Manuscripts Collection
Theodore Christian Blegen was born in 1891 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of John H. and Anna Blegen. He received a B.A. degree in 1910 from Augsburg College (Minneapolis), where his father was a professor in German and Greek. At the University of Minnesota he received an M.A. in 1915 and a Ph.D. in 1925. After teaching in high schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota, he became a professor of history (1920-1927) at Hamline University (St. Paul); lecturer, associate professor, and professor of history at the University of Minnesota (1927-1939); and dean of its graduate school (1940-1960). His career with the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) began in 1922 while he was teaching at Hamline University. In 1931 he succeeded Solon J. Buck as superintendent, serving until 1939. He returned to the Society as a research fellow in 1960, after his retirement from the University of Minnesota.
He married Clara Woodward in 1916. They had two children: Theodore and Margaret. He died in 1969 in St. Paul.
The papers are mainly alphabetically arranged subject files (1899-1969), composed of correspondence, articles, and background information, which were generated by Blegen while he was researching the authenticity of a large stone bearing runic inscriptions that were purportedly carved by Viking explorers. The stone was found near Kensington (Douglas County), Minnesota in 1898, and is known as the Kensington Runestone. The authenticity of the stone has been in dispute for many years.
Also included are papers (1878-1928) of John H. Blegen, a teacher at Augsburg College
(Minneapolis, Minn.), many in Norwegian; a small comic volume, "Minnesota History"
(1937); and
Additional files documenting research into the origin of the Kensington Runestone are located in the Minnesota Historical Society Archives.
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
Accession number: 9423
Processed by: Bonnie Beatson Palmquist, December 1988.
Catalog ID number: 08-00009476
A letter from his mother (Oct. 4, 1916) comments on his father's health. Many of the remaining letters are from relatives in Norway and are written in Norwegian.
A letter from Harry Truman (Jan. 16, 1956) acknowledges Blegen's visit and thanks him for his thoughts on presidential libraries.
Regarding his father's death. In English and Norwegian.
Many are in Norwegian and are written on Augsburg College letterheads. Other letterheads are Indian Home Mission to the Santhals (1911), Santhal Mission of the Northern Churches (1913), Zion Society for Israel (1911).
Letters in Norwegian written by John Blegen to a newspaper in Minneapolis while he was on a trip to Europe.
Author unknown. A spoof on the MHS quarterly magazine,
Annotated by Blegen.
Correspondence and report (Preliminary Photointerpretation Report on Vinland, by Carl H. Strandberg and Glyn Nelson).
Correspondence regarding Sven Fogelblad.
Miscellaneous notes.
(See also: Semmingsen)
Letter to Warren Upham, March 7, 1910, declaring the stone to be a hoax.
Article from
Correspondence with Dr. Paul Carson concerning his mother's knowledge about the stone.
Regarding the search for his papers.
Work performed by the Minnesota Historical Society.
Fredenberg supposedly made the stonecutter's chisel used to carve the runestone.
W. M. Goetzinger was a lawyer in Elbow Lake (Minn.), who took a deposition from Victor Setterlund. Setterlund admitted carving a runestone found near Elbow Lake to show that it could be done.
Correspondence about his career and his general research.
Blegen's unpublished article about Hagen.
Books and pamphlets; most in Norwegian.
Haugen was a professor at Harvard University.
Hedberg was one of the first to report the discovery of the stone.
Notes on content of a letter found in "Holvik Papers."
Regarding originals of affidavits.
Regarding Nicholas of Lynn, explorer of Hudson's Bay, 1362.
Includes newspaper clippings about runestone.
Regarding the archives at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota.
Kaufert was associated with the School of Forestry, University of Minnesota.
Runestone cipher.
Refutation of Monge and Landsverk theory.
Correspondence regarding Nelson's interest in the stone.
Correspondence attempting to locate an F. Nosander in Taylors Falls in 1899.
Interview (copy) with Ohman, son of Olof Ohman, about the discovery of the stone.
Translation of Olson's letter of May 16, 1899.
Reference to "Two Ohmans?"
Correspondence with Semmingsen, a professor at Oslo University.
Correspondence with Samuel's son, Ing. T.
Correspondence about the proposed sale of Ohman's farm to the MHS.
Correspondence between Steinnes and Birger Osland (Chicago).
Also includes related materials.
Concerns the whereabouts of a runestone from the 1700s.
Concerns his book on the Kensington stone.
Concerns her work with ancient tolls at the Carnegie Museum (Pittsburgh, Pa.).