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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t135-136
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Creator:
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Nissen,
Ole Andreas Nissen
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Title:
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Ole Andreas Nissen
Oral History Interview
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Dates:
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1982 (inclusive)
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Quantity:
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4 photographs
3 file folders
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 Ole
Andreas Nissen, a Danish immigrant.
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Biographical Note
Ole Nissen was born on January 22, 1887 in Ansager, Denmark to
Christian Peder Nissen and Sophia Christiana Sorensen. Ole's father had a
chemistry business and passed away when Ole was only three and half, leaving
Ole's brother Nis to support the family. Ole also had three older sisters,
Nikolina, Kristina, and Sina. The family lived on a farm, and Ole stayed at
home to help his mother until he was eight years old and then attended school.
After he finished school, Ole's mother told him that she wanted him to become a
tailor, and he got an apprenticeship with a tailor in a nearby town for the
following three and half years. Ole learned the entire profession of men's
clothing and worked in small towns around Ansager until he had enough money to
immigrate to America. Nis had immigrated in 1903, and when he came home to
visit in 1907, he took Ole and Nikolina back with him. They stopped in Milbank,
South Dakota first to help an acquaintance of Nis's build a house, and there,
Nikolina began working for the sawmill owner's family. She eventually moved to
Santa Cruz, CA with them, and Ole and Nis went to Seattle, WA for awhile before
moving to San Francisco, CA. A big earthquake had struck the year before, and
work was hard to come by. Nevertheless, Ole eventually found tailoring work in
various California cities. In 1910, Ole's mother immigrated to Vancouver,
British Columbia, and Ole and his sister went to live with her. They remained
there for four years, during which time, Ole learned how to make women's
clothing. In 1914, the family moved to Seattle, and Ole opened his own shop in
their home. He soon established a large clientele, which included the wives of
several prosperous Seattle bankers. In 1924, Ole married Kathryn Hendrickson,
who was from Deer Lodge, Montana. Ole met her through her cousin, who was a
vest maker. Ole and Kathryn had one daughter, Marilyn. In 1925, Ole was able to
open his own shop on 28th and East Madison and worked there until 1967. He has
never returned to Denmark, but still speaks Danish.
Lineage
Full Name: Ole Andreas Nissen. Father: Christian Peder Nissen. Mother:
Sophia Christiana Sorensen. Maternal Grandmother: Søren Hansen. Brothers and
Sisters: Nis Nissen, Peder Nissen, Nikolina Nissen, Kristina Nissen, Sina
Nissen, Spouse: Kathryn Hendrickson. Children: Marilyn Adele Nissen Leren.
Content Description
This interview was conducted with Ole Nissen on January 21, 1982 in
Seattle, Washington. It contains information about family background, the
tailoring business, emigration, settling in, marriage, and family. The
interview also includes two photographs of Ole at his tailor shop, a photograph
of Ole and his family in 1971, two snapshots of Ole at the time of the
interview, and an article about Ole receiving his 50-year emblem from the
Danish Brotherhood. 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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| Hendrickson, Kathryn |
| Leren, Marilyn Adele Nissen |
| Nissen, Christian Peder |
| Nissen, Kristina |
| Nissen, Nikolina |
| Nissen, Nis |
| Nissen,
Ole Andreas Nissen--Interviews (creator) |
| Nissen, Sina |
| Sørensen, Sophia Christiana |
| Hendrickson family |
| Leren family |
| Nissen family |
| Sørensen family |
| Baltic (Steamship) |
| Danish Brotherhood in America (Selma, Calif.) |
| Danish
Brotherhood in America. Lodge 29 (Seattle, Wash.) |
| Ellis
Island (N.J. and N.Y.) |
| Ansager
(Denmark) |
| Milbank
(S.D.) |
| San
Francisco (Calif.) |
| Seattle
(Wash.) |
| Vancouver
(B.C.) |
| Christmas |
| Danish-Americans--Interviews |
| Danish-Americans--Northwest,Pacific--Social life and
customs |
| Emigration and
immigration |
| Marriage service |
| Ocean travel |
| Railroad travel |
| Oral histories |
| Farmers |
| Tailors |
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
020:
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Name - Ole Andreas Nissen. Born in Ansager, Denmark, which is in
the west part of Jutland close of Esbjerg and Varde.
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Cassette Counter
050:
PARENTS
Father went into the area and built a home. This was a farming
area where they raised grains, buckwheat and barley. They raised everything but
wheat. There was a watermill in town where the farmers took their grain. They
were very self-sufficient. Father's name was Christian Peder Nissen. He came
from Schleswig area, which is close to the German border. He had a chemistry
business. Mother, Sophia Christiana Sorensen. She came from around Ansager. Ole
was born 22 January 1887.
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Cassette Counter
165:
BROTHERS AND SISTERS
The first three died at 1 year. (See counter I-270 and I-460)
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Cassette Counter
185:
PASTORS IN A SMALL TOWN
Just like a king. Everything that happened with the family had to
be reported to him. (see counter I-270).
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Cassette Counter
210:
COUNTY COUNCIL
Used to meet at his father's place for a number of years. Then
another family by the name of Nissen moved to town and bought the inn and told
the county council that they should meet there. In those days, they used liquor
regularly, but not an over...
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Cassette Counter
245:
amount because they only allowed so much. In this business they
had a long counter were people came. The men were treated with "kaffeepunch"
which was a schnapps glass full of brandy and a cup of coffee. The women got a
glass of wine and cookies. Father had a number of people who worked for him and
he took care of the business end himself.
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Cassette Counter
270:
BROTHERS AND SISTERS
Preacher came and told them they had to pray to the Almighty that
this child wouldn't die like the others. This child, Nis Peder Nissen survived.
As a result he was to study to become a preacher, but then this changed. One
time when they were going to Varde to buy supplies the father became ill.
Father had a special soup that he used for a cure-all. This soup was made from
homemade beer and rye bread. Made a big batch of beer every fall for the
harvest season. The soup didn't work this time and he passed away. Ole was 3
1/2 years old then. Now Nis his brother would have to work to support the
family.
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Cassette Counter
410:
BROTHER NIS' JOB
Worked at a creamery with his mother, but he quit. He worked at
almost any kind of place. Then he went down to Schleswig, Germany where they
had many relatives, but he was not allowed to stay there unless he lived with a
German family. This was because he was Danish. He left there and went to
Hamburg, Germany and then he traveled around. He was sent home in 1898.
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Cassette Counter
460:
BROTHERS AND SISTERS
Had a sister two years younger than Nis and another sister who
fell down the stairs and died. They were Nikolina, Kristina, and Sina. Ole was
the youngest.
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Cassette Counter
482:
EMIGRATION OF FAMILY MEMBERS
Nis had traveling experience in Germany and he came to the US in
1903. He was in New York for five years, where he learned to be a cabinetmaker.
After five years he returned to Denmark to visit his mother. Then Ole and his
oldest sister went back to New York with him in 1907. They saw all the
sights.
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Cassette Counter
523:
REASONS FOR GOING TO THE MID-WEST
Nis had a partner who had a brother who lived out in the Black
Hills in Dakota who needed a house built. They all went to Dakota.
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Cassette Counter
545:
SCHOOL DAYS IN DENMARK
Went to school from age 7 to 14. In the wintertime, they had
regular school and in the summer they had vacation time.
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Cassette Counter
570:
CHRISTMAS TIME IN DENMARK
They were the only ones in their family that had a Christmas
tree.
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Cassette Counter
575:
CHILDHOOD AND FARM
Father had 20 acres which was bordered by two rivers. Then his
father bought 20 acres on the other side of the river where he used to have to
take the cows in the morning. He stayed at home and helped his mother until he
was 8. After breakfast and the milking he would hitch the cows together and
take them across the river and tie them in place. If he wasn't looking after
the cows he had to look after the young cattle and the sheep which were also on
ropes. They milked their cows three times a day.
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Cassette Counter
635:
Mother made butter to sell. She sold it to the man with the inn
(he also had a grocery store). People would ask for her butter, she had a good
reputation as a butter maker.
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Cassette Counter
647:
FATHER
He recalls his father who would set him on his lap and sing a
sailor song. He sings the sailor song in Danish. It was a popular song, which
he has heard in Vancouver, BC at the Danish Club there. He translates - a
sailor suffers more evil than good.
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Cassette Counter
710:
MATERNAL GRANDFATHER
Hit Ole with an apple. He was Soren Hansen. Apple trees were very
scarce in Denmark. This was grain land and they had to buy the supplies they
needed.
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Cassette Counter
758:
WORK
When he was 9-13 he worked for the summers with his mother on the
farm. Then she told him she wanted him to become a tailor. She decided this
because he had such small wrists, those weren't the wrists of a farmer.
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Cassette Counter
780:
APPRENTICESHIP
With the tailor in the next town for 3 1/2 years. Liked after he
started. This was in a private home. Had a store below it. He was the
serviceman besides learning to be a tailor, had to run all the errands, help
his wife in the kitchen, keep the stoves all burning, etc. The first years he
did only pants, the second vests, and the third year coats, and the final
half-year the finishing off of the completed garment. Had learned the entire
profession in men's clothing. He learned about women's later.
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Cassette Counter
824:
TAILORING IN DENMARK
Went to work in small towns around Ansager. Earned enough money
to come to the US.
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Cassette Counter
833:
REASONS FOR EMIGRATION
Very curious about things over here - Indians. His brother was
back for a visit and took Ole and his sister back to the US.
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Cassette Counter
847:
TRIP TO U.S.
Left 28 May 1907 from Esbjerg and went to England. Cousin Martin
Jensen came too. Martin had been sailing before. Ole had never been on the
water so they teased him, but it was Martin who got seasick. The North Sea was
rough. Went to Liverpool, England and then they got on a new steamer called
"The Baltic". They stopped in Ireland and took on passengers.
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Cassette Counter
911:
BOAT TRIP
Lots of young people. Dancing. Took 708 days across the Atlantic.
It was an enjoyable trip.
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Cassette Counter
932:
ELLIS ISLAND
They checked him over. He had to have $25 dollars. He got this
from his brother. Brother helped them out a lot because he spoke English.
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Cassette Counter
955:
SIGHTSEEING IN NEW YORK
Had to see all the places where his brother had been. They went
out to Coney Island. It was so crowded that they could hardly get to the water.
Everything was exciting. Curious about many things - Indians and
California.
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Cassette Counter
983:
Saw first black man, first Indian and first Chinaman.
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Cassette Counter
1008:
BLACK HILLS, DAKOTA
Brother had to go out to meet his friend so they left New York.
They took a train to Chicago, Illinois. Martin, the cousin left the group to
visit his uncle in Minnesota. (see counter I-1075).
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Cassette Counter
1025:
TRAIN TRIP
Very interesting. He had never been on a train before.
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Cassette Counter
1033:
MOTHER'S FEELINGS ON HIS EMIGRATION
She had no objections. She wrote that she would like to come over
too if someone would come over and get her. Nis went home and got her. They
came home through Canada because his mother was 67 and the US wouldn't accept
anyone here of that age unless they had a permanent person to take care of her.
She came to Vancouver, BC in 1910. Ole and his sister went up to Vancouver and
stayed for four years.
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Cassette Counter
1075:
TRAIN TRIP
Transferred trains in Chicago to go the Black Hills in the
Dakotas. Stopped at Milbank, South Dakota. His sister got a job working for the
sawmill owner's family. When this family moved to Santa Cruz, California she
went with them. She was a dressmaker by trade. She had had a shop in
Denmark.
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Cassette Counter
1102:
PEEVER, SOUTH DAKOTA
Worked as a handyman, cook around the house for the man his
brother was working for.
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Cassette Counter
1116:
INDIANS
Had a summer picnic for the 4th of July. Indians were invited
from Minnesota and Iowa and all the surrounding states. A multitude of
people.
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Cassette Counter
029:
INDIAN PICNIC
Had drummers playing in the Indian section. There was another
section for the American where they were doing square dances. This was near
Peever, South Dakota. Talks about this being a dry state and the bootleggers in
the hills.
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Cassette Counter
135:
Went back to Minneapolis.
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Cassette Counter
139:
Got on the work train to Pasco, Washington. Then they took the
train down to Portland where they were building a depot. Ole went as a
carpenter's helper. This way their train trip was free. Stayed there for about
three weeks.
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Cassette Counter
177:
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 1907
Brother felt sorry for him because he had to do such hard work so
they went to Seattle. Worked for a tailor for awhile but tailor work was slow
at that time.
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Cassette Counter
200:
CALIFORNIA
Took a sailboat to San Francisco from Seattle. It took 2 1/2
days. This was 1907, the year after the big earthquake. The people were very
poor because of this. There were many people out of work, the town was all
broken up. Market Street was all broken up. He was out of work for quite
awhile.
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Cassette Counter
250:
NICKEL BEER
Could get a glass of beer (schooner) for 5 cents at noon and then
there were free snacks to go along with it. They would search for the places
where they could get the most food.
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Cassette Counter
270:
GOLDEN GATE AVENUE
There used to be streams of people two blocks long waiting to use
the toilet there.
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Cassette Counter
290:
TAILOR WORK
Found work with a tailor for about a week and a half.
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Cassette Counter
311:
CAFETERIA WORK
Decided to get a job where he could get something to eat. This
was down by the ferry building on Market Street. It was called "Alameda
Cafe"(?). This was owned by a Dane. He was a waiter. This man taught him how to
be a waiter. Got $12 a week. Worked there for 6 months.
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Cassette Counter
407:
HOUSING
He and his brother had a room in the gentlemen's district in San
Francisco, which they had put up for the time being (hard time). There were 20
sleeping rooms and one toilet.
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Cassette Counter
435:
TAILOR WORK
Saw an ad in the paper that a coat maker was needed in Selma
which is near Fresno, California. Worked in Selma for one year. He was paid by
the coat - $9. Two and a quarter would be one week's wages. A tailor from
Eureka in Humbolt, California came down to visit and persuaded Ole to get our
the heat and go back with him. Stayed there for one year.
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Cassette Counter
515:
NOVEL EXPERIENCES
Danish church in Selma, the minister's wife got him to sing in
the choir. Went to Ferndale, California and a preacher came and invited him to
sing in his choir. Sang alto. Talks about the Redwood Forest.
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Cassette Counter
605:
DANISH BROTHERHOOD
Joined in 1908 in Selma, California. Joined because his brother
belonged to it and because of the benefits. Made a lot of friends. Took part in
everything.
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Cassette Counter
650:
After Ferndale, California he went down to visit his sister in
Santa Cruz, California who was working with that same family. Ole went down
after her because of the fact that his brother was in Denmark bringing back
their mother. They took a boat from San Francisco to Seattle, Washington.
Stayed in Seattle until he got the letter from his brother in Vancouver, BC
that he and his mother were there.
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Cassette Counter
700:
WENT TO SEE HIS MOTHER IN VANCOUVER, B.C.
Set up housekeeping in Vancouver where they lived for four years.
This was a very good town for tailoring. Worked for J.C. Morgan. This is where
he got to learn to make ladies clothing. Used this training in his business in
Seattle. The Ladies clothier left and Ole went with him (Whitterman?). They
made both ladies and men's' clothing. He stayed with him for about one
year.
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Cassette Counter
777:
SEATTLE, WASH.
Wanted to get back to the states. Liked Seattle's climate and
friendly people.
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790:
RETURNING TO THE U.S.
Went to the American Consul to see about returning to the US. They
explained that they had moved to Canada for their mother's sake. Ole had enough
money and was put in charge of his mother so that they could all come down.
(1914).
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Cassette Counter
824:
SEATTLE
Their first home was on Lake Washington Blvd.
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Cassette Counter
840:
WORK
The neighbor came in and told him that they needed a tailor in
that part of town and that he should set up his business in the house. This man
gave him a coat to work and then he got some free advertising.
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Cassette Counter
883:
OPENED A SHOP IN HIS HOME
Started building up a clientele with the neighbors. The first
suit he made was for $29, after that he didn't charge less than $35.
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Cassette Counter
897:
DANISH BROTHERHOOD
Once a month they would play cards (whist). One time he played
with the vice-president of the Washington Mutual Bank. He asked Ole to make a
suit for his wife. The bankers had a meeting every month in which the wives
went too. This lady he made the suit for talked to the head of the Sea-First
Bank (the richest banker in town at that time). This man's wife became a
25-year customer.
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Cassette Counter
932:
He mentions the names of his customers, Andrew Price's and Joshua
Green's wives. He had four banker's wives he was making clothes for. They
introduced him to senator's, governor's, and mayor's wives.
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Cassette Counter
955:
IN THE SHOP
He did all the ladies work. With the men's work he would cut it
and fit it ad sent it out to other coat makers. His sister helped him in the
shop and he did have some coat makers for awhile.
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Cassette Counter
970:
NEW SHOP
Bought a lot on 28th and Madison. Moved the house that was there
to the back and built two stores in the front. Rented out one store.
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Cassette Counter
993:
FUEL
Used coal and wood for heat. Had a half basement under each
store, which they used for storage of these fuels.
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1015:
The other shop he rented out to a barbershop and a beauty
parlor.
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1020:
TAILOR STORE
Up-to-date and modern. Had his name on the front of the shop.
Worked there from 1925-1967. He retired at about 80.
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Cassette Counter
1071:
WIFE
Met her in Seattle, Washington. His wife's cousin was a vest
maker who made some vests for Ole. That was how they met. Her name was Kathryn
Hendrickson. She was from Montana. Asked her out to a dance the first weekend
she was here at the Danish Brotherhood. Married in September 1, 1924.
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Cassette Counter
1125:
WEDDING
Supposed to have a double wedding, but the other couple got
married sooner.
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Cassette Counter
005:
MINISTER
Met a pastor in Ferndale, California, who knew a pastor they knew
in Seattle because they had studied in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ole was the best
man for the Seattle pastor's wedding. This is who they were supposed to have
the double wedding with.
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Cassette Counter
070:
WEDDING
Katy's wedding dress. Wore a regular dress. In the Danish Church.
Alfred and Marie were the witnesses. A cat came in and disturbed the wedding
party. No wedding party afterwards. Went to Tacoma, Washington and Olympia,
Washington for their honeymoon. Stayed at a hotel. Took the train.
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Cassette Counter
225:
HOUSE
Had already purchased a home, which was not finished. There was
another house in the back of the lot that they rented out. They fixed up the
homes and stayed there for 20 years. His mother stayed in the house, which was
by the tailor shop.
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Cassette Counter
299:
LANGUAGE PROBLEMS
His mother couldn't speak English. She would come to the shop and
talk to him.
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Cassette Counter
308:
CHILDREN
Marilyn married Loren Leren in 1952. He is a carpenter. They have
three children, son, 29 helps his father and does mechanical work and has a
child seven years old, Cheryl is 26 and the youngest is 19.
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Cassette Counter
355:
Hasn't returned to Denmark. Still speaks Danish. Talks about the
differences between the language from the city to the country.
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Cassette Counter
387:
During the vacation time in the summer in Denmark, the children
from the cities would go out the country. It took them awhile to get adjusted
to the language differences.
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Cassette Counter
404:
WIFE
Born in Deer Lodge, Montana. Her father came from Denmark and
settled in Iowa where they were many Mormons. He went with them out to Salt
Lake City, Utah and became a Mormon priest. Several of the priests there
grouped together and took a stand against the head of the Mormons because he
had so many wives (30). He was chased out of the valley and moved to Montana.
Ole's wife wasn't a Mormon.
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Cassette Counter
460 :
CHURCH LIFE
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