FINDING AID

409 Social Club (Washington, D.C.) records, 1940-1981

COLLECTION SUMMARY

Collection Title:    
409 Social Club (Washington, D.C.) records

Collection Number:    
I/O:22

Dates:            
1940-1981

Size:            
1 box (.25 linear feet)

Language:        
English (bulk), Swedish

Creator/Collector:    
Johnson, Carl W. 
Johnson, Lynne

Subject Headings:    
409 Social Club (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.)
Augustana Lutheran Church (Washington, D.C.)
Swedish American Lutherans
Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod of North America
Swedish Americans--History--20th century

Repository:    
Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.

Abstract:    
The 409 Social Club was a friendship group for those who attended services at the 409 4th Street N.W. location of the Augustana Lutheran Church (Washington, D.C.), in existence from 1940-1976. Collection includes meeting minutes from 1940-1969, club constitution and by-laws, addresses for club members, and information on member Carl W. Johnson. Also includes a photograph of the club from 1967.

RIGHTS AND ACCESS

Conditions Governing Access:    
Collection is open for research.

Reproduction and Use:    
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the Swenson Center and the copyright holder. 

Preferred Citation:    
[item identification], in I/O:22 409 Social Club (Washington, D.C.) records, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.

ACQUISITION AND RELATED MATERIALS

Source of Acquisition:    
Gift of Lynne Johnson (Edith Linnea Johnson) and Ellen Abrahamson in 1986. Lynne Johnson’s father was Carl W. Johnson.

Processed By:    
Processed by Kermit Westerberg, 1980s. Finding aid written by Shelby Jensen, 2018.

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE

Administrative/Biographical History:    
The 409 Social Club was a friendship group for those who attended services at the 409 4th Street N.W. location of the Augustana Lutheran Church (Washington, D.C.), in existence from 1940-1976. The Club was organized in April 1940 by the older members of the Augustana Lutheran Church (once named St. Erik’s Lutheran Church) in order to “perpetuate the friendships and ties which were formed during the many years we attended services at 409 4th Street” (from minutes). 

St. Erik’s Lutheran Church began in 1918 under the leadership of Rev. F.N. Anderson, in the three-story home of 409 4th Street. Due to the congregation’s growing size, they soon needed more space. Under the church’s first full-time resident pastor, Rev. Dr. Arthur O. Hjelm, they purchased St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and moved to 2100 New Hampshire Avenue N.W. and officially changed their name to Augustana Lutheran Church. The Church celebrated its centennial in 2018.

Officers elected at the first Club meeting were Albert Lindström (President), Esther Benson (Vice President), Carl Gustafson (Finance Secretary), Hanna C. Weber (Secretary). Secretaries of the group over the years included Carl W. Johnson, Hanna C. Weber, Esther Benson, Benjamin F. Smith, Elvera Murphy, Herman G. Wissen, Frances Weber, Roy M. Newquist, Aubrey Minor, and Edwin T. Abrahamson.  

No additional minutes were recorded for the Club after 1969 because those meetings became irregularly scheduled social functions. The official date of the Club’s last meeting was 28 March 1976.  

Carl W. Johnson (born Karl Valfrid William Johansson) was born in Norratorp, Linneryd parish, Småland, Sweden on July 6, 1891. He immigrated to America in 1911 and settled in Minnesota before moving to Washington, D.C. for government work. He was involved in the Vasa Order of America, receiving many honors and serving as Grand Master three times, in addition to his role as secretary in the 409 Social Club. Lynne Johnson (donor) was the daughter of Carl W. Johnson.

Scope and Content:    
Collection includes meeting minutes from 1940-1969, club constitution and by-laws, addresses for club members, and information on member Carl W. Johnson. Also includes a photograph of the club from 1967.

System of Arrangement:    
Chronologically and by subject.

Collection Inventory:    

Box1

Folder 1:  

• Book of meeting minutes. Constitution and by-laws attached inside cover. 10 April 1940 through 1 March 1953, English. 

Folder 2:

• Spiral notebook of meeting minutes taped into book, 13 May 1955 through 15 December 1961, English.
• Book of meeting minutes, February 1962 through October 1969, English. Color photograph of club meeting attached on page 46 and dated May 1967.  

Folder 3:

• Address book for club members, August 1947, English.
• Newsletter of Augustana Lutheran Church, Washington, D.C., first golden anniversary issue, 1968
• Information relating to Carl W. Johnson
  • Letter to Miss Lynne Johnson from Bertil Winstrom, past Grand Master of Vasa Order of America Grand Lodge, regarding Carl W. Johnson’s death, 29 March 1976, English.
  • Photocopy of article from Smålandsposten, on the topic of a painting donated by Carl W. Johnson to Linneryds kyrka following his death, 5 September 1977, Swedish.
  • Eulogy for past Vasa Grand Master Carl W. Johnson, written by past Grand Master Bertil Winstrom, 10 July 1978, English.
  • Biography written by Lynne Johnson on her father Carl Johnson, in connection to the painting donation, 10 June 1981, English.