Skandinaven's Book Department

John Anderson and his family made the journey from Voss, Norway to Chicago in 1844, when John was eight years old. His two brothers died on the trip, and his father died during a cholera epidemic in 1848. In order to make ends meet for his mother and infant sister, 12-year-old John sold apples and newspapers. His job as a newspaper boy led to additional newspaper jobs until finally he was working on layout for the Chicago Tribune.

In 1866, Anderson started publishing a Norwegian-language newspaper called the Skandinaven. It became America's leading Norwegian newspaper. Eventually, Anderson added a book store and a mail-order book department. Some of the longer works were published in installments. I wondered if that's what Hanna Jacobson of Astoria, Oregon had ordered. She received this card in 1904, acknowledging receipt of $13.50. I assumed that inst. stood for installment, but as the comments below reveal, it stands for instant, meaning this month.

Thirteen dollars was a lot of money in 1904.  I can hardly imagine what she must have been buying,  since Skandinaven's 1915-16 catalog offered books with gold lettering and engraved illustrations for a dollar a piece.

You can read lots more about John Anderson at the Norwegian-American Historical Association website in an article written by Jean Skogerboe Hansen.

London - The Big Funny City in 1912

With traffic from the Olympics, it may have been easier to get around London in 1912 than it is today.  The first card is in fairly rough shape, but it includes a wonderful message written exactly 100 years ago today.

The message reads:

Chichester, Aug. 2' 1912

My Dear Alfred

I was much pleased today to find your kind note in my mail-bag! Thank you for remembering me.

I remember when your Father was about your age, that his grandmother took him to England. I have thought of it several times since I came here.

This card shows you one of the finest places in London. It is a big funny city. Do you see that two story omnibus?  with stair on the outside. It is one of the hundreds we see, and they are all covered over with posters advertising whiskey and beer, and soap and bread +c+c.

We are having a good time and seeing many fine things.

I hope you are all well. Give my love to your Father + Mother and all.  your Friend,

E.C. Harrington

Here are two more cards of the same era.

R.M.S. Berengaria

The R.M.S. Berengaria was originally built for the Hamburg-Amerika Line as the Imperator. At the end of World War I, she was seized by the America Navy and given to the British as reparation for sinking of the Lusitania. The ship was then sold to the Cunard line.

The Hall Genealogy website has lots of information on the ship along with many photos of the interior.