100 Years Back – 1914

• Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Whiting and daughter Enid came into New Richland Christmas Eve to shop and attend the picture show, but when they learned the show would not be given until Christmas night they started for home, about eight o’clock. When about a mile west of town, between the Bindewald and Bolduan farms, they met an auto coming to town. Mr. Whiting saw that it was recklessly driven and so turned completely out of the road, but the driver of the machine managed nevertheless to reach them and strike the rear wheel of the carriage. The occupants of the carriage were uninjured, except for a shaking up.

• Mayor F.W. Prail of Waseca announced last week that he had a large amount of evidence at hand in regard to gambling at Waseca but for the sake of the wives and mothers of several of the recreants he has laid down his hand for the present – giving fair warning. Every week reports come to this paper about the gambling menace and it seems queer the matter is allowed to go without investigation. Let us hope Mayor Prail will do his full duty if gambling continues at Waseca.

• The market of nagging husbands has a tendency just now to be bullish. A St. Paul woman lays her loss of 35 pounds of flesh to the fact that her husband nagged her constantly. Show us the corpulent wife who would not pay a good price for a hectoring mate, if it were to mean the loss of flesh.

75 Years Back – 1939

• Again the liberality of the New Richland business men was demonstrated yesterday afternoon when opportunity was given for someone to receive a large sum of money. Miss Pearl Jaddeloh’s name was drawn on a five per cent ticket and the young lady received the grand prize which amounted to $12.50. The six other prizes of three pounds of butter each went to the following: Paul Morris, Ruby Strand, John T. Amley, Wesley Hatle, G.P. Olson (Hartland), and Roy Johnston.

• At the December meeting of the Pilgrim Highroad Society of the Congregational Church the following officers were elected for the next term: President, Richard Smith; vice president, Donald Zellweger; secretary, Verna Mae Smith; treasurer, Carl Patschke; devotional chairman, Elsie Eschle; social co-chairman, Robert Brynildson and Doris Jensen; organist, Nora Patschke.

• Raymond and Harold Sponberg left Monday noon for St. Peter where the former is a coach and the latter is a student at Gustavus Adolphus College. They had spent the holidays at the home of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.F. Sponberg. Brighton Eddy, of Minneapolis, returned with them after spending the week at the Sponberg home. 

50 Years Back – 1964

• Several well-known swine men will assemble in Albert Lea on February 20, 21, and 22 to serve as judges for the 1964 Minnesota State Barrow Show. The Championship Judging Committee for the 20th annual show will be comprised of Ed Helgens, Poland breeder, Monticello, Iowa; Irvin Omtvedt, Extension Swine Specialist, University of Minnesota; and Allan Williams Wilson & Co., Chicago. Richard Wahlstrom, Head of the department of Animal Science, South Dakota State University, will judge the Junior Division pens of three and the individual barrows on Friday, Feb. 21.

• Over $50 was taken from the Farmer’s Union Elevator at Hartland during a break-in some time Sunday night, the Freeborn County Sheriff’s department revealed Monday. LeRoy Jameson, manager, discovered the burglary Sunday. The thieves gained entrance by breaking out a window on the east side of the basement and went upstairs. There the burglars took $36.18 out of the cash drawer and about $18 in dimes from the soft drink machine. Only evidence at the scene was a wide footprint, the sheriff said. Investigation is being continued.

• Four break-ins were discovered in New Richland Friday morning when the firms opened for business. First to report was the New Richland Cooperative Creamery where a couple of dollars were taken from a miscellaneous change box. Entrance was gained by breaking a window in a door at the back of the building and reaching in to turn the knob. At Land O’Lakes the burglars pushed a basement window in and took an undetermined amount of coffee money. Largest loss was suffered by Huntting Elevator where $18 in cash was taken. Candy from a candy vending machine at the laundromat was taken. The money container in the machine did not yield to the burglars.

25 Years Back – 1989

• A St. Paul man who escaped from the Waseca County jail with another prisoner in September pleaded guilty to a felony escape charge in Waseca County District Court, Friday. Stanley Duane Riley, 26, also faced a second degree assault charge, but that was dropped in a plea negotiation. Judge Lawrence Gallagher ordered Riley to reimburse the Sheriff’s Department $220 for a motorcycle and helmet he stole from a rural Waseca resident.

• The Waldorf-Pemberton FFA Poultry Judging team placed second in the District 14 contest at the University of Minnesota, Waseca, recently. The team will enter state competition in St. Paul at the annual FFA convention. Members of the team which scored 1369 points were Brad Remington, Darrin Groskreutz and Jamie Proehl. Remington and Groskreutz placed in the top ten individuals. Remington scored 466 points to place eighth and Groskreutz was ninth individual with 460.

• Piano students of Pru Hokanson entertained residents at the New Richland Care Center on Friday, December 30th at 1 p.m. Students that participated were Christian Anderson, Brian Johnson, Jenny Berg, Anne Johnson, Jeremy Bullock, Amanda Schlaak, Cayce Lillesve, Mandy Possin, Kari Nelson, Jill Schmidt and Kristen Bullock.

Compiled by Nicole Billing