The Scandinavian Element in the United States / University of Illinois Studies in the Social Sciences, Vol. 111, No. 3, September, 1914

by Kendric Charles Babcock

The classical work on the broad subject of immigration, notable alike for the breadth and penetration of its views, is Richmond Mayo-Smith, Emigration and Immigration: a Study in Social Science (1890). Two other works by the same authority, are: Immigration and the Foreign-Born Population (in vol. III of the Publications of the American Statistical Assn., 1893), and Statistics and Sociology (1895). The Publications of the Immigration Restriction League take a wide range in 63 pamphlets (1894-1914). Next to these in importance come: Prescott F. Hall, Immigration and its Effects upon the United States (1906), an excellent and compact study, somewhat marred by the bias of its author, who is secretary of the Restriction League; J. R. Commons, Races and Immigrants in America (1907), a popular rather than profound statement, but the fresh work of a careful scholar; E. A. Steiner, On the Trail of the Immigrant (1906); S. McLanahan, Our People of Foreign Speech ... with particular reference to religious work among them (1904).

A group of more recent works by competent scholars combining qualities of penetration and popular presentation in satisfying proportions are: H. P. Fairchild, Immigration: a World Movement and its American Significance (1913); J. W. Jenks and W. J. Lauck, The Immigration Problem (3d ed. revised and enlarged, 1913), by two men intimately connected with the making of the Dillingham Report; E. A. Ross, The Old World in the New: The significance of past and present immigration to the American people (1914), especially ch. IV; F. J. Warne, The Immigrant Invasion (1913), ch. XII.

Of less direct bearing, but valuable: W. J. Bromwell, History of Immigration to the United States (1856); F. L. Dingley, European Immigration (1890); F. Kapp, Immigration and the Commissioners of Immigration of the State of New York (1870); R. M. LaFollette (editor), The Making of America, vols. II and VIII (1906); F. A. Walker, Discussions in Economics and Statistics, vol. II (1899).

The great mass of periodical literature is listed in Griffin’s bibliography, already cited. Including general and special articles and some speeches in the Congressional Record, nearly 700 titles are arranged chronologically. The list is incomplete, omitting several articles, dealing particularly with the Scandinavians.

SPECIAL HISTORIES

Three works deal with the history of the Scandinavian immigration in a large-spirited, comprehensive way, and by these characteristics stand out from the mass of less important works. O. N. Nelson (compiler and editor), History of the Scandinavians and Successful Scandinavians in the United States (2 vols., 2nd revised ed., 1904), is made up of specially prepared articles, reprinted articles, statistical tables, a bibliography, and some two hundred and eighty biographies of men in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. It is very uneven, and on almost every page betrays at once the zeal, honesty, and the inadequate training of the authors and the compiler. It might almost be characterized as a cyclopedia of the Scandinavians in America. E. Norelius, De Svenska Luterska Församlingarnas och Svenskarnes Historia i Amerika (1890), while nominally a church history is in reality an excellent history of Swedish settlement; George T. Flom, A History of Norwegian Immigration to the United States from the Earliest Beginning down to the Year 1848 (1909), made up in part of articles mentioned elsewhere, is a painstaking, exhaustive, accurate account of Norwegian immigration of that period into Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois.

Other books dealing with special groups or States or localities are: Axel A. Ahlroth, Svenskarne i Minnesota—Historiska Anteckningar (Westervik, 1891); Rasmus B. Anderson, The First Chapter of Norwegian Immigration, 1821-1840, a prolix, padded, but valuable volume; and Tale ved Femtiaarsfesten, for den Norske Udvandring til Amerika (1875); John H. Bille, A History of the Danes in America (Trans. Wis. Acad. of Sciences, Arts, and Letters, XI, 1896), a short pamphlet; Tancred Boissy, Svenska Nationaliteten i Förenta Staterna (Göteborg, 1882), a reprint of correspondence in Sydsvenska Dagbl. Snällposten; J. W. C. Dietrichson, Reise blandt de Norske Emigranter i “de forenede Nordamerikanske Fristater” (Stavanger 1846, and reprinted Madison, 1896), a historical and contemporary description of the early settlements, and Nogle Ord fra Prædikestolen i Amerika og Norge (1851); Robert Grönberger, Svenskarne i St. Croix-Dalen, Minnesota (1879), an early and reliable piece of work; George Kæding, Rockfords Svenskar—Historiska Anteckningar (1885); Knud Langeland, Nordmændene i Amerika—Nogle Optegnelser om de Norskes Udvandring til Amerika (1889),—one of the very best of the books on the Norwegians; C. F. Peterson (see also Eric Johnson), Sverige i Amerika—Kulturhistoriska och Biografiska Teckningar (1898); Johan Schroeder, Skandinaverne i de Forenede Stater og Canada, med Indberetninger og Oplysninger fra 200 Skandinaviske Settlementer (1867),—full of the most valuable information about life and conditions in the Northwest; Ole Rynning, Sandfærdig Beretning om Amerika til Oplysning og Nytte for Bonde og Menigmand (Christiania, 1838),—a remarkably clear, compact, and influential pamphlet; Carl Sundbeck, Svenskarna i Amerika, Deras Land, Antal, och Kolonien (Stockholm, 1900); Alfred Söderström, Minneapolis Minnen (1899), an excellent, extensive, newspaper-like description of the life and activities of the Scandinavians in that half-Norse city; Alfred Strömberg, Minnen af Minneapolis (1902); Underretning om Amerika, fornemmeligen de Stater hvori udvandrede Normænd have nedsat sig, ... udgivne af X (Skien, 1843); M. Ulvestad, Normændene i Amerika, deres Historie og Record (1907); P. S. Vig, Danske i Amerika (1900); Johs. B. Wist, Den norske Indvandring til 1850, og Skandinaverne i Amerikas Politik (1884?),—a small but suggestive pamphlet.

On the Bishop Hill colony, the best authorities are: Michael A. Mikkelsen, The Bishop Hill Colony, a religious communistic Settlement in Henry County, Illinois (Johns Hopkins University Studies, X, No. 1, 1892)—the most convenient work in English, based almost entirely on Norelius, and on Johnson and Peterson, Svenskarne i Illinois, Johnson being a son of the founder, Eric Janson; Emil Herlenius, Erik-Jansismens Historia ett Bidrag till Kännedomen om det Svenska Sektväsendet (Jönköping, 1900); History of Henry County, Illinois (1877); Erick Jansismen i Nord Amerika (Gefle, 1845); Hiram Bigelow, The Bishop Hill Colony (No. 7 of the Publications of the Illinois State Historical Library, 1902); W. A. Hinds, American Communities (1902).

SELECT ARTICLES IN PERIODICALS

Articles in periodicals: R. B. Anderson, “Norwegian Immigration,” “The Coming of the Danes,” “Icelandic Immigration,” Chicago Record Herald (June 19, 26, July 24, Aug. 21, 1901); K. C. Babcock, “The Scandinavians in the Northwest,” Forum, XIV (1892), “The Scandinavian Contingent,” Atlantic, LXVII (1896), “The Scandinavian Element in American Population”, American Historical Review, XVI (1911); H. H. Boyesen, “Norse Americans,” The American, I (1880), “The Scandinavians in the United States,” North American Review, CLV (1892); G. T. Flam, “The Scandinavian Factor in the American Population,” Iowa Journal of History and Politics, III (1905), and (in Norwegian translation) in Vor Tid, I (1905); A. H. Hyde, “The Foreign Element in American Civilization,” Popular Science Mo., LII (1898); Luth Jæger, “The Scandinavian Element in the United States,” The North, June, 1889,—with many other similar discussions in the same weekly paper, all of them excellent; Kristofer Janson, “Norsemen in the United States,” Cosmopolitan, IX (1890); Axel Jarlson, “A Swedish Emigrant’s Story,” Independent, LV (1903); F. H. B. MacDowell, “The Newer Scandinavian—a Sketch of the Growth and Progress of the Scandinavian Races in America,” Scandinavia, III (1884); J. A. Ottesen, “Bidrag til vore Settlementers og Menigheders Historie,” Amerika (Apr. to Nov., 1894),—an elaborate series of articles, full of genealogical and community details; E. A. Ross, “Scandinavians in America,” Century, LXXXVIII (1914); Geo. T. Rygh, “The Scandinavian Americans,” The Literary Northwest, II (1893); Albert Shaw, “The Scandinavians in the United States,” Chautauquan, VIII (1887).