In 1916, Hulda Helena Peterson left Småland, Sweden, with her eight children, and travelled by horsecart, train, automobile, and ship to Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. In 1957, Hulda told the story. A bit more detail was added in 1990 by her son Henry, who was 10 years old at the time of the trip. Henry died in 1991.

I was thrilled and excited, but when I said goodbye to the home and Grandpa Peter Magnus, I cried. It was sad to leave Grandpa there alone. I was excited riding the train, stopping in Alvesta and Malmö. Then we had a ferryboat trip across the strait to Copenhagen. We were in Denmark. We stayed there one day in a hotel as we were too early to board the ship Helig Olaf.
In front of the hotel Karl and I spotted two black men. It was the first Blacks we had ever seen. We stared at them. They stared at us.a maybe wondering why we were staring at them. The next morning we boarded the Helig Olaf and that was very exciting. I must have run all over that ship, up and down the ladders.
We had hoped to go on the Swedish Ship Stockholm, but that was loaded so we had to go on this Danish ship. The Stockholm was newer and faster but we got to New York at the same time. It took about twelve days.
We went across the North Sea and stopped in Scotland. I can remember seeing the mines in the bay. This was during the first World War, but the U.S. was not in it yet.
After leaving Scotland a German submarine pulled along side and some German sailors came aboard. I was peeking and saw them take a man and his baggage aboard the submarine.
No more events but we were anxious to get to New York. We finally arrived, but we had to get a ferryboat to go to Ellis Island. It was very crowded because the Stockholm had arrived at the same time.
They were giving us exams: mental and physical. I think because I had come on the Danish boat they started to ask questions in Danish and I must have looked dumb. They asked me in Danish how much is affa and affa [note: I'm not sure what Danish number he's thinking of here, as far as I know, there is no "affa"]. I couldn't answer so then he asked how much was fyra och fyra. I understood that because four sounds the same in Danish and Swedish so my answer was åtta. Then he knew I was a Swede and I could answer all his questions.
I never got sea sick on the ocean but on Ellis Island I got sick and vomited on the floor. Let's get our of here and go to the railroad station!
They put tags on us so they knew what train to put us on. Karl and I were put on but we walked up a couple of cars because we wanted to be closer to the engine. Mother finally found us there.
New York to Chicago: In Chicago we had to change trains and were taken to another station by a horse-driven bus. There again the tags on our coats told conductors what train we belonged on.
Finally we arrived in Minneapolis. The Great Northern Station was quite new at that time and looked nice, but there was no Papa waiting for us. Uncle S.J. Peterson and Cousin Ernie Rosenberg brought two cars and Dad down to pick us up but the train had come earlier than they had expected.
I was wondering if I would recognize my father because I hadn't seen him since I was 7 years old. I did recognize him but I thought he looked thin. Maybe I was comparing him with Grandpa Peter Magnus. How they managed to haul us and all our stuff I don't know but Uncle S.J. and Ernie did it to 219 West 29th Street where we had our first home in America.
We could not start school for a week or two because we had come through New York and they had smallpox there.
First day of school John, Karl and Walfrid were put in grade 1A. Henry, Alice and Ingle in 1B. Eric and Edith were not old enough to start. They did a good job and moved us up in our grades as we learned to speak English.
Finally, I am very proud to be an American for all the good things they did for us Swedish immigrants. We all became U.S. citizens in 1918 because Father had been here then for 5 years and at that time women could not vote so Dad got us all in; in one group.
I am especially proud of my mother and father because they loved us all which is proven by this party we are having [the family reunion in 1990]. I am also privileged to have worked with the most honest man in the world, my father.
Peterson Central