    
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Administrative
Information
Scope and Content Note
Biographical Information
Lineage
Selected Search Terms
Partial Interview Transcript
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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
John Edwin Nelson
A Guide to His Oral History Interview |
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Administrative
Information
Creator:
Nelson, John Edwin
Collection Nr: t067
File Content:
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3 file folders
2 photographs
1 sound cassette
2 compact discs
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Processing Information:
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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 Morrene Nesvig
Transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky
Husby
Encoded by Kerstin Ringdahl & Amity Smetzler
Recording Quality: Good
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Restrictions:
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The
collection is available for research.
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Preferred Citation:
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[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
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The
interview was conducted with John Nelson on July 1, 1981 in
Tacoma, Washington. This interview includes information on personal
background, emigration, work, community life, and Swedish heritage.
It also contains a photograph of John Nelson in the Svea Band
of Valhalla Lodge in Tacoma, Washington and a publicity shot
in the Tacoma Armory, which includes John. Also see Ruth Nelson.
The interview was conducted in English.
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John
Edwin Nelson was born Johan Nilsson on July 15, 1893 in Knäred,
Halland, Sweden. John began working immediately after completing
school and receiving his confirmation at the age of 14. He worked
for his cousin and then his uncle tending cattle and gardening.
On an impulse, John decided to move to America; he traveled
aboard the Hellig Olav, although he had the option of going
on the Titanic. John left Sweden on April 4, 1912 and arrived
in Tacoma, Washington on April 25. After initially working as
a gardener, John found jobs at a fuel company, in a sawmill,
and on a streetcar. He attended night school for English, but
he struggled to learn the language. Even now, he admits, he
occasionally has problems. John moved to Alaska to mine for
a short time, but he returned to Tacoma and soon met his wife
at a party. They both attained their citizenship and had one
daughter. John finally got into the real estate business after
working again in a sawmill. John has been a member of First
Lutheran Church and has been very active in Scandinavian groups
like Vasa and Valhalla, in which he is the longest member (70
years). John played the alto French horn for the Vasa Svea Band
and is a member of their male chorus. He values his involvement
with these groups a great deal. Occasionally, he and his wife
prepare traditional Swedish food, and they can still speak the
language. He has returned to Sweden four times to visit family
and has been tempted to stay permanently. America slightly disappointed
John, but he wanted to stay for the sake of his wife and his
daughter.
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Full Name: |
John Edwin Nelson
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Original Spelling: |
Johan Nilsson
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Father: |
Nils Johansson
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Mother: |
Johanna Svensson Johansson
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Brothers and Sisters: |
Hildor Nilsson
Ellen Nilsson
Johan Nilsson
Henning Nilsson
Einar Nilsson
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Spouse: |
Rut Otilla Lindberg
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Children: |
Nancy Nelson Stolz
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This collection is indexed under the following headings
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Personal Names |
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Nelson, John Edwin
Nilsson, Johan
Johansson, Nils
Svensson, Johanna
Lindberg, Rut Otilla
Stolz (Nelson), Nancy
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Family Names |
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Nelson family
Nilsson family
Johansson family
Lindberg family
Svensson family
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Geographical Names |
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Knäred, Halland(Sweden)
Höganäs (Sweden)
Röfors (Sweden)
Tacoma (Wash.)
Alaska
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Subjects |
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Family -- Sweden
Sweden -- Emigration and immigration
Vasa Svea Band (Tacoma, Wash.)
Hellig Olav (Steamship)
Railroad travel
Naturalization
Valhalla Lodge (Tacoma, Wash.)
Vasa Lodge (Tacoma, Wash.)
Luther League (Tacoma, Wash.)
First Lutheran Church (Tacoma, Wash.)
Sangerfest (Tacoma, Wash.)
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Occupations |
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Gardeners
Sawmill workers
Streetcar drivers
Mines and mining -- Alaska
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Genre/Form |
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Oral history
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Institution |
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Pacific Lutheran University. Scandinavian Immigrant Experience
Collection
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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.
009/03 PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Born July 15, 1893 in Knäred, Halland,
Sweden which is north of Skåne.
034 SCHOOL AND CONFIRMATION: Have to go to work the minute you
are confirmed. Hired as a farm boy at age 14. (see counter I-096).
041 PARENTS: Nils Johansson, farmer and Johanna Svensson. Tomatoes
are recently new to Sweden. Father worked on the railroad and
clearing land at home.
067 BROTHERS AND SISTERS: see attached.
075 MATERNAL GRANDFATHER: Farmer, lived with them until he died
in 1911.
084 NAME previously Johan Nilsson. Talks about how it changed.
096 AGE 14: Through with school. Took care of the cattle. Worked
for a cousin. (see counter I-034). Uncle from Tacoma sent for
him, he was a gardener.
150/05 FEELINGS LEAVING SWEDEN: When young you don't think.
Went to Helsingborg, Skåne, Sweden and then to Copenhagen, Denmark.
Stories of gold in America.
159 BOAT TRIP: Spoke no English. Would have gone on the Titanic.
Rough voyage (seasick). Went on Hellig Olav (Scandinavian American
Line). Mostly Scandinavians. Went from Copenhagen to Kristiania
(Oslo), Norway to Kristiansand, Norway.
217/06 ELLIS ISLAND: Couldn't get lost. Similar to a coat house.
233 TRAIN TRIP: Went to Winnipeg, Canada (cheaper than U.S.).
Wondered what kind of country he was getting into. Left Sweden
April 4, 1912.
267 ARRIVAL VANCOUVER, CANADA: Nearly missed his boat to Seattle.
(
286 TRAIN TRIP: Pictures of friends were lost. Brought food
in a suitcase.
300/07 BOAT TRIP FROM VANCOUVER: Old tug. Ticket agent took
advantage of him.
323 COMING TO SEATTLE: Saw a policeman. Train to Tacoma and
getting to his aunt's place. Language difficulties.
396/08 ARRIVED IN TACOMA ON APRIL 25, 1912: Lovely little town,
kind of loved it right away.
409 EMPLOYED AS A GARDENER: Cutting grass. Fixing the plants
for the rich. Bought out by a fellow employee.
443 DRIVING TEAM: Employed at West End Fuel. Hauled wood. Mr.
Rasmussen owned it. Getting wood from Day Island.
457/09 STREET CAR STRIKE: How it affected people. Later drove
truck, became ill and got out of the business, his appendix
broke.
506 MILL WORK: 17 1/2 cents an hour. Tacoma, lumber capital
of the world. Employed at Fines Mill and the Swedish Sawmill.
542/10 LEARNING ENGLISH: Went to three different night schools,
but still has problems. One was at Stadium High School.
572 CITIZENSHIP: Night school again. Mixed up with another John
Nelson. Had to know the judiciary.
SIDE II
006/11 CITIZENSHIP: Asked if he wanted his name changed. Wife
received her papers before him.
021 EMPLOYED IN ALASKA: Mining for the Goodrich Rubber Co to
make money to return to Sweden. Conditions were bad and he was
fired after talking to the boss about it. This was north of
Porcupine and Haines, Alaska. All the rest quit too as a result
of him being fired.
109/12 BACK TO TACOMA: Met his wife at a party.
113 ORGANIZATIONS HE JOINED: Vasa Lodge and Valhalla (lodge
with sick benefits). Church, Luther League, hard to get acquainted
136 MILL WORK 1930: Pay cut in half. Friend was blacklisted
because he wouldn't go for this. (See counter I-506). Friend
had to join the WPA.
160 VASA SVEA BAND: Played the alto french horn. Member of the
male chorus. Sang in Seattle for Sangerfest and another time
in Everett. Talks about the importance of these groups.
213/13 FOUR TRIPS TO SWEDEN: Family had it good in Sweden. Got
money from brothers to travel. Einar, his brother, owned a factory.
Called communists when they went on strike here (US)
244 VALHALLA: Longest member (70 years). First Lutheran Church,
still a member. Talks about church in Sweden (see counter II-113)
273 CHILDREN: See attached.
281/14 REAL ESTATE BUSINESS: Buys and sells houses. Bought first
house for $2,200.
307/01 KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH RELATIVES: writes to nephew.
312 IMPORTANCE OF SWEDISH HERITAGE: Never bothered him.
318 Found out what America is. Thought it was the perfect land,
discovered that it was far from it.
339 SWEDISH TRADITIONS: Special dishes now and then.
349 SPEAKING SWEDISH: Still speaks it. His daughter is able
to read it.
362 VISITING SWEDEN: Brought peanut butter with him for the
grandchildren.
377/02 SWEDISH WORDS: Didn't pray when you went to bed, you
were tired.
401 CLOSING REMARKS: Had a good life. Have a very good daughter.
Brothers offered to buy him a lot and give him the timber to
build a house in Sweden, but he chose to return to his family
in the U.S.
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