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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t222
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Creator:
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Carlson, Jennie Josefine
Brehm
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Title:
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Jennie Josefine Brehm Carlson Oral History
Interview
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Dates:
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1983 (inclusive)
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Quantity:
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2 file folders
1 sound cassette
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Languages:
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English
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Summary:
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An oral history interview with Jennie Josefine Brehm Carlson, a Swedish
immigrant.
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Biographical Note
Jennie Carlson was born Jennie Josefine Brehm on September 19, 1895 in Strömstad, Bohuslän, Sweden. She
moved to Fredrikstad, Norway as a young girl and was educated and confirmed there. Jennie moved to America with her
grandmother and her uncle in 1910, her father had come first, and her mother and siblings came later. Jennie learned
English quickly, taking night classes in Mt. Vernon, Washington. She worked as a housekeeper for Norwegian and American
families. Jennie moved to Seattle and married in 1919; she bore two children, a boy and a girl. Jennie returned to
Norway for a visit in 1959 and can still speak the language, but she has not retained many Norwegian or Swedish
traditions in America.
Lineage
Father: Hilmer Brehm. Mother: Anna Carlson Brehm. Maternal Grandmother: Gustave Carlson. Brothers and Sisters:
There were seven children in all, but two died. HÃ¥kan Brehm, Ester Brehm, Ile Brehm. Spouse: (?) Carlson Children:
HÃ¥kan (?) Brehm, Carlson Esther (?), Pickering Carlson.
Content Description
This interview was conducted with Jennie Carlson on January 17, 1983 in Seattle, Washington. She had a bit of
difficulty remembering names, so some specific details are missing. This interview contains information on personal
background, emigration, settling in, work, marriage, church, family, and heritage. 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 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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| Brehm, Anna Carlson |
| Brehm, Hilmer |
| Brehm, Jennie Josefine |
| Carlson, Gustav |
| Carlson, Jennie Josefine |
| Carlson, Jennie Josefine
Brehm--Interviews (creator) |
| Brehm family |
| Carlson family |
| Carlson, family |
| Bohuslän (Sweden) |
| Fredrikstad (Norway) |
| Mt. Vernon (Wash.) |
| Seattle (Wash.) |
| Strömstad (Sweden) |
| Christmas |
| Emigration and Immigration |
| Family -- Norway |
| Marriage service |
| Sweden -- Social conditions -- 1945- |
| Swedish-Americans -- Ethnic identity |
| Swedish-Americans--Northwest,
Pacific--Interviews |
| Swedish-Americans--Social life and customs |
| Oral histories |
| Domestics |
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:
FAMILY BACKGROUND
Born Jennie Josefine Brehm on September 19, 1895 in Strömstad, Bohuslän, Sweden. Strömstad is south of
the Norwegian-Swedish border and south of Fredrikstad, Norway.
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Cassette Counter
076:
PARENTS
Anna and Hilmer Brehm lived in the country and worked at whatever; father worked in a quarry and mother
raised a big family of seven.
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Cassette Counter
089:
BROTHERS AND SISTERS
Ester, HÃ¥kan, Ile (?), two died - Jennie can't remember the rest. Dad emigrated to US first; then sent
for mother and the family.
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Cassette Counter
110:
GRANDPARENTS
She doesn't remember any grandparents except her maternal grandmother, Gustav Carlson.
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Cassette Counter
124:
HOME IN NORWAY
Lived and attended school in Fredrikstad. Was confirmed in Norway; church was close.
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Cassette Counter
145:
CHRISTMAS IN NORWAY
Christmas was real nice - real joyful. Had a Sunday school celebration and program with a big Christmas
tree.On Christmas Eve they had lutefisk, more so in Sweden than in Norway. Had sort of a smörgåsbord, good things to
eat.
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Cassette Counter
190:
(The interviewer is confused here, thinking that Jennie was born in Strömstad, Norway. Jennie repeats
that she was born in Stromstad -Bohus len (Sweden) - and moved to Fredrikstad (Norway) where her father received
employment.)
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Cassette Counter
230:
EMIGRATION
Father came first; Jennie can't remember the exact location. Jennie came in 1910 with her grandmother and
uncle who had been home to visit. Grandma stayed with her son, Aksel (Axel) Carlson in Mt. Vernon, WA. Jennie stayed
for a while working for families.
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Cassette Counter
271:
TRIP OVER
Went on a big steamer from Oslo; very lovely trip. Mother and other children came later in 190? she can't
remember. Her father went to Bremerton and had a job in the navy yard.
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Cassette Counter
312:
SETTLING IN AND WORK
Jennie started evening school right away in Mt. Vernon, so learning English wasn't too hard. From there
she went to work for both Norwegian and American families. Then she moved to Seattle.
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Cassette Counter
345:
She thought America was beautiful when she arrived; also her uncle's farm which had vegetables and fruits.
Her cousins had children so Jennie had playmates; she wasn't too lonesome. The food was better here because their
supply was better.
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Cassette Counter
368:
She was working for families so did not live with her parents and siblings who had a one-acre place in
Bremerton. The kids went to school in Bremerton. She worked a few years and then married in 1919.
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Cassette Counter
384:
MEETING SPOUSE AND MARRIAGE
Met him in Seattle where she was employed as a domestic and baby sitter.
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Cassette Counter
397:
Belonged to church in Seattle. Doesn't remember much about receiving her citizenship.
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Cassette Counter
418:
Met her husband at Swedish Methodist Church. Both were Lutheran from childhood. Her husband had joined the
Methodist church, so she did also. He worked at many things; came from Sweden but didn't have a trade. Later he went
into mechanics and machinery.
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Cassette Counter
442:
WEDDING
They had a plain wedding at Uncle Conrad Carlson's in Seattle. (The Carlson's were mother's relatives.)
Had a nice, blue dress which a friend helped her make. Had dinner at her uncle's and moved to a rented home in Seattle,
close to downtown. Her husband worked, and she kept on babysitting.
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Cassette Counter
472:
CHURCH AND HERITAGE
Her husband was very intelligent and was superintendent of the Sunday school. She taught Sunday school
also and was active in the women's group.
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Cassette Counter
478:
SCANDINAVIAN ORGANIZATIONS
They belonged to none, but went occasionally with friends.
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Cassette Counter
483:
SCANDINAVIAN FOODS
Jennie cooked what was available. Her mom made lefse over here, but not Jennie. Back in Scandinavia they
had lutefisk, but not here. Jennie says "we just got away from that tradition - what we use to do". But they continued
to open Christmas presents on Christmas Eve and bake cookies.
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Cassette Counter
511:
FAMILY
They had two children: boy and girl. She can't remember names. Her son, HÃ¥kan Brehm (?), lives in Mt.
Vernon; is now retired. Her daughter, Esther Pickering (?), is married and has a family. She lives in Issaquah where
her husband is a farmer.
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Cassette Counter
563:
HERITAGE
She returned home in 1959 - a wonderful trip. They went back to where they came from. The country hadn't
changed much, but the old house was gone.
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Cassette Counter
581:
SPEAKING NORWEGIAN
"Jeg kan snakke norsk...", but suggests she would do better in a conversation, so Inger asks about
"familien din". Jennie responds that "de har det bra. Soester er gift..." Her brother is married also. "Jeg har sju
barnebarn. De besøker meg." She has many relatives around in Bremerton and Mt. Vernon.
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Cassette Counter
628:
"Takk for i dag." (End of tape.)
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