Roots and Riches: Tracing the Inspirational Norwegian Journey to American Shores

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Imagine your roots intertwining with the stories of those who braved new worlds for a chance at freedom and opportunity. That's the journey we're taking as I share the inspiring migrations of my Norwegian family to America—a narrative echoed in the lives of many listeners, particularly those in the United States, with Boston leading the charge in tuning in. This episode is a heartfelt tribute to the courage and dreams that shaped our shared history, drawing a line from the serene landscapes of southwestern Norway's Konstali farm to the bustling streets of American cities rich in Norwegian heritage. 

We're not just recounting the past; we're living it through preserved letters and personal anecdotes that bring the experience of our ancestors to vivid life. You'll be transported to a Norwegian childhood paradise, learn about the significant wave of immigration that began in 1825 with the voyage of the Sloop Restoration, and understand how these journeys have influenced our communities today. This tapestry of tales not only celebrates our collective legacy but also offers an opportunity for you, our listeners, to connect and contribute to this ever-evolving story. So join us for an episode that weaves personal reflections with historical insights, creating a rich mosaic of our shared heritage.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:45

Dear listener, thank you for still listening to my podcast. The statistics for my listeners really tells a fascinating tale. Recently, I shared with you that South Korea, and its capital, Seoul, dominates my lists and to my South Korean audience. I still appreciate you and how much you listen to me every day. I just love it. Keep holding this prominent place on the charts. I encourage you also to take a few minutes and participate in my brief survey. I will put the link in the text of this podcast. By doing so, you'll help me gain deeper insights into your culture and understand what content resonates with you. However, the latest development in my podcast analytics is that the United States now claims at the top spot Among American cities. Boston takes the lead. Interestingly, I've also noticed listeners from places often associated with Americans of Norwegian descent, such as Madison, Wisconsin. It's amusing to think that you enjoy tuning in, especially since I'm planning episodes that delve into Norwegian immigration to the USA. In my own family history, four individuals have made the journey across the Atlantic to the United States. In an upcoming episode, I'll share their stories. Additionally, I'm creating a Google Drive from where those with Norwegian roots can reach out to me. Are you curious about your Norwegian heritage. Perhaps you'd like to discover where your ancestors hailed from. While I can't promise perfection, I'll certainly make an honest effort. After thorough research, I'll craft a podcast episode to regale my listeners with these tales. Are you in? Fill out the Google Ride document. I've included the link in the podcast descriptions. Let's embark on this storytelling adventure together.

Speaker 1: 3:24

Imagine a childhood paradise on a traditional farm in southwestern Norway. As a hopeful little girl, you visit your grandparents, who overflow you with love. The farm nestles atop a gentle hill and as far as the eye can see, there are meadows, forests and waste valley and mountains Below the Syrdalsvannet fjord and it's glimmering. It's really a spectacular, beautiful view. You heard the tinkling of a cow and the sheep bells as they graze freely in the open. Bird song fills the air and perhaps you're cuddling a tiny kitten.

Speaker 1: 4:05

Right now. You play outside. Your clothes and hands is caked in mud. The garden bursts with fruit trees and berry bushes. Help yourself, says your grandmother. You do so eagerly, staining your clothes with the juice of the fruits you devour. You are really filthy now. Later you venture into the forest and spot a deer. It startles and vanishes before you can blink. Gazing back at Sirdalsvenne, you witness the sun descending, painting the entire skies in shades of orange. A breathtaking sunset. Finally, you return to your beloved grandmother, who has prepared Norwegian potato cakes on the griddle just for you. Starving and grubby from a day spent outdoors in this farm, you revel in the simple joy of it all. Welcome to my Norwegian childhood paradise. Welcome to Konstali.

Speaker 1: 5:01

Konstali Farm lies in southwestern Norway, and from this very place, four individuals embarked on their journey to the United States. The southwestern region of Norway has witnessed a significant number of immigrants heading to the USA. If you encounter Norwegians from this area, chances are high that their family holds a story of Norwegian migration to the US. Now let me share a few facts about Norwegian immigration, followed by a preserved family letter, and stay tuned for a surprise at the end. Listen closely.

Speaker 1: 5:41

Norwegian immigration to the US A historical journey. The story of Norwegian immigration to the North America began July 4th 1825, when the Sloop Restoration set sail from Stavanger in the south, bound for New York City. On board were 52 brave individuals seeking a new life across the Atlantic. Three months later, on the 9th of October, they arrived in New York. These early immigrants were primarily Quakers who faced discrimination due to their religious beliefs. Religious persecution and poverty were key factors driving Norwegians to seek opportunities in America. It was the Norwegian church who was dominating religious power, and preachers were put in jail for preaching without being a priest in the Norwegian church. Between 1820 and 1925, an estimation of 860, making the most rural immigrants group of the 19th century. They formed tight-knit ethnic communities, preserving their Norwegian language, culture and traditions. These communities established their own churches, schools, newspapers and you name it journals everything you know. And today it's approximately about 5 million Americans that are from Norwegian heritage. It's actually more than Norwegians living in Norway today. So it's kind of exciting.

Speaker 1: 7:38

Now I'm going to read to you the letter I told you about. One of the four family persons from my family was Sigbjörn. He wrote letters to his brother Berndt, which was kept in my family. Now I'm going to read the first letter he sent Wilmar, May 17, 1888. May 17 is actually Norway's National Day, so that is kind of yeah. Yeah, it makes me feel something when I'm reading this. I don't know what, but yeah, Dear brother Berndt, today brings me great pleasure to write and declare God be praised for we have safely arrived at our destination.

Speaker 1: 8:19

Our journey commenced from Liverpool on April 26th and we reached New York on May 11th. Our voyage across the Atlantic was great, prolonged due to the late departure of the steamer and persistent headwinds. The vessel was substantial and steady, although its departure was delayed. Fortunately, we encountered no major storms during our passage, although the winds were brisk. Personally, I did not suffer from seasickness, except for a few instances of nausea. The food provided was satisfactory. The bread and butter were excellent, but the meat left something to be desired. Nonetheless, I managed to maintain my health throughout the journey. However, there were many fellow passengers who expressed dissatisfaction. Perhaps their expectations were too high or they were accustomed to more refined conditions.

Speaker 1: 9:27

With a total of 1,072 passengers on board, it was inevitable that the experience would not be without challenges. The Atlantic offered little in terms of interesting sights. Occasionally we spotted other vessels at sea, but mostly it was an expanse of ocean stretching as far as the eye could see. The close quarters aboard the ship meant enduring many days in the company of fellow travelers. Upon our arrival in New York, it was nighttime and we were directed to a large house, a sight we had previously seen in pictures. Our onward journey did not commence until the following day.

Speaker 1: 10:16

Upon reaching Vilmar, we encountered several fellow Norwegians at the railroad station. Peter T Ranestad introduced us to Asbjørn Pedersen, who graciously received us Yesterday. We explored the town and met familiar faces Ole S, Ole T and Bernd Ranestad. Tobias Toresen is in Minneapolis. Although I have yet to converse with him, Please convey my greetings to Tore, Sivert and Josefine. None of them wish to return home, unfortunately. Sivert explains that he could not leave the farm due to the recent investment in new tools. Meanwhile, Josefine plans to travel to Dakota with Tönnes Torjusen Bilstad, where they intend to marry. Tönnes was in Vilmer two months ago. Margrethe has given birth to a little boy.

Speaker 1: 11:13

As of now, we have not secured employment. The construction of the railway here kept us hopeful and we eagerly await work opportunities. Lastly, I regret to report that the coffin did not survive the journey intact. Although it remained undamaged upon arrival in New York, it suffered complete destruction in Wilmar. Aspen currently has possession of it. Spring has arrived late, but most farms have completed their seasonal tasks. The terrain here is notably flatter than what we were accustomed to back home.

Speaker 1: 11:53

In closing, I have no further news to share. The journey proceeded smoothly and my health remains robust. Sadly, during our voyage, a two-year-old child from Sweden passed away on the Atlantic. I conclude this letter assuring you that I will write again once I secure employment and settle into our new life. With affection, your loving brother Sigbjorn Konstalli.

Speaker 1: 12:22

Well, isn't that just a voice of the history itself? It was written in 1888. And still I think the words are so familiar to me. It's the word from one brother to another brother, and it could have been today, Because the letter is about his journey and his way into the United States.

Speaker 1: 12:48

He meets a lot of people. They tell him to greet other people in Norway and he tells the terrible news of the two-year-old who died at the journey. He also tells that the suitcase was broken on the journey. And it's just little, small things. And that is actually the small things and the big things we talk about today. So I have a lot of these letters from Brother Bernrne to Brother Sigbjorn and I will sure read more of them in some episodes of this podcast.

Speaker 1: 13:30

But I always promise you a little surprise on the end, and the surprise is another story actually. It's a story about a Norwegian lady who experienced the American dream and her name was Ida Hansen, and it's kind of cool because she was like an influencer or a podcaster or whatever. From that time she was also a feminist. So, yeah, it was really a great thing for me to discover the story about Ida Hansen, so now I'm going to tell her story as well. I don't know if you liked my surprise, but if you like my podcast only for the storytelling you will definitely like this surprise. So let me tell you the story about Ida Hansen's journey. Yeah, Ida Hansen, she lived in the years 1853 to 1938, and she was one of the ambitious Norwegian immigrants.

Speaker 1: 14:30

In 1817, 17-year-old Ida Jensen left Ringsaker in Norway with her parents and siblings, and they bound for Chicago. Five years later she married a Dane named Nils Fredrik Hansen. Ida's entrepreneurial spirit led her to create a groundbreaking magazine for Scandinavian women in America. Written in Norwegian, the journal was titled Kvinden og Hjemme. That means the Woman and the Home. This was a monthly journal for Scandinavian women in America, and it might be important to make them feel comfort when they were homesick. I will imagine that Ida's journal covered a wide range of topics, including American customs, holidays, cooking, fashion and needlework. She published letters from readers seeking advice on suitable husbands in their new country and warned others about potential dangers. The journal's peak circulation reached an impressive 83,000. Wow, 83,000., Wow, 83,000. That was around 1907. Ida's success allowed her to move from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Oceanside, California, where she built a beautiful mansion. Her story embodies the American dream, a testament to hard work and determination.

Speaker 1: 15:56

So, as I told you before that the Norwegian Americans today they are in about like 5.5 million, and in Norway itself we are 4.5 million, so that is kind of weird. Actually, Most Norwegian Americans resided in the upper Midwest and on the West Coast. They continue to celebrate their heritage through cultural organizations, festivals and events. These associations foster connections, preserve traditions and honor their Norwegian roots, and I really appreciate that that there are some people down in the United States that still remember these roots. So yeah, I think that the Norwegian Immigration, immigration saga is one of the unknown stories that are not so much told in Norway, Because I think we focus on what has happened in Norway in this time and you know the development in Norway from the 1800s to this day is actually a positive development, If you just don't see the years 1940 to 1945, that was World War II and when the Nazis occupied us. It has been good years for us and I don't think people leaving our country for a better life fits into that story.

Speaker 1: 17:29

So I actually knew very little about the story until I was grown up myself and then I suddenly thought that, wow, I just remember sitting on my chair in the table in Constantly listening to my grandparents talking about our relatives down in the United States and talking about some letters and I was like, wow, they talked about that. And then, like my father and my uncles and so on, they started to dig in this story and it made me more interested in this story. So I met a lot of the relatives at Facebook and so on and I got to know them and I really find these stories fascinating, so part of my life I was reading a lot about it and I was like watching a lot of films. There is a beautiful Swedish musical called Kristina from Duvamåla Kristina from the Duvamåla place and it tells a spectacular story about a woman who lived in poverty and had a lot of children and left a Swedish farm to go to a country she never knew. And I think that we have to learn from these stories and learn that everyone can be an immigrant and everyone has a story. And, yeah, we should read those stories with our heart and think about the immigrants today that they also have hopes and dreams for their life.

Speaker 1: 19:05

So thank you for listening to me and please be a part of this conversation and be a part of my instagram account, my facebook, my patreon story. Tell your life, my patreon, be a part of that. And google drive fill out the google drive scheme. If you have like a story you want me to tell and you want me to dig in, because I can really dig into stories in nor regime. If you have like a story you want me to tell and you want me to dig in, because I can really dig into stories in Norway. If you have like a Norwegian heritage, I know where I can dig into that story, so please let me help you. Yeah, well, that's all for today. Bye-bye, the. The Thank you, the Thanks for watching.