Olaf Rydjord Papers

Consists of a biographical sketch and personal papers of Olaf Rydjord. The biographical sketch was published in the “History of Snohomish County Washington” volume II in 1926. Two pages from the Pacific Lutheran College Bulletin published in August of 1927 show the record of the $5,000 gift Olaf donated to the Endowment Campaign. There is a letter written by Grace Birkestol to the PLU archives.

Personal papers for Olaf Rydjord include a card with the Norwegian and American flags drawn on it, a seasons greetings card, a one dollar membership card for a Norwegian-American club, two postcards, a 1931 map of Norway, “For My God and My Country” book, one page in Norwegian entitled “Subskriptionsindbydelse,” forty N.L.C.A. Centennial stamps, a brochure in Norwegian about Leif Erickson, a page announcing Faith in Action, a rally to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Stanwood Lutheran Parish with a list of duties of church membership, and a brochure with a list of all securities sold by Birger Osland & Co. and still in customer’s hands or redeemed, together with cost price to customer and current selling prices for 1911 to 1928.

Given to Janet Rasmussen by Grace Birkestol, donated by Janet Rasmussen to the Scandinavian Immigran Experience Collection.

Biographical Note

Olaf Rydjord was born in Norway on 8 April 1866 to O. J. and Eldri Rydjord. As a boy he went to public school and assisted his father on the farm until 1890 when, at age twenty-four, he immigrated to the United States. He went directly to Stanwood, Washington. In 1898 he purchased the land he would then live on for the next three decades. He raised crops of hay and Holstein cows. He was a successful farmer and made many improvements to the area over the years.

He married Phena Leknes in 1908. She was a native of Norway and daughter of Samson Anderson and Susan Leknes. She immigrated to South Dakota in 1870 with her family. She met Olaf in Stanwood after 1903 when she and her brother Andrew moved there to keep house for her brother Ole. Olaf was interested in community affairs and supported movements and measures instituted to promote the general welfare. In 1927 Olaf helped Pacific Lutheran College reach its endowment goal of $290,000 by donating $5,000 to the school.