The Scandinavian Element in the United States

TRAVELS AND GUIDE BOOKS

Good accounts of conditions in the European kingdoms, as those conditions were related to emigration at different periods, are: Samuel Laing, A Tour of Sweden in 1838: comprising Observations on the Moral, Political and Economic State of the Swedish Nation (London 1839), and Journal of a Residence in Norway during the Years 1834, 1835 and 1836 (2nd ed., 1837); Charles Loring Brace, The Norsk Folk; or a Visit to the Homes of Norway and Sweden (1857); Mrs. Woods Baker, Pictures of Swedish Life, or Svea and her Children (1894); J. F. Hanson, Light and Shade from the Land of the Midnight Sun (1903).

Of the numerous travelers through the American Northwest, noting the Scandinavian settlements or the conditions affecting them, the most significant is Frederika Bremer, The Homes of the New World – Impressions of America (In translation from the Swedish, 3 vols., London, 1853), the work of an educated, alert, sympathetic Swedish lady already noted as a writer. Others of special worth are C. C. Andrews, Minnesota and Dakota: in Letters Descriptive of a Tour through the Northwest in the Autumn of 1856 (1857); Johan Bolin, Beskrifning öfver Nord Amerikas Förenta Stater (Wexjö, 1853); A. Budde, Af et Brev om Amerika (Stavanger, 1850); Basil Hall, Travels in North America in the Years 1827-1828 (1829, Edinburgh, 3 vols.); Thorvald Klavenes, Det Norske Amerika (Kristiania, 1904); Harriet Martineau, Society in Autumn of 1856 (1857); Johan Bolin, Beskrifning öfver Amerika (Göteborg, 1872); P. Waldenström, Genom Norra Amerikas Förenta Stater: Reiseskildringar (Stockholm, 1890); Victor Wickström, Som Tidningsman Jorden Rundt (Östersund, 1901).

Of guidebooks and handbooks for emigrants and immigrants there is a great number, in English, Swedish, and Norwegian; some issued from philanthropic motives, some by interested States, railroad companies, land companies, and counties, and some by the United States. Only those that directly affected the Scandinavians, or that are typical of a period, are mentioned, and the list is not meant to be exhaustive of titles or editions. Some of the publications by States, might well have been put under the heading of State documents.

One of the typical, widely circulated English handbooks is William Cobbett, The Emigrant’s Guide, in ten Letters addressed to the Taxpayers of England, containing Information of every Kind, necessary to Persons who are about to emigrate (London, 1829). A similar Norwegian pamphlet is L. J. Fribert, Haandbog for Emigranter til Amerikas Vest (Christiania, 1847), or J. R. Reierson, Veiviser for norske Emigranter til de forenede nordamerikanske Stater och Texas (Christiania, 1844, reprinted in America, 1899). The United States issued a guide: Edward Young, Special Report on Immigration; accompanying Information for Immigrants (1871), reprinted in 1872, with editions in French and German. Other works are: Frederick B. Goddard, Where to Emigrate and Why (1864); and Edward Young, Information for Immigrants, relative to Prices and Rentals of Land, etc. (1871).

For Wisconsin, the most significant and helpful are: Beskrivelse over Staten Wisconsin: Dens Klimat, Jordbund, Agerdyrkning, samt Natur- og Kunstprodukter. Udgivet efter Legislaturens Ordre af Statens Immigrations Department (1870); K. K. Kennan (joint agent in Europe for the Wisconsin State Board of Immigration and the Wisconsin Central Railroad, without expense to the former), Staten Wisconsin, dens Hjælpekilder og Fordele for Udvandreren (1884) – in several editions, and also in Swedish; C. F. J. Moeller, Staten Wisconsin, beskreven med særligt Hensyn til denne Stats fortrinlige Stilling som et fremtidigt Hjem, for Emigranter fra Danmark, Norge, og Sverige (1865); Wisconsin, – What it offers to the Immigrant. An official Report published by the State Board of Immigration of Wisconsin (1879) – many editions, and in various languages.

For Minnesota: Girart Hewitt, Minnesota: Its Advantages to Settlers, etc. (1868), – seven editions, one being published by the State; Hans Mattson, Minnesota och dess Fordelar for Indvandreren (1867); Minnesota as a Home for Emigrants (1886), – in Norwegian and Swedish also.

For other States: Resources of Dakota, – an Official Publication compiled by the Commissioner of Immigration (1887), later editions dealing with the two States formed from the Territory of Dakota; Fred. Gerhard, Illinois as it is: its History, Geography, Statistics, etc. (1857); Iowa: the Home for Immigrants (1879), also in Swedish, Norwegian, German, and Dutch.

BIOGRAPHIES AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES

Several of the books mentioned under special histories, like those of Norelius, Langeland, Dietrichson, and Schroeder, have much autobiographical material in them; while others, such as the volumes of O. N. Nelson and C. F. Peterson and the county histories, contain hundreds of brief biographies. The more important and illuminating autobiographies are: Hans Mattson, Minnen (Lund, 1890) and the same in translation, Reminiscences, the Story of an Emigrant (1891), an interestingly naïve account of the varied activities of a prominent politician and business man; Gustaf Unonius, Minnen från en sjutton-årig Vistelse i Nordvestra Amerika (2 vols., Upsala, 1862), a graphic account of the first years of Swedish settlement, by one of its highly educated leaders, and Bihang till Minnen (Stockholm, 1891). With less direct bearing, is W. H. C. Folsom, Fifty Years in the Northwest (1888); H. P. Hall, H. P. Hall’s Observations, being more or less a History of Political Contests in Minnesota from 1843 to 1904 (1904); John Reynolds, My Own Times, embracing also the History of My Life (Chicago, 1855); Stephen Grellet, Memoirs (edited by Benj. Seebohm, 2 vols., 1860); and S. B. Newman, Pastor S. Newmans Sjelfbiografi (1890).

Four biographies stand out above the others: T. N. Hasselquist, Lefnadsteckning af E. Norelius; L. A. Stenholt, En Studie af Knute Nelson (1896); Chr. O. Brohough, and I. Eisteinsen, Kortfattet Beretning om Elling Eielsens Liv og Virksomhed (1883); and L. M. Björn, Pastor P. A. Rasmussen (1905). Other biographies of less significance for this study are: C. J. Rosenberg, Jenny Lind in America (1851); Sara C. Bull, Ole Bull (1883); W. C. Church, Life of John Ericsson (2 vols., 1890).

Other collected biographies, including Scandinavians, are: J. C. Jensson, American Lutheran Biographies (1890); Men of Minnesota (1902); F. G. Flower, Biographical Souvenir Book (1899), relating to North Dakota alone; Prominent Democrats of Illinois (1899); H. A. Tenney, and D. Atwood, Fathers of Wisconsin (1880); C. J. A. Erickson, “Memories of a Swedish Immigrant,” Annals of Iowa, April, 1907.

RELIGION, EDUCATION, AND THE PRESS

No attempt is made here at a bibliography of the abundant polemical religious literature, nor of the sermons and proceedings of church conventions, nor of denominational year books, further than to show the material contributing to this volume. In similar manner, a limit is put upon the list of catalogs and publications of colleges and seminaries, and upon the periodicals and newspapers of which the number is very large.

A very recent and excellent volume dealing with Norwegian progress and culture in America is Norsk-Amerikanernes Festskrift, 1914 (Chief Editor, Johs. B. Wist) which was prepared as an American contribution to the celebration of the centennial of Norwegian independence. Important chapters are devoted to the press (noted below), the churches, schools, literature, and men in public or political life, each being the work of a careful scholar.

The most valuable volumes dealing with the religious histories of Scandinavian settlement are E. Norelius, De Svenska Luterska Församlingarnas och Svenskarnes Historia i Amerika (1890) and, of almost equal worth, for Norwegian church history, Th. Bothne, Kort Udsigt over det Lutherske Kirkearbeide blandt Nordmændene i Amerika (1898), being a separate made up of a section of “Norske Kirkeforhold i Amerika,” pp. 815-903, of H. G. Heggtveit, Illustreret Kirkehistorie. Good brief sketches of various denominations are embodied in O. N. Nelson, History of the Scandinavians, already noted. The most important of the other works are: R. Anderson, Den Evangelisk Lutherske Kirkes Historie i Amerika (1889); and Emigrantmissjonen, Kirkelig Vejledning for Udvandrere (1884); H. K. Carroll, The Religious Forces of the United States, enumerated, classified, and described on the Basis of the Government Census of 1890… Revised to 1896 (1896); Theodor H. Dahl, Den Forenede Kirke: Fred og Strid eller Lidt Forenings Historie (1894); O. Ellison, Svenska Baptisternas i Wisconsin Missions Historia (1902); Simon W. Harkey, The Mission of the Lutheran Church in America (1853); O. J. Hatlestad, Historiske Meddelelser om den norske Augustana Synode (1887); H. G. Heggtveit, Illustreret Kirkehistorie (1898); Chauncy Hobart, History of Methodism in Minnesota (1887); Henry E. Jacobs, A History of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States (1893); J. N. Lenker, Lutherans in all Lands (1896); N. M. Liljengren and C. G. Wallenius, Svenska Methodismen i Amerika (1885); Minde fra Jubelfesterne paa Koshkonong (1894); M. W. Montgomery, The Work among the Scandinavians (1888) and “A Wind from the Holy Spirit,” Sweden and Norway (1884); A. H. Newman, History of the Baptist Churches in the United States (1894), and A Century of Baptist Achievement (1901); E. Norelius, Evangeliska Luterska Augustana Synoden i Nord Amerika och dess Mission (1870); Affidavits of Sven Oftedal, et al (in Dist. Court of Minnesota, 4th Jud. Dist.) (1897); H. Olson, Minnesotal öfver framlidne pastorn O. G. Hedström (1886); George Richardson, The Rise and Progress of the Society of Friends in Norway (London, 1849); Matthew Simpson (editor), Cyclopedia of Methodism (5th ed., 1882); E. J. Wolf, The Lutherans in America (1890); N. C. Brun, “Kort Omrids af den amerikansk-lutherske Kirkes Historie”, Vor Tid, I (1905).

On the educational side are Kiddle and Schem, Dictionary of Education (1890); Chr. Koerner, The Bennett Law and the German Parochial Schools of Wisconsin (1890); J. W. Stearns (editor), The Columbian History of Education in Wisconsin (1893); The Bennett Law Analyzed (1890); A. Estrem, “A Norwegian-American College (Luther College),” Midland Monthly, I (1894); E. S. White, “Elk Horn College,” Midland Monthly, II (1894); J. P. Uhler, “Scandinavian Studies in the United States,” Science, IX (1887); G. Andreen, “Det svenska Språket i Amerika”, Studentföreningen Verdandis Småskrifter, No. 87 (Stockholm, 1900); G. T. Flom, A History of Scandinavian Studies in American Universities (Bulletin of the State University of Iowa, No. 153, 1907), and “Det norsk sprogs bruk og utvikling i Amerika”, Normands-Forbundet, IV (1912); G. Bothne, “Nordiske studier ved amerikanske universiteter”, Norsk-Amerikanernes Festkrift, 1914; A. A. Stomberg, “Swedish in American Universities”, Year-Book of the Swedish Historical Society of America, 1909-1910; C. G. Wallenius, “Den högre Skolverksamheten bland Svenskarne i Amerika”, Year-Book of the Swedish Historical Society of America, 1911-1913.

University and college catalogs and registers need not be enumerated for each year; two typical years would be 1895 and 1905; Augustana College and Seminary, Rock Island, Ill.; Luther College, Decorah, Iowa; Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas; Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota; St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota; Elk Horn College, Elk Horn, Iowa; Augsburg Seminary, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Red Wing Seminary, Red Wing, Minnesota; Northwestern University; University of Chicago; Chicago Theological Seminary; University of Wisconsin; University of Minnesota; University of North Dakota; University of Nebraska; State University of Iowa.

Exhaustive and scholarly discussions of the history and character of the Scandinavian newspapers and periodicals published in the United States are: Juul Dieserud, “Den norske presse i Amerika. En historisk oversigt”, Normands-Forbundet, V (April 1912); Carl Hansen, “Et Stykke Norsk-Amerikanske Pressens-historie”, Kvartalskrift, III (Jan. 1907), “Den norsk-amerikanske presse før borgerkrigen”, Symra: en Aarbog for Norske paa begge Sider af Havet, IV (1908); and “Den norsk-amerikanske presse: Pressen til borgerkrigens slutning”, Norsk-Amerikanernes Festskrift, 1914; Johs. B. Wist, “Den norsk-amerikanske press: Pressen efter borgerkrigen”, Norsk-Amerikanernes Festskrift, 1914– remarkably full and complete in its details; E. W. Olson (editor), “Press and Literature”, History of the Swedes in Illinois (1908), ch. 13. Less important is Eric Johnson, “The Swedish American Press”, The Viking, I (July and Aug. 1906).

For statistics and ratings of newspapers, G. P. Rowell & Co., American Newspaper Directories (1869 to 1906); N. W. Ayer, American Newspaper Annual (1881-1914) (Philadelphia).

ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL QUESTIONS

Florence E. Baker, A Brief History of the Elective Franchises in Wisconsin (1894); Fremont O. Bennett, Politics and Politicians of Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois (1886); Eugene Brown and F. Fred Rowe (compilers), Industrial and Picturesque Rockford, Illinois (1891); Carlo De’Negri, Appunti di Statistica Comparata dell’ Emigrazione dell’ Europa e della Immigrazione in America e in Australia (in Bulletin de l’Institute International de Statistique, 1888); John G. Gregory, Foreign Immigration to Wisconsin (1902); C. H. Gronvald, The Effects of the Immigration on the Norwegian Immigrants (in Sixth Annual Report to the State Board of Health of Minnesota, 1878); Hans Mattson (editor), Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the First Swedish Settlement in America, September 14, 1888 (1889); Robert P. Porter (and others), The West: from the Census of 1880 (1882); Julian Ralph, Our Great West: a Study of the Present Conditions and Future Possibilities of the New Commonwealths and Capitals of the United States (1893); Gustav Sundbärg, Bidrag till Utvandringsfrågen från Befolkningsstatistisk Synpunkt (in Upsala Universitets Årsskrift, 1884 o. 1885); Carl Sundbeck, Svensk-Amerikanerna, deras Materialla och Andliga Sträfvanden (1904) – a good up-to-date summary of conditions in America; William W. Thomas, Sweden and the Swedes (1893); James D. Whelpley, The Problem of the Immigrant (1905); Edward Young, Labor in Europe and America, a Special Report on the Rate of Wages, etc. (1875), – a particularly valuable book, dealing with conditions in Europe on the eve of the great movement to America.

Two groups of Federal reports are very useful: Emigration from Europe, (Reports from the Consuls of the United States, No. 76, 1887), dealing with European conditions; and Emigration to the United States (Special Consular Reports, vol. XXX, 1904). Another exhaustive and scholarly investigation is embodied in Reports of the Industrial Commission on Immigration, including testimony, with Review and Digest, and Special Reports, being vol. XV of the Commission’s Reports (1901).

The Civil War as related to immigration from Northern Europe is treated in: Ole A. Buslett, Det Femtende Regiment Wisconsin Frivillige (1895); P. G. Dietrichson, En Kortfattet Skildring af det femtende Wisconsins Regiments Historie og Virksomhed under Borgerkrigen (1884); J. A. Enander, Borgerkrigen i de Forenede Stater i Nord Amerika (1881); John A. Johnson, Det Skandinaviske Regiments Historie (1869).

Important articles in periodicals: F. W. Hewes, “Where our Immigrants Settle” (with excellent statistical maps), World’s Work, VI (1903); G. G. Huebner, “The Americanization of the Immigrant,” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, XXVII (1906); Richmond Mayo-Smith, “Control of Immigration”, Political Science Quarterly, III, 46, 197, 404 (1888); G. H. Schwab, “A Practical Remedy for the Evils of Immigration,” Forum, XVI (1893); Nicolay A. Grevstad, “Courts of Conciliation,” and “Courts of Conciliation in America,” Atlantic, LXVIII (1891), LXXII (1893).

Various numbers of Normands-Forbundet, published in Christiania, have contained noteworthy articles, besides those mentioned elsewhere in this bibliography, dealing with American conditions: S. Sondresen, “Den norsk-amerikanske farmer” (1908); J. Dieserud, “Nordmændenes deltagelse i de Forenede Staters politiske liv” (1908); M. Alger, “Re-immigrationen” (1913); Av. Kand. Gottenborg, “Hjemvandte norsk-amerikanere, deres livsforhold i Amerika og i Norge efter hjemkomste” (1913); O. K. Winberg, “Degenererer Nordmænd i Amerika” (1910).

Three small novels contain particularly graphic accounts of the life and social conditions among the Norwegian settlers: P. O. Strömme, Hvorledes Halvor blev Prest (1893), one of the very best pictures of pioneer immigrant family life; H. A. Foss (translated by J. J. Skordalsvold), Tobias, a Story of the Northwest, an exaggerated account of intemperance; and Sigurd H. Severson, Dei möttes ve Utica. En paa personlig Iagttagelse grundet Skildring af Livet i ældre Norsk-Amerikanske Settlementer (1882).

NEWSPAPERS

The number of newspapers and other periodicals for the Scandinavians in the United States yearly given in G. P. Rowell Co., American Newspaper Directory, has varied in recent years from 125 to 140, while the total of short-lived and long-lived publications of the same sort would pass 200. The following list includes those periodicals, chiefly newspapers, which were useful in some special degree in preparing this volume:

America, Chicago, an English monthly for Swedes and Norwegians.

American-Scandinavian Review, New York, 1913 – Engl. bi-mo.

Amerika, Chicago & Madison, Wis., 1884 (united with Norden, 1897 q. v.), Norw. Wkly.

Billed-Magazin, Skandinavisk, Madison, Wis., 1868-1870. Norw. mo.

Budstikken, Minneapolis, 1872 – . Norw. wkly.

Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, 1847 – . dly.

Chicago Record-Herald, Chicago, 1854 – . dly.

Dannevirke, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 1880 – . Dan. wkly.

Danske Pioneer, Omaha, Neb., 1873 – . Dan. wkly.

Decorah Posten, Decorah, Iowa, 1874 – . Norw. wkly.

Fædrelandet og Emigranten, La Crosse, Wis., and Minneapolis, 1864-1888. (Emigranten, Inmansville, Wis., 1852; Janesville, 1856; Madison, 1857; La Crosse, 1864, and united with Fædrelandet.Q Norw. wkly.)

Folkebladet, Minneapolis, 1878 – . Norw. wkly.

Gamla och Nya Hemlandet, Chicago, 1855. Sw. wkly.

Korsbaneret, Rock Island, Ill., 1880. Sw. church annual.

Kvartalskrift, Minneapolis, 1903 – . Nor. qtly.

Madison Democrat, Madison, Wis., 1852 – . Eng. dly.

Milwaukee Daily Sentinel, Milwaukee, Wis., 1837 – . Eng. dly.

Minneapolis Evening Journal, Minneapolis, 1878 – . Eng. dly.

Minneapolis Times, Minneapolis, 1889-1905. Eng. dly.

Minneapolis Tribune, Minneapolis, 1867 – . Eng. dly.

Minneapolis Tidende, Minneapolis, 1887 – . Norw. dly. and wkly.

Minnesota Stats Tidning, Minneapolis and St. Paul, 1877 – . Sw. wkly.

Norden, Chicago, 1874-1897 (united with Amerika). Norw. wkly.

Nordvesten, St. Paul, 1883 – . Norw. – Dan. wkly.

Nordmanden, Grand Forks, N. D., 1887 – . Norw. wkly.

Nordmands-Forbundet, Christiania, Norway, 1908 – . Nor.

Normannen, Stoughton, Wis., 1867. Norw. wkly.

The North, Minneapolis, 1889-1894. Eng. wkly. for Scandinavians.

Red River Posten (merged with Dakota), Fargo, N. D., 1879 – . Norw. wkly.

Rockford Register, Rockford, Ill., 1867 – . Eng. dly.

Rodhuggeren, Crookston, Minn., 1880-1884. Norw. wkly.

Scandinavia, Chicago, 1883-1886. Eng. mo. for Scandinavians.

Skandinaven, Chicago, 1866 – . Norw. dly., wkly., and tri-wkly., the strongest and most influential Scandinavian paper in the United States.

St. Paul Pioneer-Press, St. Paul, 1849 – . Eng. dly.

St. Paul Dispatch, St. Paul, 1868 – . Eng. dly.

Superior Tidende (originally Posten), Superior, Wis., 1888 – . Norw. – Dan. wkly.

Svensk-Amerikaneren, Chicago, Ill., 1866 – . Sw. wkly.

Svenska Amerikanska Posten, Minneapolis, 1886 – . Sw. wkly., a large and influential paper.

Svenska Folkets Tidning, Minneapolis, 1883 – . Sw. wkly.

Svenska Tribunen, Chicago, 1868 – . Sw. wkly.

Ugebladet, Chicago, later Minneapolis, 1888 – . Norw. wkly.

Valdris-Helsing (Valdris-Samband), Iowa City, Ia., later Stillwater and Minneapolis, Minn., 1893 – . Norw. mo. (since 1912) devoted to interests of immigrants from Valders.

The Viking, Fremont, Neb., 1906 – ? Eng. mo. for Scandinavians.

Vikingen, Minneapolis, 1906 – . Norw. – Dan. mo.

Vor Tid, Minneapolis, 1905-1908. Norw. mo.

Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, 1897 – . Eng. dly.