Individual Stories

Joseph Novak

Occupation: 
Laborer

Dale and Bumgardner payroll. Joseph Novak worked as a laborer on grading the Capitol grounds. He was born in Poland in 1857 and came to America in 1892.

Most of the workers who constructed the Minnesota Capitol belonged to unions. However, it is not clear whether St. Paul laborers were organized during the period when the Capitol was built nor how many laborers or which jobs were represented by a union between 1896 and 1907. So Novak's union status is currently unknown.

Louis Nutzmann

Occupation: 
Engineer

Louis Nutzmann lived, along with his wife and large family, on the Upper Levee near the Omaha Bridge. He was born in Germany in 1848 and emigrated in 1875. He is called a "grinder" in the 1900 CD but the 1900 Census identifies him as a stationary engineer. According to Find a Grave, he died in 1919 and is buried in Oakland Cemetery in St. Paul.

Hugh O'Brien

Occupation: 
Teamster

Dale and Bumgardner Payroll. Teamster Hugh O'Brien was born of Irish parents in Minnesota in 1871. He was a founding member of Teamsters Local 120 and was elected conductor at their first meeting.

James O'Rourke

Occupation: 
Stone worker
Stone cutter

James O'Rourke was born in Ohio of Irish parents in 1871. He was admitted into the St. Paul Stone Cutters Local in May of 1899. The Stone Cutters Journal of December 1921 reported that O'Rourke's funeral was that month and members of the local served as pallbearers.

Edward Ode

Occupation: 
Stenographer

1904 City Directory and 1905 Census. Edward Ode, born in 1881, worked in Butler Bros. office. He gave his occupation as stenographer in the 1905 Census.

There may be additional information at Find A Grave, though the birth dates of the two sources of information differ by a year.  The Edward P. Ode shown on the FAG site was born in 1880 IN Dubuque, IA and died in 1961 and is buried at Calvary Cemetery.  He was married to Loretta J. Ode (1863-1939).

Pages