OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION
Minnesota Historical Society
Nilsen, Ole, 1844-1933.
Ole Nilsen, the Younger, and family papers,
undated and 1857-1933.
Letters by Nilsen (or Nielsen) family members
and other Norwegian immigrants to America (1855-1931); and correspondence,
sermons, notebooks, clippings, and miscellany (1864-1933) of Ole Nilsen, the
Younger, who served as a Lutheran pastor in Iowa, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.
Most of the materials are in Norwegian; some have been translated.
2.0 cu. ft. (5 boxes, including 51
v.).
See Detailed Description section for shelf
locations.
BIOGRAPHY OF OLE NILSEN
Ole Nilsen, the Younger, nicknamed "Lille Ola," was born in 1844 in
the Norwegian parish of Aal, Hallingdal province, the son of Nils Knudson
Gudmundsrud, a teacher and long-time mayor of Aal. Ole studied at Askers
Seminary, taught school briefly, and immigrated to America in 1871, settling in
Iowa near his older brother and sister. He studied at Cedar Valley Seminary,
Osage, Iowa, and at Augsburg Seminary in Minneapolis, after which he became a
minister of the United Norwegian Lutheran Church in America. He served
congregations in Northwood, Iowa (ca. 1870s-1880s), Scandinavia, Wisconsin (ca.
1890s-1910s), and Grand Forks, North Dakota (ca. 1920s-1930s), where he died in
1933.
His brother, Ole Nilsen, the Elder, nicknamed "Store Ola," was born in
1834 and spent his early life as a non-commissioned officer in the Norwegian
army and, later, as operator of the family farm, Gudmundsrud, in Aal, which he
later turned over to his brother Nils (1837-1908). Ole married Anne
Torjusdatter Holling (1842-1895) and they immigrated to America in 1866,
settling first in Estherville, Iowa, and later moving to Luverne (Rock County),
Minnesota. Nilsen built and operated a farm at each location and was a lay
leader in local Norwegian Lutheran congregations. He died in Scandinavia,
Wisconsin, in 1912.
Gro Nilsdatter Svendsen, their sister, was born in 1841 and emigrated
in 1862, settling in Estherville, Iowa. There she married Ole Svedsen
Skrattegaard and worked as a farm wife until her death in 1878.
The above information was taken from the papers and from Pauline
Farseth and Theodore C. Blegen, Frontier Mother: The
Letters of Gro Svendsen (Norwegian-American Historical Association,
Northfield, Minn., 1950).
SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION
The papers are divided into three sections, the first of which consists
of the "America letters" of many Norwegian immigrants to their friends and
families in Norway, providing information on their lives in the United States.
The chief authors of these letters are the three children of Nils Knudsen
Gudmundsrud: Ole Nilsen, the Elder (Store Ola), the Younger (Lille Ola), and
Gro Nilsdater Svendsen. The second section consists of the personal papers of
Ole Nilsen, the Younger (Lille Ole), documenting his career as a Lutheran
minister in Iowa, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. Folde numbers are consecutive
through both sections. The third section consists of ministerial notebooks, almanacs and related volumes kept by Ole Nilsen, the Younger, in the course of his career.
ARRANGEMENT OF THE COLLECTION
These records are organized into the following sections:
- "America Letters"
- Personal Papers of Ole Nilsen, the Younger
- Ministerial Notebooks, Almanacs, and Related Volumes
RELATED MATERIALS
Nilsen, Ole, Dalrosen; fra vikelighetens
verden paa begge sider av havet (Augsbug Publishing House, Minneapolis,
1928) 79 pp.
Nilsen, Ole, Festfryd; stykker og dialoger til
gjengivelse ved b�rnefester, ungdomsm�der etc... (Augsburg
Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1900) 192 pp.
Nilsen, Ole, Poems. Translations by
Laila Nilsen Ames. Cover by Lawrence Ames. (Tucson, Arizona, 1972) 28l pp.
Nilsen, Ole, Stem i! En samling av gamle og
nye snage (Oslo, Carl C. Werner & Co., 19--) 32 pp.
Nilsen, Ole, Taale Tangen. En historie for
b�rn og ungdom... Med forord of Prof. M. B. B�ckman (Augsburg
Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1892) 63 pp.
Additionally, the library holds two serial publications which Nilsen
both edited and contributed to: Hallingen, No. 1
(1912)-, pub. various places (Nilsen edited the magazine during the 1922-1933
period); and Luthersk Borneblad, 1875-, Augsburg
Publishing House, Minneapolis (this was a Norwegian Lutheran Sunday school
paper which Nilsen helped edit from 1878 to 1908).
The researcher may also be interested in the following book based
upon an earlier work by Nilsen: Stolee, Ingebor, Luthers
Life. A Revision Based Upon "Luther's Life" by O. Nilsen (Augsburg
Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1943) 157 pp.
CATALOG HEADINGS
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Topics:
Agriculture--Iowa.
Agriculture--Minnnesota--Rock County.
Diphtheria--Minnesota.
Frontier and pioneer life--Iowa.
Frontier and pioneer life--Minnesota--Rock County.
Lutheran Church--Clergy.
Lutheran Church--United States.
Norwegians--Northwestern States.
Presidents--United Sates--Election--1872.
Places:
Aal (Norway).
Estherville (Iowa).
Hallingdal (Norway).
Iowa--Description and travel.
Luverne (Minn.).
North Dakota--Emigration and immigration.
Northwood (N.D.).
Norway--Emigration and immigration.
Scandinavia (Wis.).
Wisconsin--Emigration and immigration.
Persons:
Dahl, Theodor Halvorson, 1845-1923.
Gudmundstud family.
Johnson, Christian.
Nilsen, Ole, 1834-1912.
Peterson, N. G.
Strand, Svein.
Stub, H. G. (Hans Gerhard), 1849-1931.
Svendsen, Gro, 1840 or 41-1878.
Swenson, Laurits Selmer, 1865-1947.
Thvedt, N. B.
Organizations:
United Norwegian Lutheran Church of America.
Types of Documents:
Diaries.
Patents.
Sermons.
Occupations:
Clergy--Middle West.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series
here]. Ole Nilsen, the Younger, and Family Papers. Minnesota Historical
Society.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional
examples.
Accession Information:
Accession number: 4043; 4156; 4472; 4587; 4631; 4721; 4933;
12,203
Processing Information:
Processed by: Dennis E. Meissner, November 1979.
Catalog ID number: 09-00041224
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Section 1: "America letters" of Norwegian immigrants to
Minnesota, Iowa, and North Dakota,
1857-1931.
The letters consist of typed copies, in Norwegian, made by Arne
Odd Johnsen, a Norwegian scholar. The originals are in private hands in Norway.
Most of the folders have not been translated; content descriptions are included
for the two translated folders. The letter writers all appeared to be relatives
or friends of Nils Knudsen Gudmundsrud, and the location of all recipients is
Aal in Hallingdal unless otherwise noted.
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1
Folder 1.
Correspondence from various persons,
1857-1896.
Arranged in groups by authors:
Asle Tohrson Hagen, Stoughton, Wis., to Nils K.
Gudmundsrud,
1857, 1865.
Two letters.
Nils an Even Gudmundsrud, Northwood, N. D., to Nils
K. Gudmundsrud family,
1892-1897.
11 letters.
Olaf Nilsen Gudmundstud, Scandinavia, Wis., to Nils K.
Gudmundsrud family,
1895-1898.
17 letters.
O. T. Opsata, Iowa and Minn., to his family,
1860, 1870, 1876.
Three letters.
Barbro Tollefsdatter Sando and Berthe Marie Sando,
Estherville, Iowa, to relatives,
1863-1878.
Four letters.
Sevath Sevatsen, Painted Creek, to Haagen Alesen
B�igaard,
1874.
One letter.
Birgit Knudsdatter, Story City, Iowa, to Nils K.
Gudmundsrud,
1867-1872.
Six letters.
Torketl T. Hoff, Norseland, Minn., to Nils K.
Gudmundsrud,
1869.
One letter.
Margit Opsata, Rock County, Minn., to Nils K.
Gudmundsrud,
1872, 1873.
Two letters.
Sigrid Henriksdatter Thorsgaard to Gudmundsrud family,
1880.
One letter.
K. T. Hagen, Minot, N. D., to Nils K. Gudmundsrud,
1895.
One letter.
H. Solheim, Minnewaukan, N. D., to various friends,
1893-1896.
Six letters.
L. V. Bakken, N. D., to Knudt Svedsen Bry,
1888.
One letter.
Erik Ellingsen, Silver Lake, Minn., to T�sten H.
Dokker, Hol in Hallingdal,
1865.
One letter.
O. Ellingsen, Reynolds, N. D., to S. Reinton, Hol in
Hallingdal,
1894.
One letter.
Letters from various other persons to friends and
relatives in Aal, Hallingdal,
1875-1879.
Five letters.
Folder 2.
Letters from Laurtis S. Swenson and family, Copenhagen,
Oslo, and Berne, to Erling Baekkestad,
1899-1931.
Swenson, United States Minister to Denmark (1897-1905),
Switzerland (appointed 1909), and Norway (appointed 1911, 1921), was the nephew
of Baekkestad, a schoolteacher in Aal, Hallingdal.
Folder 3.
Letters from Sigri Nilsdatter Svendsen (Mrs. Nils),
Northwood, N. D., to her father, Nils Nilsen Gudmundsrud,
1893-1899.
Nils was another son of Nils K. Gudmundsrud.
Folder 4.
Letters from Svein Strand, Minn., Wis., and Iowa, to
Erling Baekkestad,
1897-1913.
Strand was a Norwegian Lutheran clergyman.
Folder 5.
Letters from Gro Nilsdatter Svendsen (Mrs. Ole),
Estherville, Iowa, to Nils K. Gudmundsrud and family,
1861-1880.
Gro Nilsdatter's letters describe the births, deaths, and growth
of her children and news of other relatives and family friends living in the
Upper Midwest. Earlier letters contrast American manners and methods with
Norwegian customs, and discuss prices and living conditions--both physical and
economic--in the Estherville area. There are also data regarding the
vicissitudes of crop and livestock operations, sale and acquisition of land,
financial problems, and religious thoughts and activities. The untranslated
segment also contains information on her trip to America.
A different translation of the entire contents of Folder 5 was
published in the following volume translated by Pauline Farseth and edited by
Theodore C. Blegen: Frontier Mother: The Letters of Gro
Svedsen (Norwegian-American Historical Association, Northfield, Minn.,
1950).
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Folder 7.
Letters from Ole Nilsen, the Elder (Store Ola),
Estherville, Iowa, and Luverne and Bemidji, Minn., to Nils K. Gudmundsrud
and family,
1866-1880, 1898-1910.
Folder 7 also contains a typescript copy of a diary ("notes")
kept by Ole Nilsen during the immigration trip from Bergen, Norway to
Estherville, Ia. (April 27-July 10, 1866). Folder 8 includes a handwritten
translation of the diary and folder 9 includes a published version.
Folder 8.
Handwritten translations of the letters in Folder 7.
Translated by Edna Rude (Mrs. DeFloren), Bemidji, Minn.
Nilsen's letters provide more data on many of the subjects found
in the correspondence of his sister Gro (Folder 6). In addition, he provides
details on his family's emigration from Bergen, Norway to Iowa; comparisons of
American crops with those in Norway; agricultural problems, including
grasshopper plagues; and illnesses affecting his family, especially
diphtheria.
Folder 9.
Published version of the translations in Folder 8,
complied by Theresse Lundby, Moorhead, Minn.,
1977.
This publication includes genealogical data complied by Lundby;
genealogical and biographical data on Ole Nilsen and family translated from the
Norwegian newspaper NU (Christiania, Norway),
XII:12, March 19, 1907; and a compiler's preface giving data on Nilsen's life
in America.
Folder 10.
Letters from Ole Nilsen, the Younger (Lille Ola), to
Nils K. Gudmundsrud and family,
1871-1930.
Nilsen's letters discuss prominent leaders in the Norwegian
Lutheran church and the U.S. presidential election of 1872.
Section 2: Personal Papers of Ole Nilsen, the Younger (Lille Ola),
undated, 1864-1933.
All of the papers were either authored or collected by Nilsen and
were originally catalogued as a separate collection. The papers consist of
correspondence, articles and sermons by Nilsen, notes, photographs, clippings,
and other printed items, ministerial almanacs, and miscellaneous papers. Almost
all of the papers are in Norwegian.
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Folders 11 and 12.
Correspondence and miscellaneous papers,
undated and 1882-1933.
2 folders.
Almost all the correspondence is letters received by Nilsen,
since he apparently kept no copies of his letters sent. Folder 10 contains
copies of his own letters to his family. Among the correspondents are such
Norwegian Lutheran church leaders as Hans G. Stub, Theodore H. Dahl, Christian
Johnson, N. B. Thvedt, and N. G. Peterson regarding various church matters of
the United Norwegian Lutheran Church in America, including its charitable
institutions. Also present are machinery patents bought by Nilsen, and his call
to the congregation at Scandinavia, Wisconsin.
Folder 13.
Articles,
undated.
Handwritten copies of articles by Nilsen.
Folder 14.
Confirmation sermons,
undated.
Folder 15.
Funeral sermons,
undated.
Folders 16-17.
Sermon notes,
undated.
2 folders.
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Folders 18-19.
Sermon notes,
undated.
2 folders.
Folders 20-21.
Miscellaneous notes,
undated.
2 folders.
Folder 22.
Photographs, clippings, and printed materials,
undated and 1916-1931.
These are largely copies of, and clippings from, Norwegian
language newspapers.
Folder 23.
List of immigrants to the U.S. from Aal and Hol,
Hallingdal, Norway, during the period of 1839-1881. Complied by E. Bekkestad,
1925.
Includes name, birth date, and emigration date of each
emigrant.
Folder 24.
List of immigrants to the U.S. from the province of
Flaa, Norway, during the period 1837-1911,
undated.
Includes name of head of emigrant household, number of household
members, emigration date, parish, and settlement location in the U.S.
Ministerial Notebooks, Almanacs, and Related
Volumes
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Volume 1.
Personal account book,
1878-1879.
Volume 2.
Ministerial notebook,
July 1877-1879.
Volume 3.
Ministerial notebook,
1880-1881.
Volume 4.
Miscellaneous notebook,
1877-1891.
Volume 5.
Ministerial notebook,
1882-1884.
Volume 6.
Ministerial notebook,
1885-1888.
Volume 7.
Ministerial notebook,
1889-June 1892.
Ministerial Almanacs
(Volumes 8-47):
The ministerial almanacs are a series of pocket notebooks printed
annually by the Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, for gratis distribution
to ministers of the United Norwegian Lutheran Church in America. The almanacs
contain sections in which the minister could record various types of
information documenting his work throughout the year, including miscellaneous
accounts; a daily log documenting the performance of ministerial duties; and a
separate record of baptisms, marriages, confirmations, and obsequies performed.
The volumes also contain printed information such as names and addresses of
ministers and officers of the United Norwegian Lutheran Church, and tables
showing the proper liturgical texts for each Sunday of the year, as well as for
special ceremonies.
Volume 8.
1892.
Volume 9.
1893.
Volume 10.
1894.
Volume 11.
1895.
Volume 12.
1896.
Volume 13.
1897.
Volume 14.
1898.
Volume 15.
1899.
Volume 16.
1900.
Volume 17.
1901.
Volume 18.
1902.
Volume 19.
1903.
Volume 20.
1904.
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Volume 21.
1906.
Volume 22.
1907.
Volume 23.
1908.
Volume 24.
1909.
Volume 25.
1910.
Volume 26.
1911.
Volume 27.
1912.
Volume 28.
1913.
Volume 29.
1914.
Volume 30.
1915.
Volume 31.
1916.
Volume 32.
1917.
Volume 33.
1918.
Volume 34.
1919.
Volume 35.
1921.
Volume 36.
1922.
Volume 37.
1923.
Volume 38.
1924.
Volume 39.
1925.
Volume 40.
1926.
Volume 41.
1927.
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Volume 42.
1928.
Volume 43.
1929.
Volume 44.
1930.
Volume 45.
1931.
Volume 46.
1932.
Volume 47.
1933.
Volume 48.
Lists of monetary subscriptions raised by various
congregational groups and paid to Nilsen as remembrances for his services to
them,
undated and 1873-1920.
Volume 49.
Class notes on religion from instructor J. Aars, Askers
Seminary, Norway,
1864.
Volume 50.
Class notes on Old Testament scriptures, Augsburg
Seminary, Minneapolis,
1874.
Volume 51.
Attendance record for confirmation classes,
1886-1919.