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.
March 15, 2026
Last week I told you about Eldyne Erickson, who was a daughter of a jeweler in Roseau named
E. O. Anderson. Today I’ll tell you about her parents. Information comes from sources at the
Roseau County Museum.
E. O. Anderson was born in Britton, South Dakota in 1893 to John and Emma (Benson) Anderson. In 1896 their family homesteaded in Lind Township in Roseau County. They were the first white children in the area. He went to school in Pelan and later St. Paul Stone School of Watchmaking and Optometry.
Olga Paulson was born in Grafton, North Dakota, to Ole and Mathilda (Hanson) Paulson in 1895. Her family moved to Lind Township in 1900. As a teenager she was asked to come to Springsteel Island to teach the Springsteel children. She received additional education attending Moorhead Normal, teaching in various schools in the county until her marriage. Elmer and Olga were married on August 19, 1917 in Greenbush by Pastor Skogerboe. Elmer and his brother Bert operated a confectionary and jewelry store in Greenbush until a fire destroyed the building. Elmer and Olga came to Roseau in 1925 and lived here most of the
remainder of their years together while raising their six children: Mylo (married to May Spjut),
Hazel (Mrs. Channing Peterson), Willard (married to Marion Roberts), LaMae (Mrs. Jack
Lundbohm), Marian (Mrs Merritt Wolfe), and Eldyne (Mrs. “Binky” Erickson). Elmer operated
the Anderson Jewelry Store in Roseau from 1925 to 1954. He also fitted glasses and sold
Maytag washing machines while in Roseau. They worked in a Detroit defense plant for 2 years
during WW II. After selling Anderson Jewelry to Luverne Carlson, he and Olga moved to
California. She died out there in 1964. He married Pearl Mayer in San Fernando, California on
November 22, 1964 and they returned to Roseau in September of 1965 and lived in Roseau
where Elmer died in 1977.
An interview with Elmer and Pearl was published in the Roseau Times-Region in December,
1974.
“Keeping active is the secret of youth in old age,” Mr. and Mrs. E. O. Anderson, Roseau, believe
… and they practice what they preach. Both are not only active in senior citizen affairs but have
hobbies and activities which make the days “too short.” The pace they keep up would make a
lot of young folks “goggle” a bit. “But it doesn’t pay to sit in a rocking chair … when people do
that it isn’t long before you hear they have passed on,” E. O. says. They plan to be around a
good many more years and are taking a keen interest in every day of their lives … making
things, repairing things and helping others.
They’re pretty business-minded, too, buying, fixing up and renting dwellings in Roseau. “It helps
us make a living with our social security,” Mrs. Anderson says. “It’s nice as we don’t have to feel
beholden to anyone.” It is an especial joy to Elmer who has tackled every dwelling with tools,
paint brush and enthusiasm, remodeling, fixing and painting them for their new occupants. In
addition, he moved in and remodeled a double garage at his own home, built two nice additions
and fixed up an apartment upstairs.
Born near Britton, [Marshall County] South Dakota in 1893, he came to Roseau County with his
folks who homesteaded near Pelan. Later they farmed near Greenbush where he grew up. He
went to Jewelers school in St. Paul in 1914, washing dishes to help pay for his eight-month
training. He went into business in Greenbush in 1915, having his office in a small barbershop
and then in a small room where the telephone exchange was operated by his sister. “She took
care of the exchange and took orders in the daytime while he worked elsewhere. He did his
jewelry repair at night.
He still takes in watches and clocks to fix and does a fine job despite cataract operations in both
eyes. “I don’t advertise as I couldn’t take care of all the things I like to do then. I’d have to sit
here and I like to be free so I can come and go,” he said.
Mrs. Anderson added, “we can never catch ourselves … we are so busy all the time.” E. O.
added that he never has time to loaf. “There’s one thing or another all the time.”
Those things include hauling senior citizens to and from the center, helping make things for the
center and then making his own birdhouses, small doll cradles and the many other things he
likes to “tinker with.” Mrs. Anderson also helps at the center, loves canasta and bridge as well
as making things. She was making Christmas decorations when we called at the Anderson
home. It doesn’t end there, however, for she is active in the Legion Auxiliary and loves to bowl
every week, too!
While E. O. likes to play canasta, he doesn’t care for bridge.
After moving back in 1966 he began to buy houses and fix them up. He redid the Hjalmer
Carlson home which he bought; the Gilbertson home, the Hjalmer Nord house, “then the Larson
house which we remodeled,” he said. He also bought two mobile homes to fix up and rent out.
“You wouldn’t know any of them when he gets through,” Mrs. Anderson said. Both of them
emphasize that “the things we do are interesting … they are a challenge.” E. O. says he has
“fairly good equipment and that helps.”
They both feel the senior citizen center is worth while. “People get a lot out of it. You’d be
surprised at the work that goes into the things they make there to sell,” they said. They regret
that a lot of older people don’t take advantage of the center. “Having interests like that is so
important,” Mrs. Anderson said.
When we left, they were making plans for still more activities. “Even though it’s a job right now
taking care of the things we have already lined up,” he joked. Last week he finished painting the
kitchen of a house they are renting. “Keeping busy is keeping happy,” he opines.
It’s a formula which surely works for the Andersons!
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for letting us share our county’s history with your listeners by donating air time, studio time, and production staff every week.