Augustana Historical Society Publications | Augustana Historical Society

The AHS tells Augustana stories in publications ranging from the scholarly work of distinguished professors, to biographies of outstanding figures in our history, to histories of the college itself. Hard copies of all books are available for purchase. See the AHS website for details.

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A History of the Augustana Library, 1860-1990: an international treasure

Dr. Conrad Bergendoff

Table of Contents:

A Royal Beginning--From Chicago to Paxton--The Tower in Rock Island--In Old Main--C. O. Granere--The Denkmann Gift--Marcus Skarstedt--Ira O. Nothstein--William Baehr--Donald Rod--Lucien White--Ernest Espelie--John Caldwell--A Living Library--Librarians: Terms of Service.

Appendices:

Library Publications--Publications of the Augustana Historical Society--Occasional Papers--The Institute: Historical Swedish Handbooks--Sources.
An historical survey of the Augustana College campus

Glen E. Brolander

Abstract (excerpt):

Augustana College, through its 110 years in Rock Island, from 1875 to 1985, has constantly sought to develop physical facilities which appropriately support its educational program. The growth of the campus and facility improvements have reflected a commitment to excellence. The purpose of this publication is to tell the story of that change. Others have written of the history of the College and about those who have given leadership to it. In this work we will not deal primarily with people, but rather with a detailed description of the facilities of the College as they have developed through the years.

Table of Contents:

Preface / Historical Atlas–Augustana College / 1875 / 1975-1900 / 1900-1935 / 1935-1948 / 1948-1962 / 1962-1966 / 1966-1975 / 1975-1985 / Augustana Acquisition Tracts 1875-1985 / A Commentary on Physical Facilities–Augustana College (by date of completion of construction or acquisition) / 1875-First College Building / 1878-Faculty Residence / 1880-Faculty Residence / 1881-East Hall (Music Building, Women's Dormitory, President's Residence) / 1883-Jubilee Hall / 1888-Old Main / 1895-First Gym / 1899-Augustana University Association / 1903-Ericson Hall / 1903-Outdoor Athletic Facilities / 1903-Property Acquisitions, Drug Store / 1910-Jubilee Hall / 1910-First Heating Plant / 1911-Denkmann Memorial Library / 1916-Gymnasium / 1923-Seminary, Founders Hall, Seminary Dormitory / 1928-Carlsson Hall (Woman's Building) / 1935-Wallberg Hall of Science / 1936-Bell Tower / 1937-Andreen Hall / 1939-Ericson Field and Stadium / 1942-First Student Union (North Hall, Bethany Home) / 1942-President's Residence, 935-35th Street / 1943-Iva Pearce Hall / 1945-Fairview Hall / 1947-Heating Plant and Central Utilities / 1947-Tennis Courts / 1947-Abrahamson Hall / 1951-Foss Home / 1954-Davis Estate, House on the Hill / 1955-Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts / 1957-Westerlin Hall / 1959-Centennial Hall / 1960-Biology Building (College Union) / 1960-Immanuel Hall / 1963-Jenny Lind Hall / 1963-Campus Planning, Development of Central Campus, Parking / 1963-Car Barns / 1966-Erickson Residence Center / 1966-Ravine Walkway, Upper Tennis Courts / 1967-Sorensen Hall (North Hall, Augustana Book Concern) / 1968-New Science Building / 1968-John Deere Planetarium / 1970-Black Cultural Center / 1971-Carver Physical Education Center / 1971-Augustana Involvement in Federal Urban Renewal Programs / 1973-North Campus Development Program / 1975-President's Residence, 3601-11th Avenue / 1978-I. M. Anderson Hall, Bartholomew Hall / 1979-College Center / Index
Aspects of Augustana and Swedish America: Essays in honor of Dr. Conrad Bergendoff on his 100th Year

Raymond Jarvi, Emmet E. Eklund, Maria Erling, H. Arnold Barton, Elder M. Lindahl, Ann Boaden, Mark A. Granquist, Dag Blanck, Bernhard Erling, and Judith Belan

Table of Contents:

Introduction -- Emmet E. Eklund / The Mosaic of Augustana’s Swedish Lutheran Origins -- Maria Erling / Molding Ministers to Fit Congregations: Religious Leadership Among New England’s Swedes -- H. Arnold Barton / Conrad Bergendoff and the Swedish-American Church Language Controversy of the 1920s -- Elder M. Lindahl / The Troublesome Language Question -- Ann Boaden / Weighing the Stars and Hearing the Word: Conrad Bergendoff’s Idea of Christian Higher Education at Augustana College and Theological Seminary -- Mark A. Granquist / Conrad Bergendoff and the LCA Merger of 1962 -- Dag Blanck / North Stars and Vasa Orders: On the Relationship Between Sweden and Swedish American -- Bernhard Erling / The Fourth R--Religious Education in Sweden and the USA -- Judith Belan / Bibliography of the Published Writings of Dr. Conrad Bergendoff, 1963-1995
Augustana Historical Society Publications Number 10

Ira Oliver Nothstein

Selected Documents Dealing with the Organization of the First Congregations and the First Conferences of the Augustana Synod and their Growth Until 1860, Vol. 1
Augustana Historical Society Publications Number 11

Lisa Huntsha and Ira Oliver Nothstein

Selected Documents Dealing with the Organization of the First Congregations and the First Conferences of the Augustana Synod and their Growth Until 1860, Vol. 2
Augustana Historical Society Publications Number 2

Gustav Andreen, Henry F. Staack, Fritiof Fryxell, Albet F. Schersten, and O. Fritiof Ander

Table of Contents:

The early missionary work of the Augustana Synod in New York City, 1865-1866 / Gustav Andreen -- The Iowa Synod's attempt at missionary work among the Indians, 1859-1864 / Henry F. Staack -- Thomas Moran's journey to the Tetons in 1879 / Fritiof Fryxell -- The historical and cultural background of Swedish immigrants of importance to their assimilation in America / Albert F. Schersten -- Swedish-American newspapers and the Republican Party, 1855-1875 / O. Fritiof Ander -- Book reviews -- Reports of Committees.
Augustana Historical Society Publications Number 3

Ernst W. Olson and Evald B. Lawson

Table of Contents:

Ernst W. Olson / Augustana Book Concern: Publishers to the Augustana Synod.--History of Its Activities since 1889, with Introductory Account of Earlier Publishing Enterprises -- Evald B. Lawson / Christina Nilsson’s Visit to Brockton, Mass., in November, 1870.--Pages from the Early History of the Oldest Swedish Lutheran Church in New England
Augustana Historical Society Publications Volume V

George M. Stephenson, O. L. Nordstrom, Conrad Bergendoff, E. W. Olson, and George Gordon Andrews

Table of Contents:

C. W. Foss: an appreciation / George M. Stephenson -- Diary kept by L. P. Esbjorn, 1849 / O. L. Nordstrom -- Reports to the American Home Missionary Society, 1849-1856 / Conrad Bergendoff -- The sources of the original constitution of the Augustana Synod / Conrad Bergendoff -- Early letters to Erland Carlsson / E. W. Olson -- Sources on revolutionary Europe : A selected list from the Charles XV Collection / George Gordon Andrews -- The Augustana Historical Society, 1930-1935 / O. L. Nordstrom -- In memoriam.
His name was Jonas: a biography of Jonas Swensson

Emmet E. Eklund

Abstract:

The life of Jonas Swensson (1828-1873) presents a reversal of the common notion that sons of famous fathers often live in the shadow of their fathers’ fame. For Jonas Swensson was overshadowed by the fame of his illustrious son, Carl Aaron. Both the fame of his son and his own early death, at age forty-five, have tended to obscure the noteworthy accomplishments of Jonas Swensson. Yet Swensson played a significant role in the shaping of the Augustana Lutheran Church in the last half of the 19th century. His contributions to parish and higher education, mission, congregational life, and the theology of Augustana were considerable. It is to this end in part that this book has been written: to identify the significant contribution Swensson made to the formation of the unique character of the Church which he served as pastor, secretary, member of the catechetical committee and as president for the last three years of his life. As such, the book is also an important record of the early Augustana years. It is hoped that a measure of justice may be done to Jonas Swensson’s memory by the publication of this book.

Table of Contents:

Acknowledgements / Introduction / Early Life and Education (Jonas’ Ancestry, Childhood and Youth / Theological Education / Studies at Bredaryd / Studies at Jönköping / Studies at Växjö / Studies at Uppsala / Notes) / His Ministry in Sweden (His First Pastorate / The Man Who Left Sweden / Notes) / First Parish in the United States (“Culture Shock” / The Community and Swensson’s Ministry to its People / The Formation of a Constitution to Establish Order / Swensson’s Pastoral Contributions in the Hessel Valley/Jamestown Area / Notes) / Jonas Swensson’s Ministry in Andover, Illinois (A Comparison Between Hessel Valley/Jamestown and Andover / Swensson As Parish Pastor in Andover / Hard Work, Hardships, Heartbreaks / Parish Controversies of the Sixties / The Central Thrust of Swensson’s Parish Ministry in Andover / Notes) / Jonas Swensson, Churchman at Large Prior to 1870 (Notes) / Jonas Swensson as President (Main Decisions of 1870 / Other Issues President Swensson Confronted / Notes) / The Summation of a Life (The Contributions of Jonas Swensson / The Last Months of Swensson’s Life and His Death / Notes) / Appendix I / Appendix II / Appendix III / Appendix IV / Bibliography / Index
In The Astronomy Tradition at Augustana

Harry E. Nelson

Abstract: “In the Astronomy Tradition at Augustana was written as a response to a suggestion made by Dr. Conrad Bergendoff, president emeritus at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. I had prepared a paper for the Contemporary Club of Davenport, Iowa which dealt with the program of the John Deere Planetarium on the campus and its contribution to the Quad-Cities community. Dr. Bergendoff felt that a more inclusive report was needed, and he convinced me that I should write the complete history of the astronomy department. His many creative suggestions have made the story most interesting and I am indebted to him for all his help. My wife has spent numerous hours proofreading the original manuscript and its many revisions. Nancy Johnson, Director of Alumni Relations at Augustana, entered the manuscript in her computer where material could be added or deleted with minimal effort on my part. I am grateful to Dr. Erick Schonstedt, member of the Augustana College Board of Trustees, for his generous financial contribution to help defray the cost of publication. -- Harry E. Nelson” - Front matter

Table of Contents: Foreword / Astronomy Professors / Search for Meteorites / Carl Gamble and the Popular Astronomy Club / John Deere Planetarium / Visiting Astronomers / United States Space Program / Eclipse Chasers Club / Recent Acquisitions / Bibliography / Other Historical Society Publications.
Looking west: Three Essays on Swedish-American Life

Jules Mauritzson, Conrad Bergendoff, Ann Boaden, and Dag Blanck

Excerpt from preface:

This book contains three essays on Swedish and Swedish-American topics by Jules Mauritzson, professor of Swedish language and literature at Augustana College from 1901 until his untimely death in 1930.

Table of Contents:

Preface / Dag Blanck, Ann Boaden -- Introduction / Dag Blanck -- The Swedish-American: at Work and Play, at Home and Away (Svensk-amerikanen i helg och söcken, hemma och borta) -- Chicago: From Open Prairie To a City of One Million in Fifty Years (Chicago: från öde prairie till million-stad på femtio år) -- Christmas Customs, Old and New (Julseder: gamla och nya)
My Story: Immigrant, Executive, Traveler

Birger Swenson

From book jacket:

Gifted in business, Birger soon became well known in lay circles of his Church and attained a high position in both the publication and circulation of religious journalism. All the while he and his wife were contributing to constructive agencies in their community and enlarging a circle of friends here and abroad.

Table of Contents:

Foreword -- Acknowledgements -- Finding My Way in a New Land -- From Campus to War Camps -- College Years -- An Interlude in Europe, Michigan and Seminary -- A Career in Church Publications -- Birger Takes a Wife -- General Manager ABC -- Professional Organizations -- Church Activities -- College and Community Affairs -- Travels Far and Wide -- The Svensson Family, 1979 -- Appendices: Home at Last -- Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way -- The Future of the Book Concern
Olof Christian Telemak Andrén, ambassador of good will

Oscar N. Olson

Of the pioneer pastors of the Augustana Church O. C. T. Andrén is perhaps the least known. As the first pastor of the First Lutheran Church in Moline, Illinois, he remained in America only four years, 1856 to 1860. But the result of his labors cannot be measured by this brief period. By his earnest preaching, his faithful pastoral care, his consecrated personality and deep spiritual experience he laid a good foundation for the church he served. As a member of the Mississippi Conference and the Synod of Northern Illinois he made a valuable contribution to the work of welding the scattered immigrant communities into congregations, conferences, and synod. However, his greatest service to the Augustana Synod, organized in 1860, was his mission to Sweden in the interest of the Augustana Seminary.
On and Beyond the Mississippi: Essays honoring Thomas Tredway

Dag Blanck, Michael Nolan, Roald Tweet, Maria Erling, Nils Hasselmo, Larry Scott, Kenneth R. Johnston, Dorothy J. Parkander, Richard Swanson, Arthur Mampel, William Bondeson, and Ronald Goetz

Excerpt from Introduction:

This collection of essays honors Thomas Tredway on his retirement as President of Augustana College in the summer of 2003. The contributors include Augustana graduates from different generations, colleagues at the college, and friends from both on and off campus. The essays focus on themes and subjects that have been important both in the history of Augustana College and in Tom’s own life.

Table of Contents:

Illustrations -- Introduction -- Contributors -- Roald Tweet / Five Reflections on Living with a Hyphen -- Maria Erling / Nordic and Protestant: Swedish-American Identity in America -- Nils Hasselmo / In the Attic of Denkmann: Reflections on English as a world language, and on the Scandinavian languages which, well, had their fling, too! -- Larry Scott / The Lighter Side of Loneliness: Woody Allen and Ingmar Bergman -- Dag Blanck / American Influences in Sweden? Reflections on a Trans-Atlantic Relationship -- Kenneth R. Johnston / LINES, written a Few Years beyond Augustana College, on Revisiting the Banks of the Mississippi, during a Homecoming/Reunion, anytime. -- Dorothy J. Parkander / Songs of Apollo and Songs of Sion: Milton’s Puritan Poetic -- Richard Swanson / little crick (2001) -- Arthur Mampel / Campus President -- William Bondeson / The Ideals of a Liberal Education or What’s “Blooming” in Higher Education? -- Ronald Goetz / The Sinlessness of Christ?
One Hundred Years of Oratorio at Augustana: A History of The Handel Oratorio Society, 1881-1980

Conrad Bergendoff

When the Handel Oratorio Society gave the Messiah December 12, 13, 14th 1980 in Centennial Hall, Rock Island, Illinois it completed one hundred years of oratorio singing at Augustana College. Part I recounts the origin, difficulties, and development of the organization which began as the Augustana Handel Oratorio Society, divided the field with the Conservatory Choir, and reunited as the Handel Oratorio Society. Part II attempts to give a complete list of the programs, 1881-1980, with names of participants and dates and places of each performance.
Pioneering adventures of Johan Edvard Lilljeholm in America, 1846-1850

Arthur Wald

Excerpt from Foreword:

In the impressive collection of newspapers, letters and documents in the Augustana College Archives pertaining to Swedish pioneer history is found a considerable number of immigrant stories and biographies, which aside from their importance to scholars as research sources, have extraordinary human interest. In years past, the Bulletin of the Augustana Swedish Institute has published a number of these pioneer stories, but it remained for a Swedish clergyman, Kyrkoherde Gosta Soderberg from L. P. Esbjorn's parish of Ostervala, while engaged in research in the Archives, to come upon and recognize the value of one such document previously overlooked. It is a small notebook containing a unique story of pioneering adventure with a fascinating account of the trek of a group of Jansonists to Bishop Hill, of the writer's meeting with the Prophet, and of life in the early days of the colony.
Shepherd of an Immigrant People: The Story of Erland Carlsson

Emory Lindquist

From book jacket:

The life of Erland Carlsson (1822-1893), immigrant pastor and Augustana Lutheran Synod leader, was fashioned by his pietistic family home in Älghult parish, Kronobergs län, Sweden, it was enriched by the evangelical läsare movement, and it was deepened intellectually by his theological studies at Lund University.

Table of Contents:

Preface -- Acknowledgements -- The Early Years in Sweden -- Emigration to America -- Building a Congregation -- The Life of an Immigrant Pastor -- The Pastor and His Congregation -- Outreach in Service -- The Church Beyond the Parish -- Champion of Education -- Promotor of the Printed Word -- Leadership in the Augustana Synod -- Conflict and Criticism -- Family and the Larger Society -- The Last Years -- An Appraisal -- Erland Carlsson’s Immigrant Guide -- Bibliography -- Index
The Church of Sweden on the Delaware, 1638-1831

Dr. Conrad Bergendoff

A discussion of the Swedish Lutheran Church in New Sweden covering the churches of Holy Trinity at Christina, now Wilmington, Delaware; an early Tinicum Island church and Wicaco church from which grew the Gloria Dei Church in Philadelphia; St. James Church in Kingsessing, now in Philadelphia; Christ or Old Swedes in Upper Merion, now in Philadelphia; Raccoon, now Swedesboro, and Penns Neck, now Churchtown or Lower Penns Neck, New Jersey. The churches which survived to 1776 became Anglican.
The Immigration of Ideas: Studies in the North Atlantic Community, Essays Presented to O. Fritiof Ander

J. Iverne Dowie and J. Thomas Tredway

Excerpt from Foreword:

Several of the essays in this volume focus upon persons who came to live in a new world intellectually as well geographically. Others are concerned directly with the movement of ideas across the Atlantic. Heretofore the Augustana Historical Society has devoted its publications almost exclusively to the Scandinavian-American milieu. This volume enlarges the field of the society's concern by including certain aspects of English and German intellectual history. The writers have responded to contemporary trends in immigration historiography with its emphasis upon the role of the immigrant in the intellectual as well as the social history of Europe and America.

Table of Contents:

Forward / C. W. Sorensen -- Introduction -- On the meaning of faith in the Great Awakening and the Methodist Revival / Ross Paulson -- Jacob Letterstedt and Nordic cooperation / Franklin Scott -- High churchmen in a hostile world / Thomas Tredway -- O. E. Hagen, a pioneer Norwegian-American scholar / Theodore C. Blegen -- The role of Augustana in the transplanting of a culture across the Atlantic / Conrad Bergendoff -- Ernst Skarstedt : a unique and free spirit / Emory Lindquist -- Edward Price Bell : Anglo-American spokesman, 1914-1917 / Benedict Karl Zobrist -- Wilson and Gladstone : Perils and parallels in leadership / James Iverne Dowie -- Fissures in the melting pot / Carl Wittke -- Sweden in the American social mind of the 1930s / Merle Curti -- Recollections of a childhood and youth / O. Fritiof Anders -- One does not say goodbye to Gendalen / Betsy Brodahl -- Bibliography of the published writings of Dr. O. Fritiof Anders / Ernest M. Espelie.
The Missionary Spirit in the Augustana Church

George F. Hall

Summary (from book jacket):

The American church is made up of many varied groups, depending on origin, divisions, changing relationships. One of these was the Augustana Lutheran Church, founded by Swedish Lutheran immigrants and maintaining an independent existence from 1860 to 1962 when it became a part of a larger Lutheran community, the Lutheran Church of America. The character of the Augustana Church can be studied from different viewpoints. In this volume Dr. George Hall describes it as a missionary church. It was born out of a missionary concern in Sweden for the thousands who had emigrated. As soon as it was formed it began to widen its field. Then its representatives were found in India, Puerto Rico, in China. The horizons grew to include Africa and Southwest Asia.

Table of Contents:

Introduction / Conrad Bergendoff – Acknowledgement – The Augustana Synod: A Product of Missions – India and the General Council – College Missionary Societies: The Knanishus – Emmy Carlson Evald: The Woman’s Missionary Society -- G. Sigfrid Swensson: Puerto Rico – August William Edwins: The China Foreign Missionary Society – Ralph D. Hult: Sudan – Tanganyika and World War I – George Nathanael Anderson: Iramba-Turu, Tanganyika – Richard Reusch: Orphaned German Missions After World War II -- The Zam Zam: Missionaries for Africa in Wartime -- S. Hjalmar Swanson: Executive Secretary, Board of Foreign Missions – Ernest Weinhardt: South American Prayer League – Paul and Jonathan Lindell: World Mission Prayer League – Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The New Age – John L. Benson: Lutheran Church of China in Hong Kong – Rueben Lundeen: The Basel Self-Established Church of North Borneo – George L. Olson: Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church – Dr. Chung-An Chin: Taiwain: Lutheran Church of China; Malaya – Paul Hubert Benson: Uruguay – Elmer Reinhold Danielson: Lutheran Church of Northern Tanganyika: The Lutheran World Federation – Melvin Adolph Hammarberg: Emergent Lutheran Unity – Donald Cecil Flatt: The School of Missions, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago – Rudolph Carl Burke: Merger Decisions – Augustana and Missionary Literature: Knanishu to Anders Hanson – David Luther Vikner: Lutheran Church in American – The Beginnings Viewed a Century Later – Appendix – Bibliography – Index
The Pioneer Swedish Settlements and Swedish Lutheran Churches in America, 1845-1860

Eric Norelius

The author traces in this volume the waves of Swedish emigration that started in the mid-1840s. One of these waves, in 1850, brought a youth of 17 who sensed the significance of the movement of a people from ancient Sweden to the open lands of America. He gathered records, letters, documents, and himself had a part, as student, journalist, and clergyman, in the development of the earliest settlements. In 1890, then historian of the Augustana Lutheran Church, Norelius published his material in a book entitled History of the Swedish Settlements and Swedish Lutheran Churches in America. This translation is of those chapters that describe the land, the economic, social and religious conditions that confronted the immigrants, and the congregations they established in their new communities. Even after a century the work of Norelius remains a unique, primary source of the story of the earliest years of Swedish immigration to the U.S.A.
The Story of John Fryxell

Fritiof Fryxell

John Fryxell was an immigrant from Vättlösa Parish, near Götene in southern Sweden. He came to America and worked for the Moline Cabinet Pipe Organ Company of Moline, Illinois and was an advocate of education for his children, all of whom graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. His son Fritiof Fryxell wrote the manuscript of this biography of his father.