FINDING AID
Alphonse Hvalgren and Hulda Gustafson papers, 1879-2012
COLLECTION SUMMARY
Collection Title:
Alphonse Hvalgren and Hulda Gustafson papers
Collection Number:
MSS P:260
Dates:
1879-2012 and undated (bulk 1913-1920)
Size:
2 boxes (.5 linear feet)
Language:
Swedish (bulk), English
Creator/Collector:
Hvalgren, Alphonse, 1892-1985
Hvalgren, Hulda Gustafson, 1890-1981
Subject Headings:
Emigration and immigration--Sweden
Passports--Sweden
Naturalization records--Illinois.
Transportation Tickets
White Star Line.
Ticket brokerage
Correspondence--1910-1920
American Emigrant Company
Philosophers--Sweden.
World War, 1914-1918--Censorship--United States.
World War, 1914-1918--Draft resisters.
Repository:
Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.
Abstract:
Personal papers and correspondence of Alphonse Hvalgren and Hulda Gustafson Hvalgren, both born in Sweden and immigrated to Prophetstown, Illinois. The papers contain a variety of original documents such as passports, receipts from steamships, Declaration of Intention, World War I draft cards, and correspondence, some of which were opened by the mail censor during World War I. Also includes information on Emanuel Hvalgren (1827-1908), Alphonse Hvalgren’s maternal grandfather, who was a Swedish philosopher and schoolteacher.
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Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright.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 MSS P:260 Alphonse Hvalgren and Hulda Gustafson papers, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.
ACQUISITION AND RELATED MATERIALS
Provenance:
Gift of Anna Wheat of Prophetstown, Illinois in 1997. Anna Wheat is the daughter of Alphonse and Hulda Hvalgren. Additional materials donated by Nancy Oppedal in 2018 and 2019.
Accruals:
Additional accruals of letters expected.
Related Materials:
Books from this collection cataloged into the Swenson Center’s library collection:
- De dödas runor: blickar i andeverlden, af Emanuel Hvalgren, 1889.
- Engelskt och Svenskt Hand-Lexikon med de Engelska ordens uttal af C.G. Jungberg, 1875.
- Från Fars och Farfars Tid: en bokfilm om Halland av Carl-Eric Ohlén, 1961 (book sent to Alphonse by his sisters and brothers for his 70th birthday. Includes information on Emanuel Hvalgren).
- Halland och hallänningar: årsbok 1954, utg. av Samfundet Hallands biblioteks Vänner, 1954 (includes “Albert Sandklef: Emanuel Hvalgrens liv och verksamhet”).
- Katalog öfver Emanuel Hvalgrens Bibliotek, 1909.
- Lärobok i räknekonsten med talrika öfnings-exempel utgifven af P.A. v. Zweigbergk (math book send to Alphonse by his father).
- Praktisk lärobok i Engelska språket, C.G. Zetterquist, 1881.
- Tal i Skällinge kyrka den 12 Juni 1864, för bildande af en Skarpskytteförening, hållet af Emanuel Hvalgren, 1865.
- Tal vid åtskilliga tillfällen af Emanuel Hvalgren, 1864.
- Välgörenheten i sin allmänna betydelse: poem, af Emanuel Hvalgren, 1887.
- Årsvarv att minnas: ett bidrag till Hallands nyare skogshistoria: minnesskrift utgiven till Hallands skogsägares förenings U.P.A. 25-årsjubileum 1958, av Eric Hägge (contains information on Emanuel Hvalgren).
Processed By:
Received by Kermit Westerberg in 1991, accruals and outline written by Christina Johansson in 1996. Accruals added and finding aid written by Lisa Huntsha in 2018. Updated in 2019.
CONTENT AND STRUCTURE
Administrative/Biographical History:
Alphonse Hvalgren was born April 29, 1892 in Skällinge parish in Hallands län. He emigrated to the United States 1913 and became a citizen in 1950. He died in 1985. Hulda Gustafson was born on August 17, 1890 and became a citizen in 1950. She died in 1981. The Hvalgrens lived in Prophetstown, Illinois.
Scope and Content:
The papers contain a variety of original documents such as passenger contracts, passports, receipts from steamships, Declaration of Intention, World War I draft cards, and correspondence between Hulda Gustafson in Sweden an Alphonse Hvalgren in the United States, some of which were opened by the mail censor during World War I.
Also includes information on Emanuel Hvalgren (1827-1908), Alphonse Hvalgren’s maternal grandfather, who was a Swedish philosopher and schoolteacher.
System of Arrangement:
Arranged by accrual date and chronologically within series.
Series I: 1991.60 Donation (1912, 1920, 1948-1953, 1969, 1975, 1978 and undated) contains a variety of original documents such as passenger contracts, passports, receipts from steamships, vaccination card, copies of “Flyttningsbetyg” for Alphonse Hvalgren and Hulda Gustafson, newspaper clippings with letters and comments from Swedish immigrants in the United States, (some relating to Skällinge), and an unidentified poem. Also included are receipts issued by the American Emigrant Company of money sent to Emanuel Hvalgren in Skällinge, Sweden.
Series II: 1997.39 Donation (1879-1920, 1950, 1963 and undated) contains original passports, tickets and receipts for Alphonse Hvalgren and Hulda Gustafson traveling from Sweden to the United States. Also contains World War I draft cards for Alphonse and Declaration of Intention (first step in becoming a naturalized citizen) for Alphonse in 1917, though he did not become a citizen until 1950.
Series III: 2018.17 Donation (1913-2012 and undated) includes correspondence between Hulda Gustafson in Sweden and Alphonse Hvalgren in the United States, some of which were opened by the mail censor during World War I. Also includes information on Emanuel Hvalgren, family histories and family trees, and some photographs.
Series IV: 2019.4 Donation (1904-1906, 1914-1924, 1953-1957, 1976-1977 and undated) includes Hulda’s school records and diary, some correspondence, newspaper clippings and photographs.
Collection Inventory:
Series I. 1991.60 Donation
Copy of “Flyttningsbetyg” (moving certificate) for Gottfried Emanuel Alfons Hvalgren, Swedish, 29 November 1912
Copy of “Flyttningsbetyg till utlandet” (moving certificate) for Hulda Viktoria Gustafsson, Swedish, 2 June 1920
Newspaper clippings:
- “Ur Andrew Petersons dagbok” (From Andrew Peterson’s Diary) by Vilhelm Moberg, Swedish, circa 1948
- “En folkvisa får igen,” from Svenska Amerikanaren Tribunen, Swedish, 20 September 1951
- “Marknadsfolk,” by Eric C. Holmberg, from Svenska Amerikanaren Tribunen, Swedish, 27 September 1951
- “Protokoll från Skällinge, daterat nådens år 1865,” from Hallans Nyheter, Swedish, 22 February 1969
- “Ett Emigrantöde” (An Emigrant Death), Swedish, circa 1975
- “Skällinge uppvaktar om villor,” Swedish, April 1978
- “Mogen skörd av fodermajs i s. Halland” (Mighty Harvest of Corn in South Halland), Swedish, undated
- “En Ödemarkens Jul, Swedesburg, Iowa,” Swedish, undated
- “Vilan är Ljuv,” by Adolf W. Jacobson, Swedish, undated
- “Petter Jönssons Resa, Chicago, Illinois” by G. Johnson, Swedish, undated
- “Stavningsreform,” Swedish, undated
- “Ett gammalt brev,” by Pälle Näver, Swedish, undated
- “För sent,” by Erik Lindorm, Swedish, undated
- “På Roines Strand,” Swedish, undated
- “Bön,” by Pälle Näver, Swedish, undated
- “Gyllene medelväg,” by Pälle Näver, Swedish, undated
- “Tankar vid årsskiftet,” Swedish, undated
- “Halland,” Swedish, undated
- “Räd och rön,” Swedish, undated
- Untitled by Adolf, Swedish, undated
Two postcards from Varberg, Sweden, Swedish, circa 1953
“Hjärtlig Julhälsning” Christmas prayer postcard, Swedish, undated
“Vid kyrka grind” (At the Church Gate) poem, Swedish, undated
Series II. 1997.39 Donation
Receipt for money received from Alfons Emil Hvalgren from James H. Searles, Broker, Real Estate and General Insurance Agent of Rome, New York, English, 10 November 1879
Receipt for money received from Alfons Emil Hvalgren from James H. Searles, Broker, Real Estate and General Insurance Agent of Rome, New York, English, 13 May 1880
The American Emigrant Company of Hartford, Connecticut currency transfer receipt for 216 kronor from A.E. Hvalgren to Emanuel Hvalgren, Swedish/English, 25 October 1880
The American Emigrant Company of Hartford, Connecticut currency transfer receipt for 144 kronor from A.E. Hvalgren to Emanuel Hvalgren, Swedish/English, 26 March 1881
The American Emigrant Company of Hartford, Connecticut currency transfer receipt for 361 kronor from A.E. Hvalgren to Emanuel Hvalgren, Swedish/English, 27 February 1882
The American Emigrant Company of Hartford, Connecticut currency transfer receipt for 724 kronor from A.E. Hvalgren to Emanuel Hvalgren, Swedish/English, 16 July 1883
The American Emigrant Company of Hartford, Connecticut currency transfer receipt for 307 kronor from A.E. Hvalgren to Emanuel Hvalgren, Swedish/English, 8 December 1883
The American Emigrant Company of Hartford, Connecticut currency transfer receipt for 362 kronor from A.E. Hvalgren to Emanuel Hvalgren, Swedish/English, 26 June 1884
White Star Line Passage-Kontrakt (passage contract) between Joachim Prahl, White Star Line Agent and Gottfred Hvalgren for travel from Copenhagen, Denmark to Rome, New York, English/Danish, 29 February 1913
Passport/ticket holder, advertising Joachim Prahl of Copenhagen and Hvita Stjern Linien (White Star Line), Swedish, circa 1913
Inspection Card for Hvalgreen [Hvalgren], Gottfried, English, 6 March 1913
Postal receipt for letter sent from Gottfried Hvalgren to Emil Hvalgren in Sweden, English, 12 July 1913
Declaration of Intention (first step in becoming a naturalized citizen) filed in Chicago courts for Alfonse Hvalgren, English, 28 February 1917
WWI draft registration card for Alphonse Hvalgren, County of Whiteside, Illinois, English, 5 June 1917
WWI draft card, War Department Local Board for the County of Whiteside, Illinois classifying Alphonse Hvalgren in Class 5, English, 8 January 1918
WWI draft card, War Department Local Board for the County of Whiteside, Illinois classifying Alphonse Hvalgren in Class 5, English, 8 March 1918
WWI draft card, War Department Local Board for the County of Whiteside, Illinois classifying Alphonse Hvalgren in Class 5, English, 16 April 1918
Receipt for money received from Alfonse Hvalgren sent to Emil Hoakgren, Sweden, English, 7 August 1919
Passport for Gottfrid Emanuel Alfons Hvalgren (alias Alphonse Hvalgren) given by Royal Consulate of Sweden at Chicago, French/English, 4 December 1919
Passport booklet for Alphonse Hvalgren, Swedish, 26 April 1920
Passport booklet for Hulda Gustafson, Swedish, 26 April 1920
Ticket contract with Aktiebolaget Nyman & Schultz for Alphons Hvalgren aboard Den Norske Amerikalinje (SS Stavangerfjord), Norwegian/Swedish, 3 June 1920
Ticket contract with Aktiebolaget Nyman & Schultz for Hulda Gustafson aboard Den Norske Amerikalinje (SS Stavangerfjord), Norwegian/Swedish, 3 June 1920
Manifest stub for Hulda Gustafson, from Norwegian American Line ship SS Stavangerfjord from Kristiania, Swedish, 5 June 1920
Copy of marriage certificate of Alphonse G.E. Hvalgren and Hulda Victoria Gustafson of Prophetstown, Illinois, English, 15 December 1920
Copy of Certificate of Naturalization for Alphonse Hvalgren, English, 3 January 1950
Copy of Certificate of Naturalization for Hulda Victoria Hvalgren, English, 14 November 1950
Newspaper clipping about from Norwegian American Line ship SS Stavangerfjord, from Svenska Amerikanaren Tribunen, Chicago, Swedish, 11 December 1963
Receipt from Göteborgs Bank, 800 SEK/$171.67, Swedish, undated
Baggage notice, English/Norwegian, undated
Series III. 2018.17 Donation
Letters from Hulda to Alphonse, Swedish, 1913
Letters from Hulda to Alphonse, Swedish, 1914
Letters from Hulda to Alphonse, Swedish, 1915-1916
Letters from Hulda to Alphonse, Swedish 1917-1920
Letters from Alphonse to Hulda, Swedish, 1913
Letters from Alphonse to Hulda, Swedish, 1914
Letters from Alphonse to Hulda, Swedish, 1915-1916
Letters from Alphonse to Hulda, Swedish, 1917-1919
Letters from Alphonse to Hulda, Swedish, 1919-1920
Letters from Josephina Johansson to Hulda (her daughter), Swedish, 1920 and 1940
Cards (Christmas and birthday), Swedish, 1933, 1959 and undated
English translation by Alphonse Hvalgren of talk given by Emanuel Hvalgren at first town meeting under new communal law in the church at Skällinge on 4 January 1863, English, Christmas 1952 and May 1964
Emanuel Hvalgren-related newspaper clippings:
- Newspaper clipping from Varbergsposten, “‘Filosofen i Skällinge’ - original och marksman” (‘Philosopher in Skällinge’ - an unusual and special man), Swedish, 17 September 1948 with handwritten English translation
- Newspaper clipping from Hallands-Jul, “Den fattige Valinge-pojken som blev ett språkgeni” (“The poor Valinge boy who became a language genius”), Swedish, 1961
- Newspaper clipping from Varbergs-Extra, “En märklig hallänning: Skällingefilosofen Emanuel Hvalgren (“A Strange Hallander: Skällinge Philosopher Emanuel Hvalgren”), Swedish, 1974
- Copy of newspaper clipping from Hallands Nyheter, “Stirdbare skolläraren har fått sin önskan uppfylld” (The combatable school teacher has fulfilled his wish), Swedish, 22 August 1997
Åldersbetyg (birth certificate) for Hulda Viktoria Gustafsson born 17 August 1890, Swedish, 23 April 1920
Handwritten contract between brothers allowing Dhanvien Astolfus Ossian Fingal Hvalgren in Skällinge to sell Alfons Emil Hvalgren’s stables housing property, Swedish, December 1932
Copy of “Historik över familjen Hvalgren och Jöns Gunnesgård,” history about the Hvalgen family and the farm “Jöns Gunnesgård” written by Gert Hvalgren in December 1990 as a part of the preparations for delivering the Emanuel Hvalgrens library to Varbergs museum, English, 1990
Index of letters written by Alf Hvalgen by Gert Hvalgren, English, 1996
Family trees compiled by Gert Hvalgren, English, 1996
“From Sweden to USA: The big adventure for uncle Alf and Uncle Julian described in their letters to the family home” by Gert Hvalgren, English, 1999
Photographs of family members and Skällinge farm, 1910-1920, 1980, 2012 and undated
Series IV. 2019.4 Donation
Hulda’s school graduation records, Swedish, 1904, 1906
Hulda’s memory book/diary, Swedish, 1921, 1924 and undated
Postcards and correspondence (including letter about the Titanic from Oscar Ohlsson), Swedish/English, 1914, 1921 and undated
Newspaper clippings, 1953-1976 and undated
- Article from Hallands Nyheter about Hvalgrens’ trip to Sweden, 1953
- Articles about Apelvik sjukhus (Hulda’s birthplace), 1954, 1976
- “Hur man kan blifva medborgare” (How to become citizens), unidentified newspaper, undated
Images
- Tiny accordion book of images from Kinna, Sweden, undated
- Photograph of Apelvik, Sweden (Hulda Hvalgren’s birthplace), undated
- Photograph of Rosa Gustafsson and Sixten, 1957
- Photograph of Julian Hvalgren’s confirmation in Skällinge and Nösslinge, Sweden, 1915
- Photograph of Lillian Hvalgren Parker (daughter of Alphonse Hvalgren) at Skällinge cemetery, 1977