Youngert, Sven Gustaf, 1861-1939

English, Swedish

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Augustana College and Theological Seminary (Rock Island, Ill.)--Faculty. 
Augustana College and Theological Seminary (Rock Island, Ill.)--Administration.

Helen Reinold, 2010.

Augustana College Special Collections
Thomas Tredway Library
639 38th Street
Rock Island, Illinois 61201
309-794-7643
specialcollections@augustana.edu

The materials in this collection were donated to Special Collections by Shirley Trevor in June 2010.

Sven Gustaf Youngert was born on April 27, 1861, in Ljunget, Sweden. His father, Olof Persson Youngert, was a tailor and farmer. Youngert attended public school until the age of fourteen. After his confirmation in June, 1876, he began to attend a private school, where he studied mathematics, history, and the natural sciences. At the age of sixteen, Youngert began to work for a painter, with the intention of becoming one himself. At the age of eighteen, he moved in with his sister in Stockholm, where he worked as a painter. He attended another private school for two years, and was accepted to the Fjellstedt School in Upsala in 1882. In 1884, Youngert took a position as a private tutor to a prominent family in Upsala. He remained in the position for two years.

In 1886, Youngert immigrated to the United States to attend Augustana College and Theological Seminary. He studied there for six years, and was ordained as a minister from Augustana on June 5, 1892. He had so many credits from his schools in Sweden that he received a Master’s degree in that year as well. From 1892 to 1897 Youngert served as pastor of the Zion Lutheran Church of Kewanee, Illinois. Between 1894 and 1895 he was the secretary of the Illinois Conference of the Augustana Lutheran Church. He married Hannah Alfrida Schoberg on April 27, 1894. They had eight children: Eugene, Elvira, Oliver, Eunice, Ilian, Harriet, Arnold, and Marjorie. In 1897, Youngert received his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Augustana College. From January 1897 to September 1900, he served as pastor of the First Lutheran Church of Ottumwa, Iowa. After this, he received a post as professor at Augustana Theological Seminary, a position he held until 1912. While teaching, Youngert also received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1901, and his Doctor of Sacred Theology in 1905, both from Augustana College. In addition, he took summer courses at the University of Iowa beginning in 1906, and graduated with a Doctorate in Philosophy in 1912.

In 1912, Youngert was appointed pastor of Emanuel Church in Hartford, Connecticut, where he served until 1917. He then returned to Augustana Theological Seminary as a professor from 1917 to 1931. He served as the Vice President of Augustana College and Theological Seminary from 1920 to 1927 and as the Dean of the Seminary from 1930-1931. In June 1931, he was appointed pastor of both the First Lutheran Church of Waltham and the Gustaf Adolf Church of Natick, Massachusetts. He held the post until 1935, when he again returned to Augustana to teach. In 1930, Youngert undertook an extensive trip to Egypt, Syria, Jerusalem, Italy, Greece, and Germany. While in Germany, he was a delegate at the celebration of the four hundredth anniversary of the Augsburg Confession.

Youngert published several books and pamphlets throughout his career, most of which focused on philosophy and the teaching of religion. He served as the editor of the Augustana Theological Quarterly from 1912 to 1917. Youngert received numerous awards and titles during his career, including the Order of Knighthood of the North Star, First Class, from Gustaf V, King of Sweden.

Sven Gustaf Youngert died on February 26, 1939.

The Sven Gustaf Youngert Collection includes correspondence, photographs, postcards, legal documents, newspaper clippings, biographical materials, and artifacts. It encompasses 1.13 linear feet and contains documents from 1899 to 1934. It is divided into six sections: Personal, Official Documents, Correspondence, Travel, Photographs, and Artifacts.

The Personal series (1916-1927 and undated) contains three subseries: Biographical (1925-1975 and undated), Arnold Edward Youngert (1916-1927), and North Star Order Decoration (1924-1925 and undated). The Biographical subseries consists of biographies of Sven Gustaf Youngert and news clippings mentioning him. The Arnold Edward Youngert subseries contains documents related to Youngert’s seventh child. The North Star subseries consists of documents relating to Youngert’s knighthood in 1924.

The Official Documents series (1883-1938) contains legal documents, including Youngert’s last will and testament, membership certificates, a moving certificate, and a certificate of employment.

The Correspondence series (1901-1934 and undated) contains three subseries: Personal (1910-1934), Calls to Church Posts (1901-1933), and Postcards (undated). The Personal subseries contains correspondence to and from Sven Gustaf Youngert. The Calls to Church Posts subseries contains letters to Youngert relating to church and academic posts he occupied. The Postcards subseries contains several blank postcards with pictures of the town of Tallinn, Estonia. There is also one undated postcard written to Youngert.

The Travel series (1919) is a collection of documents from a trip taken by Youngert to Europe in 1919. It includes his passport, visas, identification papers, a map, and a letter of introduction. 

The Photographs series (1910 and undated) includes several pictures of Youngert and his associates.

The Artifacts series (undated) includes one pair of Youngert’s glasses and several pins. It also includes medals and commemorative coins, one commemorating the anniversary of the Augsburg Confession.

The Sven Gustaf Youngert collection is arranged chronologically within each series with undated materials at the end of the series. Undated documents are organized alphabetically by title. Photographs are arranged alphabetically by the last name of the subject of the photograph. Unidentified photos can be found at the end of the series.

MSS 4 Gustav Andreen Papers, 1864-1940 
MSS 106 Ira O. Nothstein Papers, 1919-1962