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

BIOGRAPHIES AND AUTOBIOGRAPHIES

Several of the books mentioned under special histories, like those of Norelius, Langeland, Dietrichson, and Schroeder, have much autobiographical material in them; while others, such as the volumes of O. N. Nelson and C. F. Peterson and the county histories, contain hundreds of brief biographies. The more important and illuminating autobiographies are: Hans Mattson, Minnen (Lund, 1890) and the same in translation, Reminiscences, the Story of an Emigrant (1891), an interestingly naïve account of the varied activities of a prominent politician and business man; Gustaf Unonius, Minnen från en sjutton-årig Vistelse i Nordvestra Amerika (2 vols., Upsala, 1862), a graphic account of the first years of Swedish settlement, by one of its highly educated leaders, and Bihang till Minnen (Stockholm, 1891). With less direct bearing, is W. H. C. Folsom, Fifty Years in the Northwest (1888); H. P. Hall, H. P. Hall’s Observations, being more or less a History of Political Contests in Minnesota from 1843 to 1904 (1904); John Reynolds, My Own Times, embracing also the History of My Life (Chicago, 1855); Stephen Grellet, Memoirs (edited by Benj. Seebohm, 2 vols., 1860); and S. B. Newman, Pastor S. Newmans Sjelfbiografi (1890).

Four biographies stand out above the others: T. N. Hasselquist, Lefnadsteckning af E. Norelius; L. A. Stenholt, En Studie af Knute Nelson (1896); Chr. O. Brohough, and I. Eisteinsen, Kortfattet Beretning om Elling Eielsens Liv og Virksomhed (1883); and L. M. Björn, Pastor P. A. Rasmussen (1905). Other biographies of less significance for this study are: C. J. Rosenberg, Jenny Lind in America (1851); Sara C. Bull, Ole Bull (1883); W. C. Church, Life of John Ericsson (2 vols., 1890).

Other collected biographies, including Scandinavians, are: J. C. Jensson, American Lutheran Biographies (1890); Men of Minnesota (1902); F. G. Flower, Biographical Souvenir Book (1899), relating to North Dakota alone; Prominent Democrats of Illinois (1899); H. A. Tenney, and D. Atwood, Fathers of Wisconsin (1880); C. J. A. Erickson, “Memories of a Swedish Immigrant,” Annals of Iowa, April, 1907.

RELIGION, EDUCATION, AND THE PRESS

No attempt is made here at a bibliography of the abundant polemical religious literature, nor of the sermons and proceedings of church conventions, nor of denominational year books, further than to show the material contributing to this volume. In similar manner, a limit is put upon the list of catalogs and publications of colleges and seminaries, and upon the periodicals and newspapers of which the number is very large.

A very recent and excellent volume dealing with Norwegian progress and culture in America is Norsk-Amerikanernes Festskrift, 1914 (Chief Editor, Johs. B. Wist) which was prepared as an American contribution to the celebration of the centennial of Norwegian independence. Important chapters are devoted to the press (noted below), the churches, schools, literature, and men in public or political life, each being the work of a careful scholar.

The most valuable volumes dealing with the religious histories of Scandinavian settlement are E. Norelius, De Svenska Luterska Församlingarnas och Svenskarnes Historia i Amerika (1890) and, of almost equal worth, for Norwegian church history, Th. Bothne, Kort Udsigt over det Lutherske Kirkearbeide blandt Nordmændene i Amerika (1898), being a separate made up of a section of “Norske Kirkeforhold i Amerika,” pp. 815-903, of H. G. Heggtveit, Illustreret Kirkehistorie. Good brief sketches of various denominations are embodied in O. N. Nelson, History of the Scandinavians, already noted. The most important of the other works are: R. Anderson, Den Evangelisk Lutherske Kirkes Historie i Amerika (1889); and Emigrantmissjonen, Kirkelig Vejledning for Udvandrere (1884); H. K. Carroll, The Religious Forces of the United States, enumerated, classified, and described on the Basis of the Government Census of 1890.... Revised to 1896 (1896); Theodor H. Dahl, Den Forenede Kirke: Fred og Strid eller Lidt Forenings Historie (1894); O. Ellison, Svenska Baptisternas i Wisconsin Missions Historia (1902); Simon W. Harkey, The Mission of the Lutheran Church in America (1853); O. J. Hatlestad, Historiske Meddelelser om den norske Augustana Synode (1887); H. G. Heggtveit, Illustreret Kirkehistorie (1898); Chauncy Hobart, History of Methodism in Minnesota (1887); Henry E. Jacobs, A History of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States (1893); J. N. Lenker, Lutherans in all Lands (1896); N. M. Liljengren and C. G. Wallenius, Svenska Methodismen i Amerika (1885); Minde fra Jubelfesterne paa Koshkonong (1894); M. W. Montgomery, The Work among the Scandinavians (1888) and “A Wind from the Holy Spirit,” Sweden and Norway (1884); A. H. Newman, History of the Baptist Churches in the United States (1894), and A Century of Baptist Achievement (1901); E. Norelius, Evangeliska Luterska Augustana Synoden i Nord Amerika och dess Mission (1870); Affidavits of Sven Oftedal, et al (in Dist. Court of Minnesota, 4th Jud. Dist.) (1897); H. Olson, Minnesotal öfver framlidne pastorn O. G. Hedström (1886); George Richardson, The Rise and Progress of the Society of Friends in Norway (London, 1849); Matthew Simpson (editor), Cyclopedia of Methodism (5th ed., 1882); E. J. Wolf, The Lutherans in America (1890); N. C. Brun, “Kort Omrids af den amerikansk-lutherske Kirkes Historie”, Vor Tid, I (1905).

On the educational side are Kiddle and Schem, Dictionary of Education (1890); Chr. Koerner, The Bennett Law and the German Parochial Schools of Wisconsin (1890); J. W. Stearns (editor), The Columbian History of Education in Wisconsin (1893); The Bennett Law Analyzed (1890); A. Estrem, “A Norwegian-American College (Luther College),” Midland Monthly, I (1894); E. S. White, “Elk Horn College,” Midland Monthly, II (1894); J. P. Uhler, “Scandinavian Studies in the United States,” Science, IX (1887); G. Andreen, “Det svenska Språket i Amerika”, Studentföreningen Verdandis Småskrifter, No. 87 (Stockholm, 1900); G. T. Flom, A History of Scandinavian Studies in American Universities (Bulletin of the State University of Iowa, No. 153, 1907), and “Det norsk sprogs bruk og utvikling i Amerika”, Normands-Forbundet, IV (1912); G. Bothne, “Nordiske studier ved amerikanske universiteter”, Norsk-Amerikanernes Festkrift, 1914; A. A. Stomberg, “Swedish in American Universities”, Year-Book of the Swedish Historical Society of America, 1909-1910; C. G. Wallenius, “Den högre Skolverksamheten bland Svenskarne i Amerika”, Year-Book of the Swedish Historical Society of America, 1911-1913.

University and college catalogs and registers need not be enumerated for each year; two typical years would be 1895 and 1905; Augustana College and Seminary, Rock Island, Ill.; Luther College, Decorah, Iowa; Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas; Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota; St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota; Elk Horn College, Elk Horn, Iowa; Augsburg Seminary, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Red Wing Seminary, Red Wing, Minnesota; Northwestern University; University of Chicago; Chicago Theological Seminary; University of Wisconsin; University of Minnesota; University of North Dakota; University of Nebraska; State University of Iowa.