 Orabel with painting tools. Orabel Thortvedt was a local historian, animal lover and trained artist from the Glyndon area. Born into one of the earliest families to settle in Clay County, she was raised hearing stories of their travels and trials moving from Norway to Clay County. This storytelling instilled in her a life-long passion for her family’s history and that of her neighbors. She showed artistic talent at an early age. Orabel studied at the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the University of Minnesota and developed a long and successful career painting animal portraits and historical scenes. Her introduction to art began when at age six she drew a caricature of her teacher in a snow bank with a stick. Though her teacher was unimpressed, her parents recognized her talent and encouraged her. Orabel had a love for animals and a special talent for capturing the personality of a dog or horse in her art. She was a good writer. In the early 1920s Orabel began a series of scrapbooks documenting her experiences and the lives of her family members and neighbors. Her parents’ stories inspired her to create an illustrated manuscript depicting her family’s travels and travails in Norway and the US. It occupied her for over 50 years. Orabel moved to Minneapolis to study art in 1930. After both her parents died in 1936, Orabel continued to work in the Twin Cities for a time but returned to the farm permanently in 1938. Blessed with supportive and perhaps indulgent family, Orabel was allowed to just be Orabel. She continued her artistic career, painting animal portraits and historical local scenes for neighbors and friends. Orabel died from heart disease November 1, 1983. She’s buried with her parents in Concordia Lutheran Cemetery. From Prairie Daughters: The Art and Lives of Annie Stein and Orabel Thortvedt Orabel's historical notes are housed at the Clay County Archives. Her notes have proven a vital resource in the work of the HCSCC. They are currently being scanned and transcribed so that they can be more accessible and preserved for future generations. To learn more about Orabel and Annie Stein, another local artist, copies of Prairie Daughters: The Art and Lives of Annie Stein and Orabel Thortvedt available at the Heritage Gift Shop or our online store.  Notes written by Orabel on Edward Grover.  Orabel (left) and another student working on drawing a horse. Animals were a common motif in Orabel's art and she kept extensive notes on the horses, cats, and cows her family raised.
0 Comments
 Anna Gates in 1922 Anna Gates, nee Liedahl, was born in Norway in 1869. Like so many in this region, she immigrated with her family to the United States and by 1881 had settled in Leonard, North Dakota. She would later move to Fargo and work in homes. In 1896, Anna married Elbert Gates, a mail carrier from Moorhead and moved across the river.
Anna was unlike many suffrage supporters, she was working class and an immigrant. At the time, many of the suffrage supporters in the country came from wealthier backgrounds and had more established American families. Still, Anna didn't let this stop her and she would eventually become Chairmen of District 49's Minnesota Woman's Suffrage Association. Although living in Moorhead, she often worked across the river in both Fargo and the rural parts of Cass County. She helped bring Jane Addams, the founder of Hull House which served the immigrant communities of Chicago, to Fargo in 1912. Two years later, she was described in the Wahpeton Times as, "...doing quite a little quiet work for suffrage among the farm women near Leonard reports a very encouraging prospect for suffrage in that region.” Along with her suffrage work, Anna was part of several veteran auxiliary organizations, Order of Eastern Star, WCTU, and the Fine Arts Club of Moorhead. After suffrage was achieved, Anna continued to work in her community. She was made a police officer, sometimes referred to as a Police Matron, in 1920 by the city of Moorhead. Her position had her in lots of roles. She was part cop, social worker, and city food inspector. She was often tasked with handling cases involving women and children. During the early years of the Great Depression, she was tasked with distributing food aid to the poor and needed of the community. Anna would remain a part of the Moorhead Police department until she retired in 1933. Upon her retirement however, she told one journalist that, "I have a great deal of work planned ahead, and I know I will not be sitting a minute." She later added that while she was planning on remaining active, she also was "...going to 'get acquainted' with my home. I haven't seen much of it these years, for a policewoman's job is a 24 hour position." Elbert passed away in 1936, however Anna managed to live until 1950. She had three sons with him: Ernie, Dewey, and Donald. |
Archives
June 2025
|
RSS Feed