Ramsey County History magazine offers a wide variety of articles on the people, places and history of Ramsey County.
Volume 23
Volume 23, Number 1: 1988
The American National Bank and the Bremer Brothers
Author: Thomas J. Kelley
Many entered the field of banking in the 1880s, but due to the Depression of 1893, many of these institutions folded. The American National Bank was opened in 1903, by local businessmen led by Otto Bremer, owner of the Schmidt Brewery. Otto’s brother, Adolf, was its president. The “country banks” were in trouble after World War I and the American National Bank supported them, taking a controlling interest in many. To help out, the Brewery became a major investor in the bank in 1936. Otto, who became president of the Jacob Schmidt Brewery after Adolph died, passed away in 1951. At the time the article was written, the American National Bank was the largest commercial bank based in St. Paul.
PDF of Kelley article
The Guild of Catholic Women and Their ‘Constant Efforts To Brighten Lives’
Author: Virginia Brainard Kunz
“The 20th century’s great social movements—suffrage, social service, prohibition and temperance—were reflected in the work of St. Paul’s women,” according to the author. One of the institutions formed in this period of social improvement was the Guild of Catholic Women, founded in 1906. From a group of thirty at St. Luke’s Parish, the Guild became a city-wide doer of good deeds. It organized a Travelers’ Aid Society, housing for young Catholic working women, and the Catholic Infant Home. Members visited the sick, clothed the poor, found people jobs and shelter for the homeless. During World War I. the Guild sold Liberty Bonds and found graves for those who died in service. During the Depression, the Guild organized Girl Scout troops and orphanages, supported the House of the Good Shepherd, Little Sisters of the Poor, and other groups. Responding to changing times, its services were adapted to the community’s needs.
PDF of Kunz article
George H. Trout and the Corner Grocery Store
Author: Karl Trout
This memoir from the son of a grocer in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood is filled with delightful details: how the commodities were delivered and sold and how customers tasted the butter before buying. According to the author, “the Henry George 5 cent cigar was the people’s choice, kids drove the proprietor crazy over a one-penny candy purchase, Uncle Charlie took the “high-stepping mare Lady” out to call on customers, and so on. There is neighborhood information as well, such as how in winter the kids delighted in grabbing onto the farmers’ sleighs for a ride after school and the annual Grocers’ Day picnics.
PDF of Trout article
Pay Days: The Millers and Saints
Author: Stew Thornley
A brief summary of the century-long baseball rivalry between St. Paul’s Saints baseball team and the Millers of Minneapolis, featuring brawls, record-setting feats, famous names, and unforgettable characters.
PDF of Thornley article