MSS 6

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Johannes Hoving was born in Wilborg, Finland on 17 April 17 1868, to Swedish parents.  He was educated in Sweden and Germany and was a pediatrician in Stockholm before emigrating to the United States in 1903.  He became a naturalized citizen in 1909.  The family settled in New York City where Hoving practiced medicine and became involved with the Scandinavian community.

He was a member of many Swedish-American and Scandinavian-American organizations.  He was most active in the ScandinavianAmerican Society.  As a member of the Board of Trustees and chairman of its Social and Concert Committee, he coordinated events over an extended period of time; a large portion of the correspondence in the collection deals with arrangements for concerts, dinners, and dances for the Society.  Also, he was interested in popularizing immigrant culture and played a prominent role in various folk festivals which occurred in New York during the 1920s and 1930s.  Political issues regarding immigration restriction concerned Dr. Hoving, and he belonged to several organizations which had been formed to study the problem.  His wife, Helga Adamsen-Rundberg Hoving, a Swedish actress, was also an important figure in organizations and clubs, founding many societies for the advancement of Swedish culture in America.

Dr. Hoving returned to Sweden in the 1930s.  He spent the rest of his life there, lecturing and writing extensively on musical, biographical, social, genealogical, and political subjects. 

PROVENANCE

Gift of Dr. Esther Meixner in 1974.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Hoving papers contain correspondence, minutes, and committee reports of some organizations of which he was a member.  These are arranged alphabetically by name of the organization and then chronologically within each.  Personal correspondence is arranged in the same manner.  Also included are personal financial records and miscellaneous items which are arranged chronologically.

Printed matter relating to the various societies has been removed and is available in the library.  A photograph of the Americans of Swedish Lineage Ball is in the photograph collection.