American Life Histories
Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project
1936-1940

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Tattoo
(Washington)

FORM B

Personal History of Informant

Washington

Peter D. Salvus

Seattle, Washington

December 19, 1938

"Tattoo"

Louis (Sailor George) Stevens

1.

2.

3. (Not obtainable)

Folklore

FORM A

Circumstances of Interview

Washington

Peter D. Salvus

Seattle, Washington

December 19, 1938

"Tattoo"

1. Louis (Sailor George) Stevens, 172- Washington St.

2. December 19, 1938

3. Stevens shop

4. None

5. None

6. Small tattoo shop in Seattle's skidroad district.

Tattoo

During the World war sailors of the United States Navy would line up, as many as ten at a time, in their bare feet, in my tatoo shop and I was so busy I had to have my wife help me with the tattoo work. The barefooted sailors would have a pig tatooed on one foot and a chicken on the other. They said it would save them in case their ship was torpedoed. I don't know why.

Most of the persons who come to my shop have religious emblems with the word "Mother" engraved an their arms or chests. Sometimes they have the name of their wife or sweetheart. Lots of times men come in and have their sweetheart's name rubbed out and another one put in. They say their new wife or sweetheart doesn't like the idea of them wearing another woman's name.

Since social security numbers have been issued people have them tattooed on their arm so they won't forget them. Soldiers usually have an entwined dagger with the words "Death Before Dishonor on their arms.

Louis (Sailor George) Stevens has been a tatoo artist nearly all his life and has worked on the edge of Seattle's "skidroad" district 22 years. He claims to be the only tattooer who has studied art and holds certifcates from Oakland and Berkeley, Cal., schools. He was born in Kismarja, Hungary, in 1861 and has been in the United States 32 years. He speaks with a broad Hungarian accent. His shop is at 172- Washington St.

Text from: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection