Title: Julius E. Olson Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1871-1941

Creator:

• Olson, Julius Emil, 1858-1944

Call Number: Wis Mss PM

Quantity: 5.8 c.f. (28 archives boxes)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers of Julius E. Olson, a professor of Scandinavian languages at the University of Wisconsin (1884-1931). The collection documents his work as a writer and lecturer of Scandinavian history and culture, as well as his interest in the authenticity of the Kensington Rune Stone, and his involvement in university affairs, particularly its scholarships and loans committee. The collection includes incoming correspondence from friends, students, and other Scandinavian scholars; scrapbooks; lecture notebooks; literary articles; biographical sketches of scholars and friends; and patriotic addresses.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-wis000pm

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Julius Emil Olson, author, teacher, and orator, was born in Cambridge, Wisconsin, on November 9, 1858. He attended the University of Wisconsin where, in 1884, he received his B.A. degree. That same year he became instructor in German and Scandinavian languages. Three years later he was made assistant professor, and in 1892 became Professor of Scandinavian Languages at the University of Wisconsin.

From the age of eighteen, Olson was a correspondent for the Norwegian-American and American press; and from 1900-1907, he was editor of the university publications. He wrote A Norwegian Grammar and Reader (1898), and an edition of Ibsen's play, Brand (1908), as well as numerous articles concerning Scandinavian languages and literature. His chief contribution, however, was in the field of teaching.

While at the University of Wisconsin, Professor Olson became noted as a popular and enthusiastic lecturer. Between 1905 and 1933, he served as chairman of the committee on loans and scholarships, at this time expanding the legacy of Scandinavian scholarships to make the University one of the leading centers of Scandinavian studies in the nation. For many years, he presided over University commencements and similar activities, introducing the “Varsity Welcome,” an all-University function, in 1913. This ended in 1931 with his retirement to emeritus status. Following his retirement, Professor Olson continued to live in Madison until his death on February 25, 1944.

The Julius E. Olson Papers are arranged in four groups: personal correspondence; articles, speeches, and notes by Olson; material concerning the Kensington Rune Stone; and thirty-three volumes of notebooks and scrapbooks.

The correspondence (Boxes 1-13) contains chiefly letters to Olson between the years 1871 and 1941, but it also includes a few letters written by him during these same years. These are from friends, students, and noted Scandinavian scholars; mainly asking about scholarship funds, praising and criticizing Olson's publications, and discussing Scandinavian activities in Wisconsin and Minnesota. This group is arranged alphabetically by correspondent, and letters are chronological within each folder.

The articles, speeches, and notes are composed of manuscript material by Professor Olson. There are copies of his addresses, literary articles concerning Scandinavian history and culture, and biographical sketches. The sketches include material on Abraham Lincoln, Magnus Swenson, and John Muir, but the bulk of the biographies are for Scandinavian scholars and authors as well as friends of Olson. Three boxes labeled “Miscellaneous”, contain primarily clippings and memorabilia.

Professor Olson was greatly interested in the authenticity of the Kensington Rune Stone and did research and writing on the controversy. Box 22 contains correspondence and clippings illustrating the differing opinions concerning the Rune Stone, as expressed by Olson and other Norwegian scholars, including Hjalmar Rued Holand.

The thirty-three volumes are composed of twenty-one notebooks of lecture and research notes on Scandinavian countries and people, and twelve scrapbooks of newspaper clippings concerning these same subjects. The notebooks have been arranged alphabetically by titles, while the scrapbooks are arranged chronologically by date. The contents list below gives each volume title.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Mrs. Julius B. Olson and Mrs. Ralph W. Olson, 1945 and 1950.

Processing Information

Processed by MW, 1966.

	Series: Correspondence
Box   1	A-General, 1896-1939
Box   1	Aasgaard, Rev. J. A., 1906-1912
Box   1	Adams, Charles Kendall, 1892-1896
Box   1	Ager, Waldemar, 1904-1937
Box   1	Alexis, Prof. Joseph, 1917-1937
Box   1	American-Scandinavian Foundation, 1920-1936
Box   1	Anderson, Abel, 1895-1913
Box   1	Anderson, Andrew R., 1906-1923
Box   1	Anderson, John, Publishing Co., 1905-1916
Box   1	Anderson, Rasmus B., 1874-1903
Box   1	Anstensen, Ansten, 1929-1930
Box   1	Askeland, Hallvard, 1906-1936
Box   1	B-General, 1890-1941
Box   2	Babcock, William H., 1910-1912
Box   2	Bach, Hugo, 1907-1911
Box   2	Berg, C. F., 1928-1934
Box   2	Bergesen, B. E., 1907-1940
Box   2	Beruts, Olaf, 1927-1931
Box   2	Birge, E. A., 1902-1930
Box   2	Bjornson, Erling, 1902-1906
Box   2	Biegen, Theodore C., 1916-1934
Box   2	Blessum, Ben, 1904-1924
Box   2	Bothne, Gisle, 1905-1925
Box   2	Brainard, Harriet C., 1905
Box   2	Brandtzaeg, Johannes, 1924
Box   2	Brathovde, Edna M., 1921-1922
Box   2	Brittingham, Thomas E., 1908-1916
Box   2	C-General, 1891-1937
Box   2	Caswell, C. A., 1892-1893
Box   2	Clausen, Otto, 1925-1933
Box   2	Coerne, L. A., 1911-1912
Box   2	Collin, C. M., 1896-1903
Box   3	D-General, 1892-1932
Box   3	Dahl, Andrew H., 1912-1923
Box   3	Dahl, Gerhard M., 1896-1940
Box   3	Dahle, Isak J., 1928-1937
Box   3	Dahle, Otto B., 1909-1913
Box   3	Davies, Joseph E., 1914
Box   3	Dieserud, Juul, 1905-1930
Box   3	Dobson, J. 0., 1904
Box   3	Dow, John G., 1891-1892
Box   3	E-General, 1891-1941
Box   3	Ekern, Herman L., 1912-1937
Box   3	Elmquist, Prof. A. Louis, 1912-1915
Box   3	Erdahl, H. C., 1927
Box   3	Erdall, John L., 1902-1915
Box   3	Erickson, Alfred O., 1923-1932
Box   3	F-General, 1891-1938
Box   3	Feeney, M. J., 1892
Box   3	Fjelde, H. O., 1908-1914
Box   3	Fjelde, Paul, 1919-1920
Box   4	Flom, George T., 1893-1937
Box   4	Fossum, Andrew, 1909-1922
Box   4	Frank, Glenn, 1926-1936
Box   4	Free Church Book Concern, 1911
Box   4	G-General, 1891-1934
Box   4	Gade, F. Herman, 1906-1908
Box   4	Gale, Zona, 1929
Box   5	Gilbert, Joseph, 1910
Box   5	0jerset, Knut, 1908-1935
Box   5	Gould, J. H., 1892-1936
Box   5	Granrud, J. E., 1904-1913
Box   5	Grevstad, N. A., 1901-1935
Box   5	Grondahl, Jens K., 1917-1924
Box   5	Gulbrandson, Esther, 1927-1928
Box   5	Gunderson, Adolf and Gunnar, 1928-1934
Box   5	H-General, 1891-1938
Box   5	Haight, George I., 1930-1934
Box   5	Hamann, Th. F., 1931-1932
Box   5	Hambro, C. I., 1913
Box   5	Hansen, Carl G. O., 1911-1937
Box   5	Hansen, H. Sundby, 1921
Box   5	Hanson, J. C. M., 1898-1931
Box   5	Haugan, H. A., 1899-1906
Box   5	Haugen, Einar, 1930-1933
Box   6	Herbard, Grace Raymond, 1914-1926
Box   6	Hoard, W. D., 1909-1911
Box   6	Hobe, B. K., 1906-1940
Box   6	Hodges, Ella M., 1891-1895
Box   6	Hoen, C. A., 1925-1932
Box   6	Holand, Rued, 1904-1931
Box   6	Hollander, L. M., 1907-1911
Box   6	Hummeland, Andrew, 1904-1924
Box   6	Huseby, Olaf, 1904-1912
Box   6	I-General, 1891-1912
Box   6	Ingvason, P. A., 1915-1920
Box   6	Iverslee, P. P., 1900-1912
Box   6	J-General, 1881-1932
Box   6	Jaeger, Luth, 1891-1892
Box   6	Jameson, J. Franklin, 1905-1906
Box   6	Jerde, K. O., 1891-1896
Box   6	Johnson, Dr. J. L., 1904-1918
Box   6	Johnson, L. H., 1894-1912
Box   6	Johnson, Vilas, 1921-1937
Box   6	Jones, Richard Lloyd, 1909
Box   6	Josephson, Aksel G. S., 1914-1918
Box   7	K-General, 1891-1935
Box   7	Kasberg, K. A., 1891-1915
Box   7	Keedick, Lee, 1912-1927
Box   7	Kildal, Arne, 1907-1932
Box   7	Kinley, David, 1894-1930
Box   7	Knapp, Kemper K., 1929-1933
Box   7	Koefod, I. H., 1899-1906
Box   7	Kohler, Walter K., 1921-1930
Box   7	L-General, 1891-1934
Box   7	Larsen, Hauna A., 1912-1935
Box   7	Larsen, Lawrence M., 1902-1936
Box   7	Leach, Henry G., 1904-1927
Box   7	Leeds, Alice Marshall, 1930-1932
Box   7	Lochner, Louis P., 1907-1934
Box   7	Lomen, G. J., 1896
Box   8	M-General, 1891-1941
Box   8	MacDonald, Katharine I., 1906
Box   8	McGovern, Francis E., 1913-1914
Box   8	Mauritzen, Jules, 1911-1927
Box   8	Meadows, C. W., 1900
Box   8	Michelet, Karen, 1915-1926
Box   8	Miller, Jno. B., 1903-1906
Box   8	Moe, John, 1928-1931
Box   8	Moldstad, J. A., 1903
Box   8	Moore, Anbertine W., 1895-1902
Box   8	Munson, J. P., 1891-1909
Box   8	N-General, 1891-1940
Box   8	Nelson, George B., 1909-1923
	Nelson, James J.
Box   8	1893-1917
Box   9	1918-1930
Box   9	Nelson, Knute, 1898-1907
Box   9	Nestos, R. A., 1908-1935
Box   9	Nielson, Samuel A., 1912-1921
Box   9	Nordberg, C. E., 1921-1922
Box   9	Norenna, Eide, 1927
Box   9	Norli, Olaf, 1906-1910
Box   9	Norlie, O. M., 1900-1935
Box   9	Norwegian Singers' Association of America, 1931
Box   9	O-General, 1890-1939
Box   9	Ochsner, A. J., 1909
Box   9	Olson, Oscar L., 1910-1928
Box   9	Osland, Birger, 1909-1932
Box   9	P-General, 1893-1932
Box   9	Paine, Dr. and Mrs. Howard S., 1909-1911
Box   9	Peterson, Isaac, 1892-1907
Box   10	Peterson, James A., 1891-1926
Box   10	Pettersen, Wilhelm, 1907-1911
Box   10	Pettijohn, J. J., 1910-1911
Box   10	Pietro, C. S., 1916-1917
Box   10	Prestgard, Kristian, 1899-1935
Box   10	Preus, J. A. O., 1911-1936
Box   10	Q-General, 1903-1925
Box   10	Quamme, E. G., 1912-1924
Box   10	R-General, 1890-1931
Box   11	Rasmussen, C., Publishing Co., 1891-1900
Box   11	Regents of the University of Wisconsin, 1906-1920
Box   11	Reite, P. Th., 1912-1913
Box   11	Rikstad, H. S., 1891-1892
Box   11	Risjord, G. N., 1909-1931
Box   11	Ristad, D. G., 1894-1934
Box   11	Rolvaag, O. E., 1910-1933
Box   11	Ronning, N. N., 1912-1922
Box   11	Rove, Olaf I., 1892-1934
Box   11	S-General, 1891-1937
Box   11	Sarte, R. S. N., 1894-1917
Box   11	Schaub, Edward L., 1914-1917
Box   12	Scott, Foresman and Company, 1897-1911
Box   12	Scribner's, Charles, Sons, 1905-1906
Box   12	Sellery, George C., 1920-1933
Box   12	Skaar, Olaf R., 1911-1922
Box   12	Skolas, Andrew, 1910-1911
Box   12	Skovgaard, Axel, 1907-1908
Box   12	Smithsonian Institute, 1911-1913
Box   12	Soderstrom, Elmer E., 1891-1894
Box   12	Sons of Norway, 1906-1934
Box   12	Sonsteby, John J., 1909
Box   12	Sovde, 0. 0., 1909-1911
Box   12	Stavrum, E. A., 1899-1941
Box   12	Stearns, Gustav, 1906
Box   12	Steensland, E. B., 1891-1917
Box   12	Strangeland, Charles E., 1908-1917
Box   12	Stromme, Peer O., 1891-1917
Box   12	Stub, I. A. O., 1905-1913
Box   12	Sturtevant, A. M., 1912-1936
Box   12	Swansen, Sam T., 1918-1935
Box   12	Swenson, Magnus, 1913-1936
Box   12	Svanoe, Bjarne, 1913-1914
Box   12	T-General, 1896-1933
Box   12	Teisberg, Alfred, 1910
Box   12	Thompson, Alfred S., 1927-1932
Box   12	Thompson, J. Jorgen, 1925-1933
Box   12	Thorgrinson, H. B., 1897-1900
Box   12	Thorkelson, H. J., 1927-1929
Box   13	Thorp, O. A., 1889-1900
Box   13	Thorp, W. C., 1899-1900
Box   13	Thwaites, Reuben G., 1891-1912
Box   13	Thorson, I. A., 1911-1928
Box   13	Thorson, P. O., 1920-1921
Box   13	Tone, K. H., 1893-1895
Box   13	Torkelson, M. W., 1921-1936
Box   13	Turner, Frederick J., 1931
Box   13	U-V General, 1894-1933
Box   13	Underwood and Underwood (Publishers), 1906-1908
Box   13	Urdahl, Thomas K., 1896-1906
Box   13	Van Hise, Charles R., 1905-1918
Box   13	Veblen, Andrew A., 1899-1931
Box   13	Vilas, William F., 1908
Box   13	Vinje, A. J., 1911-1929
Box   13	W-X-Y-Z General, 1890-1935
Box   13	Wergeland, A. M., 1907-1914
Box   13	West, C. J., 1899-1915
Box   13	Wiesse, M. H., 1904-1910
Box   13	Wigdahl, Christian, 1917
Box   13	Wilkinson, J. M., 1923-1928
Box   13	Wist, John B., 1888-1915
Box   13	Woll, Carsten Th., 1913-1925
Box   13	Woll, F. W., 1891-1919
	Series: Articles, Speeches, and Notes	⇧
Box   14-15	Patriotic Addresses, May 17
	Biographical Sketches
Box   15	A-H
Box   16	I-Z
Box   17	Literary Articles and Addresses by Olson
Box   18	History: Norwegians, Norway, Iceland, etc.
Box   19-21	Miscellaneous
	Series: Kensington Rune Stone	⇧
Box   22	Correspondence, 1899-1933
Box   22	Clippings and Notes
	Series: Notebooks and Scrapbooks	⇧
Box   23 Volume   1	American Struggle for National Unity on the Basis of Civil and Religious Liberty, Parts I and II
Box   23 Volume   2	Authenticity of the Vinland Sagas
Box   23 Volume   3	Christie, Wilhelm F. K.
Box   23 Volume   4	Ibsen, Henrik
Box   23 Volume   5	Iceland and Historical Writing
Box   23 Volume   6	Naturalistic Critics and Writers
Box   24 Volume   7	Norse Culture and Civilization in Norway in the 19th Century
Box   24 Volume   8	Norse Literature, Parts I and II
Box   24 Volume   9	Norse Mythology, Parts I and II
	Norwegian Pioneer Association of Madison
Box   24 Volume   10	Secretary's Book, November, 1896
Box   24 Volume   10a	Constitution
Box   24 Volume   11	Oehlenschlager, Adam
Box   25 Volume   12	Old Norse Literature
Box   25 Volume   13	Old Norse Literature, A Glimpse of
Box   25 Volume   14	Den Oldnorske Literature
Box   25 Volume   15	Scandinavians: Who Are They?
Box   25 Volume   16	Scandinavian Archaeology
Box   25 Volume   17	Scandinavian Classics
Box   25 Volume   18	Scots Literature Before Burns
Box   25 Volume   19	Viking Age, The
Box   26 Volume   20	Volsunga Saga, The
	Clippings, scrapbooks
Box   26 Volume   21	October 22, 1874-1875
Box   26 Volume   22	1876-1877
Box   26 Volume   23	1877-1883
Box   26 Volume   24	1883-1888
Box   27 Volume   25	1888-1891
Box   27 Volume   26	1889-1890
Box   27 Volume   27	1891-1894
Box   27 Volume   28	1892-1897
Box   27 Volume   29	1898-1900
Box   27 Volume   30	World's Fair, 1883
Box   28 Volume   31	Reviews of Grammar, July 1886-February 1898
Box   28 Volume   32	1862-1891