Funding for
encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National
Endowment for the Humanities.
Biographical Note
Inga Anderson was born Inga Karolina Olivia
Jensdatter Hole on October 18, 1892 in Hole, Norway. Her parents were Jens
Petter and Anna Hole, and there were six other children in the family: Jensina,
Petra, Jakob, Kornelia, and Lars. The family lived on a farm with twelve cows,
two horses, and approximately thirty sheep. Inga had a cousin, Mrs. Sather, in
Tacoma, WA, and in May 1912, Inga decided to immigrate to America to live with
her. Two days after she arrived in Tacoma, she became employed at a boarding
house, where her duties included washing clothes and making the beds. In
Tacoma, Inga met her husband, Olaf Anderson, who was originally from Ålesund,
Norway and worked for Northern Pacific Railroad. Olaf and Inga had two
children, Astrid and Arnold, and Norwegian was spoken in their home. Inga also
continued to cook traditional Norwegian dishes, including lutefisk, rommegrøt,
rullepølse, sylteflesk, bloodpudding, and fiske pudding. For the most part,
Inga was a homemaker after she was married, but she supplemented her husband's
income by cleaning, catering, and serving meals. Inga was also active in the
Daughters of Norway and at Mount Zion Lutheran Church. *Note: The Archive
interview sheet refers to Inga having a sister named Petra and a sister named
Helena, but they were the same person.
Lineage
Full Name: Inga Karolina Olivia Jensdatter Hole Anderson Maiden Name: Inga
Karolina Olivia Jensdatter Hole Father: Jens Petter Hole Mother: Anna Hole
Paternal Grandfather: Jakob Hole Paternal Grandmother: Jensina Hole Brothers
and Sisters: Jensina Hole Petra/Helena Hole Kornelia Hole Jakob Hole Lars Hole
Spouse: Olaf Anderson Children: Astrid Anderson Arnold Anderson
Content Description
This interview was conducted with Inga Anderson on April
14, 1981 in Tacoma, Washington. It contains information on family background,
emigration, work, marriage, community activities, and Norwegian heritage. The
interview was conducted in English with Norwegian towards the end of the
tape.
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
Unkown 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
52, side 1
006/01: PERSONAL
BACKGROUND
Inga Karolina Olivia
Jensdatter Hole. Born October 18, 1892 in Hole, Norway near Ålesund. There were
twelve farmers in this area called Hole.
52, side 1
027:
Jens Petter Hole, farmer. Anna Hole farm wife. Had twelve
cows, two horses, and about thirty sheep.
52, side 1
039:
Jensina, Inga Karolina, Petra, Helena, Jakob, Kornelia, and
Lars.
52, side 1
051: GRANDPARENTS
Paternal, Jakob, a farmer and Jensina. They lived on
the farm also. Maternal from Velle, Norway.
52, side 1
073/02: ARRIVAL
U.S.
May 1912, better here than Norway.
Cousin in Tacoma, Mrs. Sather. Not so much hard work. Borrowed money from her
father to come.
52, side 1
111: JOURNEY TO
U.S.
Took the White Star Liner to Canada.
Went to Ålesund to get the tickets and then to a boat to Oslo. Was going to go
on the Titanic, but it sunk.
52, side 1
140: FEELINGS LEAVING
NORWAY
Numb.
52, side 1
148/03: ARRIVED ELLIS
ISLAND
Steered by a long stick. Train to
Victoria, Canada and on to Tacoma.
52, side 1
161:
Thoughts/Doings upon arrival in Tacoma. Beautiful place.
52, side 1
174: EMPLOYMENT
Two days later. Boarding house, washing clothes and
making beds (see counter I-488).
52, side 1
198: LANGUAGE
DIFFICULTIES
Train trip. Began to pick up
English at the boarding house. Always someone who understood her. Mrs. Sather's
husband worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad.
52, side 1
226/04:
Young people from Norway socialize at the Lutheran church.
Joined the Daughters of Norway in later years (see counter I-297). This was the
First Lutheran Church.
52, side 1
244: MEETING
HUSBAND
Norwegian descent from Ålesund.
Employed at Northern Pacific Railroad.
52, side 1
274: CHILDREN
Astrid and Arnold. Six grandchildren.
52, side 1
282:
Norwegian spoken at home.
52, side 1
289:
Home life in Tacoma. Bought a home.
52, side 1
279: DAUGHTERS OF
NORWAY
Preparation of lutefisk dinner.
Christmas, rommegrøt and how to make it. (see counter I-226)
Job description. Worked in
three homes Feisen Bachrach, Kennedy's, and the Johnson's. (see counter I-174)
Got $12 a month at the Kennedy's.
52, side 1
563: SERVING
DINNERS
Cooked and served it to
supplement income (see counter I-465).
52, side 1
579/07: EMPLOYEES
Treated like family. Job came naturally. Men had it
easier.
52, side 1
645:
Husband dug out the basement. Gardening.
52, side 1
672/08:
Canning and preserving vegetables. Stored them in the
basement.
52, side 2
SIDE II:
52, side 2
004/09: HOMEMADE
JAMS
A few comments on canning.
52, side 2
007: CELEBRATING
CHRISTMAS
Norwegian Christmas vs.
American-Norwegian Christmas. Celebration at Normanna Hall.
52, side 2
046: CHURCH LIFE
Mount Zion Lutheran Church (see counter II-080).
52, side 2
062: DAUGHTERS OF
NORWAY
Impossible when it comes to
speaking Norwegian.
52, side 2
080: CHURCH
Important here just as in Norway. (see counter II-046).
Spoke Norwegian in earlier times in church. Language use in Daughters of
Norway.
52, side
2
086/10: MEDICAL
CARE IN EARLY DAYS TACOMA
Diptheria, the
house was quarantined. The children were born in the hospital.
52, side 2
132: SEWING
For self and family. Bought a Franklin sewing machine
(fore-runner to Singer).
52, side 2
157: FORSETH GROCERY
STORE
People nice. Able to charge.
52, side 2
174/11:
Bought first car in 1936. Prior to this they used the street
car.
52, side 2
189: VISITING
NORWAY
ca. 1951 alone. (see counter
II-244) Sad trip father died. Visited Hole, Norway.
52, side 2
220: CORRESPONDENCE WITH
NORWAY
No letters to or from Norway
during WWI. WWII was just as bad.
52, side 2
244: VISITING
NORWAY
Ready to go home after a few
months (see counter II-189). Glad she came to America.
52, side 2
263: IMPORTANCE OF NORWEGIAN
HERITAGE
Relates work here vs. Norway.
Just as proud as anybody.
52, side 2
295/12: HOMEMADE
SHOES
New pair from Norway.
52, side 2
318: CITIZENSHIP
As soon as possible. What it involved.
52, side 2
333:
What she brought with her from Norway. Keepsakes today.
52, side 2
352: SPEAKING
NORWEGIAN
Very little today. Daughter
speaks it.
52, side 2
378/01:
Sister lived in Tacoma for sixteen years. Went back to Norway
to live.
52, side 2
392:
Speaks Norwegian table grace used before and after
dinner.
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 :
Anderson, Arnold
Anderson, Astrid
Anderson,
Inga--Interviews
(
creator)
Anderson, Olaf
Hole, Anna
Hole, Jens Petter
Hole, Jensina
Mrs. Sather
Family Names :
Anderson family
Hole
family
Sather
family
Corporate Names :
Daughters of Norway (U.S.) Embla Lodge #2 (Tacoma,
Wash.)
