Portraits (Identified), circa 1865-1997 | Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Archives

By Tim Kindseth

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Collection Overview

Title: Portraits (Identified), circa 1865-1997

Predominant Dates:1870-1930

ID: VMA/RG03/ARCH.Photos.03/ALL

Extent: 11.1 Linear Feet. More info below.

Arrangement: Items have been arranged alphabetically into series by the surnames of the subjects of the portraits.

Subjects: Norwegian Americans

Forms of Material: Cabinet photographs, Carte de visite photographs, Portraits, Postcards, Real photo postcards, Tintype

Languages: English, Norwegian

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Amassed piecemeal by Vesterheim curators over the course of many decades, the collection currently has more than 2,000 images of notable Norwegian and Norwegian-American church leaders, politicians, military officials, explorers, scientists, doctors, athletes, artists, writers, publishers, editors, historians, and university presidents, among other movers and shakers, in a variety of photographic and photomechanical formats, from 19th-century tintypes and albumen cartes de visite and cabinet cards to 20th-century silver gelatin prints, halftones, and real photo postcards.

The earliest of the portraits date from just after the Civil War, the latest from the 1990s. The bulk, however, are from the 1870s through the 1920s, decades of peak emigration from Norway to the United States. Imprints from over seventy Norwegian and Norwegian-American photographers, mostly with businesses in the Upper Midwest but some with studios as far afield as Nome, Alaska, were identified during the cataloging of the collection from February 2017 through March 2018.

Subject/Index Terms

Norwegian Americans

Administrative Information

Repository: Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Archives

Alternate Extent Statement: 28 boxes

Use Restrictions: May be reproduced with written permission from Vesterheim collections staff or executive director. Though Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum may hold the property rights, Vesterheim might not hold the copyrights for materials. Individuals may use materials for non-commercial, private use, but commercial users must secure permissions from the copyright holders and Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum to reproduce, publish, or quote protected materials and photographs.

Processing Information: Prior to 2017, all portraits had been rehoused into document boxes, each item enclosed in an archival-quality paper or plastic sleeve. From February 2017 through March 2018, project archivist Tim Kindseth cataloged those items, conducting genealogical and other historical research to date the portraits and to confirm or establish the identities of the more than 1,200 Norwegian and Norwegian-Americans who are subjects of them.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Portraits A],
[Series 2: Portraits B],
[Series 3: Portraits C],
[Series 4: Portraits D],
[Series 5: Portraits E],
[Series 6: Portraits F],
[Series 7: Portraits G],
[Series 8: Portraits H],
[Series 9: Portraits I],
[Series 10: Portraits J],
[Series 11: Portraits K],
[Series 12: Portraits L],
[Series 13: Portraits M],
[Series 14: Portraits N],
[Series 15: Portraits O],
[Series 16: Portraits P],
[Series 17: Portraits Q],
[Series 18: Portraits R],
[Series 19: Portraits S],
[Series 20: Portraits T],
[Series 21: Portraits U],
[Series 22: Portraits V],
[Series 23: Portraits W],
[Series 24: Portraits X],
[Series 25: Portraits Y],
[Series 26: Portraits Z],
[All]

Series 21: Portraits U

Box 16: Portraits U-Z (small)

Item 1: Arnulf Ueland (1895-1978), 1960s: Dimensions: 18 x 13 cm; Note: Recto: [inscribed] 10. Verso: [written in ink] 75, Arnulf Ueland, [cropping specifications].; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 2: Gustav Uhlendorff (1875-1962), 1900s: Biography or History: Danish dancer.; Dimensions: 14 x 9 cm; Note: Recto: [printed] Gustav Uhlendorf, C. St. Eneret 25.; Physical Description: 1 postcard
Item 3: Rev. S. K. (Sven Knutsen) Ulsaker (1860-1916), 1890s: Biography or History: Attended Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), 1878-1883.; Creator: Neevel, Edward, 1864-1950, photographer; Dimensions: 14 x 10 cm on 17 x 11 cm mount; Note: Recto: [imprint] Neevel, EN, Baldwin, Wis. [written in ink] S. K. Ulsaker - Bass Drum 1879-'81.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on cabinet card mount; Place: Baldwin, Saint Croix County, Wisconsin
Item 4: Martin Ulvestad (1865-1942), 1927: Biography or History: Historian and author of Nordmændene i Amerika, deres historie og rekord (1907).; Dimensions: 15 x 9 cm; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] Martin Ulvestad, Shorey's old bookstore, 3rd ave., Seattle, Wash., July 1927.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print; Related Material: Luther College Archives: The Papers of Martin Ulvestad, LCA/RG15/Ulvestad, M; Norwegian-American Historical Association: 1397. Trockstad, Axel P. (1879-1955). Biographies. 2 items. P 451; Norwegian-American Historical Association: 1407. Ulvestad, Martin (1865-1942). Correspondence, 1933-1936. 14 items. P 394; Pacific Lutheran University, Archives and Special Collections: Guide to the Martin Ulvestad Collection, SIEmss_101.
Item 5: Rev. J. B. (Joseph Bernhard) Unseth (1875-1966), 1897: Biography or History: Attended Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), 1891-1897.; Creator: Solberg, Otto T., 1863-1951, photographer; Dimensions: 15 x 10 cm on 17 x 11 cm mount; Note: Recto: [imprint] Solberg, 128 Water Street, Decorah, Ia. Verso: [written in ink] J. B. Unseth, Westby, Wis.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on cabinet card mount; Place: Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa
Item 6: Magnus A. (Magnus Andrew) Unseth (1867-1935), 1890s: Biography or History: Physician; Attended Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), 1883-1890.; Creator: Root, W. J. (William J.), b. 1854, photographer; Dimensions: 14 x 10 cm on 17 x 11 cm mount; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on cabinet card mount; Place: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Box 20: Portraits P-U (medium)

Item 88: Andreas Ueland (1853-1933), undated: Biography or History: Judge and author.; Dimensions: 24 x 18 cm on 26 x 21 cm mount; Note: Recto: [written in ink] Please return to Brenda Ueland, 3820 W. Calhoun Boulevard, Minneapolis 10, Minnesota. Verso: [written in pencil] Judge Andreas Ueland, [cropping specifications].; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on card mount; Related Material: Minnesota Historical Society: Brenda Ueland and family papers.
Item 89: Ingvald H. Ulsaker (1868-1960), undated: Biography or History: Publisher of Fram; Editor of Normanden (Grand Forks, N.D.).; Dimensions: 26 x 21 cm on 26 x 21 cm mount; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] I. H. Ulsaker, Editor of "Normanden".; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on card mount
Item 90: Andrew O. Utne (1886-1963), 1914: Dimensions: 18 x 7 cm on 26 x 10 cm mount; Note: Recto: [written in ink] Andrew O. Utne, M.A. Fysik og Kemi, 1914.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on card mount

Box 28: Portraits Sto-Z (large)

Item 55: H. A. (Hans Andreas) Ustrud (1871-1943), undated: Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] H. A. Ustrud, Superintendent of Public Instruction, S. Dakota.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print