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Rudolph Tilden Elstad
Lilah Crowe2020-10-25T13:32:04-05:00
- Name: Rudolph Tilden Elstad
- Location of Birth: Independence, Wisconsin
- Date of Birth: August 23, 1895
- Date of Death: December 14, 1959 (64 years old)
- Parents: James J. Elstad and Anne (Torgerson) Elstad
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Information from World War I Draft Registration Card, 1917-1918:
Name in full: Rudolph Tilden Elstad
Age in Years: 21
Home Address: Independence, Wisconsin
Date of birth: August 23, 1895
Are you (1) a natural-born citizen, (2) a naturalized citizen, (3) an alien, (4) or have you declared your intention: Natural-born citizen
Where were you born: Independence, Wisconsin
If not a citizen, of what nation are you a citizen or subject: None
What is your present trade, occupation, or office: Student - Engineering College at University of Minnesota
By whom employed: none
Where employed: none
Have you a father, mother, wife, child under 12, or a sister or brother under 13, solely dependent on you for support: No
Married or single: Single
Race: Caucasian
What military service have you had: Private - Infantry in University of Minnesota Cadets (2 years)
Do you claim exemption from draft: ?? finish Engineering Course
Tall, medium, or short: Tall
Slender, medium, or stout: Medium
Color of eyes: Blue
Color of hair: Light Brown
Bald: no
Has person lost arm, leg, hand, foot, eye, or both eyes or is he otherwise disabled: No
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Information taken from a news article in the Grand Rapids Herald Review, dated December 15, 1959:
Rudolph was president of the Oliver Iron Mining division of United States Steel.
Rudolph started his long career with Oliver as a mining engineer in the Canisteo district at Coleraine, Minnesota in 1919. Rudolph was an open pit mining engineer in the Canisteo district for seven years.
He was past commander of the Coleraine American Legion Post and was active in civic projects of the community.
Rudolph was head of the largest producer of iron ore in the world for the past thirteen years. He worked his way from engineer to president of Oliver which employs about 6000 persons in northern Minnesota.
After leaving Coleraine, Rudolph was in underground mining at Chisholm, Minnesota for seven years. He was promoted to assistant superintendent of that district in 1933. Assigned to Duluth, Minnesota in 1938, he spent four years as assistant general manager, three as general manager, and several as vice president before his appointment as president in 1946.
Rudolph played an important part in the development of taconite in this area. He directed construction and operation of an experimental taconite agglomeration plant at Virginia, Minnesota in 1949 and of a concentration plant at Mountain Iron, Minnesota in 1950. He formed the organization and directed plans for development of the rich ore deposits in Venezuela.
Active in civic affairs in spite of a busy schedule, Rudolph had been a Carleton College Trustee, a director at the University of Minnesota Alumni Association, director of St. Luke's Hospital at Duluth, Minnesota, member of the advisory committee of the Community Chest, director and vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and a member of Rotary, Engineers Club, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, the Duluth Athletic Club, the Minneapolis Athletic Club, and many other organizations.
Rudolph was married to Elizabeth Dougher.
He died at his home in Duluth, Minnesota and is buried in Lakewood Cemetery at Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Section 14 Lot 1B, Grave 3)
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