Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1948-07-01
SVANTE LOFGREN

ored with the name of the first
president. The ships of the Swed-
ish East India Company sailed
over the Pacific Ocean in search
of trade for many years before
a map or a chart revealed the
arm Of the mother of seas eX-
tending into the great republics
most northWesterly state. Brave,
enterprising Yankee traders car
ried on their business with the
Coast Indians, removing from here
rich cargoes of sea otter skins,
which were sold in China or Bos-
ton. Other ships sent in search
Of whales, after two or three years
returned to the East Coast well
laden with whale oil. One may be
assured that more than one men,
Der of the crews aboard these
ships were Swedish. When an &C.
casional shore leave was given, it
was natural that these SWedes
would take part. 1t may be taken
for granted as well that an occa-
sional sailor deserted his ship and
entered the services of the famed
Hudson Bay Company, which had
established trading posts here af-
ter the discovery of the coast. AS
a matter of fact, the names OF
many of their trappers testify to
their Scandinavian origin. How
ever, more information concern
ing any of them may not be had.
In old writings and books, it is
simply stated that such and such
a one was Swedish or Norwegian,
perhaps was married to an In
dian woman, or was killed in an
Indian war. That is all.
During the gold rush days in
the middle of the 10Th century
many Swedes streamed here from
California in search of gold. 9th
ers came as sailors aboard the
ships sailing between Puget Sound
and California with lumber and
Friberg, who settle with the In
dams married a squaW, learned
the Indian language, and seems to
have been content with life among
the natives.
All the Swedes who came here
80 to 100 years ago were not trap
talent in the lines of business or
mechanics. The best k n o w n of
such men was Nicholas Delin mi
kolaus Dahlin), the first w h t e
man to settle on land which later
became a part of the city of Ia
coma.
Delin came from New York to
California by way CT Cape Horn
in 1S49. He continued his trip to
Puget Sound on another ship and
landed in the new settlement OF
Tumwater, which at the time was
one of the few places in which set
tiers had made their homes in the
present state of Washington. After
Delin. with the aid of two men.
had built a sawmill at Tumwater,
he moved to Commencement Bay
Where Dock Street now crosses
Puyallup Avenue, he began saw
mill on the first of April, 1852. He
himself planned and made the tur-
bines which were used. I h e e
years later the Indians began their
wars on the whites. Delin, his
family, and a neighboring family
had to flee to Steilacoom. He later
settled in Seattle thereafter moved
to Olympia, and finally to Port
land, where he died in 1882.
Another early Swedish settler
was Fred Landstone tFredrik
Landsten), who came from San
Francisco to Port Discovery in
1861. and later made his home IN
Poulsbo.
The Swedes who found their way
here in the 1905 usually came by
sea. AS already stated, most were
seamen. who had become engaged
in digging gold in California, ami
later were lured to the headwaters
of the Fraser River and the rapid
mountain streams flowing among
the white snow-fields of the Cas-
-.