Funding for encoding this finding aid was
provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
Biographical Note
Harold Beck was born Harold Jarle Bech on
June 25, 1910 in Bjerka, Norway. His parents were Jens Martin Bech, a tanner
and farmer, and Kristine Jonette Skjefstad, a dressmaker. Harold was the sixth
of seven children, which included Øyvind, Ottar, Gunnar, Asmund, Solveig, and
Ruth. Harold's brother Gunnar originally had the idea to immigrate to America,
but when their uncle, Peter Strand, sent a ticket; Harold was the one who went
in April 1929. Peter was a fisherman in Tofte, Minnesota. In Minnesota, Harold
worked in various towns as a hired hand and store clerk. He then moved to
Wisconsin, where he again worked as a store clerk, worked in a factory, and
owned his own grocery store. He was also active at the church in Muskego,
Wisconsin, singing in the choir and teaching Sunday school. During WWII, Harold
was drafted and joined the Navy. He had his training at the Bremerton
shipyards, but was stationed in southern California during the war. In 1941, he
married Ruth Hildegard Kjendalen, a teacher. Ruth and Harold had two sons: John
Harold and Paul Phillip, both of whom attended PLU and speak Norwegian. The
family settled in the Pacific Northwest, where Harold got involved with the
fishing industry. Due to the restrictions it imposed on his family life, he
later gave up fishing and went into construction work in Marysville,
Washington. There, Harold became involved with the Bethlehem Lutheran Church
and worked with the Sunday School as well as being the president of Marysville
PTA, a member of the Sons of Norway, and participating in the Everett Male
Chorus. When he retired, Ruth and Harold moved to Tacoma, where he served as
the vice-president of Nordlandslaget. Through the years, Harold kept in touch
with his relatives in Norway and continued to celebrate the 17th of May.
Lineage
Full Name: Harold Jarle Beck. Father: Jens
Martin Bech. Mother: Kristine Jonette Skjefstad. Paternal Grandfather: Gulle
Bech. Paternal Grandmother: Karen Oldsdatter. Maternal Grandfather: Ole
Christianson Skjefstad. Maternal Grandmother: Anne Gurine Skjefstad. Brothers
and Sisters: Øyvind Bech, Ottar Bech, Gunnar Bech, Asmund Bech, Solveig Beck
Neverdal, Spouse: Ruth Hildegard Kjendalen. Children: John Harold Beck, Paul
Phillip Beck.
Content Description
This interview was conducted with Harold
Beck on March 9, 1981 in Tacoma, Washington. It contains information on family
background, emigration, work experiences, marriage, church, and community
organizations. 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
Unknown 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
46, side 1
004/09: PERSONAL
BACKGROUND
Born June 25, 1910 in Bjerka,
Norway, which is near Mo I Rana.
46, side 1
017: PARENTS
Kristine Jonette Skjefstad. Jens Martin Bech, tanner and
farmer. He met his wife in Bodø she was a dressmaker.
46, side 1
034: BROTHERS AND
SISTERS
Five (see lineage). The home farm
is still in the family.
46, side 1
049/10: TANNERY
BUSINESS
How it worked. Later phased
out.
46, side 1
061: FARMING
Sold cattle and grain. Also did some logging.
46, side 1
074: FJORDS
Froze in the winter. Good skating.
46, side 1
082: FATHER'S
EMPLOYMENT
County work. Chairman of the
County Relief Society. He talks about socialized medicine in those days.
46, side 1
100: GRANDPARENTS
Paternal, Gulle Bech was a schoolmaster and Karen.
Maternal, Ole Christianson and Anne Gurine.
46, side 1
117: HISTORY ON FAMILY
NAME
He changed his name on his
citizenship papers.
46, side 1
156/11: ARRIVED U.S. CA. APRIL
1929
Knew no words of English. Train trip
to Duluth, Minnesota. Met by uncle, Peter Strand who was a fisherman in Tofte,
Minnesota.
46, side 1
177: EMPLOYMENT FARM
WORK
Only work available if you wanted to
immigrate.
46, side 1
184: REASONS FOR LEAVING
NORWAY
Times dreadfully bad. Talks about
boat building in the area. Uncle loaned him the money, three years to pay it
back.
46, side 1
207: FEELINGS ABOUT LEAVING
NORWAY
Not real good.
46, side 1
215:
Brother, Gunnar talked about wanting to come to U.S. His
uncle sent the ticket and Harold came instead.
46, side 1
238/12: BOAT TRIP
Crossed the Atlantic on the Stavangerfjord. Funeral
on the ship. He traveled from Oslo to Halifax, Canada. Came to New York. Big
storm.
46, side
1
298:
What he brought with him to the U.S., his trunk.
46, side 1
314/13: IMPRESSIONS OF NEW
YORK
Went directly to the train.
46, side 1
326: IMPRESSIONS OF NEW
YORK
Went directly to the train.
46, side 1
353: ON TO MUSKEGO,
WISCONSIN
Home of the first Norwegian
Church. He milked cows, but times got too bad and he was let go.
46, side 1
384: GOING INTO ICE
BUSINESS
Bought a truck. Made $18 a month
as a store clerk in the Township of Norway in a town called Northscape.
46, side 1
399: LANGUAGE
DIFFICULTIES
Absolutely lost. Learned
from a 14 year old. Part time at high school. (See counter II-103)
46, side 1
448: NORMANNA MALE
CHORUS
Long time member.
46, side 1
454:
Worried about getting citizenship, 1936.
46, side 1
468/02: MEETING
WIFE
Met eight years prior. She did
housework. She was from Iola, Wisconsin. She went to Stephens Point College and
became a teacher.
46, side 1
478: EMPLOYED AT VARIOUS
JOBS
Store clerking, factory in
Burlington, Wisconsin got laid off and owned a grocery store.
46, side 1
529: DRAFTED
Went into the Navy. Later settled in the Pacific Northwest.
Married in 1941, had his training at the Bremerton Shipyard. He was in Southern
California during the war.
46, side 1
592/03: EMPLOYED
Safeway and salmon fishing.
46, side 1
600: BACK TO NORWAY
Mother died. (See counter I-478, II-394)
46, side 1
618:
Gave up fishing as employment, no family life.
46, side 2
307/04: COMMUNITY LIFE IN
WISCONSIN
Story behind the first Muskego
church founded in 1843. Sang in the choir. Taught Sunday school. Talks about
the different synods and Norwegian Lutheran Church in America.
46, side 2
103: WORKED HARD LEARNING
ENGLISH
Always felt free to ask (see
counter I-399).
46, side 2
127/05:
Attraction to the Pacific Northwest area. Talks about fishing
and the life.
46, side 2
142:
Settled in the Seattle area later on to Marysville. (see
counter II-217)
46, side 2
149: CHILDREN'S
NAMES
(see lineage) Both attended Pacific
Lutheran University. John Harold has published some things. Paul Phillip works
for Tower Records.
46, side 2
171: HOW HE HEARD ABOUT
PLU
from the Choir of the West.
46, side 2
183: EMPLOYED
BOATWORKS
Building boats. Later
fiberglass came.
46, side 2
217/06:
Went into construction. Why he moved to Marysville. Active in
Bethlehem Lutheran Church (see counter II-142). Worked with the Sunday
school.
46, side
2
261: CONSTRUCTION
WORK
Had to give it up because of health
reasons, angina pectoris.
46, side 2
279: BOUGHT
LAUNDROMAT
Bum Deal. Presently
retired.
46, side 2
296:
Wife, Ruth taught school on the Indian Reservation. He was
employed as a teacher's aide.
46, side 2
311/07:
Former president of Marysville PTA. Member of Sons of Norway
and Everett Male Chorus. Presently, vice-president of Nordlandslaget.
46, side 2
394/08: SEVERAL TRIPS TO
NORWAY
Norway has changed a lot. Talks
about the saeter and changes in the Church. (See also counters I-478 and
I-600).
46, side
2
447:
Keeping in touch with Norwegian relatives.
46, side 2
488/09: IMPORTANCE OF NORWEGIAN
HERITAGE
Hard to measure. Recites
Norwegian poem.
46, side 2
505: UNION STORY
Wagner Act.
46, side 2
540: KEEPING SCANDINAVIAN
TRADITIONS
17th of May and Christmas in a
Christian manner.
46, side 2
567: TALKS ABOUT
WIFE
Who is a rich man? He who has a good
wife.
46, side 2
579: WHAT BROUGHT HIM TO
TACOMA
Good place to retire. Talks about
living on the Indian Reservation.
46, side 2
616/10:
Children speak and understand Norwegian.
46, side 2
639:
Would not like to Norway, very glad he's here. Mentions
dislike for their socialized medicine.
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.
