The Papers of Nikolai Astrup Larsen

The Papers of Nikolai Astrup Larsen, 1884-1967 | Luther College Archives

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Collection Overview

Title: The Papers of Nikolai Astrup Larsen, 1884-1967

ID: LCA/RG15/Larsen, N

Primary Creator: Larsen, N. Astrup (1878-1961)

Extent: 9.8 Linear Feet. More info below.

Date Acquired: 03/22/1969

Subjects: Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) - Alumni and alumnae, Missionaries--China, Norwegian Lutheran Church of America

Languages: English, Norwegian, Chinese

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Documentation consists of correspondence, 1897-1967 (family and church); diaries,1907-9, 1916; sermons, 1920’s-1950’s; photographs; budget books, 1949-1965; receipts; insurance policy; journals; booklets; bulletins; family information; newspaper clippings; certificates; autobiographies (him and others); papers of N.L.C.A. (minutes and constitution) and other church related papers and articles; programs; papers on the Iowa District; Luther College papers (information, clubs, events, etc.); pocket books; date books, 1898-1916; speeches; political papers (Communism in China); study notes; notebooks; lecture notes; scrapbooks; minutes; resolutions; a few poems; articles by N.A. Larsen and others; papers and materials on China mission work; World Church convention information and conferences materials (World Council of Churches, American Lutheran Church Conference); date books and almanacs, 1918-1954.

Biographical Note

Larsen was born to Luther College president Laur. Larsen and his wife Ingeborg Astrup Larsen on July 13, 1878. He graduated from Luther College in 1896. After graduation, he enrolled at Luther Theological Seminary and graduated from that institution in 1900. He immediately accepted a call as a pastor in Minnesota. In 1902, he moved to North Dakota to serve several congregations there. A year later, he moved again within North Dakota and stayed with a congregation there for eight years. He married his first wife, Tora Ylvisaker in 1904 who died six years later. He married Marie Weltzin, whom he met after accepting a call to Our Savior’s Church in Tacoma, Washington in 1911. Together they performed missionary work in China, and in 1925 he became the president of the Union Lutheran Theological Seminary in China. Upon his return from China, he received a call to First Lutheran Church in Sioux City, Iowa. In 1933, Luther conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. He was elected president of the Iowa District of the Norwegian Lutheran Church in 1934, serving that position until his retirement fifteen years later. He died in 1961 at the age of 83.

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Larsen ble født 13. juli 1878. Han var sønn av Luther College president Laur. Larsen og Ingeborg (Astrup). Han tok eksamen ved Luther College i 1896. Deretter begynte han ved Luther Theological Seminary og gikk ut derfra i 1900. Kort etter takket han ja til et kall som prest i Minnesota. I 1902 flyttet han til Nord Dakota for å tjenestegjøre for flere menigheter der. Han giftet seg med Tora Ylvisaker i 1904. Hun døde seks år senere og han giftet seg da med Marie Weltzin, som han møtte etter å ha takket ja til et kall fra Our Savior’s Church i Tacoma, Washington, i 1911. Sammen jobbet de som misjonærer i Kina, og i 1925 ble han president for Union Lutheran Theological Seminary der. Da han kom tilbake til USA fikk han et kall fra First Lutheran Church i Sioux City, Iowa. I 1933 mottok han en æresdoktorgrad, Doctor of Divinity, fra Luther. Han ble valgt til president for Norwegian Lutheran Church, Iowa District i 1934, en jobb han hadde til han gikk av med pensjon femten år senere. Han døde i 1961, åttitre år gammel.

Subject/Index Terms

Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) - Alumni and alumnae
Missionaries--China
Norwegian Lutheran Church of America

Administrative Information

Repository: Luther College Archives

Alternate Extent Statement: 15 boxes

Use Restrictions: Though we may hold the property rights, Luther College Archives does not hold the copyrights for all materials. Individuals may use materials for non-commercial, private use, but commercial users must secure permissions from the copyright holders and/or Luther College Archives to reproduce, publish, or quote protected materials and photographs. For more information about the Luther College copyright and fair use policy, please visit https://www.luther.edu/library/copyright

Acquisition Source: N. Astrup Larsen Estate

Preferred Citation: Cite unpublished materials: Nikolai Astrup Larsen Papers, RG15 Manuscripts, Luther College Archives, Decorah, Iowa

Finding Aid Revision History:

6/10/24: Abby Bates updated copyright policy link.

5/10/2023: HRJ updated to include acquisition information from original processing documents, add languages, and add subject headings.

11/20/19: EC updated the preferred citation.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Correspondence, 1900-1967],
[Series 2: Writings, 1925-1961],
[Series 3: Sermons, 1920-1959],
[Series 4: China Missions, 1909-1953],
[Series 5: Church Papers, 1927-1968],
[Series 6: Personal Papers, 1884-1965],
[Series 7: Realia, Undated],
[All]

Series 1: Correspondence, 1900-1967

Box 1: Correspondence and Finding Aid, 1897-1959

Folder 1: Info and History of Collection
Folder 2: Finding Aid (150:51-100)
Folder 3: Finding Aids
Folder 4: Cards to and from Marie Larsen, Undated
Folder 5: Correspondence with Hanna, Karen, & Henning Larsen, plus 'Sassan', 1897-99, 1900, '13, Undated
Folder 6: Correspondence with Laur Larsen, 1900-02
Folder 7: Correspondence with Laur & Ingeborg Larsen, 1903-1905
Folder 8: Correspondence with Joseph Tetlie, 1918-1926, Undated
Folder 9: Familial Correspondence, 1906-1909
Folder 10: Correspondence with Laur and Ingeborg Larsen, 1910-1911
Folder 11: Correspondence with Laur & Ingeborg Larsen, 1913-1914, Undated
Folder 12: Correspondence with Laur & Ingeborg Larsen, and Marie Weltzin, 1912
Folder 13: Correspondence with Laur & Ingeborg Larsen, 1913
Folder 14: Correspondence with Jakob, Karen, & Hanna Larsen, 1922-1925
Folder 15: Correspondence with Family, May Larsen, 1913, Undated
Folder 16: Correspondence with Laur, Ingeborg, Signe, & Marie Larsen, 1912-1914, 23
Folder 17: Familial Correspondence, 1915-19, 22, Undated
Folder 18: Correspondence with both Ingeborg Larsens, 1916-1921, Undated
Folder 19: Familial Correspondence, 1923-1927
Folder 20: Correspondence with Mother and Sisters, 1922-1923
Folder 21: Correspondence with Marie Larsen and Memorial Service of Lauritz Larsen, 1924
Folder 22: Correspondence with Brother, Lauritz Larsen, 1916-1922
Folder 23: Correspondence with Sister, Karen Larsen, 1923-1927
Folder 24: Correspondence with Daughters, Ingeborg and Katherine Larsen, 1922-1925
Folder 25: Correspondence with both Ingeborg Larsens, 1926, Undated
Folder 26: Correspondence of Marie Weltzin Larsen, 1924
Folder 27: Correspondence of Marie Weltzin Larsen, 1924-1925, Undated
Folder 28: Correspondence with Daughter and Son-in-Law, Ingeborg and Harold Ulvestad, 1940, 46-47, 49, 51, 56, Undated
Folder 29: Correspondence with Daughter, Katherine, and Grandchildren, 1946, 49, 53, 56, 58-59, Undated
Folder 30: Correspondence with Marie Weltzin Larsen and Daughters, 1927
Folder 31: Correspondence with Daughter and Son-in-Law, Ingeborg and Harold Ulvestad, 1956-1957
Folder 32: Correspondence with Daughter and Son-in-Law, Katherine and Arnold Christensen, 1956-1957
Folder 33: Correspondence with Louis H. Braafladt, 1924-26, 31, 33
Folder 34: Correspondence with Ladies Aid Society from Tacoma, WA, 1912-14, 17
Folder 35: Sympathy Correspondence regarding Death of Lauritz Frederick Larsen, 1924
Folder 36: Teaching and Mission Personal Correspondence, 1920-1921
Folder 37: General Correspondence, 1923
Folder 38: Correspondence on Theological Views of NA Larsen, 1924-1925
Folder 39: General Church Correspondence, 1948-1949
Folder 40: Correspondence with Ferdinand J. Smith, 1934-39, 42-43
Folder 41: Correspondence with Marie Weltzin and Postcards, 1905-06, 08-09, 1912
Folder 42: General Correspondence, 1930-34
Folder 43: General Correspondence, 1935-1939
Folder 44: Correspondence with N.N. Ronning, 1931-34, 39
Folder 45: Correspondence Regarding Toyohiko Kagawa, 1936
Folder 46: Correspondence with Pastors, 1940, 42-44
Folder 47: General Correspondence, 1942, 45-47
Folder 48: Correspondence with Clarence Tweet, 1947-1949
Folder 49: Correspondence regarding Catholic Church, 1949
Folder 50: Correspondence regarding retirement and church affairs, 1949-1952
Folder 51: General Correspondence, 1940-1950
Folder 52: 50th Ministry Anniversary and Other Correspondence, 1950
Folder 53: Correspondence regarding Articles and Book Donations, 1950-1952
Folder 54: Correspondence with TG Overson, 1951-1952
Folder 55: Correspondence regarding health of NA Larsen, 1952-1958
Folder 56: 75th Birthday Wishes, 1953
Folder 57: 75th Birthday Wishes, 1953
Folder 58: Correspondence regarding Automobile Insurance, 1943, 53, 55-57
Folder 59: Correspondence with Jessie and Arthur Lochead, 1953-54, 56-59
Folder 60: 55th Anniversary of Ordination, 1955
Folder 61: 55th Anniversary of Ordination, 1955
Folder 62: Larsens Travel Correspondence, 1956-1957
Folder 63: General Correspondence, 1953, 54, 58-59
Folder 64: Correspondence for Social Security, 1918, 56-58
Folder 65: Correspondence with Daughters, Ingeborg and Katherine Larsen, 1934
Folder 66: Laur Larsen - Letters from Nikolai Astrup Larsen, 1905-1912

Box 2: Correspondence and Writings, 1926-1966

Folder 1: Correspondence on Norway or in Norwegian, 1957-1961
Folder 2: 80th Birthday Wishes, 1958
Folder 3: 80th Birthday Wishes, 1958
Folder 4: Undated Birthday Wishes, Undated
Folder 5: General Correspondence on Religion, 1953-56, 58-59
Folder 6: Correspondence on Articles, 1951-52, 58
Folder 7: Correspondence on Pensions, 1950
Folder 8: Correspondence on Communist China, 1950, 59
Folder 9: Correspondence on Liturgy, 1950, 59
Folder 10: General Correspondence, 1960-63, 66
Folder 11: "Bolshevism in the Church", 1919
Folder 12: Correspondence relating to Luther College, 1925-26, 28
Folder 13: General Correspondence, 1935-1938
Folder 14: Correspondence Regarding State of the Church, 1933-35, 37
Folder 15: Correspondence on Karl Barth, 1933
Folder 16: "The Lutheran Church Among Norwegian-Americans", 1960
Folder 17: Correspondence Regarding Norwegian-English Translation, 1949-1952
Folder 18: Correspondence on Norwegian-English Translation, 1953
Folder 19: Correspondence on Norwegian-English Translation, 1954
Folder 20: Correspondence on Norwegian-English Translation, 1955
Folder 21: Correspondence on Norwegian-English Translation, 1956-1957
Folder 22: Correspondence on Norwegian-English Translation, 1958
Folder 23: Correspondence on Norwegian-English Translation, 1959
Folder 24: Correspondence on Norwegian-English Translation, 1960-1961, Undated