Charlie’s Life and Legend

Family tradition tells us that Charlie Norenberg [also known as Konstantin or Constantin] was a hard-working man. Let’s look at his work life through written records.

Charlie’s Work Life

When Konstantin Nörenberg immigrated to the United States in 1909, he listed his occupation as farm laborer.¹NARA film 715, roll 1190; Passenger and Crews Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1919; SS Pennsylvania sailing from Hamburg Germany to New York, January 26, 1909; Ship’s Manifest (list 3, line 4) enumerates Nirenberg, Konstantin. See this post.

On the 1910 census, he worked as a laborer in a sawmill in Cass Lake, Minnesota [likely the J. Neils’ mill which operated in Cass Lake until 1923].²“United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/ 1:1:M2L2-31C : accessed 13 October 2021), Constantine Nurenburg in household of Henry Hamann, Cass Lake, Cass, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 14, sheet 6A, family 99, NARA microfilm pub. T624 (Washington D.C.: NARA, 1982), roll 693; FHL microfilm 1,374,706.

With the onset of The Great War, Constantin registered with the draft and stated that he was employed at J. Neils’.³“United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K87D-PH6 : 8 October 2021), Constantine Nurenberg, 1917. In 1918, all unnaturalized aliens were required to register with the Minnesota Commission of Pub­lic Safety. He identified himself as a common laborer in a lumber yard, the owner of 40 acres and possessor of one cow.⁴Minnesota Commission of Public Safety. “Alien Registration Correspondence and Other Records.” 1918, Cass County, Constantin Nurenburg.

For the 1920 census, Constantin reported that he worked as a laborer at a crating factory.⁵“United States Census, 1920”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/ 1:1:M4M7-Y23 : 2 February 2021), Constantine Nurrenberg, 1920. In 1930 his oc­cupation was as a laborer at a sawmill.⁶“United States Census, 1930,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/ 1:1:X3CR-BB8 : accessed 13 October 2021), Constantine Nurinburg, Pike Bay, Cass, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 35, sheet 3A, line 9, family 46, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1082; FHL microfilm 2,340,817.} This was likely The Northern Pine Crating Company which had opened in in Cass Lake in 1907.

Charlie’s Bonus

Six years after his death, Charlie’s work ethic became the stuff of legends. The Cass Lake (MN) Times featured him in their weekly “Tales of the Old Home Town” column.

R. “Grant” Utley (1897-1985) penned these regular articles as the editor of the Times. Using his newspaper, Mr. Utley jabbed at politicians and reminisced about days gone by. Fortunately for family historians, his writings also immor­talized common folk from Cass Lake, Minnesota.

Cass Lake (MN) Times, October 19, 1961
Clipping from author’s file

What a great story!

Even though every detail is not correct (Charlie did not come from Romania), I love this tale.
Despite the fact that I do not know exactly when Charlie walked off the job, I love this tale.
Regardless that this was written after Charlie’s death, I love this tale.

I love that the legend of Charlie walking off the job to get better pay was immortalized in print.

The Minnesota Historical Society has some records from the J. Neils sawmill operation in Cass Lake. Unfortunately, there are no records of Charlie’s protest.

I believe that Charlie actually received that bonus. More importantly, I believe that this tale shows us Charlie’s character: a man of his word and a hard worker. A great life and a great legend.

“Interior of portion of the J. Neil sawmill at Cass Lake”, circa 1915
used with permission of the Minnesota Historical Society, HD5.5 r49

SOURCES

• 1
  NARA film 715, roll 1190; Passenger and Crews Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1919; SS Pennsylvania sailing from Hamburg Germany to New York, January 26, 1909; Ship’s Manifest (list 3, line 4) enumerates Nirenberg, Konstantin.
• 2
  “United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/ 1:1:M2L2-31C : accessed 13 October 2021), Constantine Nurenburg in household of Henry Hamann, Cass Lake, Cass, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 14, sheet 6A, family 99, NARA microfilm pub. T624 (Washington D.C.: NARA, 1982), roll 693; FHL microfilm 1,374,706.
• 3
  “United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K87D-PH6 : 8 October 2021), Constantine Nurenberg, 1917.
• 4
  Minnesota Commission of Public Safety. “Alien Registration Correspondence and Other Records.” 1918, Cass County, Constantin Nurenburg.
• 5
  “United States Census, 1920”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/ 1:1:M4M7-Y23 : 2 February 2021), Constantine Nurrenberg, 1920.
• 6
  “United States Census, 1930,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/ 1:1:X3CR-BB8 : accessed 13 October 2021), Constantine Nurinburg, Pike Bay, Cass, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 35, sheet 3A, line 9, family 46, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1082; FHL microfilm 2,340,817.} This was likely The Northern Pine Crating Company which had opened in in Cass Lake in 1907.