    
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Administrative
Information
Scope and Content Note
Biographical Information
Lineage
Selected Search Terms
Partial Interview Transcript
|
Information
Resources
Robert A. L. Mortvedt Library
Pacific
Lutheran University
Tacoma, WASHINGTON 98447
Phone: (253) 535-7586 E-mail: archives@plu.edu
New Land
New Lives Oral History Collection
Bertil Edward Johnson
A Guide to His Oral History Interview |
|
Administrative
Information
Creator:
Johnson, Bertil Edward
Collection Nr: t043
File Content:
|
|
2 file folders
0 photographs
1 sound cassette
2 compact discs
|
|
|
Processing Information:
|
|
The
interview was conducted using a cassette recorder. A research
copy was also prepared from the original. To further preserve
the content of the interview, it is now being transferred
to compact disc. We deliberately did not transcribe the
entire interview because we want the researchers to listen
to the interviewee's own voice. The transcription index
highlights important aspects of the interview and the
tape counter numbers noted on the Partial Interview
Transcription are meant as approximate finding guides
and refer to the location of a subject on the cassette/CD.
Interviewed
by Donna Mallonee
Transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky
Husby
Encoded by Kerstin Ringdahl & Amity Smetzler
Recording Quality: Good
|
Restrictions:
|
|
The
collection is available for research.
|
|
Preferred Citation:
|
|
[Collection
Number, Collection Title]
New Land New Lives Oral History Collection
Scandinavian Immigrant Experience Collection
Robert A.L. Mortvedt Library
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma,WA 98447
|
Go
to top |
The
interview was conducted with Bertil Johnson on May 13, 1980
in Tacoma, Washington. This interview contains information on
growing up in Tacoma, attending school, practicing law, and
participating in Swedish organizations. The interview was conducted
in English.
|
|
Bertil
Edward Johnson was born on May 7, 1901 in Tacoma, Washington.
Bertil's parents, John and Kristina Johnson, moved to Tacoma
from Sweden. They married and had four children, Bertil being
the youngest among two boys and two girls. The Johnson family
lived in a Scandinavian community where the language and customs
were preserved. Bertil began working after school and on the
weekends at the age of thirteen. While attending Stadium High
School, Bertil worked for the Tacoma Butter Store; he worked
for one year after graduating in 1919 in order to save money
for college. Then Bertil attended the University of Washington
for five years and studied law. He passed the bar exam in 1925
and was appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney in Tacoma in 1926.
After 13 months, Bertil was appointed Prosecuting Attorney for
Pierce County from 1927-1935. Bertil opened a private practice
in 1935, where he worked until 1951 when he became a judge.
As a judge, Bertil worked with a lot of respectful Scandinavian
people from the area who were attracted by Bertil's ability
to speak Swedish. Bertil also worked with the juvenile court
and came across many controversial juvenile cases. Even though
Bertil was not born in Sweden, he has been very active in the
Scandinavian community; he belongs to the Swedish Order of Valhalla
and the Scandinavian Fraternity and at one time participated
in the Swedish Order of Vasa and the Scandinavian Old-Timers.
He attends a Swedish Lutheran Church, where he has served as
the superintendent of Sunday school and as a member of the board
of trustees. Bertil has been involved in many non-Scandinavian
organizations as well: the Elks, Tacoma Lions Club, Tacoma Boys
Club, United Good Neighbor Fund, the Salvation Army, and the
Allenmore Medical Foundation. Bertil has three children with
his wife Pearl Tate. He appreciates the life he has led and
is thankful for the work and the opportunities that have helped
him achieve success.
Go to top |
|
|
Full Name: |
Bertil Edward Johnson
|
|
Father: |
John Edward Johnson
|
|
Mother: |
Stina (Kristina) Maria Jonasson
|
|
Paternal Grandfather: |
Andrew Jonasson
|
|
Paternal Grandmother: |
Britta Maja Larsdotter
|
|
Maternal Grandfather: |
August Jonasson
|
|
Maternal Grandmother: |
Sofia Anderson
|
|
Brothers and Sisters: |
Roy Anders Johnson
Edna Maria Gorder
Astrid Sofia Stancer
|
|
Spouse: |
Pearl Naomi Tate
|
|
Children: |
Judith Naomi Sloan
Linnea Kristina Alm
Bertil Frederick Johnson
|
Go to top |
This collection is indexed under the following headings
|
|
Personal Names |
|
Johnson, Bertil Edward
Johnson, John Edward
Jonasson, Stina (Kristina) Maria
Jonasson, Andrew
Larsdotter, Britta Maja
Jonasson, August
Anderson, Sofia
Sloan, Judith Naomi
Alm, Linnea Kristina
Johnson, Bertil Frederick
Tate, Pearl Naomi
|
|
Family Names |
|
Johnson family
Jonasson family
Larsdotter family
Anderson family
Tate family
|
|
Geographical Names |
|
Tacoma (Wash.)
Mellerud (Sweden)
Sundals Ryr (Sweden)
Etna (Wash.)
|
|
Subjects |
|
Swedish-Americans -- Ethnic identity
Swedish-Americans -- Societies, etc.
Stadium High School (Tacoma, Wash.)
Public prosecutors -- Washington (State) -- Pierce County
Judges -- Washington (State) -- Pierce County
Scandinavian Fraternity of America. Harmony Lodge -- (Tacoma,
Wash.)
Swedish Order of Valhalla (Tacoma, Wash.)
Elks (Fraternal order). Tacoma Lodge No. 174
First Lutheran Church (Tacoma, Wash.)
Boys' Club of Tacoma-Pierce County
Allenmore Medical Foundation (Tacoma, Wash.)
Lutheran Welfare Society (Tacoma, Wash.)
Scandinavian Old-Timers (Social Club) -- (Tacoma Wash.)
|
|
Occupations |
|
Lawyers
Judges
|
|
Genre/Form |
|
Oral history
|
|
Institution |
|
Pacific Lutheran University. Scandinavian Immigrant Experience
Collection
|
Go
to top |
The
partial interview transcription highlights important aspects
of the interview. Numbers on the left may be used as guides
to important subjects. Two numbers separated by a slash indicate
that the first number is for cassette and the second for CD.
SIDE I
013/09 Bertil Edward Johnson. Born in Tacoma on May 7, 1901.
021 PARENTS: John Edward Johnson and Kristina Maria Johnson.
032 BROTHERS & SISTERS: Roy, Edna, and Astrid. Bertil was
the youngest.
054 Father was a streetcar motorman for the Tacoma Railway and
Power Company. Came to Tacoma in 1887. They had streetcars pulled
by horses then. Panic of 1891. There was a depression then.
Lasted for 2 years. Bertil's father was out of work. He got
a job at the Tacoma Smelter cleaning breaks for 50 cents a day.
Then he got a job driving an electric streetcar. Did this until
he retired.
106 Bertil's father was born in Mellerud, Dalsland, Sweden.
His family was fairly well-to-do. He finished high school in
Sweden. Then his father lost everything. He came to the U.S.
after that. Came directly to Tacoma with some friends. He had
relatives in Tacoma.
140/10 Bertil's mother was also born in Mellerud, Dalsland,
Sweden. Came to U.S. when 18 years old. She told stories about
coming over on the steamer. Many hardships. She went to Minneapolis.
Worked for a family as a cook. Might have come to the West coast
because of Bertil's father. They knew each other in Sweden.
Bertil's mother went to school in Sweden. Talked more about
church in Sweden than school.
185 The Lutheran church in Sweden was strict. She got some of
her education there. She had one brother and 3 sisters. Her
brother went to Germany and married a girl from Hamburg. He
was killed during the bombardment of the city in Germany he
was living in when the allies attacked.
216 Bertil has met this man's son, who lives in Hamburg. Bertil's
mother had a sister in Bellingham, Washington and a sister in
Pennsylvania.
241 Her father had come to the U.S. He worked in the woods in
Minnesota. He died in Minnesota. She went back to Sweden in
1931 to visit her…
254 mother and other relatives. Bertil visited cousins there
in 1966. He went to Stockholm and Hamburg. Drank coffee. Ate
too much sweet food.
284 Bertil's mother came to Tacoma and got married (probably
in the Swedish Lutheran Church). Within a year or two, Bertil's
oldest brother was born. The other 3 children were born within
5 years. Bertil was born in their house on 7th and Cushman.
There were quite…
335/11 a few Scandinavians there. Then they moved to S. 14th
& Sheridan. It was like a Scandinavian colony. There was
an Italian colony to the…
400 north, Germans to the south, and Russians to the south.
The children of different ethnic backgrounds played with each
other. Many couldn't speak…
425 English before they started school. Parent's often learned
English from their children.
458 Bertil went to Stadium High School in Tacoma. Graduated
in 1919. Bertil's family didn't have much. He started working
when he was 13. He worked in a fruitstand after school for 3
hours a day. Earned $2.50 per week. He worked on Saturdays from
7:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. He had to walk from Lincoln School on
16th & K to 11th & Market. He'd work and then walk home.
Sometimes he'd take the cable car home.
504/12 While in high school, he worked after school for the
Tacoma Butter Store which was on Pacific Ave. where the Seattle
1st National Bank now is. Bertil is not sorry he had to work.
Taught him value of time, money.
555 Worked for one year between high school and college to save
money. Worked for the five years he went to college. The first
year he worked with his brother who had bought a lot of stuff
from the United States Shipping Board. Sold hardware. For 2
years he worked for J. Bornstein & Sons who were restaurant
and hotel suppliers. He sold dishes and glassware to places
in Tacoma and southern Seattle. He worked in a library for his
4th and 5th years. He graduated from the University of Washington
in 1925. There were 30-35 graduates, one woman.
614 After he graduated, he took the bar exam in Olympia. The
test took 2 days. Bertil passed it.
643 Bertil had a friend, Billy Aspen, who was a judge of the
Supreme Court of Washington State. Bertil had thought about
going to Shelton, Washington to practice because they only had
one lawyer in the county (Mason). Judge Aspen convinced Bertil
that he should go back to Tacoma to practice.
674/13 That's where he lived and knew people. Aspen arranged
for Bertil to meet with Fred Remen, who had a private practice.
Young lawyers were not too welcome in the practice of law in
those days. Remen said he'd help Bertil get started. He didn't'
have an office. He sat in the reception room with the stenographer.
Bertil worked there for 6-8 months. Then Remen was appointed
to the superior court of Pierce County. Bertil took over his
office, which was located in the old Jone's Building on 8th
and Broadway.
712 After 3-4 months, Bertil moved into an office with Henry
Arnold Peterson in the Washington Building.
719 Passed the Bar Exam in June 1925. In Sept. 1926, he was
appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney in Tacoma. This was during
prohibition.
731 Did this for 13 months. Then was appointed acting Prosecuting
Attorney for Pierce County from 1922-35. More than 400 cases
on the calendar when he started. He would often work from 8:00
A.M. to 10:00 P.M. He was in court from 9:00 to 4:30 five days
a week. He tells about…
806 several court cases. Tried many who'd violated prohibition
laws: Sheriff of Grays Harbor County, sheriff of Lewis county,
and 2 deputies.
858 Tried all kinds of federal cases, civil cases. Indian-Lottman
cases.
866/14 Many differences in the way courts are handled now. Judicial
process of criminals is much slower now. Now, if people don't
get what they…
935/01 want, they go to court. School teachers didn't strike
in the old days. There weren't as many strikes in general in
those days.
949 Private practice from 1935-51. 50% of his work was criminal
work. People thought as prosecuting attorney he'd learned all
the ropes.
977 Became judge from 1951-74. He worked with a lot of Scandinavian
people. Could speak Swedish. Made them comfortable. Honest people.
Respect law.
1009 Bertil doesn't remember ever charging a Scandinavian with
a serious crime. The worst they did was go out and get drunk.
1032/02 Scandinavians were honest people. God fearing people.
Generous to help one another. Wasn't until 2nd generation that
you'd find Scandinavian youngsters stealing. Greatest treasure
of many Scandinavians was their citizenship papers. They were
not vicious or mean. Great respect for the law and people who
held public offices.
SIDE II
115/03 Not much trouble in the transition of becoming a judge.
Most difficult thing was switching from an advocate to one who
is unbiased.
160 After 2 years, took over the juvenile court. Did this for
16 years. Did this on Tuesdays and Fridays. Very challenging,
interesting, frustrating. Could do things then that can't do
now. He'd hold kids in detention so they would understand they
had done wrong. Can't do that now. 1965-66 Supreme Court decided
to support the Goff Case. Youngsters were entitled to have an
attorney appointed for them and…
208 to have a trial. This has slowed down the process in the
Juvenile Court. Judge is no longer in a position where he can
look at the facts, the youngster, and the parents, and then
do what he thinks is best for the youngster. Judge has to follow
prescribed rules.
239 Before, the goal was to make the juveniles understand that
what they had done was serious. They always stressed that the
juveniles be truthful. Get the kid to confess and clean up his
act. Since the Goff Case, juveniles have to be treated as criminals.
326/04 When first on the bench, Bertil worked at the old courthouse
on 11th & J street. Inside of building in bad shape. The
floor sank about 2 inches during a murder trial because there
were so many people inside.
364 JUVENILE CASES: Tells about four boys who did $16,000 damage
to Lincoln High School on a Saturday night. They took down the
fire hose. Left it on all night. They paid for damage. Two boys
used guardianship money. Parents of one mortgaged house. Fourth
boy got job at school. Worked every weekend, vacation for $1.00
per hour.
483/05 Tells about some other juvenile cases. Some high school
kids on a football team. Were in good economic shape. Broke
into a ski shop. 8 years later one of the boys came to his courtroom
and told him he was practicing law in Seattle. He has met many
of the youngsters he'd had in juvenile court as adults. He's
seen all sides of it. One boy in his court had hung a little
girl.
558 SWEDISH ORGANIZATIONS: Belongs to the Swedish Order of Valhalla.
Member for 50 years. Scandinavian Fraternity. Belonged to Swedish
Order of Vasa at one time. Was president of Scandinavian Old-Timers.
Went to Swedish Lutheran Church. Served there for many years.
Superintendent of Sunday school for 15 years. Served on the
board of trustees for many years. All of the services were in
Swedish until 1950. They had a great minister…
599 H.C. BLOMQUIST: Spoke excellent Swedish. Church was on S.
8th & I street. Burned in 1924. Only place for them to go
was the Valhalla Temple on K Street. Dances on Saturday night
and church on Sunday morning. New church built on 6th &
I street. Edward Young, member of the church, was the contractor.
He also built Lincoln High School.
628/06 Many Scandinavians who were outstanding citizens in the
Tacoma Community. Christopherson - Superintendent of Streets.
Carlson - Chief of fire department. Dr. Christian Kvevly (?)
a Norwegian. He was very well thought of. The Swedish Order
of Valhalla made him an honorary member. Unusual - Norwegians
and Swedes didn't' get along.
679 Has been active in the Elks. Past president of Tacoma Lions
Club. Past president, board of directors of Tacoma Boys Club.
Campaign chairman of United Good Neighbor Fund. Tacoma Boys
Club started by Fred Remen in 1939. Salvation Army agreed to
sponsor Boys Club. Bertil was chairman of advisory committee
of Salvation Army. Bertil, Fred, and George Paul put on a campaign
to start the first Boys Club.
706/07 Built first Boys Club in 1940-41 on 25th and J Street.
They felt they could keep boys out of trouble if they gave them
something to do.
755 One of the organizers of the Lutheran Welfare Society. They
got together to help the community. This was during the depression.
Vincent Thoreen (?) was the first executive director. Had offices
on the corner of 15th and Pacific for many years.
781 They started a home for adults in Puyallup. That property
is now owned by the Good Samaritan Hospital.
801 Active in the Allenmore Medical Foundation. Became member
of the board at the hospital in 1935. In 1961 they started the
Allenmore Medical Center on 19th and Union. They sold out to
the American Medical Order. They built a new hospital. Allenmore
made $500,000 from the sale. They formed the Allenmore Medical
Foundation. The interest from that money has to be spent every
year. They give 3 scholarships to Pacific Lutheran University.
One for $5,000 to a pre-med student. Two $2,500 scholarships
to senior nursing students. One $5,000 scholarship for a pre-med
student at the University of Puget Sound. For the last 3 years,
they have given $22,000 to the Lutheran Home for beds and medical
needs. They also give $5,000 a year to Tel-med, which is run
by the Pierce County Medical Society. They gave $20,000 to the
Family Practice Foundation in Tacoma. Money must be given for
medical purposes.
886/08 PLU: Has spoken at Eastvold Chapel many times. He knew
Dr. Eastvold quite well.
910 He has been chairman of the Elks for Santa Lucia Day for
12 years. Members of the SPURS from PLU put on a pageant for
the Elks. This takes place on a Sunday. They have a Scandinavian
dinner at the Elks with lutefisk, kalvedans, and risgrynsgroet.
In 1979, about 650 people came.
934 WIFE: Pearl Tate. THREE CHILDREN: Judith Sloan: Graduated
from Stanford University nursing school. Was in the Navy 2 years.
Has 2 kids. They are teenagers. She is getting her masters degree
at the Univ. of Washington. Wants to be a nurse practitioner.
Took a class on mythology at PLU. Kristina Linnea: Married to
Charles Alm. He is vice-president of the Olympic Standard Company.
Bertil Frederick: Lawyer in Tacoma.
988/09 "I've had a very interesting life." His mother would
have liked him to go into the ministry. He felt that only those
who felt a special calling should go into the ministry. He didn't
have that. He started out studying Business Administration.
Decided to go into Law his junior year. "The thing that has
meant the most to me is that I learned to work early in life.
I learned to appreciate things. If you learn to work, you learn
to enjoy life, be considerate of others. You learn to have a
desire to achieve. Money is not the important thing in life."
Go to top
|
Maintained
by archives@plu.edu
© 2002-2003 Pacific Lutheran University
|