Henry Langum (1882-1967) Papers, 1940-1967

6.25 linear feet (5 archival boxes and 1 oversize folder)

Henry Langum was the son of Johan (John) Johanneson and Kari Nerisdatter (Folsland) Langum, Norwegian immigrants who settled in Lake County, South Dakota. Mr. Langum was born February 13, 1882 in Volga, South Dakota (1st Langum to be born in South Dakota). Mr. Langum was a teacher, minister and chiropractic. He married Anna G. Nelson and had three children.

Correspondence, news clippings, book chapters and photographs. Letters are from Henry and Anna to John, with a few from John, Virginia, Artsie and Georgene (DoDo within the family). Also included are incoming correspondence and letters between Henry and Anna. Henry’s schooling from grade school thru college including Theological School and Chiropractic School. His life during his years as a minister, teacher, and chiropractic. The letters are always full of family news, keeping John up on activities with his parents and his sisters and their families. He keeps close track of his financial situation, how much he is working and spending. Contains St. Olaf yearbooks from the years 1905, 1906, 1908, 1909. Accounts of visits to South Dakota and California and later to New Jersey. Comments re: his book with chapters from the book. Frequent references to family health problems and his facial pain and problems eating. Anna’s letters are shorter, less frequent and usually deal with her activities, the house, Henry or the family. Her letters from California and New York tell of her activities. There is also a scrapbook from Anna’s trip to California from February to May 1944. Anna and Henry both clipped articles relating to economics, politics and Minneapolis news to send to John. Their letters show their devotion to each other and to their children. Also included are their financial reports that are sent to their son, John. Anna and Henry‘s last illnesses and deaths.

Correspondence to and from Henry and Anna would also be in the John K. Langum Collection and David J. Langum Collection

Access: Open for research
Acc. No. 2003-22, 2005-1, 2008-1
Processed by: Connie Butts and David Langum, October 2003
Debbie Hamm and David Langum, May, 2005; March, 2008;
January 2010

Biographical Sketch | Container List | Back to Travel to Collections

Biographical Sketch

Henry Langum was the son of John (Johan) Johanneson (born January 21, 1838 in Drammen, Norway and died February 14, 1883 in South Dakota) and Kari Nerisdatter (Folsland) (born in Telemarken, Norway and died February 10, 1911) Langum, Norwegian immigrants who settled in Lake County, South Dakota. Mr. Langum was born February 13, 1882 in Volga, South Dakota (1st Langum to be born in South Dakota). His father died the day after his first birthday, so Henry grew up working on the family farm and his formal education was slow to start, but his education continued for much of his life. He attended country school until 1899 when he then attended South Dakota Agricultural Preparatory Department until 1901. He then taught at a country school in Brookings County, South Dakota from 1901-1902 until he started at St. Olaf Academy (1902-1905). From the Academy, he went on to attend St. Olaf College where he graduated in 1909 with a Bachelor of Science degree. During the time that he attended St. Olaf College, he was a member of the St. Olaf Octet (1908-1909), predecessor to the St. Olaf Choir, and taught physiology at the Academy. After graduating from the Universal Chiropractic College (1911) he opened his practice in Story City, Iowa. He taught public school in Big Timber, Montana (1912-1913). On January 31, 1912 he married Anna Georgena Nelson in Stanhope, Iowa. He practiced chiropractic, in Sheridan, Wyoming from 1913-1916. After receiving his Candidate of Theology Degree in 1919 from Luther Theological Seminary (1916-1919), Henry took Anna to North Dakota where he served over two congregations in Driscoll until 1921 when they returned to Minnesota. In Litchfield, Minn. he served as pastor of the Ness Lutheran Church, 1922-1929, and taught biology at the high school, 1923-1943. From 1943 to 1946, Mr. Langum worked as a wartime airplane parts inspector at the Honeywell Regulator Plant in Minneapolis. He practiced chiropractic in private practice and with Dr. Bly for most of the rest of his life. In 1940, he was awarded Honorary Degree of Fellow of the International College of Chiropractic. He also spent many years working on a book of his religious and philosophical beliefs that was never published.

He and Anna had three children: John Kenneth, Arlene (Artsie) Harriet and Georgene (DoDo) Wyoming. John (June 18, 1913-February 26, 1998) an economist was a vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago. He married Virginia de Mattos and they had one son David J. Langum, a lawyer, legal historian and professor. Artsie (Jan. 9, 1923-December 11, 1998) an accountant, married Charles Wright and had two sons: Charles and Thomas. They moved to New Jersey in1958 and worked in New York City. Georgene (Jan. 6, 1916-July 30, 1978), an accountant, married Justin Darby and had two sons: John and James. Anna had relatives in Los Angeles, Ca. and she liked to visit there in the winter sometimes with Henry. Henry’s problem with tic doloreaux or trigeminal neuralgia caused him much pain and sometimes kept him at home. In 1966 Anna fell and broke her arm which led to complications from which she died March 18, 1967. Henry frequently wrote, when Anna was visiting or at one of her numerous club activities, “Mom is gone and I don’t like to be alone”. Not liking to be alone, he died a month later on April 9, 1967.

Anna Georgina, daughter of John G. and Elizabeth (Munson) Nelson was born February 22, 1884 in Hamilton County, Iowa. She was a teetotaler and a devout Republican. She attended the Iowa State Normal and Jewell College and also attended St. Olaf (1907-1908) as a music student. While at St. Olaf’s she sang in the church choir (the first one of St. Olaf Choirs). As a wife and mother she was active in church, PTA, Woman Chorus and different study groups.

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Container List

Box 1

Folder		Contents
1		Guide
2		Undated Correspondence
3		Pre 1945
4-15		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1945
16-27		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1946
28-39		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1947
40-51		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1948
52-63		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1949
64-75		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1950
76-87		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1951
88-99		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1952
100-111		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1953
112-123		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1954

Box 2

Folder		Contents
1-12		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1955
13-24		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1956
25-36		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1957
37-48		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1958
49-60		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1959
61-73		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1960
74-81		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1961
82-93		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1962
94-105		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1963
106-109		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1964
110-113		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1965
114-117		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1966
118		Henry Langum to John K. Langum – 1967
119		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – Undated
120-122		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – 1945-1947
123-124		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1948
125-126		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1949
127		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1950
128		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1951
129		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1952
130		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1953
131		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1954
132		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1955-1959
133		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1960
134		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1961
135		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1962-1963
136		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1964
137		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – January – December 1965
138		Anna Langum to John K. Langum – 1966-1967

Box 3

Folder		Contents
1-3		Incoming Correspondence to Anna and Henry Langum from Friends-1967
4-5		Incoming Correspondence to Anna and Henry Langum from Relatives-1967
6		Incoming Correspondence to Anna and Henry Langum from Phyllis de Mattos (Virginia Langum’s Mother)
7		Incoming Correspondence to Anna and Henry Langum from Artsie-1967
8		Incoming Correspondence to Anna and Henry Langum from Georgene-1967
9		Sympathy Cards and Letters Following Anna’s Death-March, 1967
10		Sympathy Cards and Letters Following Henry’s Death-April, 1967
11-25		Financial Reports-Henry to JKL-1951-1963, 1965-1966

Box 4

Folder		Contents
1		Henry and Anna Langum – Birth Certificates
2		Henry and Anna Langum – Academics-St. Olaf College
3		Henry Langum – Class Record-Early Teaching
4		Henry Langum – St. Olaf Choir-1908+
5		Henry Langum – Early Life and Autobiographical Notes
6		Henry Langum – Big Timber, Montana 1912-1913
7		Henry Langum – Wedding-1912
8		Anna Langum – Diary-June 18-Aug. 13, 1913; Jan. 1-May 7, 1914 and a Few Pages of 1915
9		Georgene and Arlene Langum – Academic Work
10		Ness Church Rededication (Henry Langum-Pastor-1923-1930)
11		Henry Langum – Road Trips – Expenses, Mileage
12		Henry Langum – Teaching Biology-Litchfield High School (1920-1940’s)
13		Henry and Anna Langum – Recipes
14		Henry Langum – Chiropractic Profession (and Medical)
15		Henry Langum – Income and Employment –1940’s (after Leaving Teaching in 1943)
16		Henry Langum – Ministerial Profession
17		Henry Langum – 4641 Portland Avenue – Minneapolis
18		Anna G. Langum – Activities
19		Anna G. Langum – Teaching Piano
20		Henry Langum – Automatic Sprinkler Corporation – 1948
21		Henry Langum – Dispute with Landlord-1952
22		Henry Langum – Operation in California
23		Henry Langum – Car Accident and License Termination – 1962
24		Henry and Anna G. Langum – 50th Wedding Anniversary
25		Henry Langum – Last Illness and Death – 1967
26		Henry Langum – Funeral
27		Anna G. Langum – Last Illness and Death – 1967
28		Anna G. Langum – Funeral
29		Henry and Anna Langum – Estate and Probate – 1967
30		Henry and Anna Langum – Incoming Correspondence – 1930’s-1940’s
31		Henry and Anna Langum – Incoming Correspondence – 1950’s
32		Henry and Anna Langum – Incoming Correspondence – 1960’s
33		Henry and Anna Langum – Incoming Correspondence – Undated
34		Henry and Anna Langum – Outgoing Correspondence – 1930’s-1940’s
35		Henry and Anna Langum – Outgoing Correspondence – 1950’s
36		Henry and Anna Langum – Outgoing Correspondence – 1960’s
37		Henry and Anna Langum – Correspondence between Themselves-1930’s-1940’s
38		Henry and Anna Langum – Correspondence between Themselves-1950’s (other than 1958)
39		Henry and Anna Langum – Correspondence between Themselves-1958
40		Henry and Anna Langum – Correspondence between Themselves-1960’s
41		Henry and Anna Langum – Correspondence between Themselves-Undated

Box 5

Folder		Contents
1-3		Estate of Kari Langum Bortnem, Letters and Reports (Controversies over Henry Langum’s Actions as Trustee)
4		Henry Langum – Book-“Thinking-Believing”-1957
5		Henry Langum – Book-“A Glimpse into Reality”- 1962-1963 or 1966
6		Henry Langum – Book – “Glimpses into Reality” – 1965
7		Henry Langum – Book – Efforts to find Publisher/Financing-1956-1966
8-9		Henry Langum – Poetry and Musings
10		Henry Langum – First Sermon at Seminary-1917
11		Henry Langum – Series of Sermons-1919-1929-Gift to John
12		Henry Langum – Sermons-1922-1929-Ness Church (Primarily in Norwegian, Some in English and Norwegian)
13-15		Henry Langum – Sermons -1920’s – Mostly in English
16		Henry Langum – Special Service – Baptism of 1st Grandchild-1941-David John Langum
17		Henry Langum – Special Service – Baptism of Grandson-James Justin Darby
18		Henry Langum – Special Service –Wedding of Daughter, Arlene-1944
19		Henry Langum – Special Service – Farewell Sermon-Ness Church-1929-Norwegian and English Versions
20		Henry Langum – Special Service –Half-Sister, Nora, 50th Wedding Anniversary 1965
21		Henry Langum – Special Service – Funeral Services
22		Henry Langum – Special Service – Confirmation
23		Henry Langum – Essays on Baptism
24		Henry Langum – Essay on Importance of Life Insurance
25		Henry Langum – Biology Writing
26		Henry Langum – Booklet – “How to Succeed in Life”
27		Henry Langum – Miscellaneous Writings
28		Henry Langum – St. Olaf “Viking”- 1905 Yearbook
29		Henry Langum – St. Olaf “Viking”- 1906 Yearbook
30		Henry Langum – St. Olaf “Viking”- 1908 Yearbook
31		Henry Langum – St. Olaf “Viking”- 1909 Yearbook
32		Henry Langum – St. Olaf Choir – 1921 – History

Drawer 47

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