"The Other Swedes"
~ Honoring Them and Remembering Them ~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Dr. Emory K. Lindquist
~ Honoring Them and Remembering Them ~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Dr. Emory K. Lindquist
1953, "Smoky Valley People, A History of Lindsborg, Kansas"
~ The Words of Dr. Lindquist and Contents & Illustrations
This is the only comprehensive Lindsborg, Kansas, history book. No one will duplicate it! It should be preserved for posterity and perpetuity through digitalization! Smoky Valley People is a "classic" and a "must read" for Kansas Smoky Valley educators, Bethany College professors, scholars in Sweden and elsewhere, and others interested in cultural sustainability issues unique to this very well preserved Swedish American community and its neighbors, for education and conservation development. It is also a "must read" for Swedish Universities studying early Swedish American culture and traditions in Swedish America that have had early historical connections to the Swedish Smoky Valley communities.
Like Dr. Lindquist's other books, "Smoky Valley People" is characterized by "extensive" research and "extensive" documentation: "Notes," "Biography" and "Index."
Like Dr. Lindquist's other books, "Smoky Valley People" is characterized by "extensive" research and "extensive" documentation: "Notes," "Biography" and "Index."
To drive the point home on the uniqueness of this community, Lindsborg born, former fourth Swedish American Bethany College President, Dr. Emory K. Lindquist finishes his "Preface" of March 15, 1953, with
"The central factor in writing this volume is my genuine conviction that Bethany College and Lindsborg present distinctive values that are truly meaningful for individuals and society. I do not believe that this unique combination of cultural and spiritual values in a friendly small town setting can be readily duplicated."
As a "last living link" to this early history, of these Swedes, his friends, his neighbors, and his colleagues, he writes his story of the Smoky Valley People! To share his strong feelings and compassion for his subject, below is his verbatim "Preface" [with Acknowledgements] and the book's "Contents" and "List of Illustrations" as well as sharing the last chapter "Forward in Faith."
"The central factor in writing this volume is my genuine conviction that Bethany College and Lindsborg present distinctive values that are truly meaningful for individuals and society. I do not believe that this unique combination of cultural and spiritual values in a friendly small town setting can be readily duplicated."
As a "last living link" to this early history, of these Swedes, his friends, his neighbors, and his colleagues, he writes his story of the Smoky Valley People! To share his strong feelings and compassion for his subject, below is his verbatim "Preface" [with Acknowledgements] and the book's "Contents" and "List of Illustrations" as well as sharing the last chapter "Forward in Faith."
Preface [with Acknowledgements]
"In the Smoky Valley of Central Kansas is Lindsborg, a town of some two thousand people who for the most part trace their origin to Swedish immigrants of the last century. The pioneers have passed on, but their values and institutions remain. The third generation is now entrusted with the rich legacy associated with Bethany College, the "Messiah" chorus, and unique cultural and spiritual values.
"The achievements of the Lindsborg pioneers and their descendants are distinctive. Lindsborg is known nationally for the great music festival and art exhibition, which annually brings thousands of visitors to this small college community during Holy Week. An oratorio society of five hundred members, a symphony orchestra, an artists guild numbering almost tweny members, and a fine college offering studies in Liberal Arts and Sciences and in Fine Arts are some of the manifestations of the unique aspects of Lindsborg.
"The pattern of development in Lindsborg is not the result of chance. It has its roots in the devotion and faith of Swedish immigrants who came during the last century to make their rich contribution to the great symphony of American life. Great leaders like Olof Olsson and Carl Swensson inspired their generation to build magnificently for the future through the abiding resources of Christian faith and life. People thought, prayed, and worked together to improve the quality of life for themselves and for future generations.
"The history of Lindsborg records the adaptation of Swedish immigrants to life on the Kansas prairies, the struggle with nature, the building of homes, churches, and schools, the resources of faith in God and in the future, and the emergence of a community devoted to great values. It is a thrilling story of faith, courage, and sacrifice.
"Many people have made possible the writing of this volume. Any history of Lindsborg will always be indebted foremost to the works of the late Dr. Alfred Bergin, whose two volumes in Swedish are indispensable sources for the early period. The interesting, Olof Olsson, The Man, His Work, and His Thought, by E. W. Olson, is a valuable source for several aspects of the life of Lindsborg's pioneer pastor and leader. Anton Peterson, who has been associated many years with the county clerk's office of McPherson County, has rendered invaluable assistance over a long period. Dr. Julius Lincoln has often thrilled me with his eloquent accounts of Lindsborg's and Bethany's history. Kirke Mechem has given me helpful encouragement and suggestions. Nyle H. Miller and the staff of the Kansas State Historical Society have been unfailing in their helpfulness. Dr. Carl J. Kulsrud, my former history teacher at Bethany College, developed my interest in history as an undergraduate and aided me in research in the National Archives. Dr. Ira Nothstein was very helpful in making available material from the fine Swedish American collection in the Denkman Memorial Library at Augustana College. Inez Esping and Charles Pelham Greenough III have aided me again and again in the use of materials from the Bethany College Library. I wish to thank Miss Lydia Olsson for permission to use letters written by her father and mother, Dr. and Mrs. Olof Olsson. My appreciation goes also to Miss Annie Theo Swensson and Mrs. Bertha Vestling for permission to use manuscript items associated with their father, Dr. Carl Swensson. I am also indebted to many others, including Esther Gottfried, Daniel Gottfried, Dr. Hagbard Brase, Jerry Cuchman, Dr. T. W. Anderson, Dr. Sam Ronnegard, Marilyn Bengtson, and Arthur Hanson.
"It is a privilege to present reproductions of five prints by Dr. Birger Sandzen dealing with subjects in the Smoky Valley.
"The preparation of the manuscript for publication has been made possible through the capable assistance of Leona Holmberg and Lucile Holmberg. My brother Ermal and I have discussed this project over a long period of time with real profit to me.
"The central factor in writing this volume is my genuine conviction that Bethany College and Lindsborg present distinctive values that are truly meaningful for individuals and society. I do not believe that this unique combination of cultural and spiritual values in a friendly small town setting can be readily duplicated. If this volume tends to develop a great interest than heretofore in these values at Lindsborg, I shall be exceedingly grateful for having had the opportunity of chronicling a story which I cherish so highly."
Lindsborg, Kansas EMORY LINDQUIST.
March 15, 1953
"The achievements of the Lindsborg pioneers and their descendants are distinctive. Lindsborg is known nationally for the great music festival and art exhibition, which annually brings thousands of visitors to this small college community during Holy Week. An oratorio society of five hundred members, a symphony orchestra, an artists guild numbering almost tweny members, and a fine college offering studies in Liberal Arts and Sciences and in Fine Arts are some of the manifestations of the unique aspects of Lindsborg.
"The pattern of development in Lindsborg is not the result of chance. It has its roots in the devotion and faith of Swedish immigrants who came during the last century to make their rich contribution to the great symphony of American life. Great leaders like Olof Olsson and Carl Swensson inspired their generation to build magnificently for the future through the abiding resources of Christian faith and life. People thought, prayed, and worked together to improve the quality of life for themselves and for future generations.
"The history of Lindsborg records the adaptation of Swedish immigrants to life on the Kansas prairies, the struggle with nature, the building of homes, churches, and schools, the resources of faith in God and in the future, and the emergence of a community devoted to great values. It is a thrilling story of faith, courage, and sacrifice.
"Many people have made possible the writing of this volume. Any history of Lindsborg will always be indebted foremost to the works of the late Dr. Alfred Bergin, whose two volumes in Swedish are indispensable sources for the early period. The interesting, Olof Olsson, The Man, His Work, and His Thought, by E. W. Olson, is a valuable source for several aspects of the life of Lindsborg's pioneer pastor and leader. Anton Peterson, who has been associated many years with the county clerk's office of McPherson County, has rendered invaluable assistance over a long period. Dr. Julius Lincoln has often thrilled me with his eloquent accounts of Lindsborg's and Bethany's history. Kirke Mechem has given me helpful encouragement and suggestions. Nyle H. Miller and the staff of the Kansas State Historical Society have been unfailing in their helpfulness. Dr. Carl J. Kulsrud, my former history teacher at Bethany College, developed my interest in history as an undergraduate and aided me in research in the National Archives. Dr. Ira Nothstein was very helpful in making available material from the fine Swedish American collection in the Denkman Memorial Library at Augustana College. Inez Esping and Charles Pelham Greenough III have aided me again and again in the use of materials from the Bethany College Library. I wish to thank Miss Lydia Olsson for permission to use letters written by her father and mother, Dr. and Mrs. Olof Olsson. My appreciation goes also to Miss Annie Theo Swensson and Mrs. Bertha Vestling for permission to use manuscript items associated with their father, Dr. Carl Swensson. I am also indebted to many others, including Esther Gottfried, Daniel Gottfried, Dr. Hagbard Brase, Jerry Cuchman, Dr. T. W. Anderson, Dr. Sam Ronnegard, Marilyn Bengtson, and Arthur Hanson.
"It is a privilege to present reproductions of five prints by Dr. Birger Sandzen dealing with subjects in the Smoky Valley.
"The preparation of the manuscript for publication has been made possible through the capable assistance of Leona Holmberg and Lucile Holmberg. My brother Ermal and I have discussed this project over a long period of time with real profit to me.
"The central factor in writing this volume is my genuine conviction that Bethany College and Lindsborg present distinctive values that are truly meaningful for individuals and society. I do not believe that this unique combination of cultural and spiritual values in a friendly small town setting can be readily duplicated. If this volume tends to develop a great interest than heretofore in these values at Lindsborg, I shall be exceedingly grateful for having had the opportunity of chronicling a story which I cherish so highly."
Lindsborg, Kansas EMORY LINDQUIST.
March 15, 1953
Forward in Faith
Chapter XVI
The people of the Smoky Valley have shared in the blessings which have come from the dreams and aspirations of previous generations. Devout and courageous men and women in faraway Sweden dreamed of freedom and opportunity, and Lindsborg came into being. While seeking to wrest a living from the rough materials of nature, they dreamed of great values, and Bethany College, the "Messiah" chorus, churches, and meaningful culture and spiritual values became the real assets of the people.
Another dream for the future of the Smoky Valley appeared in an interesting fantasy entitled Lynnsbury-1993, which the beloved pioneer pastor, Olof Olson, wrote in 1893, describing the shape of things to come in a century, hence. Lynnsbury, the name used for Lindsborg, is a thriving, prosperous city of 20,000 inhabitants in 1993 according to Olsson's vision. The thrift and energy of the people have provided economic security in contrast with the hard privation of the pioneer era. Dairy farms, orchards, and sugar beet tracts serve as the basic agricultural endeavors of the Lynnsbury community. A large cannery of sugar beet factory provide good markets for the produce of the area and employment for many residents. The hills to the northwest are covered with great groves of oak and walnut trees; those to the east and south contained luxuriant vineyards, orchards, and flowers. Electric trains transport people to these hills where great throngs assemble on spring and summer evenings for song festivals and religious service. There are inspiring moments also when at dawn and twilight thousands of birds create a wonderful harmony of sound.
Lynnsbury is best known in 1993 as a college town with a great tradition in fine arts, especially in music. There is a large brick auditorium which seats 10,000 people. In it is a semicircle stage which accommodates a chorus of 2,000 and a large organ. Here the great Passion music of Handel and Bach is presented annually during Holy Week. The college holds a central place in the life of Lynnsbury and the surrounding community because the people genuinely understand the meaning of Christian education and great cultural values.
It is not 1993 yet. Certain aspects of Olof Olsson's fantasy have been realized; some yet await fulfillment. A town of some 2,000 inhabitants is only 1/10th as large as Olsson envisaged by 1993. No forests cover nearby hills; No vineyards and only occasional orchards are seen. The cultivation of sugar beets still awaits water for irrigation although the first project has already been established four decades before Olsson's prophecy was to be fulfilled. No electric trains take passengers to surrounding hills although a road provides transportation by automobiles for thousands of visitors who view the beautiful Smoky Valley from historic Coronado Heights.
The productivity of the Lindsborg area is different from that described by Olsson in Lynnsbury, but it is, nevertheless, great. Well-tilled fields yield from twenty-five to forty bushels of wheat, and in good years seventy bushels of corn are grown per acre. Cattle feed upon the hills to produce good income for the owner. Nature's bounty underground has created wealth from oil wells to a far greater extent than the most fantastic dreams of Olsson could have conceived. Two flour mills process wheat from neighboring fields. And adequate business district serves the needs of the people in the community. Two railroads, bus lines, and good highways provide fine means of transportation.
There is no building with a capacity to seat 10,000 people, but an unusually fine auditorium and music building on the Bethany campus, acclaimed one of the best in America, seats 2,500 in the audience and 500 on the stage. In faithful adherence to Olsson's prediction's, the great oratorios of Bach and Handel are performed annually as religious services during Holy Week. Thousands of visitors make an annual pilgrimage to Lindsborg to share in this great tradition of sacred song.
A contemporary generation is not really qualified to evaluate its own achievements. Certain facts are, nevertheless, available. The people of Lindsborg and the surrounding community have been intimately influenced by the values and ideals of the God-fearing, courageous Swedish pioneers. It would be unrealistic to deny that secular forces and the march of time have produced some changes in the pattern of life which once prevailed in the older generation. The basic values, however, are still there in the life of the people and their institutions.
Lindsborg may never become Lynnsbury. It may never attain the quality of thought and action which were in the dreams of Olof Olsson and Carl Swensson and the many people who are unsung heroes in the story of achievement. There have been failures and disappointments, great hopes unrealized and problems unsolved. It could be scarcely otherwise since the destiny of Lindsborg has been in the hands of people who are subject to human frailty. But the imperative from the pioneer period is undimmed by the passing of the years. It is based upon the promises of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. It calls for faith in God and man and in the future. It speaks of the meaning of beauty in music and art. It creates the spirit of cooperation in the interest of community progress. It is dedicated to the great promise of American life.
The record of the past is clear as to the source of greatness. New generations will be called upon to understand it, believe it, and transmit it. The ideals of the past can be considered only as points of historic reference, or they can be ever present realities in the lives of people across the decades and centuries. That chapter in the history of Lindsborg cannot be written because it has not yet been lived.
While time will write its own chronicle about the future, certain aspects can, nevertheless, be sensed as faith lights the unknown path of tomorrow. The people of the Smoky Valley will continue to dream, and well they might, because great dreams have come true there. They will recall their rich legacy and strive to respond so that it can be transmitted to generations unborn. Appreciative crowds of people will continue to come to Lindsborg during Holy Week to join in the great imperative, "Hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth." Eager students will share across the decades in the unique resources of a fine educational experience on the friendly Bethany campus. The years will bring an increasingly deeper appreciation of the distinctive qualities that have made for the uniqueness that is Lindsborg. People will cherish the wise observation of Madame Schumann-Heink: "America has no other Lindsborg."
When Madame Schumann-Heink declared, "America has no other Lindsborg," she added significantly, "I want to have a part in this one." Many people have had a part in Lindsborg, past and present, and many more will have a part in future Lindsborg. A great cause calls for great understanding, appreciation, and support. The material can join with the spiritual to build that which is meaningful. Embodying the distinctive quality in the life of this Smoky Valley is Bethany College. Great dreams can become even greater realities as individuals translate their devotion by financial support to share greatness with the future. In that manner, faith will be kept with the past.
It may only be a legend, that when the Indians viewed the Smoky Valley and saw the mystic haze on spring and autumn days, they considered it endowed with some unusual quality. The Swedish pioneers, however, described not the legendary but the real, when they wrote to friends in faraway Sweden that America was framtidslandet, "the land of the future." And so it was for them and for their children, and for their children's children. And so it will continue to be, as freedom and faith are joined with vision and work to build for tomorrow. The Smoky Valley people have shared in this vision of greatness. The future beckons with even greater dreams and hopes.
Another dream for the future of the Smoky Valley appeared in an interesting fantasy entitled Lynnsbury-1993, which the beloved pioneer pastor, Olof Olson, wrote in 1893, describing the shape of things to come in a century, hence. Lynnsbury, the name used for Lindsborg, is a thriving, prosperous city of 20,000 inhabitants in 1993 according to Olsson's vision. The thrift and energy of the people have provided economic security in contrast with the hard privation of the pioneer era. Dairy farms, orchards, and sugar beet tracts serve as the basic agricultural endeavors of the Lynnsbury community. A large cannery of sugar beet factory provide good markets for the produce of the area and employment for many residents. The hills to the northwest are covered with great groves of oak and walnut trees; those to the east and south contained luxuriant vineyards, orchards, and flowers. Electric trains transport people to these hills where great throngs assemble on spring and summer evenings for song festivals and religious service. There are inspiring moments also when at dawn and twilight thousands of birds create a wonderful harmony of sound.
Lynnsbury is best known in 1993 as a college town with a great tradition in fine arts, especially in music. There is a large brick auditorium which seats 10,000 people. In it is a semicircle stage which accommodates a chorus of 2,000 and a large organ. Here the great Passion music of Handel and Bach is presented annually during Holy Week. The college holds a central place in the life of Lynnsbury and the surrounding community because the people genuinely understand the meaning of Christian education and great cultural values.
It is not 1993 yet. Certain aspects of Olof Olsson's fantasy have been realized; some yet await fulfillment. A town of some 2,000 inhabitants is only 1/10th as large as Olsson envisaged by 1993. No forests cover nearby hills; No vineyards and only occasional orchards are seen. The cultivation of sugar beets still awaits water for irrigation although the first project has already been established four decades before Olsson's prophecy was to be fulfilled. No electric trains take passengers to surrounding hills although a road provides transportation by automobiles for thousands of visitors who view the beautiful Smoky Valley from historic Coronado Heights.
The productivity of the Lindsborg area is different from that described by Olsson in Lynnsbury, but it is, nevertheless, great. Well-tilled fields yield from twenty-five to forty bushels of wheat, and in good years seventy bushels of corn are grown per acre. Cattle feed upon the hills to produce good income for the owner. Nature's bounty underground has created wealth from oil wells to a far greater extent than the most fantastic dreams of Olsson could have conceived. Two flour mills process wheat from neighboring fields. And adequate business district serves the needs of the people in the community. Two railroads, bus lines, and good highways provide fine means of transportation.
There is no building with a capacity to seat 10,000 people, but an unusually fine auditorium and music building on the Bethany campus, acclaimed one of the best in America, seats 2,500 in the audience and 500 on the stage. In faithful adherence to Olsson's prediction's, the great oratorios of Bach and Handel are performed annually as religious services during Holy Week. Thousands of visitors make an annual pilgrimage to Lindsborg to share in this great tradition of sacred song.
A contemporary generation is not really qualified to evaluate its own achievements. Certain facts are, nevertheless, available. The people of Lindsborg and the surrounding community have been intimately influenced by the values and ideals of the God-fearing, courageous Swedish pioneers. It would be unrealistic to deny that secular forces and the march of time have produced some changes in the pattern of life which once prevailed in the older generation. The basic values, however, are still there in the life of the people and their institutions.
Lindsborg may never become Lynnsbury. It may never attain the quality of thought and action which were in the dreams of Olof Olsson and Carl Swensson and the many people who are unsung heroes in the story of achievement. There have been failures and disappointments, great hopes unrealized and problems unsolved. It could be scarcely otherwise since the destiny of Lindsborg has been in the hands of people who are subject to human frailty. But the imperative from the pioneer period is undimmed by the passing of the years. It is based upon the promises of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. It calls for faith in God and man and in the future. It speaks of the meaning of beauty in music and art. It creates the spirit of cooperation in the interest of community progress. It is dedicated to the great promise of American life.
The record of the past is clear as to the source of greatness. New generations will be called upon to understand it, believe it, and transmit it. The ideals of the past can be considered only as points of historic reference, or they can be ever present realities in the lives of people across the decades and centuries. That chapter in the history of Lindsborg cannot be written because it has not yet been lived.
While time will write its own chronicle about the future, certain aspects can, nevertheless, be sensed as faith lights the unknown path of tomorrow. The people of the Smoky Valley will continue to dream, and well they might, because great dreams have come true there. They will recall their rich legacy and strive to respond so that it can be transmitted to generations unborn. Appreciative crowds of people will continue to come to Lindsborg during Holy Week to join in the great imperative, "Hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth." Eager students will share across the decades in the unique resources of a fine educational experience on the friendly Bethany campus. The years will bring an increasingly deeper appreciation of the distinctive qualities that have made for the uniqueness that is Lindsborg. People will cherish the wise observation of Madame Schumann-Heink: "America has no other Lindsborg."
When Madame Schumann-Heink declared, "America has no other Lindsborg," she added significantly, "I want to have a part in this one." Many people have had a part in Lindsborg, past and present, and many more will have a part in future Lindsborg. A great cause calls for great understanding, appreciation, and support. The material can join with the spiritual to build that which is meaningful. Embodying the distinctive quality in the life of this Smoky Valley is Bethany College. Great dreams can become even greater realities as individuals translate their devotion by financial support to share greatness with the future. In that manner, faith will be kept with the past.
It may only be a legend, that when the Indians viewed the Smoky Valley and saw the mystic haze on spring and autumn days, they considered it endowed with some unusual quality. The Swedish pioneers, however, described not the legendary but the real, when they wrote to friends in faraway Sweden that America was framtidslandet, "the land of the future." And so it was for them and for their children, and for their children's children. And so it will continue to be, as freedom and faith are joined with vision and work to build for tomorrow. The Smoky Valley people have shared in this vision of greatness. The future beckons with even greater dreams and hopes.
Contents
of
"Smoky Valley People, A History of Lindsborg, Kansas"
Dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Preface [with Acknowledgements] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
Chapter I: The Smoky Valley Discovered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Chapter II: The Coming of the Swedes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter III: A Church is Founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Chapter IV: The Settlement Develops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Chapter V: Pastor Olof Olsson: Founder of the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Chapter VI: How the People Lived . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Chapter VII: Bethany College: Founding and Early Period. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Chapter VIII: The Lindsborg "Messiah" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Chapter IX: Dr. Carl Swensson: Leader, Dreamer, Enthusiast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Chapter X: Along Main Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Chapter XI: The Swedish Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Chapter XII: Churches, Schools and Civic Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Chapter XIII: Art in the Community: Artists and Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
Chapter XIV: Bethany College: Organizations and Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Chapter XV: Bethany College: The Later Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Chapter XVI: Forward in Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Preface [with Acknowledgements] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
Chapter I: The Smoky Valley Discovered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Chapter II: The Coming of the Swedes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter III: A Church is Founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Chapter IV: The Settlement Develops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Chapter V: Pastor Olof Olsson: Founder of the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Chapter VI: How the People Lived . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Chapter VII: Bethany College: Founding and Early Period. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Chapter VIII: The Lindsborg "Messiah" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Chapter IX: Dr. Carl Swensson: Leader, Dreamer, Enthusiast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Chapter X: Along Main Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Chapter XI: The Swedish Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Chapter XII: Churches, Schools and Civic Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Chapter XIII: Art in the Community: Artists and Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
Chapter XIV: Bethany College: Organizations and Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Chapter XV: Bethany College: The Later Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Chapter XVI: Forward in Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
List of Illustrations
of
"Smoky Valley People, A History of Lindsborg, Kansas"
Portrait of a Pioneer by Birger Sandzén, 1922 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii
Olof Olsson's Homestead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Home of a Pioneer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
The Mill on the Smoky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Farm on the Smoky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Dr. and Mrs. Olof Olsson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Dr. and Mrs. Carl Swensson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Dr. Olof Olsson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Dr. Carl Swensson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Dr. Edward Nelander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Dr. Ernst F. Pihlblad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Dr. Hagbard Brase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Dr. Birger Sandzen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
"Messiah" Chorus in College Chapel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Bethany College Oratorio Society in "Messiah" Auditorium . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Bethany College Oratorio Society in Presser Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Old Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Bethany Carnegie Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
Main Street in 1878 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Main Street in 1953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Bethany's "Terrible Swedes" of 1902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Alma Swensson Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Presser Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Lindsborg in the Smoky Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Olof Olsson's Homestead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Home of a Pioneer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
The Mill on the Smoky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Farm on the Smoky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Dr. and Mrs. Olof Olsson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Dr. and Mrs. Carl Swensson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Dr. Olof Olsson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Dr. Carl Swensson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Dr. Edward Nelander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Dr. Ernst F. Pihlblad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Dr. Hagbard Brase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Dr. Birger Sandzen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
"Messiah" Chorus in College Chapel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Bethany College Oratorio Society in "Messiah" Auditorium . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Bethany College Oratorio Society in Presser Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Old Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Bethany Carnegie Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
Main Street in 1878 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Main Street in 1953 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Bethany's "Terrible Swedes" of 1902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Alma Swensson Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Presser Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Lindsborg in the Smoky Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Dr. Emory Kempton Lindquist
(1908-1992)
The "Swedish Kansan"
(1908-1992)
The "Swedish Kansan"
* * *
"Let Us Remember Them"
* * *
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