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The Oral History collection contains the recorded interviews of 282 men and women who emigrated from Scandinavia and settled in the Pacific Northwest. The project was started during an experimental course on Scandinavian Women in the Pacific Northwest. Students in the course were encouraged to interview women and learn about their experiences as immigrants to the United States. The project was continued and expanded with support from the president’s office and by grants from the L.J. Skaggs and Mary C. Skaggs Foundation, from the Joel E. Ferris Foundation and the Norwegian Emigration Fund of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The project was directed by Dr. Janet E. Rasmussen. Upon completion, the collection was transferred to the Archives and Special Collections Department.

The oral history collection is open for personal and scholarly work. For commercial use, please contact archives@plu.edu.

The materials consist of an autobiography written by Bertha (Josephsen) Anderson between 1936 and 1939. Two different copies of the autobiography are available; one is a shorter printed version, and the second is a longer typewritten version. It details her life history, including her birth and early years in Denmark, marriage, and emigration to America, pioneering experiences, family life, and descendants. It also contains information on the settlement and activities in the west, the role of religion during the time, the history of many organizations in and around Sidney, Montana, and general notes on life as a pioneer.

A book written by Edgar Larson about his mother's early years, based on her oral history. In it, she discusses her family history, church, jobs, school days, her first love, meeting her husband-to-be, her sisters, immigration, her children, and her first Christmas in America.

Diary of K. Berge and others, from nineteenth century Norway.

A typed English translation of an original Swedish emigration registration document for Nils Andersson. It also includes information about Andersson's life in the United States after his departure.

An 85 page autobiography written by Gabriel Aanensen Fedde and translated and annotated by his grandson, Gabriel Bernhard Fedde. Fedde discusses his childhood in Norway, his schooling and helping his father out with work. He also discusses his faith and conversion experience and his studies at seminary and teaching jobs. The manuscript includes portions of Gabriel’s journal from his sailing days. He discusses his life in New York as a businessman. Other chapters include information about Norwegian Church life in Brooklyn, a discussion of the Separatists and Perfectionists movements in New York, breaks with the Synod Pastor, struggles with the Labor Unions, Norwegian deaconness activity in Brooklyn, and an epilogue by Gabriel’s grandson, Gabriel Bernhard Fedde. There is also information from the register of the ships Syria and Kepha that Gabriel was on and information about the city of Fedde, Norway.

Aa photocopy of a sixty-six page handwritten autobiography begun on 23 May 1979 and completed on 23 October 1980 by Esther Berglund, age 89, to her granddaughter Linda (Berg) Lamzow. There is also a News Tribune clipping from 6 June 1982 picturing Esther.

A short newspaper article about Bertha Blanche (Hall) Oles and her craft hobbies. The article also includes a picture of Bertha at age 90 with one of her handmade quilts. There is also a scrapbook created by Bertha of newspaper clippings pasted into an old annual report book. The newspaper clippings date from around 1913.

Family history of Norwegian immigrant families the Tollefsons and Egstads written by Arnold Hagen in 1976.

Biographies are written for the following children of Tollef and Berte Egstad: Lars Tollefson Egstad-Frydenlund, Ole Tollefson Egstad, Anna Karine Tollefsdatter Egstad, Jens Tollefson Egstad, Kristian Tollefson Egstad, Tonetta Tollefsdatter Egstad, Lauritz Tollefson Egstad, Andreas Tollefson Egstad, Bernt Tollefson Egstad. There is also a chronology from 1720 to 1911 and a geographical index.

Detailed description

Chapter 1 is a biography of Lars Tollefson Frydenlund. Lars was born on Egstad Gaard in Norway on 15 August 1833 to Tollef Larson Egstad and Berte Olsdatter Grøthaug. He married Petronelle Johannesdatter Ripe. They adopted a son, Julius Andreassen. Lars worked mostly as a knife-maker. Some of his knives were carried by British soldiers in the Boer War. Lars died in 1920 in Norway.

Chapter 2 is a biography of Ole Tollefson Egstad: Ole was born in Vestre Toten on 7 September 1835 to Tollef Larson Egstad and Berte Olsdatter Grøthaug. He left Oslo in 1854 at age 19 but nothing more is known about him.

Chapter 3 is a biography of Anna Karine Tollefesdatter Egstad. It also contains a news article about the family and letters of correspondence. Anna was born on Egstad Gaard on 13 October 1838. She married Kristen Anderson and they had one daughter, Anna Karine. Anna and Kristen immigrated to Chicago in 1865 and she worked as a servant girl. Kristen was a carpenter and worked for the railroad. They moved to Missouri where she was buried after her death in 1880.

Chapter 4 is a biography of Jens Tollefson Egstad and his family: Jens was born in Vardal, Norway, on 3 May 1841 to Tollef Larsen and Berte Grøthaug. He became a sawyer in the 1860s and married Anna Maria Lindbak-Moe in 1866. They immigrated to America with their daughter, Theoline, in 1873. They settled north of Ashby, Minnesota. Jens bought the original Tollefson Farm. They later moved into a log home built by Jens and then a new brick two-story home. Both were devout Christians and hard workers. Anna died in 1942. Both she and Jens are buried near Ashby. They had seven children, 26 grandchildren, 56 great grandchildren, and 97 great great grandchildren.

Chapter 5 is a biography of Kristian Tollefson Egstad and his family: Kristian “Christ” was born on Egstad Gaard near Gjovik, Norway, on 4 September 1845. He married Anna Kjørven about 1869. Christ farmed in Ashby until 1890 when they moved to North Dakota. He owned the Merchant’s Hotel and also farmed. Kristian was probably the first of the Tollefson family to arrive in the Ashby area, and thus became a contact person for the Tollefsons who followed. He died in 1911 at Northwood, North Dakota. Christ and Anna had ten children, eleven grandchildren, and twelve great grandchildren.

Chapter 6 is a biography of Tonetta Tollefsdatter Egstad and her family: Tonetta was the youngest daughter of Tollef and Berte Egstad born on Egstad Gaard nera Gjovik, Norway on 8 July 1849. She married Eric Nelson in 1866. Tonetta arrived in America in 1872. They had a farm in Hannibal, Missouri. She died in 1880 in a home fire near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Tonetta and Eric had nine children, 37 grandchildren, 97 great grandchildren, and 66 great great grandchildren.

Chapter 7 is a biography of Lauritz Tollefson Egstad and his family: Lauritz was born on Egstad Gaard to Tollef and Berte Egstad on 30 August 1851. He married Lise (Lizzie) Grøthaug in 1882. Lauritz came to Minnesota in 1874 via London and Quebec after serving in the Norwegian Armed Services as a draftee. He settled in the Ashby area and became one of the earliest farmers around Elbow Lake. He also helped build the mill at Pomme de Terre. He took an active part in civic affairs and became prominent in his community. He died in 1932. Lauritz and Lise had nine children, nine grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren, and 20 great great grandchildren.

Chapter 8 is a biography of Anders (Andrew) Tollefson and his family: Andrew was born on 30 June 1854 on Egstad Gaard, near Gjovik, Norway. He married Sophi Johannesdatter Bratrock-Wahl in 1852. They came to America in 1880, settling near Ashby, Minnesota, where his brothers lived. They then farmed in South Dakota very successfully until their deaths, both in 1928. They had nine children, 41 grandchildren, 112 great grandchildren, and 76 great great grandchildren.

Chapter 9 is a biography of Bernt Tollefson Egstad: Bernt “Bennie” Tollefson was born in Egstad Gaard on 18 April 1857 to Tollef and Berte Egstad. Bernt arrived in America in 1876 and settled in Ashby, Minnesota, as a farmer. He was known for his wooden leg. Bernt and his brother Andrew visited Norway in 1910. He died a bachelor in 1925.