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Rhoda Amanda (Flatau) Koehnen

January 26, 1921 - March 21, 1985

64 years, 1 month, 23 days

Marriage: Verle Samuel "Bud" Koehnen - married June 1, 1943

Children of Rhoda & Bud:
Karen Marie Koehnen (1944-1920 / 76 years)
Donna Ann Koehnen (Ulschmid)
Gary Michael Koehnen
Toni Alberta Koehnen (Loerzel)
Jon Samuel Koehnen
Diane Mary Koehnen
Steven Edward Koehnen
Rita Louise Koehnen
Mark Christopher Koehnen

The following is taken from a booklet that was written for Albert and Elsie’s 65th Wedding Anniversary celebrated on August 14, 1983. Their actual 65th anniversary was January 15, 1984. The booklet was written by Vi Johnson and Kristin Peterson from information supplied by relatives. Susan Flatau provided much of the information from the great records that she keeps. The majority of the information from the booklet has not been modified, but more photos (and some text) have been added.

Rhoda's Early Years

In the fall of 1919, Albert and Elsie moved to the Beckman farm and on Nov. 19, 1919, their first child was born. She was named Violet Marie.

Fourteen months later, while still on the farm, another daughter was born on Jan. 21, 1921. She was named Rhoda Amanda.

Albert farmed the land at the Beckman farm and also rented farmland on the ‘prairie’. Marie, Elsie’s mother, sold the Beckman farm in the early spring of 1922. In the cold months of spring, Albert, Elsie, and girls were looking for a place to live nearby as they had land rented on the prairie. A granary was the best they could find. It was on the rented land.

Albert and Elsie remember the year of 1922 as a year of disasters.

A good producing cow died; Rhoda had an infected gland lanced in her neck in early March; Violet got a piece of steel in her eye in May and a cracked block on the car developed when Albert, Elsie, Violet, and Emil (Elsie’s brother) went to Fargo to see an eye specialist and Elsie and Violet had to remain in Fargo.

Albert and Emil were near Detroit Lakes when the car broke down. They had only enough money for a loaf of bread and a can of sardines and found drinking water at Detroit Lakes. They saved enough money for train fare to Perham and then walked home.

In the fall of 1922, Albert rented a farm in Perham Township from Emil Husen, a cousin of Marie (Elsie’s mother). It is presently owned by Ray Zeigler (1983).

On March 15, 1923, a son named Vernon Beckman was born at the “Husen” farm.

On October 3, 1924, Rodney Albert was born.

The Big Move to Oregon

In 1925 Albert and Elsie bought a new Model T Ford Coach. They were the first in the area to have such a car…it was the first year Ford manufactured a car with glass windows!

In 1926 Albert and Elsie decided to head west to Portland, Oregon.

In September they held an auction selling their farm machinery, livestock and belongings.

A. Diamond was the auctioneer and they were told their auction had drawn the largest crowd Diamond had ever auctioned at.

The family lived at Carl and Amanda’s (Albert’s sister) for a few days until they left on their trip. Grandma Marie also went out West with the family. They stopped at Louise’s place (Elsie's sister) at Jamestown, ND, and then at Clara’s (Elsie's sister) at Linton, ND, and stayed over the weekend and left Monday morning.

The ages of everyone: Albert (28), Elsie, (almost 26), Violet (almost 7), Rhoda (5), Vernon (3), Rodney (almost 2), and Grandma Marie (62).

Monday night they stopped at a farmer’s place to spend the night, sleeping in the car that Albert had fixed for that purpose….a narrow bed for Albert and Elsie was supported by the back window ledge and front dashboard; the front passenger seat was taken out permitting Grandma Marie to sleep along that side; Violet, Rhoda, and Rodney slept alongside her and Vernon by the driver’s seat. Albert helped the farmer milk cows and received milk for the family.

Albert and Elsie remember the trip well. When going over the Continental Divide at Pipestone Pass, they wore out the brakes, low and reverse, and it was necessary to install all new linings that next morning. The only time they paid lodging along the way was at Cabin City near St. Regis, Montana. The trip was approx. 2,000 miles and took 6 days…all on dirt roads until Washington state.

Arrived in Oregon

On October 3, 1926 they arrived in Portland and stayed at Walt and Ida Locke’s place (Albert’s sister). A two-car garage was fixed up for living quarters and the family lived there and Grandma Marie stayed at Locke’s house when she wasn’t away visiting other relatives.

In the spring of 1927, Elsie packed strawberries in a cannery. Albert worked as a hod-carrier for Walt Locke. Violet and Rhoda were in the first grade and Vernon and Rodney stayed with Ida or Grandma Marie.

A Return to Minnesota

Albert and Elsie made arrangements to purchase land near Portland and build a house. However, they longed to return to Minnesota; and on August 18, 1927, Albert, Elsie, Grandma Marie, and the kids left for Minnesota.

An unusual sight in Washington on their return trip was a combine being pulled on a wheat field by 20 mules and one horse for a leader. They stopped in Jamestown at Pete and Louise’s place and almost managed a farm near Spiritwood, ND.

In late August they arrived at Amanda (Elsie's sister) and Carl’s place and stayed there for two weeks. Albert recalls having 50 cents left in his pocket when arriving there.

The family moved to the Theodore Flatau (Albert’s father) homestead.

Violet and Rhoda attended first grade again – at District #233.

In September 1928 Albert and Elsie rented an apartment in Perham so that Violet and Rhoda could attend school there – this time in the third grade. Grandma Marie was their “Mom” while attending school. Weekends and vacations were spent at the farm.

When Vernon and Rodney reached school age, they also stayed with Grandma Marie and attended school in Perham.

The following is a note from Judy (Johnson) Schooler when visiting with her Mom, Vi (Flatau) Johnson on January 10, 2010.

School

Rhoda (age 5 years 9 months) and Vi (age 6 years 11 months) attended first grade while in Oregon. When they returned from Oregon to the Perham area a year later, Elsie had hoped the girls would attend second grade at the local District #233 school, also known as 'The Flatau School'. However, the teacher had a daughter a little older than Vi and she wanted Vi and Rhoda to go into first grade. Grandma Elsie was upset but conceded. The girls attended first grade for the school year (1927/1928) at the Flatau school. However, Rhoda and Vi attended third grade in Perham for the school year 1928/1929. They stayed with Grandma Marie in her apartment in Perham. Elsie and Albert would come and get Vi and Rhoda on weekends. Sometimes Grandma Marie wanted to stay in town and sometimes Vi or Rhoda would stay in town with Grandma Marie.

Rhoda's Marriage and Children

Rhoda Amanda Flatau married Verle Samuel "Bud" Koehnen on June 1, 1943 in Seattle, WA. They lived in Seattle and Bud worked in the shipyards when Karen Marie was born on March 9, 1944.

They moved to Port Orchard and Donna Ann was born at Bremerton. The family moved to Jamestown, ND where bud worked in a service station.

Gary Michael, Toni Alberta, Jon Samuel, and Diane Mary were all born in Jamestown.

The family moved to Lodi, CA in October 1952. Steven Edward, Rita Louise, and Mark Christopher were born in Lodi.

Bud and Rhoda divorced in 1968. Rhoda is employed at Tuffy's in Perham and lives in the former Ann Struett house that she purchased.

Lodi, California in 1952

In October 1952 Albert & Elsie made a trip to Lodi, CA helping Rhoda and Bud and their six children (at the time) move to Lodi, CA.

Bud drove a truck that was loaded with their belongings, Albert and Rhoda drove the Koehnen's car and Elsie drove their Mercury. The children took turns riding in the different vehicles.