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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t147-148
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Creator:
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Pedersen,
Jenny Larsen
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Title:
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Jenny Larsen Pedersen
Oral History Interview
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Dates:
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1982 (inclusive)
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Quantity:
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3 file folders
4 photographs
2 sound cassettes
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Languages:
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English
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Summary:
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An oral history interview with Jenny
Larsen Pdersen, a Danish immigrant.
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Biographical Note
Jenny Pedersen was born on October 5, 1899 in Esbjerg, Denmark to
Søren and Andria Larsen. Andria was Søren's second wife, and Jenny had eight
half-sisters and five full- siblings. Jenny's father was an avid Christian, and
all of the children were raised strictly in this philosophy. The family had two
very prosperous businesses, Larsen's Delicatessen, which was run by Jenny's
mother, and Larsen's Fish Market, which was run by Jenny's father. According to
Jenny, she was very close to her family and had a wonderful home life. When
Jenny finished school at age fourteen, she got a job sewing buttons on lined
dressed and shirts. She did that job for six months and then worked as her
parents' errand girl for six months. She was also employed at a factory, where
she sewed waistbands on skirts. This job greatly improved Jenny's sewing speed
and capability, and when she was sixteen, she began sewing dresses for people.
She later went to Copenhagen to learn designing. Knowing a few basic things,
Jenny was able to make a variety of designs and fit clothes to the person.
Jenny met her husband, Martinus Kristen (Chris) Pedersen, through her
half-sister Kathryn Jensen, who lived on Bainbridge Island in Washington. Chris
was also from Denmark but went to Australia when he was nineteen and later took
a ship to the United States, landing on Bainbridge Island. Kathryn encouraged
Chris to return to Denmark and marry Jenny. Chris took her advice and met Jenny
in 1921. They were married the following year on June 4 and moved to Vejle,
Chris's hometown. In Vejle, they had their first son, Neils. Both Jenny and
Chris wanted to move to the United States, but they ended up immigrating to
Canada in 1925. They found work at a farm outside of Winnipeg and later at a
farm in Vancouver, British Columbia. Eventually, they were able to obtain Visas
and moved to Ballard, WA. In Ballard, Chris got a job as a longshoreman, and
their second son, Bert, was born. They later moved to Kirkland, where Jenny set
up a sewing business out of their home. Through the years, Jenny has maintained
Scandinavian traditions and has belonged to the Danish Brotherhood in Seattle.
She can still speak Danish and has returned to Denmark once, in 1962.
Lineage
Full Name: Jenny Pedersen. Maiden Name: Jenny Rose Natalia Larsen.
Father: Søren Larsen. Mother: Andria Larsen. Maternal Grandfather: Jens
Andersen. Brothers and Sisters: 4 brothers and 10 sisters; Harry Emanuel
Larsen, Emil Larsen, Peter Larsen, Karl Larsen, Kathryn Larsen, Lydia Larsen.
Spouse: Martinus Kristen Pedersen. Children: Neils Anker Pedersen, Bert Roland
Pedersen.
Content Description
This interview was conducted with Jenny Pedersen on March 2, 1982 in
Kirkland, Washington. It contains information on family background, sewing,
marriage and family, emigration to Canada and the United States, community
involvement, and Danish heritage. The interview also includes a photograph of
Jenny at age eight, a photograph of Jenny with her husband and two sons, and
two photographs of Jenny at the time of the interview.
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 Inger Nygaard Carr 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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| Jensen, Kathryn |
| Larsen, Andria |
| Larsen, Søren |
| Pedersen, Bert |
| Pedersen,
Jenny--Interviews (creator) |
| Pedersen, Martinus Kristen (Chris) |
| Pedersen, Neils |
| Larsen family |
| Pedersen family |
| Crown Lutheran Church (Seattle, Wash.) |
| Danish
Brotherhood in America. Lodge 29 (Seattle, Wash.) |
| Hellig Olaf (Steamship) |
| Ballard
(Wash.) |
| Esbjerg (Denmark) |
| Vancouver
(B.C.) |
| Vejle
(Denmark) |
| Winnipeg
(Man.) |
| Christmas |
| Danish-Americans--Interviews |
| Danish-Americans--Northwest,Pacific--Social life and
customs |
| Denmark --
Social conditions -- 1945- |
| Emigration and
immigration |
| Marriage service |
| Naturalization |
| Ocean travel |
| Railroad travel |
| Oral histories |
| Seamstresses |
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
005:
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Jenny Rose Natalia Pedersen. Maiden name Larsen. Born in Esbjerg,
Denmark on October 5, 1899. This is on the west side of Jylland (Jutland) by
the North Sea. It is a big fishing town with lots of ships coming in and
out.
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Cassette Counter
009:
PARENTS
Father used to fish but quit because it was do dangerous. He was
in the coast guard for eight years, but so many drowned that he bought a
fishing boat in Lønstrup, Denmark in the North Sea.
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Cassette Counter
026:
Father's first wife died. He then married Jenny's mother, Andria
Andersen. They moved to Esbjerg, which was a new seaport town. Her father's
name was Søren Larsen.
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Cassette Counter
033:
FAMILY
Father had eight girls from the first marriage and six kids from
the second marriage. Father met second wife in church.
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Cassette Counter
042:
WORK
Mother started a delicatessen in Esbjerg and her father started a
fish market with fresh fish from the harbor every day. Good business.
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Cassette Counter
051:
DELICATESSEN
Kids helped their mother in the delicatessen. Had lots of cheese
and meat in large quantities. Had pigs-feet. She describes cleaning and
pickling these. Kids ground meat for meatballs.
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Cassette Counter
067:
SCHOOL
1914, Jenny got out of school at age 14. Most ended school when 14
unless they went for more training. Started school at age 7.
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Cassette Counter
073:
GRANDPARENTS
Remembers maternal grandfather. She visited him some. His name
was Jens Andersen. It was a long way to go visit him. He came to visit in the
summer. He was on old age pension. Jenny was his namesake.
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Cassette Counter
86:
Grandfather had a small house with wooden floors that were
scrubbed with sand to keep them white.
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Cassette Counter
94:
PATERNAL SIDE
Jenny doesn't remember her father ever speaking of his family.
They were from Lønstrup, Denmark. Father was born in February 1852 and died
November 7, 1928 in Esbjerg, Denmark.
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Cassette Counter
111:
GRANDFATHER
His house was full of ivy. Couldn't hardly see out the windows.
Jenny recalls visiting her grandfather with her brother.
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Cassette Counter
116:
BROTHERS AND SISTERS
One older and three younger. Had one sister, Lydia who stayed in
Denmark, married and had four children. All her siblings are teachers.
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Cassette Counter
124:
SEWING
Jenny learned how to sew when she got out of school. About ten
here. They put buttons in lined dresses and shirts. She stayed there for 1/2
year. She got sick because she was inside so much.
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Cassette Counter
135:
Worked in the same town so she lived at home. They ate a big meal
at mid day.
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Cassette Counter
142:
WORK
Jenny worked six months as an errand girl for her parents.
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Cassette Counter
146:
FACTORY WORK
Got job in a factory sewing waistbands on skirts. She began to sew
faster.
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Cassette Counter
153:
DRESSMAKING
When she was 16 she began sewing for people. She went out to
their homes and did tailoring. Her father knew many people which helped Jenny
get dressmaking jobs.
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Cassette Counter
167:
Delicatessen and fish market were next to each other. Mother did
lots of baking. Made fish cakes. She was very good with fish. The kids all
learned to fish. They owned both Larsen's Delicatessen and Larsen's fish
market.
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Cassette Counter
184:
Her sister worked with her mother in the store after school. They
made rullepoelse, sliced meat and cheese. They had pumpernickel bread, which
was purchased, at the local bakery.
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Cassette Counter
196:
BROTHERS AND SISTERS
Lydia worked for a lawyer (?). Father bought a five-story house
on Kings street (Kongensgade). They rented out parts of the house to various
businesses.
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Cassette Counter
212:
SISTERS
Jenny had lots of half sisters. They came home when they were out
of work.
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Cassette Counter
215:
Harry Emanuel was quite sick with asthma. He went to a doctor in
Germany who told him was allergic to something and recommended that he move to
the mountains or go to the sea. He was a seaman. Jenny was a dressmaker and
went around making dresses. She would go to different towns and stay with
people.
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Cassette Counter
250:
AUTO RACES
Jenny described a place called Fanø. People came from all over.
They had auto races because the sand was just like cement.
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Cassette Counter
258:
EMIL
Learned to be a cook. He cooked on a ship. Jenny went to
Copenhagen to learn designing. Emil went with her to learn more cooking. Emil
got a job with a ship that sailed from Esbjerg to Harwich, England.
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Cassette Counter
277:
PETER
Another brother. Karl: Was the youngest brother. He went sailing
sometimes with his other brother Harry.
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Cassette Counter
288:
GIRLS' LIFESTYLES
Most girls after school went to live with a family and help them
with the housekeeping, childcare, etc. They would marry and stay in the same
town.
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Cassette Counter
297:
Jenny bought a sewing machine after she made some money. She did
lots of sewing.
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Cassette Counter
300:
CHILDHOOD HOME
Big, wonderful relationship with her family. Father was born
again Christian. She describes an experience her father had in the coast
guard.
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Cassette Counter
326:
CHURCH
There was no church in Lønstrup. People just gathered together.
She continues on with her story about her father.
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Cassette Counter
349:
When her father and his friend went inland with fish trading for
vegetables they would pray and sing with the people. Father's friend was Anton
Bass Ledon (?) who went to Copenhagen to become a minister. This was Jenny's
father best friend. He later became a bishop.
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Cassette Counter
333:
CHURCH
Describes church growth. All baptized in one church. Needed
another church. Father told the children to save some money and buy bricks for
the new church. The government owned all the churches. Took tax money for the
churches.
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Cassette Counter
398:
They got everything like sugar, flour, etc at a percentage off
because there were so many children in the family.
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Cassette Counter
407:
CHRISTMAS
A wonderful time. Three sisters joined the Salvation Army. They
had singing and bible reading at home like church. They sometimes invited
neighbors in. It was busy in the fish market and the delicatessen.
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Cassette Counter
431:
CHILDHOOD HOME
They had a room in the house called the "store stuen" which was
carpeting. This was a special room for special occasions.
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Cassette Counter
436:
CHURCH
The church bells rang at 6pm; it was time to get ready for
church. Church started at 8pm. Time to lay down work and go to church.
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Cassette Counter
444:
CHRISTMAS EVE
Gathered around the tree. Candles on the tree. Homemade gifts,
socks, scarves, etc. Jenny remembers getting a doll her mother had made for her
from her father's socks.
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Cassette Counter
469:
CHRISTMAS DAY
Went to church. Had codfish Christmas Eve. Didn't have lutefisk
in Denmark.
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Cassette Counter
474:
Father had many different fish, lobster, crab, etc, but she'd
never had lutefisk.
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Cassette Counter
482:
FIXING CODFISH
Father salted the fish overnight, then sliced it and boiled it.
They ate it with white gravy, parsley, boiled potatoes and soup. They had soup
every day. It was a sweet soup with tapioca, apples, raisins, and prunes.
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Cassette Counter
496:
DESSERT
Had laukake (?), an apple cake. There were layers of bread dried
in the oven then crushed and fried in oil. Then it was put in a dish and
layered with apples. Whipped cream was added.
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Cassette Counter
510:
FOOD
Had pork roast for Christmas holidays. Didn't do much baking.
Mother made a big kringle. The oven at home wasn't big enough. Brought it to a
local bakery to bake it.
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Cassette Counter
539:
Jenny describes buying a piece of cake for 10 cents from a
bakery. Cute story.
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Cassette Counter
554:
Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and Pinse all lasted three days.
Easter is a big day in Denmark. Everyone had new clothes. This was the busiest
time for Jenny.
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Cassette Counter
564:
CHRISTMAS
Celebrated Christmas for 3-4 weeks. Took down the tree in the
middle of February. They went visiting during those weeks. They played games
and sang. Had a good time.
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Cassette Counter
592:
CHILD RAISING
The children were raised strictly. Her father as a Christian and
raised his children in this philosophy.
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Cassette Counter
614:
Jenny's stepsister, Kathryn Jensen moved to the US in 1903. She
moved to New Castle, (State?). She had seven children. Her husband was a
blacksmith.
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Cassette Counter
623:
TO USA
Jenny's husband's two uncle and a sister came to the US at the
same time. It was in the Danish papers that there was lots of work in the U.S.
One uncle was a blacksmith, the other a farmer, and the sister was a housewife.
They worked in New Castle in the coal mine.
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Cassette Counter
642:
HUSBAND
Martinus Kristen Pedersen Fuglsang. Fuglsang came from his
mother's homestead for many years, Gauerslund, Denmark. Gauerslund means quiet
woods. This is on the east coast of Denmark.
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Cassette Counter
010:
HUSBAND'S FAMILY
There were eleven children in her husband's family. He didn't
like to stay at home because there were so many kids. He was sent out to farms
when he was young. He always liked farming, horses, and cows.
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Cassette Counter
019:
He went on a sailing ship to Australia when he was 19. He got
rheumatic fever in Italy and was in the hospital for four months. He got a job
cooking so he wouldn't have to go back to Denmark.
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Cassette Counter
036:
Her husband wanted to get out and see the world. He jumped ship
in Australia and worked for a soda factory and then for a farmer who had 100's
of sheep. He did this for two years. He ate lots of lamb. He met another fellow
from Copenhagen.
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Cassette Counter
056:
TO USA
He took a ship to the U.S. which landed on Bainbridge Island,
Washington. He had the address of his relatives in the U.S. He took a job as a
sailor on a boat from Seattle to Alaska. Stayed in Alaska for two years and did
gold mining and fishing.
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Cassette Counter
070:
Found his family one winter. He visited Jenny's sister on
Bainbridge Island. Once a year they got all the Danes together.
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Cassette Counter
085:
Jenny's sister encouraged Jenny's husband to return to Denmark
and visit his mother and marry Jenny. He worked as a sailor on the ship that he
came to Denmark on. He visited his uncle in Esbjerg, Denmark. He also visited
Jenny's family (good story).
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Cassette Counter
108:
Jenny's mother had terrible headaches probably because she did
too much. She had all the kids and the store every day. Never had a day off.
Everything closed on Sunday and everyone went to church.
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Cassette Counter
122:
Jenny met her husband in the store in 1921.
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Cassette Counter
129:
Jenny learned design in Copenhagen. She learned how to design,
cut patterns, and fit clothes to the person. She could make lots of designs
from knowing a few basic things. Jenny talks about this some detail.
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Cassette Counter
153:
Jenny's husband brought basic messages to the family from her
sister in America. She liked him. He dressed in the America way. Went out to
eat often. Jenny knew he was going to fall in love with someone.
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Cassette Counter
179:
Jenny got engaged to this fellow. Her parents had an apartment
where they thought Jenny could live and do sewing. Jenny would often spend one
week with a daughter getting married and sew the trussle, slip, underwear,
pillow. She'd usually go the wedding and help.
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Cassette Counter
196:
Jenny had two sisters in America. One in New York and the other
on Bainbridge, Island, Washington, Kathryn. Kathryn's husband was a blacksmith
on the island. They had seven children.
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Cassette Counter
205:
MARRIAGE
They were married in the Methodist Church. She made her own
dress. She had made her confirmation dress too. This was white although they
used to be black.
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Cassette Counter
212:
WEDDING DRESS
She describes her dress. Methodists didn't have fancy white
dresses. They didn't have a picture of the wedding taken.
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Cassette Counter
228:
Announced the wedding three weeks ahead of time. They were
married on Pentecost Day June 4, 1922. There was a reception following.
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Cassette Counter
235:
LUTHERAN CHURCH
She belonged to the Lutheran church and it was dead. Didn't shake
hands with the pastor. Didn't know many people in the church. Definite
differences between the rich and the poor.
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Cassette Counter
245:
A Pentecostal group came to town and preached salvation, "born
again" parents gave their hearts to the Lord. They had meetings at the
Methodist Church. They had an American and Danish flag outside the church.
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Cassette Counter
263:
MOVED
To the east coast of Denmark to her husband's town. His uncle put
him business selling wooden wares, axes, and wooded shoes. She describes her
husband's business some. Made shoes for children in colored leather. All
children wore wooden shoes.
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Cassette Counter
285:
Jenny was going to have a baby so they found another place to
live. Her husband continued talking of the US. Jenny's father didn't want her
to go to America. She couldn't speak English. She got books on Canada and the
US from the library.
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Cassette Counter
326:
Father was the head of the house in Denmark you could go to him
for anything. Mother just had the kids and worked her head off. So you were to
respect men in Denmark and do more for them.
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Cassette Counter
337:
Jenny respected her father's opinion. She also respected her
teachers, the pastor, and policemen.
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Cassette Counter
344:
CHILDREN
Son Neils Anker Pedersen Fuglsang. Born at home.
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Cassette Counter
352:
Jenny began thinking of going to the US. Her husband's sister was
in the US. Another sister, Signe talked of moving to Canada from Denmark
because there was lots of work and farming.
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Cassette Counter
367:
TICKETS
They tried to get tickets but it was difficult because so many
were leaving the country.
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Cassette Counter
371:
LIFE IN DENMARK
It is a farming country, but it also has towns with other things.
People have apprenticeships for a few years to learn jobs like carpentry and
butchering. You go to evening school and learn more about the job. By age 18
they were quite independent.
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Cassette Counter
387:
SERVICE
There is one year compulsory service for all children.
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Cassette Counter
398:
TICKETS
Martinus' sister, husband, and daughter wanted to go to Canada.
Hans, Signe, and Eva Japsersen (?) All went looking for tickets. Could only get
tickets to Canada.
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Cassette Counter
407:
TO USA
Began selling wedding presents to get money. Decided to go to
Canada. March 16, 1925 they were in Halifax, Canada. They left Copenhagen
February 26, 1925. Came on the ship "Hellig Olaf."
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Cassette Counter
424:
OCEAN TRAVEL
Took three weeks to come over rough seas. She was scared and
sick. Waves came over the ship.
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Cassette Counter
434:
They sold their apartment with furniture in Denmark. The money
went to buy the tickets. They met Martinus' sister and family in Copenhagen.
Jenny's parents still didn't want her to go.
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Cassette Counter
448:
LEARNING ENGLISH
Jenny had learned one year of English language in school. She
bought more books to learn English.
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Cassette Counter
454:
TRIP
Landed in Halifax, Canada and came to Quebec, Canada.
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Cassette Counter
462:
BOAT TRIP
Sick after 1 1/2 days. People kept leaving one at a time from the
room. Her brother, Karl was working on the same ship they were on. She was
surprised to see him.
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Cassette Counter
501:
Met many young folks on the ship. Many people crying and singing.
Could understand Norwegian but not the Finnish. Talked about the homes they
left and what they were getting into.
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Cassette Counter
517:
Landed in Halifax, Canada and took the train to Quebec, Canada.
Jenny's husband did the interpreting.
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Cassette Counter
525:
Went to Winnipeg, Canada because they knew some old friends from
Denmark who lived there.
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Cassette Counter
536:
FINDING WORK
Put an ad in the paper advertising for work. A farmer Johnson
answered the ad. He had 165 acres of wheat. He wanted Scandinavian workers
because he knew they were hard workers.
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550:
This farm was outside of Winnipeg. Jenny started work at 5am. She
fed the chickens, made butter (she describes) and baked bread from yeast cakes
which she had never done before. An Indian woman explained to Jenny about the
yeast but Jenny couldn't understand the Indian language.
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600:
Her first loaf of bread she was ashamed of because she threw it
in the river and it sank to the bottom. She learned to make many things at this
place.
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620:
There was a lot of work to be done. Neils was in the way
sometimes. She made 15 pounds of butter a week and took it to Winnipeg to trade
for groceries.
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639:
Wanted to make jello because they had it in Denmark. The farmer
had never heard of it before. She made many things with jello.
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670:
Jenny tells some stories about her experience working on the
farm.
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695:
Put Neils in a calf pen to keep him out of trouble.
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004:
Began thinking about going west. Decided to go to Vancouver,
British Columbia.
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019:
TRAIN TRAVEL
She talks about the train hold ups. Four horses had been killed
on the tracks. Some men had fallen into the water on the side of the tracks.
The doctor on the train helped the men. Jenny did some cooking on the
train.
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040:
NEW FOOD
Talks about pies. Had never had this before in Denmark. Didn't
think the bought pies were that good.
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051:
Waited a long time for a train. Got to know people better while
waiting. Lots of need inland for farmers.
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063:
Landed in Vancouver, B.C. Ate oatmeal and other food on the
train. Splurged sometimes and ate in the dining car. Learned some Canadian this
way.
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073:
Jenny talks about crying on Hasting street in Vancouver praying
to the Lord to give them a home.
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081:
WORK
Put an ad in the paper and the next day got a call from a farmer
on Twin Island. He had cows and calves too.
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100:
His name was Fred Olfield. This was a beautiful island in North
Vancouver. Gives detailed description of the place they stayed.
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104:
Chris got up at 4am to milk the cows. They were milked three
times a day. He also cleaned the barn. Inspectors came around often to check
the farms for germs.
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116:
Jenny met a woman in the area. She couldn't understand her that
well because of the language differences. Jenny did some work for her. She had
modern appliances and a fancy house. Jenny wasn't paid for this. She was a
friend to her.
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145:
Jenny talks about a big storm and having to sleep in the
barn.
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153:
Were trying to get to the US. Went to see the consulate to get
visas. Half a year went by before they heard anything. Jenny learned to take
buses into town.
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170:
VISAS
They received them but only got two so they had to give them to
someone else. They needed three.
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184:
Jenny spent more time with Mrs. Olfield. She learned about beets,
carrots, and explained Danish to Mrs. Olfield.
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191:
Two Chinamen lived across the street. They tended gardens. They
were good neighbors. They had hair down to their waist.
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198:
Talks about black people in Denmark. People stood and stared.
They thought they were dirty.
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213:
VISAS
After 1 1/2 they got their visas. They packed and went to the US.
They left behind many good friends. Met some family. Chris' uncle lived in
Tolt, near Issaquah, Washington. He had a dozen cows, which he lost to flooding
on his land.
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237:
LOOKING FOR WORK
Jenny took care of an older lady. Chris worked in a logging camp.
Talks about the place where she lived. She comments on the apples that didn't
grow as well in Denmark as in the US.
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260:
Husband didn't like logging. He went to the waterfront in
Seattle. Met a friend he'd sailed with in Alaska, John Christensen, who lived
in Ballard, Washington. John got Chris a job as a longshoreman. Jenny moved to
Ballard in a halfway apartment.
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297:
Jenny got involved in the Lutheran Church. Neils went to Sunday
School. Jenny had four girlfriends. Her English was improving. She began
getting more work sewing.
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307:
CHILDREN
Jenny was having another child. Moved again so they'd have more
space. Lived by the Pentecostal Church, which got noisy sometimes when they had
their revivals.
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328:
SON
Bert works on the waterfront; the same work as his father. He's
married, second time. Gives some detail of his first marriage and the
divorce.
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348:
Neils drives a linen truck in Puyallup, Washington. He has three
children.
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355:
CITIZENSHIP
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358:
Moved out of Ballard. Had a place with a garden. Lots of people
in the old country had a garden. Lots of Finnish people Chris worked with. They
lived in the area by Finn Hill.
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371:
They bought the place for $18,000 at $10 per month. It needed all
the windows fixed before they moved in.
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379:
Continued sewing in Ballard when her husband was on strike. No
welfare for them. Could go downtown for soup. Had oatmeal lots of times. Kids
got a color book for 19 cents at Christmas.
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390:
Jenny had sign in her window "Sewing done here." She got good
business. Continued sewing in Kirkland, Washington. Doesn't do as much now
because of recent cataract surgery. She made good money sewing but not enough
to pay all the bills.
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410:
NEW HOUSE
Was built before they moved in. Husband passes away in 1967. Jenny
lives alone now.
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424:
They had a cow on their land. She made butter and cottage cheese
in her spare time. Lots of Scandinavians in the community. Good community get
togethers.
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433:
Jenny raised turkeys. Had 75 one year. Butchered some one summer
for a big family get together.
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442:
TRIPS TO DENMARK
1962. Her husband had told her the streets in American were paved
in gold and they'd go to Denmark in 10 years. She didn't see any gold. Had to
work for money.
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452:
Many old folks in the community have passed away. Doesn't see the
young ones much anymore.
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465:
TRIP TO DENMARK
She went with a friend from Sweden. Her husband stayed home in
the US. Flew from Seattle to Vancouver to Edmonton to Greenland to Amsterdam to
Copenhagen. Met family in Copenhagen then went to Esbjerg.
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512:
NOT A LOT OF CHANGES
Visited church and school where she went. Visited her husband's
family on the east coast.
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536:
CHANGES
Had modernized some. Had cars and washing machines. Churches were
empty. People were tired of getting nothing. Full church were she used to go.
Just a handful in the big churches.
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574:
SCHOOL
Schools go every day until 4 and Saturdays until 2. Keeps kids in
school on Saturday while parents work. Women working more. People take off
after 2 on Saturday that's why churches are dead. They teach religion in school
still. First hour is learning from the Bible and the second hour is Christian
singing.
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600:
Neils could speak Danish when he was small but he stopped when he
went to school. Neils had his mother teach him some Danish.
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620:
Still does Danish cooking. They have a special event at church
where Scandinavians share foods.
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634:
SCANDINAVIAN ORGANIZATIONS
Belonged to the Danish Brotherhood in Seattle. They had a big
tree every year and contributed homemade decorations.
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682:
DANISH LANGUAGE
Still speaks Danish. Took her a few days to get used to the
language again in Denmark.
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017:
Moving to farm in Juanita, Washington. This place was in poor
shape. They did much work on the house. Goes into some detail about this.
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037:
Bought a cow and a pig and turkeys. Were soon in the turkey
business. Raised a big garden. Did lots of canning. Had peach and plum
trees.
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078:
Met lots of neighbors. Other Scandinavians in the area.
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090:
Started church in the Legion Hall. Got lots of people together.
They then bought a Funeral Parlor in Kirkland for more room. Trinity Lutheran
Church. Bought land for a church.
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