Browse Items (2907 total)

• Harald Sorhaug collection, 1940-1945

  Harald Sorhaug was bron in Norway on February 1913. During World War II, he worked for the Norwegian Resistance (Hjemmevernet). Sorhaug often told stories of the war, and around his 90th birthday, his daughter asked him to put his memories into writing. Included in the collection: "Memories of the war years" by Harald Sorhaug Copy of letter Gjudrun Sorhaug wrote to the warden at Berg Concentration Camp asking for permission to visit her husband, 1944 September 20 Delgeren, 1940 April 2-1940 April 18, 1945 December 6 Opland, 1945 May 2-1945 June 21 Vestopland, 1945 May 2 Opland Avbeiderblad, 1940 December 12 Oslo-Pressen, 1945 May 12 Oplendingen, 1943 September 9 Samhold, 1945 June 21
• Janet Madson collection, circa 1950-2010

  A collection of family history materials related to Janet Marie Chistopherson Madson’s family. Includes a mixture of clippings, genealogical records, photographs, correspondence, and more.
  
  Notes from Janet on her family compilations:
  Kittleson family: This is the story of the background of the Kittelson family and the successful search for the present day family. The biggest thrill was a phone call from California in 1975 from Clyde Kittleson, cousin of Ole Madson. Ole Madson’s mother, Sigrid (or Sarah or Siri Olsdatter) Kittleson and Clyde’s father, Charley Kittleson were sister and brother. Sigrid Kittleson married Lars Sebjornsen (Seberson) in America in 1857 and died in 1861 at the age of 27 on the day she gave birth to Ole Madson. She and Lars also had two other children. See the Ole Madson-Seberson material. Lars Seberson remarried after her death.
  
  Ole Madson - Seberson family: This is the story of the search for the family history of Ole Madson, grandfather of O. Jerome Madson. The only beginning piece of information we had was from the Traill County, North Dakota court house record stating Ole Madson was bron in Freeborn County, Minnesota, father was “Mats Matson,” and date and cause of death. From the Freeborn County seat of Albert Lea, we went to the town of Hartland where Mads Madson (Jr.) had farmed a century earlier. The search progressed and eventually evolved into the Seberson family. See Mads Amdson (Sr.) material for further Madson history. See Kittleson family material for background of Ole Madson’s mother. See Fugleberg-Thykeson material for history of his wife, Anna Fugleberg-Thykeson. For descendants, see books on Milton H. Madson, Sr., children and grandchildren.
  
  Milton H. Madson, Sr. and children: This is about the father of my husband, O. Jerome Madson. Also see Milton H. Madson, Sr. WWI material for further information. Also included are the childhoods of Buddy and his two sisters and brother.
  
  Children and grandchildren of Milton H. Madson, Sr.: This is about the two sisters and 1 brother of O. Jerome Madson and their families.
• Ted Hovey reminiscences, 1939-

  Memories of Walter Theodore Hovey, born on October 15, 1939 In Long Prairie, Minnesota.
• Ole Hendricks and his tune book: Folk music and community on the frontier

  Ole Hendricks was an immigrant both representative and exceptional—a true artistic talent who nevertheless lived a familiar immigrant experience. By day, he was a farmer. But at night, his fiddle lit up dance halls, bringing together all manner of neighbors in rural Minnesota. Each tune in his repertoire of waltzes, reels, polkas, quadrilles, and more were copied neatly into his commonplace book. Such tunebooks, popular during the nineteenth century, rarely survive and are often overlooked by folk scholars in favor of commercially produced recordings, published sheet music, or oral tradition. Based on extensive historical and genealogical research, Amy Shaw presents a grounded picture of a musician, his family, and his community in the Upper Midwest, revealing much about music and dance in the area. This notable contribution to regional music and folklore includes more than one hundred of Ole's dance tunes, transcribed into modern musical notation for the first time. Ole Hendricks and His Tunebook will be valuable to readers and scholars interested in ethnomusicology and the Norwegian American immigrant experience. Written by Amy M. Shaw. Shaw is a musician, archivist, and the head of archives and special collections at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Published by University of Wisconsin Press.
• John Baaken history, 1898-1966

  John Bakken: Well driller, traveler, and family man from Wahpeton, North Dakota.
• The Central Iowa Norwegians, 1855-1905

  The central Iowa Norwegians: Histories, memoirs, and studies of their settlements from 1855-1905 by Arlen Twedt.
• Eva's journey: One Wisconsin women's will to prevail (1918-1954)

  The story of Eva Mildred Johnson who was born in 1909 to Gustav and Caroline Jouhnson in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. The story focuses on her life from 1919-1954. Written by Donald Jennerman.
• 
  Kontakt (Norsk ungdomsklubb i Minneapolis, Inc.) records, 1956-2021

  Biography/History:
  Kontakt was started by immigrants from Norway who came to the Midwest after World War II, as a way to keep in touch while learning the English language and customs of the United States. Also known as Norsk ungdomsklubb i Minneapolis, Inc., the purpose of the club was to gather members in sociable get-togethers, athletic activities, competitions, and work together with other Norwegian clubs to promote Norwegian culture. 

  Scope and Content: 
  Contains board meeting minutes, flyers, event planning, membership records, and reports for Kontakt in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

• 
  Parelius Rognlie papers, 1870-2000

  Biography/History:
  Rev. Parelius H. Rognlie was born near Trondhjem, Norway, December 21, 1858. In 1870, he immigrated with his parents to the United States and lived in Houston County and eventually Lyon County, Minnesota. In 1881, he entered the preparatory school at St. Olaf's College, Northfield, Minnesota, and later attended Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, earning his way by teaching school and doing farm work. In the fall of 1885, he went to Europe in order to receive treatment for his eyes and was operated on at the State Hospital in Norway. When he returned to the United States, he resumed teaching and continued his studies by himself. In 1888, he was admitted to the Luther Theological Seminary, Minneapolis, and graduated on June 26, 1891. In February 1891, he was called as pastor for the Fort Ridgely, Dale, Palmyra, and Clear Lake congregations, Renville and Sibley counties, Minnesota. On July 22, 1891, he was ordained at Fort Ridgely and Dale church by Rt. Rev. K. Bjorge, assisted by Rev. S. J. Bergh, Rev. N. P. Xavier, Rev. Thomas Johnsen, and Rev. B. Askevold. 

  Parelius Rognlie was married to Ronnaug Marie M. Gullerud. Together, they had six children: Ingolf Herman Marentius (March 26, 1896); Katharina Josephine (December 26, 1897); Parelius Monrad (January 28, 1900, died July 2, 1901); Palma Margrethe (born April 8, 1902); Clarence Parelius Monrad (May 6, 1904); Julia Christine (October 4, 1908). 

  Scope and Content:
  The Rev. Parelius H. Rognlie papers consist of photographs of multiple generations of the Rognlie extended family, personal and professional correspondence, sermons, school notebooks, and various other records that document the life of a pastor in Southwestern Minnesota. Records also include photographs of Nils Xavier, a Sami pastor who originally homesteaded in the Rognlie parsonage. 

  
  Select photographs have been digitized by the Minnesota Digital Library and available online here.
• Hans Ronnevik collection, 2004

  Novel, "100 Percent" by Hans Ronnevik translated by his son, Jorolf Tysver Ronnevik in 2004. The original book was written in 1926.