Two young boys, Fred and Isaac Esko, stand in front of the home of Alex Esko and Eva Esko, their parents. Fred was two years older than Isaac, and is the taller boy, while Isaac is the one wearing a white shirt. The house depicted here is probably the third in a series of several expansions. The original log home was constructed in 1895 and was basically in the shape of a rectangle that was parallel to Highway 61, on the south side. If you look very closely at the lower left corner of the house, you can see a black line extending west from the corner. This represents the bridge that crossed the Midway River. To the right, the settlement of Esko would begin its development about a decade later.
Depicted here is the farmhouse of Alex and Georgina Esko, located on the hillside banks of the Midway River. The baby is probably Isaac Esko. This photograph was taken south of the present Highway 61, looking northward to the bridge over the Midway River. In the background is a hayshed.
This is a photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Esko, their children Hilda Esko, George Esko, Isaac Esko, Fred Esko, and Henry Esko, and their farm home. The namesake of Esko, Alex Esko purchased the farm in 1890 from Timber baron Andreas M. Miller. Alex Esko was born in Finland in 1862 and came to the Village of Thomson in 1880 and to Thomson Township in 1890 when he purchased the farm. He was a railroad agent, county commissioner, member of Thomson Township School board, and Thomson Township Town Board.
Posing in front of the Arthur Simpson home in Slayton are Clarence Dinehart, Christopher and Flora Dinehart and Florence, Frank Weck and Dr. and Mrs. Dennison.
Originally this house was built in Ash Lake Township. In 1889, it was moved to Shaokatan Township. Six children were raised in this house. Every one is lined up outside the house with many of the other farm buildings in the background.
Pioneer Charles A. Marks, his family and horses, are depicted in front of their remodeled home. The Marks family settled in Thomson Township in 1878. Charles A. Marks was the second county commissioner of Carlton County to serve from the Town of Thomson, in 1901. His original Finnish surname was Markkus. He operated a productive dairy farm located on the Midway River. One of his dairy cows can be seen between the three unidentified ladies. Presumably Charles Marks is the person holding the horses. He was born in Finland in 1854 and died in Thomson Township in 1921.
This is a photograph of the farm home of Charles Gustafson, which he purchased in 1899 from John Kajander. Charles Gustafson sold the farm to Charles Kinnunen in 1925, and two years later he sold it to Victor Maki, who turned it into the Cloverhill Dairy.
Early settler Charles Marks is sitting in his horse-pulled buggy, with his family in front of their house. The Charles Marks farm was located on the south end of the Marks road (the west side thereof) and extended north from the Harney Road. The family's pet cat is sitting on Mrs. Marks' lap. It was photographed by a Moose Lake Photographer, Adry Carlson.
Depicted here are Kaisa Maria Sarkela and Erick Sarkela standing in front of their farm house, with a barn and outbuildings in the background. The boy's name is Jalmari Sarkela, and Jenni Sarkela is the girl in the photograph.
This shows the John Marks' family farm that was located in section 14 on the Marks Road and bordering the Midway River. Pioneer John Marks brought the first steel plow into the area. Notice the hay rake and hay mower, as well as the plow behind the family and their horse. The family settled on the Midway River farm in 1874. Possibly what looks like a flag pole in the background is a Finnish type of well. It was photographed by a Moose Lake Photographer, Adry Carlson.
Portrait of Jens Hans and his family. The family are grouped together in the foreground, with some of their personal items incluidng an Edison phonograph. The house and the barns are also visible.
This scene shows the pioneer home of Mr. and Mrs. John Niemi, located on the Stenman Road, as well as their large dog sitting in the chair next to Mrs. Niemi. Their surname had been Vanhaniemi and was shortened and simplified to Niemi.