LU203.20

Receipt, Digital Copy

1902

Palmer Co-Operative Dairy Association Receipt. Material: paper. Description: paper; black print: "E.O. Engebretson, Pres.; O.T. Hagen, Vice-Pres.; J.C. Johnson, Secretary; L.L. Fretham, Treas. and Manager; Waseca County, Directors: David Larson, Knute Jameson, John Jackson, Palmer Co-Operative Dairy Association, Manufacturers of Fine Creamery Butter, Waseca, Minn."; handwritten in pencil: "Nov, 1902, Butter Sold at fair, 3-Will Kyenden 1#, .25; 4-August Evenson 3#, .69; 7-Nels Bagne 1#, .23; 7-O.H. Gronsith 1#, .25; 9-August Evenson 3#, .75; 12-John Johnson 2#, .50; 12-O.H. Gronsith 1#, .25; 12 Ole Osmundson Salt, .10; 20 O.H. Gronsith 1#, .24; 21 John Johnson 1#, .25; 22 M McShane 1#, .25; 26 Stranger 4 1/2#, 1.05; 28 O H Gronsith 1#, .25; 1 20# tub contest, 4.80."

Envelope given to Robert Hagen from Melford Fretham. Melford's grandfather, L.L. Fretham, was the treasurer and manager of the Palmer Creamery. Palmer business: Palmer Creamery. Directly across from the Creamery was the Jackson General Store. In Feb. 1894 meetings were held at the Palmer school house (school district 10) to construct a Creamery. Plans were to build a main creamery building which was to be 22 X 36 and 16 feet high and a lean-to 14 X 36 X 8 feet high. Also to be built separately would be an Ice house 12 X 14 X 12 feet high. A L.J. Larson was employed to build the Palmer Creamery. This next information regarding the creamery was provided by Gyda (Jackson) Engebretson in 1980. The Palmer Creamery was a large two story building located in the NW corner of the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of section 19 Blooming Grove Township. On the first floor were the milk tanks, churn, cooler, all testing equipment, an engine for water and heating and running machinery. The buttermaker and his family lived on the second floor. The ice house was built to the east of the creamery and every year in February the farmers who were members of this cooperative would go to the Johnston Ice Company at Waseca and bring back loads of ice blocks to fill the ice house and then add layers of saw dust between each layer of ice. This ice would be used in the cooler where the butter was kept in jars or large wooden butter tubs until being shipped out. When the farmers brought their milk to the creamery they would drive on the east side of the ice house and follow the road around the creamery to the south side where there was an opening and they would lift their milk cans up there and the butter maker would take a sample of each and put it in a small glass container and later would all be tested to determine the amount of butter fat in each delivery. Then the milk was emptied into a large tank and separated. The cream was then churned in the churn to make the butter. The farmers would then drive around to the north side of the creamery where there was a place that they filled their empty cans with skim milk to take home for feeding to the hogs. There would be a place for parking their teams of horses while they went across the road to do their grocery shopping at the Jackson Store. The butter maker was paid $55.00 a month along with free housing and received free milk for his family. The creamery churned out about 1000 pounds of butter per week which was then shipped directly to Chicago. The creamery was established February 09, 1894 and was in operation until January 30, 1920. In February the creamery was put up for auction. With no bidders, by April 20th the creamery was torn down and hauled away. Information provided by Robert Hagen.