remembering one of the many stories my grandmother Dagmar shared with me
In the previous post I celebrated the marriage of my grandparents Paul and Dagmar Sevald. Their marriage was small, most likely just the young couple and maybe a friend or two. They never had an official wedding portrait. They did have individual engagement photos taken.
On one of my last visits to Norway Grandma made a point of telling me the story of her family and passing on to me family photos. Among them this engagement photo of my grandfather. The original photograph is about 18" high and was originally displayed in an oval polished wood frame. It was no longer framed and a section of Paul's hair was missing. Where was the photograph of Grandma? Grandma immigrated to America alone. Grandpa had come the previous year and sent her the ticket to follow. She had only a small trunk with her but the precious photographs were packed safely inside among her clothes.
America was Paul's dream but for Dagmar living in Roaring Twenties Chicago? not so much. She said the happy go lucky Paul and she spent too many nights smoking, drinking and dancing the night away in local Norwegian dance clubs and bars. Once Dagmar had the two babies, my uncle Arnold and my mom Grace, she preferred quiet family nights at home and money in the bank. Paul danced on. Her pleading did not matter, so she assumed their family must not matter to him either. She threw his photo to the floor, her photo she "ripped up to tiny pieces and flushed down the toilet". It was 1929 and she packed up her babies and returned to Norway without him.
Good for you Grandma! She wanted better for herself and her children. And she got it. But I did wonder why she ripped up her photograph instead of his? So I asked her and her reply? She clicked her teeth in that Norwegian way and said "Oh yah, I should'a done that instead", and she laughed.
Grandpa surely got the message because he gave up the party life and Grandma returned to Chicago. I remember him only as a devout Christian who did not smoke or drink, loving, generous, joyful and kind. But more importantly I remember that he adored my grandma, but he still loved to dance.
A strong independant woman, my Grandma Dagmar,
Grandpa knew she was a keeper.
On one of my last visits to Norway Grandma made a point of telling me the story of her family and passing on to me family photos. Among them this engagement photo of my grandfather. The original photograph is about 18" high and was originally displayed in an oval polished wood frame. It was no longer framed and a section of Paul's hair was missing. Where was the photograph of Grandma? Grandma immigrated to America alone. Grandpa had come the previous year and sent her the ticket to follow. She had only a small trunk with her but the precious photographs were packed safely inside among her clothes.America was Paul's dream but for Dagmar living in Roaring Twenties Chicago? not so much. She said the happy go lucky Paul and she spent too many nights smoking, drinking and dancing the night away in local Norwegian dance clubs and bars. Once Dagmar had the two babies, my uncle Arnold and my mom Grace, she preferred quiet family nights at home and money in the bank. Paul danced on. Her pleading did not matter, so she assumed their family must not matter to him either. She threw his photo to the floor, her photo she "ripped up to tiny pieces and flushed down the toilet". It was 1929 and she packed up her babies and returned to Norway without him.
Good for you Grandma! She wanted better for herself and her children. And she got it. But I did wonder why she ripped up her photograph instead of his? So I asked her and her reply? She clicked her teeth in that Norwegian way and said "Oh yah, I should'a done that instead", and she laughed.
Grandpa surely got the message because he gave up the party life and Grandma returned to Chicago. I remember him only as a devout Christian who did not smoke or drink, loving, generous, joyful and kind. But more importantly I remember that he adored my grandma, but he still loved to dance.
Grandfather's picture photoshopped,
looks a little better don't you think?
Paul Skoglund Sevald
b. 25 Aug 1894 Kragerø, Telemark, Norway
d. 5 Sept 1971 Chicago, Cook, Illinois USA
Grandpa knew she was a keeper.
**click on photos to enlarge for easier viewing**
