    
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
Emmy Erickson Berg
A Guide to Her Oral History Interview |
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Administrative
Information
Creator:
Berg, Emmy Erickson
Collection Nr: t172
File Content:
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3 file folders
4 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
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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 Emmy Berg on May 12, 1982 in Seattle,
Washington. It contains information on family background, emigration,
employment, marriage, community involvement, and Swedish heritage.
The interview also includes photographs of Emmy as a young woman,
Emmy with her dance group, and Emmy at the time of the interview.
The interview was conducted in English with some Swedish towards
the end of the interview. See also Carl Albin Berg, t171.
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Emmy
Berg was born on January 3, 1892 in Transtrand, Dalarna, Sweden
to Edward Erickson and Ina Anderson. Edward worked for the state,
providing transportation for those in need, and Ina died when
Emmy was young. Emmy and her sisters, Kristina and Anna, were
raised by their paternal grandparents. Emmy attended school
until she was confirmed at age fifteen, and in 1909, she decided
to immigrate to Tacoma, WA, where Kristina had settled two years
earlier. Emmy spent one year housekeeping in Tacoma and then
moved to Seattle with her sister Anna, who had emigrated after
Emmy. Emmy continued to do housework in Seattle and then moved
to Portland, OR, where she worked for a wealthy family during
the day and in an ice cream parlor in the evenings. In 1915,
Emmy went to the World's Fair in San Francisco and stayed there
for one year before moving back to Seattle. In 1917, Emmy rented
a restaurant in Tacoma with a Norwegian woman named Mary Davis.
They ran the business for two years. At that time, Emmy married
Carl Albin Berg and moved to Port Angeles, where they had their
only son, Roy David. They later built a house in Seattle. Roy
does not speak Swedish, but Emmy did maintain some of the traditional
Swedish cooking. Through the years, Emmy has been very involved
in Swedish organizations. She has been the Vice President of
the Swedish Club, President of the Vikings, and Financial Secretary
of the Vasa Order. Emmy also started a dance group called the
Swedish National Dancers.
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Full Name: |
Emmy Johanna Berg
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Maiden Name: |
Emmy Johanna Erickson
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Father: |
Edward Erickson
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Mother: |
Inga Anderson
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Paternal Grandfather: |
Erick Erickson
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Brothers and Sisters: |
Kristina Erickson Bellmark
Anna Erickson Anderson
Half-Sister:
Karin Larsback
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Spouse: |
Carl Albin Berg
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Children: |
Roy David Berg
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This collection is indexed under the following headings
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Personal Names |
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Berg, Emmy
Erickson, Edward
Anderson, Ina
Davis, Mary
Berg, Carl Albin
Berg, Roy David
Erickson, Erick
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Family Names |
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Berg family
Erickson family
Anderson family
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Geographical Names |
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Transtrand, Dalarna (Sweden)
Tacoma (Wash.)
Seattle (Wash.)
Portland (Or.)
Port Angeles (Wash.)
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Subjects |
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Family -- Sweden
Emigration and Immigration -- Sweden
Christmas -- Sweden
Mauritania (Steamship)
Swedish National Dancers (Seattle, Wash.)
Swedish Club (Seattle, Wash.)
Vasa Lodge (Seattle, Wash.)
Temperance -- Societies -- IOGT (Seattle, Wash.)
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Occupations |
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Domestics
Restaurateurs (Seattle, Wash.)
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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.
018 EMMY JOHANNA ERICKSON: Born in Transtrand, Dalarna in Sweden.
January 3, 1892. Transtrand, Dalarna is in central Sweden near
the Norwegian border.
097 PARENTS: Edward Erickson and Inga Anderson. From Transtrand.
Father employed by the state. Had three horses, provided transportation
for those who needed it. Traveled long distances from Transtrand
to other towns. Paid well. Stationed in Fulunaas, north of Transtrand.
154 GRANDPARENTS: Paternal, Erick Erickson a farmer in Transtrand.
Large farm with cows, pigs, goats. Hired help. Paternal grandmother
mentioned, but no name given. Maternal grandparents from Transtrand
but Emmy doesn't remember them.
180 BROTHERS AND SISTERS: Two sisters, Kristina Erickson Bellmark,
eldest. Married in Seattle. Anna Erickson Anderson, the middle
sister. Married in Tacoma, divorced and remarried in Chicago.
228 CHILDHOOD: Mother died when she was very young. Grew up
with grandparents (paternal) on farm. Grandmother very nice.
Many relatives in area. Lots of kids. Many mountains. Lots of
skiing.
321 SCHOOL AND CHURCH: Both on the other side of the river (Dalalven).
Didn't go to church too far away. Spent a few weeks with her
mother's sister when confirmed. Fifteen years old when confirmed.
Went to school until confirmed. Walked for miles in winter before
river froze. Wasn't safe to row across and not frozen enough
to walk across.
401 CHRISTMAS: Christmas rice (Risgrynsgroet), lutfisk. Christmas
morning had meatballs. A Christmas tree and lots of presents.
All the kids went to grandmother's. Father didn't come home
for Christmas.
442 HALF-SISTERS: Father remarried. Two half-sisters. One of
them visited in 1962. Her name was Karin Larsbaack.
477 Came to America when done with school. Eldest sister, Kristina
had come to Seattle two years before Emmy left Sweden. Kristina
did housework. She was five years older than Emmy and more like
a mother. Father didn't want Emmy to go.
598 TRIP OVER: Left for U.S. September 1909. Came on the boat,
Mauretania. Landed in New York. Made one stop on way over. Not
sure where. Sick on boat. Went to hospital in New York. Would
have been sent home, but got help from father's cousin, Isaccson
(?) in Puyallup.
636 TRAIN TRIP: Took train from New York to Chicago, not immigrant
train; it was too crowded. Train from Chicago to Tacoma. Father's
cousin met her in Puyallup but she couldn't get off the train
there. Arrived in Tacoma in the middle of the night. Kristina
was working. A lady who knew her as a child met her. She stayed
with the lady until Kristina came in the evening.
783 WORK: Father's cousin in Puyallup was going to send Emmy
to school. Kids laughed at her, so she wouldn't go. She wanted
to earn money to go back to Sweden. First job with Mrs. Tarr
(sp?), a high school teacher. She had four children. Emmy received
food and clothing no wages. Didn't want job but worked there
one year. Next job with a doctor. He had a bunch of kids. They
helped her with the language.
841 Housekeeping not much different in America. Cooking not
much different either. Learned to cook in school in Sweden.
Monday did washing. Tuesday did ironing. Wednesday did baking.
Thursday had day off. Friday cleaned bedrooms. Rest of house
had to be cleaned everyday.
897 After one year in Tacoma, moved to Seattle with the middle
sister, Anna, who came to America after Emmy. They each earned
$15 a month and room and board as housekeepers. They wore black
dresses, white aprons and little white hats to work. They worked
for wealthy people.
939 Moved to Portland after one year in Seattle. Found an ad
for job at one of the "heights" in newspaper in Portland train
station. She rang doorbell. Lady asked for references. Emmy
had none. Lady slammed door in her face. Emmy got mad, rang
again, and asked lady to apologize. Lady hired her.
960 Emmy worked about six months for the people in Portland,
who were millionaires. She worked with a pantry girl cleaning
silver and glasses. Worked evenings in an ice cream parlor too.
Their chauffeur took her there and brought her back to the house.
Many people worked at the house. Had lots of friends. Nice room
to live in.
1009 1915 WORLD'S FAIR: Back in Seattle in 1913. Saved money.
Went to World's Fair in San Francisco with her eldest sister.
Met two Swedish girls in Swedish building at fairgrounds. Stayed
with them, had fun. Emmy stayed almost a whole year. Money problems
upon arrival. They couldn't get money from bank in Seattle immediately.
No telephones or telegrams yet. Went to YWCA; were able to borrow
money because they looked honest.
1066 Kristina didn't stay as long as Emmy did. She worked at
the Augustine and Kyer Bakery on 1st Avenue in Seattle.
1072 BACK IN SEATTLE: End of 1915. Came back by boat. Only had
50 cent. Got room in hotel owned by Blom from same part of Sweden
as Emmy. Knew him from the IOGT. She called Augustine and Kyer
Bakery: 4:00am. Owner was German. Said she was Kristina Erickson's
sister, "I'm living at the hotel and don't have enough money
to pay for the hotel and I have a lousy 50 cent in my pocket.
Would you please give me a job?" She got a job putting cream
in cream puffs. They called her "Cookie". Sister was cook for
gang working there. They made about $16 a month. Worked from
4:00am to 12:00pm. Worked there one year.
SIDE II
100 Worked for many wealthy people. Ironed for a man named Block.
117 Ran her own restaurant on University in 1917. Rented restaurant
with Mary Davis, a Norwegian girl. Worked with Mary before in
another…
160 restaurant. Located where downtown Nordstrom's is now. Soldiers
from Fort Lewis came to their restaurant on Sundays. Breakfast,
lunch, and…
189 dinner served. During WWI freeze on sugar. Had to have it
in restaurant. Men from dairy across street came with sack of
sugar when inspector came.
189 Had to give sugar back to the dairy. Fine was $50 for not
having sugar at restaurant during sugar freeze. No lump sugar
on table, people would take it. When steaks were ordered, went
to nearby market square to get it. Sold restaurant in 1919.
Went to work for Block again.
321 MARRIAGE: Married to Carl Albin Berg in 1919. Met in 1916.
Living in same hotel. He'd just come back from Alaska. Married
day before Christmas Eve. She was housesitting for Hammerbergs
(?) who were in Idaho. Scared staying there alone. Couldn't
sleep; their dog was barking.
382 Told Albin she wouldn't stay another night alone. He said
they better get married then. Married by Pastor Friborg at Baptist
church on 9th and Pine. Hammerberg (?) came home while they
were still in bed. Emmy told them not to think bad of her, she
was married.
469 They moved to Port Angeles. Albin worked on roads. Emmy
worked in a restaurant. He wanted her to stay home. She worked
anyway.
519 Bought a house there. It burned down. Got $500 for property.
551 Had a son, Roy David, while living in Port Angeles (before
house burned).
567 MOVED TO SEATTLE: Lived with wife of David Johnson on East
Lake while Johnson was in Alaska. Karlstrom, a friend of theirs
in Seattle got Albin a job at the Bank of California. They lived
with Mrs. Johnson who had an apartment. They didn't pay anything.
They did all washing, ironing, and cleaning. She had a variety
store. They stayed until the new house, which they still live
in, was built. Emmy and sister bought property in 1915.
611 Sister wanted to go to Sweden. They bought her share of
property. Got a loan from Washington Mutual Bank. Paid $2,500
to sister.
657 Emmy worked in laundry starching shirts. Husband worked
night and watched baby in daytime. He took baby on a streetcar
everyday. Left Roy on 2nd and Madison for about ten minutes
until Emmy picked him up. Roy was 3 or 4 then. This went on
until the house was paid for.
728 Emmy made lunches at Bank of California. Lunch was 45 cent.
Her last job was at Sunset Club. Mr. Green, a banker, had banquets
there. She quit in 1952.
797 SWEDISH ORGANIZATIONS: Vie president of old Swedish Club
for many years. Quit going, felt job of president was being
forced on her. John Nordeen was president then. Emmy was president
of Vikings, financial secretary of Vasa Order for years. Swedish
Club isn't a sick benefit organization. Vikings and Vasa Order
are. Swedish Club is a social club. Joe Oscarson is a helpful
member of the club.
851 CHILDREN: Roy David Berg. Married Lillian Johnson. Has two
daughters, Chris and Karen, and one son, Bob. Roy is divorced
and now remarried. Wife's name is Hazel. She has two girls and
one son.
882 GRANDCHILDREN: Chris, the eldest, married John Thompson,
an honor student at a university. Worked in California for a
while. Works in Bellevue now. They have one son. Karen married
Bermuda. Both work at Rainier Bank. They have one boy. Bob works
at the bank too, worked at Bank of California, the Canadian
Bank, and now works at First National Bank. Married to Donna
Smith.
933 TRIPS BACK TO SWEDEN: One trip in 1957. Trip was fine. Left
in May. Couldn't get a reservation to come back to U.S. until
September. "It rained every blessed day." Stayed with cousins.
945 CHANGES: On farms. Grandfather's farm wasn't like it had
been. Farm wasn't there anymore. House she was born in still
there. Nobody lived there anymore. One house burned down. Two
boys lived in the other house on the farm. No cattle anymore.
No farm.
987 TRADITIONS KEPT UP AT HOME: The kids don't speak Swedish.
They eat Swedish cookies and coffee bread. She makes good meatballs
with lots of pork in them. She doesn't like herring or lutfisk,
so tradition hasn't been kept. Fixes "risgrynsgroet."
991 Tells about Roy being really sick when he was 17. Tells
about Roy joining the Navy although he'd been drafted into the
Army during WWII.
1062 Says in Swedish that she can speak Swedish fairly well.
That she hasn't forgotten it and never will.
1066 DANCE GROUP: Swedish National Dancers. She started dance
group when boys came home from service. She had just as many
Norwegians as she did Swedes. They were better than any group
that came from Sweden. Best group had four Swedish boys, four
Norwegian boys, four Swedish girls, and four Norwegian girls.
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