    
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
Gretchen (Greta) Karlsson Yost
A Guide to Her Oral History Interview |
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Administrative
Information
Creator:
Yost, Gretchen (Greta) Karlsson
Collection Nr: t068
File Content:
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2 file folders
0 photographs, 1 passport
1 sound cassette
1 compact disc
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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 Gretchen Yost on July 3, 1981 in
Tacoma, Washington. This interview contains information on personal
background, life in Malmö, emigration, life in early Tacoma,
and Swedish heritage. It also contains a copy of Gretchen Yost's
passport as a child. The interview was conducted in English.
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Gretchen
Yost, originally Greta Hellive Karlsson, was born on July 25,
1909 in Malmö, Sweden. Her father, who worked as a fireman on
a large ship, drowned when Gretchen was nine years old. Gretchen
and her brother sold newspapers to help their mother make money.
In 1919, Gretchen's mother Linnea decided to take the children
to America, where their futures would be brighter. Linnea had
an aunt and uncle living in Porter, Indiana who invited them
to come. When the Karlssons arrived, Gretchen's mother helped
with flu epidemic victims and caught it herself. When Linnea
located her brother in Tacoma and her old boyfriend in Portland,
Oregon, the family moved to Portland so she could marry her
old flame and be closer to her brother. Sadly, not long after,
in June of 1920, Gretchen's mother Linnea died of tuberculosis.
Gretchen was sent to McChord Air Force Base, and her brother
entered the Marines. Her uncle in Tacoma, who worked as a motion
picture projectionist, took Gretchen in and sent her to school.
However, Gretchen's aunt and uncle forced her out on her own
when she was fourteen years old. Gretchen found work at a cafeteria
and at Woolworth's for a while. At a church function in 1932,
Gretchen met her husband, a Canadian man named Benny Yost. They
had three children together. Gretchen enjoys baking traditional
Swedish goods; for a short time she even had her own pie baking
business. Although she highly values her Swedish heritage, Gretchen
has never been back to Sweden and cannot speak the language
anymore.
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Full Name: |
Gretchen Virginia Yost
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Maiden Name: |
Greta Hellive Karlsson
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Father: |
Oscar Karlsson
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Mother: |
Linnea Karlsson
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Brothers and Sisters: |
Folke Karlsson
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Spouse: |
Benny Yost
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Children: |
Dorothy Yost
Douglas Yost
Gretchen Ann Yost
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This collection is indexed under the following headings
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Personal Names |
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Yost, Gretchen Virginia
Karlsson, Greta Hellive
Karlsson, Oscar
Karlsson, Linnea
Yost, Benny
Yost, Dorothy
Yost, Douglas
Yost, Gretchen Ann
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Family Names |
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Yost Family
Karlsson Family
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Geographical Names |
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Malmö (Sweden)
Porter (Ind.)
Tacoma (Wash.)
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Subjects |
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Family -- Sweden
Ocean travel
Sweden -- Emigration and immigration
Calvary Baptist Church (Tacoma, Wash.)
Swedish-Americans -- Ethnic identity
Christmas -- Sweden
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Occupations |
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Restaurant workers
Home maker
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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.
009/08 PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Born July 25, 1909, Malmö, Sweden
(busy metropolis, no plumbing, outhouses.) Many apartments.
027 EXCHANGE PROGRAM: Wealthy country families take city kids
in for holidays. Brother worked on a farm.
044 FATHER DROWNED: Was fireman on ship. She sold magazines,
newspapers age 5. (see counter I-092).
057 PARENTS: Oscar Karlsson. Linnea. Doesn't remember grandparents.
Mother from Småland, Sweden. Father drowned as a fireman on
a large ship.
075/04 CITY OF MALMÖ: Coastal city, four hours to Denmark.
081 NAME CHANGE: Changed on citizenship papers, prior Greta
Hellive.
092 SELLING NEWSPAPERS: Children had to help. Brother employed
fruit company. Mother did cleaning. Saved their money.
102 BROTHERS AND SISTERS: (see attached) WWI goods scarce, mother
would always share (miserable times). Beggers would come to
apartment.
140 DESCRIPTION APARTMENT (MALMÖ): Flowers in kitchen, had water
but had outhouses.
159 ROYALTY COMES TO MALMÖ: Big thing to see the king and queen.
Very important part of heritage today.
166/05 EMIGRATION: Age 9. Mother unhappy to go but future for
children. Mother had an aunt and uncle in Porter, Indiana who
invited them to come and work.
200 FLU EPIDEMIC: Mother helped with sick. She caught the bug.
209 TRAIN TO OSLO, NORWAY: February 1919 still mines in ocean.
Boat trip took 15 days.
220 FIRST ENGLISH WORDS: Taught by English sailors, "Yes, box,
alright." They were in steerage class.
228 FEELINGS LEAVING SWEDEN: Excitement, scared to death of
cowboy and Indians.
239/06 BOAT TRIP: Big steamer. Three legged race, potato race
she won money.
400 MOTHER BECAME ILL. Died June 1920 of TB. Gretchen caught
TB was sent to McChord Air Force Base. Brother entered Marines.
435 UNCLE IN TACOMA: Employed motion picture projectionist.
Gretchen taken in by this uncle. Went to school at the Sanitorium.
440 AGE 14: Put out on own. Had to get a job. Mrs. E.R. York
offered to put her through Bellingham Normal School if she could
get through H.S. Uncle said no.
452 LIFE AT MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE: Wing for boys, for girls.
Adults above.
490/08 EMPLOYMENT: Carlyle Cafeteria, bussing dishes. Judge
Sol's (?) parents clerking. Still in school while working evenings.
533 Not involved in Swedish community.
543 WILLARD SCHOOL: Attended through eighth grade. Employed
Woolworth's.
556 TACOMA EARLY DAYS: Busy place. Sad to see what's happened
today.
584/09,10 CITIZENSHIP: Through husband who is Canadian.
SIDE II
056/11 TEENAGER IN TACOMA: Made her graduation dress, ordered
tennis shoes vs. cousin's satin dress, satin shoes. Day she
was told she was on her own. (See counter I-440) At age 14,
her aunt put her suitcase on the porch. Got a job at a cafeteria.
081 MEETING HUSBAND: Through church functions 1932. Husband
employed motion picture projectionist and choir director Presbyterian
Church. Member of Calvary Baptist Church. Church life in Sweden.
097 CHILDREN'S NAMES (see attached): Son self-employed in investment
and building. Daughters are homemakers.
102 FIRST HOME: 37th and G Street. Depression set in, earning
money to go to banquet.
126 PIE BAKING BUSINESS: 25 cent; a piece, forced out of business,
no cement floor.
133/12 SWEDISH HERITAGE: Very dear thing, granddaughter likes
to hear about olden days. Can't speak Swedish anymore.
160 NEVER VISITED SWEDEN : No one back there. Remembers life
in Sweden vividly.
167 KEEPSAKES: Photo and passport. All lost in storage after
mother's death.
189 No contact with Swedish relatives.
189 SCANDINAVIAN BAKING: Braiding coffee cakes. Has a Swedish
cookbook. Favorite recipes: Kåldolmar and filbunke.
207/13 CHRISTMAS: Berries and rice before Christmas day. Pickled
herring, lutfisk, rock candy, decorate with some Swedish artifacts.
239 KING OF SWEDEN: Followed progress when he came to U.S. Saw
Swedish prince in restaurant, Viking Restaurant.
247 CLOSING COMMENTS: Love this country but still have ties
to Sweden.
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