Overview of the Collection
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Repository Name:
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Robert A.L. Mortvedt Library
Scandinavian Immigrant Experience
Collection
Archives and Special
Collections Department
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA, 98447
253-535-7586
Email:archives@plu.edu
http://www.plu.edu/archives
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Collection Number:
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t076
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Creator:
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Alm,
Ivar Gottfrid
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Title:
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Ivar Gottfrid Alm Oral
History Interview
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Dates:
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1981 (inclusive)
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Quantity:
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2 file folders
1 sound cassette
1 compact disc.
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Languages:
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English
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Summary:
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An oral history interview with Ivar Gottfrid
Alm, a Swedish immigrant.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Related Information
Bibliography
Rasmussen, Janet Elaine. New Land New Lives:
Scandinavian immigrants to the Pacific Northwest. Tacoma, Washington. University of Washington
Press. 1993
Additional Reference Guides
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.
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| Ahlm, Per Gottfrid |
| Alm,
Edith Matilda Svensson |
| Alm,
Ivar Gottfrid--Interviews (creator) |
| Andersson, Adolf Fredrik Andersson |
| Karolina Andersson |
| Ahlm
family |
| Alm
family |
| Andersson family |
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Larsson family |
| 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.) |
| Boxholm (Sweden) |
| Linköping (Sweden)
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| Tacoma
(Wash.) |
| Emigration and
immigration |
| Family --
Sweden |
| Naturalization |
| Railroad
travel |
| Soccer |
| Sweden -- Social conditions --
1945- |
| Swedish-Americans --
Ethnic identity |
| Swedish-Americans --
Northwest, Pacific -- Interviews |
| Swedish-Americans --
Social Conditions |
| World
War, 1914-1918 |
| Oral
histories |
| Electricians |
| Sawmill workers |
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.
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Cassette Counter
010/15:
PERSONAL
BACKGROUND
Born June 15, 1897. Boxholm,
Sweden, built on a river because of steel mill, an industrial town also with
sawmills.
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Cassette Counter
026:
Employed at age 14 making hinges at local steel mill.
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Cassette Counter
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).
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Cassette Counter
053/128:
BROTHERS AND
SISTERS
Eight brothers and sisters. (See
attached).
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
106/230:
Employed at steel mill at age 14. Promoted to electrical
work.
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Cassette Counter
115:
Called to Army in December 1917 (WWI). Received orders from
Russia for submarines.
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Cassette Counter
125/264:
CONDITIONS IN
MILLS
Worked 10 hours a day. Low wages
but not overly dangerous.
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Cassette Counter
139:
ARMY
EXPERIENCE
Some electrical work. Worked on
airplanes.
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Cassette Counter
163:
Quit steel mill and moved to Linköping until 1921.
Unemployment great in 1921, after no war no jobs many went to U.S.
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Cassette Counter
193:
ARRIVAL U.S.
Age 23 in 1921. Trip took one month to get to
Tacoma.
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
228/418:
BOAT TRIP
Rough hard storm. Third class passage. Played chess
with a champion. Ship called "Stockholm." Ticket cost about $300.
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Cassette Counter
261/467:
ARRIVAL NEW
YORK
Took train to Chicago on to
Tacoma.
Ellis Island: Sorted people out, check for sickness and
lice.
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Cassette Counter
281:
TRAVELERS'
SOCIETY
Volunteers that helped immigrants
to get around.
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Cassette Counter
291:
TRAIN TRIP
Lightning around Minneapolis. Didn't speak English.
Ate apple pie and milk on trip. Learned to use American money.
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
358:
CITIZENSHIP
Applied one month after arrival. Describes prose.
Citizen January, 1927. Took courses to prepare for citizenship.
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Cassette Counter
380:
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
TACOMA
Nice city. Many ships coming in
from around the world. Employed for a while at St. Paul Lumber.
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
456:
LEARNING TO DRIVE A
CAR
Taught himself. Didn't need a license
in those days. License policy began in late 1920s.
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Cassette Counter
494:
Employed scrapping floors. Also at University of Washington.
Attended school at Broadway High School in Seattle.
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Cassette Counter
517:
LANGUAGE
DIFFICULTIES
Did much reading. Had a hard
time talking and writing.
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Cassette Counter
539:
TACOMA CITY
COLLEGE
Got electrical degree at
YMCA.
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Cassette Counter
562:
EMPLOYED ST. PAUL
LUMBER
Sorted lumber. Worked on roads for
a month, hard work, no tractors, used horses.
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Cassette Counter
011:
CONDITIONS AT ST.
PAUL
Nice company. Fair wages. Good to
workers. Eight hours shifts.
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Cassette Counter
021:
Handicap not being able to speak English. Difficulty getting
a job. "No friendlier people than the American people."
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
060:
Met Norwegians. Two boarding houses in Tacoma with many
immigrants. learned to understand Norwegian well.
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Cassette Counter
072:
MEETING WIFE
Met at Valhalla Lodge. Married January 28, 1928.
Worked at St. Paul Lumber.
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Cassette Counter
088:
CHURCH LIFE
Not involved much because of school and playing
soccer.
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
147:
Attended First Lutheran on holidays.
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
270:
SWEDISH
HERITAGE
Very important, not ashamed to
be a Swede. Talks of grandparents and dancing in Sweden and Tacoma at Vasa and
Valhalla.
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Cassette Counter
302:
Describes Scandinavian Days in Tacoma.
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Cassette Counter
304:
Still speaks Swedish and says something in Swedish.
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Cassette Counter
323:
CLOSING
REMARKS
Glad he came to Tacoma, been very
happy here, good climate, good people.
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