Funding for encoding this finding aid was
provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Biographical Note
Ivar Gottfrid Alm (originally Ahlm) was born
on June 15, 1897 in Boxholm, Sweden to his parents Per Gottfrid Ahlm and Elin
Sofia Ahlm. Ivar grew up with his seven siblings in the industrial town of
Boxholm, but he occasionally lived with his grandparents, Adolf and Christine
Anderson, on a large farm. At the age of 14, Ivar began working in a steel
mill; he was promoted to electrical work. In December of 1917 the Army called
him to serve in World War I. After the war Ivar quit the steel mill and moved
to Linköping. He decided to seek work in America, so he traveled to Tacoma
aboard the "Stockholm" in 1921. Although he initially had a difficult time
finding a job because he lacked English skills, Ivar was employed in a variety
of places. These jobs included working at St. Paul Lumber, at a boiler house,
at the University of Washington, and at Key's Place as a houseboy. Ivar studied
hard to learn the English language; he achieved his electrical degree at the
YMCA. To enhance his social life, Ivar joined the Valhalla Lodge. There he met
Edith Svensson, whom he married in 1928. Ivar has taken five trips back to
Sweden. He still speaks Swedish with friends and participates in the Vasa Club
and the Valhalla Lodge to preserve his heritage.
Lineage
Father: Per Gottfrid Ahlm Mother: Elin Sofia Ahlm Maternal
Grandfather: Adolf Fredrik Andersson Maternal Grandmother: Karolina Andersson
Brothers and Sisters: Signe Teresia Larsson John Gunnar Ahlm Jenny Maria Nyberg
Karl Elis Valentin Ahlm Carin Linnea Johannesson Astrid Ida Viola Ahlm Spouse:
Edith Mathilda Svensson Alm Children: There were no children
Content Description
This interview was conducted with Ivar Alm on August 6, 1981 in Tacoma,
Washington. The interview contains information on personal data, life in
Sweden, emigration, settling in, work in Tacoma, Swedish heritage, and return
trips to Sweden. A photograph of Ivar and his wife Edith on their fiftieth
anniversary (January 28, 1978) is also available. The interview was conducted
in English.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The oral history collection is open to all users.
Restrictions on Use :
There are no restrictions on use.
Administrative Information
Custodial History :
The Oral History collection
project was started during an experimental course on Scandinavian Women in the
Pacific Northwest. Students in the course were encouraged to interview women
and learn about their experiences as immigrants to the United States. The
project was continued and expanded with support from the president's office and
by grants from the L.J. Skaggs and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation, from the Joel E.
Ferris Foundation and the Norwegian Emigration Fund of the Royal Norwegian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project was directed by Dr. Janet E.
Rasmussen. The collection was transferred to the Archives and Special
Collections Department.
Acquisition Information :
Related Materials :
To search and view Pacific
Lutheran University's digitized images, visit our
Digital Assets
Website
Processing Note :
The interview was conducted by
Morrene Nesvig 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. The recording quality is good
The
collection was transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky Husby.
Bibliography :
Rasmussen, Janet Elaine. New Land New Lives:
Scandinavian immigrants to the Pacific Northwest. Tacoma, Washington. University of Washington
Press. 1993
Additional Reference Guides :
Detailed Description of the Collection
The partial interview transcription highlights important aspects of the
interview. Numbers 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.
Cassette
76, side 1
010/15: PERSONAL
BACKGROUND
Born June 15, 1897. Boxholm,
Sweden, built on a river because of steel mill, an industrial town also with
sawmills.
76, side 1
026:
Employed at age 14 making hinges at local steel mill.
76, side 1
031/079: PARENTS
Mother, Elin Andersson. Father, Per Gottfrid Ahlm,
prior spelled Ahlm, Alm means elm tree. Employed as steel worker (sorted and
weighed steel).
76, side 1
053/128: BROTHERS AND
SISTERS
Eight brothers and sisters. (See
attached).
76, side 1
060/144: MATERNAL
GRANDPARENTS
Large self-supporting farm.
Sold milk and also charcoal to steel company. Lived with grandparents when 7 or
8. Adolf and Christine Andersson.
76, side 1
086/195: GROWING UP
School was a long walk. Went six days a week for six
years. Quit at age 13 and lived with grandparents.
76, side 1
106/230:
Employed at steel mill at age 14. Promoted to electrical
work.
76, side 1
115:
Called to Army in December 1917 (WWI). Received orders from
Russia for submarines.
76, side 1
125/264: CONDITIONS IN
MILLS
Worked 10 hours a day. Low wages
but not overly dangerous.
76, side 1
139: ARMY
EXPERIENCE
Some electrical work. Worked on
airplanes.
76, side 1
163:
Quit steel mill and moved to Linköping until 1921.
Unemployment great in 1921, after no war no jobs many went to U.S.
76, side 1
193: ARRIVAL U.S.
Age 23 in 1921. Trip took one month to get to
Tacoma.
76, side
1
214/399: FEELINGS
LEAVING SWEDEN
Father was dead. Brother
was supporter of family. He mailed home money to family in Sweden. Nothing to
lose by going to America, everything to gain.
76, side 1
228/418: BOAT TRIP
Rough hard storm. Third class passage. Played chess
with a champion. Ship called "Stockholm." Ticket cost about $300.
76, side 1
261/467: ARRIVAL NEW
YORK
Took train to Chicago on to
Tacoma.Ellis Island: Sorted people out, check for sickness and
lice.
76, side 1
281: TRAVELERS'
SOCIETY
Volunteers that helped immigrants
to get around.
76, side 1
291: TRAIN TRIP
Lightning around Minneapolis. Didn't speak English.
Ate apple pie and milk on trip. Learned to use American money.
76, side 1
313/519: ARRIVAL
TACOMA
Came in on Milwaukee Line. Met by
family. Aunt in Tacoma named Henna Alm married a Johnson. Only brought one
little suitcase with him.
76, side 1
358: CITIZENSHIP
Applied one month after arrival. Describes prose.
Citizen January, 1927. Took courses to prepare for citizenship.
76, side 1
380: FIRST IMPRESSIONS
TACOMA
Nice city. Many ships coming in
from around the world. Employed for a while at St. Paul Lumber.
76, side 1
407: EMPLOYED VARIOUS
PLACES
Boiler house for a while. Drove
boats around Puget Sound. Describes job as a houseboy at Key's place where
Roosevelt's history was recently filmed in Lakewood. Edison Foster owned
it.
76, side 1
456: LEARNING TO DRIVE A
CAR
Taught himself. Didn't need a license
in those days. License policy began in late 1920s.
76, side 1
494:
Employed scrapping floors. Also at University of Washington.
Attended school at Broadway High School in Seattle.
76, side 1
517: LANGUAGE
DIFFICULTIES
Did much reading. Had a hard
time talking and writing.
76, side 1
539: TACOMA CITY
COLLEGE
Got electrical degree at
YMCA.
76, side 1
562: EMPLOYED ST. PAUL
LUMBER
Sorted lumber. Worked on roads for
a month, hard work, no tractors, used horses.
76, side 2
011: CONDITIONS AT ST.
PAUL
Nice company. Fair wages. Good to
workers. Eight hours shifts.
76, side 2
021:
Handicap not being able to speak English. Difficulty getting
a job. "No friendlier people than the American people."
76, side 2
026: SOCIAL LIFE
Member Valhalla Lodge. Always something going on.
Spoke Swedish when they got together. Joined in 1923. Paid sick benefits to
those who were sick.
76, side 2
060:
Met Norwegians. Two boarding houses in Tacoma with many
immigrants. learned to understand Norwegian well.
76, side 2
072: MEETING WIFE
Met at Valhalla Lodge. Married January 28, 1928.
Worked at St. Paul Lumber.
76, side 2
088: CHURCH LIFE
Not involved much because of school and playing
soccer.
76, side
2
115: DEPRESSION
No work, no money.
People getting food in garbage cans. Wife did housework to help out. Worked six
hours a day at St. Paul during this time. St. Paul didn't sell much.
76, side 2
147:
Attended First Lutheran on holidays.
76, side 2
152: TRIPS TO
SWEDEN
Five trips back. Many changes in
Sweden. Visited with family and friends. Still speaks and writes Swedish.
Living prices are higher-care for old people better. Sweden's social conditions
are changing.
76, side 2
270: SWEDISH
HERITAGE
Very important, not ashamed to
be a Swede. Talks of grandparents and dancing in Sweden and Tacoma at Vasa and
Valhalla.
76, side 2
302:
Describes Scandinavian Days in Tacoma.
76, side 2
304:
Still speaks Swedish and says something in Swedish.
76, side 2
323: CLOSING
REMARKS
Glad he came to Tacoma, been very
happy here, good climate, good people.
Subjects
This collection is indexed under
the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials
about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these
headings.
Personal Names :
Ahlm, Per Gottfrid
Alm,
Edith Matilda Svensson
Alm,
Ivar Gottfrid--Interviews
(
creator)
Andersson, Adolf Fredrik Andersson
Karolina Andersson
Family Names :
Ahlm
family
Alm
family
Andersson family
Larsson family
Corporate Names :
First Lutheran Church (Tacoma, Wash.)
St.
Paul Lumber Company (Tacoma, Wash.)
Stockholm (Steamship)
Swedish Order of
Valhalla (Tacoma, Wash.)
Vasa Order of
America. Lodge Number 233 (Tacoma, Wash.)
