Growing Up In St. Paul
The Streed-Anderson family on Payne Avenue.
The Streed-Anderson family’s origin in St. Paul was on Payne Avenue ,also known as “Snoose Boulevard“,in 1886..
August Streed’s first exposure to Payne Avenue was when he was employed as a
coachman driving a
horse and buggy for Mr. Maxwell R. James, a wealthy Summit Avenue railroad
president. In the fall of 1884 the duck hunting along the north shore of Lake Phalen and
the creeks to Lakes Keller and Gervais attracted many ardent hunters from a growing
city.
August saw this area as an ideal place to take Mr. James and his family for a pleasant
Sunday afternoon drive. The route he took going north from east 7th St. was Decatur
Street , later to become Payne Avenue, and from there to Lake Phalen
Two years later he again toured Payne Avenue because he was interested in acquiring a
business location. The Avenue was building up rapidly with the construction of both
stores and residences. He traveled the full length of the street and chose a lot on the
northeast corner of Hyacinth Ave. His plan was to erect a store in the front and a home in
the rear. The home was completed and excavation for the store had already been started
when he realized that the business section of the Avenue would be a mile south at the
bottom of the hill. The residence stood there. He had no choice but to use it as a family
home for the next three years.
Record of building permits and sub-permits from the Ramsey County Historical Society
show a permit issued to A.A.Streed on January 9, 1889 and next sub-permit to A.
Anderson on April 2, 1892. This would indicate that sometime between 1889 and 1892
he changed his name from August Anderson Streed to August Anderson. In Sweden the
word streed means war. Looks like he meant not to be a threat. This store building was
used to manufacture and sell hand-made cigars. This business prospered until the advent
of much cheaper machine made cigars and this eventually led to bankruptcy.
The next building permit was issued to L. Anderson on January 27, 1910 for a new
building at 956 Payne Avenue, four doors north of his first location which was lost in
bankruptcy. The cost of construction was $7000.00. He used the name of his daughter,
L. Anderson ,in order to obtain credit for the new construction. The new building was
used to house Anderson’s Ice Cream Parlor to eventually become Schwietz’s Saloon in
1933. In 1969 the writer met his lovely wife with beautiful red hair at Schweitz,s.. .
Another permit dated November 28, 1890 to H. Norman the original owner and the next
sub-permit to A. Anderson dated Dec 31, 1931 for electrical work. As said by his son
Arthur the purchase of the home was probably made in 1916. This is where August, wife
Anna , sons Arthur and Carl and daughters Lavina, Mayme, Clarice Ethel Christine
resided until Clarice was the last one to tip over. Ethel (Auntie Steena),, who was an
invalid due to a spinal condition lived a very active life mostly from her bed. She fed
birds from her upstairs window, visited with neighborhood children and was visited and
written up by a Daily News reporter. She even had pictures of nieces and nephews
birthdays published in the Daily News.
August Streed came to America from Jankoping, a village in Sweden sometime during
the year 1878 and settled in New York City for a short time. While there August was
married and sired a baby girl given the surname Lavina the first one of six. Upon the
death of his first wife he decided to move to St. Paul in 1884 and married his second wife
Anna Swenson from the Swedish village of Markayrd in 1890. With the birth of five
more children. In this order were Carl, Arthur, Mayme, Clarice and Ethel Christine also
known as “Steena”
ARTHUR C ANDERSON Next to be remembered is second son of August and Anna,
Arthur C Anderson historian of Payne Avenue writing in the East Side Advertiser
newspaper from the beginning of Payne Avenue through the 1970s. More memorable
than his writing are stories he related to select audiences in his own unique Swedish
dialect. Stories are titled Little Olaf and Trouble in North St. Paul. As follows:
“Peek-aboo say little Olaf you can find me, I bin hid. Then I used to look all over for my
liddle blue eyed kid. Up in addic, down in culler, back of kitchen door.
Then he used to laugh and say I bin back of kitchen door
Peek-aboo he used to tell me,shut your eyes and don’t you dare peek. Then I feel his arms
around me and his kisses on my cheek.
Now I’m hiding daddy he tell me. Mebbe if you look some more you shall find your little
Olaf. I bin back of kitchen door.
Peek-aboo I hear him calling like he called long time ago. Where bin Little Olaf hiding,
only angel fellers know. A tousand times I look to find him.
I can’t find him eny more.”
“For eighteen years I was the editor of the North St.Paul Bugle, a weekly newspaper.
Our prominent citizen in those days was Colonel Eugene Snodgrass and when he
returned from the trenches of the First World War I wrote a fine article about him
referring to him as our great big BATTLE SCARRED veteran. I did not think about it
again until I came home that very evening and there was my wife Teckla holding the
newspaper and pointing to the words in front of me. “Colonel Eugene Snodgrass our
great big BATTLE SCARED veteran”
I knew what was coming. Went to my office the next morning prepared to face the music
and my anticipation was no exaggeration . I got it so hot ad heavy from the Colonel that I
had to print a special edition to correct the error
I was just leaning back in my chair with a feeling of great relief when Teckla came
rushing in.. She pushed the newspaper in front of my face and there it was as big as you
please. “Colonel Eugene Snodgrass our great big BOTTLE SCARRED veteran”. We
took the next streetcar to Payne Avenue Street. “
The Swedish pronunciation of Eugene is “you-yene”
Now we will go to stories on the history of Payne Avenue written by Arthur C. in the East
Side Advertiser.
WILLIAM LUNDGREN . Bill, who was stricken with cerebral palsy at birth overcame
many, many struggles always with a smile. Bill’s widowed mother bought him a teddy
wagon to use to collect newspapers up and down Payne Avenue from all the merchants
who were happy to oblige. Bill then sold them to the Waldorf paper company and he was
able to support himself financially.. A tribute to Bill cannot be complete unless earnest
expression is given to the devoted service of love that has been rendered by Art
Borgstrom and his family through the many years that have passed. There are many
others who have contributed to the welfare of the “Richest Man On Payne Avenue” These
folks will be rewarded by the Master himself who said “Truly I say to you,, as you did to
one of the least of these, my bretheren, you did it to me. From Mathew 24:40. Shortly
before his death Bill celebrated his seventieth birthday at the Bridgeman Soda Grill in
Allen’s Pharmacy with cake served by Inez Ferguson.
DAHLSTROM FLEES FROM AN ANGRY MOB
Headline in the St. Paul Daily News dated September 19, 1901. Rev. Albert Dahlstrom,
the evangelist who is reputed to have approved the act of President McKinley’s assassin
Czolgosz, as a “noble deed”. A crowd of 1000 Swedes gathered at Lawson Ave and
marched to the building at 938 Payne, Ave where Dahlstrom was to make his speech, and
their intention to tar and feather him or to hang him to the nearest tree. When the crowd
surged about the building he escaped out a rear door and scaled a twelve foot wall and
lost no time to get out of the neighborwood. During the search the policemen, even
though they had been reinforced, were absolutely powerless. They were just brushed
aside.
A CITY OF CHURCHES WITHIN A CITY
The Arlington Hill Presbyterian Church organized in 1886 with a small chapel located at
611 E. Jenks. In 1902 they built their first church edifice at the northeast corner of Case
Avenue and Edgerton.
The Payne Avenue Baptist Church later to be renamed Trinity Baptist. First at Collins
and Burr then to the corner of Payne and Sims was organized in 1873. After a long time
on Payne they then moved to a location at Edgerton and highway 36 and were renamed
Trinity Baptist.
St. James Episcopal Church organized in 1875 at Jenks Avenue and DeSoto and in 1926
to Greenbrier and Orange.
The Memorial Lutheran Church organized in 1883 at the corner of Maryland and Earl
St.. In 1893 the German Lutheran Seminary was located in a large tract of land on Ivy
Avenue near Lake Phalen.
St. Patricks Catholic Church organized in 1884 at the northeast corner of Case Avenue
and Mississippi St and later located at DeSoto and Magnolia.. The sisters of St.Joseph
taught their class in the basement of the first church.
The Arlington Hills Methodist Church organized a Sunday Bible Class at 688 Case
Avenue From there to a location at Cook Avenue and Greenbrier in 1890 then to a
beautiful location on County Road B just south of Lake Gervais in 1970.
The Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church organized in 1889 at Weide St. and Sims
Avenue. and later to be moved to it’s present location at Arcade St and Larpenture
Avenue. This is now the place of worship of your writer and his family.
THE SALVATION ARMY
One of the outstanding institutions on the East Side is the Salvation Army Corps located
on Payne Avenue and Lawson in a beautiful temple of God. For almost one hundred years
these true servants of the Lord have faithfully carried the banner of Christ on the East
Side. The Salvation Army was brought to America by Commissioner George S. Railton.
Under the orders of General Booth he landed in New York City on March 10,1880. From
the day on which they arrived his small group drew enormous crowds in the lowest of
slums.
Captain Annie Olson came to St. Paul on October 27, 1888 and before the year was out
she established our Salvation Army Corps No. 2. In 1891 Captain Eckholm organized the
first band. Each Sunday morning the bass drummer would mount the steps of the old
belfry and boom out the call for worship.
When the Salvationists marched out to a street corner to hold a meeting they were
quickly arrested.. They had the same humiliation right here on Payne Avenue when they
gathered near the old horse watering tank at Case for their first meeting in St. Paul. They
prayed and sang their way out of the old police station on the corner of Margaret and
Hope on Daytons Bluff. As they marched they suffered from hostile spectators who
stood along the sidewalks jeering them and pelting. Young men from the Irish
neighborwood on Bradley, south of Collins, came to their aid by forming a rear guard.
THE PAYNE AVENUE HARVEST FETIVAL
The East Side Commercial Club, organized in 1904, grew in membership until it
became the largest outlying organizations of it’s kind in St. Paul.
Under the leadership of these men the merchants on the Avenue showed their faith in the
future by underwriting The Street Carnival of 1906 which was set up on the pavement
from curb to curb .There were booths here and there on the front of vacant lots where the
exercise of skill and guesswork brought contestants beautiful prizes.. Acts of daring were
performed just off the Avenue or on a vacant lot. At Whitall a bicycle rider risked his
neck by coming down a steep incline, built upon a narrow scaffolding and looped the
loop.
A merry-go-round was located at Payne and Lawson where the music went round and
round with the gaily dancing horses and the colored carriages.
As a local venture the carnival was the forerunner of the Great Harvest Festival. The
annual Harvest Festival has become a great drawing card for Payne Avenue. It’s first
parade was held in 1922 and has continued to draw hundreds of people with it’s
illuminated floats and marching bands.
Another contribution to the attractiveness of the Avenue was made in 1916 when
ornamental light posts were installed from Minnehaha to Maryland. Each pole had a
cluster of five round lights of gleaming white.. They were dedicated by Govenor J.A.A.
Burnquist and the Reverand G.A. Hagstrom of the First Swedish Baptist Church.
MR. PETER LINN, AN EARLY PIONEER
One of the earliest of pioneers was Mr. Peter Linn who arrived in St. Paul from Sweden
in 1882. Three years later he selected a lot at Jessamine and Earl and built a small cabin
and had his employment at the Harvester Works , a large factory on the east bank of
Phalen Creek.
One day when he was busy with his jig saw at the plant one of his five young girls
appeared suddenly and informed him that he was needed immediately at home. For the
coming of another child.. When he returned the next morning he was sent for by the
foreman. Mr. Linn did not know what had taken place after he left, so it came as a
surprise to learn that all the men had been called into the tool room and that they had
voted unanimously that Peter Linn should receive a raise of 25 cents a day, with no
increase for themselves. It was a welcome addition to his weekly income.
His next step was to be appointed as custodian of the new Harrison Elementary School in
1889. The year of 1939 brought the observance of it’s fiftieth anniversary with a
banquet to celebrate the event. The most appealing part of the program was when Mr.
Linn was presented with an honorary diploma as a graduate of the school. He was cited
for fifty years of perfect attendance. He had not lost a single day. Mr. Linn tipped over
just a few months after retirement.
THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF DECATUR ST. SOON TO BECOME PAYNE . AVE
The Arlington Hill district of the first ward began to be settled in the 1870”s
In the main it attracted working people. They bought their lots on the installment plan, for
the most part from building societies and the erected their modest homes on the oak clad
hills.
The Scandinavians were early in selecting this ward as their residential area. Many of
these immigrants found their first homes in a beautiful valley which later became to be
known as Swede Hollow. New arrivals saw it as a haven of refuge in an unfamiliar
world.
It was not long before many families had moved up to the street. One proud owner of a
new home invited a old neighbor to inspect his fine residence. He pointed at his kitchen
sink and said “Look I got faucet”. His friend exclaimed “In hollow we got crik”.
Away back in the early seventies Payne Avenue was brought into being.. However, in the
early struggles and tribulations of the new community no one thought of a name.
Perhaps in those days no one cared much, but as time marched on the busy little group
of pioneers thought of further improvements . In 1881 the street as far as the Omaha
bridge was called Decatur Street.
It was really time that the commercial pioneers gave serious thought to a name.. Some
business men claimed that they were on Decatur and others insisted that they were
located on Payne. This caused considerable conflict and in the early part of 1889 when
the street received it’s first modern dress of a rounded-cedar-block pavement it finally
came time to settle the argument over the name.
A mass meeting was held and it was voted that the avenue should be called Payne. The
lower part from Minnehaha to the bridge was included. It became a modern thoroughfare
In vivid contrast to a little crooked dusty street of the pioneers.
According to the historical record the street was named after a man by the name of Payne
who was one of a group of Frenchmen who founded the district. Payne, a man of
dominating personality was possessed of outstanding leadership qualities and
practically owned every bit of land along Phalen Creek. The vast holdings which he had
acquired as a squatter shrewdly evading the meager laws of pioneer times. He was
perhaps the most hated man and at the same time the most beloved man of his day.
TRAGIC EVENT ON THE EAST SIDE
During the winter months sliding on lower wells street was enjoyed by the young children
of that day. It was a carefree sport with an intermingling of bobsleds and small sleds.
These descended from both ends of the street. The inevitable happened. Little Freddy
Lindgren lying flat on his sled was struck by a bobsled coming from the other direction.
He was carried to a nearby drugstore on the avenue but died a short time later of a brain
injury.
PERSONAL HISTORY OF ARTHUR CLARENCE ANDERSON
Art was born on August 6, 1894 atop his father’s cigar store at 940 Payne Avenue. He
attended John Ericsson Elementary, Johnson High at 740 York, at that time called
Cleveland, and in 1916 graduated from Hamline University where he majored in
English Literature and the classics. He later attended night school as a post-graduate in
accounting at the University of Minnesota.
In 1917 he obtained hi first teaching post as principal at Langdon High School in North
Dakota and then at Oakes High in the same state.
From 1918-19 Art saw service as a Marine on Parris Island. For four years after his
discharge he worked in the accounting department of the First National Bank in St. Paul.
In 1924 he joined the department of commercial studies at Central High School teaching
classes in book-keeping ,aka accounting, and business practice.
In 1943 Annerson became the Executive Secretary of The St.Paul Teacher’s Retirement
Fund, a post he retained until his retirement in 1963. He served as the fund’s president
from 1933 to 1943 and on it’s executive board until 1963.
After Art’s retirement in 1963 St. Paul mayor George Vavoulis presented him with a
scroll at a testimony dinner and “Arthur C Anderson Day” was declared as a city-wide
celebration on February 6, 1964.
In June of 1922 Art married Helga M. Wendell at her home in Dayton’s Bluff and built
a house at 919 Clear Ave. They were blessed with two sons, Alan and Neal and a
daughter Doris. This produced thirteen grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
He was the grand marshal of the 1972 Payne Avenue Harvest Festival Parade . Another
honor was bestowed upon him in 1973 when he was selected to join the Johnson High
School “Hall of Fame.
A tribute given to him on his 80th birthday by the editor of the East Side Advertiser
newspaper: “To a most admired and respected gentleman, the best we can wish is that
your life will continue to be as full as your past eighty years.”
When Arthur Anderson retired , Leonard Powderly a member of the board of directors of
the Retirement Fund declared “Arthur Anderson is one of those rare men who combine
a mind with a classical bent ….with a highly specialized expertise in accounting….His
Honesty is Arthur’s strength and he has managed to clothe all his acts with a fine
courtesy and humaneness that has made him a respected figure to all that know him.”
LAST AND NOT LEAST IS ALAN WENDELL ANNERSON
Alan was born of Arthur and Helga Anderson on September 18, 1928 in St. Paul,
Minnesota. He was preceded in birth by lovely sister Doris Mildred and followed 15
months later by brother Neal. Evan They growed up near Phalen Park at 919 Clear
Ave. There was a very nice dump across the street that served as a very usefull
playground. The , swimming beach, golf course, playground, skating rink. and all the
facilities of Phalen Park were within just a few blocks from home.
During the spring of 1945 Alan became diabetic and had a tough time dealing with an
illness that made him different from all his classmates. A feeling of shame caused him to
keep the fact from common knowledge.. He did an exceptional job of self care to control
his disease, seldom to see a doctor for the first fifty years. The time for medical care came
in 1996 when he needed coronary by-pass surgery and now regularly sees specialists such
as cardiologist, endocrinologist,, nephrologist,,,urologist, ophthamologist,proctologist and
meteoroligist.. With 63 years of diabetes and still being of fair health he has probably set
a record.
After graduation from Johnson High School in 1946 Alan took classes in pharmacy at the
University of Minnesota to be registered as a pharmacist in 1950. First job in pharmacy
was to work during Summer vacations at Gerber’s Drug on Arcade St. then after
graduation and registration as a pharmacist to Quality Drug in South St. Paul for the next
three years
At that time the opportunity to work at Sundberg’s Drug on Payne Avenue was presented
and accepted immediately This was only a block from Schweitz Saloon where Alan met
Marianne fourteen years later.
The deal with Sundberg was to purchase the store upon his retirement which occurred in
1961. Then Alan was on his own.
The next step was to buy the building and tear down a dividing wall and double the size
of the store to accommodate the addition of a Bridgeman Soda grill.
With the new addition there was an expected increase in dollar volume for the store but
not enough to cover the expense of remodeling.
With the passing of time and a divorce on the horizon it got more and more difficult to
pay bills. He had the opportunity to sell.in 1970 and he was happy to. This was a sign of
the times for small business. When Alan arrived on Payne Avenue in 1954 there were six
drug stores and now they have all disappeared. as did grocery stores, meat markets,
bakeries ,shoe stores , hardware stores and others..Then to Snyder Bros Drug for 31 years
and next at Cub Pharmacy for the last two years to retirement.
Now to relate four marriages and seven children, five by natural means and two by
adoption.
First marriage to Florence Louise Nelson, a classmate at Johnson High School, to last
for twenty years and terminate in 1970. There were four children. Del Wendell 1951,
Jane Marie 1952, Mary Louise 1954 and Barbara Jean 1965.
Second marriage in 1970 to Marianne Williamson Thorstad Winkel from Starbuck
Minnesota They were married eleven months after meeting at Schweitz Saloon ,located in
the building erected by grandfather August Anderson in 1910. Living first at 1400 East
Arlington, then 1720 Beech and then to 1566 E Idaho Ave all in St. Paul. Alan adopted
Marianne’s son and daughter, William John 1962 and Lora Lee 1964 and added Jillian
Diane in December of 1971. This marriage was terminated in 1988.
Third Marriage to Jeanette Cheney Miller in 1988. They lived in North Minneapolis until
they became ascaired to live there and moved to Stillwater. This marriage lasted for
eleven years and was terminated in 1999.. O offspring.
Fourth marriage to Marianne Anderson, same as number two, in 1999 and is sure to last
many more.. With Alan at eighty years of age, who knows how many more. When asked
why she took Alan back Marianne sez “just to get even.” They celebrated their silver
wedding anniversary at Rudy,s Red Eye Grill in 2006 by adding the first eighteen
years plus the second time of seven years to total twenty five years.. Alan moved
back into their home at 1566 E Idaho , and then in 2002 they moved to a townhouse at
4316 Thornhill Lane in Vadnais Heights. There are two vacation homes one at
Square Lake in Minnesota for Summer use and another in Mesa Arizona to be
away from the snow during the Winter.
Alan’s biggest recent event was to be a guest of U.S. Senator Norm Coleman at
the Republican National Convention on Sept 1, 2008. He earned this privilege
after volunteering on Norm’s 2002 and 2008 campaigns and working in his St.
Paul office for several years until going to the campaign of Randy Kelly running
for mayor of St. Paul. He also had the privilege to appear on a Norm Coleman
T.V commercial during the campaign. l.
Written by Alan W. Anderson
4316 Thornhill Lane
Vadnais Heights, MN 55127
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