Getting Started

Randolph Holding

According to Migrations.org Randolph Holding was born 1844 in McHenry County , Illinois. He was in Company E of the 8th Minnesota Volunteer Infrantry for three years. He married Lavinia L.Trask of Morrison County, Mn, July 6, 1870. They had three children Albert C., William R., and Adelbert E.
This information came from "History of Upper Mississippi Valley (published 1881) at the Seattle Public Library call # qR977.6H629 via migrations.org by researcher Jackie Horton

posted by mike odden | 8:24 AM | 0 comments  

Sunday, March 13, 2005

Loving maps

After looking through more file cabinets. I came across another Soo Line Railroad map drawn in 1906 showing the topography of the area, along the new track. The map shows about 5 miles on each side of Holdingford. One interesting note. On the west side of Two River River shows R. Holding's Plat for Holdingford and it is marked as such. On the east side of the river is plated out more blocks and the word Wardeville, which was drawn over by the map maker and the name Holdingford P O drawn in under Wardeville.

posted by mike odden | 8:02 AM | 0 comments  

Saturday, March 05, 2005

another map

I was diging in some file cabinets in the city hall back room and came across a map of the village drawn in 1916 by the railroad, showing the village, busineses etc. It had been given to the village by the Winkler family in 1994 their roots go back to the beganing of the village. It was folded up in a folder with no title. I also came across a copy of the articles of incorporation,copy of the court house copy not actual original. In a folder called 'old old cor'.

posted by mike odden | 10:41 AM | 0 comments

Friday, March 04, 2005

OLD MAPS

Yesterday I went to the county courthouse to look for the originial articles of incorporation for the village. They had a copy. The original is out here some where. The village was incorporated in 1896. While talking to the lady she looked to see if there was a plat map. She came up with the original plat map registered by Randolph Holding in 1874. It looks like his idea was to start a village on the west side of the river called 'Holdings Ford" . He had plated out streets and alleys but I do not believe anything was ever built there. It has been a farmers field . The east side of the river was always called Holding as well as the township.



posted by mike odden | 5:12 PM | 0 comments



Tuesday, March 01, 2005



INTERESTING READING

The book "The Ford in The River" by Vincent A. Yzermans published 1985. Is required reading when one wants to read about the history of Holdingford. The hard part is finding a copy. It was published in congunction with St. Mary's centennial and St. Hedwig's diamond jubilee. Many local families have several copies but aquiring one is a challenge.

posted by mike odden | 7:21 AM | 0 comments



Monday, February 28, 2005



LEE'S HELP

I should have started out with this but I have to thank Lee, my oldest son, for pushing me off the fence and getting started. He is very good at what he does ! A great son and husband and a super father to his kids. Check this out toprankmarketing


posted by mike odden | 8:32 AM | 0 comments




Lake Wobegon Connection

One has to recognise both Garrison Keillor's wonderful writing of Lake Wobegon and the article in National geograghic about Lake Wobegon

posted by mike odden | 8:20 AM | 0 comments