Browse Items (2907 total)

• 
  Jacob Stefferud papers, 1916-1965
  

  Biography/History:
  Jacob Stefferud was born in Kristiania (Oslo), Norway, on November 2, 1889. While in Norway, Stefferud worked at a market store run by his two aunts. He immigrated to the United States in July 1913 and became an American citizen in June 1921. In 1923 he married Ruth Normann, and they would have two children, Alice and Ruth.

  In 1914, Stefferud began his lifelong career at the Norwegian America Line, a passenger and shipping line connecting the United States and Norway. He served in the Minneapolis, Minnesota office from 1914-1917 and the New York City office from 1917-1930. In 1930 he was promoted to Northwest Manager of the Norwegian America Line in Minneapolis, where he continued except for the interruption of World War II. Stefferud was also a commissioner of Nordmanns-Forbundet, a non-profit uniting Norwegians around the world.

  During World War II, Stefferud was a founding board member of the Camp Little Norway Association (C.L.N.A.), helping raise money to support the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s training facilities in Canada. He was the C.L.N.A.’s secretary from summer 1944 until it ended operations in 1947, as well as chairman of its Film and Lecture Committee. When the C.L.N.A. became a unit with American Relief for Norway in 1944, Stefferud served on the new board of directors. He worked to aid occupied Norway as secretary of the Norwegian Relief Committee of Minneapolis, the local committee affiliated with American Relief for Norway, and as secretary and treasurer of the Norwegian Clothing Drive Center in Minneapolis from 1945-1946. 

  From April 1941 to May 1944, Stefferud served as Acting Consul for Norway in Minneapolis, maintaining diplomatic ties with the Norwegian government-in-exile. Additionally, he managed the Minneapolis office of the Royal Norwegian Information Service from November 1942 through his time as Consul, handling public relations and arranging films and lectures.

  Stefferud was made a Knight of the Order of St. Olav, First Class, in 1940 for his service to Norway while in the United States, and was awarded the Medal of St. Olav in 1946 for his consular work during World War II. He died on February 13, 1968, in Minneapolis.

  Scope and Content:
  Materials accumulated by Jacob Stefferud during his career at the Norwegian America Line, service as a commissioner for Nordmanns-Forbundet, and Norwegian Consulate duties and relief work during World War II, all primarily based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Includes correspondence, films, photographs, account books, brochures, reports, lecture materials, minutes, clippings, and clippings scrapbooks. 

  Correspondence, reports, publicity, and scrapbooks span Stefferud’s career at the Norwegian America Line from the 1910s through the 1960s. Nordmanns-Forbundet materials also span decades and include account books. Besides business materials are Stefferud’s personal correspondence to family and friends throughout his life, including to occupied Norway during World War II.

  Many materials are from Stefferud’s World War II activities. Correspondence, clippings, and photographs document his time as Acting Consul for Norway in Minneapolis. Stefferud’s work for the Camp Little Norway Association (C.L.N.A.) includes correspondence and organizational materials, as well as files from C.L.N.A. treasurers Julius P. Blegen and Gustav Svendsen. (Note: much of Stefferud’s own correspondence for the C.L.N.A., especially during his 1944-1947 tenure as secretary, is located in the Camp Little Norway Association Papers (P0466).) Other papers from Stefferud’s relief work include the Norwegian Clothing Drive Center in Minneapolis, Norwegian Relief Committee of Minneapolis, and various lecture notes.

  Sixteen 16mm reel-to-reel films are in color and black-and-white. They include 1930s Norway tourism films advertising the Norwegian America Line. Others were made during and shortly after World War II: publicity films for the Royal Norwegian Air Force at Camp Little Norway in Canada, the return of the Royal Family to Norway, and scenes of Norway after its liberation. All the films were used to fundraise for Norwegian relief.

  Existence and Location of Copies:
  Digital copies of the World War II materials in the Jacob Stefferud papers are available through the Digital Collections of the Norwegian American Historical Association website: https://norwegianamericanhistory.org/digital-collections/collections/show/159. Digitization was completed in 2025.

  Funding:
  Funding to digitize a portion of the Jacob Stefferud papers provided to the Norwegian American Historical Association through the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, a component of the Minnesota Clean Water, Land and Legacy constitutional amendment, ratified by Minnesota voters in 2008.
  

  Processing Information:
  Collection rehoused in 2025. Finding aid revised by Erin Wiebe in October 2025.
  

• 
  John Storseth papers, 1929-1944

  Manuscripts of a Norwegian-born farmer, lumberman, and self-taught student of literature and religion: "Old Homes and New" and its Norwegian counterpart, "Fra gammel og ny tid i Norge og Amerika," is an autobiography, depicting the problems of adjustments between Norwegian and American cultures; "The Ancients" and "The Mysteries of Space," are sketches on science and astrology; "Djævelskab" is an assortment of sketches. Excerpts from the autobiography were published in "Studies and Records," volume 13, 1943. NB: See Storseth's "Stemninger og minner" in Trønderlagets aarbok 1940-41," pp. 7-20.
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  Temperance Movement papers, 1841-1962

  Articles, reports, songs, stories, and pamphlets concerning the temperance movement among Norwegian Americans. There are reports from organizations in Alberta, Canada, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, and articles by Waldemar Ager, Adolf Bredesen, Carl E. Carlson, Theodor H. Dahl, Knut Gjerset, Paul M. Glasoe, and Gjermund Hoyme.
  
  View select digitized material online here.
• 
  J. Jørgen Thompson papers, 1896-1963

  Articles, clippings, correspondence, pamphlets, and records of a Wisconsin-born St. Olaf College administrator and teacher. The papers concern campus life, public relations, counseling, courses of study, student and teacher recruitment, funds solicitation, band and choir tours, and Norwegian-American culture. Manuscripts include: "Rølvaag som lærer," "Min konfirmations dag" (1938), and minutes of the Board of the Norwegian Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Thompson was president of Spokane College (1917-1920); dean of men at St. Olaf college (1923-1942); secretary of NAHA (1931-1958); president of the National Association of Deans and Advisers of Men (1940-1941).
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  Oscar A. Tingelstad papers, 1899-1953

  Correspondence, records, articles, reports, and account books of a Lutheran clergyman, educator, and author. Dr. Tingelstad was professor of psychology and education and registrar (1909-1928) and professor of philosophy and Bible (1944-1953) at Luther College, and president of Pacific Lutheran College (1928-1943). 

  Personal as well as professional correspondence runs throughout the collection and provides information on family affairs and on educational and professional careers of friends and colleagues. He defended the classical course of study in the colleges he served and in the main took a conservative stance on religious doctrine. Topics discussed are theory of evolution, liberal theology, rationalism in the church, curriculum development, church mergers, student recruitment, building programs and problems related to financing private colleges. In brief, his correspondence treats issues and problems prominent in college and church affairs during the first half of the twentieth century. 

  Manuscripts by Tingelstad: "The Historic Position of Lutheranism" (1927), "Registration Procedure and Preparation of Class Lists" (1927), "Academic Freedom and Tenure" (1939), "Brought up a Lutheran-But" (ca. 1945), "Thy Word is Truth" (1948), and "How Do Our Colleges Measure up to Present Day Educational Standards?" (1948). Meticulously kept, the account books contain detailed records of all correspondence and all personal financial transactions for the years indicated. See also correspondence with Mrs. Tingelstad, 1953-1955 in Archives contributions correspondence, NAHA Secretarial Records.

• Tracts newsletters, undated

  A continuing file for tracts in English and in Norwegian published by various religious groups, including the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
• 
  Andrew A. Veblen papers, 1902-1964

  The papers consist mostly of manuscript material (data, research notes, genealogical information) for Veblen's "The Valdris Book" (1920), and of World War I military service records of natives of Valdres, Norway. Among the papers are Simle and Ruste genealogies; a family sketch written in the Valdres dialect by Sam Thompson; a description of the journey from Valdres to Whalen, Minnesota, by E. A. Hjelde; letters from Nils Brandt, Juul Dieserud, Nils Flaten, J. C. M. Hanson, and Ole Juul; and a memorial statement by Dr. Laur. Larsen about G. O. Rustad, supervisor of construction operations of the first Luther College building. Veblen was a professor of physics, first president of the Valdres "bygdelag" and first editor of its magazine, and first president of the Common Council of the "bygdelags." NB: See Minnesota Historical Society, Veblen papers, 1876-1933 (5 boxes, including 44 vols. & 20 additional vols.
• Martin E. Waldeland papers, 1931-1933

  Short stories, articles, poems, and correspondence of a Lutheran clergyman. Waldeland served in Iowa parishes, was the chairman of his synod's publicity and transportation bureaus, and the author of short stories.
  
  Includes: Articles, stort stories, poems, correspondence, Luther League Address given at St. Olaf College, May 30, 1915, Publicity Bureau, NLCA, minutes, and transcription of Hans Nielsen Hauge books.
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  Waldemar Ager papers, 1874-1943

  History/Biography:
  Waldemar Theodor Ager was born in Fredrikstad, Østfold, Norway to Martinius Mathiesen Ager and Marie Fredrikke Mathea Johnsdatter Stillaugsen. Martinius first emigrated to the United States by himself, starting a tailoring business. Eventually, Ager and the rest of the family joined Martinus in Chicago. In Chicago, Ager worked for the Norwegian-language newspaper, Norden. His newspaper career flourished when he moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and was offered a job at a Norwegian temperance newspaper called Reform. Ager became editor from 1903-1941. Ager was a leader in the prohibition movement. He helped organize total abstinence societies and Good Templar lodges across the Upper Midwest. Ager remained a teetotaler his entire life. 

  In addition to his newspaper career, Ager also wrote six novels and collections of short stories. Among his best known books are "Paa drikkeondets Konto" (1894), "Kristus for Pilatus" (1910), "Oberst Heg og hans gutter" (1916), "Paa veien til smeltepotten" (1917), "Gamlelandets sønner" (1926), and "Hundeøine" (1929). 

  See also "The Problem of Cultural Identity in the Works of Waldemar Ager, Simon Johnson, and Johannes B. Wist," a PhD dissertation by James P. Nelson, University of Washington, 1990.

  Scope and Content:
  The papers of a Norwegian-born journalist, author, and lecturer include clippings, articles, correspondence, manuscripts of books, poems, programs, records, sketches, and stories dealing with subjects such as Norwegian culture and heritage, Americanism, memorials to Norwegians in America, and temperance. 

  Among the correspondents are Carl F. Berg, Arne K. Berger, L. W. Boe, H. A. Eckers, John O. Evjen, Ruth Fjeldsaa, Sigurd Folkestad, Einar Haugen, John Heitmann, H. R. Holand, Simon Johnson, Arne Kildal, Lars Lillehei, E. L. Mengshoel, Jon Norstog, Torkel Oftelie, K. Prestgard, D. G. Ristad, Mrs. O. E. Rølvaag, Johan Selnes, T. A. Siqueland, Edvard Skille, Charles C. W. Storck, J. L. Urheim, and Alexander Wiley.

• Karen Larsen papers, 1881-1961

  Diplomas and decorations presented to Laur. Larsen, Hanna Astrup Larsen, and Karen Larsen. Also includes clippings, pamphlets, photographs, and a photo album.