Ah ha! I found the info I was looking for about the Knowlton store in Orrock, where this thermometer is from, in The Sherburne Country Heritage book.
Robert (Rob) John Knowlton was born in Becker Township in 1874. His mother was Elizabeth (Lizzy) Ann Orrock the daughter of Robert Orrock (after who the Town of Orrock was named).
In 1902 Rob and Tom Larson joined in a partnership to buy the firm of Knapp and Haven. This general merchandise store was located just south of the well-known Hugh Craig place (LOL probably not so well known these days! If anyone knows where that was chime in.) and it became known as the firm of Larson and Knowlton. In 1904, Tom Larson bought out Rob’s interest and Rob returned to farming.
Tom Larson built a new store in what is now known as Orrock, and moved the old store along side of the new store and remodeled it into living quarters. In 1914 Rob built a new store on the site of the old store. Rob operated his store until August 1919 when it was struck by lightning and destroyed by fire. Rob then built a new store across the road from Tom Larsen’s store in Orrock and opened for business in 1920. He remained in business at this location until his retirement in 1946, when his son Robert Kendrick Knowlton entered into a partnership with Lawrence Hanson to purchase the business of Archie Larson (the son of Tom Larson who succeeded his dad in business) and combined the two firms in to one firm know as Hanson and Knowlton. Rob continued to work int restore as a part time clerk and as an egg candler(a favorite pastime) until the store was sold to George and Alma Haight in 1949. He passed away on March 22, 1951 and is buried in the Big Lake Cemetery.
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Don Orrock I remember the Haight’s owning the white building that sets on the west side of Cty Rd 5. The north/south building. The brown east/west building that is on the east side of Cty Rd 5 was the
Don Orrock is this the building that is the white building you are talking about?
Kathy Arneson no– that’s a trailer house someone has parked behind that building
Kathy Arneson I think what was the old store is across the road from that building. the one on the corner of 184th and 261st– west side
Don Orrock No that is the old gas station. The Haight building is across the street from that one.
Stan Lumley Don Orrock I USED TO BUY PELLETS FOR MY PELLET GUN AT THAT STORE IN THE LATE 1950S
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Ron Anderson My grandmother and grandfather bought the old store and converted it into the house. Back when the refuge started.
Am I close to the location with my arrow?
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Brenda Awalt Jana Harrer not that house go down its the next one
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Ron Anderson Wrong side of course Rd 5. Straight across east
Mario Romani My grandfather, Merle Smith, had a farm on the west side of Cty 5 south of the Knowlton store in Orrock until 1975 when he passed away. I remember as a child visiting Ernie and Emma Craig in their home in the old store on the east side of Cty 5. It w…See More
Ron Anderson I think 1969. They sold the old homestead early on; when the refuge started purchasing property. Andrew and Thelma Anderson lived in Orrock most of their lives.
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Mario Romani Ron Anderson They probably purchased it from Ernie’s family. He died in 1964 and his wife, Emma, died in 1967. My grandpa probably knew your grandparents. He lived there his whole life.
Mario Romani Just realized your grandparents lived there after Ernie. It had already been changed from a store to a home years before that so don’t know who actually did the remodeling.
Mario Romani This is a picture of Florence Craig (Ernie’s daughter) in front of the old Knowlton store – probably about 1920.
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Ron Anderson When my grand parents bought the place; that gas pump island was still out front.
You and 1 other manage the membership, moderators, settings, and posts for Big Lake History.
That’s great! Thanks for sharing. So is the house in Brenda’s post the same building?
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You and 1 other manage the membership, moderators, settings, and posts for Big Lake History.
That’s great! Thanks for sharing. So is the house in Brenda’s post the same building?
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Ron Anderson Yes. That’s the place. She is my cousin. It’s her grand parents place too. My dad and her mom were brother and sister.
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Brenda Awalt I believe it was 1969 when my grandparents moved in
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Stan Lumley OUR FARM LAND IN BECKER TOWNSHIP WAS HOMESTEADED BY THE KNOWLTONS.
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Stan Lumley Jana Harrer IF YOU FIND ANY PICTURES OF THE OLD KNOWLTON FARMSTEAD PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS THAT IS OUR LAND AND HAS BEEN FOR 34 YEARS.
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Where you live now?
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Dave Hanson my father, Larry Hansons brother, told how Kendrick would take a package of crackers that wouldn’t sell for $2.00 and mark them 2/$5.00 and they would sell.
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Nancy Hanson Why are we the only ones that called him Kendrick
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Donna Folkens Nancy Hanson Arlene & Lyle always called him Kendrick.
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Nancy Hanson Why is that?
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Donna Folkens Nancy Hanson don’t know. We will have to ask Arlene when we go for our visit.
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Don Orrock Nancy Hanson His name was Kendrick Robert Knowlton.
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