Browse Items (3064 total)

• 
  Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen papers, 1871-1966

  Biography/History: 
  Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen (1848–1895) was a Norwegian-American author, educator, and literary critic known for helping introduce Norwegian culture and literature to American audiences. Born in Norway’s Valdres region, he immigrated to the United States in 1869 and quickly became involved in academic and literary circles. Boyesen taught languages at Urbana University in Ohio and later joined Cornell University’s faculty before becoming a professor of Germanic languages at Columbia College (now Columbia University).

  A prolific writer, Boyesen published novels, short stories, poetry, and essays that often explored themes of immigration, identity, and cultural adaptation. His best-known novel, Gunnar: A Tale of Norse Life (1874), was one of the first works of Norwegian fiction to gain broad recognition in the United States. He died in New York City in 1895.

  NAHA published Clarence Glasrud's "Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen" in 1963. 

  Scope and Content: 
  Biographical miscellany, articles, poems, and stories of a Norwegian-born novelist, poet, essayist, and teacher. 

• Arne E. Boyum diary, 1899, 1984

  A journal kept by an emigrant from Balestrand, Sogn, who came to the United States in 1853 and was ordained into the Ellings Synode in 1858. Original volume and photocopy. He served the Arendahl Congregation at Peterson, Minnesota, of the Hauge Synod, 1858-1896, and was pastor emeritus for the congregation until his death. He was President of the Hauge Synod, 1876-1887. The journal covers the everyday happenings in home, church and community during the year. The last entry tells of the death of his wife. A translation (28 typescript pages) was made in 1984 by Anna A. Boyum Lubbers, a grand-daughter of Arne E. Boyum.
  
  Includes Boyum's Daily Diary (1899) original (written in Norwegian) and an English translation, A.E. Boyum's biography (in Norwegian), "Remember the Days of Old: The Centennial Saga of Arendahl Evangelical Lutheran Congregation 1856-1956" by Ernest M. Maland, Mrs. Boyum's obituary, a letter from Ole C. Ask "architect, contractor and builder" (1899) for building a house, and 2 personal documents in Norwegian.
• A. Sophie Bøe papers, 1814-1936

  Papers of a daughter of Pastor N.E. Bøe, consisting of correspondence, articles, pamphlets, and clippings. Includes:
  

  • Biography of N.E. Bøe, "Days That Are Gone: The Story of Father's Life," by A. Sophie Bøe (4 copies/1 photocopied, in file). Nils E Bøe, born in 1846 at Valestrand, Norway, emigrated from Norway in 1851 to Koshkonong, Dane County, Wisconsin. Biography touches upon many topics, including: farm work, Forth of July (Independence Day celebrations), swimming hole, ice skating, Christmas, education/school days, passenger pigeons, religion, Albion Academy, Civil War (enlisted as Nils Anderson in the 40th Wis. Reg., Co. C), Luther College, preparation for the ministry at Augustana Seminary (1866-1871), two years in Eureka, Kansas (1871-1873), prairie life (fires, prairie dogs, buffaloes, and flowers), six years in Calumet, Michigan (1873-1879), saloon element, Finnish sect, Laestadians, grasshoppers near Willmar, Minnesota (p. 65), Rev. Alfred Backman, Rev. Nils Brun, cyclone/tornado, ten years in Leland, Illinois (1878-1889), horses and roads in Illinois, twenty years in Silver Lake, Iowa (1889-1909), liquor problem (p. 97), wedding ceremonies, St. Ansgar Academy, Game Gulbrand, wood carver (pg. 122), Christmas celebrations, Augusta Kean (p. 12&0, Rev. J.A. Ottesen, seven years in Deronda, Wisconsin (1909-1916), Rev. J.A. Bergh
  • Letters from Agnes Kittelsby, China, 1914 - 1919. Also includes 5 photos from China.
  • America letter written by her grandfather; other letters; newspaper clippings; article "Lars Davidson Reque: Pioneer" by A. Sophie Bøe, published in "Studies and Records" v. 6 (undated); "One of Our Pioneer Mothers" by A. Sophie Bøe, published in the Lutheran Herald (undated); 2 photos, unlabelled and undated.
  • Family History Materials. Includes "Genealogy of the N.E. Bøe Family", 1935, 29 p.; eightieth anniversary pamphlet of St. Paul's Lutheran Congregation (1931)
  • Biography, correspondence, genealogical materials, May 30th 1928 - March 5th, 1936, many undated. Includes copies of "Genealogy of the N.E. Bøe Family", 1935, 29 p.
  • Clippings, articles, pamphlets, and correspondence concerning Svein Nilsson.
• 
  Nils Endreson Bøe (Anderson) papers, 1825-1927

  Papers of a Norwegian-born Lutheran clergyman who attended Albion Academy, Augustana College (Paxton, Illinois), and Augsburg Seminary (Marshall, Wisconsin) and who served pastorates in Kansas, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Nils E. Boe was the father of Lars W. Boe. 

  The correspondence, consisting largely of letters to Boe written by clergy, laity, and relatives, describes economic, social, and church conditions especially in Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, and Wisconsin; provides information regarding problems connected with Marshall Academy and Augsburg Seminary; and discusses topics currently under discussion in the church, such concepts as professor fund, proselytism, "den nye retning," "erklæringer," "Wisconsinisme," and "Augustanaisme." 

  Included are three manuscript articles by Bøe, entitled "Protest" (1885), "Om Augsburgernes Principer" (1898), and "Det engelske sprog indenfor vort samfund"(ca. 1920). Most of the collection consists of correspondence with family and friends, including parishioners of Bøe in Kansas, Michigan and Iowa and a number of Civil War letters.

• Karl Børseth papers, 1886-1978

  Clippings, photographs, correspondence, and genealogical records of a native of Drammen who emigrated to Racine, Wisconsin, in 1909, but who returned to Norway in 1953. The papers came to the NAHA Archives via Kjærsti Usler from Drammen.
  
  Includes:
  

  • Biographical Data. Includes obituary clippings 1938-1978
  • Einar Børseth (brother) papers. 1935-1945
  • Carl Børseth (father) Correspondence. Includes one family photo; 1925-1932
  • Nicoline Børseth (sister) Correspondence. Includes collection of Norwegian postcards some of which are real photos. 1925-1953
  • Trygve Børseth (brother) Correspondence (mostly undated). Includes collection of Norwegian postcards. 1937-1955
  • Other relatives correspondence. Includes several postcards. 1925-1950
  • Letters from friends in Norway. Includes a few snapshots. 1926-1949
  • From friends in Norway, correspondence. Collection of postcards (65 items) from mainly from United States. Some Norwegian postcards. Once postcard of Royal Family of Norway. 1937-1950
  • From friends in U.S., correspondence. Includes currency (1945) issued by the American military government for use in Germany; several French coins. 1928-1955
  • Postcards from a friend, Arthur. 40 plus items. Chicago locations depicted in all card. 1926-1939
  • From friends in U.S. to Børseth in Norway. 1953-1959
  • Photographs (portraits) and snapshots. 1890-1950
  • Certificates and other documents. Includes several passport photos; German currency bank note issued January 1922 1886-1953
  • John Erlands, snapshots and obituary. 1950-1953
• Sven Olsen Braaten poems and articles, 1883-1912

  Poems by a Norwegian born Lutheran clergyman, Thompson, North Dakota. From Rolvaag Library Vault. Many of the poems are for/about specific occasions.
  
  Poems (1883-1904) and Articles (1912). 18 items, typescript. Added Nov. 1994: Article, "Et tilbageblik paa de kirkelige pioneerdage I dan nordlige part af Red Riverdalen," published in Fram, June 6, 1912. From C.G.O Hansen clipping collection. (The newspaper also includes an article about the H.N. Hauge monument at Concordia College, Moorhead; an article about "Moorhead kreds" by J.M.O. Ness; and an article "Fra Bethesda-missionen I Brooklyn, N.Y." by J. Haldorsen.)
• 
  Josephine Brack papers, 1907-1987

  Scope and Content: 
  Papers of a St. Paul woman who was a leader in Norwegian-American organizations, especially in the Norse-American Centennial Celebration in 1925, the Norse-American Centennial Daughters of St. Paul, and the Minnesota Leif Erickson Monument Association. She held offices in all of these organizations and continued to sponsor an annual Leif Erickson celebration after the monument had been erected in 1949. She was also an officer in the group that administered Lyngblomsten Home for the Aged in St. Paul. The papers include some of these records. 

  The above papers were donated by Mrs. Brack's daughter, Ione Kadden, St. Paul. A collection of the records of the Norse American Daughters of St. Paul was donated by Mrs. Brack earlier and has been cataloged separately.

  Existence and Location of Copies:
  Digital copies of the 1925 Norse-American Centennial materials in the Josephine Brack papers are available through the Digital Collections of the Norwegian American Historical Association website: https://www.norwegianamericanhistory.org/digital-collections/collections/show/102. Digitization was completed in 2022.

  Funding:
  Funding to digitize a portion of the Josephine Brack papers was 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.

• Nils Brandt papers, 1907-2003

  Memoirs (1907) and Recollections of a Norwegian-born Lutheran clergyman who emigrated in 1851 to a pastorate near Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The memoirs deal largely with his travels as a home missionary in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Brandt was the first Norwegian pastor to preach west of the Mississippi River.
  
  Inlcudes:
  

  • Clippings (1923-1970).
  • 2003 copy (translated by Walther I. Brandt). Topics covered: sailing for America aboard "The Incognito"(p2); arrival at Muskego (p2); sister and husband, Ivar Ringestad (p3-4); first Norwegian-American wedding in Winneshiek County (p6); organization of the Scandinavian Press Association (p10, 18); encounters a rattlesnake (p12); Anna Ringestad (p13); corduroy roads (p17); preaching against slavery (p18); Native Americans near Manitowoc (p19); cholera (p19); Captain Johan Gasmann (p20); missionary journey to Goodhue County, Minn. in 1855. Mentions: first Norwegian-American Wedding, Talla brothers, and "German Grove" later known as "Valley Grove" (p21); and new parsonage for Rev. Koren, Decorah, Iowa (p23).
• Oral History

  Terry Branstad interview, 1995 June 5

  In this series of interviews by Odd Lovoll for his books “The Promise of America: History of the Norwegian-American People” and “The Promise Fulfilled: A Portrait of Norwegian Americans Today,” Lovoll interviews Andreas Rhude. Unprocessed This item is currently restricted.
• Branstead family history, 1866-

  Branstead Family: Norway to America In 1866, Lars Jonson Branstad, a single man from the fyords of western Norway left his parents, sisters and brothers, to cross the Atlantic for Chicago. He was a skilled carpenter. A strong Norwegian community and the Lutheran church welcomed him. Elizabeth Branstead is a third generation Norwegian American who regales with photos and stories of Vikings, immigration, and new life in Chicago and California. 175 pages, photos, maps, charts, text.