WI BIO - Dane Co - ANDERSON, R. B.
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893. Vol II, pp 443-446

Hon. Rasmus R. ANDERSON, the Norse scholar, was born in the township of 
Albion, Dane County, WI, 12 Jan 1846. His father, of Norwegian stock, was a 
Quaker, who came from Norway in 1836, at the head of the first large company 
of Norwegian emigrants who reached America. His mother, whose ancestry for 
nearly two centuries presents one unbroken line of military officers of high 
rank, was a woman of remarkably beautiful character, equipped with those 
virtues which are the adornment of her sex. To this young woman, Able 
Catherine VON KROGH, Bjorn ANDERSON was married in 1830. It can hardly be 
realized by an American what consternation and bitterness of feeling the 
marriage of this refined [p 444] daughter of a military officer with a 
peasant's son caused. The fact, too, that the husband was a Quaker and hence 
not a member of the State Church, served to increase the indignities with 
which the young couple were treated on every hand. There was the right stuff 
in both of them, however, and they determined to seek their fortunes in that 
land beyond the sea, whose star was beckoning to the oppressed of Europe. 
Having arrived in NY, Bjorn ANDERSON and his wife, with a few other families 
proceeded to Rochester, [Monroe County], NY, where they lived two years, the 
husband working at the trade of a cooper. At the end of this time they moved 
to a Scandinavian settlement in LaSalle County, IL, where they also remained 
two years, and finally settled in the wilds of WI. They were the first 
couple that took up their abode in the town of Albion, Dane County, WI, and 
the tale of hardship which that fact carries with it seems but a sad romance 
to a younger generation. But during all the trials of this pioneer life 
neither one flinched. The chief characteristic of each was will; he was 
bold, restless and pushing, she was gentle, quiet, and persevering. This 
combination of qualities brought success, and in a few years they were 
comfortably situated on a large and fertile farm, but Bjorn ANDERSON was not 
long to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Among scores of others he became a 
victim of cholera, in 1850. The mother [Able Catherine (VON KROGH) ANDERSON] 
lived until 1885, and experienced the pleasure of seeing one of her sons, the 
subject of this sketch, honored by the country of her adoption.

It was one of such antecedents and under the circumstances that we have 
briefly alluded that Rasmus R. ANDERSON was born. As he grew up he 
diligently attended the public school and also received instruction form a 
Norwegian Lutheran clergyman. In the latter part of the 1850's a college was 
founded by the Norwegians, later known as Luther College, located in Decorah 
[Winneshiek County]], IA, and here be became one of the first students. The 
teachers in the school were Norwegians who had been educated in Europe. 
Their ideas of discipline and paternal authority galled the independent 
spirit of young ANDERSON, and he became the leader of an embroyo rebellion. 
The authorities did not find him disposed to yield and so to maintain peace 
it was thought necessary to expel him. His progress in his studies, 
especially in his languages, had been quite remarkable and hence in spite of 
his expulsion he became, in 1866, Professor Greek and modern languages in 
Albion Academy near his home. On account of his success at this school he 
attracted the notice of the authorities of the University of WI, at Madison. 
Having severed his connection with Albion Academy, he spent the spring term 
of 1869 as a post graduate student in the University of WI, at the end of 
which time he was made an instructor of languages in that institution. He 
served in this capacity until the summer of 1875, when the professorship of 
Scandinavian languages and literature was created for him. Before this time 
he had lectured on Scandinavian subjects and had, as an instructor, taught 
the Scandinavian languages, and had also founded a Scandinavian library in 
the University. This project received the cordial support of the famous 
Norse violinist, Ole BULL, who on 17 May 1872, Norway's natal day, gave a 
concert in Madison in aid of the enterprise. Professor ANDERSON and Ole BULL 
were very warm friends and Madison was for some years Ole BULL's American 
home. Together they conceived many a scheme for the spread of the [p 445] 
fame of Norway and the Norsemen. Among other things, they formed a plan and 
started a fund for the erection of a monument in honor of Leif ERICKSON and 
this monument was erected in Boston in 1887.

In 1872 Professor ANDERSON visited Norway, in company with Ole BULL, to 
extend his acquaintance with the literature and scholars of Northern Europe. 
On this trip he met the Norse poet, BJORNSON, with whom he traveled on foot 
through some of the most delightful parts of Norway. Several years later, 
BJORNSON visited America and made a lecturing tour among his countrymen 
throughout the Northwest, under the auspices of Professor ANDERSON, at whose 
house in Madison he was a frequent guest.

Professor ANDERSON has been a prolific writer and began to write for the 
press at the age of 19 and has ever since been an extensive contributor to 
both Norwegian and American periodicals. He has also contributed to 
Johnson's Universal Cyclopedia, McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia, Kiddle & 
Schem's Year Book of Education, The American Supplement to the Encyclopedia 
Britannica, and the last edition of Chamber's Encyclopedia. His interest in 
the American common school system has been great and in an active controversy 
some years ago, with the Norwegian Lutheran Clergy in the Northwest he made 
himself widely known for his defense of it.

Professor ANDERSON has lectured extensively, both in this country and in 
Scandinavia. In 1874 he spoke in the house of the poet LONGFELLOW, to a 
select audience of celebrities on the subject of Norse mythology, and in 1877 
he delivered a course of four lectures upon Norse literature, at the Peabody 
Institute in Baltimore. As an author of books he as won an enviable 
reputation. He began his career in 1872, with the publication of a 
collection of Norse folklore stories, called "Julegave," now in the seventh 
edition. In 1874 he published a little book in Norwegian entitled "Den 
Norske Maalsag," and also his first book in English, "America not Discovered 
by Columbus," which gives a short account of the discovery of America by the 
Norsemen. Professor ANDERSON's most important contribution to literature, 
"Norse Mythology," appeared in 1875. It is an exhaustive and systematic 
presentation of the religion of the old Northmen, and is the only adequate 
treatment of the subject in the English language. It has been well received, 
both in this country and in Europe, and has been translated into French, 
German, Italian, and even into Norse. His next publication was "Viking Tales 
of the North," which appeared in 1877. This work contains a translation of 
the two old Norse sagas into English and the Swedish author, Bishop Tegner's 
poem, "Frithjofa Saga," is based upon them. This work also contains an 
introduction on Saga literature and a biography of TEGNER. In 1880 he 
published "The Younger Edda," a translation from old Norse. This book is, as 
it is sometimes put, "The New Testament of Norse Mythology." During 1881 and 
1882 he superintended the translation and publication of BJORNSON's novels 
and stories in seven volumes. In 1884 he published a translation of Dr. F. 
W. HORN's "History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North, from the 
Earliest Period to the Present Time." His introduction to Miss A. A. 
WOODWARD's (Auber Forestier) translation of Kristofer JANSON's "The 
Spellbound Fiddler" contains an interesting sketch of Ole BULL.

In 1885 Professor ANDERSON was appointed by President CLEVELAND U. S. 
Minister to Denmark, which position he held until the [p 446] autumn of 1889. 
Before receiving the appointment, in the fall of 1883, he had served in 
connection with the university for the purpose of going into business. 
Professor ANDERSON proved a valuable man at the Danish capital. He was 
thoroughly conversant with the language of the country before going there, 
and hence was in a position to profit much from his stay in the Athens of the 
North [Copenhagen], where it was his good fortune to make the personal 
acquaintance of nearly all the scholars and artists of Scandinavia. Upon the 
election of President HARRISON a petition, signed by the most prominent men 
of the three Scandinavian countries was sent to Washington asking for his 
retention at Copenhagen. While in that city he became very popular, not only 
in literary, but also in diplomatic and social circles. This did not prevent 
him, however, from being active in a literary way. In 1886 he published a 
translation from the Danish, by Dr. Georg BRANDES, "Eminent Authors of the 
19th Century." Dr. BRANDES is the most distinguished literary critic in 
Scandinavia, the TAINE of the North. In 1887 Professor ANDERSON wrote the 
chapter on American Scandinavian Religion, which was published in a London 
work entitled "Non-Biblical Systems of Religion." In 1889 London firms 
published his translation from the Swedish of Dr. Victor RYDBERG's monumental 
work, "Teutonic Mythology," and his version of Samuel LAING's translation of 
the "Heimskrimgla, or the Sagas of the Norse Kings," and his translation of 
Dr. Carl LUMHOLTZ' work, "Among Cannibals."

Professor ANDERSON now resides in Madison, Dane County, WI, where he has a 
comfortable house. On 21 Jul 1868 he was married to Miss Bertha Karina 
OLSON, of Cambridge, Dane County, WI. She was born 11 Feb 1848, near 
Christiania [now Oslo], Norway, and came to this country with her parents 
when she was about four years old.

Professor and Mrs. ANDERSON have had five children, four of whom are living: 
(1) Hannah Burena, born 18 Apr 1869, died 18 Apr 1870; (2) Carletta 
Cathrina, born 04 Dec 1870; (3) George Krogh, born 07 Nov 1872; (4) Hjalmar 
Odin, born 07 Jun 1876; and (5) Rolf Bull, born 17 Dec 1883. The literary 
work of Professor ANDERSON has been enormous and even a partial list of his 
original writings and translations would outrun the limits of this article.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly