    
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
Andrew Johnson (Anders Johansson)
A Guide to His Oral History Interview |
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Administrative
Information
Creator:
Johnson, Andrew (Anders Johansson)
Collection Nr: t206-207
File Content:
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2 file folders
6 photographs
2 sound cassettes
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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The
interview was conducted with Andrew Johnson on November 10,
1982 in Tacoma, Washington. This interview contains information
on personal background, emigration, Scandinavian churches and
organizations, travel, marriages, and a return trip to Sweden.
The interview also includes photographs of Andrew Johnson at
his mother's home in Sweden, Andrew at grammar school in Sweden,
Andrew and other machinists at Coast Iron and Machine Works
in Tacoma, WA (1918), Andrew and Alice on their wedding day
(1929), and Andrew at the time of the interview. The interview
was conducted in English.
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Anders
Johansson was born on March 4, 1900 in Hallaram, Jämjö Parish,
Blekinge Län, Sweden. Anders' grandparents had been farmers,
but his father pursued a career as a brick burner. As a child,
Anders spent a lot of time in the brickyard when he was not
at school. He attended the school at State Church, a Covenant
Church, for six years, but he was confirmed in the Lutheran
Church. During the holidays, the Johansson's celebrated in a
traditional Swedish manner with the customary food and services.
Although they enjoyed Sweden, the family eventually chose to
emigrate. In 1906, when Anders' father struggled to find work,
he decided to move to America and found a job in a fuel yard.
Anders changed his name to Andrew Johnson when he immigrated.
Andrew and the rest of his family-his mother, three brothers,
and four sisters-joined his father in 1914. The Johansson family
lived in Tacoma, Washington, and Andrew had to forgo school
in order to work for Tacoma Piping Works. They moved to Fife,
Washington and bought a larger house on two acres of land. Andrew
earned ten cents an hour working for a chair company and later
found work at Todd Ship Yard in Tacoma. When the shipyard closed,
Andrew moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. At the Covenant Church
in St. Paul, Andrew met his first wife, Alice Skog, whom he
married in 1929. They had two daughters together, but the oldest
one, Eleane, died of respiratory difficulties when she was three
and a half years old. The family moved back to Tacoma in 1937,
and Andrew began working as the caretaker at a church camp on
Covenant Beach. Andrew says he never quite felt at home in the
United States. Alice did not enjoy living at Covenant Beach,
so the Johnson's moved to Seattle in 1940. Andrew found a job
as a machinist and maintained that position for 28 years. After
retiring in 1968, Andrew and Alice moved to Puyallup. Soon after,
Alice had a stroke and was quite restricted in her mobility;
finally, she had to move to the infirmary where she died in
1981. Encouraged by Alice's nurses to take a break, Andrew traveled
to the Holy Land in 1980, where he first met Gladys. After Alice's
death, Andrew contacted Gladys, and the two of them married,
being the oldest couple Andrew's minister had ever married.
The next year Andrew and Gladys took a trip to Sweden with their
church. Andrew could still speak some Swedish while on their
vacation, but he has not really maintained Swedish traditions
in America.
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Full Name: |
Anders Johansson
Andrew Johnson
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Father: |
Alfred Johan Johansson
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Mother: |
Hilda Cecilia Martinsson
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Paternal Grandfather: |
Johan Andersson
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Paternal Grandmother: |
Anna Maria Andersson
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Maternal Grandfather: |
Andreas Martinsson
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Maternal Grandmother: |
Anna Maria Andersson
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Brothers and Sisters: |
Eiline Johansson
Erik Johansson
Margaret Johansson
Martha Johansson
Folke Johansson
Henry Johansson
Wilma Johansson
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Spouse: |
Alice Elvira Skog
Gladys Johnson
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Children: |
Eleane Johnson
Dorothy Bernice Johnson
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This collection is indexed under the following headings
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Personal Names |
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Johnson, Andrew
Johansson, Anders
Johansson, Alfred Johan
Martinsson, Hilda Cecilia
Andersson, Johan
Martinsson, Andreas
Andersson, Anna Maria
Skog, Alice Elvira
Johnson, Alice Elvira
Johnson, Eleane
Johnson, Dorothy Bernice
Johnson, Gladys
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Family Names |
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Johnson family
Johansson family
Andersson family
Martinsson family
Skog family
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Geographical Names |
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Hallarum, Blekinge province (Sweden)
Tacoma (Wash.)
Fife (Wash.)
St. Paul (Minn.)
Seattle (Wash.)
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Subjects |
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Emigration and immigration -- Sweden
School attendance -- Sweden
Naturalization
Family -- Sweden
Swedish-Americans -- Ethnic identity
Farming -- Sweden
Lusitania (Steamship)
Ocean travel
Railroad travel
Christmas -- Sweden
Foss Tug & Barge (Tacoma, Wash.)
Prejudices -- U.S.
Christmas -- Sweden
Scandinavian-American Bank (Tacoma, Wash.)
Swedish Covenant Church (Tacoma, Wash.)
Swedish Covenant Church (Hallarum, Sweden)
Navy-yards and naval stations -- Sweden
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Occupations |
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Brick trade -- Sweden
Farmers
Machinists
Iron Workers
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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.
TAPE 206
SIDE I
018 Andrew Johnson. His name was Anders Johansson. It was changed
on his immigration papers. Born in Hallarum, Blekinge län, Sweden.
A bishop had so many "län" under his authority. A "län" is a
religious division. Blekinge is in southeastern Sweden. Borders
with the Baltic Sea.
145 MOTHER AND MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS: Mother's name was Hilda
Martinsson. Her parents were small farmers and fishermen. Andrew's
mother was born on an island off the coast of Blekinge. Grandfather
was Andreas Martinsson.
172 FATHER AND PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS: Born and raised in Jämjö.
They were "crofters." They rented a piece of land from a larger
farm. Used it as they wanted. Paid rent in either money or labor.
227 Andrew was born on March 4, 1900. (See also I-018)
236 PARENTS: Lived near a village, which manufactured bricks
for its main industry. Father was a brick burner. Andrew describes
the process of brick making in detail. Dig clay, mix it with
sand, cut bricks, dry, and bake. Andrew used to play in the
brickyard. Learned his love for machinery there. Andrew's parents
were also crofters in a way.
329 THE BRICKYARD: The farmer who owned the property discovered
that the clay on his property was very good. Got in touch with
industrialists from the city. Decided he should start a brick
plant. The farmer couldn't get enough efficient help. Sold the
place to a man from the city that knew more about the brick
industry. He got more efficient help and modernized the brick
plant. Andrew's dad was a brick burner at this time. The plant
closed for a couple of years while being modernized. His father
worked in sugar beet fields in Skåne during this time.
372 CROFTERS: Parents rented a piece of land from a big farm
for 15 Skr or 15 days labor per year. They owned the building
on the land. They kept sheep, chickens, and pigs. Grew vegetables.
Used timber for fuel.
417 BROTHERS AND SISTERS: Four boys and four girls in the family.
Andrew is the oldest. Eiline Forslund is a retired office worker
in Tacoma, Washington. Erik was a factory worker in Tacoma.
Margaret hasn't been healthy. Has only worked for Eiline cleaning
the Forslund's motel. Martha has passed away. Worked in offices
in Tacoma. Folke lives in Milton, Washington. Has gone to university.
Worked in Alaska during the summers to finance his education.
Studied agriculture. Got a FHA degree. Worked for an experimental
station in Puyallup, Washington for many years. Retired now.
These five were born in Sweden. The two youngest were born in
Tacoma, Washington.
519 SCHOOL IN SWEDEN: Andrew finished grade school in Sweden.
Loved to study. Strict teacher first three years. Andrew didn't
get along with her. Transferred to a middle school. Had a woman
teacher. Andrew fell in love with her. Had no difficulties in
school then. Had a man teacher his last two years of school.
Learned a lot from him. Took his manual training from this teacher.
All boys took this course. Girls took sewing courses. Andrew
finished school after six years. Usually took seven years. Long
walk to school. School started at 9am. They left home at 7am.
Couldn't go to school if there was too much snow.
597 CHURCH: Went to school at State Church. His family's religious
affiliation was with the Covenant Church. This church started
because many people felt the State Church was too formal. The
laymen started having services in the chapels. Before 1850,
one couldn't have a religious meeting unless the parish minister
was present. The chapels where people met were called "missionshus."
The Covenant Church in Sweden was called Svenska Missionsförbundet.
The different chapels got together, forming a covenant. Were
interested in forming missions outside of, as well within Sweden.
Andrew mentions Waldenström as being an important leader of
the Covenant Church. Andrew's mother was more interested in
religion than his father. People from the islands tended to
be more religions than the mainlanders.
720 KARLSKRONA NAVY STATION: Not far from where Andrew lived
in Sweden. The system before 1870 included professional sailors
and soldiers. These men were like crofters. They had homes,
which they got from the government. They were called "boatsmen."
Andrew remembers an old retired sailor who lived nearby. He
had long earrings. Had many stories. Andrew knew many old sailors.
One was 100 years old. Could remember Napoleon. There was a
religious revival among the military. Andrew's maternal grandfather
help religious meetings for the sailors in his home. Andrew's
mother grew up in this environment. She was strong in her religious
convictions.
829 CONFIRMATION: Was confirmed in the Lutheran Church. People
didn't dislike the Lutheran Church, but they wanted more religious
freedom.
848 RELIGIOUS REVIVAL IN SWEDEN: Started in the 18th century
when Sweden was at war with Russia. Swedish prisoners of war
in Russia met some German prisoners of war. Swedish prisoners
(known as "strundisterna" which comes from the German word "strunder"
or power and the prayer hour) picked up this religious revival
from the German soldiers. When they came back to Sweden, they
brought this new spirit with them. They brought about a religious
awakening.
895 CHRISTMAS: Julotta Christmas service early on Christmas
morning. This was in the Lutheran Church. Andrew sang in the
choir at Christmas time a couple of times. His teacher started
this choir.
919 CONFIRMATION: (See also I-829) Enjoyed confirmation classes.
Got good grades. Went into a lot of church history. Found the
reasons behind the traditions of the church.
941 CHRISTMAS: (See also I-895) Had a Christmas tree and opened
presents on Christmas Eve. Had lutfisk, rice mush (risgrynsgroet),
Kroppkaka (a tradition in Blekinge and Oeland, potato dumplings
filled with meat), coffee bread and cookies.
985 TRADITIONAL FOODS OF BLEKINGE: Ate a lot of fish because
of their location. Ate a lot of cod. Ate a lot of Baltic herring.
Caught lots of them in March. Bigger fish than smelt. Could
fry them or salt them. Ate Islands sill (Iceland's herring).
Ate chicken, wild rabbit, pork, homemade sausage. His mother
made sausage. His family has lost this tradition. Grew their
own rye. Brought it to the flour mill and had it ground. Mother
did the baking in a big oven. Built a big fire in the oven.
EMIGRATION:
1044 SWEDEN 1906: Difficult times in Sweden. The brick plant
shut down. Andrew's father couldn't find work. Andrew's mother's
sister, Hanna Martinson came home to Sweden from Tacoma, Washington
for a visit. She ran a boardinghouse in Tacoma. Said Alfred
could come to America with her. It only cost $30 for a ticket
to America. Andrew's mother brother, Magnus decided to go with
them. They left in 1908. Andrew's father had to write to the
high court in Stockholm to get a special permit because he was
still at the age when he belonged to the military. He didn't
go with Andrew's aunt, uncle, and aunt's husband who had also
decided to go. He went by himself a little later in 1908. Father
had no problems on the journey. U.S. immigration was very efficient.
They kept track of people so they wouldn't get lost.
1117 1912: Mother's brother, Magnus, and sister's husband came
back to Sweden. Father was still working in Tacoma, Washington.
Was a teamster. Sold fuel in a fuel yard.
SIDE II
026 REASONS FOR FAMILY'S EMIGRATION: Sister's husband, John
decided after two months that he wanted to go back to America.
They sold everything. Andrew's grandmother decided to go to
America with her youngest daughter. Andrew's mother would have
been the last of her family left in Sweden. She wrote to her
husband. Said she wanted to come to the U.S. She and the children
left for America in May 1914. Her brother, Magnus ended up staying
in Sweden.
084 PREPARING FOR THE TRIP: Put an ad in the newspaper that
they intended to sell their home. Auctioned off furniture and
belongings. Couldn't take more than the bare necessities with
them. Sold their house and the contract they had with the farmer.
Used the money to buy their tickets. Competition between the
different steamship companies because they wanted the immigrant
trade. Got advertisements from the Scandinavian-American Line,
Cunnard Line, White Star Line.
146 TRIP TO AMERICA: Decided to go on the Cunnard Line. Went
from Liverpool, England to New York. They traveled from Sweden
to Esbjerg, Denmark. From Esbjerg to Hull, England. Took 24
hours to travel across the North Sea. Andrew was fourteen. Had
to stay with the men on the boat. Later went with his mother
to help with the other children who were seasick. Later Andrew
went up on deck. They had a big kettle of soup up there. This
was a Danish ship.
They came to Hull in the evening. A big English sailor took
them to the train. The doors were locked after they got in the
train. The English countryside was green, wet, and foggy. Reminds
him of Washington. His aunt's husband spoke English. Had to
ask for water on the train. A bus, pulled by horses took them
to a hotel when they got to Liverpool. The men slept in one
big room. Had to stay in Liverpool for several days.
Andrew and his family traveled third class. He remembers seeing
really poor people, who were traveling steerage. Took 3-5 days
to cross the Atlantic. The ship traveled quickly. Were given
examinations and those who had been vaccinated were vaccinated.
Small Pox vaccinations made some people sick. Andrew had been
vaccinated when he was little. One of his sisters got sick.
Had a Norwegian nurse help them. There were many Norwegians
on the Lusitania.
387 ELLIS ISLAND: Were put on a ferry to Ellis Island upon arrival
in New York. Describes their arrival to the U.S. being recorded.
They were tagged and taken to the train. Somehow, through the
immigration process his name, Anders Johansson was changed to
Andrew Johnson.
455 TRAIN TRIP: First stop was in Chicago. No furniture at the
depot. Spent a day there. They had some food with them. His
uncle could order food for them. Remembers having pie on the
train. Had had it before in Sweden. Tremendous American influence
in Sweden in this way. One in every four Swedes left for America.
Got on the train in Chicago. The doors were locked. Stayed on
the train until they got to Tacoma, Washington. Sat in seats.
Couldn't lay down or stretch out. Took about six days to get
from New York to Tacoma. Three weeks to get from Sweden to Tacoma.
547 ARRIVAL IN TACOMA: His mother had another sister in Tacoma
who was married to a man who was well off. Had a nice home and
an automobile. Lived on the north end of Tacoma. He rented a
bus for Andrew's family. They were a group of seventeen. Cleaned
up and had a good meal at his aunt's. He hadn't seen his dad
for six years. He didn't know Andrew who'd grown up. They found
a home on I Street.
607 FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Not used to living in a big city. Had
to keep the young ones from running out in the street. They
had roller skates instead of ice skates.
620 WORK: Andrew had to go to work right away. He should have
gone to school until he was 16 years old, but his mother and
aunt went to the Industrial Commission and got permission for
Andrew to start working. Made toilet seats and boxes for Tacoma
Piping Works. They moved to Wood Pipe on Center Street in Tacoma,
Washington.
663 Family moved to Fife, Washington. Got a bigger house and
two acres of land. Rent was only $7 per month. Transportation
was bad in those days. He started work at 8am. Left home at
5:45am. Finished working at 4pm. Couldn't get a ride home until
6pm.
683 Family joined the Covenant Church on I Street. Got a job
from a man he met there, who was part owner of West Coast Chair
Co.. Worked from 7am-6pm. First job earned 10 cents per hour.
707 SCHOOL: Went to school for one term, the first fall they
were here. Went to Central School, which had just been built.
In his class, there were two Swedes (a cousin and himself),
and boy and girl from Holland, and four Greeks. They were all
put in the first grade at first. After a week, they were moved
to third grade. Finally they were promoted to the 8th grade.
The Greek children found arithmetic difficult. Andrew "went
into the woods and cried his heart out" when he had to quit
school.
758 FATHER'S WORK: Andrew had to quit school and start working
when his father got laid off. Father was working highways. Lived
in a camp. They got the farm in Fife when his father started
working on the highways. Father came back to town (from the
camp) after 1915. When WWI started it became easier to find
work. They bought the farm in Fife from an Austrian family.
All the rent they paid went towards buying it. Freeway construction
later took over the home at Fife. They were forced to move.
The home and property were appraised at $19,500. The government
finally paid them $17,000. People in the valley were angry with
the government for taking all of their property. This was around
1958-1960.
890 CITIZENSHIP: Government people were very difficult to deal
with. Took out his first papers in 1920 (Declaration of Intention).
Took out second papers in 1924. Father could have done this
for the whole family but he was afraid. Andrew went night school
and his father went along. Andrew's father passed the test on
his second try. Government officials are much more accommodating
now.
931 WORK: Was working for West Coast Chair. Wanted to learn
a trade. Had an uncle working for Puget Sound Iron and Steel.
Andrew got a job as an apprentice iron molder. Didn't like this
job. Couldn't get in the machine shop without experience. Put
an ad in the newspaper. Was answered by a business on 24th Street
in Tacoma. Worked there for two years. Got next job at Todd
Ship Yard in Tacoma. Shipyard closed the next year.
980 MOVING TO MINNESOTA: Hard to find a job after working in
the shipyard. Worked for Foss Tug & Barge for ten months.
Wanted to work in the machinist trade. Decided it was best to
go back east. Intended to go to Chicago but had such a good
time in St. Paul, Minnesota that he never made it to Chicago.
Stayed with relatives.
998 MEETING SPOUSE: Met first wife, Alice Skog at the Covenant
Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. They stayed in St. Paul for thirteen
years.
1014 CHILDREN: Two girls. The daughter died when three and half
years old. She had asthma. Doctor advised them to move to a
different climate. They moved back to Tacoma, Washington. Youngest
daughter, Dorothy Williams, is married and lives in Puyallup.
She has a son.
1046 LIVING IN THE U.S.A.: Never really felt at home here. While
in his teens, he would have gone back to Sweden. Immigrants
often treated prejudicially. Brothers and sisters got along
better in the U.S. because they got to go to school. Mother
wanted to go back. Father knew they couldn't. "They'd already
burned the bridges."
1119 DIFFICULTIES OF LIVING IN AMERICA: Difficult to meet other
young people. Wasn't even happy in his church. Most of the young
people were born in the U.S. "Looked down at you as what they
call a greenhorn. You didn't know nothing." He was surprised
to find this attitude towards immigrants in church. He was much
happier with the church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
TAPE 207
SIDE I
011 CHURCH IN ST. PAUL: Not as much prejudice against Scandinavians
there. During WWI and the 1920s there was a lot of prejudice
against the Scandinavians. The Scandinavian-American Bank was
declared bankrupt by the government. Andrew lost money because
of that. Got back only a small percentage. Banks were not insured
until Roosevelt came into office.
059 COMING BACK TO TACOMA, WASHINGTON: Came back in 1937. Couldn't
find work. Became caretaker of Covenant Beach where the church
had a camp.
075 CHURCH CAMP AT COVENANT BEACH: Earned 35 cents an hour as
caretaker. The camp director was not at the camp at all times.
He was also a certified public accountant. He was a Norwegian.
Name was Wendels (?). He'd help Andrew with some of the work.
100 SCANDINAVIAN-AMERICAN BANK: Wendels (?) told Andrew that
the American's wanted the Scandinavians to invest their money
in the Bank of California and the other banks. Scandinavians
were industrious and prosperous. They wanted the Scandinavian-American
Bank out of the way. (See also I-011)
137 MARRIAGE: Married in 1929 at the home of his wife's parents.
157 SCANDINAVIAN ORGANIZATIONS: Belonged to a Scandinavian church,
but not to any Scandinavian lodges. Andrew and his family were
raised like "puritans." It was wrong to dance or play cards
so they didn't join any lodges. This "puritan" lifestyle was
wrong in some ways. "You lived in a cage." It made life here
difficult. Church was too strict. Kicked out of church if you
played pool, played a waltz on the piano, or carried a deck
of playing cards in your pocket. Dancing got a bad name because
those dancing always got drunk and fights broke out.
282 STAR (?) IRON WORKS: Enjoyed living at Covenant Beach but
his wife didn't like it there. Wanted to be in town. Got a job
at Star Iron Works through a friend who worked at Isaacson Iron
Works. Moved to Seattle in 1940. Rented an apartment. Later
bought a house in west Seattle.
348 WORK DURING WWII: Much easier to find work. Heard about
the Continental Can Company in Seattle through a friend at the
Covenant Church. Andrew got a job as a machinist there. Foreman
there were strict. Superintendent thought Andrew couldn't handle
the job. He stayed there for 28 years.
466 CHURCH: Worked swing shift for thirteen years. Couldn't
be active in the church during those years. Went to church on
Sunday mornings. Wife was never very active in church. Wife
worked as a substitute in department stores for many years.
491 RETIRED IN 1968: Moved to Puyallup in 1970 and bought a
house there in 1971. He and his wife were visiting their daughter
in Tacoma in 1970 well after that. Andrew's wife fainted and
had a stroke. She was never very well after that. He took care
of her until 1978. His brothers and sisters in Puyallup, Washington
and Riverside, Washington said is moved there, they would help
him take care of his wife and they would be near Good Samaritan
Hospital where she could get therapy. He sold his house in Puyallup
in 1978 and moved to Tacoma, Washington. Tells about when he
got sick and was in the hospital for three weeks. When he got
home, his wife has been taken to the infirmary. He was told
he couldn't take care of her anymore. She stayed in the infirmary
until she died in January 1981.
568 TRAVELING: Took a trip to the Holy Land in 1980. Saw an
ad for the trip. Didn't see how he could go. He was always with
his wife at the infirmary. Made her coffee and put her to bed.
One of the officers at the infirmary said they would take care
of her if there something he would like to do. He went on the
trip. Met Gladys. He was afraid of her at first because he was
married. Gladys was a widow. He told her he couldn't se her
after the trip was over because he was married but he would
like to have her address.
667 WIFE'S DEATH: Andrew came home from his trip in October
1980. His wife got worse around Christmas of 1980. He had to
take her to the hospital. She passed away in the middle of January
1981. She had had two or three strokes. Couldn't write. Could
only speak a few words.
712 Sat by himself for a couple of months. He called Gladys
who lived in the area. He started visiting her and then couldn't
stay away. He got really sick in June 1981. Was in the hospital.
Gladys helped him. He had an inner-ear infection.
781 SECOND MARRIAGE: They went on trips together. Couldn't stay
away from each other. Decided to get married. Their families
insisted they have a wedding. Were married in the Covenant Church
in October 1981. They are the oldest couple that their minister
has married. Gladys went to another church before. Decided she'd
go to the Covenant Church too.
804 GLADYS' FAMILY: Two girls and a boy. They have accepted
Andrew into their family. Patty studies occupational therapy.
Barbara lives in Renton and works for Highline Community College.
Al is a helicopter pilot.
830 TRIPS TO SWEDEN: They went to Sweden in June 1982. Went
with a group from the Covenant Church. The group of 53 met in
Copenhagen, Denmark. Took a bus to Sweden. Went to the islands
of Oeland and Gotland. Went to Stockholm. Took a trip to Helsinki,
Finland. Went to Dalarna. Went to Sognefjord, Norway. Spent
three days in Balestrand, Norway. Took the bus to Oslo, Norway.
Stayed there for three days. Didn't got to his home in Blekinge,
Sweden. They came within 30 kilometers of it. All of his friends
in Sweden have passed away. His home is still there. It's used
as a summerhouse and is owned by people living in Stockholm.
His sister and brother-in-law have been there and took pictures
of it.
893 CHANGES IN SWEDEN: Sweden is much different now. People
are well dressed and seem to have money. Sweden has "hippies"
just like America does. Helsinki, Finland looked like any other
city. Only difference was that many department stores sold items
from Poland and Czechoslovakia.
918 SWEDISH TRADITIONS AND LANGUAGE: First wife was an American
born Swede. Didn't cook Swedish food. Andrew's parents cooked
Swedish meals. First wife didn't speak Swedish, but she was
confirmed in Swedish. Andrew was surprised that the language
hasn't changed much in 65 years. Surprised when he could talk
to a taxi driver in Sweden. Finished the interview with a few
Swedish phrases and a Swedish song.
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