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December 21, 2019
barnescountyhistoricalsociety
Carl Frederick Zaun
Carl Frederick Zaun, the third youngest child of Fred and Emelie Zaun, was born on September 8, 1892. He married Alma Bartz on November 5, 1913. Alma was born August 10, 1895, in Alta Township, the daughter of Fred and Bertha Bartz.
Carl and Alma farmed on his father’s farm fire miles northwest of Valley City until Carl died on July 20, 1918.
Carl and Alma were blessed with three children; Lawrence of New Hope, Minnesota, Gladys Kopp (Mrs. Henry Holkman) of Edina, Minnesota; and Helen (Mrs. Hubert Podenski) of Jamestown, North Dakota. Alma was married again in 1920 to Frank Hilborn. They lived in various areas of North Dakota and Minnesota. After divorcing Frank, she lived in Jamestown, North Dakota for several years, and in 1945, she moved back to Valley City, where she has lived ever since.
Alma and Frank were blessed with eight children:
- Vivian (Mrs. Paul Thomas) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
- Lloyd of Burnsville, Minnesota;
- Lola (Mrs. Harry Goulding) of Woodridge, Illinois;
- Virgil of Fargo, North Dakota;
- Beverly (Mrs. Donald Peterson) of Missoula, Montana;
- Frank of Belcourt, Wisconsin;
- Russell of Valley City. Another son,
- Ray Gordon, was killed at the age of 1½ years.
Frank Zaun
Frank Zaun was born to Mr. and Mrs. Carl Zaun on July 2, 1904. He was born on the home farm south of Valley City and has continued to make his home there.
On June 26, 1930, he was married to Clara Huber, and they took over the farm from Frank’s father. Frank and Clara had five children: Gerald, of Fargo, North Dakota, is Supervising Engineer at Northwestern Bell; Ted, who farms south of the home farm; Mary Ann Armbrust of Krisann Estates of Fargo, who is teaching dome Economics and Special Education in the South High School; Denis, who is Purchasing Manager at Western Gear Manufacturing Company in Jamestown, North Dakota, and Richard, who is manager of Morton Building Company in Valley City. There are nineteen grandchildren.
Frank and Clara still actively farm on the home farm with the help of Ted and his sons, Michael and Kevin.
Frank Zaun served on the Township, board of Marsh Township for about forty years.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 280
1931 Valley City
1931
Rev. Ployhar took over as county attorney; J. B. Shearer, register of deeds, Arthur Sunde, sheriff: and Ted Hedstrum, deputy sheriff.
Harold Gulbrandson, Kenmare joined The Fair Store, as assistant manager.
Dr. E. B. Crosby and Dr. S. Z. Zimmerman purchased the Valley City clinic building across from the Rudolf.
Howard Wilson of Leal was named chairman of the Barnes County Commissioner.
Attorney H. A. Olsberg was named county judge to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Irgens.
W. W. Fritch and Carl bonde bough the Right Price Store and were to remodel the premises vacant after a disastrous fire.
Clarence Carlson was elected commander of the American Legion.
Cream was received at the new Barnes county cooperative Creamery.
William Posthumas was manager.
Astrid Fjelde, Valley City, was appearing as a member of the Tollefson Trio, singing Scandinavian songs.
The Cobb Company purchased the potato warehouse property on Front Street and established a creamery, poultry, and egg packing plant there. C. M. Hetland was district manager.
John W. Blume was appointed an alderman.
Anthony Fiola closed his fruit and vegetable store on Sixth Avenue to become manager of the Cities Service Station on Sixth Avenue and Front Street.
The world’s first reaper, invented by Cyrus McCormick in 1831 was on exhibit at the Valley City International Company.
John O. Hanchett and L. T. Sprout became partners in a law office.
M. P. Korgh and Paul Sherman opened a clothing store on Main Street.
Ron Holm was transferred from the Montgomery Ward store her to Watertown.
Dr. Glenn Hullet was elected president of the Chautauqua Association.
Irl Carr sold half his interests in the billiard hall to Mike McCarthy, Tower City.
J. H. Sampson opened his new café in the Barnes County Implement Company building.
William Craswell was elected fire chief for the 21st time.
Ben Northridge, Frank Bailey, Clarence Carlson, were elected aldermen.
Edward Norgaard opened Ed’s Fixit Shop under the Middlewest Bank Building.
Judge Alphonso Barnes
Judge Alphonso (Alanson) Barnes-“The Record”, page 2, Vol.1, No. l May 1895
Born Lewis County, N.Y.1817. Red law at office of David Bennett and admitted to bar at 23 Practiced in N.Y. until 1854 when he moved to Delevan, Wis. Appointed “Draft Commissioner” by Lincoln and filled levees for Civil War. Appointed associate Chief Justice of Dakota Territory by President Grant April 1873 with headquarters in Yankton, 2nd Judicial District. After and as a result of a dispute over the railroad and bond situation maneuvering by Gov. Burbank, he was re-assigned to the 3rd. Judicial District with headquarters in Pembina by Whitney, Territorial Secretary in the absence of Burbank. His letters and personal appearance in Washington against the administration of Burbank caused Burbank’s resignation. He was reappointed Associate Justice by President Hayes in 1877 and was succeeded by Judge Hudson in l88l. Was a delegate to the Fargo convention for Division in 1882. After the Burbank episode, the Territorial Legislature re-named Burbank County on July 14, 1874 to Barnes County In his honor Burbank had named the county after his name when created on January 4, 1873.
Barnes County “The Record” page 29, Vol.1, No. l May 1895
County Named after Judge Alphonso (Alanson) Barnes, Associate Justice of Dakota Territory by Territorial Legislature on July 14, 1874
County first named Burbank after the then Governor of Dakota Territory, John A. Burbank, a political appointee of President Grant. Burbank, maneuvering to make a fortune thru railroad promotion and the sale of land and bonds, threatened Judge Barnes with banishment to Pembina if he did not rule on the legality of his actions. Barnes refused and sent information to Washington regarding Burbank’s schemes. The Territorial surveyor corroborated his reports and Burbank was forced to resign. Barnes in the mean time had been banished to the 3rd. Judicial District at Pembina by Burbank’s henchman, the Territorial Secretary, Whitney, while Burbank was in Washington to plead his case. Territorial Legislature then re-named Burbank County to Barnes County in his honor, after Burbank had resigned.
History of the Sheyenne Valley
History of Sheyenne Valley
From time immemorial, the human race has been moving about. An intuitive trait in the human make up seems to urge it out of the old habitations to see new places where homes could be built and where new enterprises could be engaged in. This restive trait is without any doubt one of the great causes for the fact that the human race has found its way to all livable places on the globe. A thinning out as it were of the over- crowded places to fill in those which were more sparsely populated.
It is rather sad indeed, to tear loose from the old native country the old home, from kindred and acquaintances and go to a country which is unknown, a country with strange people, different customs and different language, but necessity made it imperative. Go, struggle, and win — or stay, struggle and get nowhere. Facing these two alternatives, the thousands of struggling European people, followed the beck and call of the new world and came to the land of the free, not always as fortune hunters but rather, to find a place where they were enabled to build a home of their own, a thing that was impossible in their native country, owing to circumstances over which they had no control.
Thus America was settled by the so called useless surplus of the old world. But which has proved to be the right and only kind of people that could be used, in the building of the greatest republic under the sun.
As it was with America in a large measure, so it has evidently been with her states in a smaller scale. “Go West, young man, go West!” was the bugle call sounded in the East, and west they came, by the thousands. A cordial invitation was accorded them from the limitless prairies, with a virgin soil unparallel in fertility. Thus North Dakota was settled by immigrants from the older settlements in the east and people coming directly from Northern Europe.
We stated that a cordial welcome was accorded the pioneers and it is true to the fullest extent of the term, but it was a welcome not to a life of leisure and idleness but a welcome to hard strenuous labor, all kinds of sacrifices, and privations—and not the least among them, the lonely feelings so excellently expressed by Bojer in his book “Vor Egen Stamme”, “It was the prairie, the sun and Him” That was all, “But there were Giants in the Earth in those days” tall men, sun crowned men, men with an indomitable will behind a steely arm. Men that had a vision, men with faith in the unseen. They visualized the prairies yielding bountiful crops, even before a kernel was sown. They were to it and realized their dream.
Before we proceed with the history of the old pioneers we bed permission to devote a few lines of this historical sketch to a very important incident in the history of our state. An event immediately preceding the early settlement of this community. An even lending tint, as it were, of a very important and interesting character to this particular part of our state.
In the month of June, in 1863, General Sibley, began his march through the Minnesota Valley against the Indians who were encamped at Devils Lake. He came from Abercrombie up to Big Bend on the Sheyenne River by what now is Lisbon, or close to that place. In his army was a captain by the very significant name of Ole Paulson. Later this man became a pastor in the Lutheran Free Church. A few years before his death he wrote his autobiography and in this he gives a very graphic description of the march across what later became Fort Ransom. Over yonder on Mr. E. Storhoff’s place there has been found an unmistakable evidence of a camping place, dating to Sibley’s March in 1863. Therefore the Historical society of the state placed a maker at said place some time ago. The army continued marching north to what then was called Fort Atchinson, fifteen miles northwest of what is now called Cooperstown, then west to the Missouri river where they were suppose to meet General Sully coming up the river from Yankton, South Dakota as per previous agreement. He failed to come however, owing to the fact that the water in the river was too low for navigation. In 1864, Sibley began his return March over the same route, crossing fort Ransom, Lisbon, Big Bend, and Abercrombie. From Abercrombie Captain Paulson was ordered to cross the flat over to Pelican Lake in Minnesota, and in the early part of November, 1864, this company voted unaminously for Abraham Lincoln. This election took place on the shore of Pelican Lake.
History of the Sheyenne Valley
History of Sheyenne Valley
From time immemorial, the human race has been moving about. An intuitive trait in the human make up seems to urge it out of the old habitations to see new places where homes could be built and where new enterprises could be engaged in. This restive trait is without any doubt one of the great causes for the fact that the human race has found its way to all livable places on the globe. A thinning out as it were of the over- crowded places to fill in those which were more sparsely populated.
It is rather sad indeed, to tear loose from the old native country the old home, from kindred and acquaintances and go to a country which is unknown, a country with strange people, different customs and different language, but necessity made it imperative. Go, struggle, and win — or stay, struggle and get nowhere. Facing these two alternatives, the thousands of struggling European people, followed the beck and call of the new world and came to the land of the free, not always as fortune hunters but rather, to find a place where they were enabled to build a home of their own, a thing that was impossible in their native country, owing to circumstances over which they had no control.
Thus America was settled by the so called useless surplus of the old world. But which has proved to be the right and only kind of people that could be used, in the building of the greatest republic under the sun.
As it was with America in a large measure, so it has evidently been with her states in a smaller scale. “Go West, young man, go West!” was the bugle call sounded in the East, and west they came, by the thousands. A cordial invitation was accorded them from the limitless prairies, with a virgin soil unparallel in fertility. Thus North Dakota was settled by immigrants from the older settlements in the east and people coming directly from Northern Europe.
We stated that a cordial welcome was accorded the pioneers and it is true to the fullest extent of the term, but it was a welcome not to a life of leisure and idleness but a welcome to hard strenuous labor, all kinds of sacrifices, and privations—and not the least among them, the lonely feelings so excellently expressed by Bojer in his book “Vor Egen Stamme”, “It was the prairie, the sun and Him” That was all, “But there were Giants in the Earth in those days” tall men, sun crowned men, men with an indomitable will behind a steely arm. Men that had a vision, men with faith in the unseen. They visualized the prairies yielding bountiful crops, even before a kernel was sown. They were to it and realized their dream.
Before we proceed with the history of the old pioneers we bed permission to devote a few lines of this historical sketch to a very important incident in the history of our state. An event immediately preceding the early settlement of this community. An even lending tint, as it were, of a very important and interesting character to this particular part of our state.
In the month of June, in 1863, General Sibley, began his march through the Minnesota Valley against the Indians who were encamped at Devils Lake. He came from Abercrombie up to Big Bend on the Sheyenne River by what now is Lisbon, or close to that place. In his army was a captain by the very significant name of Ole Paulson. Later this man became a pastor in the Lutheran Free Church. A few years before his death he wrote his autobiography and in this he gives a very graphic description of the march across what later became Fort Ransom. Over yonder on Mr. E. Storhoff’s place there has been found an unmistakable evidence of a camping place, dating to Sibley’s March in 1863. Therefore the Historical society of the state placed a maker at said place some time ago. The army continued marching north to what then was called Fort Atchinson, fifteen miles northwest of what is now called Cooperstown, then west to the Missouri river where they were suppose to meet General Sully coming up the river from Yankton, South Dakota as per previous agreement. He failed to come however, owing to the fact that the water in the river was too low for navigation. In 1864, Sibley began his return March over the same route, crossing fort Ransom, Lisbon, Big Bend, and Abercrombie. From Abercrombie Captain Paulson was ordered to cross the flat over to Pelican Lake in Minnesota, and in the early part of November, 1864, this company voted unaminously for Abraham Lincoln. This election took place on the shore of Pelican Lake.
History of Kathryn, North Dakota
History of Kathryn
By C. Norman Saugstad
Eighteen miles south of Valley City in the beautiful Sheyenne Valley lays the village of Kathryn.
The first settlers came to the valley in 1876. They settled along the river. The soil was fertile and there were trees so they had fuel and built log huts.
New Year’s Day, 1901, the Northern Pacific Railroad came from Fargo and went as far as Marion, North Dakota. A railroad man named the place Kathryn after his daughter.
Two brothers from Casselton came out on a box car load of lumber and started the first store. It was a general store with everything from crackers to shoes. These two brothers also started the first implement business and organized a telephone company.
The land was farm land and some of it was owned by a man who had homesteaded here. The railroad also owned land and sold lots. (The government had deeded land to the railroads.) As the railroad came and the store opened for business people started buying lots. One of the first men to buy a lot and build a house was a blacksmith. He also built a blacksmith shop.
Other businesses started and the town grew quickly at first. The town, at its height, had 3 grain elevators, 2 blacksmith shops, a lumber yard, 2 grocery stores, 2 hotels, a drug store, a jewelry store (The jeweler was an exceptionally fine goldsmith), a millinery shop, a barber shop, a town hall known as the opera house, a creamery, a meat market, a section house, a post office, a depot, a livery stable and a weekly paper known as the “Kathryn Recorder.” They also had a doctor. Once a month a traveling dentist and an optometrist came to town.
The people were mostly of Scandinavian descent. Some of the people came directly from Norway. They left Norway for economic reasons. You young men left Norway to avoid compulsory military training. Many people came from Wisconsin, Chicago, and Minnesota. Some came for adventure and others had relatives here.
In 1904, an old school building was brought into town and used as a school house It was brought in from a mile and half out of town and had been used as they Community Center in the country. In 1905 a school house was built on a hill. In 1913, two rooms were added to this building.
In 1903, citizens assembled together for the purpose of organizing a Norwegian Lutheran Church. They decided to hold meeting in a hall until they could build a church. The hall where they had their church meetings also served as a community center. They also held weddings, dances, basket socials, funerals and Sunday school in this building. The Church building was built in 1914.
The train brought the mail every other day and there was a post office. The post office was located in the general store. At first the train went west one day and came back went east the next day. Later on the train started running every day. Two rural mail carriers carried the mail out to the country.
Life wasn’t too hard. There were many community “doings” which people took part in. They had several doctors at different times; but doctors didn’t stay because there wasn’t enough business. There was some sickness; a diphtheria epidemic took place in the early 1900’s witch was not too severe. As a whole people were honest, thrifty and hard working.
Early blizzards were severe and common. In the winter of 1907 the train didn’t come from New Year’s Day until March. People ran out of supplies and had to go to Valley City to get the necessary provisions. The road wasn’t open so they had to go with horses. The road was 20 miles at that time. E. G. Strom went to Valley City with bobsled and got 9 sacks for coal. He went one day and came back the next. During this time the town appealed to Washington for aid in getting the roads open as supplies were running low. The railroads were slow in opening their roads; people claimed they didn’t especially care to get this line open as they opened their main lines first. Practically everyone in town had cows and chickens so people were quite self-sufficient along the line of food.
Another bad year for blizzards was the winter of 1917. The train didn’t run for three months, but once in a while someone would go over to Fingal and get the mail. A big moment of for everyone and especially the children was when the train came after such a long time of being blocked out. First the rotary plow came, and then the train. Children usually got out of school for this event. The minute someone heard the train whistle everyone grabbed his coat and that was the end of school or that day.
One cyclone and a flood hit the little village too. On a hot, sultry August afternoon in 1910 a cyclone hit and did considerable damage; it uprooted trees and barns were demolished, freight cars were blown off the track and scattered all over. No one was injured, but a few animals were hurt and had to be destroyed. Half of the town was flooded by a cloud burst in 1918 when Dog Creek ran wild. Small buildings, wagon boxes, chickens and pigs were seen floating down the creek. Wagon boxes from the implement store were found as far away as Lisbon. It frightened many people but no one was injured. People living in the little houses along the creek had to be helped out and taken to higher location.
In 1916 the town suffered its first big fire. The Farmers’ Elevator burned in March and in October four business buildings burned: the drug store, general merchandise store and the bank. The only fire protection was the bucket brigade. Tin pails were thrown out of the hardware store, filled with water and passed up the line to the fire (an artisan well had been dug in the summer of 1916). These building were replaced with brick buildings. After these fires people became concerned about fire protection and organized a fire department.
In 1917 Kathryn became an incorporated village. It had a town council which was elected by the people. A city constable was elected to keep order. The village at this time numbered about 400 inhabitants.
The two men who had come from Casselton and started the first store brought the first car to town. It looked like a high wheeled buggy with a straight handle .for a steering wheel and a rubber horn on the side. The car was topless and the center of attraction I the village. It was about a 1906 model.
The town had an athletic club in the early days. They had a baseball team and a wrestling team. Quite a number of young people took part. There were also two basketball teams, one for the girls and one for the boys. They played neighboring towns. The club held meeting once a week in the city Hall.
A town band was organized by an instructor form valley city Teacher’s college. It played for graduation exercises, 4th of July celebrations and put on concerts for the public.
The 4th of July celebration was held either in the village or in a grove of trees on half mile from town along the Sheyenne River. It was a community picnic with plenty to eat. Races were held and games played. It was a time for people to get together, enjoy themselves and visit. In the evening there was always a bowery dance which young and old enjoyed.
There was a Yeoman’s Lodge, Sons of Norway Lodge and later an American Legion Post located in Kathryn.
The hills in the winter time were a source of enjoyment. When the snow was on the hills children, young adults and sometimes old adults would get their skis, which included everything from real skis from the store to homemade barrel staves. They sometimes slid on cardboard boxes, shovels, pieces of tin or anything that could be used for sliding down the hills. Ski Tournaments were held on the hills south of town. It was considered to be one of the best ski slides in the state. The scaffold was on a high hill. People came from all over the state. Christmas eve, 1935, the scaffold blew down during a blizzard.
Dog Creek would overflow its banks in the spring, if there was much snow during the winter. Children would vault the creek. The creek was also used in the winter time for skating –bonfires would be built if there wasn’t moonlight. Sloughs were also used for skating.
During the summer berry picking was a source of enjoyment for young and old. Chokecherries, gooseberries, plums and June berries were plentiful.
There was an “old swimming hole” by the old Walker Dam. Many children learned to swim there by hanging on a log and floating across the river. They had medicines shows selling patent medicines at the town hall as well as “Big Ole” shows with a dance afterwards.
In 1917 the town received electric lights and they started showing silent movies at the City Hall on Saturday nights. School programs and amateur programs were put on by the people in the community. Card parties were held. Lyceum programs were held in the winter time. It was high class entertainment. Chautauqua programs were held in a large tent. They consisted of musical programs and good speakers.
In 1938 spring water was piped into town from the hills south of Kathryn. The town had lost many of its business places during the depression. By 1941, it had one grocery store, one general merchandise store and one meat market. In March of 1941 the general merchandise store burned which was a loss for the town as it never was rebuilt.
During the Second World War many people left to work in war industries and plants. The population of the village became smaller and smaller.
Kathryn
By Flora Walker Strand
According to history prepared by Flora Walker Strand, the land on which Kathryn now stands (about 18 miles south of Valley City) was originally the homestead of Jenson. Title in some way had passed out of his hands and the purchase of the town site was made from Frank Lynch of Casselton”
Extension of the Northern Pacific’s branch line to Marion gave Kathryn its impetus. The line as surveyed in 1899 and 1900, with construction beginning April 18, 1900. First train service began January 1, 1901, although a group of railway officials made an earlier trip on a special train.
On September 15, 1900, a civil engineer and John Runck surveyed the town site and laid out the plot, but this plot was not filed with the Register of Deeds until June 1, 1901, according to the history.
On October 20, John Runck came here with a carload of lumber on a construction train. The next day he unloaded the lumber and his carpenter crew followed shortly to erect the first mercantile building, Runck Brothers Store, and the Northern Pacific depot. With improved railway facilities, the little town mushroomed. By early 1901 the infant town was preparing for social life with baseball games, picnics and the first Fourth of July celebration at which Lee combs was speaker of the day.
The man who built the first home in Kathryn was Ole Venaas who came to America in 1890. He became the first blacksmith in Kathryn.
Movie Theatres of Valley City
By Carla Kelly, Times-Record Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 6, 2005 3:34 PM CDT
Valley City is known statewide as the City of Bridges. City of Theatres is a
nickname almost as appropriate. From the early 1880s, with the Odds and Ends
Hall, to the present Theatre I & II, nearly a dozen movie theatres, several
opera houses, a music academy, a college auditorium, and other similar
venues have brought culture both high-brow and low-brow to an appreciative
community.
In its day, nothing was as fine as the Piller Theatre. In 1925, John Piller,
German-born local entrepreneur, built a big theatre in The City of Bridges
that any metropolis quadruple in size would have envied.
“Piller Theatre” still announces itself in stone over Dutton’s Valley
Gallery. The theatre is hidden now by a false floor and ceiling. Time has
moved on since “those thrilling days of yesteryear,” when cowboys and
robbers thundered across the screen, and Harpo Marx scooted around, tooting
his horn and leering at the ladies.
It’s been a long time since Greta Garbo wanted to be alone, Mae West urged
the fellas to come up and see her sometime, or Mickey Rooney declared, “He
ain’t heavy; he’s my brother.”
It’s also been a long time since Frances Piller Holm, 97, oldest of John and
Mary Piller’s 11 children, played the big Wurlitzer organ for silent films.
She says she tried to concentrate on the music, but she really wanted to
stare at Rudolph Valentino as “The Sheik” on the big screen in front of her.
And when she wasn’t accompanying the joys and woes of Charlie Chaplin,
Buster Keaton or Theda Bara, she made popcorn in the lobby, toasted cheese
sandwiches in The Movie Shop next door, sold tickets, or ushered moviegoers
down the aisle. “We Piller kids were a regular corporation,” she said.
“Everyone had a job.” They were paid $2.50 a week for their contributions to
the family business.
Any Piller offspring not doing something or other at the Piller could be
found down the street at the Rex Theatre, doing much the same. John Piller
managed the Rex and Grand theatres when he and the Piller clan came to
Valley City in 1919. Once the Piller was constructed, the Rex reverted to
showing B westerns, those horse operas with heroes and villains
distinguished by black or white hats, and amazing revolvers that fired 50
rounds without reloading. Or there might be a Charlie Chan flick at the Rex,
always a crowd-pleaser.
But the Piller was John’s baby. As he told a friend after it opened, “I came
to Valley City without a dime, but now I owe $100,000.”
The Piller might never have happened, if Mary hadn’t put down her foot when
her husband started considering a prospective theatre in Wilmer, Minn. “Mom
told him, ‘We’re not moving,'” Frances said. “‘You go buy that lot on
Central Avenue and build your own theatre.'”
He did. “It was a fortress,” Frances said. “Really a strong building.” John
shared the front of his building with a jewelry store on the corner and a
gift shop. Frances remembered an apartment upstairs, a dentist’s office, and
her father’s office.
On Nov. 11, 1925 – Armistice Day – the doors opened on Valley City’s finest
theatre at the time. Burgundy velvet panels hung between gold-painted
pilasters. The organ itself took three weeks to install down front in the
orchestra pit.
The theatre seated nearly 1,000 patrons. As one of four usherettes dressed
in burgundy and gold with daring satin pajama-like trousers, Frances helped
seat the audiences for “The Pony Express,” starring Betty Compson and
Ricardo Cortez.
The Talkies didn’t started until 1929, so Frances logged plenty of hours on
the organ bench, providing mood music for the silent screen. When
distributors sent movie reels to theatres, they also sent along a music
score for the accompanist. Since movies changed every other day, this meant
the organist had to be a quick study to learn the score. “I still had to
improvise some of the time,” Frances said.
Sometime Frances had help. She remembers that Julius Meyer, professor of
mathematics at Valley City Normal School (VCSU today) had a beautiful
baritone voice. When “The Volga Boatman” came to the Piller Theatre in 1926,
he sang the title song each night.
In 1929, “The Jazz Singer,”Al Jolson’s groundbreaking talking movie,
enchanted American moviegoers. Briefly called a fad, talkies soon spread
across the nation. Quick to respond, the Piller installed a Vitaphone unit
to let the actors speak.
In mid-April, 1929, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” a 74-minute movie starring
George Bancroft, introduced Valley City fans to the latest in talking
pictures.
The Valley City Times-Record trumpeted the event with an appropriately
extravagant headline: “April Twelfth Is Dawn of New Day.” The article went
on to gush that “theater-goers have marveled and are still amazed at the
thrill of talking movies.”
All movies quickly became talkies, which lessened Frances’ time down front
at the organ. There was still plenty to do, however. Frances remembers
hurrying through suppers at home, then rushing off to the Piller, where
movies were usually shown twice a night. She often found herself doing
homework in the ticket booth.
Talkies had their thrilling moments. In 1935 during “Dante’s Inferno,” an
intense drama starring Spencer Tracy, a lady in the audience fainted. “They
had to stop the show,” Frances said.
Although they could be exciting, movies in the ’30s were tame by today’s
coarser standards. Even though they were all expecting it, audience members
in 1939 gasped in unison at the end of “Gone with the Wind,” when Rhett
Butler told Scarlett, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
Even though he was a businessman right down to his shoe leather, John Piller
had a kind side, too. Frances recalled an afternoon when a bunch of little
boys lined up outside the theatre, wanting to get in. All of them were shy
of the 10-cent admission fee, but hopeful.
“Dad saw them outside and asked,
‘Do you want to go to the show?'” Frances said. “Everyone did, of course, so
he gave each kid a dime and a free box of popcorn.”
This story came home to roost years later when Frances’ daughter Linda went
to Hollywood to begin her career as a writer and eventually assistant editor
of Photoplay Magazine. Dale Olson, well-known publicist to the stars and
former Valley City resident, showed her around and arranged celebrity
interviews to help her break into the business.
Linda told him once about the time her father gave those kids free admission
to the Piller. Dale laughed and told her, “I was one of those boys.”
Although he could be generous to children, Piller was a businessman,
showman, and salesman through and through. One of Frances’ proudest
possessions is a large scroll presented to her father by the United States
government, honoring him for war bond sales during World War II.
She only wishes the scroll contained the actual amount. “He sold more than
$1 million in war bonds from the Piller Theatre,” she said.
He sold them out of the theatre, too. One night while coming home from the
theatre, John was struck by a car at the corner of Central Avenue and Sixth
Street. “They took him to the emergency room, and he sold the doctor there a
war bond for $500,” Frances said.
Another proud moment, one that would be a landmark court case, involved
John’s refusal to rent or play motion pictures that didn’t meet his
standards for family entertainment. United Artists brought suit against John
Piller to force him to accept the bundle of movies sent.
“They sent movies in a block, mixing good ones with not-so-good ones,”
Frances explained. “Dad said he wanted family movies.”
The district court agreed with John, and on October 31, 1931, dismissed
United Artists’ claim. “Grandpa got to choose his movies,” Linda said.
By 1948, John Piller was ready to retire. He closed the Rex Theatre, and
leased the Piller to another corporation. After his death in 1961, the
building was sold. A major remodeling, gave the Piller a serious facelift,
turning the theatre into a sportswear shop, shoe store, law offices, and
Aadne Aadneson Hoiland
Aadne Aadneson Hoiland
Aadne A. Hoiland, with his wife Johanne, and her widowed mother, Ellen Kristofferson, and his nine remaining children, came to Barnes County in 1887. John Hoiland, the oldest son, had preceded the family in 1883.
Aadane, Jr. took a claim in Ransom County. Andrew eloped with his bride and went to Oregon. The two youngest sons remained with their father when the family moved to East Prairie, where Anton file and bought additional land. Sarah, the oldest daughter, married Harry Jones of Valley City. Marie married Tyler Janus Walker; Miller, Merchant and Postmaster at Fort Ransom. Berntine married R. D. Flavin, Walker’s miller. Hanna married Robert Bowen, and they built a hotel in the new town of Litchville. Emma, the youngest, married Attorney Alfree Zuger, later Assistant Attorney General in Bismarck.
Albert and Anton rented out their farms and Albert moved to Fargo where he made and sold his patented “Hoiland Wild Oats Separator.” Anton married Amalie Stahlem and worked at the Valley City Power Plant.
John Hoiland
Born September 24, 1854 at Decorah, Iowa, John Hoiland was destined to leave his mark on the history of Barnes County. He grew up in Fillmore County in Minnesota, where his father, Aadne Aadneson Hoiland, was a millwright. Later, back at Decorah, he worked for his father tending hop kilns. With the decline of business in the Panic of 1883, John decided to go to Barnes County. He first worked for an implement dealer in Fingal and gained title to the S. E. ¼ Section 14, Oakhill Township. As clerk of the Daly School Board, he met Nettie (Annette) Johnson first teacher in the Oakville School. They were married on December 13, 1883. They lived on a homestead owned by his wife just across the county line in Lamoure County.
By 1896, four children had been born; Lillie, Mable, Eison, and Tyler. Not liking farming in 1896, John with A. H. Gray and John Simons, formed the Pioneer Implement Company of Valley City. Later he dissolved this partnership and entered in another with A. I. Anderson. This venture succeeded until 1912 when A. I. Anderson withdrew. John carried on alone and the next few years were very lucrative. It ended with his death on July 8, 1918. His last sale was a motor hearse in which he rode to his funeral a few days later.
Tyler Hoiland, his son, returned from service in the Navy to find the family fortunes on the wane. He found a position with an auto dealer and married Marie Langemo of rural Fingal area. Two sons were born to this couple, John Tyler and Harold Philip. In personality and character, Tyler stood out among others. A fellow Mason spoke of him as “noble” and this truly characterized the man.
John Hoiland was most identifiable with Barnes County because of his wide connections, both fraternal and political. Normally, a Republican, he nevertheless was liberal in his thinking, especially where local candidates were concerned.
In 1914, John was appointed by Governor Hanna to present a statue of Lincoln to Norway on its Centennial. He could not accept the appointment due to the press of business, but it points up the esteem in which he held in North Dakota.
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