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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t052
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Creator:
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Anderson, Inga
Karolina Olivia Jensdatter Hole
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Title:
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Inga Karolina Olivia
Jensdatter Hole Anderon 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 2 compact discs
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Languages:
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Some Norwegian toward the end of the tape.English
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Summary:
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An oral history interview with Inga Karolina
Olivia Jensdatter Hole Anderson, a Norwegian immigrant.
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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.
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
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.
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 NorthwestTacoma, WashingtonUniversity of Washington
Press1993
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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Anderson, Arnold |
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Anderson, Astrid |
| Anderson,
Inga--Interviews (creator) |
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Anderson, Olaf |
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Hole, Anna |
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Hole, Jens Petter |
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Hole, Jensina |
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Mrs. Sather |
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Anderson family |
| Hole
family |
| Sather
family |
| Daughters of Norway (U.S.) Embla Lodge #2 (Tacoma,
Wash.) |
| Mount Zion Lutheran Church (Tacoma, Wash.) |
| Normanna Hall (Tacoma, Wash.) |
| White Star Line |
| Ålesund
(Norway) |
| Hole (Norway)
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| Tacoma
(Wash.) |
| Christmas |
| Cookery--Norwegian |
| Emigration and
immigration |
| Family--Norway |
| Norway--Social
conditions--1945- |
| Norwegian-Americans--Northwest, Pacific--Interviews |
| Norwegian-Americans--Social life and customs |
| Oral
histories |
| Caterers and
catering |
| Domestics |
| Housekeepers |
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
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.
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Cassette Counter
027:
Jens Petter Hole, farmer. Anna Hole farm wife. Had twelve
cows, two horses, and about thirty sheep.
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Cassette Counter
039:
Jensina, Inga Karolina, Petra, Helena, Jakob, Kornelia, and
Lars.
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Cassette Counter
051:
GRANDPARENTS
Paternal, Jakob, a farmer and Jensina. They lived on
the farm also. Maternal from Velle, Norway.
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
140:
FEELINGS LEAVING
NORWAY
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Cassette Counter
148/03:
ARRIVED ELLIS
ISLAND
Steered by a long stick. Train to
Victoria, Canada and on to Tacoma.
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Cassette Counter
161:
Thoughts/Doings upon arrival in Tacoma. Beautiful place.
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Cassette Counter
174:
EMPLOYMENT
Two days later. Boarding house, washing clothes and
making beds (see counter I-488).
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
244:
MEETING
HUSBAND
Norwegian descent from Ålesund.
Employed at Northern Pacific Railroad.
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Cassette Counter
274:
CHILDREN
Astrid and Arnold. Six grandchildren.
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Cassette Counter
282:
Norwegian spoken at home.
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Cassette Counter
289:
Home life in Tacoma. Bought a home.
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Cassette Counter
279:
DAUGHTERS OF
NORWAY
Preparation of lutefisk dinner.
Christmas, rommegrøt and how to make it. (see counter I-226)
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Cassette Counter
373/05:
FAMILY
FAVORITES
Rullepølse, sylteflesk,
bloodpudding, fiskepudding.
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Cassette Counter
437:
HOMEMAKING IN EARLY TACOMA
DAYS
Not on Sundays, Sundays for
church.
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Cassette Counter
465/06:
WORKING
IN HOUSES
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.
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Cassette Counter
563:
SERVING
DINNERS
Cooked and served it to
supplement income (see counter I-465).
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Cassette Counter
579/07:
EMPLOYEES
Treated like family. Job came naturally. Men had it
easier.
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Cassette Counter
645:
Husband dug out the basement. Gardening.
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Cassette Counter
672/08:
Canning and preserving vegetables. Stored them in the
basement.
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Cassette Counter
SIDE II:
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Cassette Counter
004/09:
HOMEMADE
JAMS
A few comments on canning.
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Cassette Counter
007:
CELEBRATING
CHRISTMAS
Norwegian Christmas vs.
American-Norwegian Christmas. Celebration at Normanna Hall.
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Cassette Counter
046:
CHURCH LIFE
Mount Zion Lutheran Church (see counter II-080).
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Cassette Counter
062:
DAUGHTERS OF
NORWAY
Impossible when it comes to
speaking Norwegian.
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Cassette Counter
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.
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Cassette Counter
086/10:
MEDICAL
CARE IN EARLY DAYS TACOMA
Diptheria, the
house was quarantined. The children were born in the hospital.
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Cassette Counter
132:
SEWING
For self and family. Bought a Franklin sewing machine
(fore-runner to Singer).
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Cassette Counter
157:
FORSETH GROCERY
STORE
People nice. Able to charge.
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Cassette Counter
174/11:
Bought first car in 1936. Prior to this they used the street
car.
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Cassette Counter
189:
VISITING
NORWAY
ca. 1951 alone. (see counter
II-244) Sad trip father died. Visited Hole, Norway.
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Cassette Counter
220:
CORRESPONDENCE WITH
NORWAY
No letters to or from Norway
during WWI. WWII was just as bad.
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Cassette Counter
244:
VISITING
NORWAY
Ready to go home after a few
months (see counter II-189). Glad she came to America.
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Cassette Counter
263:
IMPORTANCE OF NORWEGIAN
HERITAGE
Relates work here vs. Norway.
Just as proud as anybody.
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Cassette Counter
295/12:
HOMEMADE
SHOES
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Cassette Counter
318:
CITIZENSHIP
As soon as possible. What it involved.
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Cassette Counter
333:
What she brought with her from Norway. Keepsakes today.
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Cassette Counter
352:
SPEAKING
NORWEGIAN
Very little today. Daughter
speaks it.
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Cassette Counter
378/01:
Sister lived in Tacoma for sixteen years. Went back to Norway
to live.
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Cassette Counter
392:
Speaks Norwegian table grace used before and after
dinner.
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