Anton B. SANDER: Luther College & 1870 US Census

According to Norlie (1922:208), Anton enrolled at Luther College in Decorah, IA in 1868 and graduated with an A.B. degree in 1874.


Luther College. Main I South Wing Dedication (1874). Image courtesy of Luther College Archives.

In 1870, Anton is listed at Luther College in the US Census.


1870 US Census. Anton B. Sander. Images courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Sander, A. B. / 18 / M / W / Student / Norway

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Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Decorah, Winneshiek, Iowa; Roll: M593_426; Page: 96B; Image: 196; Family History Library Film: 545924.
Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.
Original data: 1870 U.S. census, population schedules. NARA microfilm publication M593, 1,761 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

Return to Luther

A few histories of Luther College make mention of Anton SANDER's one year tenure as an instructor in 1878-1879. The earliest (which is mentioned in previous posts and also lists him and his brothers as students) is Luther College Through Sixty Years 1861-1921 by The Luther College Faculty (Editorial Committee: O. M. Norlie, O. A. Tingelstad, and Karl T. Jacobsen). This book was published by Augsburg Publishing House in Minneapolis, MN in 1922. For simplicity I have referred to it as (Norlie, 1922). Subjects Anton taught that year include: German, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.


Left image: Norlie, et al. "Teachers of Religion at Luther College by Subject" (1922), p. 36. Right image: "Distribution of the Teaching Load, 1878-1879" (1922), p. 133. Images courtesy of Archive.org.

Anton's biography with his picture indicates that he was the "first graduate of Luther College to obtain the Ph. D. degree."


Norlie, et al., "Faculty" (1922), p. 117. Image courtesy of Archive.org.

Olav Morgan Norlie also compiled and edited a book called School Calendar, 1824-1924: A Who's Who among Teachers in the Norwegian Lutheran Synods of America (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg, 1924). Anton's entry appears to be based primarily on his biography in Norlie's earlier work. Of interest is that it indicates that Anton taught at Flushing, N. Y. the year after he graduated from Yale and before he returned to Luther.


Norlie, Olaf Morgan. "SANDER, Anton B." (1924), p. 625. Image courtesy of Solveig Quinney.

David T. Nelson published a history of the college entitled Luther College, 1861-1961 (Decorah, IA: Luther College Press, 1961). On p. 109, he describes the reason for Anton's brief stay at Luther:

Anton B. Sander, '74, has the distinction of being the first graduate of Luther College to earn the Ph.D. degree (at Yale University in 1877). Although very popular with the students, he had the temerity, in a meeting of the Decorah congregation, to challenge certain views of the church leaders. Moreover, he was regarded by some of the faculty as "too American." Accordingly, as not "firmly orthodox," he was dropped from the faculty after one year (1878-1879). [22] His promising career was cut short two years later by illness.

Since I am only in possession of a photocopy of this page from the book, I can only speculate that Nelson may have had access to an unpublished manuscript, "At Luther College," by Andrew Andersen Veblen. Since that information is fairly lengthy it will be dealt with in the next post. It is interesting to note here, however, that Veblen states that Rev. Koren "did not think Dr. S. unfit on doctrinal grounds."

The only other mention of Anton SANDER in Nelson's book (p. 99) describes how he was part of a committee along with Veblen and Jacob D. Jacobsen that recommended modifications to the wording and form of Luther's diploma. These were adopted by the faculty on 29 May 1879.

"At Luther College"

The following is an edited excerpt from "At Luther College" by Andrew Andersen Veblen. Veblen taught at Luther College from 1877-1881 and became friends with Anton SANDER when he arrived to teach at Luther in the fall of 1878. Veblen's account explains the short tenure of SANDER's teaching career at Luther.

[. . . ] Professor Adolph Bredesen closed his connection with the college at the end of the academic year 1877-8, and entered in the pastorate of Perry Congregation, Dane Co. Wis. Dr. Anton Sander, who came to the college in the autumn, occupied the rooms upstairs in "Sunnyside" that Mr. Bredesen had used. Dr. S. took his meals with us, and we became very good friends and I enjoyed much of his company during the year, 1878-9, of his stay at Luther. This same fall, 1878, Professor Halvard Roalkvam came to the College. The staff now consisted of 9 members: Larsen, Brandt, Bothne, Jacobsen, Narvesen, Reque, Veblen, Sander, [and] Roalkvam.

[. . . ] October 14th is at Luther College "Dedication Day." It is observed as a holiday and the chief event of the day has been the illumination of the building in the evening. In every window were placed several candles. Three strokes of the bell were the signal at which the candles were simultaneously lighted in all windows. The sight was a fine one, and it never failed to bring out a large number of people to view the spectacle. Many of these came up to the campus, and the number of young people who on these occasions mingled with the students, made the campus a place of considerable gaiety during the evening. Exercises were generally held in the chapel to end up the day, and there would be music and addresses, forming a short program, ending with a short devotional service, such as was usually observed at the close of each day of the week.

In the fall of 1878, there was a movement among the boys to celebrate the day more elaborately than had usually been the case. A mass meeting, or a committee, of the students considered the question of serving refreshments to the visitors who might come. An application was made to the President for permission to carry out this purpose. The request came before the faculty in regular meeting; but objection was raised to the feature of the proposed treat which specified the use of wine among the refreshments. The president asked each member in turn to state his mind, and I for one was surprised to find that some of those first asked were favorably disposed toward granting the request, allowing wine to be served. When my turn came to express myself I objected emphatically to this part of the preposition. Dr. Sander, who was the next to be asked said he agreed with me. We both said that we should consider it very unfortunate if such a request was allowed. President Larsen therefore remarked that in the face of such determined objection he should not wish to grant the petition. Dr. S. and I were then taken to task for being "puritans" and I can not recall what else we were that was objectionable by certain members. But the use of wine on Oct. 14th was not granted.

But the matter was not allowed to rest so simply as all that. Prof. Th. Bothne was at that time acting as secretary of the faculty. When the minutes of the meeting at which the matter was discussed and passed on, as stated, were read as the first item of business at the next faculty meeting, the secretary devoted considerable space to a report of the action. In it he told how certain members, among whom he named Prof. Reque and himself as having emphatically rebuked "professorene Sander og Veblen" for hindering the boys in their liberal project by obstructing it on the ground of puritan and illiberal objection. This was altogether contrary to the usage in the record of faculty meetings. In accordance with this, the minutes simply stated the questions voted upon and the results of the vote. No names were ever entered as to how any one voted, unless there was a specific request to have one’s position recorded, as might be in anyone's entering a protest or otherwise asking to have a record made of a personal nature, and then only by specific action or general consent. Consequently both Dr. Sander and I objected to the form of the record in this case, appealing to the faculty to have the minutes amended. Professor Bothne was directed by the President to rewrite the minutes until the next meeting. He rewrote them, and read the amended version at the next succeeding meeting. But the only change he had made was to change "professorene etc." to "De herrer professorer Sander og Veblen"; and adding one or two further epithets, evidently meant to make the intended rebuke more pointed and emphatic, and leaving his own and Reque’s names as the authors of the rebuke. As neither Dr. S. nor I, nor any other member, said anything further, it is presumed that the records, if in existence, show that Sander and Veblen hindered the use of wine on the campus or in the College on Oct. 14, 1878 and that they were taken to task for this "puritanic" attitude by professors Bothne and Reque.

[. . . ] Dr. Sander became very popular among the students, and by reason of his modest personality and his correct manners and conduct he fully deserved the loyalty and devotion that the boys gave him. But this popularity was not calculated to endear him to some of his colleagues, some of whom regarded him as being too good an American. After the episode in connection with the celebration of Oct. 14, with the accusation of puritanism, this feeling naturally was intensified. During the winter 1878-9 there was a temperance revival in Decorah, conducted by the church people in town. The meetings were very successful and began to attract many of the Norwegians. The participation of the members of the Norwegian church, was of course not relished by the pastors and other leaders of the church; and temperance meetings were started in the church which were conducted by the pastor, to be in accord with orthodox evangelical doctrine and practice. It was by some speakers explained that the “reformed” temperance meetings then in progress in town were proceeding along lines that Lutherans could not approve, and in which they should not participate. One specific objection mentioned was regarding the pledge of abstinence which was circulated for signatures in the general meetings in town. One prominent member characterized this pledge and the whole total abstinence movement as un-Lutheran because they would be "unequally yoked with unbelievers." (2 Cor. 6, 14) -- "drage et fremmed aag med Vantroe." -- Dr. Sander did not agree with this view, and made his position clear in a short speech. Ordinarily his remarks would have provoked some discussion in defense of the stand taken by the church leaders, and would most likely have caused no stir. But his remarks suited the meeting so well that a large number -- it seemed to be the greater number -- forgot themselves and broke out in a vigorous hand-clapping. This was of course an awful desecration of the sacred place in which the meeting was held, and the pastor immediately dismissed the meeting with a very curt rebuke; The occurrence was afterward by some spoken of, with bated breath, as a "scandal," though there were some who thought Dr. Sander was right, and that he at any rate could not be blamed for the impropriety on the part of the applauders. But the incident led to Dr. Sander’s being dropped from the teaching staff at the end of the year. At a special meeting of the faculty, which Dr. S was not called to attend, the president reported on interviews that he and the pastor had had with him; and the result of these were that they did not think he was as firmly orthodox as a teacher of the young men at the college should be, and that the president had better let him know that his services would not be required the following year, provided the faculty agreed. Prof. Bothne said that, so far as he was concerned, he thought we should be excused from discussing Dr. Sander's fitness if there was any question as to his orthodoxy. No one spoke further that I can recall; and I heard later from Dr. S. that he had been told that it would be best for him to begin to look for a position elsewhere. It must be remarked, that Dr. S. had been employed "temporarily," that is only for the year; but if he had been found doctrinally safe (or harmless) he would most likely have been reemployed; for the synod was in need of men and his going away could be looked on only as a serious loss.

I am not sure that the Rev. Mr. Koren was present when Dr. Sander’s case was reported on; but if not then, at another time when Dr. Sander’s case was the subject of remark by the president and possibly others, Mr. K. said he thought Sander was a "søgende sjæl," [searching soul] who was absolutely honest and eventually be found correct in his belief. I received the impression very distinctly, that while Koren did not think Dr. S. unfit on doctrinal grounds, he probably thought his retention on the faculty would have continued to be accompanied by friction due to the character of some of his colleagues. There was no mistaking the disappointment of the students when in the autumn they learned that Sander was not to return; and some were emphatic in their expressions of regret. The same manner of disappointment was voiced by the citizens. But I must record that on occasions when the matter was spoken of to Professor Larsen, in my hearing, while he refrained from finding explicit fault with Dr. S. there was always a distinct and unmistakable note of disparagement in what he had to say.

[SOURCE: “At Luther College” (1887-1881) by Andrew Andersen Veblen (written 1918?), pp. 24-30. Transcription made by Sam Preus (original document in Minnesota Historical Society archives) (32 pcs.) Undated. Luther College Library Archives. Andrew Andersen Veblen Collection. 85:1:1.]

The Poems of Anton B. SANDER (Introduction)

In July of 2011, Verla Williams wrote the following letter to Kathleen Stokker at Luther college regarding some poems that allegedly were written by Anton SANDER. Since that will serve nicely as an introduction to the poems themselves, it is quoted here in its entirety:

23 July 2011

Dr. Kathleen Stokker

Luther College
701 College Drive
Decorah, IA 52101

Dear Dr. Stokker:

First of all, I wish to thank you so much for your presentations at our Norse Club celebrations of syttende mai. They were so interesting and informative, and were so much appreciated by our members.

Now the reason for my writing to you -- I have been the family genealogist for many years. Our son, not wanting to see it get lost or disposed of, is taking responsibility for it (and doing a great job). So, as I was going through old file folders to see if there was any thing more I should pass on to him, etc. I re-discovered some information the other day of which I question its disposition. I will quote part of the information:

* Anton B. Sander
Birthplace - Brandvold, Solør, Norway
Oct. 4, 1851 - Jan. 23, 1881
Student at Luther College 1868-1874
Father - Brede B. Sander
Mother - Karen Huseby
1874 - A.B. from Luther College
1877 - Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy (In Cursu) Yale University
First graduate from Luther College to obtain a PhD degree
Teacher of Latin, Greek, Hebrew and German

Luther College - 1878-1879
Flushing, N.Y. 1879-1881

* Information from book "Luther College Through Sixty Years 1861-1921" by Luther College Faculty Editorial Committee -- O. M. Norlie, O. A. Tinglestad and Karl T. Jacobsen. Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, Minn. 1922."

Then another quotation:

Book - Luther College 1861-1961 by David T. Nelson, Luther College Press 1961, p. 109.

Anton Sander was very popular with students. He had temerity in a meeting of the Decorah Congregation to challenge certain views of the church leadership. Moreover he was regarded by some of the faculty as "too American" accordingly, as not "firmly orthodox," he was dropped from the faculty after one year, 1878-1879. His promising career was cut short two years later by illness.

In Manuscript file at Luther College 1877-1881 by A. A. Veblen.

The above information was attached to the folder which inside had a group of poems that were composed by him. They are handwritten in Norwegian on what appears to be plain tablet paper. I'm not that sure he has signed any of it, so the authorship perhaps couldn't be proven. This was given to me some years ago by a descendant in the family of Dr. Anton Sander so it was assumed by the family that the authorship was his. Anton Sander is a brother of my husband's grandmother. We thought it was of interest that this former Luther faculty member was a bit avant-garde for his time and had written some poems that have survived for over 100 years. They are written in Norwegian cursive for the most part. It would be interesting to know if in his writings one could see any tendencies that would have led to his dismissal from the faculty. I'm not sure what 
academic freedom was given to faculty at church colleges in the 1870's, but it must have been nearly non-existent to fire a PhD graduate of Yale University after only a year of teaching. It would be fun to know what they say in English. Our Norwegian is not all that good to get a real gist of the meaning.

So my question is what should we do with it? I don't think it would be of interest to this generation unless it was translated, and yet it may have some historical value. Perhaps the Luther College Archives or the Norwegian American Historical Association would be interested in it.

I would appreciate your opinion as to what my course of action should be. If you are at all interested in it, I could bring it along with me one of the next times we come to Decorah, to stay at our apartment and partake of some trout fishing, and show it to you. I await your reply.

Sincerely,
Verla Williams
4333 Pine Ridge Trail NE
Iowa City, IA 52240
verla.vince@mchsi.com

Images of the note mentioned and quoted in the letter are below:



Note attached to file containing manuscripts of poems allegedly by Anton B. SANDER. Images courtesy of Verla Williams.

At this time I am unaware as to whether any response was received. However, back in 2012 I had written to Rachel Vagts, the Luther College Archivist, and she had said that the college would be happy to receive the SANDER family items I had described to her.