Alexander William Kunze

Alex was the oldest son of August Kunze and Mary Nelson. He was most likely born in Danielson, Minnesota on the farm that they were renting, 26 September 1878. Her mother, Martha, who lived nearby was probably in attendance along with the local midwife, Lydia Johnson, who attended all of the births of the Nels Nelson family. It was a time of great celebration and joy! During this time, he grew up around many cousins and was close to the Nelson boys who lived on an adjacent farm. In 1885, they had moved to the "city" Litchfield where he attended school. When his mother passed away suddenly in 1888, Alex would have only been 10 years of age. I'm not sure where he went to live during the next 10+ years, as some went to live with the Nelson's and others with relatives on the Kunze side in Waconia, Minnesota. I wish I knew the details of this, maybe one of his descendants will read this and tell more. We do know that he only went to school up to the 4th grade which wasn't entirely unusual during those days, but it certainly would be a challenge to provide for a family with little eduation. But it seems that Alex worked hard on various farms, as we find him at age 22 working on the Olson farm as a farm hand and in 1906 he is living with two of his brothers in St. Paul, working as a laborer and then in 1910 he is back working on a farm in Danielson. He seems to be a bit of a wandering soul.
On 20 December 1916, he is married to a spinster that he most likely had known for many years, Rosie Danielson who had lived and grown up on a farm in Danielson. He was a distinguished 38 and she a young 25. Prior to 1920, his brother August and some other family members had moved to the hills of Three Forks, Montana. This was a rapidly growing city in the west being populated mostly by mining and railroad employees and their family. He decided to try his hand too and began working on the railroad there. It must have been hard for Rosie, after being around her family all her life, and life in a bustling new city can be overwhelming for a young country girl. But I'm sure they made the most of the situation and hopefully, enjoyed their time there. They possibly went because his father was gravely ill and passed away in 1918. During these years, everyone was trying their best to eek out a living and to get ahead. If you weren't educated, you worked in farming or did labor it seems and the RR has most always paid fairly well. But by 1930, Alex and his growing family are living back in Danielson. I'm guessing here but they most likely took over her family's farm. By this time, they had three children, Bernice, Dale and Hildar and the aged father of Rosie was also with them, Hans Danielson age 72. There were other Danielson's in the area too. Within 10 years, the old grandfather had passed away and the Alex Kunze family had moved to Litchfield. The 1930's was a difficult time for most everyone in the U.S., especially farmers. With droughts and the depression, work was not plentiful. Hopefully, the farm was sold for a profit and Alex and family came out a little bit ahead. But they didn't own the farm so most likely shared the proceeds with other Danielson family members. Their home in Litchfield was on beautiful tree lined 4th street. The house was rented. He was working in road construction and traveled extensively. Also living there are his wife, son Dale, daughter Hildar, married daughter, Bernice and her husband and son. Quite a houseful!! I know nothing of the rest of his story. I do find a little tidbit in Gramma Annette's book that I might have left out but ... it's telling and part of the story so I include it here. In the summer of 1916, Gramma's family would sell the farm in Danielson and move to Litchfield. Her parents were aging and her mother not especially well. They left some valuable items in the house to which she comments regarding, " We left on the parlor floor the lovely China lamp with the wild roses on the shade and base, also the scope and all it's pictures. How I would love to have them now! In the dining room, we left on it's shelf, the handsome marble clock. And on the kitchen shelf, the tall old clock which had chimed the hours through the years. Why did they do it? Were we not going to need clocks? Nate later rescued the kitchen clock and Vernie still treasures it. The other things are forever lost, priceless mementos. And saddest of all, we left out in the attic of the "old" house, Grandfather Andrew's old chest, the one he had made and brought across the ocean. My father planned to get this later when we were settled in our permanent home in Litchfield. But for some reason, this was never done, and one day some years later, my cousin Alexander Kunze came and wrongfully and illegally removed it from my father's premises. After Alex died in 1952, (brother) Nate and Vernie called on his wife, Rose, and asked that it be returned. She refused and Nate took not further action. So it remains in the possession of a daughter of Alex in Litchfield." So it would be fun to try and find the old chest, even to just take a glance or run a hand along the old wood. Alex would have been a grandson too and obviously was equally entitled to it. He possibly was asked by Gramma's father Nels to go and pick it up. Who knows. There is probably more to the story than she knew or we will know. So that is the story regarding Alex the oldest son of August the German and lovely Mary Nelson from Norway.