Scope and Contents: 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.
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