commissioners and in 1876 the town clerk of Hersey. Mr. CONDE evidently moved to Adrian about 1879 for he is listed in the county paper as a visitor at Hersey from Adrian.
In 1900 Otto BURREAU and son Ed and Fred MEYER operated a lumber business here.
In 1903 JACOBS and WATTS Lumber sold out to STEWARD and VOLK.
In 1903 the James A. SMITH Lumber Company was managed by Ettly I. ROUSE. In 1904 SMITH had hitching posts put along the side facing EBERT’S store. This same year he purchased the coal sheds owned by P. GEYERMAN and sons and will replace with new. In 1906 their coal sheds broke down and two cars of anthracite were precipitated onto the side track. When a local freight pulled out of the station at a rapid pace Fred MITCHELL scooped coal as he never had before.
In 1906 the manager was Lon KRUEMLING and Otto KNUTH, assistant manager. In 1907 Otto KNUTH became manager. He advertised: “Try our kindling wood, guaranteed dry as a bone, ten cents a bunch.”
In 1908 STEWART and VOLK sold to H.L. HARRIS. Mr. VOLK moved into the rooms over MCCHESNEY and HENDERSON Hardware and continued in the livestock business. Mr. STEWART purchased C.T. TUPPERS interest in the Citizens National Bank of Worthington and succeeded him as cashier. In 1908 Ed TJOSSEN worked at the HARRIE Lumber Company during the winter. Fred MITCHELL had been there three years previously. Two years later H.L. HARRIS sold to James A. SMITH both yard and implement. M.P. WEINANDT was employed. The next years, employees included Fred HOLMES, Jack FOLLEN and John COENS. In 1918 Brewster Lumber Company became incorporated with C.J. PAINE, president; A.C. SEVERSON, vice president and D.H. CONNORS, secretary. In 1918 F.D. WELLS placed a flag pole on top of the Lumber Company’s office from which Old Glory floated. In 1918 C.W. LIEN worked as second man. In 1919 they became agents for Everlight Lighting Systems for farmers. In 1921 the company put one of its larger buildings on a new concrete foundation. In 1925 the office building was raised and a concrete foundation put under it by POWELL and OLSON. In 1933 Earl SUCKER of Lakefield worked during the illness of Otto KNUTH. In 1937 a sash house was built by Ed OLSON to house the machinery and facilities for mill work.
In 1940 C.J. DEMPEWOLF of Osakis, Minnesota, became manager. Otto KNUTH bookkeeper and Joe BISCH yard man. When Mr. KNUTH retired in 1941 he had worked thirty-five years at the Lumber yard. Joe BISCH has been at the yards the past thirty-seven years at the present time. Since March 1 of 1955 Orville NAUMANN has been manager. “Red” NAUMANN came here from Blue Earth. DEMPEWOLF went to Cass Lake, Minnesota to run a resort. Another present employee is Lloyd KROEGER, who has been there since 1948. Fred HABERMAN worked at the yard part time previous to 1955.
Thus from its early beginning the Brewster Yard has grown and developed into the modern yard it is today.
Nobles County Genealogy
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