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Copies of newspaper articles which relate the story of a successful search for ancestors in Naustdahl, Sunnfjord, by a woman whose adoption papers indicated a Norwegian background.
Copy of a "Dagbog over Atlanterhav" kept by a passenger on the ship "Thingvalla" during the voyage of July 27-August 14, 1882. A translation by Serena Bjornstad is appended.
A biography, 1975, photos, clippings, and assorted biographical information on a Norwegian-born major general in the United States Army Engineers and a founder of Sverdrup &
Autobiographical account of a Norwegian American who spent most of his life in educational administration. A graduate of St. Olaf College, class of 1907, he was given an honorary degreee by the College in 1940. Outline: boyhood on the farm (Roscoe township, Goodhue County; formal education (St. Olaf College). Mentions Siguard Sorenson; career in education; church administrator; mission work; politics
"The Norse in Iowa," an abstract of a dissertation at the State University of Iowa, 1936. Swansen has contributed four articles to NAHA Studies and Records, volumes 4, 9, 10, and 11.
The Men from Telemark, the story of Rolleiv Svendseid and his family, who migrated in 1867 from Telemark, Norway, settling first in Fillmore County, Minnesota, and then in 1883 at Nelson, North Dakota. Among the topics treated are politics, church, higher education, agriculture, and financial depressions.
Includes 1. Alf Swenson Remembers: A Letter To My Grandchildren (recollections of childhood, 1915-1938) (1991), 31 pp. 2. My Father's Brother in Norway (Petter Bjørnerud, half-brother of Swenson's father, John O. Swenson) (c.1991), 50 pp. 3. A 100 Year Anniversary Celebration in Land, Norway: 1989 Landing's Lag Stevne at Dokka & Hov, Norway (c.1989), 46 pp. (In addition to an account of the stevne and the talks Swenson gave as president of the lag, there are writings on Traditions and Values; Bjørn Bakke-Christian Schulstad-Alf Swenson relationship; Husmann, which describes the life led by persons under husmann contracts in Norway; Farm Purchase Agreements in Norwegian communities in the U.S.; Wilder, Minnesota and Breck College; photocopies of articles about Norway the author found of interest.) 4. Unusual Ancestors: Stories from the lives of Pernille Hansdatter, Hans Tollefsrud, Hovel Tollefsrud, John Wien, by Swenson and Dr. Dianne Koehnecke (1992), 101 pp. Includes letters written back to Norway by Hans J. Lystne (1883-1908).
An extensive collection consisting of correspondence, remarks and addresses, proclamations, and photographs. Born in New Sweden, Nicollet County, MN, to Norwegian-immigrant parents, he graduated from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, in 1886. Swenson had a distinguished career as a diplomat, serving as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Denmark, 1897-1905; Switzerland, 1909-1911; Norway, 1911-1913 and 1921-1930; and the Netherlands, 1931-1934.