WAUBottenIverPhotosofSilvanaPHColl1332.xml Guide to the Iver Botten Photographs of Silvana, Washington 1898; circa 1900-1930 Botten (Iver) Photographs of Silvana, Washington Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries © 2015 (Last modified: 4/12/2018)

Seattle, WA 98195

University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections PH1332 Botten, Iver, 1872-1962 Iver Botten photographs of Silvana, Washington 1898; circa 1900-1930 27 photographic prints (1 folder) ; 5"x7" Collection materials are inEnglish. Photographs of Silvana, Washington and nearby farms

Iver Botten was born in Norway on September 13, 1872. He was the fourth of eight children born to Einer and Marie Botten. Iver immigrated to the United States in 1892 with his twin brother Peder. Iver and Peder first settled in Stanwood, Washington, where they worked cutting lumber shingle bolts during the winter months. With the income he earned from his lumber job, Iver spent his summers attending classes at a Seattle business college. Upon graduating from the business college in 1897, Iver moved to Florence, Washington and opened a general store with Peder. A year and a half later, the twins bought out the Haugen & Company general store in Silvana, Washington and relocated there.

In 1899, Iver served as treasurer and Peder as president of the Salem Lutheran Church ('Little White Church on the Hill') in Silvana, Washington. Clara Prestlien, and her younger sister, Marie were also on the church's program committee roster dated May 5, 1899. Iver and Clara were married on June 14, 1899 at the Salem Lutheran Church. Shorty after, Peder and Marie were married March 18, 1900 in the same church. Iver and Clara had four children: Sylvia, Einar, Carl, and Esther.

Clara Botten died September 29, 1945 and is buried at Valley View Cemetery in Stanwood, Washington. Iver Botten died on November 8, 1962 (aged 90) in Stanwood, Washington. Peder Botten died January 27, 1940 and is buried in Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham, Washington.

Photographs of locations in and around Silvana, Washington, including the Great Northern Railway depot, Iver Botten's general store, and local churches. This collection also contains portraits of people in and around Silvana, including farmers, lumberjacks, families, and members of a local band and choir.

View the digital version of the collection

Entire collection can be viewed on the Libraries’ Digital Collections website. Permission of Visual Materials Curator required to view originals. Contact Special Collections for more information.

Request at UW

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Processed by Faithe McCreery and Margaret Greutert, 2015.

Photographs transferred from Washington Localities Subject File, 2015.

Botten family--Photographs Great Northern Railway Company (U.S.)--Photographs Silvana (Wash.)--Photographs Lutheran church buildings--Washington (State)--Silvana--Photographs General stores--Washington (State)--Silvana--Photographs Photographic prints Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington) Photographs Washington (State)

1 1 Salem Lutheran Free Church, schoolhouse, and blacksmith shop next to train track in Silvana, Washington circa 1911 - 1914

Written on verso: Salem Lutheran Free Church with steeple added -next right- 1st school house in Silvana -extreme right- Mr. Clausen's blacksmith shop.

The only blacksmith shop in Silvana, Washington at this time was owned by Soren Christian Clausen. Clausen was born in 1877 and died in 1914. He is buried in Valley View Cemetery in Standwood, Washington.

1 2 Peace Lutheran Church ("The Little White Church on the Hill") on hillside, next to bridge over Stillaguamish River circa 1900

"The Little White Church on the Hill" was built in 1890. Pioneer families chose to build this church on a hill due to the unpredictable flooding caused by the Stillaguamish River.

1 3 Logs piled on shore of river, with buildings (probably sawmill) in background circa 1900 1 4 Train on tracks at Great Northern Railway depot circa 1900 - 1907 1 5 Great Northern Railway tracks next to town buildings circa 1900 - 1907 1 6 Great Northern Railway tracks next to town buildings circa 1900 - 1907 1 7 Crowd of people standing outside the Great Northern Railway depot circa 1900 - 1910 1 8 View of the main street in Silvana from railroad depot circa 1900 - 1907

Businesses shown in photograph from left to right: the Hotel Northern, Botten Bros. General Store, and the Eagle Saloon

1 9 Men standing outside Botten's general store circa 1908 1 10 Flooded street in front of Botten's general store circa 1908 - 1914 1 11 Logging truck outside Botten's general store circa 1915 1 12 Pacific Northwest Traction Co. interurban bus outside Botten's general store circa 1921 - 1925 1 13 Pacific Northwest Traction Co. interurban bus outside Botten's general store circa 1921 - 1925 1 14 People standing in interior of Botten's general store circa 1910 - 1925 1 15 People standing outside the Botten residence circa 1907

The Botten's lived in the house behind their storefront

1 16 Iver Botten and Clara (Prestlien) Botten at Sarah Wold residence circa 1925-1930 1 17 Women on porch of Sarah Wold's house circa 1925-1930

Written on verso: 4 Generations - Bottom -L to R- Sarah Wold, Carrie Torgerson; Top -L to R- Sylvia Botten Moe & Clara Botten

Sylvia Botten Moe (Clara Botten's oldest daughter, born 1900) married Jalmer Moe June 21, 1925 and took his last name as noted in verso. Carrie Torgerson was Clara Botten/Prestlien's aunt. Sarah Wold was an officer at the Salem Lutheran Church. Sarah died November 19, 1930.

1 18 Group of people standing outside at an event 1898 - 1920 1 19 Jens Albert Moe and Inga Johnson wedding party outside the New Salem Lutheran Free Church July 7, 1898

Written on verso: First wedding in New Salem Lutheran Free Church 1898 (Mr. & Mrs. Jens Moe).

1 20 Members of Silvana Men's Choir circa 1915 1 21 Silvana Concert Band members outside Knutson home north of Silvana circa 1915 1 22 Homestead and farm buildings circa 1915 1 23 Men harvesting wheat with horse-drawn harvester at Botten farm circa 1915 1 24-25 Guy Jones discing soil with horse-drawn disc harrow at Prestlien farm circa 1915 1 26-27 Gilbert Breklhus, Otto Stubb, Mike Prestlien with a team of horses hauling large log circa 1915