Historic Hood River
Dr. William Donald Nickelsen
10-12-2022
Notes
This portrait appeared in The Hood River Glacier with the caption, “Dr. William Donald Nickelsen, Son of Senator John R. Nickelsen of Hood River.” There is an interesting article in the Morning Oregonian from December, 1922 telling of his service in the American relief forces in Russia, where he opines on the moderating of the Bolshevik forces in the country.
L.E.
I found that article very interesting. Some of my ancestors were German farmers in the Volga region and suffered terribly under the Bolsheviks.
Life wasn’t super easy for those who managed to immigrate to the U.S. but at least they weren’t being raped, pillaged and starved.
I raised my eyebrows at Dr. Nickelsen’s statement, "the present government in Russia is likely to endure unless something not now foreseen should happen." That something would be called Stalin.
Dr. Nickelsen lived until 1963 so I wonder what he thought about Russia and WWII era.
L.E.
HHR photo # 710 shows Dr. Nickelsen’s mother Minnie Blowers.
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=710