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 22: Portraits V

Box 16: Portraits U-Z (small)

Item 7: Rev. Johannes Rollefsen Vaaler (1849-1920), 1900s: Biography or History: Attended Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), 1867-1868, 1871-1872.; Dimensions: 16 x 12 cm mount; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] Rev. Våler, Vaaler.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on card mount
Item 8: C. H. (Charles H.) Valder (1823-1922), 1880s: Biography or History: Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) faculty, 1881-1890.; Dimensions: 5 x 7 cm on 11 x 7 cm mount; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] C. H. Valder, LC 1881-90.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on card mount
Item 9: Bent Vanberg (1915-1989), undated: Biography or History: Editor of Viking magazine.; Dimensions: 19 x 13 cm; Note: Recto: [inscribed] 821031. Verso: [written in ink] 76, Bent Vanberg, [cropping specifications].; Physical Description: 1 photographic print; Related Material: Norwegian-American Historical Association: 1416. Vanberg, Bent (d. 1989). Manuscripts, 1980s. 2 items. P 1204.
Item 10: Samuel Vangsness (b. 1857), undated: Dimensions: 13 x 9 cm; Note: Verso: [printed] This Paper Manufactured by Kodak [written in ink] Samuel Vangsness brother of Halvor Wangsness visited us in Coupeville Wash. the winter of 1916-1917.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of a 1916 or 17 portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 11: Andrew A. (Andrew Anderson) Veblen (1848-1932), 1880s: Biography or History: Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) faculty, 1877-1881.; Creator: Relf, J. T. (James T.), 1847-1909, photographer; Dimensions: 10 x 6 cm on 10 x 6 cm mount; Note: Verso: [imprint] From the studio of J. T. Relf, Rooms in Relf's Block over Montgomery's Drug Store, Decorah, Iowa, Negatives Preserved [written in ink] A. A. Veblen, LC 1877-81.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on carte de visite mount; Place: Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa; Related Material: Luther College Archives: The Papers of Andrew A. Veblen, 1918-1973, LCA/RG15/Veblen, A; Norwegian-American Historical Association: 1418. Veblen, Andrew A. (1848-1932). Papers, 1902-1964. 3 boxes. P 598
Item 12: Kari Bunde Veblen (1825-1907), undated: Dimensions: 18 x 11 cm; Note: Recto: [written in ink] Kari Bunde Veblen, 1825-1907, mother of Thorstein Veblen, 1857-1929. Verso: [printed] Kodak Electronic Imaging Paper.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 13: Thorstein Veblen (1857-1929), undated: Biography or History: Economist and author of The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899).; Dimensions: 13 x 10 cm; Note: Verso: [printed] No. ___, Extra prints may be ordered by this number, LeRoy Sampson, Decorah, Iowa [written] 375 [written in ink] Thorstein Veblen.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 14: Rev. O. M. (Ole Martin) Vereide (1860-1946), 1890s: Biography or History: Attended Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), 1882-1889.; Creator: Elder, George W., 1853-1941, photographer; Dimensions: 14 x 10 cm on 17 x 11 cm mount; Note: Recto: [imprint] Elder, GWE, Forest City, Iowa, Superior Finish. Verso: [written in ink] O. M. Vereide, Member from '82 to '89 [?] Bb Bass.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on cabinet card mount; Place: Forest City, Hancock County and Winnebago County, Iowa
Item 15: Rev. N. J. (Nils Johannes) Vikingstad (1860-1936), 1890s: Creator: Engell, Christian, 1841-1935, photographer; Dimensions: 9 x 9 cm on 13 x 13 cm mount; Note: Recto: [imprint] Chris. Engell, Spring Grove, Minn. Verso: [written in pencil] Vikingstad, Vikingstad.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on card mount; Place: Spring Grove, Houston County, Minnesota
Item 16: Nils Collett Vogt (1864-1937), circa 1925: Biography or History: Norwegian poet.; Dimensions: 17 x 10 cm; 17 x 10 cm; 17 x 10 cm; Note: Versos: [printed] Mr. Nils Collett Vogt, Oslo, Norway, official representative of the Authors' League of Norway, to the Norse-American Centennial. He is Norway's most popular lyric poet.; Physical Description: 3 photographic prints; Related Material: Norwegian-American Historical Association: 900. The Norse-American Centennial. Papers, 1923-1929. 7 boxes and 2 volumes. P 562; Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Archives: The Norse-American Centennial Collection, VMA/RG02/ARCH.NorAmCentennial.
Item 17: Andrew J. (Andrew John) Volstead (1860-1947), undated: Alternate Format: Portrait published in: Norsk-Amerikanernes festskrift, edited by Johannes B. Wist (Decorah, Iowa: Symra, 1914), p. 321.; Biography or History: United States Representative from Minnesota, 1903-1923.; Dimensions: 13 x 9 cm; Note: Recto: [inscribed] A. J. Volstead.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print; Related Material: Norwegian-American Historical Association: 1428. Volstead, Andrew J. (1860-1947). Article. 1 folder. P 871.

Box 21: Portraits V-Z (medium)

Item 1: Alf O. Vaala (1884-1968), 1907: Biography or History: Attended Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), 1900-1907.; Creator: Solberg, Otto T., 1863-1951, photographer; Dimensions: 14 x 8 cm on 23 x 14 cm mount; Note: Recto: [imprint] Solberg, Decorah, Ia. [written in ink] Mr Alf O. Vaala. Verso: [written in pencil] Alf Vaala.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on card mount; Place: Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa
Item 2: Rev. Ole Pedersen Vangsnes (1855-1916), 1900s: Biography or History: Attended Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), 1869-1875.; Creator: Lee Brothers, photographers; Dimensions: 15 x 10 cm on 19 x 14 cm mount; Note: Recto: [imprint] Lee Bros, Minneapolis. Verso: [written in pencil] Rev. Vangsnes.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on card mount; Place: Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota
Item 3: Aad John Vinje (1857-1929), undated: Biography or History: Judge.; Dimensions: 9 x 7 cm; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] Judge Vinje.; Physical Description: 1 photomechanical print
Item 4: Aasmund Halvorsen Vinje (1851-1917), 1905: Biography or History: Norwegian politician.; Creator: Hilfling-Rasmussen, Jens Carl Frederik, 1869-1941, photographer; Dimensions: 15 x 11 cm on 26 x 15 cm mount; Note: Recto: [imprint] Hilfling Rasmussen, Storthingsgaden 14, Christiania, Eneberettiget, 1905. Verso: [written in pencil] Vinje.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on card mount; Place: Oslo, Norway

Box 28: Portraits Sto-Z (large)

Item 56: Carl C. (Carl Chester) Van Dyke (1881-1919), undated: Biography or History: United States Representative from Minnesota, 1915-1919.; Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Recto: [inscribed] U.S. Seantor, Van Dyke, Cong. District. Verso: [written in pencil] Chester B. [sic] Van Dyke, 1915-19, congressman.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of a 1910s photomechanical portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 57: Oswald Veblen (1880-1960), undated: Biography or History: Mathematician.; Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] Prof. Oswald Veblen, Prof. of Mathematics, #415.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 58: Thorstein Veblen (1857-1929), undated: Biography or History: Economist and author of The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899).; Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] Thorstein B. Veblen, 33% [written in ink] 375.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 59: Harold C. Vedeler (1903-2007), undated: Biography or History: Diplomat.; Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Recto: [written in ink] Harold C. Vedeler. Verso: [written in ink] Harold Vedeler [written in pencil] Harold Vedeler.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 60: Victoria of Baden (1862-1930), undated: Biography or History: Queen of Sweden.; Dimensions: 29 x 20 cm; Note: Recto: [printed] Victoria, Kronprindsesse til Norge og Sverige.; Physical Description: 1 photomechanical print
Item 61: Rev. E. O. (Eivind Olson) Vik (1862-1939), undated: Biography or History: Attended Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), 1877-1884.; Dimensions: 36 x 29 cm on 36 x 29 cm board; Note: Verso: [written in ink] Vik [written in pencil] Rev. E. O. Vik, Pastor in La Crosse, 8221, K[?].; Physical Description: 1 photographic print on board
Item 62: Aad John Vinje (1857-1929), undated: Biography or History: Judge.; Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] Judge Aad Vinje (Wis) [written in ink] Vinje.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated photomechanical portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 63: Aad John Vinje (1857-1929), undated: Biography or History: Judge.; Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] Gilbert Haugen?, Judge Aad Vinje (Wis) [written in ink] Vinje.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated photomechanical portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 64: Aad John Vinje (1857-1929), undated: Biography or History: Judge.; Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] Aad J. Vinje, Chief Justice Wis, Aad J. Vinje, Chief Justice, WI.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print
Item 65: Nils Voll (1857-1948), 1910s: Biography or History: Consul of Norway in San Francisco.; Creator: Hartsook, Fred, 1876-1930, photographer; Dimensions: 24 x 19 cm; Note: Enclosure: [imprint] Hartsook, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, Oakland, Sacramento, Visalia, Bakersfield, Pasadena, Santa Rosa, Pomona, Fresno, San Diego, Stockton, San Jose, Long Beach [written in pencil] Konsul Nils Voll, San Francisco, Konsul Nils Voll.; Physical Description: 1 photographic print; Place: San Francisco, San Francisco County, California
Item 66: Andrew J. (Andrew John) Volstead (1860-1947), undated: Biography or History: United States Representative from Minnesota, 1903-1923.; Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] Andrew J. Volstead, MN, 1903-21, 12.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print; Related Material: Norwegian-American Historical Association: 1428. Volstead, Andrew J. (1860-1947). Article. 1 folder. P 871.
Item 67: Andrew J. (Andrew John) Volstead (1860-1947), undated: Biography or History: United States Representative from Minnesota, 1903-1923.; Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Verso: [written in ink] BOLST [written in pencil] Volstead, s[?].; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print; Related Material: Norwegian-American Historical Association: 1428. Volstead, Andrew J. (1860-1947). Article. 1 folder. P 871.
Item 68: Andrew J. (Andrew John) Volstead (1860-1947), undated: Biography or History: United States Representative from Minnesota, 1903-1923.; Dimensions: 36 x 28 cm; Note: Verso: [written in pencil] Sen. Andrew J. Volstead, MN, 1903-21.; Originals or Copies Note: Reproduction of an undated portrait; Physical Description: 1 photographic print; Related Material: Norwegian-American Historical Association: 1428. Volstead, Andrew J. (1860-1947). Article. 1 folder. P 871.