ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

 

RECORDS OF THE ROYAL NORWEGIAN CONSULATE GENERAL

 

COLLECTION:  OGL #594                         

 

DATES:  1922-1968

 

SIZE:  85 linear feet 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

ACQUISITION:  The Records of the Royal Norwegian Consulate General were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Olaf Solli, Consul General of Norway in August 1980 (Acc.#80-682). 

 

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

 

HISTORICAL SKETCH

 

In 1870, the countries of Norway and Sweden established a Consulate in St. Paul, Minnesota. At that time the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul had a combined population of 40,000 inhabitants of which 2,000 were of Scandinavian descent. Hagbarth Sahlgaard, a native of Kongsberg, Norway, was appointed Consul. In 1892, he was succeeded by Engebreth Hagbart Hobe of Risor, Norway who served as Consul for forty-eight years.

 

Upon Norway's independence from Sweden in 1905, the Norwegian Government established a separate Consulate in St. Paul. In 1946 the organization was raised to the standing of a Consulate General with control over a large district including the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska and Iowa. Also at this time, the office of the Consulate General was moved to the Foshay Tower in Minneapolis.

 

The primary responsibility of the Consulate General is to assist Norwegian heirs in the disposition of personal estates belonging to Norwegian born decedents in the consular district. In addition, the Consulate General represents individuals in the United States who have become heirs to personal estates in Norway. Strengthening cultural ties between Norway and the United States is another duty of the Consulate. Other responsibilities include promoting Norwegian exports, issuing passports for Norwegian citizens and handling applications for social security and health insurance for citizens of Norway living in the United States.

SCOPE AND CONENT NOTE

 

The Records of the Norwegian Consulate consist primarily of personal estate cases dating from 1922 to 1968. The cases are arranged alphabetically by decedent under the state in which he or she resided. The amount of information in a given estate case file ranges from a few pieces of correspondence to a wealth of information including a personal data sheet on the decedent, a description of the actual contents of the estate, a list of heirs, and a discussion of the problems involved in the settlement of the estate. An Inquiry File, which consists of correspondence from individuals seeking information on the status of a particular estate case, is also found in the collection. Correspondence concerning whether or not a case was handled by the Consulate General is also included. In addition, the Consulate records include general correspondence relating to the various activities of the consular district for the period 1940-1944.  The collection has been divided into nine series as follows:

 

SERIES I:  GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1940-1944

This series contains the general correspondence files of the Norwegian Consulate from 1940-1944. The files are arranged alphabetically by correspondent. 

Box 1, Folder 1 – Box 1, Folder 68

 

SERIES II:  GENERAL INQUIRY FILE - MINNESOTA, 1940-1960

The second series contains correspondence relating to the settlement of personal estate cases in Minnesota, from 1940-1960. The files are arranged first by year, followed by alphabetically. 

Box 1, Folder 69 – Box 8, Folder 76

 

SERIES III:  GENERAL INQUIRY FILE – MONTANA

This small series contains correspondence relating to the settlement of personal estate cases in Montana.  The files are arranged alphabetically.  Also included in the series are passport applications (1950-1953), and one folder of mortgage satisfaction cases.

Box 8, Folder 77 – Box 8, Folder 124

 

SERIES IV:  GENERAL ESTATE CASES -MINNESOTA, 1929-1968

The fourth series contains personal estate cases for residents of Minnesota.  The files are arranged alphabetically and date from 1929-1968.

Box 9, Folder 1 – Box 36, Folder 38

 

SERIES V:  GENERAL ESTATE CASES -DULUTH BRANCH OFFICE, 1950-1960

This series contains personal estate cases handled by the Duluth Branch Office.  The files are arranged alphabetically and date from 1950-1960.

Box 37, Folder 1 – Box 38, Folder 56

 

SERIES VI:  GENERAL ESTATE CASES -NORTH DAKOTA, 1935-1960

The sixth series contains personal estate cases for residents of North Dakota.  The files are arranged alphabetically and date from 1935-1960.

Box 39, Folder 1 – Box 48, Folder 53

 

SERIES VII:  GENERAL ESTATE CASES -SOUTH DAKOTA, 1922-1960

This series contains personal estate cases for residents of South Dakota.  The files are arranged alphabetically and date from 1922-1960.

Box 49, Folder 1 – Box 53, Folder 53

 

SERIES VIII:  GENERAL ESTATE CASES -MONTANA, 1936-1960

This series contains personal estate cases for residents of Montana.  The files are arranged alphabetically and date from 1936-1960.

Box 54, Folder 1 – Box 58, Folder 31

 

SERIES IX:  GENERAL ESTATE CASES -NORWAY, 1928-1958

The final series contains personal estate cases for residents of Norway who had either heirs or personal estates in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Montana.  The files are arranged alphabetically and date from 1928-1958.

Box 58, Folder 32 – Box 68, Folder 100

 

 

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

 

Box 1

Folder

SERIES I:      GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE

1.         Correspondence: 1940 A.

2.         Correspondence: 1940 B.

3.         Correspondence: 1940 C.

4.         Correspondence: 1940 D.

5.         Correspondence: 1940 E and F.

6.         Correspondence: 1940 G.

7.         Correspondence: 1940 H.

8.         Correspondence: 1940 I and J.

9.         Correspondence: 1940 K and L.

10.       Correspondence: 1940 M.

11.       Correspondence: 1940 N.

12.       Correspondence: 1940 O.

13.       Correspondence: 1940 P and Q.

14.       Correspondence: 1940 R.

15.       Correspondence: 1940 S.

16.       Correspondence: 1940 T, U, and V.

17.       Correspondence: 1940 W.

18.       Correspondence: 1941 A.

19.       Correspondence: 1941 B.

20.       Correspondence: 1941 C.

21.       Correspondence: 1941 D.

22.       Correspondence: 1941 E and F.

23.       Correspondence: 1941 G.

24.       Correspondence: 1941 H.

25.       Correspondence: 1941 J.

26.       Correspondence: 1941 K and L.

27.       Correspondence: 1941 M.

28.       Correspondence: 1941 N.

29.       Correspondence: 1941 O.

30.       Correspondence: 1941 P and Q.

31.       Correspondence: 1941 R.

32.       Correspondence: 1941 S.

33.       Correspondence: 1941 T, U, and V.

34.       Correspondence: 1941 W.

35.       Correspondence: 1942 A.

26.       Correspondence: 1942 B.

37.       Correspondence: 1942 C.

38.       Correspondence: 1942 E.

39.       Correspondence: 1942 F.

40.       Correspondence: 1942 G.

41.       Correspondence: 1942 H.

42.       Correspondence: 1942 J.

43.       Correspondence: 1942 K.

44.       Correspondence: 1942 L.

45.       Correspondence: 1942 M.

46.       Correspondence: 1942 N.

47.       Correspondence: 1942 O.

48.       Correspondence: 1942 P and Q.

49.       Correspondence: 1942 R.

50.       Correspondence: 1942 S.

51.       Correspondence: 1942 T, U, and V.

52.       Correspondence: 1942 W.

53.       Correspondence: 1943 A.

54.       Correspondence: 1943 B.

55.       Correspondence: 1943 D.

56.       Correspondence: 1943 E and F.

57.       Correspondence: 1943 G.

58.       Correspondence: 1943 H, I, and J.

59.       Correspondence: 1943 K, L, and M.

60.       Correspondence: 1943 N.

61.       Correspondence: 1943 O.

62.       Correspondence: 1943 P and R.

63.       Correspondence: 1943 S, T, U, V and W.

64.       Correspondence: 1944 A and B.

65.       Correspondence: 1944 C, D, E, and F.

66.       Correspondence: 1944 H, M, N, O, P, and Q.

67.       Correspondence: 1944 S, T, and W.

68.       Correspondence: 1944 Miscellaneous.

 

SERIES II:  GENERAL INQUIRY FILE - MINNESOTA, 1940-1960

This series contains correspondence relating to the settlement of personal estate cases in Minnesota, from 1940-1960. The files are arranged first by year, followed by alphabetically.

 

Box-Folder

 

Folder Title

Year

 

Type

 

State

1-69

Aaroe, Louise

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-70

Abrahamsen, Anna

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-71

Akeson, Julia

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-72

Amundson, Ole C.

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-73

Anderson, Christiana

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-74

Anderson, Ole Turman

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-75

Anderson, Trygve Marinius

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-76

Arnold, Sarah

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-77

Bang, Ole

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-78

Beaverson, Anna

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-79

Bennyhoff, Anna C.

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-80

Berger, Oscar

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-81

Bjerke, Anne Haroldson

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-82

Bredesen, Anna

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-83

Breding, Olef

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-84

Brohaugh, Martina

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-85

Christellsen, Anna M.

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-86

Christian, Hannah H.

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-87

Chrisianson, Martin

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-88

Christoffersen, Christian

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-89

Cornelius, Casper

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-90

Egilsrud, K. R.

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-91

Evanson, Anton

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-92

Flaata, Gerhard C.

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-93

Grave, Aasmund

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-94

Gunderson, Ole

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-95

Gunner, Fred

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-96

Halvorsen, Hansine

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-97

Hansen, Andrew

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-98

Hansen, Martin

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-99

Havei, Ole Nelson

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

1-100

Hellum, Emma

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota

2-1

Hjeldbo, Hans

1940

Inquiry

Minnesota