A stuffed swan (Ellendale, Fullerton: closing, taxi, auction)

[edro@deskmedia.com]

Dear Administrator:
On March 1, I submitted a similar item. It may not have gotten posted. I would love to hear from any Fullerton, ND area people who may recognize the names of my family.

In March, 1937, my father, H.E. (Henning) Youngquist sold out at auction northwest of Fullerton. One of the items that I believe were sold was a glass display cage enclosing a stuffed swan and a pair of stuffed pheasants. I was 13 at the time, and we were relocating to Ogilvie, MN.

That swan, as I remember it being told, was shot by one of my grandfather's (R.N.Youngquist) hired hands, who had never seen a swan before, and thought it was a goose. Impressed with the bird's size and beauty they brought it to a taxidermist in Ellendale for stuffing and mounting. They was informed that their "goose" was a protected swan for which there was a $500 fine for shooting. However, since it was mistakenly identified and was brought it in for mounting, they were,somehow, absolved.

RN had moved his family from Nebraska to the virgin prairie property in 1909. Among his improvements was a landmark barn built in 1919 and an artesian
well. In its early years, the flow of that well was so abundant that a nice pond was filled and even stocked with bullheads and floated a rowboat. It was that pond that attracted the swan to its fatal visit.

This had all happened before I was born in 1924, after RN had retired to Minnesota and Dad had taken over. That bird display was there from before my arrival. Through the years I have remembered that display and wished that I knew what had became of it. If any the Times's readers should recognize the mounted swan of which I write, I would enjoy hearing about it.

Cheers!

Ed

edro@deskmedia.com

Edmund R. Youngquist
1311 Cannon Valley Drive
Northfield, MN 55057-1347

507-645-8169