Scandinavians on the Pacific, Puget SoundStine, Thomas Ostenson
History
Scandinavians on the Pacific, Puget Sound
Stine, Thomas Ostenson
Scandinavian Americans; Washington (State) -- Emigration and immigration
Professor Olof Bull.--There are but few whose souls are imbued with
divine strains. Music like poetry is born with a man. When Ole Bull was
asked, "Who taught you to play so sweetly?" he answered, "Norge's hoie
Fjeld og dybe Dale" (Norway's high mountains and deep dales). The name
of Olof Bull is synonymous to that of Ole Bull. The former came from
Sweden, the latter from Norway. Prof. Olof Bull was born in Undersvik,
Helsingland, Sweden, March 31, 1852. His parents were Olof and Katarina
Bull, his father is dead but his mother still lives. From early
childhood he evinced extraordinary talent for music which was cultivated
to a marked degree under A. Sorenson and other masters. In 1869 he
sailed for America, arriving in St. Paul, where he rapidly gained fame
as a genius violinist. In 1876 he organized the "Olof Bull Concert
Company" which scattered divine music the land over, and rose to
enviable reputation. In 1881 he was appointed musical director of the
Boston Opera, which he resigned in a year to accept the professorship of
violin in the Chicago Musical College, where he remained until 1890,
when he journeyed to Tacoma to be installed as musical director of
Tacoma Theatre, which chair he is filling with distinction. Professor
Olof Bull is a genius as a violinist, and greater still a man of
character, kind and compassionate.
O. B. Selvig.--The esteemed cashier of the Metropolitan Bank of Tacoma,
O. B. Selvig, was born near Drammen, Norway, in 1851. He received a fine
education, and at the age of seventeen bid farewell to his native seat
for America, arriving in Kandiyohi county, Minnesota, with his parents.
Young Selvig, like others who come to a new country with scanty means,
had to do his own rustling. He worked in different places at hard manual
labor up to 1878, when he secured a position in the postoffice at
Willmar, and two years later received the appointment of postmaster, and
shortly after became head agent for the American Express Company. He
served faithfully for seven years in this capacity, then resigned to
accept a more lucrative employment in the Kandiyohi County Bank. In the
fall of 1888 he migrated to Tacoma, Washington, and after cultivating
acquaintance with influential men in the city, he was tendered a
position in the Metropolitan Bank, and soon rose to cashier. Mr. Selvig
is not only a man of business, but of honor as well; one beloved and
respected by all.
[Illustration: H. E. KNATVOLD.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account