ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

OSMUND GUNVALDSEN PAPERS

COLLECTION: OGL #391

DATES: 1910-1976

SIZE: 7.5 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: The Osmund Gunvaldsen Papers were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection. The acquisition records are unavailable.

ACCESS: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Osmund Gunvaldsen was born on September 29, 1893, in Kristiansand, Norway. He was educated in Norway until he emigrated, alone, to the United States in 1910. He worked on farms around Battleview, North Dakota, from 1910-1915. Beginning in 1916, he operated his own farm near Battleview. He took night courses at the North Dakota Agricultural College (now North Dakota State University) in Fargo from 1915-1916, and at Aaker’s Business College, Fargo, in 1917 and 1918.

Gunvaldsen was inducted in the United States Army on September 4, 1918. He served in Training Company 19 at Camp Hancock, Georgia, until his discharge on January 9, 1919. He married Inga Ostby on February 12, 1919. The couple had five daughters: Agnes, Ruth, Esther, Irene, and Joyce.

With the support of the Nonpartisan League, Gunvaldsen was elected sheriff of Burke County as a Republican in 1923. He served in that capacity until 1927, when he was appointed United States Marshal for North Dakota by President Calvin Coolidge. Gunvaldsen was re-nominated by President Herbert Hoover, and served as Marshal until 1934.

Gunvaldsen was self-employed from 1934 to 1941 as publisher of Normanden, a Norwegian newspaper. Following the end of his newspaper career, he founded the Northwest Development Association, which bought and sold mineral and oil rights. An inventor, he also sought patents for some of his inventions. Gunvaldsen played a role in the founding of the Republican Organizing Committee in 1943. He was also an active member of the American Legion, the Sons of Norway, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Masons. He retired in 1976.

Osmund Gunvaldsen died on October 16, 1982, in Fargo.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Osmund Gunvaldsen Papers date from 1910-1976, and are divided into five series as follows:

Series I: Correspondence
This series contains correspondence both sent and received by Gunvaldsen, and is divided into three sub-series. Sub-series A covers the years 1924-1946 and contains considerable material relative to Gunvaldsen's career as U.S. Marshal for Fargo, and to political events in North Dakota and throughout the nation. Sub-series B dates 1948-1976, and includes materials on local, state, and national politics, as well as much information on Gunvaldsen's career in oil and mineral development in North Dakota. Sub-series C contains correspondence with prominent state and national politicians, including Usher and Quentin Burdick, Hubert Humphrey, William Langer, William Lemke, Richard Nixon, and Milton Young. All of the sub-series are arranged alphabetically. Box 1, Folder 1 - Box 2, Folder 22

Series II: Political Materials
Series II is dates from the 1950s through the 1960s. The material is arranged alphabetically by subject, and includes materials on political issues which interested Gunvaldsen and political organizations to which he belonged. Box 2, Folder 23 - Box 3, Folder 9

Series III: Oil and Mineral Interests
Series III covers Gunvaldsen's interests and career in the development of oil and minerals in the upper Midwest. The first folders in this series are arranged alphabetically by county, state, or foreign country. Subject folders are arranged second, alphabetical by folder title. Box 3, Folder 10 - Box 5, Folder 18

Series IV: Miscellaneous
Series IV is a short series covering Gunvaldsen's business dealings in fields other than oil. Included are materials concerning his careers as an inventor, and as publisher of Normanden, a Norwegian-language newspaper. Box 6, Folder 1 - Box 6, Folder 6

Series V: Personal Materials
Series V contains material of family or personal nature. Included are Gunvaldsen family correspondence, genealogical material, family business, real estate, and memorabilia items. Box 6, Folder 7 - Box 6, Folder 23

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1
Folder
SERIES I: CORRESPONDENCE
Sub-series A:1924 - 1946

  1. A: 1928 - 1944
  2. B: 1927 - 1946
  3. C: 1930 - 1934
  4. D: 1931 - 1944
  5. E: 1932 - 1936
  6. F: 1928 - 1944
  7. G: 1928 - 1944
  8. H: 1931 - 1941
  9. I: 1932 - 1933
  10. J: 1931 - 1934
  11. K: 1931 - 1936
  12. L: 1928 - 1937
  13. M: 1930 - 1942
  14. N: 1931 - 1935
  15. O: 1925 - 1936
  16. P: 1931 - 1944
  17. R: 1931 - 1932
  18. S: 1924 - 1938
  19. T: 1931 - 1944
  20. V: 1931 - 1945
  21. W: 1931 - 1945

Sub-series B: 1948-1976

  1. A: 1953 - 1967
  2. B: 1950 - 1970
  3. C: 1950 - 1975
  4. D: 1951 - 1974
  5. E: 1952 - 1962
  6. F: 1950 - 1975
  7. G: 1958 - 1976
  8. H: 1951 - 1971
  9. I: 1956 - 1957
  10. J: 1950 - 1974
  11. K: 1952 - 1975
  12. L: 1948 - 1975
  13. Mc: 1952 - 1974
  14. M: 1950 - 1974
  15. N: 1950 - 1974
  16. O: 1952 - 1959
  17. P: 1951 - 1975
  18. Q: 1955 - 1957
  19. R: 1950 - 1974
  20. S: 1951 - 1975

Box 2
Folder

  1. T: 1950 - 1974
  2. U: 1951 - 1957
  3. V: 1954 - 1965
  4. W: 1954 - 1966
  5. XYZ: 1955 - 1962

Sub-series C:Correspondence with prominent politicians

  1. Andrews, Mark, U.S. Congressman from North Dakota: 1958 - 1974
  2. Burdick, Quentin, U.S. Congressman and Senator from North Dakota: 1959 - 1975
  3. Burdick, Usher, U.S. Congressman from North Dakota: 1935 - 1957
  4. Ford, Gerald, U.S. President: 1974 - 1975
  5. Frazier, Lynn, U.S. Senator from North Dakota (includes correspondence with Frazier’s aide W. O. Skeels): 1931 - 1940
  6. Humphrey, Hubert, U.S. Senator from Minnesota and Vice- President of the United States: 1951 - 1974
  7. Johnson, Lyndon, U.S. Senator from Texas and U.S. President: 1956 - 1966
  8. Langer, William, Governor of North Dakota and U.S. Senator: 1928 - 1959
  9. Larson, Robert (secretary to Lynn Frazier): 1931 - 1940
  10. Lemke, William, U.S. Congressman from North Dakota (includes correspondence with Lemke’s secretary, W. O. Skeels): 1925 - 1950
  11. Nixon, Richard, U.S. President: 1958 - 1974
  12. Nye, Gerald, U.S. Senator from North Dakota (includes correspondence with Nye's aide P. L. Aarhus): 1931 - 1971
  13. Nygaard, Hjalmar, U.S. Congressman from North Dakota: 1961 - 1963
  14. Nystul, John, Nonpartisan League Chairman and Campaign Manager: 1932 - 1944
  15. Richardson, Seth., Assistant U.S. Attorney General: 1931 - 1939
  16. Sinclair, James, U.S. Congressman from North Dakota: 1931 - 1935
  17. Young, Milton., U.S. Senator from North Dakota: 1951 - 1975

SERIES II:Political Materials

  1. Accreditation Controversy, North Dakota Agricultural College, State Board of Higher Education Amendment: 1938
  2. America First Committee
  3. College Trimester Plan - Correspondence: May 1959 - September 1963
  4. College Trimester Plan - Materials
  5. Constitutional Amendment County Petitions: 1937
  6. Collected Editorials
  7. Farming and the Drought: 1930s
  8. LaFollete - Wheeler Progressive Clubs
  9. Langer Senate Investigation
  10. NIPRO membership lists
  11. Nonpartisan League
  12. Nonpartisan League: 1928 Campaign Materials
  13. King Olav of Norway: 1968 Visit to the American Midwest

Box 3
Folder

  1. People's Fair Tax League, Correspondence: May 27, 1935 - July 26, 1935
  2. People's Fair Tax League, Correspondence: May 3, 1935 - May 25, 1935
  3. People's Fair Tax League, Newspaper Clippings, Petitions, Speeches: 1935
  4. Republican Party: 1962 State Convention
  5. Republican Party: 1960 State Convention
  6. Republican Party, Burke County Central Committee (Samuel Nickey, Chair) - Registered Voters and Township Officers: 1925-26
  7. Urban Renewal
  8. Wheat Exports: mostly 1963-64
  9. Miscellaneous Political Materials

SERIES III:Oil and Mineral Interests

  1. Billings County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  2. Bottineau County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  3. Bottineau County Drilling Ventures
  4. Bowman County Coal
  5. Bowman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - Personal Leases.
  6. Bowman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - Crosby - Irish - Gunvaldsen Tract
  7. Bowman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - Fayfield Lands
  8. Bowman County Royalties Assigned and General Information
  9. Bowman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - General
  10. Bowman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - General
  11. Burke County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  12. Burke County Drilling Ventures - Jacob Dewing #1

Box 4
Folder

  1. Divide County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  2. Dunn County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  3. Foster County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  4. Golden Valley County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  5. Hettinger County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  6. Kidder County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  7. McHenry County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  8. McKenzie County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  9. McKenzie and Williams Counties, Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties - Charlson- Madison Unit
  10. Mercer County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  11. Morton County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  12. Mountrail County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  13. Oliver County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  14. Slope County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  15. Stark County, Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  16. Stutsman County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  17. Ward County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  18. Williams County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  19. Williams County Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  20. Multiple Counties in North Dakota, Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  21. Montana Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  22. South Dakota Oil and Mineral Rights; Properties
  23. Canadian Oil and Mineral Rights, Properties
  24. Litigation: Olson v. Olson (McKenzie County)
  25. Litigation: Skelly-Ceynar Case (McKenzie County)
  26. Litigation: Thompson Case (McKenzie County)

Box 5
Folder

  1. Litigation: Ytterdahl-Boots Cases: September 30, 1954 - November 3, 1964
  2. Mineral Rights Inquiries: September 1956 - March 1958
  3. Mineral and Land Offerings Available: August 1952 - November 1961
  4. Drilling Operations - Plugged Wells: February 1963 - March 1964
  5. Oil and Gas Properties, Minneapolis Sales: June 1952 - January 1956
  6. Oil Development, General Materials
  7. Government Land Condemnations
  8. Notes and Memoranda on Oil
  9. Geologic Survey Maps
  10. Newspaper Clippings on Area Oil and Mineral Prospects.
  11. Miscellaneous Oil and Minerals Materials
  12. Miscellaneous Oil and Minerals Materials
  13. Gunvaldsen Oil Brokerage Registration
  14. Mineral Rights Deeds to Gunvaldsen Trust, 1970
  15. Miscellaneous Oil Correspondence
  16. Miscellaneous Oil Correspondence
  17. Northwest Development Association Ledgers - Sales, Rental Income, Purchases: 1953-1957
  18. Northwest Development Association - Advertising Oil Holdings Ledger

Box 6
Folder
SERIES IV:Miscellaneous

  1. Legal Forms
  2. Mexican Lands, 1952
  3. Normanden materials
  4. Normanden: Mortgage, Inventory, and Correspondence: 1928 - 1934
  5. Rol-Gard Corporation: Correspondence (1949 - 1950) and Articles of Incorporation
  6. Inventions: Rol-Gard Corporation Record and Desk-Tray Holder Correspondence, January 1952 - October 1952

SERIES V: Personal Materials

  1. Gunvaldsen Family Correspondence Gunvaldsen Genealogical material
  2. Insurance
  3. Chattel Mortgages, Deeds, Contracts, and Satisfactions (farming, 1920's)
  4. Newspaper Clippings
  5. Newspaper Clippings, 1930's
  6. Newspaper Clippings, May 1967, Elwyn B. Robinson on North Dakota History
  7. Newspaper Clippings - Letters to the Editor
  8. Norwegian Correspondence
  9. Materials in Norwegian
  10. Assorted Pamphlets
  11. Real Estate Holdings, 1928
  12. Real Estate - Fargo Property St. Andreas Logen Oscar: 4/25/1841 - 4/25/1966
  13. Sons of Norway
  14. Stock Certificates, North Dakota Companies
  15. Tax Records
  16. Memorabilia and Personal Materials Address Book Ledger 1888 - 1891
  17. Miscellaneous

SEPARATIONS RECORD

Two oversize folders were separated and placed in the Oversize File Cabinet.

  1. Miscellaneous Newspapers - North Dakota, Norway
  2. Miscellaneous Maps - North Dakota, Oil Leasing

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