Manfred History & Preservation, Inc.
Edwin and Stella Sorenson
Husband's Full Name: Edwin Sorenson
Husband's Place of Birth: Detroit, Michigan
Husband's Father's Name: Benjamin Sorenson
Husband's Mother's Name: Maggie Kison
Husband's Siblings' Names: Beatrice and Peter
Wife's Full Name: Stella Ashton Sorenson
Wife's Place of Birth: Huron, Ontario, Canada
Wife's Father's Name: Joseph Ashton
Wife's Mother's Name: Ellen Whitesell
Wife's Siblings' Names: John, Chester, Gladys, Hazel, Carl, Joseph, Joseph (2); Thelma
Children's Names: none
Edwin’s parents were very up and coming members of the Manfred community, and his father Ben had a hardware store. Ed’s mother died in 1907, and his father died in 1908 when Ed was only 6 years old. His father’s good friend Steiner Aasand and Steiner’s wife Bertha, who was Ben Sorenson’s sister, raised young Edwin. Steiner also took over the hardware store and ran it until 1911 when he sold it to Jacob Klev.
Ed and Stella were married in 1923 in Detroit, Michigan and lived in the Manfred-Harvey area. In 1956 they purchased the Manfred Cash Store – the grocery store in Manfred from Ervin and Evelina Boese. They lived across from the schoolhouse. Edwin died in 1959 and Stella continued running the cash store until 1978. She later moved to Harvey and lived there until her death in 1981.
Stella was good natured, and a friend of all. People often gathered at the store to visit or play a game of cards.