the property of James McKay. The family lived in a small structure that winter until the big house was completed. Eventually their small facility became the farm henhouse.

Henry Ruen was one of the founders of the Winneshiek Equity Coop Association holding various offices in that organization. He was president of the Decorah Farmers Ice Cave Creamery for many years.

Henry and Caroline were very active in the activities of the Glenwood Lutheran Church. Both are interred at the Glenwood Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Ruen, J. Rudolph and Marie (Nelson)

(Mildred Redmond)

J. Rudolph Ruen and Marie Nelson’s Wedding photo, early 1910

J. Rudolph Ruen was born 25 Feb 1879. He was next to the youngest in a family of 5 boys and 5 girls. His younger brother Theodore was born 25 Feb 1881. J. Rudolph married Marie Nelson, daughter of Johannes Nelson Amunrud-Hagen. Johannes was born in Hadeland, Norway 24 Feb 1856 and came to this country in 1877. Two years later he married Marthe Gjerdingen, also from Gran, Hadeland, Norway. Marthe was born 7 Mar 1849 and died 31 Mar 1928. Johannes died 6 Mar 1945. Marie was the 2nd child in their family of 6 children.

J. Rudolph and Marie were married in early 1910 and farmed in Glenwood Twp., Winneshiek Co., IA until they moved to Decorah, IA in 1946.

Their farm was 80 acres with about 40 acres of tillable soil, the remainder in grazing land. Dad rented an additional piece of timberland which provided additional pasture for his cattle. We were dependent on mixed farming for our livelihood. Dad was very knowledgeable in many areas of farm management and our mother was an excellent housekeeper, gardener and cook. When Howard (b. 24 Jun 1911) was a toddler mother would let him play in our large lawn with our dog Grit watching that he didn’t get out of the yard. When he would get too close to the fence or gate the dog would bar his way.

I was born 26 Sep 1914 which was a most inopportune time as the folks were in the midst of building a lovely new barn. How busy my mother must have been with a little five pound baby girl and a 3 year old busy boy along with preparing meals for workmen and all the other chores women on the farm had to do in those days.

My sister Leona Ordella was born 19 Jan 1918, one of 2 deliveries Dr. Svebakken had in our community that day. It was usually bitterly cold with a lot of snow in January. Such was the life our country doctor had to contend with as he traveled by horseback or by cutter.

Our social life was centered around church activities and visiting relatives, and an occasional trip to town by horse and buggy, sleigh or cutter, and later by car. Dad and Uncle Theodore would celebrate birthdays together at Uncle Theodore’s and Aunt Mina’s and after Theodore married Ellen Lovstuen we continued to celebrate at their home.

Mother and Dad provided us with a very secure home. It was always so good to come home from school to a warm comfortable home, with Mother preparing a good hot dinner and knowing Dad was busy caring for the animals. As children we had chores for which we were responsible.

Mother and Dad helped support the Christian Education provided by Oscar Lovstuen in our community; we attended his intensive Religious Classes and Music for at least one month out of the year along with preparation for the School Christmas Program in the Glenwood Lutheran Church until we were confirmed. During recess-in good weather-Oscar joined us in a game of baseball, throwing in a bit of “fair play.’’

As children we loved to ski, slide down the hills on our sleds, and often stayed out until dark enjoying the cold, crisp winter evenings. Before going in the house our sleds and skis had to be put into the assigned space.We had a very special building on our farm. It was divided into 4 separate rooms-each area serving a very important function. The northwest room was the garage. It housed the car and the fuel tank for gasoline and had a wide exit door for the car. The northeast room was Dad's shop. Here he could do repair on the parts for his farm machinery which were all stored in the old barn when not in use. He had the facilities for shaping the shoes for his horses and shod his horses when needed. He enjoyed working with wood and made a few pieces of walnut furniture. He did repairs and cement work as needed. The southeast room of this building was the woodshed. This is where he stacked the wood for the kitchen Monarch range on which Mother did all the cooking and baking of bread, cookies and cakes. She prepared many a delicious roast and chicken dinner. The door to the woodshed was to the east with a large open area where Dad would split the wood after it had been cut into chunks. He would save some larger pieces to be used in the furnace in which wood or coal could be burned. When ready, all the wood was stored in the woodshed. The southwest corner of this building was a multi-purpose room. The west end was our outdoor toilet facilities. The east end stored our lawn mower, skis, wagon and sleds. The entrance door was to the south where a tall cedar and a large mock orange bush grew nearby.