Mazeppa Area Historical Happenings
Compiled by Helen Reiland and Mike Holtorf

The Mazeppa Journal, Barbara & Reider Tommeraas- Editor and Publisher
March 8, 1946

Change of Ownership: With this issue the Journal passes to the ownership of Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Tommeraas.   Mrs. Tommeraas has been publisher for the past year or more.
In leaving the scene of more than 40 years’ work in the journalistic field, the undersigned wishes to thank the residents and business people of the village and surrounding country for their liberal patronage.

We bespeak for the new proprietors the same courtesy and patronage that have been bestowed upon us.
We will be around to help the new proprietors for a time, but they are absolute owners and all checks and remittances should be made to them.
Once again thanking you.
Yours truly,
L.A. PHILLIPS
​
An Open Letter:
Dear Readers: As you have read elsewhere in this issue, The Journal changed ownership this week.
The former owner has completed more than 40 years of newspaper work in Mazeppa, and we’re more than happy to announce that he will remain in The Journal office to assist us and give us the benefit of that experience for an indefinite time. After all —-we, and you, too—could hardly imagine the office without him.
After finishing school, Mr. Phillips worked on the Faribault Daily Journal for a year, and then came back to Mazeppa in 1905 to publish The Journal. The first office was in the rooms above Gerken’s Hardware and the 600 issues were, of course, set by hand and run off a hand press.
In 1908 he bought out The Mazeppa Tribune, owned by W.G. Kingsford, and in 1912 erected the present building. (Now south end of the Mazeppa History Building)
He purchased his first linotype in 1933, and for 10 years ran The Journal with no help whatsoever. Only another newspaperman can appreciate what that entails.
He became interested in newspaper work at an early age, setting type for his brothers, Dave and Herman who owned The Tribune when 12 years old.
We only hope we can continue to offer the same type of service to the community as that given by Mr. Phillips during the past 40 years.
Reider and Barbara Tommeraas
A Real Fan: Certain to be Mazeppa’s most enthusiastic basketball fan in future is Curtis Kuehn, first grade son of Mr. and Mrs. Eldred Kuehn.
At the tournament game at Wabasha Friday night, he wept real tears when Mazeppa fell behind. At a previous game, when the locals won, he informed his parents to wait for the players to get dressed, as he wanted to buy them some candy for their fine performance.
That’s the type of fan every team wants behind it.
Local News
   Mrs. Victor Holftorf and Mrs. John Hofschulte visited Mrs. Reynold Johnson and Mrs. George Goodman at St. John’s Hospital, Red Wing, Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Sand have moved to the rooms above Gregoire’s electric shop, recently vacated by Mrs. Wilmar Grossbach.
A daughter born January 31st at St. John’s hospital, Red Wing, to Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Arendt was baptized by Reverend T. Haar Friday evening at the home of Mrs. Arendt’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Thomforde.
Miss Margaret McColgen of Minneapolis has been spending the week here with her mother, Mrs. Ella McColgen.
Mr. and Mrs. Alex Weber, Richard Weber, Nick Liffrig, Michaeline, Maurice, Gerald, and Theodore Hoffman visited in Rochester Sunday.
Mrs. Tom Jones celebrated her 87th birthday at her home Wednesday. Among those attending were Mrs. Asa French and son, Hugh, of Zumbrota, Mrs. Nilie Reding and Mrs. Milo Berendt and son Danny, of Rochester, Mr. and Mrs. Hollie Cliff and family of Zumbro Falls and Mrs. White of Millville.
The W.S.C.S. of the Methodist Church met at the home of Mrs. Anna Olson last Friday afternoon, with Miss Emma Beardsley as assistant hostess. Following the business meeting conducted by Mrs. Ralph Samuelson, president, Miss Gwendolyn Gregoire presented two articles on the world food shortage and freedom of the press, and Mrs. C.W. Robinson read an article regarding the church on Okinawa, where her son Dean, in the navy, acts as organist. She also showed pictures of the church sent by Dean. Out of town attending was Mrs. E. Cox.