These stories can also be heard on Sunday mornings around 10 am on WILD 102’s “Look Back in Time” program. Each week’s radio story will be posted here on our website.
Weekly radio stories are researched, compiled, and read by Sheila Winstead, RCHS Board Member.
July 14, 2024
Today’s broadcast is the rest of a story written by Rudy Billberg for the Roseau County Centennial Book
of 1995. Last week I told you about a drought in 1910 which led to a grass fire burning through Soler
Township near Greenbush. Two men, 19-year-old Edor Hagen and 47-year-old Tom Kelly had been badly
burned trying to make their way back to camp where they had been staying with others trying to protect
their hay storage from smoldering peat fires. The men had been rescued by others in their party.
I’ll continue now with Rudy’s story:
When home, Ed was laid on a cot in the living room. His feet were so badly burned that they were
placed on two chairs at the end of the cot for he could not bear to have them covered.
Dr. Torgerson, the practicing physician in Greenbush was notified and with team and buggy drove at top
speed to reach the suffering men. When he arrived at each house, a look of dismay came to his face. He
could only cleanse, disinfect and salve the burns. He instructed the families on what they could do to
help the patients between his visits. There were no strong pain killers available, only whiskey to be used
cautiously.
Edor’s small brothers and sisters were warned to stay out of his room, as any floor shaking brought
screams from the stricken man. As Edor’s siter, Clara, then six years old, remembers, the feet looked like
two big yellow lumps on the chairs.
In the November 4, 1910, Greenbush Tribune, the following notice was printed: “Tom Kelly who was
badly burned up on the Roseau River recently, was taken to Baudette last Friday where he will receive
treatment from the Red Cross Society which has been in charge of relief work for the fire sufferers up
there.” The Red Cross was there in the wake of the disastrous Baudette-Spooner fire, which took 42 lives
on October 9. Kelly was later sent to the University of Minnesota Hospital.
From the Greenbush Tribune of November 13, 1910, came this notice: “Edor Hagen was taken to the
University Hospital, in Minneapolis, to seek medical aid for his burns.” About one-third of his body was
burned.
While at the hospital, much grafting was done on Edor’s body. Because there was insufficient skin for
the job, eggs were broken and the fine membrane from inside the shell was used.
All the toes on both feet were amputated. One of the surgeons remarked that it was difficult to
reconstruct these remains into anything that could be used as feet.
From the Greenbush Tribune of November 25, 1910, “Reports are that Hagen and Kelly are doing fine at
the University Hospital. These reports were good to hear for both families.
Tom Kelly’s legs were both amputated at the knees. He walked for the rest of his life on two cork legs
with the aid of crutches.
Edor Hagen spent nearly a year at the University Hospital. After his return, it was still months before he
could walk unassisted.
Both men recovered. Hagen walked haltingly but he walked without cane or crutches. In Duluth, he
married and raised three children, one of whom is my wife, Bessie. (This was written by Rudy Billberg.)
He was a man of good humor who brought laughter to men wherever he went. He died at the age of 88.
Kelly continued to live the rest of his life on the farm north of Haug. Eight children were born to the
Kellys and seven lived to maturity. He died at the age of 64 in 1927.
In a quote from the Greenbush Tribune, the following tribute was given: “He did not let his misfortune
keep him inactive, as he did some of the chores and in summer worked in the garden and did what he
could. He was of a jovial disposition and was well liked as a neighbor. Mr. Kelly also served his
community in many positions of trust. For many years he worked as town clerk, school clerk and
secretary-treasurer of the telephone company.
Surely we must pay tribute to these men who overcame such incredible suffering and physical handicaps
to live long and useful lives.
Praise must also be given to Tom Kelly’s daughter, Lillian Kelly Nelson (wife of Iver Nelson). Although
born long after her father’s accident, she was, from the age of five years, his constant companion and
helper. This did much to make his life better and more useful.
The Red Cross, too, deserves much credit, for they made it possible for the men to get the medical care
they needed. They helped the farmers with the hay storage and Clara Hagen Halverson tells of gifts from
the Red Cross that came to their family at Christmas. Clara received a beautiful doll, which she joyfully
remembers to this day.
We’re grateful to Rudy Billberg for documenting this event from 1910. He thanked Clara Halverson,
Lillian Kelly Nelson, and Hector Graff for information.
Thank you to 
for letting us share our county’s history with your listeners by donating air time, studio time, and production staff every week.