The following are excepts from the diary of Hannah Asp during a summer that she worked for the John Olin family near Chinook, Washington. A copy of the diary was generously donated to us by Bernice Olin. This is the fifth and final installment in this series. If you haven’t read the first installment it can be found here , the second installment here, the third installment here, and the fourth installment here.
August 20, 1902
Monday night Charlie & I went to Prests to get some butter. They did not have any there though so the men had to go with out butter for Tuesday breakfast. When we went up it was so low-tide that we had to row on the mud about half of the way up but as we came home the tide had come in so that there was plenty water. It was the most beautiful night I ever saw. The moon was so bright that we could hardly see any stars.
Yesterday John had to go to Chinook and he got a postal card for Mrs. Olin from her sister telling that she was in Astoria so John went to Astoria to-day to get her. He is not home yet though and Mrs. Olin is looking & looking for them to come. I showed her how to do all the hem stitches I knew of a little while ago and now I am going to peel potatoes for supper.
August 30, 1902
Mrs. Olin’s sister came last night and there was some fun here then. She had so much to tell about Finland & the journey. She is a pretty girl. Much smaller than Mrs. Olin. She is so glad & seems to like it here fine already although she has hardly been here a day.
August 23, 1902
Last Thursday we had church here in the camp. Mr. Ostrom came up here and he preached in the evening. All the people here in the camp came. We were 18 besides the minister. Quite a large congregation. He preached in both Swedish and English. In Swedish the text was “Jesus weeping over Jerusalem”, in English “Faith, Hope, & Love.” After the men were gone we stayed up and talked a while and then went to bed. Ina, Sophie, & I slept in Olins’ bed and Olins slept on the lounge & the minister slept in our bed.
Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Olin, Sophie, & I went down to the donkey to see them take out a big tree. It was the biggest tree they have taken out yet 9ft. 2 in. through and just as it was almost to the water the cable broke.
On the evening Jack, Alfred, Charlie & August came in and we’re singing all kinds of songs that we know and we had a real pleasant evening. Today is Sat. & we scrubbed & cleaned up and just got through. Now I have to and help with supper.
After Supper.
When we were through with the dishes we took a walk down toward the river (by “we” I mean Ina, Sophie, & I). We sat down on a log and Sophie & sang some songs that we knew. After a while August & Jack came too and we were going to run a race to the river and I took a good tumble. When we got to the river we sat down on some logs & sang and talked till it got pretty dark and then came home.
Photo to the left taken by Frank La Roche, c. 1892. Horses are pulling a carriage on the beach in Pacific County, Washington.
August 24, 1902
Yesterday afternoon Fred, Jack & August and Ina, Sophie & I went and took a boat-ride. We went up Rosandals Slough up to the landing and then we got out of the boat and walked up to the yard. There were some apple trees with apples on and we had an apple feast. After we had eaten as many as we could we played games on the grass. We went up to the house too and had a look then we came back and ate some more apples and then went home. It was half past 5 when we came and we got supper ready to six. In the afternoon Bjorkman’s & Soderlunds from Chinook had been here and they just went home as we came.
This morning Ina, Mrs. Olin & John went to Astoria so I have been head cook today. Everything has gone pretty well so far, considering that I am such a green horn cook. It is a quarter of four now and I have to start to make supper. Sophie is writing a letter.
August 27, 1902
Yesterday 3 men came here asking for work. One had run away from a ship and he was in such poor straits that John gave him some work so he could earn a little. So now we have 14 men again although Dawson has gone. The other man went to Chinook. This morning it rained so that although the men went to work they had to quit again. This afternoon it is fine weather. Backlund cut his knee on a saw so he just went to Chinook.
In the photo to the right: the Olin Family in their home. Mrs. Olin is on the far left, Hanna is in the center, and John Olin is playing the organ.
August 28, 1902
This afternoon Sophie & I went down the road to pick crab-apples. We found a large tree with apples just thick on it and got both our pans full. John came from Chinook the same time and brought me a letter from Lena.
This evening August & Alfred were up here and we spent a pleasant evening talking and telling stories.
August 29, 1902
Yesterday the men found a bee-hive & after supper they went to get it. They got a water-pail full and to-day we are melting it. We put it in a flour sack by the stove and let it run out but it takes an awful long time.
August 30, 1902
This Sun. Morning. I am going to Scarboro Hill today. Last night Sophie & I took a walk down to the donkey.
September 2, 1902
Home again! “Home Sweet Home.” I came home just after dinner on Monday. I have not had an opportunity till now to end my diary although there is quite a bit to tell about the last part of my stay. I have already said that we were going to Scarboro Hill and we did go and had a very pleasant time. We started at 10 o’clock and had to walk all the way to Chinook. When we came there the church bell rang so we thought we might go in since we had to wait any how for dinner. We saw Charlie on the street and told him to come along and he did so we were three. First we went up on the hill to the very top. When we came down we went in the fort and then returned home and got there pretty late in the evening. Charlie stayed in Chinook.
Monday morning the Miler went from Chinook at 10-30 o’clock & we had to start pretty early and that water was so low that Jack who was with us had to get out of the skiff and pull the boat over the sand but I got home safe and sound though and a happier girl there never was not because I didn’t like it up in the woods and wanted to come home but that but because,
“A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there
Which seek through the world is ne’er met with elsewhere.”
So I have lived through another summer and I hope I have not lived in vain. It is the first time I have worked out and I shall always remember it as one of the most pleasant summers I have spent.
Hanna Asp Johanson in 1967. Hanna married Frank Johanson in 1908. They had two children, Signilor and Freda. She passed away in 1985 in Madras, Oregon at the age of 99.