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Persson Family Papers, 1911-1930

Collection Overview

Title: Persson Family Papers, 1911-1930

ID: OGLMC/1399

Extent: 0.25 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 00/00/1996

Languages: English [eng], Swedish [swe]

Abstract

Letters from family members in Sweden and the United States.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Persson Family Papers consist of letters and letter fragments, written mainly in Swedish, to Adolf and Victoria "Tori" Persson from family members in Sweden and in the United States. The letters span the years 1911-1930 and have been translated by Special Collections Norwegian student assistants: Ann Catrin Jern, Anne Berit Hamar, Nina Berg, and Ada Jonsson. Because the letters are handwritten in an older form of Swedish, there are probably some errors in the translations.

Correspondents in Sweden include Victoria's father, August Andersson, and her sister, Wilhelmina or Mina, and Adolf's sister, Tekla. Isaac and Elin Persson often wrote from their home in Dunlap, Illinois. Isaac was Adolf's brother and Victoria and Elin seem to have been good friends. Other correspondents include John and Hjalmar Persson (brothers to Adolf), Edna Persson (niece) and Hjalmar Larson and John Magnusson (friends of Adolf).

Correspondents generally reported news concerning family members and friends in Sweden and in Illinois. The letters contain information on births, deaths and marriages. Crops, livestock, weather, and other affairs of daily rural agricultural life are often discussed as well. There are some references to World War I in the letters, but very little commentary on other world events.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: The original acquisition records are unavailable

Acquisition Method: 99-2381

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Persson Family Papers. OGLMC 1399. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid revised and added to Archon in October 2015


Box and Folder Listing

Box 1Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Correspondence from Victoria's family in Sweden, 1911-1914Add to your cart.
Letters are from sister Wilhelmina (Mina) and father Johan August Andersson to Victoria and/or her brother Gustaf
Folder 2: Correspondence from Victoria's family in Sweden, 1915-1916Add to your cart.
Letters are written by sister Wilhelmina (Mina) and father Johan August Andersson to Victoria and/or her brother Gustaf
Folder 3: Correspondence from Victoria's family in Sweden, 1918-1930Add to your cart.
Letters are written by sister Wilhelmina (Mina) and two of her children, Villy and Gustav, and by father Johan August Andersson. They were sent either to Victoria or including her brother Gustaf.
Folder 4: Correspondence from Adolf's sister Tekla in Sweden, 1911Add to your cart.
Folder 5: Correspondence from the Isaac Person family to the Adolf Person family, July-August 1915Add to your cart.
Letters from Isaac, his wife Elin, and daughter Edna to Adolf, Victoria (Tori), and their chidren. The letters from Edna are in English, while the others are in Swedish and include translations.
Folder 6: Correspondence from the Isaac Person family to the Adolf Person family, September-December 1915 and undated (probably 1915)Add to your cart.
Letters from Isaac and his wife Elin to Adolf, Victoria (Tori) and family. Includes a couple of letter fragments that are probably from this same time period. Letters are in Swedish and have been translated.
Folder 7: Correspondence from the Isaac Person family to the Adolf Person family, 1917-1919Add to your cart.
Letters from Isaac and his wife Elin to Adolf, Victoria (Tori) and family. The original of the 21 January 1917 letter is missing (copy only). All letters are in Swedish with translations.
Folder 8: Correspondence from other siblings to Adolf Person, 1909-1918Add to your cart.
Letters from his sister Alma (Mrs. Niel Larson) in Brooklyn, New York; brother Hjalmar in Dunlap, Illinois; brother John in Peoria, Illinois; and sister Clara (Mrs. Gust Johnson) in Los Angeles. All are in Swedish, but the letter from Clara has not been translated.
Folder 9: Correspondence to/from John Magnuson, 1915-1919 and undated (ca. 1917)Add to your cart.
John was an acquaintance of the Person family in Illinois and came to Polk County, Minnesota, to work in 1915. Includes a letter probably from Hjalmar Person in 1915 as well as later letters by John to Adolf Person and Gustaf Johnson in Polk County, Minnesota. All letters are in Swedish with translations.
Folder 10: Correspondence - assorted, 1907, 1915 and undated (ca. 1910)Add to your cart.
The 1907 letter fragment (copy only) appears to be from a female acquaintance of Victoria, while the 1915 letter fragment was probably written by Adolf when he arrived in Grand Forks with others from Illinois. The last letter was likely to Adolf from a friend, Hjalmar Larson, in Peoria. All are in Swedish and have been translated.
Folder 11: Correspondence, undatedAdd to your cart.
Letter fragment in broken English mentioning Victoria and probably written in the Peoria area. Folder also contains addresses of people in Peoria and information about a train ticket from Illinois to East Grand Forks. All are undated.
Folder 12: Obituaries from the Grand Forks Herald for Victoria and Adolph Pearson, 1961 and 1966Add to your cart.