Edna G. Bergsgaard interview, 1995 August 23

Edna G. Bergsgaard interview, 1995 August 23

2019/008 Audio 11A

1995 August 23

In this series of interviews by Odd Lovoll for his books “The Promise of America: History of the Norwegian-American People” and “The Promise Fulfilled: A Portrait of Norwegian Americans Today,” Terje Joranger interviews Edna Bergsgaard of Spring Grove, Minnesota. Edna tells about her early childhood and family life and history, as well as her relationship to the Norwegian language. She narrates her marriage and details some stories from her early married life, and tells about her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She talks about the Sons of Norway Syttende Mai celebrations in detail and gives a brief account of her feelings on politics, as well as her impressions of religion as a child. They finish with Edna’s thoughts on the meaning of being a Norwegian-American.

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Bergsgaard, Edna G. (1918-2004)

Edna Bergsgaard was born December 13th, 1918, in Spring Grove, Minnesota, to Julia and Edwin Goodno. She grew up in Iowa, just over the Minnesota border, on a farm with her grandfather, mother, and younger cousin. Edna began working at a young age, and in 1940 she married Palmer Bergsgaard, with whom she had seven children. Edna was involved in her Lutheran church and in the Sons of Norway, and when she died December 5th, 2004 she had already seen the births of many great-grandchildren.

00:27:21

English

Oral History

Bergsgaard, Edna G.

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NAHA 2019/008