Jules G. U. Mauritzson papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS 123

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Jules G. U. Mauritzson papers, 1841-1992 and undated, includes Mauritzson’s vital records, sermons, lectures, teaching materials, programs and publications from his student life in Sweden, a scrapbook, memorabilia, and personal and family books including numerous Bibles and Psalm books. The collection also contains sermons and programs from Mauritzson’s father, Anders Wilhelm Mauritzson. The collection is arranged into the following series:

Series I. Mauritzson and Thorsson family vital records, 1886-1930 This series contains records from Mauritzson’s life, including parish records of Mauritzson’s and his wife’s births and baptisms, his high school diploma and other educational documents, military records, emigration papers, the Order of the North Star, and his obituary. Also included is a partial genealogy chart for Mauritzson’s and his wife’s families.

Series II. Jules G. U. Mauritzson memorial materials, 1930 This series contains materials about Mauritzson’s early death in 1930, including newspaper articles, a eulogy given by C. L. Esbjorn at Mauritzson’s memorial service, and documents dedicated to him.

Series III. Lund University materials, 1880-1900 and undated This series contains printed materials from Lund University, Lund, Sweden, including programs and poems from various celebrations, Carnival ballads, Carnival cartoons, Carnival newspapers, and materials from the D.U.G. (a student club). These materials span the periods before, during, and after Jules G.U. Mauritzson’s time as a student at the university.

Series IV. Confirmation memorabilia, 1874-1884 and undated This series contains a collection of memorabilia from Mauritzson’s confirmation in 1884. Calling cards, notes, several cross-stitched crosses, and his confirmation Bible are included.

Series V. Sermons, 1897-1928 and undated This series contains Mauritzson’s sermons, many of which he gave in the Quad Cities area and at Augustana College. He also gave several of them on his trip to Sweden from 1902 to 1904. Mauritzson wrote most of the sermons in Swedish, although he occasionally composed them in English.

Series VI. Augustana College teaching materials, 1908-1924 This series contains course outlines and lecture notes from Mauritzson’s time as a professor and as the Swedish department chair at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois.

Series VII. Essays and lectures, 1902-1992 and undated This series contains Mauritzson’s handwritten essays and lectures on a variety of topics such as Swedish-Americans, the history of Chicago, and a range of subjects in Swedish history and literature. Most of the documents are in Swedish, although some are in English. Also included are Dr. Conrad Bergendoff’s translations of two of Mauritzson’s lectures, and notes from Bergendoff to the late dean’s family members.

Series VIII. Miscellaneous, 1903-1925 and undated This series contains a photo of Jules G.U. Mauritzson. Also included is a scrapbook of newspaper clippings collected between 1903 and 1909. The articles are in Swedish, and are believed to be from Swedish newspapers published in Rock Island. This series contains various other papers from Mauritzson’s collection including an article on Jenny Lind, tickets from a trip to Sweden (1902-1904), several invitations, and papers from the John Ericsson League of Patriotic Service.

Series IX. Anders Wilhelm Mauritzson papers, 1841-1895 This series contains programs, invitations, and poems from important events in Sweden, as well as many of Anders W. Mauritzson’s sermons. Also included is a letter from Anders to his children.

Series X. Mauritzson family books, 1869-1908 This series is mainly composed of religious books, including several psalm books and Bibles. A number of the books have inscriptions from Jules G.U., Maria, and Anders W. Mauritzson in them.

Series XI. Other Mauritzson Family materials, 1909-1941 and undated This series contains personal letters written to members of the Mauritzson family, as well as a booklet in Swedish with biographical information about the Mauritzson family, several sermons, and a genealogy chart of the Mauritzson and Thorsson families.

Dates

Creation: 1841-1992 and undated

Creator

Mauritzson, Jules G.U. (Jules Göthe Ultimus), 1868-1930 (Person)

Language of Materials

English and Swedish

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from Augustana College Special Collections and the copyright holder.

Historical Note

Jules Göthe Ultimus Mauritzson was born 19 July 1868 in Balkåkra, Sweden to Anders Wilhelm and Gustava Lovisa Mauritzson. He attended the Gymnasium in Hällsingborg, Sweden from the fall of 1884 to May 1886, then continued his education in the Philosophy department at Lund University, Lund, Sweden from 1886 to 1889. In February 1889, Mauritzson enlisted in the Lund infantry. After he served in the military, he attended the Axel Eklund Accounting Institute, Lund, Sweden, beginning 21 October 1894. During that same year, he was certified as a journeyman bookbinder in the 2nd degree from the Fobriks-Och Handtverks-Föreningen in Ystad, Sweden. He then travelled to Germany, where he attended the Horn and Patzelt Institute for Hand Illumination, Gera, Germany from 26 May to 4 October 1894.

On 3 May 1895, Mauritzson applied for a passport to America. He received permission from the government, and began his trip to Chicago, Illinois 8 June 1895 at the age of 26. He settled in the city, where he worked as a bookbinder. There, he was befriended by Mrs. Emmy Evald, wife of Dr. Carl A. Evald. Dr. Evald was the pastor of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Chicago, Illinois, which Mauritzson soon joined. Mauritzson possibly met his future wife, Maria, a Chicago public school teacher, at Immanuel Lutheran. She was confirmed there in 1885, and presumably attended the church. Mauritzson then attended the Augustana Theological Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois. He graduated 1 June 1899, and married Maria the same year. He was then the pastor for the Augustana church in Kiron, Iowa for two years, from 1899-1900.

In 1901, Mauritzson became the head of the Swedish Language and Literature Department at Augustana College, where he taught courses until his death in 1930. He was given two years leave of absence to study in Sweden from 1902 to 1904. Mauritzson studied at several universities, including Lund and Uppsala. He gave many lectures and sermons there, including a series of talks on Swedish-Americans and the history of Chicago. Upon his return to Augustana, he resumed his position as the Swedish department chair. In 1909, he also assumed the responsibilities of enrolling officer. During the next decade he published several books, including textbooks on the Swedish language. He was also the founder and chairman of the Society for the Promotion of Scandinavian studies. 9 December 1924, he was awarded the Order of the North Star, a Swedish award, for his promotion of the Swedish language and Swedish studies at Augustana College. Mauritzson then became the first dean of the college in 1920. He was also vice president from 1928 to 30, and assumed the position of acting president while Dr. Gustav Andreen was out of the country raising money for Augustana College. On 7 February 1930, Mauritzson was hit by a car on a street corner in Rock Island, Illinois. He died from his injuries later that night. In honor of his work at Augustana College, the Mauritzson Exchange Fellowship was established in order to bring Swedish students to study at Augustana.

Mauritzson had five children with his wife, Maria. Mia and Tyra Mauritzson graduated from Augustana College and moved to Jamestown, New York to teach high school. Elsa Mauritzson graduated from the Moline Lutheran Hospital and married Henry Arp, the mayor of Moline, Illinois. The Mauritzsons' only son, Anders B., also attended Augustana College. After graduating, he worked in the Horst & Strieter Co. of Davenport, Iowa. The Mauritzsons' youngest daughter, Gunhild, never left home due to an illness.

Jules G.U. Mauritzson’s father, Anders Wilhelm Mauritzson, was born on 26 Aug 1827 in Vinslöv, Sweden. He married Gustava Lovisa Lagerlöf (1833-1881) in 1857. The couple moved to Balkåkra, where Anders W. took the position of rector. During their marriage they had seven children, Jules G.U. being the youngest. Anders W. died in Balkåkra 4 July 1902.

Extent

3.0 Cubic Feet (/ 7 boxes and 2 oversize folders)

Additional Description

Abstract

Jules Göthe Ultimus Mauritzson was born in Sweden and immigrated to the United States in 1895. He graduated from Augustana College and became a pastor before serving as the head of Augustana's department of Swedish language and literature from 1901 until his death in 1930. The Jules G. U. Mauritzson papers, 1841-1992 and undated, includes Mauritzson’s vital records, sermons, lectures, teaching materials, programs and publications from his student life in Sweden, a scrapbook, memorabilia, and personal and family books including numerous Bibles and Psalm books. The collection also contains sermons and programs from Mauritzson’s father, Anders Wilhelm Mauritzson.

Custodial History

According to a letter dated 3 November 1976, the Mauritzson papers were housed in the Lutheran Church of America for “several decades” before the materials relating to Mauritzson’s career as a professor and dean were sent to the Augustana College library in the 1950s. The Lutheran Church of America also returned Mauritzson’s personal books to his family, but how they became part of his papers in Special Collections at Augustana College library is unclear.