    
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
Clara Oleva Josepha Nilsen Heintzelman
Greene
A Guide to Her Oral History Interview |
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Administrative
Information
Creator:
Greene, Clara Oleva Josepha Nilsen Heintzelman
Collection Nr: t156
File Content:
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3 file folders
3 photographs
1 sound cassette
0 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 Inger Nygaard Carr
Transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky
Husby
Encoded by Kerstin Ringdahl & Amity Smetzler
Recording Quality Good except for the rustling of
family history papers at some points.
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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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This
interview was conducted with Clara Greene on March 25, 1982
in Tacoma, Washington. It provides information about her family
background, emigration, settling in, schooling, work, marriage
and family, and Norwegian heritage. The interview also contains
an article on her father, Ole Mathias Nilsen, from a Norwegian
publication, an article on Clara from Nordlandsposten, and three
photographs of Clara at the time of the interview. The interview
was conducted in English.
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Clara
Greene was born on March 21, 1895 in Elde, Hinnøya, Norway.
Elde is in northern Norway near Borkenes. Clara's parents were
Karen Pedersen Nilsen and Ole Nilsen, and there were five other
children in the family: Hilda, Ellen, Nellie, Marie, and Olaf.
Clara's father was a fisherman, and in 1898, he drowned near
the island of Senja. Karen worked as a midwife after Clara's
father died, and her sister encouraged Karen to bring the family
to America, where they would have an easier life. Clara's aunt
was living in Aberdeen, Washington at this time. In September
1901, the family emigrated except for Nellie, age 10, and Marie,
age 8, who had to stay behind until Clara's mother could earn
enough money to send for them. They ended up staying in Norway
until 1911. In Aberdeen, Clara's family stayed with her aunt
for several months, and then Clara's mother married John Berg.
John was from Hinnøya and had been living in both Aberdeen and
Astoria, Oregon while he worked for a fish cannery. Clara was
sent to live with Hilda, who had also recently married, and
her mother and Olaf moved to Astoria. Karen and John had three
children: Emil, Oscar, and Julius. Clara went through the eighth
grade in six years, and after she finished, she went to Portland,
Oregon and became employed by a paper box factory. However,
the glue at the factory made her sick, and she returned to Astoria.
By this time, Nellie and Marie were also in Astoria, but Nellie
had contracted TB while in Norway and died within a year. The
doctor thought Clara had TB also, but she just needed to recover
from her exposure to the glue at the factory. When she was feeling
better, she met a man she had attended Sunday school with. His
sisters did office work in canneries, and Clara decided she
wanted to go into this line of work as well. With financial
help from her mother, she attended a business college. In 1919,
Clara married Lyle Heintzelman and had a son, Lyle Heintzelman
Jr., in 1920. The family lived in Hoquiam, WA for three years
and then moved to Astoria. In 1938, Clara and Lyle divorced,
and Clara moved to Aberdeen. She then worked for the State in
Olympia for seven years. In 1942, she married Leroy Greene,
but this marriage did not last either, and they divorced six
years later. Clara returned to Norway in 1971 and 1976 and remains
in contact with her relatives in Harstad, Norway. Having emigrated
at such a young age, Clara does not know much about Norwegian
traditions but can understand the language.
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Full Name: |
Clara Oleva Josepha Nilsen Greene
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Maiden Name: |
Klara Oleva Josepha Nilsen
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Father: |
Ole Mathias Nilsen
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Step-Father: |
John Berg
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Mother: |
Karen Lavina Pedersen
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Paternal Grandfather: |
Johan Nilsen
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Paternal Grandmother: |
Jensine E. Hansen
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Maternal Grandfather: |
Peder Johansen
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Maternal Grandmother: |
Ellen Kristina Karoline Hansen
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Brothers and Sisters: |
Hilda Marie Nilsen
Ellen C. Nilsen
Nellie Nilsen
Marie H. Nilsen
Olaf Nilsen
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Half-Brothers: |
Emil Palmer Berg
Oscar Karl Berg
Julius Palmer Berg
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Spouse: |
Lyle W. Heintzelman
Leroy A. Greene
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Children: |
Lyle W. Heintzelman Jr.
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This collection is indexed under the following headings
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Personal Names |
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Greene, Clara
Nilsen, Ole
Pedersen, Karen
Nilsen, Johan
Hansen, Jensine
Johansen, Peder
Hansen, Ellen
Berg, John
Heintzelman Sr., Lyle
Heintzelman Jr., Lyle
Greene, Leroy
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Family Names |
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Nilsen family
Johansen family
Hansen family
Pedersen family
Berg family
Heintzelman family
Greene family
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Geographical Names |
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Elde, Hinnøya (Norway)
Borkenes (Norway)
Harstad (Norway)
Aberdeen (Wash.)
Astoria (Or.)
Portland (Or.)
Hoquiam (Wash.)
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Subjects |
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Family -- Norway
Norway -- Emigration and immigration
Borkenes (Norway) -- Emigration and immigration
School attendance -- Norway
Education -- Norway
Ocean travel
Railroad travel
Marriage service
Norwegian-Americans -- Ethnic identity
Norway -- Social conditions -- 1945-
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Occupations |
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Bookkeeping
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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.
020 Klara Oleva Nilsen Green. Born near Borkenes, Norway on
Hinnøya. This is in northern Norway. Borkenes is on the same
island as Harstad. Born on March 21, 1895.
116 PARENTS: Karen Pedersen Nilsen (remarried Berg after coming
to America) and Ole Nilsen. They were from the same area. Father
was born on Kvæøya, a small island near Hinnøya. He was a fisherman.
189 GRANDPARENTS: Maternal, Ellen Kristina Karoline Hansen and
Peder Johansen. He was a fisherman. Paternal, Johan Nilsen and
Jensine Hansen. He was probably a fisherman. (See also I-315)
235 Father was a fisherman. (See also I-116)
241 BROTHERS AND SISTERS: Five girls and one boy from Clara's
mother's first marriage. Hilda married in America. Ellen married
in America. Nellie and Marie were left in Norway when the others
came to the U.S. Their mother didn't have enough money. They
came to America later. Youngest brother, Olaf, came in 1901.
Only three then. Became a mechanic. Owned a garage in Oakridge,
Oregon. Traveled a lot.
315 GRANDPARENTS: Remembers her grandfather but not her grandmother.
Grandfather's son, John Pedersen came to America. John's father
was alone in Norway. John brought him to Aberdeen, Washington.
Clara's mother had a sister in Aberdeen. That's how they happened
to settle here. (See also I-189)
343 CHILDHOOD: Left Norway when six years old. Lived near the
ocean on a small farm, given to them by Clara's maternal grandfather.
Clara's father drowned in 1898 while fishing. Three of them
were out in a big boat, near the island of Senja (northwest
of Hinnøya). Father tied himself to the mast as the boat floundered.
He was found on Vardø, which is around the North Cape, five
months later. His only son was born one month later.
440 CHILDHOOD: Saw her childhood home on her trip to Norway
in 1972. As children they used to play by the water, not far
from the house. They'd gather the green moss from the rocks
by the water, dry it, and feed it to the cows. Many little farms
in the area. They'd play on a big flat rock by the rocks. Clara
slipped off once. An older boy grabbed her hair and pulled her
back up. Remembers Elde, where her grandfather lived. Had to
go to Borkenes for supplies.
515 In that part of Norway, "torve" (peat) was used for fuel
in the winter. Clara describes how they collected this. Oldest
child was 13 when their father died. Neighbors helps each other.
555 Mother was a midwife after father died. An older woman who
lived nearby would stay with the children while their mother
was gone. She would always cook a big pot of mush for the kids.
Clara tells a story about when they put a "luug" (heavy wool
sock) in the mush.
614 Clara's mother's sister, Mary Gyllne (?), kept writing to
them from Aberdeen, Washington. She came to Montesano, Washington
first. She said they'd have an easier life in the U.S. They
left Norway in September 1901. Uncle John and her grandfather
came later. (See also I-315).
659 As a kid didn't think too much about leaving. They were
busy getting ready to leave. Had to weave their own material
for new dresses. Had to leave two girls behind. They stayed
with families their mother knew, Nellie, 10, and Marie, 8. They
came to the U.S. later. Then mother remarried.
746 TRIP OVER: Had to travel by boat. Possible that they left
from Bodø. Went down through the English Channel. Took some
kind of train to Liverpool, England. Took a Canadian boat. Many
people on the boat. Many got sick. Clara got her first stocking
cap before they left. Tragedy when it blew off into the ocean.
Remembers eating her first orange while in England. Landed in
Portland, Maine.
844 TRAIN TRIP: Clara's aunt had sent a train ticket for the
eldest sister. They had to have $100 when they landed. Mother
had to provide her own train ticket. Mother's ticket was on
Northern Pacific. Sister's ticket was on the Canadian Pacific.
Clara went with her eldest sister through Canada. Mother and
other two children got to Aberdeen, Washington a few days before
Clara and Hilda. Clara recognized her mother's hat when they
came into the station in Aberdeen. The train trip took several
days. Had to change trains in Winnipeg. Tells about the first
Indian they saw.
964 LANGAUGE DIFFICULTIES: Couldn't speak English, but ran into
many Scandinavians in Canada.
975 Stayed with aunt for several months. Then mother remarried,
John Berg. He was from the island of Hinnøya in northern Norway.
He had been living in both Aberdeen, Washington and Astoria,
Oregon. Worked in a fish cannery. Oldest sister got married
at about the same time. She'd been working in a boardinghouse.
Met a young man there, John Lundgren. Clara stayed with them.
Mother moved to Astoria with her husband. She was a laundress.
Helped the sisters in the Catholic Church. Sold products for
the California Perfume Company which is now Avon.
1066 HALF-BROTHERS: Mother had three sons with John Berg. Emil
became a county assessor in Astoria, Oregon. Oscar moved to
Portland. Worked for the U.S. Department of Health. Went to
law school. Julius went to California. Got married. Worked for
the state of California.
SIDE II
006 Stayed with her sister for about a year and a half. 10 years
old when she was sent to stay with cousins in Roy, Washington.
Hadn't been to school much. Cousin wrote to Clara's mother that
arrangement should be made.
101 A couple in Tacoma, Washington wanted a little girl. They
lived on the outskirts, on a little farm. There was a school
nearby. Clara couldn't speak much English. Didn't understand
why she had to be there. They tried to be nice to her. Bought
her a Japanese doll for Christmas. Like waving the red flag.
In Norway, kids teased her because one of her eyes is slanted.
The lady took her back to Aberdeen after five months.
194 Clara went to school in Aberdeen, Washington. Stayed with
her sister. Went through the eighth grade in six years. Was
16 years old by then.
231 She stayed in Astoria, Oregon with her mother for a year
and a half. Finished school there.
242 Went to Portland after she finished the eighth grade. Had
a friend there that she'd met in Astoria. Got a job at a paper
box factory in Portland. Stayed with her friend's family. Describes
her job. Got sick because of the glue they used. Went back to
Astoria.
310 Nellie and Marie came from Norway to Astoria in 1911. Nellie
was doing housework in Astoria. She'd contracted TB while in
Norway and died within a year. The doctor who'd examined Nellie,
said that Clara had TB too. She didn't.
374 Clara went to Redmond, Washington where her sisters, Ellen
and Marie were. They were both married. Clara stayed there for
eight months. Got better because she wasn't around the glue
(in the factory) anymore.
394 Would have gone onto high school, but she didn't have the
money. Met a young man she'd gone to Sunday school with. He
had two sisters who worked in canneries in Astoria, Oregon.
They did office work. Clara wanted to do that kind of work.
Clara was staying with her aunt in Aberdeen, Washington. Her
mother sent money. She went to Business College. Took penmanship,
bookkeeping, and other courses that one wouldn't take now. Went
to this school for eight months. Later took typing and went
to night school.
463 MARRIAGE: Married her son's father in 1919. His name was
Lyle Heintzelman. Met him while working in Hoquiam, Washington
for M.M. Stewart who sold cars. Lyle was working in the woods,
just outside of Hoquiam. He and 3 or 4 others bought cars from
this garage. He'd go to make payments once a month. They were
married in Montesano, Washington. They lived in Hoquiam for
three years, then moved to Astoria, Oregon. Their son's name
is Lyle Heintzelman. Her husband was out of work often. Clara
always had to work. They got divorced in 1933.
608 Lived in Aberdeen after the divorce. Worked for the state
in Olympia for about seven years. Had friend who lived in Olympia.
She worked at several office including the State Liquor Board.
Clara's son, Lyle started university in the fall of 1937. She
had to pay for it. He went to for three years. Then the war
broke out. Clara didn't have money for him to finish. He worked
for the Mt. Rainier Ordinance for 20 years.
660 Tells about her son's muscular dystrophy and when they discovered
he had it.
775 Met Mr. Greene at J.W. Gibson's cleaning establishment.
They both worked there. That marriage didn't work out either.
790 TRIPS TO NORWAY: First trip back was in 1971. 70 years after
she left. Went with a cousin who lives in Seattle. Cousin's
family lived on Kvaeoeya, where Clara's father was born. Met
mostly her cousin's relatives on that trip. Went again in 1976.
Took her brother's daughter with her. Had a wonderful trip.
Visited relatives on Hinnoeya and a second cousin in Bodoe.
He works for Bennet Travel Bureau. Brought a group to the U.S.
in 1976 just before Clara went to Norway. They met briefly in
1971.
848 NORWEGIAN TRADITIONS: Doesn't know much about this. Didn't
have time to learn this. Had to work.
864 NORWEGIAN LANGUAGE: Understands it. Had to speak Norwegian
with some to the older relatives who couldn't speak English
(1971, 1976). Her niece can't understand it or speak it.
876 One of her mother's relatives has a store in Harstad, Norway.
They always send her things. Another relative is an elder in
the church in Norway. Related on her father's side. Hadn't been
in contact before. Found out they were in Harstad. Hadn't been
in contact before. Found out they were in Harstad. Visited them
at their hotel. Writes to them now. Found some relatives (from
father's side) in Borkenes. Took a trip to Norway in 1967 through
Nordlandslaget. Was in Bergen.
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