Rodney Albert Flatau

October 3, 1924 - August 8, 2011

85 years, 10 months, 5 days

Marriage: Marian Ellen Richter - married October 1, 1947

Children of Rodney & Marian:
Jean Marie Flatau (Tester)
Susan Elaine Flatau
Beverly Ann Flatau (Olsen)
Donald Rodney Flatau (1956-2016 / 59 years)

The following is taken from a booklet that was written for Albert and Elsie’s 65th Wedding Anniversary celebrated 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) has been added.

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

Rodney's Birth

By 1923 Albert, Elsie, Grandma Marie, Vi, and Rhoda had moved to the Husen Farm where Vernon and Rodney were born.


On October 3, 1924, Vi remembers her Mom, Elsie, in bed in the bedroom. Dr. Esser was there also to be with her when Rodney was to be born. Vi, Rhoda, Grandma Marie, and baby Vernon were sitting at the kitchen table (not sure where Albert was). Vi knew that a baby was arriving and all were very excited about that. She remembers hearing a baby cry and the doctor telling Grandma Marie "It's a boy!" Vi was almost four years old at the time.

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.

Rodney's Marriage and Children

Rodney Albert Flatau married Marian Ellen Richter in Frazee, MN on October 1, 1947. They have resided on the farm in Hobart Township since their marriage. Besides the farm work, which they both share, Rodney is an active participant in many agriculture meetings as well as holding office. Marian is active in church work and also is a clerk of Hobart Township. Their children were all born in Perham, MN. Jean Marie, Susan Elaine, Beverly Ann, and Donald Rodney.


Flataus were innovators of their time


Thursday, October 28, 2010


by Barbie Porter


Marian Flatau and her husband Rodney were innovators in their time.


She was one of the first women to hold a seat on the Hobart Township board while he was one of the first to roll out a self-propelled irrigator.


Marian was appointed to the clerk position in the late 1950s after the seat was vacated mid-term.


"They needed someone to fill the spot and Rodney was already a supervisor on the board so I decided to do it," Marian said. "After that term was finished I ran (for office) and was elected clerk until I retired 17 years later."


Rodney served Hobart Township for 25 years until he retired in 1996.


Marian noted she was the first clerk in the township to keep records, such as meeting notes.


"Before they didn't keep any records unless it was legal documents," she said.


Besides a better record of history, Rodney added not much else in the township has changed.


The two have been married 63 years and their livelihood centered on farming.


"We farmed until 1987," Rodney said. "We had dairy cows, beef cattle, corn... farms were more diversified back then."


As technology began changing the industry, Marian and Rodney were one of the first to buy a self-propelled irrigator.


"The neighbors watched us closely that summer," Rodney said with a chuckle. "And it was a dry summer. It seemed every year the crops would be great until July when the corn would shrivel up. We lost so much of the crops we decided to try something else and the self-propelled irrigator worked great."


While their neighbors saw the crops thrive, Rodney noted it took a few years before they were convinced enough to purchase their own self-propelled irrigators.


Recently Rodney was introduced to today's innovative technology.


"Everything's changed," he said. "All you have to do is stay awake to turn around at the end. The rest is done for you."


Marian and Rodney both grew up in Hobart Township; while they lived on farms just down the road from one another they didn't know each other.


"We were on the line of two school districts," Marian explained. "I went to Frazee and he went to Perham."


The 1945 Frazee graduate met her husband when their families got together to help one another with harvesting crops.


"My brother became friends with him and eventually we became friends too," Marian recalled.


"All 63 years we've been married we have lived in the same house," Rodney proudly stated.


While it's been quite a nice home, Marian said it was very packed last Christmas when the entire family visited.


"We have four children, three girls and one boy," she said. "We also have nine grandkids and 13 great-grandkids with two more on the way."


Retirement for the couple has been filled with visiting family and enjoying hobbies.


"When we had kids we went on vacations to the Black Hills and the North Shore, but since we retired we've been to Alaska twice and to Hawaii once," Marian said.


Both times they visited Alaska they drove.


"The first time we went in 1984 the road bent and weaved," Rodney recalled. "They built it that way to prevent enemy air fighters from landing on the strip. But the second time we went six years later the road was flat and straight."


Rodney has also kept busy making rugs and quilts on a loom his grandmother used years ago and doing carpentry work, such as building kitchen cabinets and a china hutch for their home.


After retiring from farming, Marian took a job at the Frazee Care Center where she cooked up heaping helpings of healthy meals for 10 years.


(photo)

Rodney and Marian Flatau have lived in their home in Hobart Township all 63 years of their marriage.

Photo by Barbie Porter



More Photos of Rodney



CHARTS

Rodney's Grandparents (Albert's parents)
Theodore & Minna Flatau's Descendants


Rodney's Grandparents (Elsie's parents)
August III & Marie Beckman's Descendants

Rodney's Grandfather and Step Grandmother (Albert's father)
Theodore & Emma Flatau's Descendants

Rodney's Great Grandparents (Albert's grandparents)

Daniel & Wilhemina Flatau Descendants

Rodney's Great Grandfather & step Great Grandmother (Albert's grandfather)
Daniel & Regina Flatau Descendants

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 Rodney Albert Flatau

Updated: September 22, 2022