Funding for encoding this finding aid was
provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Biographical Note
Aage Valdemar Andersen was born on August 24,
1902 in Hornbæk, Denmark to Ernst Andersen and Louise Jensen. Ernst owned a
shoe store but spent most of his time as a Lutheran missionary. There were four
other children in the family: Dan, Skjøld, Else, and Frede. Aage finished high
school in Denmark and then became an apprentice in the hardware business for
four years. Aage obtained a good job after his apprenticeship but wanted to
travel, which led him to immigrate to the United States in 1924. He stayed in
New York City for about one year and then went to Detroit, where he worked for
General Motors. Aage then went to British Columbia, where his brothers had
immigrated in the meantime. He did harvest work with them for a couple of
months before moving to Seattle, WA, where he got back into the hardware
business. In Seattle, Aage also met his wife, Ellen Hoch, and was married in
1928. Ellen was from Fredericia, Denmark, and they had two children, Elsie and
Carl. Aage worked as an electrician at Sand Point Naval Station during WWII,
after which he and Ellen bought their own store, where they sold gifts and
hardware. Aage also became a storekeeper in Alaska for ten seasons, during
which time Ellen managed the store at home. After the store, Aage made another
business venture and built a motel in Moses Lake, WA with a friend named
Sigmund Tetten. Aage sold the motel after eleven years, retiring at the age of
sixty-six. After retirement, Aage and Ellen settled in Poulsbo, WA and bought a
motor home. They have visited all fifty states and have also visited Denmark
several times. Aage has belonged to the Danish Brotherhood and the Sons of
Norway and is proud of his heritage. However, he also feels he is "as good of a
citizen [American] as anybody is going to be."
Lineage
Full Name: Alfred (Aage) Valdemar Andersen. Father: Ernst
Andersen. Mother: Louise Jensen. Paternal Grandfather: Jens Christian Andersen.
Paternal Grandmother: Stine Tipperup. Maternal Grandfather: Lars Jensen.
Maternal Grandmother: Else Jensen. Brothers and Sisters: Dan Andersen, Skjøld
Andersen, Else Andersen, Frede Andersen. Spouse: Ellen Hoch Andersen. Children:
Elsie Andersen, Carl Andersen.
Content Description
This interview was conducted with A.V. (Aage Valdemar) Andersen on April 1,
1982 in Poulsbo, Washington. It provides information on family background,
emigration, employment, marriage, and Danish heritage. The interview was
conducted in English. Also see Ellen Andersen.
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 :
Acquisition Information :
The Oral History
collection contains the recorded interviews of 282 men and women who emigrated
from Scandinavia and settled in the Pacific Northwest. The 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. Upon completion,
the collection was transferred to the Archives and Special Collections
Department.
Related Materials :
To search and view Pacific Lutheran University's digitized images, visit our
Digital Assets
Website
Processing Note :
The interview was conducted by
Donna Mallonee 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 NorthwestTacoma, WashingtonUniversity of Washington
Press1993
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
159, side 1
010 : PERSONAL
BACKGROUND
His name in Denmark was Aage
Andersen which has been changed to Alfred Valdemar Andersen. Born on 24 August
1902 in Hornbaak, Denmark, which is about 30 miles outside of Copenhagen. This
place means "Horn Brook." This is a summer resort area.
159, side 1
072: PARENTS
Ernst and Louise. Father had a shoe store but he spent
more time as a Lutheran missionary. He was quite strict. Had a good home life.
The oldest brother has the house which now houses stores and apartments.
159, side 1
125: GRANDPARENTS
Paternal grandfather sailed in the war in 1868.
Maternal grandfather had a delicatessen in Copenhagen.
159, side 1
158: BROTHERS AND
SISTERS
Oldest brother, Dan. Skjold lives
in Canada. Has a sister on Orcas Island. Youngest brother, Frede lives in
Denmark.
159, side 1
175: FAMILY HISTORY
Maternal grandfather came from Sweden and maternal
grandmother came from Denmark. He also has some Norwegian blood. Paternal
grandfather was an interesting man and wrote a few small books.
159, side 1
210: CHRISTMAS
Lighted candles on the tree.
159, side 1
222: BIRTHDAYS
Was a big occasion.
159, side 1
225: WEDDING
ANNIVERSARIES
Big occasion. Neighbors come
in the night and put up a big arch. Then about 6am they come and sing wedding
songs. (Added by Aage's wife, Ellen)
159, side 1
244: SCHOOL DAYS IN
DENMARK
Finished high school there. Took
German, Swedish, and arithmetic. There weren't as many choices of what they
could take. They had gym and religion once a week. He didn't work while he was
going to school.
159, side 1
268: WORK IN
DENMARK
Was an apprentice for four years
to learn the hardware business. Had to go to night school. He opened the store
at 7am and came home from the night school about 12 midnight. After his
apprenticeship he went to Copenhagen and got a job at a place which made light
fixtures and also hardware. It was a good job.
159, side 1
300: REASONS FOR
EMIGRATION
Wanted to travel. Left by
himself. Didn't have to leave because he had a good job and family in Denmark.
Felt free and happy when he left home.
159, side 1
315:
Left by ship in Copenhagen and went to New York.
159, side 1
318: NEW YORK
EXPERIENCES
He and a friend he met on the
ship went to the Danish Mission Home. They had to take the subway there and get
off at Prospect Ave. When the subway stopped the sign said "Women" so they
didn't get off there. They found the place and stayed a few days, but there
were too many bed bugs
159, side 1
349: FIRST IMPRESSIONS IN NEW
YORK
Got a job right away because he saw
so many people who were broke. He was shoveling snow outside a bakery shop
where he saw an entire family laying by the grate from the shop to keep warm.
He had never seen anything like that in Denmark. There were many people without
homes.
159, side 1
396: PITTSBURGH,
PENNSYLVANIA
Had a job here for 2-3
months.
159, side
1
400: DETROIT
Was going to get a job
at Ford, but it was too much work so he went to General Motors. The man he gave
his application to was Danish so Aage got a good job. After this he sold vacuum
cleaners.
159, side 1
430: HARVEST HELP
Saw an advertisement. Took the train to Winnipeg,
Canada and then up to Regina, Canada. They ran into a farmer who asked them if
they needed a job. The horses on the farm didn't understand his Danish
commands.
159, side 1
465: BROTHERS
Met his brothers who were farther west. They had
immigrated in the mean time. They were working as harvest hands and moving from
farm to farm. Aage went and worked with them. This was 1925. They lived in
tents.
159, side 1
490: DANISH COLONY
Brother started a colony in Edgewater, BC. Went and
stayed there for 2-3 months then went to Vancouver, BC, then to Seattle.
159, side 1
500: SEATTLE
Hard to find work. Got a job at American Can Company. Wanted
to get back into the hardware business. Worked for Seattle Hardware Company for
about four years.
159, side 1
524: MARRIAGE 1928
Met his wife at the Danish Church. Ellen adds that
they married in that church and that their children were baptized, confirmed,
and one was married there. The other was married in Montana.
159, side 1
530: SEATTLE HARDWARE
COMPANY
Saw no future in this company.
There were no unions or anything so he quit.
159, side 1
535: OTHER JOBS
Ellen adds that Aage had a milk route and sold
supplies to restaurants.
159, side 1
540: HOME
Lived between Seattle and Tacoma near Beacon Heights. During
the depression they sold the house there and moved into Seattle where it was
easier to find work.
159, side 1
553:
Didn't work with many other Danish people.
159, side 1
560: CHANGES IN WORK FROM THEN
AND NOW
People were more willing to do
anything. There wasn't relief or unemployment. During the depression he bought
an old truck and went to the public market and bought fruit and went out and
sold this in the country. They made a couple of dollars a day doing this. Too
proud to go on relief.
159, side 1
595: ORGANIZATIONS
Belongs to the same organization as his wife, Ellen,
plus the Sons of Norway. Used to belong to a club called "Mental Club".
Belonged to the Danish Brotherhood.
159, side 1
605: WORK DURING
WWII
Worked at Sand Point Naval Station.
He worked as an electrician for four years there.
159, side 1
618: GIFT SHOP
Bought a gift shop on University then they moved out
on Holmen Road where they had a giftware and hardware store. Sold mostly
imported gifts and greeting cards. The first business they bought was small and
they enlarged it quite a bit with appliances and mail order. At Holmen Road,
they had too much competition with drugstores and other stores.
159, side 1
644: ALASKA
Got a job as a storekeeper and went there ten seasons. Ellen
took care of the home business. The store in Alaska was about seventy miles
from Juneau. Then he worked at a larger store in False Pass in the Aleutian
Islands, which is about 100 miles away from Dutch Harbor.
159, side 1
675: MOTEL
BUSINESS
A friend, Sigmund Tetten (?) and
he built a motel at Moses Lake, Washington. Had the motel for eleven years
until he was 66 and then he quit the business. Sold the motel and retired to
Poulsbo, Washington.
159, side 1
686: TRAVELLING
Bought a motor home and traveled for seven years.
They have been in every state in the United States. Have visited Denmark
several times. Have been to Hawaii. Took a steamer from Seattle down through
the Panama Canal and down to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
159, side 1
700: VISITS TO
DENMARK
Nice to visit, nice people and
country. The cities are different. The Pacific Northwest is his country.
Compares old Copenhagen to today. Glad he immigrated. He feels that everyone
should travel around so they will appreciate what they have here.
159, side 1
733: CORRESPONDENCE
Keeps in touch with his sister-in-law in Denmark. Has
cousins there. They used to have family reunions every other year.
159, side 1
744: FAMILY
DISTRUBUTION
About one third in each of
the countries: Denmark, US, and Australia. His father's brother went to
Australia and was a minister. This man had about nine children.
159, side 1
782: FATHER
Ellen adds that since his father was a minister Aage never
missed a Sunday in Sunday school from when he was big enough until when he was
fourteen years old. Had prayers with all the meals and before they went to bed.
She says he kind of got fed up with it. She compares it to ice cream and says
he likes it but not five times a day.
159, side 1
795: DANISH PEOPLE
They discuss Danish humor. In Jutland where his wife
is from, they have a different kind of humor. They talk about a humorous
incident during the war.
159, side 1
822: IMPORTANCE OF
HERITAGE
Proud, not ashamed of being
Danish. The United States hasn't had to spend any money on him. He went to
school in Denmark. Did go to night school here to become an American
citizen.
159, side 1
830: CITIZENSHIP
He feels he is as good of a citizen as anybody is
going to be. Took a year to fill out the papers and get into this country. The
sponsors had to promise that you wouldn't be a burden to the US. Now the people
who come in are a burden from the day they come. This country is built on the
hard work of many immigrants.
159, side 1
845: GREENHORNS
They were called "Greenhorns" when they first
came.
159, side 1
848: CHANGES IN
DENMARK
Ellen really doesn't know how
many of the old traditions they really keep up anymore. Now they have TV and
they don't use the same forms of entertainment as before.
159, side 1
855: SANKT HANS
June 24th. They light bonfires and dance around to
celebrate midsummer. They had a witch on the top of the bonfire.
159, side 1
877: FASTELAVN
The children would decorate branches and hit their
parents' bed with them to wake them up. Then coffee and buns would be
served.
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 :
Andersen, Carl
Andersen, Dan
Andersen, Else
Andersen, Elsie
Andersen, Ernst
Andersen, Frede
Andersen, Skjold
Anderson, Alfred
(Aage) Valdemar--Interviews
(
creator)
Hoch, Ellen
Jensen, Louise
Tetten, Sigmund
Family Names :
Andersen family
Hoch
family
Jensen
family
Tetten
family
Tipperup family
Corporate Names :
Danish Brotherhood
in America. Lodge 29 (Seattle, Wash.)
General Electric
Company
Naval Station
Puget Sound ( Wash.)
Seattle Hardware Company (Seattle, Wash.)
Sons
of Norway (U.S.) Leif Erikson Lodge No. 1 (Seattle,Wash.)
Geographical Names :
British
Columbia
Detroit (Mich.)
Fredericia
(Denmark)
Hornbæk (Denmark)
Moses Lake
(Wash.)
New York (N.
Y.)
Poulsbo (Wash.)
Seattle (Wash.)
Subject Terms :
Danes -- Ethnic
identity
Danish-Americans -- Interviews
Danish-Americans -- Northwest, Pacific--Social life and
customs
Emigration and immigration
Form or Genre Terms :
Oral
histories
Occupations :
Farmers
Motel management
Titles within the Collection :
New Land New
Lives. Scadinavian Immigrants to the Pacific Northwest.
