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FINDING AID

Sven Peter August Lindahl papers, 1872-1934

COLLECTION SUMMARY

Collection Title:    
Sven Peter August Lindahl papers 

Collection Number:    
MSS P:33

Dates:    
1872-1909, 1934 and undated (bulk 1884-1907)      

Size:    
2 boxes (1.5 linear feet)

Language:    
Swedish, English    

Creator/Collector:    
Lindahl, S. P. A. (Sven Peter August), 1843-1908

Subject Headings:    
Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod of North America--Correspondence
Rock Island (Ill)--Real property
Norelius, Eric, 1833-1916

Repository:    
Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.

Abstract:    
S.P.A. Lindahl immigrated to the United States in 1865, attended Augustana College, was ordained, and served various Augustana Lutheran Churches. Lindahl served as editor for Augustana and was president of the Augustana Synod from 1888-1891. The collection contains letters received by S.P.A. Lindahl concerning church matters and scrapbooks of clippings on various topics. 

RIGHTS AND ACCESS

Conditions Governing Access:  
Collection is open for research.

Reproduction and Use:    
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the Swenson Center and the copyright holder. 

Preferred Citation:    
[item identification], in MSS P:33 Sven Peter August Lindahl papers, Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. 

ACQUISITION AND RELATED MATERIALS

Provenance:    
Purchased by Augustana College Denkmann Memorial Library in 1979 from dealer Robert Cauthen in Florida. Transferred to Swenson Center in 1982. 

Source of Acquisition:    
Transferred from Augustana College Library in 1982. 

Appraisal, Destruction, and Scheduling Information:   
One moldy scrapbook of poems collected by S.P.A. Lindahl’s daughter Alberta C. Lindahl Peterson discarded in June 2018. 

Related Materials:    
MSS P:1 Eric Norelius letters
Augustana Ministerium, pg. 19
Korsbaneret, 1909, pg. 176-191

Processed By:    
Received by Kermit Westerberg in 1982. Finding aid written by Christina Johansson in 2006. Finding aid updated by Lisa Huntsha in 2018. 

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE

Administrative/Biographical History:    
S.P.A. Lindahl was born in Kristdala, Sweden on November 8, 1843. He immigrated to the United States in 1865 to attend Augustana College and Seminary in Paxton, Illinois and was ordained on June 20, 1869. He served the Augustana Lutheran Churches in Woodhull; Immanuel, Chicago; Galesburg; and Altona, Illinois. Lindahl served as editor for Augustana, 1890-1908, and served on numerous boards and wrote several books. He was president of the Augustana Synod from 1888-1891. He married Clara Anderson in 1875 (died 1877) and Hannah (Johanna) Johnson in 1885. His daughter Alberta C. Lindahl (b. 2 August 1887) married Rudolph D. Peterson in Pierson, Florida. S.P.A. Lindahl died on March 27, 1908.

Scope and Content:    
Letters received by S.P.A. Lindahl concerning church matters (1880s and 1890s), real estate settlement papers, and one scrapbook of receipts. Five scrapbooks with clippings from American newspapers, likely compiled by Lindahl’s daughter Alberta C. Lindahl. 

System of Arrangement:    
Arranged by material type and chronologically. 
Series I: Letters
Series II: Scrapbooks

Collection Inventory:  

Box 1

Series I: Letters 

  1. Letters to S.P.A. Lindahl, Swedish, 1884-1907 and undated
    From: Eric Norelius, Victor Setterdahl, A. Kinell, A. Hult, Josua Lindahl, Carl O. Lindell, A. Rodell, Constantine M. Esbjörn, Fredrick Nibelius, G. Peterson, Nels Nelson, Carl F. Sandahl, S. August Lindholm, Carl August Bäckman, Carl Bengtson
  2. Letter to S.P.A. Lindahl from Carl Theodore Sandström regarding S.P.A. Lindahl’s election to Phrenokosmian Society (literary and debating society) of Augustana College, English, 21 March 1873
  3. Letters (reports) to S.P.A. Lindahl from people in Pierson, Florida, Swedish, 1886-1894.
    From: Victor A. Nelson, A. Kinell, G. Peterson, Johan Albert Axelson
  4. Letters written by S.P.A. Lindahl, Swedish, 1872, 1890, 1896 and undated
    To: Dreborg (onboard the steamship “Atlantic”); editor of Svenska Tribunen; editor of Ungdoms-vännen; and Central Board of the Augustana Synod Mission
  5. Letters, checks, and one cashbook concerning partnership with Christine B. Thulin and property on 38th Street, Rock Island (Augustana Book Concern was one tenant), English/Swedish, 1895-1904 and undated. Includes correspondence from J.B. Oakleaf, Attorney from Moline, Illinois.
  6. Other letters, English/Swedish, 1909 and 1934
    1 letter likely written by Lindahl’s daughter Alberta C. Lindahl Peterson, English/Swedish, 1909
    1 letter written by Ruth Rodhe Stenwall of Jacksonville, Florida to Alberta C. Lindahl Peterson, Swedish, 1934
  7. Photographs, undated
    ph1 S.P.A. Lindahl 
    ph 2 S. Peterson
  8. Christmas postcards (blank), Swedish, undated

Series II: Scrapbooks

1.    Invoices and receipts, English, 1882-1908

Box 2

2.    1893 World’s Fair clippings, English
3.    Poets  and poetry clippings, English, undated
4.    World religions clippings, English, undated
5.    Literature clippings, Mabel E. Rockwell of Geneseo, Illinois, English, 1891
6.    Theatre and John Ericsson clippings, English, undated

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