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Ole
Andreas Rasmussen Blindheim was born on April 17, 1891. Blindheim
was the name of the farm of which his family's "husmannsplass"
(cotter's farm) was a part. Ole's mother inherited the farm,
Reitebakken, from her father, Nikolai. Ole's family consisted
of five children, Ole being the fourth. His mother died of heart
problems when he was four years old, and Ole's maternal grandmother,
Olava Marie, raised him. Ole learned a lot about farming from
his grandfather and got his first job as a farmhand at the age
of thirteen. He lived at Reitebakken until he had to start making
a living of his own, which he had to do before could be confirmed
in 1906. When Ole was fifteen, his grandmother died, and he
was responsible for her funeral. In 1908, he decided to immigrate
to America with his friend Lars Olsen Vik (Louis Vik when he
arrived in America). Ole had no knowledge of the English language,
and when they arrived in America, Louis served as translator.
From Ellis Island, they took the train to San Francisco, California
and got their first job loading railroad ties. The next year,
they went to Alaska to mine with Ole's brother Nikolai. In 1913,
Ole left Alaska for Seattle, where he started a dairy farm with
his friend Ole Lowell. The dairy farm was successful and lead
to Ole meeting his wife, Anna. Anna's father was also in the
dairy business, and after a 7-8 year courtship, Ole and Anna
were married August 30, 1919. Anna and Ole had two children,
Agnette Wilhemina and Alvin Louis. Ole became an active member
of the community, participating in several clubs including the
Sons of Norway, of which he was a member for fifty years. However,
his main interest was the Norwegian Commercial Club, which he
helped organize and in 1930-31 was appointed its tenth president.
Ole never regretted coming to America.
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partial interview transcription highlights important aspects
of the interview. Numbers on the left may be used as guides
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016 FAMILY BACKGROUND: Ole Andreas Rasmussen Blindheim was named
after the owners, Ole and Anna Blindheim, of the ranch where
his family had a "husmannsplass". Got the name Rasmussen from
his father Rasmus Mikkalsen. Blindheim was the name of the farmland
of which his family's "husmannsplass" - Reitebakken - was a
part. There was only one "husmannsplass" on the Blindheim farm.
Neighboring farms had 2 or 3. Blindheim is near Aalesund in
western Norway (Moere og Romsdal). To the northwest of Reitebakken
was Storfjord, which led to the Geirangerfjord. Beautiful country.
Would see Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany go by from time to time
in the early 1900's. He vacationed in Norway quite often. After
Aalesund burned down, they named a street after him because
they thought so much of him. Ole's community was connected with
2 parishes - Sykkylven and Oerskog. He went to Sykkylven. He
was born April 17,1891.
185 PARENTS: Rasmus Mikkalsen Blindheim and Agnetta Marie Blindheim.
204 GRANDPARENTS: Paternal grandfather was Mikkal Andreas Rasmussen
from Nordfjord. Others with the name Rasmussen had a "husmannsplass"
named Engeboe in Hornindal, Nordfjord (Sogn and Fjordane). Grandmother
was Gunnhild Jensdatter Rote from Nordfjord. Grandparents came
to Sykkylven when Ole's father was about 12 years old. Bought
the farm of Vik at the end of the Blindheim-Vik River. Lost
the farm after a few years due to poor conditions. Ole's father
became a tradesman - builder and carpenter- like his father.
They could build anything. They made caskets in their spare
time. When Ole wanted to scare the children in the neighborhood
he would take them to the barn in the dark and show them the
caskets. Grandfather (maternal) was Nikolai. Came from Aursnes,
where James Arness and Peter Graves are from. Grandfather told
Ole to stop in Minneapolis to visit Peter Andreas, the grandfather
of James Arness. Grandfather fished with Peter Andreas in the
North Sea, near Aalesund. Nikolai also started Reitebakken,
which Ole's mother inherited. Ole was only 6 when she died.
Tells about her death.
331 Maternal grandmother, Olava Marie, took care of Ole after
his mother's death.
350 BROTHERS AND SISTERS: Five children. Ole was number 4. Younger
sister, Hansine, died of tuberculosis when 10. Mother died of
a heart problem. They lived in a long house with a grass roof.
Grandparents lived in the back part of the house. They raised
Ole. Grandmother told Ole, "Be frugal my boy. Save your money.
Put it in the bank." Two older sisters, Matilde Gunnhild and
Olava Marie were named after their grandmothers. Brother, Nikolai,
inherited Reitebakken. When Ole and Nikolai were working in
Alaska, Nikolai was using his money to keep Reitebakken going.
410 CHILDHOOD HOME (REITEBAKKEN): One long building and barn
with caskets stored away. Reitebakken is located up on a 2nd
or 3rd plateau looking over Blindheim and northwest over Sykkylvensfjord
and Storfjord. Could see Aursnes in the same direction. Lived
at Reitebakken until he had to start making his own living.
Had to do this before he was confirmed in 1906.
437 In 1904, the city of Aalesund burned down completely. Ole's
family had people come to spend the night in their barn. During
the next 2 years, Ole at 13 years old was hired as a "dreng"
or farmhand on a "husmannsplass". Had 20 goats on the farm.
Ole had to bring grass into the barn and go up on the mountainside
with a long rope to help get the young goats home. Worked long
days. Earned 100 kroner (crowns) and meals during the season.
Had to get used to goat's milk. It made him strong. Husband
in this family was making good wages in Aalesund. There was
a lot of work in Aalesund because the whole town had to be rebuilt.
492 Ole's father was well established during this time. Worked
for "ullvarefabrikk", a woolen mill with 1000 employees in Langevaag
south of Aalesund. Grandfather ran the "husmannsplass". Ole
learned a lot about farming from his grandfather. Father came
home for the weekends on Saturday night. Made cloth in the factory.
Father had to maintain and install the machinery. Worked there
until he retired. He was 85 when he died. Father remarried in
Langevaag; was his third marriage, his second marriage was to
Karolina. Had two children, Anton and Ragna.
550 Anton became a seaman. Later educated himself. Became first
engineer in the merchant marines, served during WW II and was
stationed at England.
592 WORK: Worked on the farm that his "husmannsplass" was part
of. While his employer was out fishing, he took care of the
horses and hauled milk to the dairy. This farm had quite a few
cows. The women milked the cows. Made about the same wages as
the year before but got a suit of clothes as well. First job
when 13, this job when 14, and job at Loeset (nearer irskog)
when 15. Did the same kind of work. Grandmother sent word for
him to come home. She was 86-87 and knew she would die soon.
Ole was responsible for her funeral. Neighbors let him have
the funeral at their house. Wasn't enough room at Reitebakken.
Pastor that confirmed Ole conducted the funeral. Ole was comfortable
around him. Grandmother was born in Tynes . Had spent most of
her life at Reitebakken. Her maiden name was Sivertsdatter.
Their farm in Tynes was called Sivertsgaarden. Ole had to arrange
for a big meal at the funeral. Friends helped out. Served what
they had on hand, something freshly baked like lefse.
675 CHRISTMAS: Had lots of "good eats". Was always satisfied.
Had lots of lefse and homemade bread. Didn't have pies or cakes.
Tells about the first time he had pie (raspberry) in America.
His friend Louis said, "This is good bread."
694 NORWEGIAN FOOD: Would have oatmeal for breakfast and fish
for dinner. Many different kinds of fish. Had sheep and pigs
on farm. Ate pork, faar i kaal, leg of lamb, spekekjoett. Stored
food in their stabbur. He made a lot of friends with it (spekekjoett)
when he came to America. That was all he brought with him except
for a change of socks. Knew he could buy everything he needed
here.
SIDE II
055 CHRISTMAS: Visited neighbors often, but especially at Christmas.
Had a meal in each of his neighbors' homes. Christmas lasted
20 days. "Kjeldeness (?) knute er julen ute." Sang a lot, as
each house had one or two musicians. Fiddle was played more
than accordion. Guitar, mouth organ, and zither were played
also.
135 WORK: After confirmation, Ole got a job at a cement block
factory on the Blindheim-Vik River after he was through working
as a "dreng". He could make as many bricks as any of the other
guys. Worked with a friend, Lars Olsen Vik (Louis Vik when he
came to America). They talked a lot about America. Decided to
go in 1908. Left Aalesund on July 4, 1908.
218 EMIGRATION AND FEELINGS ABOUT LEAVING NORWAY: Decided to
go no matter how bad he felt about leaving. Grandmother had
already passed away. Grandfather Nikolai was still living. Hard
to say good-bye to him because he knew how he felt. Ole wrote
him many letters. Sister, Matilde, was left to take care of
him. Ole and Lars knew many who had gone to America. Ole's brother,
Nikolai, was in America, and Lars' brother had been in the Klondike
(Yukon) for about five years. He'd brought home $5000 - 6000
dollars from his stake and got married. Ole thought he'd possibly
return to Norway after 6-8 years. He and his brother bought
some lots in Fauntleroy(?). Ole tried to sell them but couldn't
even get as much as he'd paid for them. Hard times then many
people out of work. Would have gone back to Norway if he could
have sold those lots.
305 WORK IN SEATTLE: Found a lot of idleness. Found a job working
on boomer logs on Lake Union. Earned only $1.50 a day. Then
started in the dairy business. His brother, Nikolai, and Ole
Lowell were both carpenters. Ole was just a common wage earner.
That's why he could earn only $1.50. Earned $5 a day in Alaska.
Lowell was from Nordfjord.
347 TRIP TO AMERICA: Left Aalesund on the "Jotunheim", which
used to be a fjord boat, this took them to Bergen. It was difficult
for him to be on the sea. They took the ship "Hera" from Bergen
to Stavanger, from Stavanger to Newcastle, England. Ole and
Louis then took a train to Liverpool. Liverpool was quite an
interesting experience for them, all the different people. Ole
and Louis took the logsteamer "Maritania" to New York. They
even paid extra (47 crowns) to take this boat The "Maritania"
was the sister ship of the "Lusitania", the fastest ship being
able to cross the Atlantic in five days. The "Maritania" was
brand new, very comfortable. Ole and Louis didn't like the British
girls working on the ship though, they were always begging for
tips. Ole was seasick on this trip also. They were amazed at
how much a huge ship like that vibrated because of the speed.
But their journey set a record: four and a half days. When they
arrived at Ellis Island, all they had to do was roll up their
sleeves and show vaccination marks.
490 School in Norway. Ole went to school until he was 14-15.
He was also confirmed. He had to walk three miles to school;
in the winter, they skied. School was held everyday in winter.
There were two classes, small school and big school, with three
grades each. Ole Strummer was his teacher in the big school.
Ole B. really values the education that Mr. Strummer gave him.
525 ARRIVAL AND SETTLING IN AMERICA: California, Alaska, and
Washington. Ole had no knowledge of English when he arrived.
Louis knew more, so he served as translator. At Ellis Island,
a man came up in a horse and wagon full of boxes about 1 x 1
ft, which were full of lunch stuff. The man was yelling $1,
so they each got a box for the train ride. Their train trip
(on the Southern Pacific line) took them south past the White
House, Virginia, Carolinas, Louisiana, and Texas. It was really
hot in Texas - watermelon season. In New Mexico they met a Swede
returning from Sweden, who befriended them. Their train trip
took 7 days. In spite of the record-breaking ship crossing,
the whole trip took an average time. Ole had swollen feet for
sitting for 7 days with tied shoes and no moving around. They
ended up in San Francisco because they had a friend there in
a lumber town (Albion in Mendocino County) They just showed
up at the lumber camp and got jobs. Their first job was loading
railroad ties, very tough work as they were sinker ties. Next
job was digging ditches, which Ole liked. He worked really hard
so that he wouldn't lose his job. They earned $2 a day plus
room and board.
698 LEARNING ENGLISH: Ole made friends with an old man (his
boss), Tom, who taught him English. He also learned from reading
the newspaper. Ole wanted to know what was going on.
725 WORK: They worked 6 days a week, 10 hours a day, starting
at 7 am and finishing at 5 pm. Started working in the lumber
business in September. At the end of December, they started
North. Their boss did not want them to leave for Alaska; he
said it would be a mistake. But Ole and Louis already had everything
worked out with Ole's brother in Alaska.
TAPE 237
020 ARRIVAL IN SAN FRANCISCO: A man with a team of horses asked
them for their address - he was a "taxi". Ole sat with him in
the driver's seat and Louis hung on in back. Once when Ole looked
back, Louis was way back in the road trying to catch his hat,
which had flown off. Ole tried to stop the horses by going RRRRR
(rolled "R"). That's how they stopped horses in Norway. The
driver looked at Ole like he was crazy - when Ole looked back,
Louis was back in the wagon with his hat on, so Ole told the
driver it was okay to go ahead. Since they arrived in San Francisco
in the middle of the day, they ate at a restaurant - pointed
out the food they wanted. Then they visited with other Norwegian
immigrants and headed for Albion.
188 TO ALASKA: Ole and Louis went to Alaska in Jan. 1909 by
traveling to Seattle where they saw Smith Tower being built.
(Ole was mistaken about how long they stayed in Albion - they
didn't leave until March when the Valdez Trail would be clear.)
The steamer was to leave on a Saturday night. They met many
people who had just returned form a trip to Norway who were
going back home to Alaska. Ole and Louis listened to the Norwegian
dialects to figure out where they were from. One of the Norwegians
thought that Ole was his brother, Nik, and asked him what the
heck he was doing there on the steamer. This man, Jack Viken
(?), had worked with Nik in Alaska.
270 ALASKA: They arrived in Anchorage to take the Valdez Trail
to Thompson Pass. All the Norwegians on the boat plus Ole and
Louis headed out, equipped with the usual: wool socks, a pair
of rubber shoes (rubber bottoms and laced, leather tops), and
felt shoes. The trail was broken, but it was slow going in the
snow. Ole partnered with Jack Viken. Some of the men had horses
to take them across the pass. These men had some spekekjoett,
but they left it outside overnight, and some wolves ate it.
The interior of Alaska had dry snow and Ole used his felt shoes.
He and Jack traveled quickly and arrived first.
380 WORK: Mining in Alaska. Nik had been in Alaska for 2-3 years,
working through the winters. The Ester Creek mine (outside of
Fairbanks) was owned by Jim Hammo and Clarence Berry (?). During
the summer, there were 100 men working in this underground mine.
Ole worked as a bellboy (explains job). After one season, he
joined his brother doing pipe work. They worked at Conrad(?)
(below the mine) sinking a shaft into frozen ground, 10 hours
a day and 6 days a week. Ole and Nik worked 18 months without
leaving or missing a shift. The job paid $5 a day plus room
and board. Ole stayed in Alaska for two years longer than Nik,
who went back to Norway.
500 BACHELOR LIFE: Before Nik left, he and Ole had bought a
one-room cabin because they were tired of sleeping in the dorms.
"Batching" was rather primitive, and Ole read a lot. The Fairbanks
Miner News came daily at the mine. One Christmas Eve when he
was alone, he walked into Fairbanks for the night, 10 miles
from the mine. When he got into the town saloon, he was frozen.
It was 58 degrees below zero outside. In order to relieve the
pain he had to put ice on his cheeks all night long at the local
hotel where he usually stayed.
590 SEATTLE: Ole never regretted coming to America. He says
his purpose was too strong: to get independent and do something
interesting. Ole left Alaska in the fall of 1919 and went to
Seattle; there was lots of unemployment. Ole Lowell was a top
notch builder and carpenter, he was appointed to Col. Chittenden,
the builder of the locks on Lake Washington. He still couldn't
sell the lots of land that he and Nik had bought earlier, so
they decided to start a dairy.
645 DAIRYING: In 1914, Ole, who had the money, took Lowell in
as a partner as Lowell had the abilities to build the barns
and milk houses so they could get licensed. The business nature
in Ole's blood got him interested in the dairy business. They
rented 10 acres with a big house on it from a retired farmer
called Hammer. They named their dairy the La Ville Dairy. Tells
story of how they picked out the name. Kept business for 2-3
years - thrived as a home delivery dairy. They delivered around
Green Lake, 12th Ave. N. and 55th. Mrs. Lucas was a good customer.
One quart of milk sold for 10 cents, and in summer, 12 quarts
were $1. The business which began in 1914, developed into three
big routes in Seattle by 1928. In 1928, Ole merged with Kristoferson
(?) Dairy: "Blindheim-Kristoferson Dairy". Many small dairies
were merging to become large outfits, e.g., Carnation. He retired
in 1942 from the dairy business but continued to work for several
more years at the "Dungeness-Sequim Co-op".
SIDE II
063 Ole managed this co-op with an assistant, Edward Gruger;
worked there five years until 1949. Had a blueberry farm around
1950 - 1966. Wife's health became bad in 1966, and he retired
permanently.
154 MEETING SPOUSE: Ole met his wife through his dairy business.
He drove by her house everyday on his route. Her father was
also in the dairy business (was the first milkman at the University
of Washington). Ole knew of his wife through the Lowell's before
he met her; all his friends used to "brag her up". One evening
she and her sister came over to visit. After that, he received
letters from her. Often he would give her a ride when he was
on his deliveries, and she was going in the same direction.
They were sweethearts for 7 - 8 years, because the dairy couldn't
support two families. They got married August 30, 1919 and lived
on Beacon Hill. Ole says it was worth waiting. Anna was not
Norwegian; her family was from Slesvig (Saxony ?), Denmark.
Her father, August and family had first been in Texas, then
to Seattle on Beacon Hill. August was a carpenter with a good
trade. Bought 160 acres at $4 an acre. Ole and Anna had two
children, Agnette Wilhemina, born 1921, and Alvin Louis.
356 DAIRY BUSINESS: There was a tuberculosis outbreak in the
herds, so Ole sold the cows and developed a pasteurization business
about 1922.
385 BANKING IN THE 1920s: He had heeded his grandmother's advice
about saving money and had $800-900 in Washington National Bank
managed by Dexter Horton. One Christmas Ole went to the bank
to make a withdrawal only to find the bank closed, and Horton
on his way to Mexico with the bank's money to buy a banana ranch.
Ole got back only 50%. His next monies were invested in Scandinavian-American
Bank, which paid back 85% when they had trouble.
435 Ole invested all his free money into the Norwegian-American
Line after the bank failures.
495 TUBERCULOSIS EPIDEMIC: Ole's brother-in-law, Paul Fisher,
lost most of his herd. When Ole's cows were given the tuberculin
test, 30 out of 32 had negative results. Only two cows had to
be butchered, and Ole's only compensation was the two hides.
His herd had a good record of being healthy and producing high
quality milk.
535 COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Member of several clubs but held no
offices. Ole attended the Swedish Club as a guest of Kristoferson.
Ole was a 50-year member of the Sons of Norway.
560 The Norwegian Commercial Club was his main interest and
activity. He helped organize and name this club, was a charter
member in 1930-31, and was appointed its tenth president.
650 RETURN TRIPS TO NORWAY: The first trip back occurred in
late August 1958. They visited with six friends from his confirmation
class and with his family, staying with his brother, Nik.
720 End of tape.
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