Nielsen, Einer

3 file folders
2 photographs
1 sound cassette

This interview was conducted with Einer Nielsen on October 6, 1982 at the Norse Home in Seattle, Washington. It provides information on family background, emigration, occupations, and marriage and family. The interview also includes two photographs of Einer at the time of the interview. The interview was conducted in English with some Danish towards the end of the interview.

Folder Contents

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

Box 9, File 1A Correspondence and Forms
Checklists and Release Form
Letters from Janet Rasmussen regarding Mr. Nielsen’s participation.
Handwritten Tape Archive Sheet and Family Background

Box 9, File 1B Photographs
Two photographs

Interviewed by Inger Nygaard Carr
Transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky Husby
Encoded by Kerstin Ringdahl & Amity Smetzler
Recording Quality: Good

Biographical Note

Einer Nielsen was born on February 14, 1897 in Henne, Denmark to Sern Christian Brun and Anna Nielsen. Einer's parents were farmers, raising some grain and potatoes, and Sern also worked part-time for a house-builder. Einer was the youngest of eight children, all of which immigrated to America except the eldest two. After Einer was confirmed, he began working on local farms but did not see a future for himself in Denmark.

In 1914, he decided to immigrate with two other boys who were going to homestead in Canada. They took the Lusitania to Ellis Island and from there, took the train to Toronto, Ontario. In Toronto, they met a man who arranged for them to do farm work in Tavistock, Ontario. Einer farmed until the crops were in and then went to live with his brother in Seattle, Washington. His brother owned a boarding house, and Einer got a room there. He worked shoveling snow and filling bakery orders for the drivers.

Einer's brother Viktor, who was also selling bakery goods, wanted to farm and convinced Einer to join him. They began working on a 1700-acre farm, where they lassoed wild cows, milked them, and made butter. They had four cows, which gave them enough to live on, but soon found a farm more suitable for dairy farming in Roy, Washington. After working with Viktor for awhile, Einer went to Alaska, where his brother Kris had a bunkhouse near a mine. Einer's job was to keep water out of the mine when the tides came in. Eventually, Einer returned to Seattle and went into the milk business with his brother-in-law.

Around 1921, Einer returned to Denmark and brought back Hilda Dungaar, whom he had known from grade school. They were married in Seattle and had two children, Viktor and Esther (Temple). Einer continued with the milk industry and built a Danish brick house for his family. When he retired, he moved into an apartment complex and met his second wife, Helen Bogardis, who was born in Seattle.

Lineage

Full Name: Einer Marinus Nielsen
Father: Sern Christian Brun
Mother: Anna Nielsen
Brothers and Sisters: Martin Nielsen, Matilda Nielsen, Sigfrid Nielsen, Kris Nielsen, Viktor Nielsen, Margrethe Nielsen, Edith Hansen
Spouse: Hilda Dungaar, Helen Bogardis
Children: Viktor, Esther Temple.