Identity elements
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Title
Date(s)
- 1982-04-01 (Creation)
Extent
3 file folders
6 photographs
1 sound cassette
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
The interview was conducted with Lars Nygaard by his daughter, Inger Nygaard Carr on April 1, 1982 in Stanwood, Washington. It provides information on family background, emigration, work, marriage and family, and Norwegian heritage. The interview also contains photographs of Lars as a young man, Lars, his wife Dagny, and their daughters, and Lars and Dagny at the time of the interview. The interview was conducted in English.
Also see Dagny Nygaard.
Folder Contents
Box 7, File 12 Personal and Family History
Tape Archive Sheet, Family Background, and Tape Index
Box 7, File 12A Correspondence and Forms
Release Form
Handwritten Tape Archive Sheet and Family Background
Box 7, File 12B Photographs
Six photographs
System of arrangement
Interviewed by Inger Nygaard Carr
Transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and Becky Husby
Encoded by Kerstin Ringdahl & Amity Smetzler
Recording Quality: Good
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Notes element
General note
Biographical Note
Lars Nygaard was born on July 17, 1901 in Tydal, Norway to Thomas Langmyr and Karena Nygaard. Lars was born on his mother's place, which is why he received her maiden name. He had five siblings: Einar, Inga, Henning, Torvald, and Tordis. Thomas was a carpenter, and the family lived on the same farm. Lars went to school in Tydal for eight years, after which he was confirmed and began working for his father.
When he was 27 years old, Lars decided to immigrate to America. Einar, who had mined in Butte, Montana during the mid-1920s, advised him to do so. Before he left, Lars married Dagny Unsgaard, who was also from Tydal and two years older than him. Lars left Norway in November 1928, and it took nine days to reach Ellis Island. From there, he took the train to Middle River, Minnesota, where Karl Sagavold, the husband of Lars' mother's cousin, met him. Lars stayed with them until April and then went to Kevin, Montana, where his relatives in Minnesota had arranged carpentry work for him.
After two years, Lars had earned enough money to send for Dagny and his daughter Inger, who was born several months after he left Norway. At this time, there was no more work for him in Montana, and he took his family to Minnesota and farmed for several years. In Minnesota, his second daughter, Thelma, was born.
When World War II started, Lars moved his family to Stanwood, Washington, where his father's cousin, Tom Helmer, and Henning lived. In Stanwood, Lars found work in the shipyards. After living with Tom for one year, Lars bought a house in Freeborn, Washington, where the family resided until 1963. During this time, Lars continued to do carpentry work, and built houses in Alaska as well as Washington. Lars is a member of Freeborn Lutheran Church, where he helped build the parsonage and has served on the council. He has returned to Norway in 1952 and 1965 and still speaks Norwegian at home sometimes.
Lineage
Full Name: Lars Thomas Nygaard
Father: Thomas Lars Langmyr
Mother: Karena Nygaard
Paternal Grandfather: Lars Langmyr
Paternal Grandmother: Ingeborg Aaslian
Maternal Grandfather: Einar Erikson Nygaard
Maternal Grandmother: Berit Bakken
Brothers and Sisters: Einar Nygaard, Inga Kuraas, Henning Nygaard, Torvald Nygaard (died in infancy), Tordia Nygaard
Spouse: Dagny Bergitte Unsgaard
Children: Inger Nygaard Carr, Thelma Nygaard Schwarz