Osmund Gunvaldsen Papers, 1910-1976

Osmund Gunvaldsen Papers

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Collection Overview

Title: Osmund Gunvaldsen Papers, 1910-1976

ID: OGLMC391

Primary Creator: Gunvaldsen, Osmund (1893-1982)

Extent: 7.5 Linear Feet

Subjects: Business and Industry, Energy, Ethnicity - Norwegian

Languages: English, Norwegian

Abstract

1893-1982; founded the Northwest Development Association, which bought and sold mineral and oil rights in the Upper Midwest

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Osmund Gunvaldsen Papers date from 1910-1976 and have been divided into five series:

Series I: Correspondence

Series II: Political Materials

Series III: Oil and Mineral Interests

Series IV: Miscellaneous

Series V: Personal Materials

Collection Historical Note

Osmund Gunvaldsen was born on September 29, 1893, in Kristiansand, Norway. He was educated in Norway until he immigrated, alone, to the United States in 1910. He worked on farms around Battleview, North Dakota, from 1910-1915. Beginning in 1916, he operated his own farm near Battleview. He took night courses at the North Dakota Agricultural College (now North Dakota State University) in Fargo from 1915-1916, and at Aaker’s Business College, Fargo, in 1917 and 1918.

Gunvaldsen was inducted in the United States Army on September 4, 1918. He served in Training Company 19 at Camp Hancock, Georgia, until his discharge on January 9, 1919. He married Inga Ostby on February 12, 1919. The couple had five daughters: Agnes, Ruth, Esther, Irene, and Joyce.

With the support of the Nonpartisan League, Gunvaldsen was elected sheriff of Burke County as a Republican in 1923. He served in that capacity until 1927, when he was appointed United States Marshal for North Dakota by President Calvin Coolidge. Gunvaldsen was re-nominated by President Herbert Hoover, and served as Marshal until 1934.

Gunvaldsen was self-employed from 1934 to 1941 as publisher of Normanden, a Norwegian newspaper. Following the end of his newspaper career, he founded the Northwest Development Association, which bought and sold mineral and oil rights. An inventor, he also sought patents for some of his inventions. Gunvaldsen played a role in the founding of the Republican Organizing Committee in 1943. He was also an active member of the American Legion, the Sons of Norway, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Masons. He retired in 1976.

Osmund Gunvaldsen died on October 16, 1982, in Fargo.

Subject/Index Terms

Business and Industry
Energy
Ethnicity - Norwegian

Administrative Information

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

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

Acquisition Method: Donation; the acquisition records are unavailable.

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item) Osmund Gunvaldsen Papers. OGLMC 391, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections. Chester Fritz Library. University of North Dakota.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in October 2013.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Correspondence],
[Series 2: Political Materials],
[Series 3: Oil and Material Interests],
[Series 4: Miscellaneous],
[Series 5: Personal Materials],
[All]

Series 1: Correspondence

This series contains correspondence both sent and received by Gunvaldsen, and is divided into three sub-series.

Sub-Series 1: 1924-1946

The first sub-series covers the years 1924-1946 and contains considerable material relative to Gunvaldsen's career as U.S. Marshal for Fargo, as well as to political events in North Dakota and throughout the nation.

Box 1

Folder 1: A: 1928 - 1944
Folder 2: B: 1927 - 1946
Folder 3: C: 1930 - 1934
Folder 4: D: 1931 - 1944
Folder 5: E: 1932 - 1936
Folder 6: F: 1928 - 1944
Folder 7: G: 1928 - 1944
Folder 8: H: 1931 - 1941
Folder 9: I: 1932 - 1933
Folder 10: J: 1931 - 1934
Folder 11: K: 1931 - 1936
Folder 12: L: 1928 - 1937
Folder 13: M: 1930 - 1942
Folder 14: N: 1931 - 1935
Folder 15: O: 1925 - 1936
Folder 16: P: 1931 - 1944
Folder 17: R: 1931 - 1932
Folder 18: S: 1924 - 1938
Folder 19: T: 1931 - 1944
Folder 20: V: 1931 - 1945
Folder 21: W: 1931 - 1945

Sub-Series 2: 1948-1976

This sub-series dates from 1948-1976, and includes materials on local, state, and national politics, as well as much information on Gunvaldsen's career in oil and mineral development in North Dakota.

Box 1

Folder 22: A: 1953 - 1967
Folder 23: B: 1950 - 1970
Folder 24: C: 1950 - 1975
Folder 25: D: 1951 - 1974
Folder 26: E: 1952 - 1962
Folder 27: F: 1950 - 1975
Folder 28: G: 1958 - 1976
Folder 29: H: 1951 - 1971
Folder 30: I: 1956 - 1957
Folder 31: J: 1950 - 1974
Folder 32: K: 1952 - 1975
Folder 33: L: 1948 - 1975
Folder 34: Mc: 1952 - 1974
Folder 35: M: 1950 - 1974
Folder 36: N: 1950 - 1974
Folder 37: O: 1952 - 1959
Folder 38: P: 1951 - 1975
Folder 39: Q: 1955 - 1957
Folder 40: R: 1950 - 1974
Folder 41: S: 1951 - 1975

Box 2

Folder 1: T: 1950 - 1974
Folder 2: U: 1951 - 1957
Folder 3: V: 1954 - 1965
Folder 4: W: 1954 - 1966
Folder 5: XYZ: 1955 - 1962

Sub-Series 3: Correspondence with prominent politicians

This series contains correspondence with prominent state and national politicians, including Usher and Quentin Burdick, Hubert Humphrey, William Langer, William Lemke, Richard Nixon, and Milton Young.

Box 2

Folder 6: Andrews, Mark, U.S. Congressman from North Dakota: 1958 - 1974
Folder 7: Burdick, Quentin, U.S. Congressman and Senator from North Dakota: 1959 - 1975
Folder 8: Burdick, Usher, U.S. Congressman from North Dakota: 1935 - 1957
Folder 9: Ford, Gerald, U.S. President: 1974 - 1975
Folder 10: Frazier, Lynn, U.S. Senator from North Dakota (includes correspondence with Frazier’s aide W. O. Skeels): 1931 - 1940
Folder 11: Humphrey, Hubert, U.S. Senator from Minnesota and Vice- President of the United States: 1951 - 1974
Folder 12: Johnson, Lyndon, U.S. Senator from Texas and U.S. President: 1956 - 1966
Folder 13: Langer, William, Governor of North Dakota and U.S. Senator: 1928 - 1959
Folder 14: Larson, Robert (secretary to Lynn Frazier): 1931 - 1940
Folder 15: Lemke, William, U.S. Congressman from North Dakota (includes correspondence with Lemke’s secretary, W. O. Skeels): 1925 - 1950
Folder 16: Nixon, Richard, U.S. President: 1958 - 1974
Folder 17: Nye, Gerald, U.S. Senator from North Dakota (includes correspondence with Nye's aide P. L. Aarhus): 1931 - 1971
Folder 18: Nygaard, Hjalmar, U.S. Congressman from North Dakota: 1961 - 1963
Folder 19: Nystul, John, Nonpartisan League Chairman and Campaign Manager: 1932 - 1944
Folder 20: Richardson, Seth., Assistant U.S. Attorney General: 1931 - 1939
Folder 21: Sinclair, James, U.S. Congressman from North Dakota: 1931 - 1935
Folder 22: Young, Milton., U.S. Senator from North Dakota: 1951 - 1975

Series 2: Political Materials

Box 2

Folder 23: Accreditation Controversy, North Dakota Agricultural College, State Board of Higher Education Amendment: 1938
Folder 24: America First Committee
Folder 25: College Trimester Plan - Correspondence: May 1959 - September 1963
Folder 26: College Trimester Plan - Materials
Folder 27: Constitutional Amendment County Petitions: 1937
Folder 28: Collected Editorials
Folder 29: Farming and the Drought: 1930s
Folder 30: LaFollete - Wheeler Progressive Clubs
Folder 31: Langer Senate Investigation
Folder 32: NIPRO membership lists
Folder 33: Nonpartisan League
Folder 34: Nonpartisan League: 1928 Campaign Materials
Folder 35: King Olav of Norway: 1968 Visit to the American Midwest

Box 3

Folder 1: People's Fair Tax League, Correspondence: May 27, 1935 - July 26, 1935
Folder 2: People's Fair Tax League, Correspondence: May 3, 1935 - May 25, 1935
Folder 3: People's Fair Tax League, Newspaper Clippings, Petitions, Speeches: 1935
Folder 4: Republican Party: 1962 State Convention
Folder 5: Republican Party: 1960 State Convention
Folder 6: Republican Party, Burke County Central Committee (Samuel Nickey, Chair) - Registered Voters and Township Officers: 1925-26
Folder 7: Urban Renewal
Folder 8: Wheat Exports: mostly 1963-64
Folder 9: Miscellaneous Political Materials

Series 3: Oil and Material Interests

This series covers Gunvaldsen's interests and career in the development of oil and minerals in the upper Midwest. The first folders in this series are arranged alphabetically by county, state, or foreign country. Subject folders are arranged second, in alphabetical by folder title.

Box 3

Folder 10: Billings County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 11: Bottineau County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 12: Bottineau County Drilling Ventures
Folder 13: Bowman County Coal
Folder 14: Bowman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - Personal Leases.
Folder 15: Bowman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - Crosby - Irish - Gunvaldsen Tract
Folder 16: Bowman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - Fayfield Lands
Folder 17: Bowman County Royalties Assigned and General Information
Folder 18: Bowman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - General
Folder 19: Bowman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - General
Folder 20: Burke County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 21: Burke County Drilling Ventures - Jacob Dewing #1

Box 4

Folder 1: Divide County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 2: Dunn County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 3: Foster County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 4: Golden Valley County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 5: Hettinger County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 6: Kidder County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 7: McHenry County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 8: McKenzie County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 9: McKenzie and Williams Counties, Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - Charlson- Madison Unit
Folder 10: Mercer County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 11: Morton County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 12: Mountrail County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 13: Oliver County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 14: Slope County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 15: Stark County, Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 16: Stutsman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 17: Ward County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 18: Williams County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 19: Williams County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 20: Multiple Counties in North Dakota, Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 21: Montana Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 22: South Dakota Oil and Mineral Rights; Properties
Folder 23: Canadian Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
Folder 24: Litigation: Olson v. Olson (McKenzie County)
Folder 25: Litigation: Skelly-Ceynar Case (McKenzie County)
Folder 26: Litigation: Thompson Case (McKenzie County)

Box 5

Folder 1: Litigation: Ytterdahl-Boots Cases: September 30, 1954 - November 3, 1964
Folder 2: Mineral Rights Inquiries: September 1956 - March 1958
Folder 3: Mineral and Land Offerings Available: August 1952 - November 1961
Folder 4: Drilling Operations - Plugged Wells: February 1963 - March 1964
Folder 5: Oil and Gas Properties, Minneapolis Sales: June 1952 - January 1956
Folder 6: Oil Development, General Materials
Folder 7: Government Land Condemnations
Folder 8: Notes and Memoranda on Oil
Folder 9: Geologic Survey Maps
Folder 10: Newspaper Clippings on Area Oil and Mineral Prospects.
Folder 11: Miscellaneous Oil and Minerals Materials
Folder 12: Miscellaneous Oil and Minerals Materials
Folder 13: Gunvaldsen Oil Brokerage Registration
Folder 14: Mineral Rights Deeds to Gunvaldsen Trust, 1970
Folder 15: Miscellaneous Oil Correspondence
Folder 16: Miscellaneous Oil Correspondence
Folder 17: Northwest Development Association Ledgers - Sales, Rental Income, Purchases: 1953-1957
Folder 18: Northwest Development Association - Advertising Oil Holdings Ledger

Series 4: Miscellaneous

This series is small and details Gunvaldsen's business dealings in fields other than oil. Included are materials concerning his career as an inventor and as publisher of Normanden, a Norwegian-language newspaper.

Box 6

Folder 1: Legal Forms
Folder 2: Mexican Lands, 1952
Folder 3: Normanden materials
Folder 4: Normanden: Mortgage, Inventory, and Correspondence: 1928 - 1934
Folder 5: Rol-Gard Corporation: Correspondence (1949 - 1950) and Articles of Incorporation
Folder 6: Inventions: Rol-Gard Corporation Record and Desk-Tray Holder Correspondence, January 1952 - October 1952

Series 5: Personal Materials

The series contains material of family or personal nature. Included are Gunvaldsen family correspondence, genealogical material, family business, real estate, and memorabilia items.

Box 6

Folder 7: Gunvaldsen Family Correspondence Gunvaldsen Genealogical material
Folder 8: Insurance
Folder 9: Chattel Mortgages, Deeds, Contracts, and Satisfactions (farming, 1920's)
Folder 10: Newspaper Clippings
Folder 11: Newspaper Clippings, 1930's
Folder 12: Newspaper Clippings, May 1967, Elwyn B. Robinson on North Dakota History
Folder 13: Newspaper Clippings - Letters to the Editor
Folder 14: Norwegian Correspondence
Folder 15: Materials in Norwegian
Folder 16: Assorted Pamphlets
Folder 17: Real Estate Holdings, 1928
Folder 18: Real Estate - Fargo Property St. Andreas Logen Oscar: 4/25/1841 - 4/25/1966
Folder 19: Sons of Norway
Folder 20: Stock Certificates, North Dakota Companies
Folder 21: Tax Records
Folder 22: Memorabilia and Personal Materials Address Book Ledger 1888 - 1891
Folder 23: Miscellaneous

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