Early W. Murray Co. MN Hist., pages 78-79

IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR
LIVES IN WORLD WAR II

Howard W. Bedford, born Oct. 20, 1925, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Bedford of Lake Wilson. Entered the Navy Jan. 13, 1944. Was in Landing Craft Div. killed in action Feb. 16, 1945 at Corregidor, P. 1.

Harold J. Hansen, born Nov. 23, 1925, oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Hansen, of Lake Wilson. Entered the service July 21, 1944. Was in Co. E. 1 l9th Inf. 30th Div. of 9th Army. Killed in action, in Germany, Mar. 31, 1945.

Gordon B. Olson, born May 30, 1926, oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar A. Olson of Lake Wilson. Entered service Aug. 7, 1944, killed in action in France, March 20, 1945.

Herman John Nett, born Aug. 3, 1915, third son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nett of Lake Wilson. Entered service June, 1942, and was attached to 9th Army under General Leonard. Killed in action in Germany, Apr. 15, 1945. His body lies in the cemetery at Margarerten, Holland.

Marvin C. Kahnk born April 17, 1923, son of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Kahnk of Lake Wilson. Entered the service Sept. 14, 1944. Was in Co. C. 382 Inf. Sent overseas in February. Killed in action on Okinawa Island, Japan, May 10, 1945.

Harold A. Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Johnson of Lake Wilson, born April 10, 1922. Entered the service of the U. S. March 24, 1943. Was in the l5th Air Corps. Was killed in action in Italy Oct. 17, 1944.

Edward William Beers, born June 2, 1 920, second son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Beers of Lake Wilson. Entered the service Nov. 4,1941. Attached to 3rd Armored Div. Killed in action in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, December 19, 1944.

Duane Alfred Dahlquist, third son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Dahlquist, born Sept. 25, 1921, entered the Air Corps in .July, 1942. Lt. Dahlquist was killed in line of duty, Aug. 19, 1944 in the Pacific Area.

Matt Ver Does, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Ver Does was born Jan. 16, 1921, entered the service Oct. 19, 1942, attached to tank radio work. Killed in Battle of the Bulge, Dec. 21, 1944.

—78—

Henry John Oldenmeyer, born March 18, 1918, son of Mr. and Mrs. Rens Oldenmeyer, entered the army Mar. 22, 1942. Attached to 357th Infantry, 90th Division; killed in France June 12, 1944.

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THE BUFFALO

Thousands of buffalo dotted the prairies in Murray County in the real early days. They have long since vanished from this area. Their trails were found by the early explorers; some of the trails over the Buffalo Ridge were six and seven inches in depth.

When the buffalo migration started westward is not known. They were plentiful in western Murray County in the 1830's and Major Allen, who was in this section, noted seeing buffalo in 1844.

While buffalo was plentiful in 1835, the hides seemed to have no commercial value, as they do not appear on any of the invoices of the American Fur Trading Company at the Bear Lake Post.

Many buffalo skulls have been found in the western part of the county, especially in nearby sloughs and springs on the slopes of the Buffalo Ridge. The reason that no bones were found on the prairies is that "bone gatherers" were plentiful here in the early '80's. They gathered the bones from the prairies and shipped them in carload lots.

Buffalo robes and coats were quite popular in the late '70's and early '80's. Their heavy pelt and thick covering of hair made them ideal coats to ward off zero weather. A lone, stray buffalo is said to have been seen near Lake Shetek in the '60's.

Elk were here in abundance about the time the buffalo were going out. Herds of over two hundred were not uncommon in the 1840's. The last elk in this section was killed in Skandia in 1876. Deer never were plentiful in western Murray County.

While no doubt there were bear and beaver here, they appeared to have disappeared before the coming of the white man. The late Bob Hyslop told the writer that in all the years he had worked for Neil Currie in the seventies he had only purchased one beaver.

—79—

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