Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice
A Pictorial Catalog of
Commemorative Flagholders & Plaques
 of Organizations & Military
 Scandinavian Fraternity of America
or Scandinavian American Fraternity
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Flagholder Home Page
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Commemorative Plaques & Flagholders
 of Military and Organizations
as Photographed by Joyce M. Tice 

S.F.A.
 
This Flagholder was found  in Brattleboro Vermont where two of them were present in the same cemetery. The top says SVEA. The side acronyms are
NORA and DANA. There is a sun and three mountains, or possibly pyramids. The corners of the triangle say S., F., A., Any ideas???

Hi Joyce,

To me as a Scandinavian the mystery marker includes the three woman names Svea, Dana, and Nora representing the three Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.

Mother Svea is the same symbol for Sweden as Uncle Sam is for US. Pronunciation (svei:ah), same rhythm as if there were a middle consonant.

Dana and Nora are also true Scandinavian names but as far as I know they have no symbolic value. In Denmark there exist however old tales about a mythological king called Dan.

SFA could mean Scandinavian Farmer (or Family) Association.

The three peaks reminds of Norway topography, and Sweden partly. Denmark is flat as a pancake, but that doesn't matter I think.

I got into your interesting site last week  via Matti Ylioja, 1887-1926.

Regards,

Bengt Ossfeldt
Stockholm
Sweden
Hi Again Bengt, I checked the tombstones on which I found the two markers. One was Signe Augustson 1890-1948. The other was John Johnson 1867-1943. John also had an IOOF (Odd Fellows) marker. Naturally these flagholders can get moved to the wrong graves, but it does appear that they are on potentially Scandinavian graves. I very much appreciate your input and will follow up on it.
Joyce M. Tice

My Reference book, The International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders by Alan Axelrod - page 221,  lists both the Scandinavian American Fraternity and the Scandinavian Fraternity of America. I can not determine which this is, but the information on both follows.

Scandinavian American Fraternity - organized in 1893 as a fraternal beneficiary insurance society for Christians of both sexes of Scandinavian descent. It is unclear whether it died, merged with another society, or converted itself into a conventional insurance society. It is UNRELATED to the Scandinavian Fraternity of America.

Scandinavian Fraternity of America - founded in 1894 as the Scandinavian Brotherhood of America, but changed its name to the present form in 1915. With only 2,500 members in 1995, it is a small ethnic fraternal insurance organization, but its Monitor was still listed as a monthly publication in 1990.

Introduction on Flagholder Section Warning on Sale of Cemetery Memorabilia Obtaining Present Day Flagholders

Published On Tri-Counties Site On 06/05/2003
By Joyce M. Tice
Email: JoyceTice@aol.com

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