Carlson, Signe

Carlson, Signe

• 1978-03-27,1979-04-17 (Creation)

2 file folders
2 sound cassettes
3 compact discs

These interviews were conducted with Signe Carlson on March 27, 1978 and April 17, 1979 in Tacoma, Washington. It contains information on personal background, emigration, settling in, marriage, Swedish customs, and the Swedish language. The interview was conducted in English.

Folder Contents

Box 1, File 9 Personal and Family History
Tape Archive Sheet, Tape Index, and Family Background

Box 1, File 9A Correspondence and Forms
Checklist and Release Form
Handwritten Tape Archive Sheet and Family Background

The interview was conducted using a cassette recorder. A research copy was also prepared from the original. To further preserve the content of the interview, it is now being transferred to compact disc. We deliberately did not transcribe the entire interview because we want the researchers to listen to the interviewee's own voice.

Interviewed by Steve Melton, Helen Tengesdal and Lise Yohe
Transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky Husby
Encoded by Kerstin Ringdahl & Amity Smetzler
Recording Quality: Excellent

Biographical Note

Signe Amalija (Ohberg) Carlson, the youngest of nine children, was born on August 20, 1887 in Sundsvall, Sweden. Signe came to America with her father, a granite quarry owner, around 1903. They lived on a small farm in Bemidji, Minnesota, where Signe learned English and worked as a babysitter and a hairdresser.

Signe moved to Minneapolis and attained her citizenship before moving to the Tacoma area to be near her sisters. Signe worked at Thorson's until she married Anton Carlson. Anton, who worked in the lumber business, owned 20 acres on McNeil Island, so Signe moved there where they had two children.

Since both Signe and her husband were quite young when they emigrated from Sweden, they did not retain many Swedish customs. However, Signe can still speak Swedish and has attended some Valhalla celebrations. She and Anton returned to Sweden twice to visit family members. Signe has been a member of First Lutheran Church for many years.

Lineage

Full Name: Signe Amalija Carlson
Maiden Name: Signe Amalija Ohberg
Father: Malcolm Ohberg
Brothers and Sisters: Her father was married twice. There was a total of nine children in the family, four children by the first marriage and five children by the second. Tilla (?), Gurde (?)
Spouse: Anton Carlson
Children: Orville (?), Robert