H. Elaine Lindgren Research Papers

Collection

Identifier: Mss 292-Tapes 537-563-Oversize Collection 4

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The H. Elaine Lindgren Papers span the years 1977 to 2003, however, the bulk of the material dates from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. This collection is mostly derived from Dr. Lindgren’s research agenda including these publications: Land In Her Own Name, “Coal, Cuba, and Courage: The Adventuresome Spirit of Annie C. Lind,” Work Makes Life Sweet, Or Does It?, and The Rural Mystique. The records reflect the original order of the material. Two additional series are the H. Elaine Lindgren Publications and the Subject Files Series. The publication series is listed in bibliographic format according to Chicago Manual style. The subject files series was artificially created to include all files that were not directly related to the other series. The subject files have been arranged alphabetically. The H. Elaine Lindgren Photograph Collection was accessioned along with the papers and has been processed as Photo 2008. It is an extensive collection, including photographs, slides, and negatives related to these papers. H. Elaine Lindgren previously donated other materials to the Institute, including the H. Elaine Lindgren Papers, 1961-1986 (Mss 199). These papers document the controversy regarding the construction of the 12th Avenue/15th Avenue bridge between Fargo, N.D. and Moorhead, Minn. Lindgren published an article about this controversy titled “The Informal-Intermittent Organization: A Vehicle for Successful Citizen Protest,” in The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science in 1987. Another collection, Abortion research papers of Jon G. and H. Elaine Lindgren, 1991-1995 (Mss 272), documents the anti-abortion protests in Fargo, N.D. in the early 1990s. Jon Lindgren, Fargo’s mayor, and H. Elaine Lindgren co-wrote the article “Social change within the establishment: a city’s response to national anti-abortion protestors,” published in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. Land In Her Own Name Series Land In Her Own Name was published in 1991 by the Institute for Regional Studies in Fargo, North Dakota, and in paperback in 1996 by the University of Oklahoma Press. The documents in this series are the primary, and many of the secondary sources the author, H. Elaine Lindgren, consulted while researching her book, as well as other written material related to the topic. This series has been arranged into six sub-series: Case Studies; Interviews; Research Material; Topical Excerpts; Publicity; and Correspondence. Case Studies This sub-series consists of Dr. Lindgren’s research documenting the motivations and experiences of women homesteaders in North Dakota during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The original order of these files has been maintained; they are arranged alphabetically by the homesteaders’ last names as they appeared on the land titles. Therefore some women are referred to by their maiden names while others are referred to by their married names. The contents of these files include some combination of the following types of documents: the questionnaire designed and distributed by Dr. Lindgren; copies of land records; copies of photographs; correspondence between Dr. Lindgren and the homesteaders or their surviving family and/or friends; interview transcriptions; and other supporting materials Dr. Lindgren collected from the homesteaders, their family and friends, and from pertinent government agencies. Some of the case study files included interview tapes and photographs. They can be found in the Institute Cassette Tape Collection numbers 554 through 556. Two taped interviews do not have corresponding files in any series. They can be found in the Institute Tape Collection numbers 557 through 559. The photographs have been removed and can be found in H. Elaine Lindgren Photograph Collection 2008. Interviews The interview files are similar to the case studies. However, in these cases, Dr. Lindgren conducted interviews with women homesteaders or their descendants. There are twenty-one such files; nearly all of them include a typewritten transcript of the interview. The interviews were recorded on cassette tape, and have been separated from the collection. They can be found in the Institute Cassette Collections, numbers 537 through 563. Research Material This sub-series consists of the research material Dr. Lindgren collected that was not arranged within the case studies themselves. This series has been arranged alphabetically by topic. Of particular importance is Dr. Lindgren’s correspondence with James Muhn, a land law historian with the Bureau of Land Management in Billings, Montana. Mr. Muhn provided copies of several articles and additional information explaining changes in the Homestead Act of 1862. This sub-series contains invaluable information regarding the Homestead Act of 1862 and subsequent changes to it (particularly box 3, folders 75, 83, & 84). The information within goes into much greater detail than what is found in her book. Also included in this series are the contact lists for the book, blank copies of the questionnaires and other documents relating to Dr. Lindgren’s research process. There are maps of North Dakota, on which Dr. Lindgren plotted the women’s homesteads and recorded the total known percentage of women homesteaders by county. These maps have been separated from the collection and can be found in the Institute’s Oversize Collection 4. Also pulled and placed in the Institute Publications Collection is Opportunity and Challenge: The Stay of BLM, by James Muhn, 1988 (Inst. HD216.M84 1988). Topical Excerpts The note cards and papers in this series are arranged topically by headings which Dr. Lindgren assigned. Most of these notes are typewritten, although a small number of pages are handwritten. Dr. Lindgren compiled the stories and experiences of each individual homesteader into categories. This organization provided the framework for Dr. Lindgren’s book. Publicity The public response to Land In Her Own Name was very positive, and Dr. Lindgren was called upon to give presentations of her work. One file in this sub-series includes the notes she compiled for such events. Two files consist of scholarly reviews of Land In Her Own Name and newspaper articles regarding the book release and the traveling exhibit derived from the book. The book reviews appeared in Kansas History, Montana: The Magazine of Western History, and the Western Historical Quarterly between 1992 and 1993. The news releases are from North Dakota newspapers and range in dates from 1984 to 1992. Correspondence The correspondence sub-series consists of letters sent to Dr. Lindgren regarding Land In Her Own Name between April 1983 and 1998 (two letters placed at the end are undated). This sub-series is not complete; some of the letters Dr. Lindgren received during this time period are in the case study files. The set of letters she received from land law historian James Muhn are located within the research material subseries. This arrangement reflects the original order of the material and thus has not been changed. The letters located within this series differ from those in the other series; these letters are mostly notes of encouragement from friends and colleagues, while the separated letters were used as part of Dr. Lindgren’s research. The files labeled 1991-1998 were correspondence donated by Dr. Lindgren at a later date and have been retained together within three files. Annie C. Lind Series The Annie C. Lind Series includes the materials Dr. Lindgren collected while conducting research for her article “Coal, Cuba, and Courage: The Adventuresome Spirit of Annie C. Lind,” published in North Dakota History Volume 67 Number 2, in 2000. The files are arranged alphabetically by topic and range from copies of official U.S. and Cuban documents (such as citizenship papers, deeds, mortgages, and stock sales receipts) to copies of books and articles that Dr. Lindgren consulted. Most of the Cuban documents have an English translation. In the Journal & Magazine Articles file, there is a Swedish magazine featuring an article about Cuba, which is not translated. The Notes file consists of Dr. Lindgren’s handwritten notes, which cover a variety of topics. Also included in this series is an original copy of North Dakota History featuring Dr. Lindgren’s article. A map of the Lind Coal Mine has been separated from this series and can be found in the Institute’s Oversize Materials Collection. Photographs associated with this series can be found in the H. Elaine Lindgren Photograph Collection, Photo 2008. Work Makes Life Sweet, Or Does It? Series Published as an electronic book in 2003, Work Makes Life Sweet, Or Does It?, was designed to “stimulate thinking and discussion about ways in which our attitudes toward work influence the quality of our lives” by using ninety-six historical photographs depicting people working from 1900 to 2002. The e-book is in PDF format, and can be found at http://www.ndsu.edu/work. The series is arranged alphabetically by the topical headings Dr. Lindgren assigned. The majority of the files contain information pertaining to the photographs used in this project. Dr. Lindgren collected these photographs from individuals, businesses, and agencies, from which she obtained consent forms (granting her permission to use the material in presentations and publications) and data sheets (which identify and explain the content of the photographs). These files also include any correspondence between Dr. Lindgren and the contributors. Other files in this series include the expenses for the project, articles and booklets Dr. Lindgren consulted as secondary sources, as well as a physical copy and digital copy of the electronic book. The digital copy exists on a CD and can be found in the Institute Digital Scan Collection, CD 19. A taped interview with Alice Royce, a contributor to this project, has been removed and can be found in the Institute Tape Collection number 560. The Rural Mystique Series The purpose of The Rural Mystique project was “to conduct research related to the migration patterns of North Dakota State University graduates and their feelings toward the state as a place to live.” The project was funded through a grant from the North Dakota Committee for the Humanities and Public Issues. Two hundred 1968 and two hundred 1974 NDSU graduates were invited to participate by filling out an elevenpage questionnaire. The results became the basis for a tape-slide presentation, which was made available to county agents throughout the state. They were also compiled into a summary booklet. The paper materials are located within this series. The tape has been removed to the Institute Cassette collection number 561, and the slides are located in the H. Elaine Lindgren Photograph Collection 2008. “Drive Your Oxen, Ride Your Plow” Series This series includes the draft copies of an article co-written by Elaine Lindgren and William Sherman and copies of the works cited within the article. The article was originally titled “These Women Homesteaded,” but was changed to “Drive Your Oxen, Ride Your Plow: Homesteading Women in North Dakota” for publication in the book Day In, Day Out: Women’s Lives in North Dakota (1988). This work is concerned with reconstructing the lives of women homesteading in Lovell Township in Dickey County, Dakota Territory, in the early 1880s. H. Elaine Lindgren Publications Series This series is comprised of journal articles and book reviews Dr. Lindgren wrote throughout her academic career. Most of these works were published in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. The following is a complete listing of all materials accessioned. The publications were separated into two sub-series: articles and book reviews; they were then arranged alphabetically and are presented here in bibliographic format. Articles Lindgren, H. Elaine and William Sherman. “Drive Your Oxen, Ride Your Plows: Homesteading Women in North Dakota,” Day In, Day Out: Women’s Lives in North Dakota. ed. Bjorn Benson, Elizabeth Hampsten, and Kathryn Sweeney. University of North Dakota: Grand Forks, ND, 1988. (Galley version) Lindgren, H. Elaine. “Ethnic Women Homesteading on the Plains of North Dakota,” Great Plains Quarterly, Volume 9, Number 3, Summer 1989. Lincoln, NE: Center for Great Plains Studies, 1989. 157 – 173. (Galley version also included) Lindgren, H. Elaine, Mort Sarabahksh and David Carson. “Hospitality Managers’ Stress and Quality of Life: Recommendations for Change,” Hospitality Education and Research Journal, Volume 13, Number 3. 1989. Lindgren, H. Elaine, George A. Youngs, Jr., Thomas D. McDonald, Daniel J. Klenow, and Eldon C. Schriner. “The Impact of Gender on Gambling Attitudes and Behavior,” Journal of Gambling Behavior, Volume 3(3), Fall. Human Sciences Press, 1987. 155 – 167. Lindgren, H. Elaine. “The Informal-Intermittent Organization: A Vehicle for Successful Citizen Protest,” Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, Volume 23, Number 3, 1987. Greenwich, Connecticut: JAI Press, Inc., 1987. 397 – 412. (see Mss 199) Lindgren, H. Elaine and Montarin Hahal. “Microfinance and Women’s Empowerment in Rural Bangladesh,” Great Plains Sociologist, Volume 17, Number 1, 2005. online. [http://www.misu.nodak.edu/research/html/articles.html] accessed 25 July 2005. Lindgren, H. Elaine, Mort Sarabakhsh and David Carson. “The Personal Cost of Hospitality Management,” The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, Volume 30, Number 1, May 1989. Ithaca, New York: School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University, 1989. 72 – 77. Lindgren, H. Elaine and Jon. G. Lindgren. “Social Change Within the ‘Establishment’: A City’s Response to National Antiabortion Protesters,” Journal of Applied Behavioral Science Volume 31, Number 4, December, 1995. Greenwich, Connecticut: JAI Press, Inc. 1995. 475 – 489. (See Mss 272) Lindgren, H. Elaine. “Women Homesteaders,” Walsh County Historical Society Newsletter, December, 1986. Pp. 5. ________________. “Yes, They Really Did Homestead,” North Dakota Farm Research Volume 48, Number 1, July-August, 1990. Fargo, North Dakota: Agricultural Experiment Station, North Dakota State University, 1990. Book Reviews Lindgren, H. Elaine. “An Army of Women: Gender and Politics in Gilded Age Kansas. By Michael Lewis Goldberg,” Indiana Magazine of History, September 1998. 270 – 271. ________________. “Cathy Luchetti. Children of the West: Family Life on the Frontier,” North Dakota History Volume 70, Number 2, 2003. Bismarck, ND: State Historical Society of North Dakota, 2003. 36. ________________. “The Checkered Years: A Bonanza Farm Diary, 1884 – 1888. By Mary Dodge Woodward,” Great Plains Quarterly, Volume 11, Number 2, Spring 1991. Lincoln, NE: Center for Great Plains Studies, 1991. 127 – 128. ________________. “Edith Eudora Kohl, Land of the Burnt Thigh and Deborah Fink Open Country, Iowa: Rural Women, Tradition and Change,” North Dakota Quarterly Volume 55, Number 2, Spring, 1987. 159 – 163. ________________. “Mary Neth. Preserving the Family Farm: Women, Community, and the Foundations of Agribusiness in the Midwest, 1900 – 1940,” North Dakota History Volume 63, Numbers 2 & 3, Spring/Summer 1996. Bismarck, ND: State Historical Society of North Dakota, 1996. 70. ________________. “Rachel Calof’s Story: Jewish Homesteader on the Northern Plains, by Rachel Calof,” Great Plains Quarterly, Volume 16, Number 2, Spring 1996. Lawrence, KS: Allen Press, Inc., 1996. ________________. “Susan Armitage and Elizabeth Jameson, eds., The Woman’s West,” North Dakota Quarterly, Volume 56, Number 1, Winter 1988. 234 – 235. Subject Files Series The subject files series includes materials unrelated to the other main series but that were accessioned at the same time. Some of these materials reflect Dr. Lindgren’s service to NDSU and professional organizations, such as NDSU’s Women’s Studies Committee, the American Association of University Professors, the North Dakota Humanities Council, and the Society of Higher Education Professionals. The Ted Becker file includes transcripts of interviews with his mother Julia Tischmak Becker (conducted by Gloria Shemarry), and Henry Harsche (whose parents were Ted’s great-grandparents) and Susanna Harsch Gross, conducted by Ted Becker. Becker sent copies of these materials to Lindgren along with a letter expressing appreciation for Lindgren’s book Land In Her Own Name. Other files contain interview transcripts with Ardis Danielson and Jean Guy, which were conducted in 2000. Ardis Danielson’s family homesteaded in northeast South Dakota, and later moved to California during the Great Depression. Ardis’ stories about her Grandma Bush are particularly interesting; they mostly deal with Grandma Bush’s home remedies. Jean Guy told the story of her family beginning with her grandmother Martha Sperry Bond. Guy’s grandparents were living near Nicolette, Minn. in the mid1800s, but moved into Minneapolis due to the outbreak of hostilities with Native Americans. During their brief time in Minneapolis, Guy’s grandfather worked on the building crew at Fort Snelling. They later reestablished themselves in Nicolette. Between 1859 and 1876, Martha Sperry Bond had fourteen children, of which included five sets of twins. Many of Guy’s stories center around how her grandparents managed to provide for their large family, and especially how Martha hired out her services as midwife and nurse. In addition to the transcripts, these interviews were taped. The tapes have been removed and can be found in the Institute Tape Collection numbers 562 and 563 respectively. The Marva Weigelt file contains a lengthy email from Weigelt to Dr. Lindgren regarding her GermanRussian ancestors. Weigelt had apparently been inspired by Lindgren’s book Land In Her Own Name and shared her story with Dr. Lindgren. Weigelt’s ancestors lived in southwestern North Dakota, along the Antelope Creek north of Elgin. The Kate S. Wilder file contains copies of newspaper articles and other materials documenting the activities of the first woman to serve on Fargo’s city commission. Wilder was elected in 1919, beating J. H. Dahl by seven votes. Wilder was also an advocate for the Women’s Christian Temperance Union among her many other political and civic interests. The Senator Milton R. Young file includes one letter from Senator Young to Dr. Lindgren dated June 22, 1978, regarding their mutual interest in the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Dates

1977-2003

Creator

Lindgren, H. Elaine. (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

The Institute owns the copyrights.

Biography

Upon receiving her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in 1970, H. Elaine Lindgren began teaching sociology at North Dakota State University. Dr. Lindgren’s courses covered such topics as the sociology of work, sociology of gender, social change, and social inequality. Her research focused on topics such as social change, gender, and citizen participation. Among her many publications are Land in Her Own Name: Women as Homesteaders in North Dakota (Dr. Lindgren’s most famous work), Work Makes Life Sweet, or Does It? (an electronic book accessible to the public), and “Coal, Cuba, and Courage: The Adventuresome Spirit of Annie C. Lind,” published in North Dakota History, Volume 67, Number 2, 2000. Dr. Lindgren received the North Dakota History Editor’s Award for this article. Dr. Lindgren retired in December 2004, and was granted Professor Emeritus status at NDSU.

Extent

5 Linear Feet (5 linear feet)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Research papers of NDSU Sociology professor H. Elaine Lindgren related primarily to her books Land in Her Own Name: Women as Homesteaders in North Dakota, "Coal, Cuba, and Courage: The Adventuresome Spirit of Annie C. Lind," Work Makes Life Sweet, Or Does It?, and The Rural Mystique. The Land in Her Own Name files contain extensive research and documents related to women homesteaders in North Dakota.