Funding for encoding
this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment
for the Humanities.
Biographical Note
Hans Johan Fredrik Fahl was born on November
28, 1901 in Karlskrona, Sweden. His parents, Fredrik and Axelina Fahl, had
three other children, Arthur, Lilly, and Svea. Hans spent much of his time on
the water while he lived in the island city of Karlskrona, and he served in the
Navy after attending grade school and high school. Karlskrona had a very
close-knit community, so it was difficult for Hans to leave and move to the
United States in 1923. However, he wanted to broaden his horizons and found
that traveling to America would be the best way to do it. After taking the
"Stockholm" and riding aboard a train for four days, Hans met his aunt and
uncle who owned a fruit orchard in Selah, Washington, just north of Yakima. He
liked the climate and the prospect of farming, so Hans settled there. Anxious
to become a citizen, Hans filled out his citizenship papers only a few days
after his arrival. He also immediately undertook teaching himself to speak
English, despite the fact that there was such a large Swedish population in
Selah that he could get by without English. Hans worked on his aunt and uncle's
apple orchard and eventually took it over for them. During the 1940s, Hans met
his wife Ruth Erikson, who was a widow with two children. Ruth and Hans have
traveled to Sweden several times, and although they do not normally speak
Swedish to each other, they do speak it when they travel. Hans has been quite
involved with the Lutheran Church, serving as a delegate several times, and
that has provided him with the opportunity to travel throughout the United
States as well.
Lineage
Full Name: Hans Johan
Fredrik Fahl. Father: Fredrik Fahl. Mother: Axelina Karlsson Fahl. Paternal
Grandfather: Johan Abrahamsson Fahl. Paternal Grandmother: Sofia Brunberg Fahl.
Maternal Grandfather: Johan Peter Karlsson. Maternal Grandmother: Ida Mathilda
Karlsson. Brothers and Sisters: Arthur Wilhelm Fahl, Lilly Dorothea Fahl
Karlsson, Svea Mathilda Fahl Lech. Spouse: Ruth Erikson Johnson Fahl.
Step-Children: Merlan Johnson, Audrey Hester.
Content Description
The interview was conducted with Hans Fahl on June 17, 1983 at the Ola
Vestad Home in Yakima, Washington. This interview contains information on
personal background, immigration, settling in, farming, marriage, and trips to
Sweden. Also available is a black and white photograph of Hans Fahl at the time
of the interview. The interview was conducted in English. Also included is Hans
Fahl's obituary from July 16, 1991.
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
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
253, side 1
039: Hans Johan Fredrik
Fahl
The name "Fahl" was given to Hans'
grandfather who was a sailor. Grandfather's name was Abrahamsson
originally.
253, side 1
078: BROTHERS AND
SISTERS
One brother and two sisters. One
of the sisters has visited Hans in Yakima, Washington several times. The
brother has two sons who are doctors. One of the sons is married to a dentist.
The brother has a daughter also. She is married to a brain specialist.
253, side 1
117:
Hans was born in Karlskrona, which is in the southeastern
Swedish province of Blekinge. Born November 28, 1901.
253, side 1
155: PARENTS
Father worked as a controller in the Navy. The town of
Karlskrona is a naval base. He was an office holder of some kind. His name was
Fredrik Fahl. Mother's name was Axelina Karlsson Fahl. They were born in the
1870s in Karlskrona.
253, side 1
213: DESCRIPTION OF
KARLSKRONA
A city built on islands. Many
bridges. A Mr. Andersson owned the original island of Karlskrona. King Karl XI
established the city of Karlskrona. The name translates to "the crown of Karl."
The king took over Andersson's island and put in a shipyard. He moved people
onto the island in order to make a city. A high stonewall was built around the
navy yard by Russian prisoners of war. As the city grew, they built churches.
Because of an influx of Germans, a German Lutheran Church was built. The state
church has taken over this church but it is still referred to as the German
church.
253, side
1
284: BROTHERS AND
SISTERS
Wilhelm is a music director. He is
presently the organist at the Cathedral of Linköping. He has visited Hans in
the U.S. Svea lives in Malmö. The other sister's name is Lilly. She lives on a
farm just north of Karlskrona, Hans was the oldest child. (see also I-078).
253, side 1
320: IMMIGRATION TO THE
U.S.
Came to America sixty years ago.
Arrived in Yakima, Washington in the spring. Thought it was wonderful. His
mother's sister, whose married name was Fahlquist, lived in Yakima. She and her
husband had a fruit orchard, which Hans eventually took over. Aunt came to U.S.
around 1890.
253, side 1
411: LEAVING SWEDEN
The aunt was the only one in her family to leave
Sweden and Hans was the only one in his family to leave. Parents didn't want
him to move so far away. Felt like he was at his own funeral when he left
Karlskrona. They gave him lots of flowers at the train station to wish him bon
voyage. It was hard to leave. He had a lot of friends in Karlskrona.
253, side 1
448: TRIP TO
AMERICA
Difficult to come to a country
whose language you don't know. Knew only a few phrases. Came on the
"Stockholm." They came to the place where the "Titanic" sunk on the 11th
anniversary of its sinking. The "Stockholm" stayed at this place for twenty
minutes and a memorial service was conducted. Hans remembers seeing an iceberg
on the trip. He traveled by himself.
253, side 1
501: REASONS FOR
IMMIGRATION
Wanted to see the other side
of the horizon. Came with the intention of settling here. Went to Yakima,
Washington first. Was impressed with the climate so he stayed there. Filled out
his first papers for U.S. citizenship a few days after he arrived in
Yakima.
253, side
1
540: CHILDHOOD
Went to grade school,
high school, and then joined the Navy. Was stationed in Karlskrona. Served as a
torpedo man. Hans' father was in the church choir for fifty years. When Hans
was young he'd go with his father to the concerts. He would always sell
tickets. Hans grew up in the church this way. He went to church with his father
every Sunday. He was involved in the young people's group at church. They gave
him a party before he left Sweden. Presented him with a Swedish flag on a
silver pole. He still has this flag. The original flag faded so a cousin who
was a flag maker in the Navy gave him a replacement when he went to Sweden.
253, side 1
628: KEEPSAKES FROM
SWEDEN
Didn't bring much with him when he
first came to the U.S. When he went back to Sweden, he got a full set of
carpenter's tools that he had used while in the Navy. Brought these back to the
U.S.
253, side 1
659: ARRIVAL TO
U.S.
Landed in Castle Garden, New York.
They were placed in alphabetical order in a large building. Passports were
checked. Checked to see if they had any money. Hans had $65 left after buying
his ticket.
253, side 1
681: LEARNING
ENGLISH
Didn't know any English. Copied
phrases from a Swedish-English dictionary at a library. Learned quite well by
writing down these phrases. Pronunciation was difficult. Kept a list of useful
phrases for traveling.
253, side 1
708: TRAIN RIDE ACROSS
U.S.
Sat up from New York to Chicago. Had
a sleeper from Chicago to Yakima. Didn't have to say much when he ordered food.
Used his list to say what he wanted.
253, side 1
732: ARRIVAL IN
YAKIMA
Aunt and her husband met him at the
train station. Took about four days to get from New York to Yakima.
253, side 1
743: FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF
AMERICA
immenseness of the country
surprised him. Was traveling in the spring. The farther west they came the
warmer it got. Remembers watching a well-dressed lady get off the train in a
dusty little town in Montana. The place looked like cowboy country. This was in
1923.
253, side 1
790: CLIMATE IN
YAKIMA
Suffered from the heat at times.
Had dark eyebrows when he came to this country. For some reason he lost his
eyebrows and hair. It grew back. In 1926 the summer was very hot. He was out
haying then. There wasn't any shade. His eyebrows fell out. Doctor couldn't
figure out why.
253, side 1
824: THE DIFFERENT
VEGETATION
Things grew so fast. The
vegetation is so good because of the volcanic ash.
253, side 1
844: AUNT AND UNCLE'S
ORCHARD
Had 23 acres. Grew mostly apples.
Hans planted pear trees while aunt and uncle were still living. When the apple
trees got to a certain age, Hans took them out and replanted. He hasn't
increased his acreage at all but the plating they do now is tighter so that
more fruit can be grown per acre.
253, side 1
868: THE APPLE
HARVEST
Apples were harvested in just
about the same way as they are now. They are picked and put in boxes. When he
first came, 40-pound boxes had to be lifted by hand. Machines do this now.
253, side 1
891: KARLSKRONA
The farm work Hans did in Yakima was much different
than what he'd done in Sweden. Karlskrona is a city comparable to Bremerton.
Hans grew up on the sea and served in the Navy. Karlskrona's population was
about 25,000 when Hans lived there. It has grown to about to about 40,000
people.
253, side
1
909: LIFE ON THE
WATER
Missed life on the water but liked
the warm comfortable climate of Yakima. Sometimes he'd take a trip to Seattle.
Made him feel like he was coming home. Places like Ballard (in Seattle) made
him feel at home.
253, side 1
926: SELAH,
WASHINGTON
Aunt and uncle settled there.
(See also I-320, I-732, I-844) Anton was born in Hammerdal in northern Sweden
(north of Östersund). Kristine was born in Karlskrona. They settled in Selah,
Washington just north of Yakima, Washington. Many Swedes lived in Selah at one
time. A minister in St. Paul, Minnesota heard about land for sale in Selah.
Hans' aunt and uncle were part of this group, which belonged to the Covenant
Church in Selah. Hans was about the only Lutheran. When Hans came to Selah in
1923, he could easily get by speaking Swedish. Church services were in Swedish.
One could use Swedish when shopping. More than 100 Swedes came from Minnesota
to settle in Selah.
253, side 1
1034: SWEDISH
NEWSPAPERS
Hans subscribed to the Swedish
newspaper from Chicago. It came out once a week and told about what was
happening in Sweden and the U.S.
253, side 1
1051: TRAVEL IN
AMERICA
His involvement in the Lutheran
Church has given him many opportunities to travel. He has served as a delegate
many times. Has traveled as far as North Carolina.
253, side 1
1072: AUNT AND
UNCLE
(See also I-320, I-732, I-844,
I-926) They didn't have any children. That was why they wanted Hans to come. He
became a part of their family.
253, side 1
1079: MEETING
SPOUSE
Met her about forty years ago. She
was married when he met her. After her husband passed away, he married her. Her
maiden name was Ruth Erickson. Her first husband's name was Johnson. She was
born in Wisconsin. Her parents were from Sweden. Hans took his wife to Sweden a
few years ago. They met some of Ruth's relatives from her father's side. They
didn't think Ruth would be able to speak Swedish, but she got along just fine.
They met some of her mother's family in Östersund. Some of the cousins
remembered her mother.
253, side 2
069:
Tells about a church in Östersund that as built before the
Reformation. The church is called Hackås Church.
253, side 2
128: SWEDISH IN THE
HOME
They don't speak Swedish with each
other.
253, side 2
137: STEP-CHILDREN
Ruth has two children by her first marriage. Her son,
Merlan Johnson, is vice-president of a Seattle First National Bank. Her
daughter's name is Audrey Hester. She is married to a retired Navy officer and
they live in Seattle. They were married and had children when Hans and Ruth got
married. They've been married for 23 years.
253, side 2
197: CITIZENSHIP
(See also I-501) Became a citizen as quickly as he
could. Coolidge was President then.
253, side 2
213: FARMING DURING THE
DEPRESSION
Food prices low, wages low.
Didn't earn much. Remembers in March 1933 when Roosevelt froze everything.
There was one day when the bank in Selah closed during the morning. It opened
that same afternoon and business was as usual.
253, side 2
309: COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS
Active in the Masonic
Lodge.
253, side 2
338: TRIPS TO
SWEDEN
(See also I-1079, II-069) Went to
Sweden for Christmas in 1936. Traveled on a Polish ship. Gone for three months.
Took his wife to Sweden in 1965. They flew. It took eleven hours to fly from
Seattle. It took eleven days to travel by boat. Celebrated Christmas in Sweden.
They like to go to Sweden in the winter because people are at home then.
Everybody's on vacation in the summer. They like the Christmas celebration in
Sweden. They like the Christmas decorations you can get in Swedish stores
during the Christmas season. Tree decorations, little flags, Advent stars with
a light inside to hang in front of a window. They also had a man make them an
"old time Christmas tree" that was used in Sweden in the Middle Ages before the
tradition of a green Christmas tree was introduced. Hans puts it together each
Christmas.
253, side 2
460: SWEDISH
(See also II-128) They speak English with each other, but
they use Swedish when they travel.
253, side 2
474: IMPORTANCE OF SWEDISH
HERITAGE
"I'm just an immigrant, that's
all."
253, side 2
483: SPEAKS SWEDISH
253, side 2
519:
Tells about the first time he went to an American bank. He
took off his hat when he went in because that was the custom in Sweden. He was
going to cash a check. He put his hat on the counter and the teller said to
him. "It's high to the ceiling in here. Keep your hat on." Hans has never
figured out what he meant.
Subjects
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