Norwegian-American Historical Association Vol 142 Summer 2011 From the NAHA Offi ce to Association Members I T I A Sneak Peak at Norwegian- Elias Molee, a unique character in American Studies, Volume 36 the annals of Norwegian-American Civil War Letter 2 history, who would have preferred to Translated e Norwegian-American Historical be remembered here as elias molee Association is pleased to return to for reasons Professor Slind explains. The NAHA Civil War 4 publication after a hiatus to reorder Slind is Professor of History at Luther Collection the finances and governance of the College in Decorah, Iowa. Emeritus organization. It is a particular pleasure Professor of History Gary D. Olson New Acquisitions 6 this fall to present the thirty-sixth of Augustana College in Sioux Falls, volume in a series that began in 1926 South Dakota, has contributed an ably From the Front Desk 8 with what was then called Studies drawn demographic profile of the and Records. Through the years the Norwegian-American community in NAHA-Norge Seminar 9 format and content have changed Sioux Falls based on census data. His somewhat, but most volumes of the method and findings will help link Hired for Battle 11 series—now known as Norwegian- Norwegian-American research to a American Studies—have presented a growing body of research in American Odd Lovoll Honor 12 miscellany, including both essays and and transatlantic history. Carol presentations of primary sources. Colburn and Laurann Gilbertson, of Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, The present volume continues in that Iowa, turn our attention to the work tradition. Jens Christian Eldal, senior clothing of Norwegian-Americans. researcher at the Norwegian Institute Work clothing tells us much about of Cultural Heritage Research who we are on a daily basis, and (NIKU), is a close observer of the Colburn and Gilbertson’s article N-A traditions of wood construction and contributes to a fuller understanding H A architecture in Norway. His essay, of how Norwegian-Americans went presenting a study of the architecture to work in the United States. James S. 1510 St. Olaf Avenue of some of the earliest Norwegian- Hamre, Emeritus Professor of History Northfield, MN 55057 American Lutheran churches in the at Waldorf College in Forest City, www.naha.stolaf.edu Midwest, is a pioneering work in what Iowa, has written an introduction [email protected] promises to be a rich field of research. to the writing of one of Norwegian- Marvin G. Slind offers a study of America’s most prolific and often Phone: 507-786-3221 Continued on Page 10 Page 2 A Translation from the Translation services provided by: Tove and Ole Tobiassen 485 2nd Street Hammond, WI 54015 [email protected] 715-410-5931 Thank you Tove and Ole! Private Knud Iverson Wisconsin Historical Society. Image ID: 53739 Used with permission Page 3 Civil War Collection Crab Orchard, Kentucky Give them all my kind Oct 17th 1862 and warm regards. I want to write a few To my always beloved words home, and tell wife and children: how my situation is here. Dear and beloved wife First I will give thanks to and children, what will the Lord, whom governs happen to me now, only Private Knud Iverson died everything, for my good the Lord knows. It hurts December 31, 1862 at Stones health and for being me that I have not been still alive. able to answer the letters River, Tennessee just two that I have received months after composing Little has happened from you, neither have I this letter. He is buried in lately, and that gives us been able to write home Nashville. plenty of time to reflect due to battles and wear. during days and nights. Please forgive me. He was survived by his wife, The same kind of food is served all the time. I Your devoted husband Dorthea and their nine have so far been in two Knud Iversøn Wibe children, the youngest of battles, but my flank whom he never saw. stood well against the Dear children, please enemy, and we watched help, comfort and obey them flee before us. your mother. We have not received By the grace of God, I payments for four will soon be home again. months, and unless things change rapidly, Give my regard to we may not get paid everyone at home, both until after New Year. family and friends. Can you please forward Our beloved Lord whom me some money? sees everything and When I get paid, I will governs everything. immediately send home Written in haste. what you remitted to me. Write back to me soon. I have not spoken to or I beg you, my dear seen Gullick for years. brother-in-law Borger, But hope that he will that you will return the return to us again. favor I gave you last fall. Page 4 e Civil War Collection NAHA Civil War Resources Dallas, Georgia. He describes the health and living conditions of P0001: Aaker Family Papers: his company, the slaves he meets, Andrew Scott (Groven) Civil War destruction of property, and the As the United States Letters. “The Civil War Letters battle engagement north of Atlanta. commemorates the of Andrew (Andreas) Scott of Company D, 10th Regt. Minn. P0027: Peter Christian Asserson 150th anniversary of Vol. Infantry. From Fort Snelling, Papers: Biographical information the War Between the Sept. 1864 to Memphis, Tenn, on a Norwegian-born rear admiral March 1865.” Translated from the and civil engineer in the United States, we thought Norwegian Originals by Olav K. States Navy. He was an ensign in it appropriate to Lundeberg (1935). 36 pages. Two the navy during the Civil War. typed copies. highlight the parts P0035: Ole Olsen Berge Papers of our collection P0011: Arlow W. Andersen Papers: of a Norwegian-born farmer at “Some Reflections on Cambridge, Manitowoc, Wisconsin: Civil War containing materials [B.] Willerup, and Norwegian- letters by Berge. from the soldiers and Danish Methodism in America” by Arlow W. Anderson, Wisconsin P0083: Ingebret Eriksen Papers: families who had first- Conference Historian. Letter of Letters to Eriksen, farmer hand knowledge of the April 12, 1995, with translations of and merchant at Scandinavia, sections of Buslett’s and Johnson’s Wisconsin, from Civil War soldiers. events of the day. comments on J.A. Johnson, Methodist minister and chaplain P0114: Ole Grimstvedt Papers: of the 15th Wisconsin Regiment Civil War Reminiscences, “Ole The following is [Civil War]; and translation of Grimstvedt’s Hospital Life from a summary of the obituary of Johnson’s widow, Nov. 1862 till April 2nd, 1866.” An earthy 1915. and realistic account by a western collections where Civil Dane County, Wisconsin, farmer War related material P0017: Sigurd Anderson lecture who served in the Co. C, 12th Wis. “Lawyers in the Civil War,” delivered Vol. Inf. as Ole Olson. can be found. before the Bar Association of the District of Columbia (1961). P0144: Hans C. Heg Papers: A typescript copy of a letter by Heg; a P0020: Ole Andreson letter by Olaf I. Rove to Waldemar Correspondence: Letters to his Ager, quoting August Reymert wife at Wiota, LaFayette County, concerning Heg’s contribution Wisconsin, from a Norwegian-born to the Civil War effort; a speech farmer who enlisted February 2, by Julius E. Olson; clippings 1864, with Company H of the Third concerning the Heg monument in Wisconsin Regiment of Infantry Madison, Wisconsin; genealogies; and was killed May 25, 1864, at Historic Heg Memorial Park, Page 5 Compiled by Jeff Sauve pamphlet, 1975; typescript copy (31 pages) of over 800 who served P1027 Ove Lind Papers: Copies of a Heg letter from Weaverville, in the Minnesota units. One folder of three Civil War letters written California, October 7, 1849; about the 15th Wisconsin Regiment, by a Private in Company I, 12th Photo of a monument to the 15th 3 folders of rosters and profiles Wisconsin Infantry, then in Wisconsin at Chicamauga Creek; of soldiers of that regiment, one Tennessee, to wife and daughter. and photocopies of an article by folder of profiles of Norwegians First letter written in some town Kevin Die-Zimmel about Heg’s who served in other units. There in Tennessee and dated May 8, contact with Sherman M. Booth, an are folders of letters and documents 1863 [perhaps Memphis]; second abolitionist opponent of the Fugitive concerning more than a dozen letter written in some other town Slave Law, and transcriptions of individual veterans. in Tennessee (beginning with the contemporary newspaper articles letter ‘C’ [perhaps Colliersville], concerning the “Booth affair.” “The P0562 Norse-American Centennial dated January 31, 1864; and third Civil War Letters of Colonel Hans Papers: Civil War Veterans A-Z letter written in some town in Christian Heg” was published by Correspondence and Reports. Mississippi beginning with the NAHA in 1936. letter ‘N’ [perhaps Natchez, dated P0681 J.J. Heimark Papers: A November 10, 1863. P0365: Ole Steensland Papers: translation of B. Aslakson’s Biographical data of a western “Ti maaneders fangenskab i P1439 SOLBERG, CARL Dane County, Wisconsin, farmer; Andersonville”. FREDRIK (1833-1924). CIVIL an address given at a reunion of WAR LETTERS, 1862. Reports the Fifteenth Wisconsin Infantry P0691 John Anders Johnson Papers: (March 7 to March 31, 1962) at Scandia Hall, Chicago (August Civil War letters (6 January-20 to Emigranten from the editor, 29, 1900), in which Steensland December 1862). who served briefly briefly as recounts his Civil War Experiences war correspondent for the 15th including those at Andersonville P0853 George Johnson (Guttorm Wisconsin Regiment, which he prison. Johnson Hovden) Civil War Diary: had helped recruit. The letters The Civil War Diary of a member are translated and edited by P0448 Nehemias Tjernagel papers: of the 15th Wisconsin Regiment, Clarence A.