Individual Details

Theresa was born at her grandparent's home at 1020 Tenth St. in Hudson. She said her parents had just moved onto the farm along the St. Croix where I grew up and were living in the granary while the house was being built. When it was time for Theresa to be born her mother went into town and stayed with her parents, Augusta Lux Friend and Robert Friend. [Theresa to Nancy, February 2000]

The Gartmann children all attended the McKinley school, District 5, Town of St. Joseph. In 1999 while I was working on a history of the McKinley school, I asked Theresa how they got to school. They lived two and a half miles from the school. "We walked", she replied. [Theresa to Nancy, 1999]

Include her comments from the McKinley school book.

November 12, 1994, would have been Harry and Theresa's 64th wedding anniversary. We went to dinner at Act II in Hudson with Theresa and Ruth. Theresa told that she and Harry were married at St. Michael's in Stillwater with Gustie and Otto Dallahn, a friend of Harry's as witnesses. Afterward Gustie returned to work, and Harry and Theresa had supper with Margaret and Carl and then spent the night at the Ryan Hotel in St. Paul. The next day they went to Osceola and stayed overnight in a hotel there. All night they could hear the card players from downstairs.

Theresa attend beauty school in Minnesota where she met and made a life long friend, Achsa Mae Gran of Caledonia, Minnesota. They echanged Christmas cards and notes until Theresa's death.

State of Minnesota
Board of Hairdressing and Beauty Culture Examiners
Operator's License No. 705
This is to Certify that Theresa Ann Dierk has paid a renewal fee of $2.00 and is entitled to practice as an operator in a Beauty Parlor until December 31, 1931 under the direction of a Licensed Manager, unless this license is revoked for good and sufficient reason.
s/s with seal of State of Minnesota by Frank Wanner, President; J. W. Warrick, Vice President; and Maude Hermann Haag, Sect. Treas.

Do you recall the set of everday dishes that Theresa had? She got them by fixing a noon meal for a road crew who were working on the River Road. They wanted someplace to go at noon for a meal and were willing to pay, but wanted someplace nearby. Theresa agreed to fix the meals for them and when she was paid, she used the money to buy that set of dishes--cream colored with orange flowers.

Include pictures of baking Jingle Bell cookies, etc.

TD: Friday, Jan. 1, 1937
Not much snow. Quite windy and chilly. Was home all day and New Year's Eve. Went down to Sargent's in the evening.

TD: Sat., Jan. 2, 1937
Snow'd and blew all day. Harry plowed our road. Went to Houlton and Stillwater at night. Richard, Mae and Fritz went with us.

TD: Sun., Jan. 3, 1937
Stay'd home all day. Road bad and zero weather. Made Tom & Jerries.

TD: Mon., Jan. 4, 1937
Snow'd and blew all day. Made a quilt.

TD: Tue., Jan. 5, 1937
18 below zero this morning. Roads didn't drift yesterday. Billy took car and put heater on it.

TD: Wed., Jan. 6, 1937
Bill brought car back. Cut out a coat for Donald.

TD: Thur., Jan. 7, 1937
Went to town. It was cold Stop'd in home. Bought prizes for P.T.A. card party. Ruth and I on committee.

TD: Fri., Jan. 8, 1937
Snow'd and blew. 19 eggs. Renold was up in the afternoon. Went to schoolhouse at night. Had three tables. Got first prize.

TD: Sat., Jan. 9, 1937
Cold and snow'd in. Had a hard time getting home last nite, but didn't get stuck. Renold was up. Hauled milk. 20 eggs.

TD: Sun., Jan. 10, 1937
Harry was out plowing road this morning. Stay'd home in afternoon.

TD: Mon., Jan. 11, 1937
Sewed coat for Donald. Harry went to town to get a tooth pulled. Max went to work at shops.

TD: Tue., Jan. 12, 1937
Washed clothes and finished coat. George B. was up. Bill is working off the seed loan.

TD: Wed., Jan. 13, 1937
Harry took the car in to get a new bearing and came home in a old car that had to be started with the horses.

TD:Thurs., Jan. 14, 1937
Went to town. Had two teeth fixed ($3.50). Had to wait until six o'clock for car to get fixed. Frances was in to Birkmoses.

TD: Fri., Jan. 15, 1937
Washed kitchen curtains. Clean chicken coop. Got a letter from Toots.

TD: Sat., Jan. 16, 1937
Went to town in afternoon. 12 doz. eggs to town, .25 a doz. Took radio down and got another one to use. Stop home. Gus was in St. Paul. Max and Rob were going to town. Roads pretty bad.

TD: Sun., Jan. 17, 1937
Went down home. Ruth and Max were there. Fixed Gus' hair.

TD: Mon., Jan. 18, 1937
The roads were plow'd this morning. Bill got thru working out the seed loan. Was here for supper.

TD: Tue., Jan. 19, 1937
18 below this morning. Went down home in the afternoon and got Ma and went out to Margaret's. Had a nice afternoon. Carl and Harry went over to town.

TD: Wed., Jan. 20, 1937
29 eggs. Snowing and blew hard all morning. Harry hauled milk to R.D. Our road blocked. Check $119.50


Theresa fell in her home in January 1997 breaking her hip. She spent nearly a month in the hospital and swing bed where she received therapy needed to be able to return home. Prior to this she had continued taking care of her yard and numerous flowers and had continued to shovel snow in the winter, things she wasn't able to do again, and that she missed. She did however continue to do many of the things she had enjoyed previously--going out to eat with friends and family and baking the "jingle bell" cookies that she shared with friends and family each Christmas.

Theresa passed away on the 7th of March 2000 in her home. The death certificate and official date of death is March 8, 2000, the date and time of my 911 call. I had had breakfast with her on Tuesday morning, leaving for work about 11 o'clock. She was cheerful and well at that time. Kari spoke to her on the phone between 1 and 2 o'clock. I found her sanding over her walker in front of the bedroom vanity on ednesday morning when I came for breakfast. Tuesday's lunch was still in the microwave and her juice glass on the table hadn't been touched.

HSO, 16 March 2000, p16a
Theresa Agnes Dierks, 96, a life long resident of Hudson, died Wednesday, March 8 at her home.
She was born Sept. 25, 1903, in Hudson, the daughter of Anton and Ann[a] (Friend) Gartmann and attended McKinley School in the town of St. Joseph.
She graduated from Hudson High School and attended beautician school.
On Nov. 12, 1930, she was married to Harry E. Dierks at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Stillwater.
She and her husband farmed in the town of St. Joseph until his death in 1954.
After he husband's death she left the farm and moved into Hudson and lived with her sister, Augusta, and their mother.
For a number of years, she worked as a housekeeping aid at Hudson Memorial Hospital and later in a similar position at Hotel Dibbo.
She enjoyed spending time with her family and her nieces and newphews and traveling to northern Wisconsin to view the fall colors. She took great pride in maintaining her yard, sidewalks and gardens.
She was a lifelong member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
Surviving are nieces and nephews: Margaret (Sherman) Sutter of Hudson, Gene (Carol) Gartmann of Knapp, Richard (Judy) Gartmann of Honolulu, Hawaii, Gloria (Howard) Bottolfson of Star Prairie, Donald (Marlene) Johnson of Luck, Diane Thompson of Star Prairie, Jean (Alois) Riedle of St. Paul, Virginia Gartman of River Falls, Robert (Faye) Gartmann of Woodville and Nancy (Arthur) Hawkinson of Hudson and a first cousin, Frances (Beaudry) Powers of Hudson.
Preceding her in death were four brothers, Frank, Joseph, Robert and Max, and four sisters, Louise, Anna, Augusta and Margaret.
Mass of Christian Burial was at 10 a.m., Saturday, March 11 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church with the Rev. Peter Szleszinski officiating. Organist for the service was Elsie Sandquist who also accompanied the Hope Choir.
Burial was in Willow River Cemetery in Hudson where casketbearers were Howard Bottolfson, Donald Johnson, Dean Thompson, Sherman Sutter, Robert Gartmann and Arthur Hawkinson.
Visitation was from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, March 10 with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. at the O'Connell Family Funeral Home in Hudson.
Memorials are preferred to St. Patrick's Building Fund.

The News [New Richmond], Thursday, March 16, 200, p16a
Theresa Agnes Dierks, a lifelong resident of Hudson, died March 8, 2000 at her residence.
Theresa was born on Sept. 25, 1903 in Hudson, daughter of Anton and Anna (Friend) Gartmann. Theresa attended elementary school at McKinley School in St. Joseph Township. Following graduation from Hudson High School, she attended beautician school.
On Nov. 12, 1930 she was united in marriage to Harry E. Dierks at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Stillwater. Together they farmed in St. Joseph Township until Harry's death in 1954.
Theresa moved to Hudson and lived with her sister Augusta and their mother. During the majority of her adult life, she worked as a homemaker on the family farm. Following Harry's death she worked as a housekeeping aide for the Hudson Memorial Hospital and then for the Hotel Dibbo.
Theresa enjoyed spending time with her family and all the nieces and nephews. She especially liked going for rides to Northern Wisconsin, sightseeing and enjoying the colors in the fall. She took great pride in maintaining her yard, sidewalks and gardens. She was a lifelong member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
Theresa was preceded in death by her brothers and sisters Louise, Frank, Anna, Joseph, Robert, Max, Augusta and Margaret.
She is survived by nieces and nephews Peg (Sherm) Sutter, Hudson; Gene (Carol) Gartmann, Knapp; Richard (Judy) Gartmann, Honolulu, Hawaii; Gloria (Howard) Bottolfson, Star Prairie; Donald (Marlene) Johnson, Luck; Diane Thompson, Star Prairie; Mary (Dean) Thompson, Star Prairie; Jean (Alois) Riedle, St. Paul; Robert (Faye) Gartmann, Woodville; Nancy (Art) Hawkinson, Hudson; and cousin Fran Powers of Hudson.
Mass of Christian Burial was March 11 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Hudson with Father Peter Szleszinski officiating. Organist Elsie Sandquist accompanied the Hope Choir.
Burial was in the Willow River Cemetery in Hudson with casketbearers being Howard Bottolfson, Donald Johnson, Dean Thompson, Sherm Sutter, Bob Gartmann, and Art Hawkinson.
Memorials are preferred to the St. Patrick's Building Fund. O'Connell Family Funeral Home of Hudson handled arrangements.

Residence: 808 Second St., Hudson WI
[Historic Hudson, HSO, 24 Mar 1992]
The house at 808 Second St., known as the Palms house, was built in 1900 by John A. Lee (1858-1949), Hudson's premier house builder, who literally changed the face of this community by his construction activity.
Owner of the house was Squire N. Palms (1855-1924), who cam to Hudson in 1900 to work as a millwright at the Hudson Sawmill Co. Palms had been born in Fountain Prairie and spent his boyhood near Augusta where, in 1879, he married Caroline E. Stone. [...more on Palms...] Squire and Caroline Palms left Hudson in 1913 and moved to California where they both died.
Little is known about the house during the four years before World War I, but Stanley R. Beggs, who lives in the same block, recalls the house was occupied for a time by Michael E. Collins (died 1941), who ran a saloon and was a boxing promoter and partially responsible for the erection of the boxing arena at First and Vine streets.
Another occupant of the house [about 1916] was B. W. Utman and his family. Utman served as mayor of the city of Hudson from 1908-1910.
In 1917 Burchford B. Baskin (1878-1963) came to Hudson to take charge of the Local Lumber Co. and purchased the Palms house at 808 Second St.
For the next ten years, the Baskin family resided in the house until a disastrous fire on June 4, 1928, gutted and destroyed the upper floor.
The Star-Observer reported that, "The loss of the house and the furniture will amount to more than $6,000, which is only partially covered by insurance."
First alarm of the fire was given by Miss Kate Ryan (1861-1931), a veteran teacher who lived next door. She had been awakened soon after midnight by the roar of the flames and the crashing of plate glass windows. Arising, Murphy saw flames pouring out of the second floor of the Baskin house. She hurried to the Baskin residence and calling to Mrs. Baskin notified her that the house was on fire. Mrs. Baskin and her daughters, Lorraine and Edith, who were sleeping on the first floor, were not aware the house was ablaze and lost no time in making a quick exit.
The newspaper article stated that the Hudson Fire Department, under chief Charles H. Olson, had received the alarm at 1:55 a.m., and shortly thereafter 11 firemen and equipment were on the scene. Two lines of hose were played on the burning second floor, and within an hour the blaze was brought under control. The fire was thought to have been caused by defective electric light wires.
In July of that year, Mrs. Baskin and her two daughters left Hudson to make their home in Colfax.
Shortly after the fire, the house was remodel (presumably by John Lee). The top floor was completely removed, making it into a one story dwelling. At that time the house was purchased by two sisters, Josephine (Jo) and Catherine (Kate) Murphy, gracious maiden ladies, who made it their home for nearly the next three decades. Josephine died in 1958 and Catherine in 1961.
Catherine Murphy sold the property in October 1960 to Augusta Gartmann and her sister, Theresa Gartmann Dierks, who still resides in the 92-year old house.

Birth	25 Sep 1903	Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin
Baptism	13 Oct 1903	St. Patrick's Catholic Church; Godparents were Robert Friend and Maria Friend, Hudson , St. Croix County, Wisconsin
Occupation	7 Apr 1930	Beauty Operator
Marriage	12 Nov 1930	St. Michael's Catholic Church, Stillwater, Washington, Minnesota - Harry Ervin Dierks
Death	8 Mar 2000	Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin
Burial	11 Mar 2000	Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, Willow River Cemetery
Radio in 1930		Yes (Anna Gartmann)

Spouse

Harry Ervin Dierks (1895 - 1954)

Father	Joseph Anton Gartmann (1850 - 1908)
Mother	Anna Friend (1868 - 1957)
Sibling	Francis (Frank) Gartmann (1888 - 1893)
Sibling	Anna Marie Gartmann (1890 - 1918)
Sibling	Joseph Anthony Gartmann (1891 - 1959)
Sibling	Robert Joseph Gartmann (1893 - 1962)
Sibling	Max Francis Gartman (1895 - 1978)
Sibling	Augusta Othellia Gartmann (1898 - 1982)
Sibling	Margaret Gartmann (1902 - 1978)

Notes