PEDER MOLLER Correspondence

Pine Mountain Settlement School
Series 09: BIOGRAPHY – Staff
Series 11: FARM
Peder Moller Correspondence 1928-1931
Peder Moller, Gardener, Farmer 1930-1932

Distant view of 3 men tilling field; mountains & barn.[nace_II_album_085.jpg]

TAGS: Peder Moller correspondence, hiring, gardeners, farmers, Olive Dame Campbell, Smallholders’ School, Jakob Lange, Husmandsskole, American Consulate General at Copenhagen, Katherine Pettit, Ayrshire cattle

PEDER MOLLER Correspondence 1928-1931

PEDER MOLLER CORRESPONDENCE traces the process of hiring Peder Moller from Denmark to work as a PMSS gardener and farmer from 1930 to 1932. This page provides a list of excerpts from the letters and images of the letters dated 1928 to 1931.

[moller_p_bio_001.jpg] — Mar 20, 1929 — Mrs J.C. (Olive Dame) Campbell to Katherine Pettit: Georg [Danish farmer at John C. Campbell Folk School] suggests that “it might be possible to get a Danish farmer from the Smallholders’ School, [a folk-school] where they teach gardening.” She has written to Mr. Jacob Lange, principal of the Husmandsskole, Odense, Denmark, to ask about possibilities. Suggests that Pettit write him also with details.

[moller_p_bio_002.jpg] — Mar 26, 1929 — Pettit to Campbell: Asks for advice about salary.

[moller_p_bio_003.jpg] — Mar 26, 1929 — Pettit to Principal Jakob Lange at Husmandsskole in Odense, Denmark: Describes the type of gardener she is looking for and the nature of PMSS.

[moller_p_bio_004.jpg] — April 14, 1929 — Lange to Pettit: (handwritten) “I think I have found the man you want…” and provides a description of Peder Moller. Agrees with $100 a month with board.

[moller_p_bio_005.jpg] — March 30, 1929 — Mrs. Campbell to Pettit: Provides salary advice.

[moller_p_bio_006.jpg] — Apr 30, 1929 — Pettit to Lange (handwritten): Directions to PMSS.

[moller_p_bio_007.jpg] — May 18, 1929 — Lange to Pettit: (handwritten) Assures Pettit that Moller is a non-smoker and that Moller will get an immigration permit in about four months from the American Consul in Copenhagen.

[moller_p_bio_008.jpg] — June 3, 1929 — Pettit to American Consular Service: Asks consul to expedite Moller’s quota visa so he can arrive at PMSS in mid-Aug when school starts.

[moller_p_bio_009.jpg] — June 3, 1929 — Pettit to Lange: Pleased that Moller will be at PMSS in October; Sending letter to American Consul.

[moller_p_bio_010.jpg] — June 3, 1929 — Pettit to Moller: Welcomes him to PMSS in Oct; Asks Moller to ask the Am. Consul to let Moller know his decision.

[moller_p_bio_011.jpg] — June 20, 1929 — Am. Consulate General to Pettit: not enough info as to which Moller she’s referring to; Cannot take applications out of turn.

[moller_p_bio_012.jpg] — June 24, 1929 — Pettit to Campbell: Asks advice on who should meet Moller in NY.

[moller_p_bio_013.jpg] [moller_p_bio_014.jpg] — [n.d., possibly July 1929] — Moller to Pettit:
“From Miss [Lula] Hale, who is visiting the Smallholders high school in Odense, I have heard so much about your school, and I am quite sure it is the right place for me.”

[moller_p_bio_015.jpg] — July 11, 1929 — Pettit to Moller at ‘Willumsdal’, Odense, Denmark: “As regards to how long a time you should stay here, I hope you will like it enough and we shall like you enough for you to stay forever.”

[moller_p_bio_016.jpg] [moller_p_bio_017.jpg] — Aug 5, 1929 — Moller to Pettit: Acceptance letter; Asks what to bring; describes itinerary; won’t be able to stay at PMSS “forever.”

[moller_p_bio_018.jpg] — Aug 7, 1929 — Pettit to Moller: Sent Moller the contract for his signature.

[moller_p_bio_019.jpg] — Aug 7, 1929 — Contract: “We agree to pay Mr. Peder Moller $100.00 a month and living for his services as farmer and out-of-door work at PMSS. Agreed to by me [signed by Peder Moller]”

[moller_p_bio_020.jpg] — Aug 9, 1929 — Pettit to Lange: Sending copy of letter from American Consulate General at Copenhagen.

[moller_p_bio_021.jpg] — Aug 29, 1929 — Pettit to Moller: Position description.

[moller_p_bio_022.jpg] — Oct 12, 1929 — Pettit to Moller: Asks for date of his arrival.

[moller_p_bio_023.jpg] — Oct 14, 1929 — Pettit to Campbell: Sends her latest
correspondence with Moller.

[moller_p_bio_024.jpg] — Oct 14, 1929 — Angela Melville to Mr. Chris L. Christensen, Secretary, Federal Farm Board, Washington D.C.: Asks help with getting Moller to PMSS before Christmas.

[moller_p_bio_025.jpg] — [n.d.] — Moller to Pettit: No visa yet.

[moller_p_bio_026.jpg] — Oct 19, 1929 — Christensen to Melville: Cannot see a way to help.

[moller_p_bio_027.jpg] — Oct 22, 1929 — Pettit to Christensen: Thank you.

[moller_p_bio_028.jpg] — Oct 22, 1929 — Campbell (in West Medford, MA) to Pettit: (handwritten) Provides Christensen’s address: “No immigrant is supposed to be coming in to a job. I am not sure how your writing [Christensen] would affect Mr. Moller.” Encloses a card from a Danish woman with a nephew who is a farmer.

[moller_p_bio_029.jpg] — Oct 26, 1929 — Pettit to Mrs. Eleonore Bang (in Newton, MA): Referred to Pettit by Mrs. Campbell as someone who might help PMSS secure an interim or permanent farmer.

[moller_p_bio_030.jpg] — Oct 28, 1929 — Christensen to Pettit: Returning Moller’s postal card.

[moller_p_bio_031.jpg] [moller_p_bio_032.jpg] — [n.d.] — Moller to Pettit: Cannot get
permission until May or June 1930. The consul in Copenhagen told Moller that the quota (number of people per year) has been reduced since his application. he’s now #750.

[moller_p_bio_033.jpg] — Nov 5, 1929 — Moller to Pettit: He’s happy to hear Pettit will still hire him at a later date.

[moller_p_bio_034.jpg] [moller_p_bio_035.jpg] — [n.d.] — Moller to Pettit: Christmas card showing flowers and Denmark stamp; (handwritten) note from Moller.

[moller_p_bio_036.jpg] — Dec 31, 1929 — Pettit to Moller: See you next June. “In the
meantime we have secured one of our old boys to come and manage the outside work….”

[moller_p_bio_037.jpg] — Jan 10, 1930 — Melville to Christensen: Can you help Moller get here in June?

[moller_p_bio_038.jpg] — Jan 14, 1930 — Christensen to Melville: Moller will have to wait his turn. If he were a professor maybe he could get an exemption.

[moller_p_bio_039.jpg] — Jan 20, 1930 — Melville to Christensen: Moller is not a professor, but a farmer.

[moller_p_bio_040.jpg] — Jan 31, 1930 — Pettit to Moller: We need a definite arrival date by end of April if you’re coming in June. Otherwise, we’ll have to hire someone else.

[moller_p_bio_041.jpg] — Feb 21, 1930 — [in Danish] American consulate to Moller.

[moller_p_bio_042.jpg] [moller_p_bio_043.jpg] — March 2, 1930 — Moller to Pettit: Translates
2/21/1930 letter from consulate which states he is #420, and will get visa about 1931. Moller asks, Can you please wait? Handwritten note from Lange echoes Moller’s plea.

[moller_p_bio_044.jpg] — March 14, 1930 — Pettit to Moller: Trying to get a Danish man in US to fill in until Moller arrives. Pettit writes that she’s leaving Pine Mt. and will be replaced by [Hubert] Hadley; visiting California, then returning to PMSS to fill in at the extension center.

[moller_p_bio_045.jpg] [moller_p_bio_046.jpg] — April 13, 1930 — Moller to Pettit: Maybe
we’ll meet in 1932 when you return. Sent his photo.

[moller_p_bio_047.jpg] — June 13, 1930 — Moller to Pettit: Heard from consular service that if he passes the exams he can go to US in Sept.

[moller_p_bio_048.jpg] — June 27, 1930 — Hadley to Moller: Pettit no longer at Pine Mt.; trying to get a temporary farmer until end of January. We need to know whether Sept is definite.

[moller_p_bio_049.jpg] — July 25, 1930 — Moller to Hadley: Passed the exams and have the papers for US arrival middle of Nov.

[moller_p_bio_050.jpg]— Aug 13, 1930 — Hadley to Moller: Letter of welcome; keep us informed; bring warm clothing and flashlight.

[moller_p_bio_051.jpg] — Sept 1930 — Moller to Hadley: Will arrive in KY Nov 15. Will catch steamer out from Southampton on Oct 30, arrive in NY six days later, stay with Danish friend in NY.

[moller_p_bio_052.jpg] — Sept 1, 1930 — Hadley to Moller: We need you before end of Oct; we are understaffed; need to “make money in woodworking dept to help pay for the manual training work we give our boys.”

[moller_p_bio_053.jpg] — Oct 5, 1930 — Moller to Hadley: Cannot arrive earlier: “…the last year I have been working in the distributing department of a firm dealing with agricultural products, and besides that I have my mother’s farm to take care of….”

[moller_p_bio_054.jpg]— May 18, 1931 — Campbell to Evelyn Wells [Acting Director]: Moller should visit with Georg to learn about managing many tasks.

[moller_p_bio_055.jpg] — June 1, 1931 — Contract between PMSS and Peder Moller: “…salary of $110.00 a month and living (Laundry $1.00 a month) with one month’s vacation with pay in every twelve months.” Signed by Wells and Moller.

[moller_p_bio_056.jpg] — June 1, 1931 — Memo from Wells to the Director: “Mr. Moller says that we must have a new bull as soon as possible.” Decided that “Ayrshire cattle are the most practical breed” for the School.

[moller_p_bio_057.jpg] — PHOTO OF PETER MOLLER