Holman, the leader of the Scandinavian group, lived in Alaska 12 years and in Norway for the past three; groups plans to establish homes, building a lumbering business; mining & agriculture will be secondary with possibility of raising reindeer; group financed by prominent Norwegian citizens of Madison WI, Seattle P-I 1/7/98; apparently reprint from Madison WI Democrat; List of Scandinavians mostly Norwegians headed for Copper River area to form colony led by Holman, estimated expenses for one year $187, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 3/3/98; Leader of Scandinavian colony that founded Copper Center; passenger on steamer Protection, departing Seattle 3/13/98 for Copper River points, Seattle P-I, 3/14/98; Arrived in Alaska, March 1898, C1900; Holman in charge of 64 Swedes and Norwegians returned from the Copper River reporting everything favorable above Orca 165 miles, Lashway Diary, p. 8; One of first to arrive at Copper Center, established townsite, built hotel & store by July 1898; didn’t sell liquor; Bourke Journal, ms. p. 65; late in spring gets mail contract, works with Jackson, Golden Cross? Ch. 4; Hazelet gives samples to mail out for him, Hazelet Diary, 9/26/98; Guiteau, Abercrombie, photographer from Leslie’s magazine have dinner at Holman’s with fresh vegetables Holman raised, 8/22/98; Trading post at Copper Center. 1899. Powell, Trailing. p. 170; Powell meets Holman and assistants who have the first mail from Valdez to the Yukon, Oct. 1899, Powell, Trailing. p. 171; Goes with “first” group through Keystone Canyon with Rohn, Rice et. al. on June 19, 1899, mail contractor, Abercrombie 1900, p. 113ff; Rohn tells him of new route from Copper Center to Tonsina River in exchange for carrying part of his outfit to Valdez, Abercrombie 1900, p. 129ff;
His men arrived in Valdez, Jan. 11, 1900 reporting nothing for carriers to eat along trail. From Diary M. Dempsey, 1900. Crary Scrapbook, Vol. 1. #199; Assigns his interest in his grubstake for Geo. Davison and his interest in Davison’s horse to John F. Rice, Aug. 29th, 1900, Chisna (Chistochina) R.D. Bk. 2, p. 194 (note uses his full-name “Andrew”;
Did not file papers on Copper Center townsite, Abercrombie claims as military reservation, The Valdez News, 1:7. 4/20/01, p. 1; arrives in Valdez, The Valdez News. 1:29. 9/21/01, p. 4; On committee to keep Abercrombie at Ft. Liscum; not transferred to Eagle, The Valdez News, 1:34. 10/26/01, p. 4;