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Last updated 01/04/09
INTRODUCTION
In 1911, the well-known Swedish-American journalist Ernst Skarstedt finished the third volume in his trilogy of Swedes in the Far West, Oregon och dess svenska befolkning [Oregon and its Swedish population]. The book covered the period 1880 to 1910, and it was organized in the same way as its two predecessors – it began with a general history of the state, moved on to the various activities of the Swedes, and concluded with a substantial biographical section of prominent Swedish immigrants. The biographical section occupies almost half the book, and it was most likely done as a marketing device. By including so many Swedish families, Skarstedt tried to ensure that he would have enough buyers to cover the cost of the printing, which he financed himself. Today, these stories have become a gold mine of information for both genealogists and readers interested in ethnography, immigration and history in the state of Oregon.
In 2001, Swedish Roots in Oregon translated and published the three chapters from Oregon och dess svenska befolkning that deal with the Swedish churches, newspapers and social organizations. (Please see the first publication in the SRIO booklet series.) We are now able to present the first English translations of these Swedish-Oregon biographies.
"The biographies have been translated by Britt-Mari Lord, Leif Rosqvist and Lars Nordström, and we thank Erland Anderson, Lars & Cynthia Nordström and Barry Peterson for all their editorial assistance. Herje Wikegård, SRIO Webmaster, has done a tremendous job posting them on the website, and we are most grateful for his expertise and persistence. If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to send us an email!
DONATIONS
Dear Visitor, we hope that you have enjoyed exploring our website and these historical biographies gathered by Skarstedt. If you have found something useful and interesting, please consider making a small donation to SRIO to help defray the cost of keeping this all-volunteer website running and growing. SRIO is a registered, non-profit organization and all donations are fully tax-deductible. Please make your check out to: Swedish Roots in Oregon, and mail to 8740 SW Oleson Rd, Portland, OR 97223. Tack så mycket!
