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THE
FIRST CHAPTER
OF
NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION,
(1821-1840)
ITS CAUSES AND RESULTS.
WITH
AN INTRODUCTION
ON
THE SERVICES RENDERED BY THE SCANDINAVIANS TO
THE WORLD AND TO AMERICA.
BY
Rasmus Bo° Anderson, ll. d.,
EX-UNITED STATES MINISTER TO DENMARK; AUTHOR OF "NORSE
MYTHOLOGY," "AMERICA NOT DISCOVERED BY
COLUMBUS," AND OTHER WORKS.
SECOND EDITION.
Madtron, Wisconsin:
published by the author.
1896.
523910
20 • h- Sf
Copyright, 1895, BY
RASMUS B. ANDERSON.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MY FATHER AND MOTHER
WERE AMONG THE IMMIGRANTS WHO
AME1
AND
TO THEIR MEMORY
I DEDICATE THIS VOLUME.
Rasmus E. Anukrscw.
PREFACE,
The greater part of the contents of this vol-
ume has never before appeared in any book and
much of it appears now for the first time in
print.
To gather the materials for this work I have
traveled hundreds of miles to interview old set-
tlers; I have written hundreds of letters in or-
der to secure facts, and I have also examined all
the printed documents within my reach.
More than fifty years have come and gone
since the time with which this book ends, and of
those who assisted in founding the first half
dozen Norwegian settlements there are but few
living now. They kept no journals or records
of the events, and the memories of old men are
sometimes treacherous; The author himself,
though a son of one of the early immigrants,
was not born until after the first chapter of Nor-
wegian immigration had been completed, and
hence the difficulty of presenting absolutely re-
liable information is manifest.
The critical reader may find some inaccura-
VI PREFACE.
- and some conflicting statements, and I shall
be greatly obliged to him if he will make the
necessary corrections either publicly or in pri-
vate communications to me, in order that I may
make the necessary corrections in future edi-
tions of this book. The reader will also find a
number of repetitions. The author would have
been pi rased to eliminate many of these, but
as the book is written mainly for plain people
it was thought better to repeat some of the
things that had already been told than to be
continually referring the reader to some other
part of the volume. The aim has been to give
full an account as possible of each of the
sis separate settlements, and as will be seen
the same persons sometimes appear among the
pioneers of more than one settlement. It
nod better to restate some of the facts in
ard to such persons than to refer the reader
back to other pages of the book.
Doubtless there are many names omitted,
that ought to have been mentioned, and some of
those introduced may have been given more
prominence than they are entitled to; but the
-»n for this is tho authors inability to see
with sufficient clearness through the veil of
time that covers the first epoch of emigration
orway,
PREFACE. Vil
The sketches of pioneers are not well bal-
anced. Some are long, while others are very
short. This could not be avoided. In some in-
stances I have been able to secure tolerably full
accounts of persons, while in other cases my
materials have been most meager, and some-
times the facts are exceedingly limited, where
much information would seem to be desirable.
All such blemishes I must beg the reader to ex-
cuse. In spite of every effort it has in some
cases been almost impossible to get more than
the bare names of persons. In many instances
I have been unable to get into communication
with descendants, and then again the descend-
ants have not been in possession of the neces-
sary records. In this connection I would like
to impress upon my readers the importance
of keeping good family records for the benefit
of their descendants and of future historians.
While I make the first chapter of Norwegian
immigration end with the year 1840, when we
find the Norwegians located in six settlements
that became permanent, I have thought best
to add to this a short sketch of Norwegian set-
tlements in Texas, and also a brief account of
the first religious work done among the Nor-
wegian immigrants. I describe the Texas set-
tlements down to 1850, and trace the religion'
PREFACE.
work in the settlements down to the dedication
of the first three Norwegian Lutheran churches
in 1M1 and 1845.
There are so many to whom I am under obli-
gations for assistance in preparing this volume,
i I shrink from undertaking an enumeration
of them for fear that I might forget some of
1 1 lose that ought to be mentioned. My obliga-
tions to what has been published by Ole Kyn-
Ding, Johan Eeinert Keierson, J. W. C. Dietrich-
son, Svein Nilson, Knud Langland and others,
have been expressed in the body of the work
and will be clear to every intelligent reader; but
there are a host of others with whom I have
been in constant correspondence and while I
not mention them by name in this preface,
\ know, I tli ink, how grateful I feel toward
in for their services. But for their kind as-
tance the publication of this work would
have been an impossibility.
one ran be more conscious than I am of
the shortcomings of this volume, and for these
appeal to the generosity of the reader.
All I can say for myself is that I have done as
faithful work as the cirennistanees would per-
mit. Twenty years ago I conld have rescued
much thai Is now Irretrievably lost to history.
"•v of the Norwegians in America
PREFACE. IX
from 1840 down to the present the materials
are more abundant, and I am happy to add that
besides being still remembered by those living,
they are better preserved in written and printed
documents.
By postponing the publication of this volume
a few years, I have no doubt I could improve it
in some respects; but delays are dangerous, and
so I now give it to the public with the hope that
it will not be found utterly without value.
BASMUS B. ANDERSON.
'Asgard, Madison^ Wis., March 2^ 189&
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION.
Page.
Services Rendered by the Scandinavians to
the World and to America 1
I.
Statistics 37
II
Causes of Emigration 45
III.
The Sloop Restatjrationen 54
IV.
The First Norwegian Settlement in America.. ■ IT
V.
The Sloop Party 01
VI.
From 1825 to 1836 132
VII.
The Exodus of 1836 146
VIII.
The Second Norwegian Settlement in America. 170
xii TABLE OF CONTENTS.
IX.
Page.
Ki.eng Peerson 17y
X.
Third Norwegian Settlement 194
XL
Thk Kxoiurs of 1837 195
XII.
Tiik Heaver Creek Settlement 198
XIII.
OLE IlYNNING 202
XIV.
Other Pioneers of 1837 219
XV.
Foubtb Norwegian Settlement 237
XVI.
Tiik Fifth Norwegian Settlement 266
XVII.
Tiik Aim and Family 284
XVIII.
On I TILERS IN MUSKEGO 290
XIX.
. C. L. Clausen /296
TABLE OF CONTENTS. Xlll
XX.
John Evenson Moles 300
XXI.
The Sixth Norwegian Settlement 326
XXII.
Miscellaneous Matters 356
XXIII.
Capt. Hans Friis 360
XXIV.
Eetrospect 304
XXV.
TEXAS.
Johan Reinert Reierson 370
XXVI.
Elise W^erenskjold 379
XXVII.
Ole Canuteson 386
XXVIII.
Resume 395
XXIX.
RELIGIOUS WORK AMONG THE NORWEGIANS
IN AMERICA DOWN TO THE YEAR 1845.
Introductory 396
XIV T-ABLE OF CONTENTS.
XXX.
The Mormons 399
XXXI.
Ole Olson Hetletvedt and Others 408
XXXII.
Elling Eielson 410
XXXIII.
John G. Smith, Ole Consulen, G-. Unonius 414
XXXIV.
C. L. Clausen 416
XXXV.
The First Controversy Among the Norwegian
Lutherans in America 420
XXXVI.
J. W. C. Dietrichson 423
XXXVII.
List of Leaders 429
XXXVIII.
Pioneer Life 432
APPENDIX.
Brief Sketch of the Author 444
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page-
Adland, Mons K 280
Amundson, Abel Cathrine 157
Anderson, Amund, and his wife, Ingeborg Anderson. . . 1G7
Anderson, Arnold Andrew 163
Anderson, Einar ( Aasen) 150
Anderson, R. B Opposite title page.
Anderson, Mrs Serena, daughter of Thomas Madland . 100
Atwater, Margaret A 01
Cannteson, O £96
Canuteson, Ole, residence of, in Waco, Texas 390
Clausen, Rev. C. L 41G
Davidson, Lars (Rekve) 223
Dietrichson, Rev. J. W. C 423
Eielson, Elling 410
Evenson, John (Molee), and his wife, Anne 300
Fellows, Mrs. Martha 1J7
Friis, Capt Hans 360
Gravdahl, Gulleik 258
Gravdahl, Mrs 259
Harwick, Henry 68
Harwick, Martha 104
Johnson, Gjermund, and wife 292
Johnson, Nelson 290
Johnson, Mrs. Nelson 291
Johnson, Ole 87
Langland, Knud 226
Larson, Ingebret (Narvig) 141
Larson, Lars (Brimsoe) 151
Larson, Lars (i Jeilane, from a daguerreotype taken
after his death 45
xvi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page.
Larson, Lars. The oldest house now standing built by
a Norwegian in America. It was built by Lars Lar-
son in Rochester, N. Y., in 1827, and still stands on
the original site **
Larson, Martha Georgiana G6
Mitchell, Mrs. Iuger 109
My h ra, Bergit 257
Myhra, Jens Gulbrandson 256
Xattestad, Ansten 2.9
Xattestad, Ole 247
Nelson, John (Luraas) 268-
Nelson, Malinda 228
Nelson, Nels (Jr.), the last survivor of the sloopers, and
his wife, Kathrina 94
Nelson, Peter (Ovrebo) 230
Nilson, Nils (Hersdal), and his wife, Bertha 93
Oak trees on Juve's farm where Rev. J. W. C. Dietrich-
son preached, September 2, 1844 426-
Olson, Gunnul (Vindeg 1 , the house built by him in
Christiana, Dane county, Wis., in 1840 338
Olson, Hulda, daughter of Daniel Rossadal, widow of
Rasmus'Olson 99
Olson, Lieut. Col. Porter C. (36th Illinois) 121
Patterson, Mrs. Martha J 69
Peterson, Bishop Canute 403"
Peterson, Mrs. Bishop Sara A 401
Reierson, Johan Reinert 370
Richey, Sara T 98
Rosdal, Ove 107
Saue, Kolbein Olson 328
rson, Nels (Gilderhus) 327
The first Norwegian church dedicated in Dane county,
Wis.... 424
The Norwegian Lutheran church dedicated in the Mus-
kego settlement in 1844 427
Thompson, Ole (Eie) 176
Thompson, Thomas A 227
Voider, Haiis 219
Wserenskjoid, Mrs. Elise 379
INTRODUCTION,
Services Rendered by the Scandinavians to the
World and to America.
Scandinavians is a term used to designate the
inhabitants of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and
Iceland. In the early centuries, that is, during
the so-called Viking age, they are usually
treated as one people under the common name
of Northmen or Norsemen, but as we proceed
into the full daylight of history, it gradually be-
comes customary to discuss the Scandinavians
separately, as Norwegians, Swedes, Danes and
Icelanders. Thus, while Ave designate the old
asa-faith of the Scandinavians as Norse myth-
ology, we are expected to know to which of the
four countries a modern celebrity or institution
belongs. It is necessary to say the Swedish
singer, Jenny Lind; the Norwegian violinist,
Ole Bull; the Danish story-teller, ITans Chris-
tian Andersen, and the Icelandic lexicographer,
Gudbrand Vigfusson.
Z NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
The total number of Scandinavians, including
those who have emigrated during this century,
is probably less than 11,000,000; 4,775,000 in
Sweden, 2,300,000 (including 70,000 Icelanders)
in Denmark, 1,800,000 in Norway, and, say,
2,000,000 in America, the British colonies and
other countries.
But though they be few in number, they in-
herit considerable renown. Though confined
to the more or less inhospitable northwest cor-
ner of Europe, they have rendered the world
some services, the memory of which will not
willingly be allowed to perish. In Iceland they
have preserved and still speak one of the oldest
of the Teutonic languages, a monument of the
Viking age, which still furnishes the means of
illustrating many of the social and political
features of those remote times, and is held in
deserved veneration by all the great philolo-
gists of our day. In the Icelandic tongue we
have a group of sagas, a literature which in
many respects is unique, and wilich sheds a
flood of light upon the customs and manners
of the dark centuries of the middle age. The
Icelandic pagas tell us not only of what hap-
pened in Scandinavia, but they also describe
conditions and events in England, France, Rus-
sia ami elsewhere. We are indebted to the
SERVICES RENDERED.
3
Scandinavians for the eddas, for Saxo Gram-
maticus, and for various other sources of infor-
mation in regard to the grand and beautiful
mythology of our ancestors. Our knowledge of
the old Teutonic religion would have been
very scanty indeed, had not the faithful old
Norsemen given us a record of it on parchment.
The grand mythological system conceived and
developed by the poetic and imaginative child-
hood of the Scandinavians commands the atten-
tion of the scholars of all lands, and as we enter
the solemn halls and palaces of the old Norse
gods and goddesses, where all. is cordiality and
purity, we find there perfectly reflected the wild
and tumultuous conflict of the robust northern
climate and scenery, strong, rustic pictures, full
of earnest and deep thought, awe-inspiring and
wonderful. We find in the eddas of Iceland
that simple and martial religion which inspired
the early Scandinavians and developed them
like a tree full of vigor, extending long branches
over all Europe. We find that simple and mar-
tial religion, which gave the Scandinavians that
restless, inconquerable spirit, apt to take fire
at the very mention of subjection or restraint,
that religion by which instruments were forged
to break the fetters manufactured by the Ro-
man Caesars, to destroy tyrants and slaves, and
4 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
to teach the world that nature, having made all
men and women free and equal, no other reason
but their mutual happiness could be assigned
for their government. We will find that sim-
ple and martial religion, which was cherished
by those vast multitudes, which, as Milton says r
the populous North
* * * poured from her frozen loins to pass
Rhene or the Danaw, when her barbarous sons
Came like a deluge on the South and spread
Beneath Gibraltar and the Libyan sands.
During the Viking age we find the Scandina-
vians everywhere. They came in large swarms
to France, England and Spain. During the
crusades they led the van of the chivalry of
Europe in rescuing the holy sepulcher; they
passed through the Pillars of Hercules, devas-
tated the classic fields of Greece and penetrated
the walls of Constantinople. Straying far into
the East, we find them laying the foundations
of the Kussian empire, and swinging their two-
edged battle axes in the streets of Constanti-
nople, wliere they served as captains of the
Greek emperor's body guard, and the chief sup-
port of his tottering throne. They ventured out
upon the surging main and discovered Iceland,.
Greenland and the American continent, thus
becoming the discoverers, not only of America,.
SERVICES RENDERED. 5
but also of pelagic navigation. The Vikings
were the first navigators to venture out of sight
of land. And everywhere they scattered the
seeds of liberty, independence and culture.
They brought to France that germ of liberty
that was planted in the soil of Normandy,
where the Normans adopted the French tongue
and were the first to produce and spread abroad
a vernacular literature; that germ of liberty
which, when brought to England, budded in the
Magna Charta and Bill of Rights and which, in
course of time, was carried in the Mayflower to
America, where it developed full-blown flowers
in our Declaration of Independence.
The Scandinavians in Denmark, Sweden, Nor-
way and Iceland gave a hearty reception to the
gospel and preserved its teachings for many
centuries free from Romish corruption. In the
Swedish ruler, Gustavus Adolphus, protestant-
ism found one of its most efficient and valiant
defenders. The Scandinavians are still faith-
ful to the banner of protestantism. They are
distinguished for the earnestness of their re-
ligious worship, for their ardent advocacy of
the cause of cjyil and religious liberty, and for
the well-nigh total absence of great crimes.
Wherever they settle in the world, we find them
associated with the most loyal and law-abiding
6 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
citizens, giving their best energies to culture,
law and order. Proofs of this statement are
abundant both in Russia, Normandy and Eng-
land, and in their more recent settlements in
the various Western states of America.
As stated, they have enriched the world with
a whole class of literature, which is held in de-
served respect. Is not Beowulf, the most im-
portant surviving monument of Anglo-Saxon
poetry, a Swedish and Danish poem? And was
it not first published from the British Museum
manuscript by the great Danish scholar, G. J.
Thorkelin? And is not the world indebted to
Denmark and her traditions for Hamlet, the
hero of the greatest drama written by the im-
mortal Shakspere? In Saxo, Hamlet was found
as the son of the viceroy, Horvendel, in Jutland,
and of Gerude, who was the daughter of Rerek,
king at Leire, in Seland, Denmark.
The Scandinavians present to all oppressed
nationalities the gratifying example of a people,
who, being true to their countries and to the
Had it ions handed down from the mists of ages
in the far past, have vindicated for themselves
against many opposing and oppressing powers,
and in the midst of many obstacles and vicissi-
tudes, their distinctive rights and liberties.
A mere glailce at the history of Scandinavia is
SERVICES RENDERED.
sufficient to reveal to the student many events
and the names of many individuals of far-reach-
ing importance.
I have already enumerated a few of the many
services rendered to the world by the Scandi-
navians of antiquity, and in this connection I
may be permitted to mention some of the Scan-
dinavians who in more recent times have
achieved world-wide fame. I do this with a
view of demonstrating the fact that the Scandi-
navians, though comparatively few in number,
easily rank with the most prominent nations in
the domains of science, art and literature.
There is the great Danish astronomer, Tycho
Brahe, one of the most marked individuals of
the sixteenth century. From his Uranienborg
obseravtory his fame spread throughout Eu-
rope, and the little island near Elsinore became
the trysting-place of savants from all lands.
Even kings and princes did not think it beneath
their dignity to make pilgrimages to the isle of
Hveen. Brahe made his name immortal
through his services to astronomy. For thirty
years he made regular and careful observations
in regard to the movements of the planets, and
it was only on the foundation of his vast pre-
liminary labors, which in accuracy surpassed
8 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
all that practical astronomy had previously
at -hieved, that Keppler was able to produce his
celebrated theories and laws. With perfect jus-
tice, it has been said, that Tycho Brahe made
the observations, that Keppler discovered the
law, and that Newton conceived the nature of
the law.
Geology is at the present time a most highly
developed science, but its devotees should not
forget that the world's first geologist was the
Dane, Niels Stensen, who was born in 1638.
He was not only the most celebrated anatomist
of his time, but he also laid the foundation of
the science* of geognosy and geology by study-
ing the mountain formations and examining the
fossils of Italy, and the result of his investi-
gations were embodied in his "De Solido intra
solidum naturaliter contento dissertationis pro-
dromus," a work which may rightly be regarded
as the corner stone of geological science.
Archaeology serves as a magnificent tele-
scope by which we are able to contemplate
social conditions far beyond the ken of ordinary
historical knowledge, and this valuable science
was born and cradled in Denmark and Sweden,
wli.ro the renowned Dane, Christian Thomsen,
and the Swede, Sven Nilsson laid the founda-
SERVICES RENDERED. 9
tion of the systematic study of all the weapons,
implements and ornaments gathered from pre-
historic times.
Then we have the science called comparative
philology. Where did it begin? Who unrav-
elled its first complicated threads? The answer
comes from every philologist in the world. It
shed its first rays in Denmark, and there Ras-
mus Bask discovered those laws and principles
upon which the comparative study of languages
is built. Bask found the laws and they were
used as the corner stone of that beautiful and
symmetrical pyramid which has since been con-
structed by the brothers Grimm, by Max Mviller,
by our own W. D. Whitney and by many other
famous linguists, to take the place of that tower
of Babel, which the old linguistic students had
built with their clumsy hands and poor mate-
rials. In this connection I may also mention
the Dane, J. N. Madvig, the greatest Latin
scholar of this century, a scholar who created a
new epoch in the study of the old Greek and
Latin texts. The scholars of all lands accept
his views as final.
He who would write the history of electricity,
must study the life of the great Dane, EL C. Oer-
sted. His discovery in 1820, of electro-magnet-
ism — the identity of electricity and magnetism
10 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
— which he not only discovered, but demon-
strated incontestable 7 , placed him at once in the
highest rank of physical philosophers and he
thus led the way to all the wonders of this
subtle force. He supplied the knowledge by
which Morse w T as enabled to build the first tel-
egraph line, and he is in fact the father of Morse,.
Edison, Tesla and of that brilliant galaxy of
men who have astonished the world by all their
wonderful inventions in the domain of electri-
city.
The celebrated Danish atronomer, Ole Homer,,
born September 25, 1644, was the first man to
calculate the velocity of light (in 1675), and this
fact marks a new era in scientific research. The
numerous instruments w T hich he devised gave
him the name of "The Danish Archimedes."
Suppose we cross the sound and enter the
territory of Sweden. There we at once dis-
cover the polar star in the science of botany, in
the name of Carl von Linnet In his 24th year
he established the celebrated sexual system in
plants, whereby the chaos of the botanical
world was reduced to order and a fruitful study
of botany was made possible. His extensive in-
vest igaii.ms rightly secured him the title of the
king of botanists. As Linns' became the father
Of botany, so another Swede, Carl W. Scheele,
SERVICES RENDERED. 11
might be called the founder of the present sys-
tem of chemistry. He is one of the greatest or-
naments of science, and the world is indebted
to him for the discovery of many new elemen-
tary principles and valuable chemical combi-
nations now in general use.
Hardly less conspicuous is J. J. Berzelius,
the contemporary of Scheele. Like the latter
Berzelius published a number of works, the
most of which contained capital discoveries,
either the explanation of a phenomenon or re-
action previously misunderstood, or the de-
scription of some new element or compound.
The discoveries made by Scheele and Berzelius
in the domain of chemistry are most important,
but too numerous to mention in this paper.
Berzelius also devoted himself to mineralogy
and published his "Treatise on the Blow Pipe,"
and he set up for himself a regularly graduated
system of minerals, the value of which was felt
to be so great that the Royal Society, of London,
voted him its gold medal for it. Scheele unfor-
tunately died at only 54 years of age, but his
works, many of which are regarded as the most
important in the whole field of chemical litera
ture, appeared after his death in French, Ger
man and Latin editions. In Linne", Scheele,
Berzelius, and in the naturalist and archaeolo-
12 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
gist, Sven Xilssoii, mentioned above, Sweden
touched the zenith of scientific fame.
Before leaving Sweden, we may be permitted
to mention X. A. E. Nordenskjold, who is fa-
mous for his various Arctic expeditions, and
who, with his Vega accomplished the work so
often attempted by many brave explorers, the
discovery and navigation of a northeast pas-
o by sea from the North Cape, the extreme
northwestern point of Europe, to the extreme
northeastern point of Asia, that is, a passage
by sea from the north Atlantic ocean eastward
to the north Pacific ocean. Nordenskjold has
the honor of being the first man to double Cape
Cheljuskin, the northern point of the continent,
and by his voyage he made many new and val-
uable additions to our geographical knowledge
of the Arctic regions. His signal triumph well
deserves the most distinguished marks of honor
showered upon him during his homeward jour-
ney.
Catering the domain of Norway, we at once
moot the brilliant name of the immortal math-
ematician, Henrik Abel. I have observed that
the meat mathematicians of our time can
i( elv open their mouths wide enough when
ihov want to say A— bel. He unfortunately
dfed too youni;, but his great fame keeps on in-
SERVICES RENDERED. 13
creasing. lie is justly designated as one of the
greatest geniuses ever born in the domain of
exact science, and the solution of problems
made by the youthful Norwegian everywhere
provokes the greatest wonder and admiration.
In some of his problems there is incorporated
work for a lifetime Though but 27 years old
at his death, he k»d gained wide distinction
by his discoveries in the theory of elliptic func-
tions, and was highly eulogized by Legendre.
Norway has also produced the distinguished
Arctic explorer, Frithiof Nansen, who in 1888,
with three other brave Norwegians and two
Lapps, crossed Greenland from the east to the
west on about the 65th degree north latitude.
This crossing was done on skees, a kind of long
snow shoes, and with small sleds, on which
they carried their provisions. An account of
this first and only crossing of Greenland was
published by the explorer, and it is universally
conceded that he not only performed a feat of
the greatest courage and bravery, but that he
also made important contributions to our fund
of geographical and scientific knowledge. Nan-
sen has also presented a new plan for reaching
the great goal of all Arctic explorers, the north
pole, by following the* current supposed to flow
from the New Siberian islands across or near
14 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
the north pole to the sea between Spitsbergen
and east Greenland. He has now been absent
two years on this voyage of discovery and time
alone will demonstrate whether he is destined
to become the discoverer of one of the two
points on the earth's surface in which it is cut
by the axis of rotation.
Ask the Icelanders whether they have pro-
duced any name of world-wide reputation, and
that whole little island will unite in shouting
Albert Thorwaldsen, and the mountains of Ice-
land will re-echo "Thorwaldsen." He was a de-
scendant of Snorre Thorfinson, who was born in
America (Vinland), in the year 1008, and though
born of humble parents, he succeeded in devel-
oping his talents and became the greatest sculp-
tor of modern times.
I have enumerated only a few of the many
services rendered to the world by the Scandina-
vians. I could easily have added a discussion
of such brilliant names as Hans Christian An-
dersen, Grundtvig, Swedenborg, Tegner, Bell-
man, Rydberg, Holberg, Wergeland, Bjornson,
Ibsen, Snorre Sturlason, Gudbrand Vigfusson,
Gade, nartmann, Grieg, Svendsen, Sinding, Ole
Bull, Jenny Lind and many others; but enough
lias been said on this point to demonstrate the
fad that the Scandinavians are the peers of
SERVICES RENDERED.
15
any other race in every field of intellectual ef-
fort. Considering their numerical strength, they
have contributed their full share toward the
enlightenment and progress of the world.
The brilliant services here cited, and which
are universally admitted, have been rendered
to the world generally, but I shall now demon-
strate by indisputable facts that the Scandina-
vians have an honorable place in the annals
of America. America is indebted to them for
special services. The civilized history of Amer-
ica begins with the Norsemen. Look at your
map and you will find that Greenland and a
part of Iceland belongs to the western hemis-
phere. Iceland became the hinge upon which
the door swings which opened America to Eu-
rope. It was the occupation of Iceland by the
Norsemen in the year 874, and the frequent
voyages between this island and Norway that
led ■ to the discovery and settlement, first of
Greenland and then of America, and it is due
to the culture and fine historical taste of the
old Icelanders that carefully prepared records
of the Norse voyages were kept, first to teach
pelagic navigation to Columbus and afterwards
to solve for us the mysteries concerning the first
discovery of this continent. In this connection I
want to repeat that the old republican Vikings
J 6 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
fully understood the importance of studying
the art of ship-building and navigation. They
knew how to measure time by the stars and
how to calculate the course of the sun and
moon. They were themselves pioneers in ven-
turing out upon the high seas, and taught the
rest of the world to navigate the ocean. Every
scrap of w r ritten history sustains me when I
say with all the emphasis I can put into so
many words, that the other peoples of Europe
were limited in their nautical knowledge to
coast navigation. The Norse Vikings, who
crossed the stormy North sea and found their
way to Great Britain, to the Orkneys, the Fa-
rcy s and to Iceland, and all those heroes who
found their way to Greenland and Vinland
taught the world pelagic navigation. They
demonstrated the possibility of venturing out
of sight of land and in this sense, if in no other,
we may with perfect propriety assert that the
Norsemen taught Columbus how to cross the
Atlantic ocean. Into every history of the world
I would put this sentence: The navigation of
the ocean was discovered by the old Norsemen.
A most admirable introduction of the hon-
orable place held by the Scandinavians in the
annaUi of America is the brilliant fact in the-
wmM's history and fee lustrous page in the an-
SERVICES RENDERED. 17
nals of the Scandinavians, that the Norsemen
anticipated by five centuries, Christopher
Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci, and that the
New World was discovered by Leif Erikson in
the year 1000; for the finding of America is the
most prominent fact in the history of maritime
discovery, and has been fraught with the most
important consequences to the world at large
from that time to the present. About the year
860, the Norsemen discovered Iceland, and
soon afterwards (in 874), they established upon
this island a republic which flourished for 400
years. Greenland was seen for the first time
in 876, by Gunnbjorn Ulfson, from Norway.
About a century later, in the year 984, Erik the
Red resolved to go in search of the land in the
west, which Gunnbjorn, as well as others later,
had seen. He sailed from Iceland and found
the land as he had expected, and remained there
exploring the country for two years. At the
end of this period he returned to Iceland, giv-
ing the newly-discovered country the name of
Greenland, in order, as he said, to attract set-
tlers, who would be favorably impressed with
so pleasing a name. Thus, as Greenland be-
longs, geographically, wholly to America, it
will be seen that Erik the Red was the first
white man to boom American real estate. And
18 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
he did it successfully. Many Norsemen emi-
grated, and a flourishing colony, with Gardar
for its capital, and Erik the Red as its first
ruler, was established, which in the year 1261,
became subjcet to the crown of Norway. We
have a list of seventeen bishops who served in
Greenland. This is the first settlement of Eu-
ropeans in the New World. Erik the Eed and
his followers were not Christians when they
settled in Greenland, but worshipers of Odin
and Thor, though they relied chiefly on their
own might and strength. Christianity was in-
troduced among them about the year 1000,
though Erik the Red continued to adhere to the
religion of his fathers to his dying day.
The first white man whose eyes beheld any
part of the American continent was the Norse-
man, Bjarne Herjulfson, in the year 986. The
first white man who, to our certain knowledge,
planted his feet on the soil of the American
continent, was Leif Erikson, the son of Erik
the Red, in the year 1000. The first white man
and the first Christian who w r as buried beneath
American sod was Leif s brother, Thorvald,
in the year 1002. The first white man who
founded a settlement within the limits of the
present United States was Thorfin Karlsefne,
in the year 1007. The first white woman who
SERVICES RENDERED. 19
came to Vinland was Thorfin's talented and
enterprising wife, Gudrid. In the year 1008,
she gave birth to a son in Yinland. The boy
was called Snorre, and he was the first person
of European descent to see the light of day in
the new world. From the accounts of these
voyages and settlements, we get our first knowl-
edge and descriptions of the aborigines of
America. In 1112, Helge and Finnboge, with
the woman Freydis, made a vo}'age to Yinland.
In 1112, Erik Upse settled as bishop in Green-
land, and in 1121, this same bishop went on a
missionary journey from Greenland to Yinland.
This is the first visit of a Christian minister to
the American continent. The last of these in-
teresting voyages before the re-discovery of
America by. Columbus, was in the year 1317,
when a Greenland ship with a crew of 18 men
came from Nova Scotia (Markland) to Straum-
fjord, in Iceland. Thus it appears that the
Yinland voyages extended over a period of
about 450 years and to within 144 years of the
re-discovery by Columbus in 1492.
While Leif Erikson was the first white man
who planted his feet on the eastern shores of
the American continent, it was left to another
plucky Scandinavian to become the discoverer
of the narrow body of water which separates
20 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
America from Asia. Vitus Bering was a Dane,,
born in Jutland, in Denmark, in 1680. He en-
tered the serivee of Russia, and in 1725, he w T as
made chief commander of one of the greatest
geographical expeditions ever undertaken. He
explored the sea of Kamchatka, and during
this voyage he discovered Bering strait, in 1728,
and ascertained that Asia was not joined to
America. Thus, as the Norwegian, Leif Erik-
son, is the first white man who sets foot on the
extreme eastern part of this continent, so the
Dane, Vitus Bering, becomes the discoverer of
its extreme western boundary line. They
stand at the rising and setting sun and clasp
what is now the territory of the United States
in their strong Scandinavian arms, and we
might here fittingly add a Swede to complete
the trio. Did not Sweden give us John Erics-
son, who, with his little cheese box, the famous
"Monitor," gave most valuable help to this
beloved land in the hour of its greatest danger?
Who will deny that the Scandinavians have
rendered important services to this country?
But we must hurry on.
The first visit of Scandinavians to America
proper in post Columbian times is in the year
1619, one year before the landing of the pil-
grims at Plymouth. In the spring of that year,
SERVICES RENDERED. 21
King Christian IV. fitted out two ships, "Een-
bjorningen" and "Lamprenen," for the purpose
of finding a northwest passage to Asia. The com-
mander of this expedition was the Norwegian,
Jens Munk, born at Barby, in southern Norway,
in 1579. He sailed from Copenhagen with his
two ships and 66 men, May 9, 1619. He ex-
plored Hudson bay and took possession of the
surrounding country in the name of his sov-
ereign, and gave it the name of Nova Dania.
All the members of this expedition perished,
except Jens Munk and two of his crew, who
returned to Norway September 25, 1620, the
undertaking having proved a complete failure.
The ship chaplain on this expedition was the
Danish Lutheran minister, Rasmus Jensen
Aarhus, and my friend, Rev. Adolph Bredesen,
of Stoughton, Wis., has called attention to the
fact that he was the first minister of the
Lutheran church in the New World. Mr. Bre-
desen speaks thus touchingly of this minister
and his ministry among all those who perished
from disease and exposure during that terrible
winter of 1620, in the Hudson bay country:
"Rasmus Jensen Aarhus, a Danish Lutheran
pastor, ministered faithfully to these unlucky
men, almost to his dying breath. He died Feb-
ruary 20, 1620, on the southwestern shore of
22 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Hudson bay, near the mouth of the Churchill
river. His last sermon was a funeral sermon,
pica (lied from his own deathbed." It is strange
that Jens Munk is not mentioned in our Eng-
lish and American cyclopedias.
Norwegians and Danes certainly arrived in
New Amsterdam, now New York, at a very
early period. The Rev. Rasmus Andersen, of
Brooklyn, N. Y., has given this matter much
attention, and he claims that he can find traces
o< Scandinavians in New York as early as 1617.
He states that several Danes (more probably
Norwegians) were settled on Manhattan island
in 1617. In 1704, he says they built a hand-
some stone church on the corner of Broadway
and Rector streets. Here regular services
were held in the Danish language until the
property was sold to Trinity church, the pres-
ent churchyard occupying the site of the early
building. He adds that "an examination of the
first directory published in New York shows
many names of unquestionably Danish origin."
I have taken the liberty of assuming that these
people were Norwegians rather than Danes,
an«l my reason for so doing is that the descend*
ants «»f those people, whom I have met or with
whom I have corresponded, invariably claim
to be of Norwegian descent, A very large num-
SERVICES RENDERED. 23
ber belong to the Bergen family, and their fam-
ily history was published some years ago in a
substantial volume. From this volume I gather
the salient fact, that Hans Hansen Bergen, the
common ancestor of the Bergen family of
Long Island, New Jersey, and their vicinity,
was a native of Bergen, in Norway, a ship car-
penter by trade, and had removed thence to
Holland. From Holland he emigrated in 1633
to New Amsterdam, now New York. In the
early colonial records, his name appears in va-
rious forms, among which may be found that
of "Hans Hansen van Bergen in Noorwegan,"
"Hans Hansen Noorman," "Hans Noorman,"
"Hans Hansen de Noorman," "Hans Hansz,"
"Hans Hansen," and others. The term "Noor-
man," meaning Northman, clearly refers to Nor-
way, like "in Noorwegan," and was applied to
natives of that country. Another Very clear
instance of this sort is that of Claes Carstensen,
who was married in New Amsterdam in 1046.
In the marriage entry this Claes Carstensen is
said to be from Norway, and he was subse-
quently called "the Noorman."
Finding a baronial family in Europe by the
name of Bergen, some people of that name in
this country have flattered themselves that they
were scions of that stock, and thus link them-
24 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
selves by imagination with the aristocracy of
the old world. But, as Teunis Bergen, the au-
thor of the interesting and exhaustive volume
on the Bergen family referred to above, sug-
gests, they may as well descend from this im-
aginary eminence and make up their minds that
they belong to the commonality and not to the
nobility. The Bergens and the Carstensens, like
the great mass of the original immigrants to
tli is country, belonged to the humble class of
society and came to America to better their
prospects and fortunes. It must be sufficient
for their descendants to know that their Nor-
>\ egian ancestors came from a country where
the feudal system was never known, where the
land was held under no superior, not even the
king. They are scions of those Vikings who
laid the foundations of Eussia, founded a king-
dom in France, and another in Italy, and w T ho
conquered and carried their institutions into
England. They may point with pride to the
fact that their ancestors discovered America
five centuries before Columbus, but they need
not boast of aristocratic blood.
Wo next come to the Swedish settlement on
the Delaware, founded in 1638. This is well-
known to most readers, and I will only add that
the Swedish language was used in a Philadel-
SERVICES RENDERED.
25
phia church as late as 1823. But I will here
call attention to a fact probably not so well
known, that John Morton, one of the signers of
the Declaration of Independence, and an active
member of the continental congress, born at
Ridley, Pa., in 1724, was a descendant of the
Swedes on the Delaware. Robert Anderson,
the gallant defender of Fort Sumter, against
which the first gun of the rebellion was fired,
was also a scion of the Swedes on the Delaware.
In the language of W. W. Thomas, Jr., "love of
freedom and patriotism and state-craft and
valor came over to America not only in the May-
flower, but also in that Swedish ship, the Kal-
mar Nyckel." The first Swedish settlers on the
Delaware came in the ship Kalmar Nyckel
and the yacht Vogel Grip in 1038.
Among the distinguished representatives of
our Swedish American group we may also men-
tion the famous rear admiral of the United
States navy, John A. Dahlgren, who was born
in Philadelphia in 1809. During the late war
he silenced Fort Sumter and received a safe
anchorage for the Monitor inside the bar of
Charleston, and in this manner effectually put
a stop to the blockade running, which had been
before so successfully practiced. His name is
thus linked with that of the world-renowned
/
26 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
John Ericsson, the inventor of the Monitor, and
our navy is largely indebted to Dahlgren for the
great improvements in its ordnance, which has
taken place since 1840. Thomas F. Bayard,
late secretary of state, and now ambassador to
England, is proud of the fact that he is de-
scended on his mother's side from the Swedes
on the Delaware.
Passing now to the War of the [Revolution,
many Scandinavians are found serving in the
American navy, and doubtless, too, in the army.
AYhile investigating this and similar matters
some years ago my attention was called to the
somewhat remarkable case of Thomas Johnson.
In volume 28 (1874) of the New England Histor-
ical and Genealogical Register, I find this inter-
est ing account of him: "Johnson was the son of
a pilot in Mandal, a seaport on the coast of
Norway, where he was born in 1758. In the
absence of his father, he towed the first Amer-
ican vessel, the Ranger, commanded by Paul
Jones, into the harbor of Mandal. After their
arrival Jones sent for the young pilot, and pre-
senting him with a piece of gold, expressed his
pleasure at his expert seamanship, wiiich he,
had minutely watched during the towing of the
ship into harbor. He (Jones) had made the
port of Mandal for the purpose of recruiting
SERVICES RENDERED. 27
the crew of the Ranger, and satisfactory ar-
rangements having been made with his father,
Johnson was received on board as a seaman.
On assuming command of the Bon Homme
Richard, Jones transferred some thirty volun-
teers from the Ranger, among whom was
Thomas Johnson, who, following the fortunes of
his leader, went with him to the Serapis and Al-
liance, and finally arrived with him in the Ariel
in Philadelphia, February 18, 1781, when 23
years of age — the first time he had seen the land
of his adoption. At this time congress was sit-
ting in Philadelphia, and several members were
removing their families to that city. Application
having been made to Capt. Jones to furnish a
man to take charge of a sloop to Boston to con-
vey the furniture of John Adams to Philadel-
phia, he appointed Johnson, who performed the
service. This circumstance often brought John-
son in contact with Mr. Adams, who knew that
he was one of the crew of Capt. Jones, and con-
sequently must have been in the conflict of the
Serapis and Richard, which having occurred so
recently, was a subject of general conversation.
Many of the sailors frequented the hall of con-
gress, and Johnson became so interested in
listening to and observing what was new to
him, that he was a daily visitor. When the
28 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
members found that the sailors were part of
the crew of Capt. Jones, they frequently left
their seats and came over to them to inquire the
particulars of the recent engagement. Mr.
Adams particularly engaged the attention of
Johnson, To use the veteran's (Mr. Johnson's)
own words, he says 'a nervous sensation seemed
to pervade the patriot, as he listened to the de-
scription of the battle given by the sailors; fire
flashed from his eyes, and his hair seemed per-
fectly erect; he would clasp his hands and ex-
claim, What a scene!' During the time they
remained in Philadelphia, Gen. Washington ar-
rived and was presented to congress. Johnson
was present and listened to the introduction by
President Hancock, and the reply by the gen-
eral. Some days after, when the sailors were
in the hall, Mr. Adams brought Gen. Washing-
ton to them, who kindly shook each by the hand,
calling them our gallant tars, and asking them
questions relative to the many successful ad-
ventures they had recently achieved. Johnson
soon after left the navy and engaged in the
merchant service for some years, but eventually
returned to it again, where he remained till
near the end of life's voyage." This Thomas
Johnson assisted Jones in lashing the Bon
Homme Richard to the Serapis, and was prob-
SERVICES RENDERED.
29
ably the last survivor of this celebrated com-
bat. He died at the United States Naval Asy-
lum, Philadelphia, on the 12th of July, 1851,
93 years old, where he had been for many years
a pensioner and was known by the soubriquet
"Paul Jones." Miss Stafford, who was still liv-
ing in 1873, had been a frequent visitor to
Thomas Johnson while living, and after his
death she annually visited his grave, "a trib-
ute," adds the writer, "the humble sailor does
not often receive, whatever his services."
This account of Thomas Johnson led me to in-
vestigate further into the history of John Paul
Jones, and in his biography, written by John
Henry Sherburne, register of the navy of the
United States, and, published at Washington, in
1825, I found the roll of officers, seamen, ma-
rines and volunteers who served on board the
Bon Homme Richard in her cruise made in 1779.
In this roll the native country of every man is
given, and in it I found two seamen, born in
Norway, viz.: Lewis Brown and George John-
son; and no less than seven born in Sweden,
viz.: Peter Nolde, Charles Peterson, Daniel
Emblon (m), Peter Biorkman, Benjamin Garti-
neau, Peter Molin and Oliver Gustaff. Thomas
Johnson is not mentioned, but he is given in-
correctly as George Johnson and is mentioned
30 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
as Thomas Johnson in the list of wounded. Suf-
fice it here to say that there were Scandina-
vians who fought and bled for this country in
the war of the revolution, as there were thou-
sands, whose blood dampened American soil in
our recent war to put down the Southern rebel-
lion.
The brilliant Swede, Colonel (afterwards field
marshal) Alex. Fersen, who in 1779 went to
France where he was appointed colonel of the
royal regiment of Swedes, must not be for-
gotten. At the head of his regiment he served
with distinction in the latter campaigns of the
'American war, distinguished himself on various
occasions, particularly in 1781, during the siege
of Yorktown, where he was aide-de-camp to
Gen. Rochambeau. He also took part in the
negotiations between Gen. Washington and
Gen. Rochambeau. He afterwards became
marshal of the kingdom of Sweden.
I have myself known Norwegians who served
under Gen. Scott in the Mexican war. I have
mentioned John Morton and Capt. John Erics-
son, and I could have gone on and enumerated
many others of Scandinavian birth or descent
who have acquired a lasting reputation in the
annals of America. To enumerate them all
Would exceed the limits of this paper, and I
SERVICES RENDERED.
31
might be charged with partiality if I should
attempt to make a selection. Anyone inter-
ested may easily find them among our state of-
ficials, among our members of congress, among
the officers of our army and navy, among our au-
journalists, and among our leading merchants
and manufacturers, and many of them have
played no unimportant part in the history of
our country. This much is at least clear, that
a complete history of America cannot be writ-
ten without some account of what Scandina-
vians have contributed in connection with the
discovery and development of this country.
In the above rapid sketch of the Scandina-
vians in European and American history, I have
made many bold and emphatic assertions, and
as some of these may be regarded by some of
my readers who do not have the time or oppor-
tunity to search the records for themselves and
find out whether or not these things are so, as
wild, unfounded and unsustained by the highest
authority, I take the liberty of closing this pa-
per with a few quotations from authors, who
can not be suspected of being biased by national
or race prejudice.
In discussing the story of Sigurd, the Vol-
sung, as portrayed in the old Norse eddas and
sagas, H. A. Taine, the great Frenchman, who
32 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
was himself a disciple of Guizot, the historian
of civilization, says: "This is the conception of
a hero as engendered by the Teutonic race in
its infancy. Is it not strange to see them put
their happiness in battle, their beauty in death?
Is there any people, Hindoo, Persian, Greek or
Gallic, which has founded so tragic a concep-
tion of life? Is there any which has peopled
its infantine mind with such gloomy dreams?
Is there any which has so entirely banished
the sweetness from enjoyment and the softness
from pleasure? Energy, tenacious and mourn-
ful energy, such was their chosen condition. In
the somber obstinacy of an English laborer still
survives the tacit rage of the Norse warrior.
Strife for strife's sake. Such is their pleasure.
With what sadness, madness such a disposition
breaks its bonds we see in Shakspere and
Byron. With what completeness, in w T hat du-
ties it can employ and entrench itself under
moral ideas, we see in the case of the Puritans."
In thus tracing American and English great-
ness back to the hardy Norsemen, no one w T ill
accuse Taine of being influenced by a desire to
eulogise his own kith and kin.
In his history of the United States, our Amer-
ican historian, Benson John Lossing uses these
pregnant words: "It is back to the Norwegian
SERVICES RENDERED.
33
Vikings we must look for the hardiest elements
of progress in the United States."
The eminent American scholar, B. F. De
Costa, says: "Let us remember that in vindi-
cating the Norsemen we honor those who not
only give us the first knowledge possessed of
the American continent, but to whom we are
indebted for much beside that we esteem valu-
able. For we fable in a great measure when
we speak of our Saxon inheritance. It is rather
from the Northmen that we have derived our
vital energy, our freedom of thought, and in a
measure that we do not yet suspect our strength
of speech."
Let us take a look into the works of the
French historian, Paul Henri Mallet: "History
has not recorded," he says, "the annals of a
people, who have occasioned greater, more sud-
den, or more numerous revolutions in Europe
than the Scandinavians, or whose antiquities
at the same time are so little known. Had, in-
deed, their emigrations been only like those
sudden torrents of which all traces and remem-
brance are soon effaced, the indifference that
has been shown to them would have been suffi-
ciently justified by the barbarism they have
been reproached with. But during those general
3
34 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
inundations the face of Europe underwent so to-
tal a change, and during the confusion they oc-
casioned, such different establishments took
place; new societies were formed, animated so
entirely with a new spirit, that the history of
our own manners and institutions ought neces-
sarily to ascend back and even dwell a consid-
erable time upon a period which discovers to us
their chief origin and source."
After giving a brief description of Scandina-
vian influence in Europe and the downfall of
the Roman empire, Mr. Mallet adds: "It is
easy to see from this short sketch how greatly
the nations of the North have influenced the
different fates of Europe, and if it be w^orth
while to trace its revolutions to their causes,
if the illustration of its institutions, of its po-
lice, of its customs, of its manners, of its laws,
be a subject of useful and interesting inquiry,
it must be allowed that the antiquities of the
North, that is to say, everything which tends
to make us acquainted with its ancient inhab-
itants, merits a share in the attention of think-
ing men. But to render this obvious by a par-
ticular example: Is it not well known that the
most flourishing and celebrated states of Eu-
rope owe originally to the Northern nations
Whatever liberty they now enjoy, either in their
SERVICES RENDERED. 35
constitution or in the spirit of their govern-
ment? For although the Gothic form of govern-
ment has been almost everywhere altered or
abolished, have we not retained, in most things,
the opinions, the customs, the manners, which
that government had a tendency to produce? Is
not this, in fact, the principal source of that
courage, of that aversion to slavery of that em-
pire of honor, which characterized in general .
the European nations, and of that moderation,
of that easiness of access, and peculiar atten-
tion to the rights of humanity, which so happily
distinguish our sovereigns from the inaccessible
and superb tyrants of Asia? The immense ex-
tent of the Roman empire had rendered its
constitution so despotic and military, many of
its emperors were such ferocious monsters, its
senate was become so mean-spirited and vile,
that all elevation of sentiment, everything that
was noble and manly, seems to have been for-
ever vanished from their hearts and minds, in-
somuch that if all Europe had received the yoke
of Eome, in this her state of debasement, this
fine part of the world reduced to the inglorious
condition of the rest could not have avoided
falling into that kind of barbarity which is of
all others the most incurable, as by making as
many slaves as there are men, it degrades them
36 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
so low as not to leave them even a thought or
desire of bettering their condition. But nature
had long prepared a remedy for such great
evils in that unsubmittiug, unconquerable spirit
with which, she had inspired the people of the
North; and thus she made amends to the hu-
man race for all the calamities which, in other
respects, the inroads of these nations and the
overthrow of the Eoman Empire produced."
We will close the quotations with the follow-
ing enthusiastic words of the Scotch author
and traveler, Samuel Laing: "All that men
hope for of good government and future im-
provement in their physical and moral condi-
tion — all that civilized men enjoy at this day
of civil, religious and political liberty — the Brit-
ish constitution, representative legislature, the
trial by jary, security of property, freedom of
mind and person, the influence of public opinion
over the conduct of public affairs, the reforma-
tion, the liberty of the press, the spirit of the
age — all that is or has been of value to man in
modern times as a member of society, either in
Europe or the New World, may be traced to the
spark left burning upon our shores by these
Northern barbarians." Not much barbarism in
that!
FIRST CHAPTER
OP
NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Statistics.
How many Norwegians landed in America
between the years 1492 and 1821 it is impossi-
ble to determine. We have no government
statistics to guide ns, and we know there was
no regular and systematic emigration from Nor-
way or from any of the other Scandinavian
countries. Certainly no Norwegians came in
collective bodies and formed settlements, and
we are able to trace them only either through
their descendants who have kept family records
or in the public documents or published works
where they happen to be mentioned. In this
way Hans Hansen, from Bergen, Claes Carsten-
sen, Thomas Johnson, and the others mentioned
CV NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
in the introductory chapter have been found.
But it is fair to presume that a considerable
number of enterprising Norwegians found their
way to their old Vinland during the seven-
teenth and eighteenth centuries, and particu-
larly during the first quarter of the nineteenth
century.
In the early days of the republic diplomatic
and consular relations were established with
the Scandinavian countries, and there w^as more
or less commerce between Norway, Sweden and
Denmark and. the United States. This official
and commercial intercourse would naturally
induce some Scandinavians to visit the United
States and others to settle within our gates.
The many Scandinavian names found in the old
directories of New York, Philadelphia and
other eastern cities are largely to be accounted
for in this manner.
From the year 1820 the United States govern-
ment supplies us with immigration statistics;
but unfortunately for our present purpose Swe-
den and Norway are grouped together in these
down to the year 1868, and hence it is impos-
sible to determine how many came from each
(on n try. From the year 1836 we are helped out
by Norway, where the government in that year
began to col loot and preserve statistics of emi-
STATISTICS. 39
gration. These early tables are, of course, more
or less imperfect, aiid we are justified in assum-
ing that the actual number of emigrants was
larger than the one given in the official tables.
In the American statistics the number of pas-
sengers and immigrants from Sweden and Nor-
way from 1820 to 1835 inclusive, is given as fol-
lows: 1820, 3; 1821, 12; 1822, 10; 1823, 1; 1S24,
9; 1825, 4. In evidence of the incompleteness
of early statistics I may call attention to
the fact, that while the number of immigrants
from Sweden and Norway in 1825 is here given
as only four, we know that at least fifty-three
arrived in that year from Norway alone. The
reader will find this statement fully confirmed
when he gets to our description of the voyage
of the sloop "Restaurationen." The American
statistics are continued as follows: 1826, 16;
1827, 13; 1828, 10; 1829, 13; 1830, 3; 1831, 13;
1832, 313; 1833, 16; 1831, 42; 1835, 31. For
1836 the American tables give us 57 immigrants
from Sweden and Norway, while we know that
at least 200 emigrated from Norway in that
year. We now turn to the tables published by
the government of Norway and find them given
as follows: 1836, 200; 1837, 200; 1838, 100;
1839, 400; 1840, 300; 1841, 400; 1842, 700; 1843,
1,600. From this time on the Norwegians came
40 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
to America by the thousands every year and
the means and conveniences for emigrating in
Norwegian vessels instead of going by way of
Gothenborg, Hamburg or Havre, became thor-
ourghly organized and systematized. The immi-
gration from Norway culminated in 1882, in
which year 29,101 Norwegians landed in the
United States. The total number of immi-
grants from Norway from 1820 to the present
time (1894) is in round numbers about 500,000.
The immigration from Sweden during the same
period amounts to fully 600,000, and that from
Denmark and Iceland is about 150,000, making
an aggregate of 1,250,000 Scandinavian immi-
grants. Subtracting those who have died or
who may have returned to Europe, and adding
the children, grandchildren, and great-grand-
children of the immigrants, the Scandinavian
group largely domiciled in the great Northwest,
but having representatives in every state and
territory in the Union w T ill be found to consti-
tute no small part of our present population. I
think we can safely estimate this grand total
at 2,500,000, or double the number of actual
Immigrants. It is a fact well worth noticing
in passing, that a larger percentage of the Scan-
dinavians engage in agriculture than of any
other -roup of our population. One out of four
STATISTICS.
41
of the Scandinavians engages in farming, while
only one out of six of the native Americans, one
out of seven of the Germans and one out of
twelve of the Irish chooses agriculture as his
occupation.
According to a carefully prepared article by
S. Sorensen in Minneapolis Tidende for Decem-
ber 23, 1894, and based on the United States
census of 1890, it appears that the number of
inhabitants in America who were either born
in Scandinavia or of Scandinavian parents,
was: Swedes, 720,430; Norwegians, 590,131;
Danes, 213,030, making a total of 1,535,597, but
this does not, of course, include grandchildren
or great-grandchildren.
While* the Scandinavians are most numerous
in the northwestern states, representatives of
these nationalities are found in every state and
territory as is shown by the following table:
States and Territories.
Swedes.
Maine 2,546
New Hampshire 1,418
Vermont 947
Massachusetts 24,664
Rhode Island 4,227
Connecticut 13 ,378
New York 39,768
,N ew Jersey | 5 , 739
Nor-
wegians
433
355
38
3,082
310
543
9,444
1,530
Danes.
1,099
82
79
2,057
142
2,018
8,182
4.339
42
NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
States and Territories.
Swedes.
Pennsylvania ,
Delaware
Maryland
District of Columbia.
Virginia
West Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida
Ohio
Indiana
Illinois
Michigan
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Iowa
Missouri
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Kansas
Kentucky
Tennessee
Alabama
Mississippi
Louisiana
Texas
Oklahoma .
Arkansas
Montana
Wyoming
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
Utah
Nevada
Idaho
Washington
n
California
27,840
388
496
215
299
187
88
143
337
833
4,875
7,910
131,966
37,941
29,993
155,089
52,171
9,537
7,974
12,233
47,318
31,492
477
591
423
526
698
4,655
219
586
4,465
1,940
12,975
215
273
10,321
421
2,332
12,868
5,235
15,248
Nor-
wegians.
1,458
16
253
82
139
9
15
29
115
272
659
478
48,091
11,451
130,737
195,764
59,822
948
47,877
38,897
6,997
3,444
43
76
76
113
240
2,526
92
102
2,662
519
1,299
71
93
3,247
92
1,313
11,591
3,267
5,421
Danes.
2,677
58
230
137
129-
50
45
71
111
179
1,487
1,200
17,090
10,180
23,882
22,182
25.240
2,470
4,032
7,199
22,267
5,581
162
159
143
184
536
1,216
67
22&
1,014
1,074
2,515
411
19,736
558
2,665
3,949
1,967
11,863
STATISTICS. 43
The Swedes have their strongholds in Min-
nesota, Nebraska, Washington, Kansas, Colo-
rado, Utah and Illinois. The Norwegians are
comparatively most numerous in North Dakota,
Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Washing-
ton and Iowa. The Danes predominate in Utah
and Idaho. The Scandinavians are particu-
larly numerous in the following cities: Chi-
cago, New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Bos-
ton, St. Louis, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Omaha
and San Francisco.
As will be seen from the statistics which I
have quoted above, Norwegian immigration did
not amount to much before the year 183G. In
that year two ships brought immigrants from
Stavanger, an ancient city on the southwest
coast of Norway to New York. These were the
so-called Kohler brigs, the one named "Nor-
den" (The North), and the other "Den Norske
Klippe" (The Norwegian Rock), owned by the
Kielland Company. My father, Bjorn Anderson,
from the farm Qvelve in Vigedal, north of Stav-
anger, my mother, born Abel Cathrine von
Krogh, from Sandeid, the next parish west of
Vigedal, and my two oldest brothers were pas-
sengers in the "Norden," which left Stavanger
on the first Wednesday after Pentecost, Capt.
Williamson commanding, and arrived in New
44 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
York July 12, 1836. The other brig, "Den
Norske Klippe," sailed from Stavanger a few
days later and arrived about three w r eeks later
in New York. The following year (1837) a ship
called "Enigheden" (Unity), Captain Jensen,
from Egersund, a small seaport town south of
Stavanger, brought ninety-three passengers,
and another ship "^Egir" (the name of the god
of the sea in Scandinavian mythology), com-
manded by Capt. Behrens, and carrying eighty-
four emigrants, sailed the same year from Ber-
gen, the chief city on the west coast of Norw r ay.
From that time on the stream of Norwegian im-
migration gradually broadens, though it does
not become particularly large before the year
1843, but a discussion of it does not come within
the scope of this volume. My investigations so
far as the actual emigration from Norway is
concerned, ends with the year 1839, while so
far as the immigrants in the New World are
concerned I propose to watch their progress
down to the year 1840, when we shall find them
located in half a dozen Norwegian settlements
destined to become more or less prosperous. I
shall also give some account of the first Norwe-
gian settlements in Texas and give a brief ac-
count of the religious work done among the
Norwegians in America down to the coming of
Lars Larson (i Jeilane.)
(From a daguerreotype taken after his death.')
CAUSES OF EMIGRATION.
45
Rev. J. W. C. Dietrichson and the dedication
of the first three Norwegian Lutheran churches,
in 1844 and 1845.
II.
Causes of Emigration.
The two Kohler brigs came from Stavanger
in 1836, but just as the Puritans had their May-
floicer in 1620 and the Swedes on the Delaware
their Kalmar Nyckcl in 1638, so the Norwegians
had their little sloop called Restaur ationen (The
Restoration) in 1825, and it was loaded with no
less precious human freight.
We are therefore now prepared to go back
to the year 1821, where we shall find the be-
ginning and the causes of the modern Norwe-
gian immigration to the United States. Lars
Larson (in Norwegian, Lars Larson i Jeilane)
was born in Stavanger in Norway, September
21, 1787. He became a ship-carpenter and
served on board a Norwegian merchant vessel.
During the Napoleonic wars Russia compelled
Denmark to make war on England, but was
unable to prevent England from sending a fleet
to the sound, where a bloody naval engagement
46 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
was fought on the second of April, 1801. Six
Mars later in September, 1807, to cross the
plans of Napoleon, England bombarded Copen-
hagen and captured the Danish fleet. The al-
lies of Denmark afforded her no protection. In
the Danish war with England from 1807 to
1814, of which the struggle with Sweden in 1808
and 1809 was a mere episode, the commerce
and finances of Denmark were ruined, and Den-
mark as the ally of France was put on a war
footing with nearly all of Europe. At the peace
which was secured in Kiel in 1814, Denmark
lost Norway and other possessions and was left
in a bankrupt condition. In the first year of
this war, that is in 1807, the ship in which Lars
Larson was employed, w^as captured by the Eng-
lish, and he and the rest of the crew remained
prisoners of war for seven years. In 1814, that
is immediately after the treaty at Kiel, he with
the other prisoners was released, and he there-
upon spent a year in London in the employ of
a prominent Quaker lady, the widow, Margaret
Allen, mother of Joseph and William Allen,
who at that time held high positions at the Eng-
lish court. During the period of his imprison-
ment and during his subsequent sojourn in Lon-
don, Lars Larson had acquired a pretty thor-
ough knowledge of the English language and
£ >> O
o ©
80*
P
•7-f"
CAUSES OF EMIGRATION.
47
he had also become converted to the Quaker
religion. Some of his Norwegian companions
in captivity had likewise accepted the Quaker
faith. In 1816 Lars Larson returned to Nor-
way and he and his friends at once began to
make propaganda for Quakerism and to organ-
ize a society of Friends. Two of them, Enoch
Jacobson and Halvor HalVorson went to Chris-
tiania, the capital of Norway, and made an un-
successful attempt at starting a Quaker con-
gregation there. Lars Larson remained in his
native city of Stavanger, and there he and Elias
Tastad and Thomas and Metta Hille became
the founders of the society of Friends in Nor-
way. This society never became large and
never spread beyond the limits of Stavanger
county, but it still flourishes and to-day num-
bers about 200 adult members. The first
Quaker meeting in Norway was held in Lars
Larson's house in 1816. He was not a married
man at the time, but his deaf and dumb sister
Sara kept house for him. At Christmas in 1821,
he married Martha Georgiana Peerson, who
was born October 10, 1803, on Fogn, a small
island near Stavanger.
During the time of which we are now speak-
ing, Norway, and particularly the southwest
coast districts contained a large number of
48 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
s<Miii-dissenters from the established church,
the so-called Haugians or Headers, followers
of Hans Nielson Hauge, a reformer born
in Smaalenene, in Norway, April 3, 1771.
Though he had only a common peasant's edu-
cation he began to preach in 1795. He pro*
tested against the rationalism and seculariza-
tion then prevalent among the clergy of Nor-
way. He advocated the right of laymen to
preach, and laid special stress upon the spirit-
ual priesthood of all believers, while he wa&
on the other hand charged w T ith an ex-
travagant undervaluation of an educated min-
istry, of ordination, and of the ceremonies
adopted by the state church. As indicated,
his zeal secured him many followers, particu-
larly among the peasants, who did not, however,,
like the Quakers, withdraw from the estab-
lished church. Still they were looked upon with
disfavor by the governing class, and their lead-
er, Hans Nielson Hauge, was imprisoned from
1804 to 1814. He died March 29, 1824. It
will be readily seen that the Haugians looked
upon their leader as a martyr, and this fact
intensified the strained relations existing be-
tween the Haugians and the civil and religious
rulers of the kingdom. I mention these facts
here as they will be found to have some bear-
CAUSES OF EMIGRATION. 49
ing on the story which is to be told in this vol-
ume.
It may be said without the least exaggeration
that many of the government officials, not only
those who had charge of secular affairs, but
also the servants of the church, were inclined
to be arbitrary and overbearing, and all dis-
senters from the Lutheran church, which was
the state religion, were more or less persecuted
b} r those in authority. The treatment accorded
to Hans Nielson Hauge is evidence of this. Al-
though he was guilty of no crime known to
the code of morality, and although he was one
of the most earnest and sincere Christians in
ali the land, he, like John Bun3an in England,
was made to languish for ten long years within
the walls of a prison, simply because he held
profound religious views and insisted on prac-
tising them. All the followers of Hauge were
made to feel more or less the keen edge of scorn
from their superiors. But the persecution of
the Quakers is particularly a dark chapter in
the modern ecclesiastical history of Norway.
On a complaint of the state priest, the sheriff
would come and take the children by force from
Quaker families and bring them to the priest
to be baptized. People were fined for not go-
4
50 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
ing to the holy communion. Parents were com-
pelled to have their children confirmed, and
even the dead were exhumed from their graves
in order that they might be buried according
to the Lutheran ritual. These cruel facts are
perfectly authenticated, and there is not
a shadow of doubt that this disgraceful in-
tolerance on the part of the officials in Nor-
way, as in the case of the Huguenots in
France and the Puritans in England, was
one of the main causes of the first large
exodus from Norway to the United States
of America. The very fact that Norwegian em-
igration began in Stavanger county, and that
the emigrants were dissenters from the estab-
lished church, is conclusive proof of the correct-
ness of this view. Here it was that Lars Larson,
Elias Tastad and Thomas and Metta Hille had
founded the Quaker society. In the city of
Stavanger and in the adjoining county many
had been converted to the Quaker doctrine, and
there were no Quakers in Norway outside of
Stavanger county. As in all lands and times,
the beginning of emigration can often be traced
to religious intolerance and persecution. Did
not France lose half a million of her most desir-
able citizens on account of the persecution of
the Huguenots? Did not the Huguenots flee to
CAUSES OF EMIGRATION. 51
Switzerland, Holland, England and to Amer-
ica? Wherever they settled they brought with
them art and manufacture and the refinements
of civilization, and so they enriched their
adopted countries. And what of the pilgrim
fathers who landed at Plymouth in 1G20, and
founded the first settlement in New England?
Were they not men of strong minds, good judg-
ment, and sterling character, and did they not
rigidly conform their lives to their principles?
Persecution led them to emigrate and in New
England they embodied their principles in a
framework of government, on wmich, as a most
stable foundation, our own great American
republic has been built up. History repeats it-
self in Norway in the early years of this cen-
tury, and the sloop, Eestaurationen, of which
we are soon to speak, left Norway in 1825, be-
cause Quakers were not permitted to worship
God according to the dictates of their own
conscience. The story of William Penn is re-
peated in Norway.
Of course there were economic reasons also,
and the emigrants hoped to better their mate-
rial as well as their religious conditions. It
should also be remembered that there was a
wide-spread feeling of suspicion and distrust
among the common folk of Norway against the
52 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
officeholding class. There were many unprin-
cipled officials, who exacted exorbitant and
even unlawful fees for their services and with
such officials ordinary politeness to the com-
mon man was out of the question. Thus pov-
erty, oppression on the part of the officials, and
religious persecution cooperated in turning the
minds of the people in Stavanger city and
county toward the land of freedom, equality
and abundance in the far west.
While we are compelled to present this
gloomy picture of conditions in Norway in the
early part of the century, we are happy to be
able to state that things have changed there
since then. A broad religious tolerance has
been introduced, the best kind of educational
laws have been enacted and the official class
as a rule, both deserve and get the respect of
the humblest citizens. Doubtless the large
emigration had a tendency to make the officials
less overbearing. It is due to Norway to em-
phasize the fact that the Norway of to-day is
in n«» way subject to the criticisms we have
mad<* upon the Norway of the first half and
particularly of the first third of this century.
About 1S40 a more humane and progressive
spirit began to control the legislators and gov-
<riiinout of Norway, thanks to Henrik Werge-
CAUSES OF EMIGRATION. 53
land, to Ole Gabriel Ueland, to Ole Vig, to
A. M. Schweigaard and to many other heroes of
reform, and a number of laws have been passed
entirely remodeling the old and narrow insti-
tutions of Norway. Laws promoting religious
liberty were passed in 1842, in 1845, and in 1851.
This liberal spirit culminated in the abolition
of the constitutional provision against the
right of Jews to reside in Norway. In line with
this progress, trial by jury was adopted in 1887,
and introduced in 1890. The tendency since
1840, has been steadily toward more freedom
and larger opportunities for all classes of cit-
izens.
The emigration from Stavanger afterwards
inspired people in other parts of Norway to
leave the fatherland and seek homes in Amer-
ica. In each succeeding group there was a
pioneer, a leader, and several of these leaders
will be more or less fully presented and dis-
cussed.
While each exodus down into the forties is
a link in a chain beginning with the sloop,
Uestaurationen, and while religious persecution
was one of the chief causes that led to its de-
parture, we shall try to point out what circum-
stances were mainly influential in promoting
emigration from the various districts, and in
54 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
this connection we shall call attention to fully
a dozen persons who are to be remembered by
posterity as the fathers and promoters of Nor-
wegian emigration, as the pioneers and found-
ers of Norwegian settlements in America and as
the first ministers to the spiritual and intellect-
ual wants of the Norwegians in the country of
their adoption. In some cases we shall let the
emigrants themselves tell how and why they
came to America.
III.
The Sloop Restaurationen.
All reports agree that Kleng PeersonJ from
the farm Hesthammer, Tysver parish, Skjold
district, Stavanger county, was the man who
gave the first impetus to the emigration of the
Norwegians to America. In the year 1821,
he with a comrade, Knud Olson Eie, or more
properly Eide, from the small island Fogn, near
Stavanger, left Norway and went by the way
of Gothenborg, Sweden, to New York to make
an investigation of conditions and opportuni-
ties in America. From all the information I
have been able to gather, and I have inter-
viewed a large number of the oldest Norwe-
THE SLOOP RESTAURATIONEN. 55
gian settlers in America, there, remains no
doubt in my mind that Kleng and Knud were
practically sent on this mission by the Quakers
of Stavanger county. It is nowhere positively
stated that Peerson and Eide were themselves
Quakers, but I have complete evidence from
persons who knew both of them well that they
were dissenters from the established church.
Kleng Peerson was strongly attached to the
Quakers and doubtless sympathized with their
religious views, so far as he gave religion any
thought, but neither Peerson nor Eide had at
this time (1821) any very pronounced religious
convictions. While they dissented from the
state church they had not accepted the tenets
of any other. They appear to have lacked to
a great extent the religious temperament. Later
on I shall have occasion to discuss this subject
more fully, as I intend to present as full an
account as possible of the character and career
of Kleng Peerson.
After a sojourn of three years in America,
all that time presumably spent in and around
New York city, where they did such work as
they could find, Kleng Peerson, being a carpen-
ter by trade, they returned to Stavanger and
to Tysver in 1824. Here their reports of social,
political and religious conditions in America
56 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
and their description of opportunities in the
New World awakened the greatest interest and
culminated in a resolution to emigrate. Lars
Larson (i Jeilane), the same man at whose house
the first Quaker meeting had been held in
Stavanger in 1816, at once undertook to organ-
ize a party of emigrants. Being successful in
finding a number of people who were ready and
willing to join him, six heads of families con-
verted their scanty worldly possessions into
money and purchased a sloop which had been
built in the Hardanger fjord, between Stav-
anger and Bergen, and which they loaded with
a cargo of iron. For this sloop and cargo they
paid the sum of $1,800.00 (Norwegian money).
While six of the party owned some stock in this
vessel the largest share w T as held by Lars Lar-
son, who was in all respects the leader of the
enterprise. He had acquired a pretty thor-
ough knowledge of the English language, dur-
ing his eight years' sojourn in England, and the
general supervision of the preparations and of
the voyage naturally fell into his intelligent
Lands. The captain, Lars Olson and the mate
Erikson were engaged by him.
This little Norwegian Mayflower of the nine-
ty. nth century received the name Bestaura-
tionen (The Restoration), and on the American
THE SLOOP RESTAURATIONEN. 57
day of independence, July 4, 1825, this brave
little company of emigrants sailed out of the
harbor of the ancient and grotesque city of
Stavanger. The, company consisted of fifty-
two persons including the two officers men-
tioned, chiefly from Stavanger city and Tysver
parish north of Stavanger. There were also a
few from other parts of Stavanger county.
They were fifty-two when they left Stavanger;
but when they reached New York, on the sec-
ond Sunday of October (Oct. 9), they numbered
fifty-three, Mrs. Martha Georgiana Larson, the
wife of the leader, having given birth to a beau-
tiful girl baby on the second of September.
Their fourteen weeks' journey across the
Atlantic ocean was a romantic and perilous
one. The stories of that voyage told to me by
one of the party were the delight of my child-
hood. They passed through the British Chan-
nel, and a few days later they anchored in a
vsmall harbor named Lisett on the coast of Eng-
land, where they remained until the next day.
Here they began to sell liquor to the inhabit-
ants, which was against the law, and when
they perceived the danger in which they had
thus placed themselves, they made haste to
steer the little craft out upon the boundless
ocean. They either must have lost their reck-
58 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
oning, or been looking for the trade-winds, or
the captain must have been somewhat deficient
in his knowledge of navigation, or to take a
more charitable view of the case, the wind must
have been against them, for when we next hear
of them we find them drifting into the harbor
of Funchal in the island of Madeira. Near the
Madeira islands they had found a pipe of wine
floating on the sea. It must have been very old
wine, for the cask in which it was contained
was entirely covered with huge barnacles.
Lars Larson got out in the yawl boat to fish it
up and while he was putting a rope around
the pipe, a shark came near biting his hand off.
To celebrate this piece of good fortune both
the officers and passengers had to taste of the
delicious contents of the pipe of wine and the
result was that the most of them got more or
less under its influence. They consequently
neglected their duties to the sloop, and came
drifting into the harbor of Funchal without
colors and without command. Here it was-
feared that they had some kind of contagious
disease on board and one of the officers of a Bre-
men vessel anchored in the harbor, shouted to
them that if they did not wish to be greeted
by the cannon already being aimed at them
from the fortress, they had better hoist their
THE SLOOP RESTAURATIONEN. 59
colors at once. Thornstein Olson Bjaadland, who
was for many years my neighbor in Wisconsin
never grew weary of telling me this story and
he always added that it was he who hunted up
the Norwegian flag which had been stowed
away with other baggage, and with the assist-
ance of others ran it up to the top of the mast,
thus averting the danger. A couple of custom
house officers then came on board the sloop and
made an investigation, finding everything in
good order. Much attention was shown to the
party at Funchal. The American consul in-
creased their store of provisions, giving them
also an abundance of grapes, and before their
departure, he invited the whole sloop party to
a magnificent dinner. They arrived in Funchal
on Thursday, July 28, and left the following
Sunday, July 31, and as they sailed out of the
harbor the fortress fired a salute in their honor.
Four weeks had passed since they left Sta-
vanger and for ten weary weeks more the sloop
had to contend with the angry waves of the
rough Atlantic. It may be added here that
only the captain and mate were seamen in the
strict sense of the word; but Lars Larson was
by trade a ship-carpenter, and the most of the
other adult men on board having been reared
6) NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
on the coast of Norway as fishermen, were nat-
urally familiar with the sea.
I* New York quite a sensation was awakened
by the fact that these Norwegians had ventured
across the ocean in so small a craft. Such a
thing had not been heard of before. Here they
nl so got into trouble with the authorities on
account of having a larger cargo and a larger
number of passengers than the American laws
permitted a ship of the size of the sloop to carry
and in consequence of this violation of Uncle
Sam's laws Capt. Lars Olson was arrested and
the ship with its cargo was seized by the cus-
tom house authorities in New York.
But what has become of Kleng Peerson and
Knud Olson Eide? They were not passengers
in the sloop. Knud Olson is said by some
with whom I have talked and corresponded
to have remained in Norway until 1837,
when he again emigrated to America in the
ship "Enigheden" (Unity) from Egersund
via Stavanger, a small seaport south of
Stavanger. In the summer of 1894, I met and
conversed with Ole Thompson (Thorbjornson)
Hide now residing at Sheridan, Illinois. Te
came from the same place in Norway, that is
from the farm Eide on the island Fogn north of
THE SLOOP RESTAURATIO^EN. 61
Stavanger, and was also a passenger in the
san*e ship with Knud Olson Eide from Sta-
vaBger in 1837. Ole Thompson Eide was unable
to give me any account of Knud after they
reached Rochester, New York. I afterwards
met Mr. Hans Valder (Vselde) from Vats parish,
Skjold district in Norway. He also went on
board "Enigbeden" in Stavanger in 1837 and
consequently was a fellow passenger with Knud
Olson Eide. He informs me that when they
arrived in New York, Knud Eide could get no
further from lack of funds. Hans Valder did all
he could for him and talked to the other pas-
sengers in his behalf. Knud Eide cried like
a child and a collection was taken up for him,
"and" adds Hans Valder, "he came with us as
far as Kochester, N. Y. There he was left with
a wife and three or four children. I learned
since that his daughters got married, but I do
not know where they reside." Mr. C. Daniel son
Valle from Aurland in Norway also came in
the same ship in 1837. By him I am told that
"Knud Eide went from Rochester to Michigan.
1 1 is wife died there. He married again and had
a number of children. He became a farmer."
As lie does not appear to have had any further
influence upon Norwegian settlements in Amer-
ica, we might safely drop him here; but from
62 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
documents received fjrom New York and which
I shall present to my readers later on, I have
a strong suspicion that the Knud Olson Eide,
who came in "Enigheden" in 1837, may after
all not have been the same Knud Eide who ac-
companied Kleng Peerson on his first visit to
America in 1821. According to New York pa-
pers published in 1825, Kleng Peerson's com-
rade died in America before Kleng returned
to Norway in 1824, and accordingly Kleng may
have gone back to Norway alone.
That a man by name Knud Olson Eide came
to America in "Enigheden" in 1837 is certain.
On this point we have the concurring testimony
of Ole Thompson, Hans Valder and Chr. Dan-
ielson. The only question is whether he was
the same Knud Olson Eide that accompanied
Kleng Peerson to America in 1821. I am sorry
that I am unable to give a definite answer. I
do not see how the New York papers could
fabricate an account of the death of Kleng
Peerson's comrade, while I do see how there
might easily be two persons by the name Knud
Olson Eide from the island Fogn. I shall con-
tinue my investigations into this matter.
But Kleng Peerson was in America when
the sloop Restaurationen arrived there. In-
stead of risking his life in the sloop he had
THE SLOOP RESTAURATIONEN
63
again gone by the way of Gothenborg, Sweden,
and was already in New York ready to receive
his friends and to give them such assistance as
he was able. He had found Quakers in New
York, who were prepared to give our Norwegian
pilgrims a welcome and such help as they most
needed. I suppose the authorities in New York
partly in consideration of the ignorance and
childish conduct of the sloop immigrants, and
partly pursuaded by the intercession of influen-
tial Quaker friends, decided to be merciful.
The fact, at all events, is that the captain was
released from his captivity; and the sloop and
its cargo were restored to their owners.
I have it from the lips of passengers who
came in the sloop, that the Quakers in New
York took a deep interest in these Norwegian
newcomers, who were well-nigh destitute of
food, clothing and money. These Friends gave
many of them shelter under their own roofs, and
supplied them with money to relieve their most
pressing needs. The Quakers showed them-
selves in this case as everywhere in history to
be friends indeed. Mrs. Atwater, the lady who
was born on the sloop, has told me, on the pos-
itive authority of her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Lars Larson, how kind the Quakers in New
Y r ork were to her parents and to all the sloop
64 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
people. Enough money was raised by the
Quakers to pay the expenses of the immigrants,
six dollars for each from New York city to the
town of Kendall in Orleans county, New York,
where farms could be secured for them.
From the History of Orleans County, by Arad
Thomas, I learn that a man by name Joseph
Fellows, had been appointed agent to sell a
tract of land in Kendall. Mr. Fellows was a
Quaker, and he seems to have been in New York
city about the time the Restaurationen arrived
there, and I presume it was he who suggested
the idea of locating these Norwegian immi-
grants on this land, and in this manner the first
"Norwegian settlement in America in this century
was founded.
The captain, Lars Olson, and the mate, Mr.
Erikson, who by the way was the only one in
the sloop party from Bergen, Norway, remained
in New York, and at this point my knowledge
of these two persons ends. The leader of the
party, Lars Larson, sent his wife and daughter
on with the rest of the sloop party to Kendall,
1ml he himself remained for several weeks in
New York city, to dispose of the sloop and its
cargo. He finally succeeded in selling both
for flie paltry sum of four hundred dollars.
By this time winter had set in and in the early
THE SLOOP RESTAURATIONEN. C5
days of December he set out to join his family.
The canal was frozen and he had to skate from
Albany to Holley in Orleans county, 23 miles
west of Rochester. He did not remain with
the colony in Kendall, but went with his family
back to Rochester, where he soon obtained em-
ployment from a canal-boat builder. He pros-
pered and in a short time he was able to go into
business for himself as a canal-boat builder.
It will be remembered that he had been a ship-
carpenter in Norway and both by his knowledge
of English and by his trade he was equipped
for his new occupation.
Lars Larson is described as a rather small
man, with a smooth, intelligent face, with dark
hair which turned gray very early. He was
a kind husband and good father, in short, a man
of good habits and large-hearted. His home
in Rochester was hospitality itself. In the
years from 1836 to 1845 he received visits from
thousands of Norwegians, who were on their
way from Norway to Illinois and Wisconsin.
They brought him fresh news from Norway and
from him they received valuable information
and advice concerning America. His canal-
boat business prospered, and already in 1827 he
was able to build for himself and family a very
5
C6 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
substantial home in Rochester, a house which
still stands on the original site and which, with-
out doubt, is the oldest house now in existence,
built in America by a Norwegian Argonaut of
the nineteenth century. I am most happy to
be able to give a picture of this house from a
photograph recently taken.
Lars Larson lost his life by an accident No-
vember 13, 1845, while on his way to New York
with a canal-boat, which he intended to sell.
There is also a suspicion that he was foully
dealt with. He died from a fall from the boat
into the canal, and his family believe that some
one must have struck him and pushed him over-
board. There never was a thorough investiga-
tion into this matter, and I simply report the
views of the children now living. He had given
his children a good education, and on his death
he left them not a fortune, but a handsome com-
petency for maintaining the old home. His
widow, Martha Georgiana, a woman of great
intelligence and force of character, lived to a
ripe old age. I met her in 1875, and was struck
with her stateliness and commanding dignity.
She had become entirely Americanized, but still
spoke her old Stavanger dialect with ease and
fluency. Her death occurred in Rochester, Oc-
tober 17, 1887.
Martha Georgiana Larson.
THE SLOOP RESTAURATIONEN. 67
Mr. and Mrs. Larson left eight children, six
girls and two boys, all of whom are living and
all married but one. Their oldest child was
born on the sloop Restaurationen in the middle
of the Atlantic ocean, September 2, 1825. This
was a girl whom they named Margaret Allen,
after the Quaker widow with whom Lars Lar-
son had lived for a year or more in London, and
through whose influence he had embraced the
Quaker faith. Margaret Allen married in 1857
John Atwater, of Rochester, who afterwards
became a prominent publisher in Chicago. Mr.
Atwater died a few years ago, but the famous
sloop girl, now in her seventieth year, is still
alive and well. She resides at Western Springs,
in Cook county, Illinois, where she has a com-
fortable home and is surrounded by a family
of bright and happy children. Her son John
has a large business in Chicago, and also serves
as pastor of one of the churches in Western
Springs
Lars Larson's other children are: Inger
Marie, born February 18, 1827, married
to William F. McFadden, a Canadian, and now
residing at Kansas City, Mo.; Lydia Glazier,
born November 18, 1828, married to F. C. Whit-
telsey and residing in Rochester, N. Y.; Elias
Tastad, born July 9, 1830, married to an Ameri-
NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
can woman and residing in Kochester, N. Y.;
Martha Jane, born July 30, 1832, married to
Elias C. Patterson, an inventor of New York,
who died in Kochester, N. Y., in 1879. She now
resides at Western Springs, 111. Clara Elisabeth,
born July 30, 1834, married to Alfred Willets,
and residing in Union Kei, Mich.; George Mar-
ion, born July 8, 1841, married a Swedish
woman and residing in Lakeside, Mich.; he is a
physician. Georgiana Henrietta, born June 19,
1845, unmarried, and keeping the old Kochester
home which belongs to the family.
Martha Jane Patterson who, as mentioned
above, was born in Kochester, N. Y., in 1832,
has the honor of being one of the first persons
of the Norwegian group of our population
known to have taught in our public schools.
She began teaching in Kochester during vaca-
tion in 1844, when she was only twelve years
old and had about twenty scholars who paid
her ten cents a week each. She then attended
a ladies' seminary and became assistant
teacher in it in 1848. In the spring of 1850
she taught a public country school in Ken-
dall, Orleans county, N. Y., in what many
called New Norway. In the spring of 1851
she taught at Lockport, N. Y., and in the
autumn of the same year she was given a
Henry Harwick.
Mrs. Martha J. Patterson.
THE SLOOP KESTAURATIONEN. 69
position in one of the public schools of Roches-
ter, N. Y. She came west in 1857 and entered
the public schools of Chicago as a teacher. Her
name deserves to be remembered on that ac-
count. Many a Miss Larson or Miss
Olson has given instruction in our American
common school, but Martha Jane Larson was
among the first.
Although New York was a large city in 1825
and although its port was visited by strangers
from every part of the known world, it occurred
to me that this first coming of emigrants from
Norway and that, too, under such peculiar cir-
cumstances would scarcely be left wholly un-
noticed by the New York press. I had a curios-
ity to know what impression these first Norwe-
gian immigrants to the United States in this
century made upon the newspaper reporters,
and accordingly induced my friend, Mr. Robert
Lilley, the managing editor of Johnson's Uni-
versal Cyclopaedia, to institute a search for me.
The search was not in vain. The sloop Restau-
rationen did attract the notice of the press, and
I offer no apology for reproducing here every
word that I have been able to find in New York
papers in regard to this first company of Nor-
wegian immigrants.
i The Commercial Advertiser for Monday, Octo-
70 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
ber 10, reports in its Marine List: "Arr. Danish
Sloop Restoration, Holland, 78 days from Nor-
way, via Long Island Sound, with Iron to Boor-
uian and Johnston. 52 passengers." The curi-
ous mistakes will be easily detected by the
reader. The ship was not Danish, it did not
come from Holland and the number of passen-
gers should be fifty-three. The same notice ap-
pears verbatim in the marine list of the New
York Gazette Monday, October 10, 1825, and also
in the marine list of the New York National Ad-
vocate of the same date, and in the marine list
of the New York Daily Advertiser of the same
date, the last paper having the addition "spoke
nothing."
In the New York Daily Advertiser of Wednes-
day, October 12, 1825, we find the following
most interesting notice, headed "A Novel Sight.
A vessel has arrived at this port with emigrants
from Norway. The vessel is very small, meas-
uring as we understand only about 360 Norwe-
gian lasts or forty-five American tons, and
brought forty-six passengers, male and female,
all bound to Ontario county, where an agent,
who came ore* some time since, purchased a
trad of Land. The appearance of such a party
of strangers, coming from so distant a country
and in a \ rss.i of a size apparently ill calculated
THE SLOOP RESTAURATIONEN. /I
for a voyage across the Atlantic, could not but
excite an unusual degree of interest. They
have had a voyage of fourteen weeks and are
all in good health and spirits. An enterprise
like this argues a good deal of boldness in the
master of the vessel as well as an adventurous
spirit in the passengers, most of whom belong
to families from the vicinity of a little town at
the southwestern extremity of Norwa}-, near
Cape Stavanger. Those who came from the
farms are dressed in coarse cloths of domestic
manufacture, of a fashion different from the
American, but those who inhabited the town
wear calicos, ginghams and gay shawls, im-
ported, we presume, from England. The vessel
is built on the model common to fishing boats
on that coast, with a single mast and topsail,
sloop-rigged. She passed through the English
channel and as far south as Madeira, where she
stopped three or four days and then steered di-
rectly for New York, where she arrived with
the addition of one passenger born on the way.
"It is the captain's intention to remain in this
country, to sell his vessel and prepare himself
to navigate our waters by entering the Amer-
ican Merchant Service and to learn the Ian-
guage."
This is doubtless a very faithful description
72 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
of the facts. The reporter is mistaken in re-
gard to the number of the passengers and the
destination of these immigrants. They were
not bound for Ontario but for Orleans county.
In the same paper, New York Daily Advertiser,
for Saturday, October 15, 1825, we find this ad-
additional notice of the sloop party: "The cap-
tain and passengers of the sloop Kestoration
from Norway, desire in this public manner, to
express their grateful thanks to John H. March,
Esq., American Consul at the island of Madeira,
for his humane and generous relief, when com-
pelled to touch at that place for refreshment
after a long and perilous voyage, and to the in-
habitants of that island for the kind and hos-
pitable manner in which they entertained desti-
tute strangers [New York National Advertiser]."
The New York American, Monday evening, Oc-
tober 10, 1825, contains the following notice:
"Marine Journal, Port of New York. Arr. Dan-
ish sloop Restoration, Holland. 78 days from
Norway via Long Island Sound, w T ith iron to
Boorman & Johnston, forty-two passengers."
It appears that the American has the number
of passengers reduced to forty-two.
The notice, entitled A Novel Sight, I find was
extensively reprinted by the newspapers of the
country. I have found it reproduced in w T hole
THE SLOOP RESTAURATIONEN. 73
or in part in Boston, Cooperstown (N. Y.), in
Philadelhpia, Rochester and Cincinnati papers
for the year 1825.
On Saturday evening, October 22, 1825, The
New York American contained the following
clipping from the Baltimore American:
"The public have already been interested in
the account which we republished from a New-
York paper on Saturday last (October 15) rela-
tive to the arrival of a vessel from Norway.
This vessel of only forty-five American tons
burden contained forty-six passengers, male
and female, bound to Ontario county, in the
state of New York, where an agent had already
been sent who had contracted for the purchase
of the land. They set sail from Cape Stavanger
and after a voyage of fourteen weeks, arrived
in safety. We have learned some particulars
w T ith regard to the agent who was sent over
here on this business, calculated to set his char-
acter in a very interesting light. Two agents
ivere originally sent over by the company and
funds appropriated to defray the expense.
These funds, w T e understand, were placed in the
hands of a man, who was afterwards unfortu-
nate in business. They then found themselves
in a strange land, among a people of different
laws, customs, and language, with all of which
74 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
they were unacquainted. Determined notwith-
standing to fulfil the object of their mission,
they resolutely set out on their enquiries, la-
boring with their own hands to defray their
expenses. They proceeded in this manner until
one was seized with a malady which brought
him to his grave. During all the time of his
sickness his confederate, independent of watch-
ing by his bedside and performing those kind
offices so necessary to the comfort of a dying
man, procured the best medical attendance, still
laboring w r ith his own hands for his support
and debarring himself of the comforts of life, to
administer to the necessities of his friend. After
the decease of his friend, the survivor left as he
was solitary and alone, proceeded on foot to
examine the country, the character of the dif-
ferent soils, our mode of agriculture, engaging
without any hesitation at any kind of employ-
ment to meet the current expenses of the day,
by which means he obtained a knowledge of our
customs, laws, language and agriculture. In
tli is manner he scoured the vast regions of the
west and left a journal from day to day, which
in due time he transmitted to the company, by
whom he was sent to make the examination.
This report was so favorable that the little col-
ony have at length arrived here, to settle
THE SLOOP RESTAURATIONEN.
75
amongst us, and to assume the character of
American citizens. They belong to a religion
called the Saints, corresponding in many points
to the principles of the Friends. We under-
stand furthermore, that they have sought an
asylum in this favored land from religious per-
secution and that they will shortly be succeeded
by a much larger body of emigrants."
The agent here referred to is, of course, Kleng
Peerson. The reader will find some romance
in the story, but what it corroborates are the
facts, that Kle^ig Peerson was an advance agent
of the sloop party, that these people were Qua-
kers and complained of religious persecutions,
and that they expected more to follow them
from Norway.
When I received these documents from New
York I got what seemed to me to be a possible
clue to the fate of Knud Olson Eide, Kleng>s
companion to America in 1821. The reader
will agree with me that there is a possibility
if not a strong probability that the person re-
ferred to by the Baltimore American as having
died is the Knud Olson Eide, who came with
Kleng Peerson, and that the Knud Olson Eide
who came in "Enigheden" in 1837 is another
person altogether. Patience and perseverance
may yet unravel this mystery.
76 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
The New York Evening Post, for Tuesday,
October 25, 1825, contains the following, copied
from the Albany Patriot of October 24:
"On Saturday, as we are informed, the Nor-
wegian emigrants, that lately arrived in a small
vessel at New York, passed through this city,
on their way to their place of destination.
They appear to be quite pleased with what they
see in this country, if we may judge from their
good-humored countenances. Success attend
their efforts in this asylum of the oppressed!"
This shows that our immigrants were already
on their way to Orleans county, N. Y. The
reader will probably agree with me that these
first glimpses of Norwegian immigrants in clip-
pings from the American press of the day are
most interesting and precious and well worthy
of being reproduced and preserved. Imagine
m$ happiness when I received these newspaper
clippings in a letter from Mr. Eobert Lilley!
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. 77
IV.
The First Norwegian Settlement in America,
We may now go back and pick up the thread
of our story again in Kendall, Orleans county,
New York, where we left the majority of the
sloop party in the fall of 1825. Kendall is in
the northeast corner of Orleans county on the
shores of Lake Ontario. Here land was sold to
the Norwegians by Joseph Fellows at five dol-
lars an acre; but as they had no money to pay
for it, Mr. Fellows agreed to let them redeem
it in ten annual installments. The land was
heavily wooded and each head of a family and
adult person purchased forty acres. During the
first year they suffered great privations. The
clearing of the forests required hard work.
They longed to get back to old Norway, but like
Xerxes of old they had burnt the bridges be-
hind them, and a return would be not only hu-
miliating but almost impossible. Joseph Fel-
lows and other benevolent neighbors helped
them, and in course of time their industry
brought them its reward. As they did not
reach New York before the ninth of October,
78 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
it was November before they got settled in Ken-
dall, and the cold weather soon set in. The
country thereabouts was but sparsely settled in
that region in 1825, and there was not much op-
portunity for getting employment or shelter.
Twenty-four of them, including their children,
combined and put up a log house twelve by
twelve feet, with a garret, giving them just a
square foot apiece on each floor. Crowded to-
gether in this little hut their patience must
have been taxed to the utmost, and only the
hope of a brighter future could sustain them
under such circumstances. In those days
threshing machines were not known, and these
first Norwegian settlers made their first little
earnings by threshing out grain for the older
American settlers with a flail. For this kind of
work they got every eleventh bushel. The next
year, 1826, they cleared on an average two acres
on each of their farms. On this patch of ground
they raised wheat which gave them bread for
their next winter's support.
I call the place Kendall, but the name of it
in 1825 was Murray. The northeast township
of Orleans county, N. Y., was originally called
Murray, but in 1837 it was cut in two and the
north half in which our sloop people were set-
tled received the name Kendall, and throughout
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. 79
this volume I have used this designation to the
exclusion of the original.
We get a glimpse of this first Norwegian set-
tlement in America in this century from a let-
ter written in 1S71 by H. Hervig, one of the
passengers in the sloop Restaurationen.
H. Hervig's letter is published in "Fain-
landet og Emigranten" in La Crosse, Wis., Feb-
ruary 9, 1871, and is as follows:
"To the Editor of Faedrelandet og Emi-
granten. Mr. Editor: Having read in your
honored paper several reports from various
places in the West, but never having seen any-
thing from here, I think it may be interesting
for you and your readers to learn that there
also are Norwegians here in the township of
Kendall, Orleans county, New York, near by
Lake Ontario.
"Although this settlement is small, it should
not be forgotten, for it is the first settlement in-
habited hy Noihvegians here in America. I and
fifty -two other Norwegians went in the year
1825 with a little sloop out from Stavanger.
"After a long voyage we finally arrived safe
in New York and went thence to this place in
the forest. We were all poor, and none of us
could speak English. When we arrived in Ken-
dall the most of us became sick and discour-
80 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
aged. The timber was heavy and it took a long
time before we could raise enough to support
us. After the land was cleared we found the
soil to be very good, and a crop grows here as
good as in few places in the vicinity.
"There do not come any more any people
from Norway, nor is there any land to be had
here at a low price, land costing here from $50
to $100 per acre.
"So far as religion is concerned we have
many churches and many ministers and various
denominations, and some go to church, while
others stay at home. We have no controversy
over religion, but each one is permitted to be-
lieve and think what seems best to him. It
does not seem to be that way among the Nor-
wegians in the West, if I may judge from your
papers, where there is constantly controversy
over religious matters, while there ought to be
friendship and love. I must confess that when
we first arrived here we thought everything
was wrong, when it was not like what there
was in Norway. But we soon found that there
were good things even among people who wor-
shiped God in another manner than we did, and
we found that the difference was not so great
after all, when they only built on the right foun-
ds t ion, Jesus Christ, and being reminded that
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA.
81
the constitution of the land permitted every one
to worship God in the manner his conscience
dictated, we worshiped God in the manner of
our fathers and let others have peace to wor-
ship God according to the dictates of their con-
sciences.
"Respectfully,
"Your brother and countryman,
"H. Harwich:."
This letter is dated at Kendall, N. Y., Janu-
ary 20, 1871. The writer died thirteen years
later at Holley in Orleans county.
We get a very encouraging view of condi-
tions and prospects in the New World from a
letter written to Norway by Gjert Gregoriuson
Hovland in 1835, after he had lived in the Ken-
dall settlement for four years. Gjert Gregoriu-
son Hovland left Norway June 24, 1831, and
went by way of Gothenborg to New York,
where he arrived September 8, having been de-
tained in Gothenborg several weeks. He
bought fifty acres of timber land in the Kendall
settlement and improved it for four years, when
he sold it at a profit of f 500. He is loud in his
praises of American laws, equality and liberty,
as compared with the extortions of the official
aristocracy in Norway. He advised all who
6
82 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
were able to emigrate to America, arguing that
the creator had not prohibited man from locat-
ing in what part of the world he pleased. This
and other letters by Gjert G. Hovland to Nor-
way were transcribed in hundreds of copies and
passed from house to house, and from parish to
parish, and many were in this way induced to
think of America and emigration. Gjert G.
Hovland removed the same year, that is, 1835,
to La Salle county, Illinois, where he died at a
very advanced age in 1870. On account of his
early arrival and particularly on account of his
letters about America to Norway, he is to be
counted among the chief promoters of Norwe-
gian emigration to this country.
In the "Pioneer History of Orleans County,
New York," written by Arad Thomas and pub-
lished in 1871, I find the following interesting
notice of this first Norwegian settlement in
America:
"About the year 1825 a company of Norwe-
gians, about fifty-two in number, settled on the
lake shore in the northeast part of the town
(Kendall). They came from Norway together
and took up land in a body. They were an
industrious, prudent, and worthy people, held
in good repute by people in that vicinity.
After a few years they began to move away
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. £3
to join their countrymen, who had settled in
Illinois, and but a few of that colony are still
in Kendall. They thought it very important
that every family should have land and a home
of their own. A neighbor once asked a little
Norwegian boy, whose father happened to be
too poor to own land, where his father lived,
and was answered: <0, we don't live nowhere;
we hain't got no land.' "
This is touchingly prophetic of the fact that
so large a percentage of the Norwegian immi-
grants have settled on farms and become
owners of land.
It will be seen that Mr. Thomas errs when
he puts the number at fifty-two. He must have
heard of the sloop with its fifty-two passengers
leaving Norway. We know that the captain
and the mate did not go to Kendall; but of
course Kleng Peerson went there, so that there
probably were about fifty persons in the Ken-
dall settlement in the fall of 1§25. Lars Larson
and his family probably remained there until
the spring of 1826.
I have made all the investigation possible
in regard to this first Norwegian settlement
in America since the days of Leif Erikson in
Vinland, and I find that a considerable number
of the descendants of the original settlers are
84 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
still living- there. They are thoroughly Amer-
icanized, but there are still among them later
comers from Norway, who are able to speak
the Norwegian tongue. Many of them are rel-
atives of Lars Larson, the leader of the sloop
party.
In January, 1895, I received a letter from
Canute Orsland, whose father originally set-
tled in Indiana, and he gives the following list
of Norwegians now residing in Kendall with
the year (approximately) when they immi-
grated.
Canute Orsland, a son of Ole Aasland, who-
came from Norway in 1838.
Harry B. Orsland, a son of Ole Aasland.
John Johnson, who came from Norway in
1857.
Rasmus Danielson, who came from Norway
in 1858.
Chas. Lind, wiio came from Norway in 1871.
M. Anderson, who came from Norway in 1882.
Ellen Lind, who came from Norway in 1883.
Claudine Lind, who came from Norway in
1S83. "
Andrew Halvorson, born in Kendall, his par-
ents having come from Norway in 1810.
Anna Anderson, who came from Norway in
1887.
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. 85
Martin Larson, who came from Norway in
1891.
Borre Nses, who came from Norway in 1854.
Christopher Anderson, who came from Nor-
way in 1852.
Caroline Shulstead, who came from Norway
in 1853.
Eliza Parker, who came from Norway in 1870.
Lars Anderson, who came from Norway in
1891.
Andrew J. Stangeland, born in the settle-
ment, but his father came in the sloop.
Mr. Orsland writes me that these people are
largely related to each other by blood or mar-
riage.
Martha Jane Larson (now Mrs. Patterson)
taught public school in this settlement in 1850,
and at that time it contained about a dozen
Norwegian families, but they seemed entirely
cut off from any report either with Norway
or with their countrymen in America.
Before leaving Kendall, I will here present to
my readers the last communication that I have
thus far received from this interesting old set-
tlement. Miss Anna Danielson gives a most
vivid picture of the Kendall colony of today.
Here it is:
86 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
"Kendall, N. Y., Feb. 28, 1895.
"Prof. Kasmus B. Anderson —
"Dear Sir: — In replying to your letter written
to my father, asking for information of this first
Norwegian settlement in America, I will do the
best I can. Mr. Henry Harwick (Henrik Her-
vig), Mr. Nels Nelson, Mr. Andrew Stangeland
and Mr. Ole Johnson were among the first set-
tlers here as they all came in the sloop in 1825.
The first three came directly to Kendall, and
Kleng Peerson was their leader. He had been
to America before and had gone back to Nor-
way to proclaim the news about this wonderful
free land. The sloop party was organized and
as you know, many came at that time to Amer-
ica. Only a few remained in Kendall. The
country was then new, and rich only in beau-
tiful forest trees. What is now fine farming
land was then only a vast wilderness. Those
Norwegians who came to Kendall built a log
house, and all lived together for a short time.
As soon as they were able, they began clearing
up the land and making homes for themselves.
Mr. Nels Nelson (Hersdal) was not content here,
and so he moved west after a few years. He
settled in Illinois, where he died a few years
Ole Johnson.
I
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. 87
ago, a rich man. Mr. Harwick lived on his
farm for many years, one mile east and one mile
north of the village of Kendall. There his five
children were born and there four of them and
also his wife died. In 1876, he and his daugh-
ter Christiana moved to the village of Holley,
where they died a few years ago. Mr. Harwick
lived to bury all his family. He had braved
many of life's storms, had climbed the ladder
of fortune, and died a well-to-do man. Mr. An-
drew Stangeland has been dead many years.
He, like many others, wandered westward and
died in Indiana. One of his sons, Andrew J.,
still lives in Kendall on what is still called
the Norwegian road. It was on that road the
Norwegians first settled. Andrew J. Stange-
land has a family of six girls and two boys.
Mr. Ole Johnson came over in the sloop,
but did not come directly to Kendall. He re-
mained in Rochester a few years. He crossed
the water again in 1826, and when he returned
in 1827, he brought a wife with him. She did
not live long. He was married three times.
With his last wife he came to Kendall and
settled on a farm on the shore of the lake.
Two of his five daughters are living, viz., Inger,
who never married and who resides in Roches-
ter, where her father died, and Phoebe, now liv-
83 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION
ing in Birch Run, Michigan, and married to
Marshall Colon. After a time, Mr. Johnson got
tired of the country and moved back to Roch-
ester, where he could attend his church, he be-
ing a Quaker.
"Mr. Olaus Shulstead w^as also one of the old
settlers of Kendall. He first spent some years
in Rochester. His farm was on the shore of
the lake. Mr. Shulstead served in the late war
and he died last fall (1894), and his widow
Caroline still lives on the farm. Mr. and Mrs.
Shulstead were real Nowegians and always
spoke to each other in their own language.
Ole Orsland (Aasland) came to this country in
1838. He first came to Kendall and helped
clear the trees away. He, too, settled on the
Norwegian road. He has been dead about thirty
years, but he has two sons still living here,
Harry and Canute. Harry was about 10 years
old when his parents came to this country.
He served in the late war and now lives on a
farm in Kendall. Canute Orsland lives on his
father's old homestead.
"Mr. John Johnson (my grandfather) and his
two daughters Inger and Elisabeth (my mother)
and son John came to America in 1857. They
were nine weeks crossing the water. They
came to Kendall and Mr. Johnson, Sr., did not
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA.
by
live many years. His birthplace was two Nor-
wegian miles northeast of Stavanger in Nor-
way. Mr. John Johnson, Jr., was married when
he came here and then had throe children.
Three of his six children were born here. < >nly
two are now living: Mrs. Inger Orsland (wife
of Canute Orsland) and Canute Johnson, who
lives in Mikado, Michigan.
"My father, Rasmus Danielson, came to
America in 1858. His home in Norway was
six Norwegian miles northeast of Stavanger.
He was married to Elisabeth Johnson in 1858.
My parents lived in Kendall until 1800. Then
they went west to Michigan, Wisconsin and
Minnesota. They did not remain in the west,
but returned satisfied that the Empire state
was the best after all, and they have lived here
contentedly ever since. Their home is one
mile north of Kendall village. They have two
children, Daniel and Anna (my name).
"There are a few young men who have come
here the last few years, they work for the differ-
ent farmers. Very few of those who come now
stay very long. They go to the west. The few
families remaining here have made up their
minds to be Americans. They do not wisli to
forget their old homes across the sea, but they
try to do as the Americans do, and the most of
UO NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
theni now attend the Methodist church at Ken-
dall. At present there are only tw r o of the
descendants of those who came in the sloop,
now living in Kendall. They are Mr. Andrew J*
Stangeland and my mother, and of course their
children.
"Now Mr. Anderson, I think I have given you
all the information I can think of. If there is
anything else you would like to know, you may
write and I will be pleased to answer.
"I hope that what I have written may be of
some benefit to you.
"Sincerely yours,
"Anna Danielson."
In this manner, then, began the great Scan-
dinavian exodus of the nineteenth century,
which has brought 1,250,000 immigrants, and
thus was founded the first settlement, which
has been followed by so many large and thrifty-
ones throughout the northwest.
Margaret A. Atwater.
THE SLOOP PARTY.
91
V.
The Sloop Party.
As this sloop party will always be of the
greatest interest to all Scandinavians and
their descendants in this country, I have taken
all possible pains to ascertain definitely who the
fifty-three persons were who came in it. By
the aid of the survivors and various others
who knew them, I believe I am able to present
a well-nigh perfect list of the adult members,
with the number of children in each family.
As there may possibly be some confusion, par-
ticularly of adults and children, I hold the list
subject to revision and correction in future edi-
tions of this work, and I shall be very grate-
ful for any corrections that anybody will have
the kindness to send me, but I do not think the
list as here given will be found to contain many
errors. Here it is :
1-3. Lars Larson i Jeilane, wife and daugh-
ter, now Mrs. At water.
4-9. Cornelius Nelson Hersdal, wife and
four children.
92 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
10-13. Johannes Stene, wife and two chil-
dren.
14-18. Oyen Thompson (Thorson), wife and
three children.
19-25. Daniel Stenson Bossadal, wife and
five children.
20-30. Thomas Madland, wife and three
children. The above named six families were
the owners of the sloop, of which Lars Larson
owned the largest share.
31-35. Simon Lima, wife and three children.
36-37. Nels Nelson Hersdal and wife Bertha.
38. Jacob Anderson (Slogvig).
39. Knnd Anderson (Slogvig).
40. Sara Larson, deaf and dumb sister of
Lars Larson.
41-2. Henrik Christopherson Hervig and
wife.
43. Ole Johnson.
44. Gudmund Haugaas.
45. Thorstein Olson Bjaadland.
40. George Johnson.
47. Andrew (Endre) Dahl, the cook.
48. Halvor Iverson.
49. Nels Thompson, a brother of Oyen
Thompson.
50. Ole Olson Hetletvedt.
51. Andrew Stangeland.
p
E
M
W
o
THE SLOOP PARTY 93-
52. Lars Olson, the captain.
53. Mr. Erikson, the mate.
I have myself seen and talked with eight
of the sloop passengers, viz.: Thorstein Olson
IVjaadland, Mrs. Lars Larson and her daughter,
Mrs. Atwater, Nels Nelson Hersdal and his
wife, Mrs. Hulda Olson, a daughter of Daniel
Stenson Rosdal (Rossadal), Mrs Martha Fel-
lows and Mrs. Inger Mitchell, the last two,,
(laughters of Cornelius Nelson Hersdal; and I
have had considerable correspondence with a
ninth and tenth, Mrs. Sara T. Richey, a daugh-
ter of Oven Thompson, and Mrs. Jacob Ander-
son (Slogvig), the daughter of Thomas Mad-
land.
Of Lars Larson and his family I have already
given a sufficiently full account.
Cornelius Nelson Hersdal, born in the year
1789, and his wife Caroline (Kari), born Peerson,
a sister of Kleng Peerson, both from Tysver
Parish, Skjold District, Stavanger Amt
(county), settled in Kendall, N. Y., where he
died in December, 1833. He was an older
brother of Nels Nelson Hersdal, of whom more
later on. He had been a soldier in the last war
in Norway. Cornelius and his wife had in all
seven children: Ann, Nels, Inger and Martha,
born in Norway, and passengers on the sloop;
91 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
and Sarah, Peter C. and Amelia, born in Ken-
dall. The widow, Kari, came with her family
to Mission, La Salle county, 111., in May, 1836,
and for some months in 1837 my parents lived
at her house. Kari Nelson died at Mission,
July 24, 1848. The oldest daughter, Ann, was
born in Norway in 1814, and died in Illinois in
1858. The oldest son, Nels, was born in Nor-
way, June 29, 1816. He became a farmer and
stock raiser in La Salle county, 111. He mar-
ried Catharine, a daughter of Knud Iverson,
and had twelve children, of which seven reached
maturity. He died in Sheridan, 111., August 29,
1893, and w r as the last male survivor of the fa-
mous sloop party. His widow and four chil-
dren are still living.
Nelson's daughter, Inger, was born in Tysver,
December 11, 1819, and in 1836 she married
John S. Mitchell, of Ottawa, 111. She is now a
widow and still resides in Ottawa.
Martha, her sister, was born in Tysver, Sep-
tember 27, 1823. She married Beach Fellows,
who had settled in Mission, May 1, 1835. In
1855 he was elected county treasurer and moved
to Ottawa and lived there until his death. The
widow is still a resident of that city.
Sarah was born in Kendall, N. Y., February
16, 1827. On July 2, 1849, she married Canute
Nels Nelson, Jr., the last male
survivor of the sloopers,
AND HIS WIPE KATHRINA.
THE SLOOP PARTY.
95
Peterson Marsett, who came from Norway in
1837, and who afterwards became a Mormon
bishop at Ephraim, Utah. She and her hus-
band are still living. They have seven children
and thirty-two grandchildren. Her oldest son,
Peter Cornelius, born at Salt Lake City, June
2, 1850, was the first child born of Norwegian
parents in Utah.
Sarah has, so far as I have been able to make
out, the honor of having been the first one of
the Norwegian immigrants and their descend-
ants to teach public schools in America. In a
letter to me dated at Ephraim, March 9, 1895,
she informs me that she taught district school
in the Fox River settlement in 1845 and 1S46,
and I have not found any one else who has as
old a claim as hers to that honor.
Peter C. Nelson, the youngest son, was born
in Kendall, N. Y., January 20, 1833. He is a
farmer in Larned, Kansas, and has nine chil-
dren and twenty-three grandchildren living. I
am indebted to him for many valuable facts in
regard to the famiiy history.
The youngest daughter, Amelia, was born in
Kendall in 1833, the same year that her father
died, and she was only twenty-one years old
when she died in Mission in 1851.
A daughter of P. C. Nelson, of Larned, Kan-
9(3 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
sas, is the wife of Henry W. Johnson, who is
at present judge of the county court of La Salle
county, 111., and resides at Ottawa.
J. A. Quam, a prosperous merchant in Sheri-
dan, 111., is married to another daughter of
Peter C. Nelson. Both to Mrs. Bishop Peter-
son, and to Judge H. W. Johnson and to Mr.
J. A. Quam I am greatly indebted for assistance
in gathering facts about the sloop party.
Of Johannes Stene, wife and two children, I
have obtained no trace beyond the fact that
they went to Kendall.
Oyen Thompson (Thorson) was born on a
farm named Brastad, about twenty miles south
of Stavanger, in Norway, in the year 1795, and
died in Rochester, N. Y., August 26, 1826. The
widow of this slooper married her husband's
brother, Nels Thompson (who also came in the
sloop) in 1827, and in 1828 they moved to Ken-
dall. Mrs. Thompson's name was Bertha Caro-
line, and she was born about ten miles south
of Stavanger, in 1790. In 1834 Nels Thompson
and his wife removed to La Salle county, 111.,
and there Bertha Caroline died in the town of
Norway, July 11, 1844.
Oyen Thompson had three daughters with
him in the sloop. One by name Caroline was
born in March, 1825, and died in Rochester,.
THE SLOOP PARTY.
97
N. Y., July 2G, 1S2G. Another daughter, Anna
Maria, was born in Norway, August 30, 1819.
She was the first wife of Wm. W. Richey, and
died in La Salle county, June 9, 1842, leaving
a son. The third daughter to be mentioned is
the oldest. Her name is Sara, and she was
born March 6, 1818. She came with her mother,
stepfather and one sister and one half-brother
and two half-sisters to La Salle county, where
her parents settled as farmers. There she be-
came the wife of George Olmstead, March 20,
1S37. Mr. Olmstead died July 31, 1819, from
cholera, and Sara remained in Ottawa until
1855, when she married her sister's widower,
William W. Richey, and moved to Marseilles,
111., where she resided eighteen years, and then
removed to a farm in the* town of Brookfiold,
south of Marseilles, and after living there nine
years, she settled in Guthrie Center, Iowa,
where she still resides. About nine years ago
she secured a divorce from Mr. Richey, and is
now living alone, a hale and hearty woman,
whom to know is to love.
Nels Thompson and Bertha Caroline had
three children: a daughter, Serena, born March
18, 1828, in Kendall, N. Y.; died in Norway, 111.,
July 6, 1850; a son, Abraham, born in Kendall,
7
98 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
N. Y., December 23, 1830; died in Marseilles,
111., February 16, 1866; and a daughter, Caro-
line, born in Kendall, N. Y., July 15, 1833, and
died at Marseilles, 111., August 30, 1858. The
father, Nels Thompson, died in La Salle county
in July, 1863.
Mrs. Sara T. Richey is the mother of eight
children, four girls and four boys, five by her
first husband and three by her second. Only
three are living and these are: Benson C. Olm-
stead and Chas. B. Olmstead, both farmers in
Guthrie county, Iowa; Cora A. Eiche}, now Mrs.
Morris, residing in Nebraska, and Will F.
Richey, a farmer in Guthrie county, Iowa. The
portrait of Sara T. Richey is from a photograph
taken when she was 76 years old.
Daniel Rosdal and family came from Tysver
and settled in Kendall. They left Kendall in
1835 and moved to La Salle county, 111. Daniel
died there in 1854, and his wife Bertha died the
same year, March 10, 1854. The following five
children were born in Norway and came in the
sloop: Ellen, born September 26, 1807; Ove,
born December 4, 1809 ; Lars, born February 20,
1812; John, born June 2, 1821; Hulda, born
February 20, 1825; one child, Caroline, was
born to them in Kendall, April 1, 1829.
Lars Rosdal went into the first grave made
Sara T. Richey.
Hulda Olson, daughter of
Daniel Rossadal, widow
of Rasmus Olson.
THE SLOOP PARTY. 99
by Norwegians in La Salle county, 111. Tie died
in 1837. Ellen married Cornelius Cothrien.
Ove died in Iowa in 1890, but was buried in La
Salle county, 111. John died in La Salle county,
111., in May, 1893. Ellen and Caroline are also
dead, but Hulda is still living in Sheridan, 111.
She married Rasmus Olson, who died at Sheri-
dan in 1893. The portrait given of Hulda Olson
is from a photograph taken nine years ago.
The youngest daughter, Caroline, married
Jens Jacobs in 1847. They farmed it for a
while in La Salle county, and in 1-865 Jens
bought 240 acres of land in Livingston county,
111. There Jens Jacobs died October 28, 1805,
and his widow, Caroline, June 22, 1894. They
left six children, five boys and one girl, all of
whom are living. These six children are:
Mary, born in 1848, married to F. M. Brown, and
living in Jerauld county, S. D.; Jacob, born
1850, married to Ellen Brown, a sister of F. M.
Brown, and living in Livingston county, 111.;
Daniel, born 1852, not married, and living at
Emington, 111.; James B., born in 1850, married
to Dollie Lewis, and is a real estate agent in
Emington, 111.; John, born in 1858, married to
Ida Erikson and residing in Humboldt county,
Iowa; and finally Joseph, born in 1862, married
to Mary Erikson, and living in La Salle county,
100 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
111. The Rosdals were zealous Quakers and re-
mained faithful to the creed of their adoption
to the end.
Thomas Madland was born in Stavanger in
177S, and died in June, 182G, the year after he
settled in Kendall. His wife was born in 1768,
and died in Kendall in 1829. Thomas Madland
was a blacksmith in Norway and when he emi-
grated he left three of his children in Norway,
Jens, Martha and Christina. To Jens, who was
then twenty-one years old, he left his black-
smith shop in full running order, and his home.
Jens with his wife and a large family of chil-
dren finally emigrated to America in 1859, and
died about ten years ago in Sauk Center, Minn.
A son of his, by name J. O. D. Madland, is now
a merchant in Ashby, Grant county, Minnesota.
Thomas Madland and wife brought three
daughters with them in the sloop, Rachel, Julia
and Serena. Rachel married the captain of
the sloop, Lars Olson, and died in New York
city. She was born in 1807, but I do not know
the year she died.
Julia married (Judniund Haugaas in Kendall
in 1827, and died in the Fox River settlement
in the spring of 184(5. She was born 1810.
Serena was born January 1, 1814. On March
1, 1881, she married Jacob Anderson (Slogvig),
Mrs. Serena Anderson, daughter of
Thomas Madland.
THE SL.OOP PARTY. 101
at Kendall, in the woods near Lake Ontario, in
the same place where her sister Julia had been
married. She moved first to the Fox Biver set-
tlement and afterwards to California, where
she is still living, being now over eighty-ow*
years old. Her home is in San Diego with her
son, Andrew J. Anderson. My last letter from
this dear old lady was written at Fruito, Glenn
county, California, March 11, 1895, and it shows
her to be in the full vigor of her mental and
physical powers. She sent me her photograph
taken about ten years ago. Her husband, who
was born June 8, 1807, died in California, May
5, 1864.
In regard to Simon Lima, wife and three chil-
dren, Mrs. Sara T. Kichey writes to me that they
probably lived and died in Rochester, N. Y.
Besides the letter from Mrs. Richey I have no
knowledge of them beyond their being born
-about twenty Norwegian miles south of Sta-
vanger and locating in Kendall in 182o.
Nels Nelson Hersdal was a younger brother of
Cornelius Nelson, and his wife Bertha was a
sister of Henrik Christopherson Hervig (Ilar-
wick). Nels Nelson Hersdal was born in Tys-
ver, July 4, 1800, and his parents were Nelc ( Jer-
neliuson Hersdal and Susanne, a daughter of
Erik Hervig. His wife Bertha was born May 2,
102 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
1S04, and was the daughter of Christopher
Christopherson Hervig and Cecelia, a daughter
of Ilenrik Dueland. They were married in the
spring of 1825, and came from Tysver Parish,
north of Stavanger. Nels Nelson settled in
Kendall in 1825, and in 1835 he went out to La
Salle county, 111., where he got 640 acres of
land from Joseph Fellows in exchange for 100
acres that he owned in Kendall, but he did not
take his family out to Illinois before 1846. Of
his first visit to Illinois his son, Ira Nelson, of
Ottawa, has told me that he footed it from Ken-
dall to Buffalo, N. Y., then worked his way to
Chicago on a steamboat, getting three dollars
per day. On his return to New York state he
worked his .way to Detroit and then footed it
to Buffalo, beating the stage. In Buffalo he
was much admired and entertained for having
made better time than the stage. He was
known by the name, Big Nels, and was a power-
ful man. Nels Nelson HersdaPs wife died De-
cember 29, 1882, and he lived until September
21, 1886. They had eleven children, of which
two, Peter and Ira, are now living in La Salle
county, 111.
Jacob Anderson Slogvig and Knud Anderson
EQogvig were brothers. Jacob moved from
Kendall to La Salle county in 1834. He mar-
THE SLOOP PARTY. 103
ried, as stated, a daughter of Thomas Madland,
and as near as I can make out he went to Cali-
fornia soon after 1850. He accumulated con-
siderable wealth and died in California in 18G4.
He was born in 1807. His widow and at least
one son are living in San Diego, Cal. Knud
Slogvig came from Kendall to La Salle county,
111., in 1834, and in 1835 he went back to Nor-
way where he married a sister of Ole Olson
Hetletvedt, and was successful in promoting
emigration. He was the main cause of the
great exodus in the two Kohler brigs from Sta-
vanger in 1836, in one of which ships he re-
turned to America. In 1837 we find him with
Kleng Peerson on a journey to Shelby county,
Mo., where Kleng and others went to found a
new settlement, but Knud Slogvig returned to
La Salle county at once. He and his wife after-
wards removed to Lee county, 111., where they
both died.
Sara Larson, deaf and dumb sister of Lars
Larson (i Jeilane), lived and died at her
brother's house in Rochester, N. Y.
Henrik Christopherson Hervig (Harwick)
never came west. He and his wife were born
in Tysver, in Norway, and both settled in Ken-
dall. They both came in the sloop, but were
not married until after they arrived in Kendall.
104 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
I have already reproduced a newspaper article
1)\ Ilenrik Hervig, written by him from Ken-
dall in 1871. Miss Anna Danielson writes me
under date of February 28, 1895, in regard to
him, that he died at Holley, Orleans county, in
the summer of 1884. His wife and all his chil-
dren were dead before that. Martha, his wife,
died in August, 18G8. Mr. Hervig was a farmer
when he lived in Kendall, and at Holley he did
nothing as he fyad saved up enough for his
comfort. But it is doubtful whether his last
days were as happy as w r hen he was working
hard on his farm, for then he was surrounded by
his wife and children, while during the last
days of his life he had to depend on strangers.
It is related that Mrs. Martha Hervig walked
from Kendall to Rochester, a distance of thirty-
two miles, in one day. This is the kind of stuff
the sloop people were made of!
Ole Johnson went back to Norway in 1826,
and in 1827, he returned with a wife and after
•pending a few years in Kochester settled in
Kendall, hut in his old age he moved to Itoch-
etter. He was a Quaker and wanted to live
where he could attend the church of the
Friends. He died in Kochester in March, 1877.
II" was married three times. I lis first wife was
named Ifalinda, and both the second and third
Martha Harwick.
THE SLOOP PARTY.
10!
bore the name Ingeborg. By his first wife be
had three children all of whom arc dead. He
had no children by his second wile, but by his
third wife he had three children, two of whom,
Phoebe and Inger, are living. In Kendall, Ole
Johnson lived on the shore of Lake Ontario.
In a terrible storm a ship was washed ashore,
or rather into shallow water, and the ves-
sel had to remain there several days and wait
for help. The sailors went up to Ole Johnson's
house, and there the mate of the ship, Marshall
Colon, became acquainted with Phoebe John-
son and afterwards married her. Mr. and Mrs.
Colon now reside at Birch Run, Michigan.
Gudmund Ilaugaas settled in Kendall, in
1825. He was married in Kendall, New York,
to Julia, a daughter of Thomas Madland. lie
was one of the first Norwegian settlers in Il-
linois, coming to La Salle county in 1834. Gud-
mund and Julia had ten children. Julia died
in La Salle county, Illinois, December 24, 2846,
and Gudmund Ilaugaas afterwards married
Miss Caroline Hervig, a sister of Ilenrik ller-
vig and of Bertha Nelson Ilersdal. lie was
a well educated man. In his early life he was
a wheelwright, but he was fond of books and
a great reader. In Illinois he became an elder
in the church of the Latter Day Saints (Mor-
106 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
mons), an office, which the members of that
church say he held with honor both to himself
and to the cause until his death. He also prac-
ticed medicine among the first Norwegian set-
tlers in America, and it is said with good suc-
cess. I have myself talked with people who
were helped by Dr. Haugaas in cases of severe
illness. We may safely say that Gudmund
Haugaas was one of the first preachers and
first physicians among the Norwegian immi-
grants in this century. He died on his farm
between Ottawa and Norway, of cholera, July
28, 1849. His widow Caroline died in April,
1852. Thomas, one of his sons by his first wife,
is now the preacher of a church of the Latter
Day Saints in La Salle county, Illinois, and a
daughter by his second wife is Caroline C, wife
of Dr. R. W. Bower, in Sheridan, Illinois. A
s«m of this last couple is Dr. G. S. Bower, a
physician in Ransom, Illinois. A son of Gud-
mund Haugaas is Daniel Haugaas, now living
in Henderson, Iowa, and Mrs. Isabel Lewis of
Bmington, Illinois, is a daughter of Gudmund
Haugaas.
Thorstein Olson Bjaadland was born in Haa
parish about 28 Norwegian miles south of Sta-
vanger. He did not know his birthday, but he
frequently told me that he was thirty years.
OVE ROSDAL.
THE SLOOP PARTY. 107
old when he emigrated in the sloop in 1825;
hence he must have been born about the year
1795. In Norway he spent five years in the
employ of the government as a mail-carrier.
Thorstein Olson lived a few years in Kendall
and then went to Michigan (to what part I do
not know) and there served an apprenticeship at
the shoemaker's trade. From Michigan he re-
turned to Kendall, and in 1834 he joined those
who went with Kleng Peerson, to La Salle
county, Illinois, where he bought a small farm
and built a little log house on it, and for some
time prosperity seemed to favor and reward
him for his industry; but the Indians, he said,
set fire to the prairie grass, and the fire spread
over his farm and burned his log house with
all its contents to the ground. He then built an-
other log house like it and remained on his Il-
linois farm until 1840, when in company with
my father and others he removed to Albion,
Dane county, Wisconsin, where he bought a
farm of 80 acres, but he was not thrifty and he
died a poor man in a small log house on my
father's farm, May 7, 1874. In 1S44, he married
Guro Olson, from Thelemarken, in Norway,
and at this writing his widow and six children,
three sons and three daughters, are living. His
oldest son, Ole Thorsteinson, served as a brave
108 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
soldier through the war in the 15th regiment,
AYisconsin vol., and has during the last few
years been postmaster in London, Wisconsin.
George Johnson came from Kendall to La
Salle county, Illinois, in 1835, where he died
from cholera in the same week as Gudmund
Uaugaas, in July, 1849, leaving four children.
He was married to a daughter of Jahan Nord-
boe.
Andrew (Endre) Dahl settled in Kendall,
N. Y. Came thence to La Salle county, Illinois,
in 1834. There he married the widow of Sven
Aasen. Endre Dahl is remembered as the cook
on board the sloop. His sons w^ent to Texas
iu an early day and became experts in captur-
ing wild horses. In the fifties, Andrew Dahl
himself went to Salt Lake City in Utah, w^here
he died. I have recently learned that one of his
sons is still living in Utah, and his grandson,
A. S. Anderson, born in Utah, was recently a
in oin her of the Utah constitutional convention.
( >f Xols Thompson, I have already given some
account. Ho was a brother of Oyen Thompson
and married the widow of the latter in Roches-
in 1827. Ho removed to La Salle county,
Illinois, in 1834, and died there in July, 18G3.
Andrew Slangeland bought land in Kendall
in 1825, and immediately married an American
Mrs. Inger Mitchell.
THE SLOOP PARTY. It » ( .)
girl, by name Miss Susan Cary. It is said that
he married her before he had learned to speak
English. He afterwards Bold his land to Ole
1J. Aasland and got in exchange for it a tract
of land that Ole Aasland owned in Noble coun-
ty, Ind. I am informed that Andrew Stange-
land died in Indiana, but his son, Andrew J.
Stangeland, is now living in Kendall, N. Y.
Lars Olson, the captain of the sloop, married
Rachel, the daughter of Thomas Madland, and
settled in New York probably as a sailor. I
am informed that both he and his wife died in
New York many years ago.
The mate, Mr. Erikson, some say went back
to Bergen in Norway, while others claim that
he, too, remained in New York.
I have saved the slooper, Ole Olson Hetle-
tvedt, for the last because I have a long story to
tell about one of bis sons. He was born in the
northern part of Sta winger Amt in Norway,
where he had been a school teacher. He went
first to Kendall and thence to Niagara Falls,
where he found employment in a paper mill,
and while living there he married an American
lady by name Miss Chamberlain. Mrs. Inger
Mitchell has informed me that she as a young
girl lived about a year with Hetletvedt's family
at Niagara Falls. After coming to this country
110 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION. /
lie dropped the name Hetletvedt and signed
hi in self Ole Olson. Ole Olson Hetletvedt came
west, and settled first in La Salle county and
afterwards near Newark, in Kendall county,
Illinois, where he died about the year
1849. He became widely known in the
early days of our Norwegian settlements
as a bible agent and as a most efficient
lay preacher of the Haugian school. Of his
gospel meetings I shall have occasion to speak
in the latter part of this volume. Ole Olson's
first wife died early and he married another
American woman, a widow, but I have not been
able to secure any further facts in regard to her.
Two of Ole Olson's brothers came to America
in 1836. One was Knud Olson Hetletvedt, who
was born on the farm Hetletvedt in Stavanger
Amt, April 21, 1793. He settled as a farmer
in Mission, La Salle county, and lived there un-
til he died in the cholera epidemic on August
12, 1849. He left five children Ole,* Soren,
* Si nee the above was written, I have had a
letter from Ole Olson Hetletvedt, the nephew
of the slooper. He informs me that he was
born at Hetletvedt, Ombo, Stavanger Amt,
April 23, 1824. As a twelve year old boy he
emigrated to America with his parents and set-
tled with them in Mission, La Salle county,
Illinois, and lived there until 1865, when he
THE SLOOP PARTY. Ill
John, Sophia and Bertha. Ole and his two
sisters live ii: Norway, Benton county, Iowa,
the other two in Illinois. John is married to
a daughter of Beach Fellows. The other
moved to Norway, Benton county, Iowa where
he now resides. His brother Soren was born
December 30, 1835. He now resides in Living-
ston county Illinois. John was born March
12, 1839, in Mission and now resides in Ford
county, Illinois. His sister Sophia was born
in Norway, July 18, 1821, and his sister Bertha,
December 30, 1832. There was an older brother
John who was born April 8, 1830, and died Sep-
tember 5, 1836, at Rochester, N. Y., and
then there was a sister Malinda, who
was born May 12, 1827, and died on
Lake Michigan, September 10, 1836. Ole
Olson's wife, Bertha Olson, was born Sep-
tember 9, 1830, on the farm Valem, Aardal
parish, Stavanger Amt. They were married
December 25, 1857. Their children are Sarah
Ann, born September 14, 1852 (married); Peter
C. Olson, born April 21, 1854 (married); Sophia,
born September 9, 1856; Edward, born May 14,
1859 (deceased); Charles P., born February 4,
1864 (deceased).
Ole Olson also informs me that his mother's
name was Siri (Sigrid), and that she was born
January 13, 1793, and died from cholera August
3, 1849. Mr. Olson also mentions Osmund Tat-
tle from Hjelmeland in Stavanger Amt as com-
ing to America in 1836. This Osmund was
born in 1797, and died in 1880. The slooper,
lili NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
brother was Jacob Olson Hetletvedt. He went
to the Sugar Creek settlement in Lee county,
Iowa, where he died August 24, 1S57. His
widow married Sven Kjylaa, and with him she
moved to the Fox River settlement. Her second
husband died there recently, but she is said
to be still living at a very advanced age.
Ole Olson the slooper had four children, three
sons and one daughter. The three boys were
Porter C, Soren L. and James Webster. All
three enlisted in Co. F, 36th regiment, Illinois
volunteers. Porter C. was the captain, but ad-
vanced to the colonelcy of the regiment, and
was acting brigadier general when he w T as
killed in the bloody battle of Franklin, Tenn.
Soren L. was sergeant, and had his head
blown off by a shell at the battle of Murfrees-
boro, while James Webster came home again
without a scar. He went to Minnesota where
his sister Bertha was living. Porter was bur-
led at Newark, Illinois, and a fine monument
was erected on his grave.
Ole Olson Hetletvedt, had a third brother by
name Lars. Lars Olson Hetletvedt started
for America in 1830, but did not get further
i ban 1 [amburg, not having money enough to get
to N«w York. Twenty years later, in 1850, he
emigrated and located in the Fox River settle-
ment, where he died about a year ago.
THE SLOOP PARTY. 113
I think it is not generally known that Ole
Olson Hetletvedt's son, Porter C. Olson, dis-
tinguished himself in our late civil war, and I
shall therefore now give some account of him.
Everybody knows of Col. Hans C. Heg, the
gallant colonel of the 15th Wisconsin regiment
of volunteers, but we never see Colonel Porter
C. Olson mentioned in the Scandinavian press
of this country. He was born in Manchester,
near Niagara Falls, in 1831. As shown above,
his father was a Norwegian by birth and his
mother an American lady. The family removed
to Newark, Kendall county, Illinois, when Por-
ter was a lad. He improved the usual advan-
tages to be derived from country schools until
he was fitted for college, and he subsequently
attended Beloit college in Wisconsin, from
June, 1856, to June, 1858, but he did not grad-
uate there.
At the breaking out of the Eebellion, he was
teaching the public school at Lisbon, Illinois,
but just as Col. Hans C. Heg left a lucrative
state office in Wisconsin to serve his country in
the war, so patriotism, duty and ambi-
tion called Porter C. Olson from the school-room
to the camp. Through his efforts a company
was recruited at Newark, made up largely of
8
Ill NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
the sons of Norwegians from that locality and
from the town of Mission in La Salle county.
Porter C. Olson was elected its captain, and
his company, with full ranks, was among the
first at camp Hammond, where the 36th regi-
ment of Illinois volunteers was organized.
This camp was on the west side of Fox river,
1 in If a mile above the village of Montgomery,
and two miles from Aurora. The 36th regi-
ment, known as the Fox river regiment, de-
parted from camp Hammond for the seat of war
September 24, 1861, and Porter C. Olson fol-
lowed the fortunes of the regiment in its tedi-
ous marches and participated in all its fierce
encounters down to the fatal field at Franklin,
Tennessee. He was a modest and unassuming
man and a thorough personal acquaintance
was necessary to fully understand and appre-
ciate the many excellencies of his character.
The historian of the regiment, Major L. G. Ben-
nett, testifies that "next after the lamented
Miller none stood higher or had a warmer place
in the affections of the men than Lieut. Col. Por-
ter C. < Hsoii." I find in the records of this rejri-
nient that Mr. Olson commanded the regiment
with great Inn very in the battle of Stone River
in December, 1S62, and January, 1863. When
Gen. Sill was killed in this battle on December
THE SLOOP PARTY. 11j
31, 1SG2, Col. Greusel of the 3Gth Illinois, took
command of the brigade, and as Major Miller
of the 3Gth Illinois, was wounded, the command
of the regiment devolved on Porter C. Olson.
Of the movements of the regiment during 11
eventful days, Captain Olson made a full offi-
cial report, and as this is the only document
I have hitherto been able to find from the pen
of this gallant soldier, I offer no apology for
reproducing it here as a monument to his mem-
ory. It gives us a most charming glimpse of
him as a soldier, man and writer, and eminently
deserves to be preserved among the records
of our early Norwegian settlers. Hitherto his
memory has been neglected by his country-
men in America, but it shall henceforth live for-
ever, and linked with that of the lamented CoL
Hans C. Heg, it shall be handed down from
generation to generation as long as descend-
ants of the Norwegians shall be found among
the citizens of the United States. I give Cap*
tain Olson's report here as one of the most pre-
cious historical documents that I have found
for my readers of this volume:
"Headquarters 3Gth 111. Vols.,
"Jan. 0, 1863;
"The 36th Illinois regiment, Col. N. Grengel
commanding, was called into line at four o'clock
on Tuesday morning, December 30th, l$C2, and
116 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
stood under arms until daylight, to the left of
the Wilkinson pike, our right resting upon it,
five miles from Murfreesboro. At nine o'clock
a. m. we moved forward to Murfreesboro. Two
companies were deployed as skirmishers to the
right of the road and were soon engaged with
the enemy's skirmishers. When two miles
from Murfreesboro, the regiment was deployed
in a corn-field to the right of the pike and two
companies were sent forward as skirmishers,
as ordered by Gen. Sill. The regiment lay in
line in this field until 2 o'clock p. m. at which
time the whole line was ordered to advance.
The skirmishers kept up a sharp fire — the en-
emy's line retreating and ours advancing. We
drove the enemy through the timber and across
the cotton field, a low, narrow strip stretching
to the right into the timber. A rebel battery,
directly in front of the 36th, opened a heavy
fire upon us. Our skirmishers advanced to the
foot of the hill near the cotton-field and here
kept up a well directed fire. We were ordered
to support Capt. Bush's batttery, w T hich was
brought into position in the point of timber
w 7 here our right rested, and opened fire with
terrible effect upon the enemy. We remained
as a support until nearly dark, when Capt. Bush
went to the rear, the enemy's battery, or rather
its disabled fragments, having been dragged
from the field. In this day's engagement, the
regiment lost three killed and fifteen wounded;
total eighteen. We occupied the hill during the
night, and our skirmishers were in line at the
edge of the cotton-field.
"On the morning of December 31st, soon after
THE SLOOP PARTY. 117
daylight, the enemy advanced in strong force
from the timber beyond the cotton-field oppo-
site our right. They came diagonally across
the field and upon reaching the foot of the hill
made a left half wheel, coining up directly in
front of us. When the enemy had advanced
up the hill sufficiently to be in sight, Col. (N)
Oreusel ordered the regiment to fire, which was
promptly obeyed. We engaged the enemy at
short range, the lines being not over ten rods
apart. After a few rounds, the regiment sup-
porting us on the right gave wa} r . In this man-
ner we fought for nearly half an hour, when
Col. Greusel ordered the regiment to charge.
The enemy fled in great confusion across the
cotton-field into the woods opposite our left,
leaving many of their dead and wounded upon
the field. We poured a destructive fire upon
them as they retreated until they were beyond
range.
"The 36th again took position upon the hill
and the support for our right came forward.
At this time Gen. Sill was killed and Col Greu-
sel took command of the brigade. A fresh bri-
gade of the enemy advanced from the direction
that the first had come and in splendid order.
We opened fire on them with terrific effect.
Again the regiment on our right gave way and
we were again left without support. In this
-condition we fought until our ammunition was
exhausted and the enemy had entirely flanked
us on our right. At this juncture Major (Silas)
Miller ordered the regiment to fall back.
While retreating, Major Miller was wounded
and the command devolved on me. We moved
118 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
back of the corn-field to the edge of the timber
a hundred rods to the right of the Wilkinson
pike and two miles from Murfreesboro, at eight
o'clock a. m. Here I met Gen. Sheridan and re-
ported to him that the regiment was out of am-
munition and that I would be ready for action
as soon as I could obtain it. We had suffered
severely in resisting the attack of superior num-
bers. I had now only one hundred and forty
men. The regiment fought with great obsti-
nacy and much is due to Col. N. Greusel for his
bravery in conducting the regiment before be-
ing called away. Adjutant Biddulph went to
find the ammunition, but did not succeed. I
then informed Quartermaster Bouton, that I
needed cartridges, but he failed to find any ex-
cept size fifty-eight, the calibre of most of the
arms being sixty-nine. I was ordered by Major
General McCook to fall back to the rear of Gen.
Crittenden's corps. I arrived there about ten
o'clock a. m. I here obtained ammunition,
and dispatched the adjutant to report to CoL
Greusel the condition and whereabouts of the
regiment. He returned without seeing the
Colonel. Lieut. Watkins soon rode up and vol-
unteered to take a message to Col. Greusel, or
Gen. Sheridan. He also returned without find-
ing either officer. I now went in search of Gen.
Sheridan myself; found him at 12 o'clock, and
reported to him the regiment (what there was
left of it) ready to move to the front. He or-
dered that 1 should hold the regiment in read-
iness and await his commands.
-At 2 oYlock p. m. I received orders from
Gen. Sheridan to advance to the front to the
THE SLOOP PARTY. 119
left of the railroad and connect my command
temporarily with Col. Leibold's brigade. We
were here subject to a very severe artillery lire.
A twelve-pound shell struck in the right of the
regiment and killed Lieut. Soren L. Olson* (a
brave and faithful officer, commanding com-
pany F), Corporal Biggs, and wounding three
others. At dark we were moved by Lieut. Den-
ning one quarter of a mile to the rear, where we
remained for the night. At three o'clock in the
morning of the first of January, 1863, by order
of Gen. Sheridan, we marched to his head quar-
ters on the Nashville pike, a distance of half a
mile, where at daylight I reported to Col. Greu-
sel. As ordered by him we took position to the
right of Capt. Bush's battery, fronting west.
We built a barricade of logs and stone and re-
mained through the day ready to receive the
enemy, but no attack was made. On the morn-
ing of the second, the regiment w r as in line at
four o'clock; stood under arms until daylight.
We remained ready for action through the day
until four o'clock p. m., when, by order of Col.
Greusel, w T e moved to the right on the line for-
merly occupied by Gen. Davis. During the
night considerable skirmishing occurred on our
front. On the morning of the 3rd instant the
regiment stood under arms from four o'clock
until daylight. At eight o'clock a. m., by order
of Col. Greusel, we changed position to the right
and somewhat to the rear, letting our right rest
upon the Nashville pike. On the morning of
the fourth we were under arms at four o'clock.
* Col. Porter C. Olson's brother.
120 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
No fighting occurred on our part of the line dur-
ing the day. In the action throughout, the
regiment behaved in the most gallant manner.
The officers, with only a single exception, dis-
tinguished themselves for bravery and coolness.
The men with unflinching courage were al-
ways ready, and met the enemy with a deter-
mination to conquer. I tender my thanks to
Adjutant (George G.) Biddulph for the gallant
and efficient manner in which he assisted me,
and also to the other officers for their gallant
action throughout the strong conflict, w^hich
resulted in victory. I append to this report a
list of casualties.
" (Signed) Porter C. Olson,
"Captain, Commanding 36M Illinois Vols!'
Of the engagement thus described by Porter
C. Olson, Gen. Rosecrans says: "The firing
was terrific, and the havoc terrible. The enemy
retreated more rapidly than they had advanced.
In forty minutes they lost two thousand men."
In his report of this bloody battle, Gen. P. H.
Sheridan says : "I refer with pride to the splen-
did conduct, bravery and efficiency of the fol-
lowing regimental commanders, and the officers
and men of their respective commands: Major
Silas Miller, 36th 111., wounded and a prisoner;
(apt. P. C. Olson, 36th 111." The 36th Illinois
suffered more than any other regiment in this
battle, the list of the dead and wounded filling
two closely-printed pages in Bennett's History.
Lieut. Col. Porter C. Olson,
36th Illinois.
THE SLOOP PARTY.
121
Although Col. Hog and Col. Olson probably
were strangers to each other, it is interesting
to note the fact, that Colonel Hans C. Heg also
was present and took an important part in the
battle of Stone River, attracting the attention
and admiration of his superiors for his great
bravery and efficiency. Col. Heg and Col. Olson,
both sons of pioneer immigrants from Norway,
fought together in the battle of Stone River and
on several other bloody battle-fields. They
were both destined to meet death in later en-
gagements for the life of our dear republic, but
their fame shall henceforth go linked together
down to the latest generations of the descend-
ants of Norwegians in America.
On the 9th of February, 1SG3, Col. N. Greusel
felt constrained from the state of his health
to tender his resignation, which was accepted.
Captain Jenks, of Company A, Cavalry, was pro-
moted to take his place. "He was a man of
excellent abilities, of fine taste and culture, a
man whom to know was to esteem," says Mr.
Bennett, "but unfortunately he found himself
in a position equally unpleasant for himself and
the regiment. It was felt that the two com-
panies of cavalry attached to the 36th Illinois,
being so distinct in organization and service,
ought not to be reckoned in the line of promo-
122 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
tioiij but that the regimental officers should be
taken from the regiment itself. This feeling
was so intense that neither kindness nor disci-
pline could oyercome it. At one time it seemed
bo high that it almost threatened mutiny, when
Col. Jenks wisely resigned and returned to his
profession, in which he proved himself so suc-
cessful." The result was that Capt. Porter
C. Olson again took command of the regiment.
On the 11th of May, 1863, Olson was regularly
appointed lieutenant colonel, and took com-
mand of the regiment for Silas Miller, who had
received a commission as colonel, but was still
a prisoner at Libby and did not return till May
22. The promotion of Olson to the lieutenant
colonelcy "was," says Mr. Bennett, "highly hon-
orable to that worthy officer, whose fidelity and
courage, tested both in camp and field, had w T on
the confidence of the regiment. The appoint-
ment, too, w T ill never cease to be equally hon-
orable to Major George D. Sherman, who,,
though himself the ranking officer and entitled
to the position, recommended Capt. Olson."
This was an instance of self-abnegation as hon-
orable as it is rare, and speaks volumes both for
.Mr. Olson and Mr. Sherman.
It does not concern Col. Olson, but it inter-
ested me immensely to find that in 1863 the 36th
THE SLOOP PARTY.
123
Illinois resolved to carry a library of books with
them for the social happiness and mental and
moral improvement of the soldiers, and that
my publishers, Messrs. S. C. Griggs & Co., of
Chicago, sold them the books and presented
the regiment with a copy of Webster's Una-
bridged.
The 3Gth Illinois suffered terribly in the bat-
tle of Chickamauga, where our gallant Col.
Hans E. Heg was shot on the 19th of September
and died the following day, September 20. Here
is a glimpse of Col. Olson on the day that Col.
Heg died. I take it from Bennett's History:
"In the meantime the fiery conflict grew more
desperate and deadly. Col. Miller, on whom
the command of the brigade devolved, gallant
as ever; Lieut. Col. Olson, brave to a fault, and
Major Sherman, true and unflinching, were
everywhere conspicuous, encouraging the men
by their example to wring from unwilling hands
of fate the victory which was denied."
At the battle of Mission Ridge Col. Olson
again commanded the regiment and led it into
the thickest of the fight.
On February 2, 1864, the regiment returned
to Chicago and a few days later to Aurora,
w T here it was reorganized and started for the
south again on the 19th of March, with Miller
124 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
as colonel and Porter C. Olson as lieutenant
colonel.
As evidence of Olson's popularity it may be
mentioned that the ground on which they
camped near Cowan, Tenn., was called Camp
Olson. From June until the 24th of August
Olson was absent from the regiment on account
of sickness, but upon the death of Col. Silas Mil-
ler, he returned and resumed command. On
the 23d of September, 18G4, the anniversary of
the mustering in of the regiment, one hundred
and twenty-seven men and one officer, whose
three years had expired, were mustered out and
took leave of their comrades. Being drawn
up in line, they were addressed in a speech by
Col. Olson, who "reviewed their connection with
the regiment, honored their fidelity, and ex-
horted them to be true to the country, as citi-
zens at home, while their comrades continued
to bear the hardships of camp and field."
On the 30th of November occurred the bloody
fight and slaughter at Franklin, Tenn. For his
successful resistance and victory in this battle,
Gen. Scofield was in a large measure indebted
to the cool courage of Col. Olson and the gal-
lant 3Gth in checking and delaying the march
of Hood's army until the works at Franklin
were strengthened. It w r as a delicate and dan-
THE SLOOP PARTY.
125
gerous duty to clear the pike and hold it open
to enable the troops from Columbia to pass
without interruption, and Col. Olson with his
regiment was selected to do this.
In the battle of Franklin, Col. Olson was
everywhere among his men with words of cheer
and encouragement, and utterly regardless of
his own life and safety. Shortly after reach-
ing the works he was struck by a musket ball,
which entered his breast and passed through
his body in the region of the heart. He fell in-
stantly, but in falling he requested Lieut. Hall
of Company E to take him to the rear. As-
sisted by Sergeant Yarnell of Company G, they
carried him to the shelter of a brick-house
standing near the works, when, perceiving that
he was failing fast, the lieutenant called to
Capt. Biddulph to attend to the regiment as the
colonel's wound was mortal. Yarnell wrenched
a window shutter from the house, on which the
bleeding body of their commander was placed
and hurriedly borne to the rear, while musket
balls and cannon shot were striking around
them in fearful quantities.
Beaching the river, they were none too soon
to secure the last vacant place in an ambulance
in which he was tenderly placed by the side of
the wounded color-bearer, Mr. Zimmer. Then
126 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
taking a last look at their dying chief, they hur-
ried back to the trenches, resumed their posi-
tion in the line and fought bravely to the end.
The colonel's life ebbed rapidly away and in a
half unconscious state the pious, god-fearing
soldier feebly whispered, "Oh, help me, Lord!"
These were his last words and his heart was
still. His noble spirit had taken its flight to
that country where wars and battles are un-
known. L. G. Bennett, in whose work this ac-
count of Col. Porter C. Olson is found, closes
the chapter on Col. Olson's death with these
eloquent and striking words: "When brave
Olson fell, a cold tremor thrilled along the line.
At any other time than in the face of the enemy
and under a murderous fire, the men would
have sat down and cried like children over his
untimely fate. Brave, generous, earnest and
faithful, none had stood more honestly by the
men or been more true to the country than he.
Always present in the perils and hardships of
the 36th, he had shared them all and won his
way into the hearts and affections of the men,
making a record of glory that will never be
closed up or forgotten, though his mangled re-
mains may moulder and lay hidden from sight
in an unknown and unmarked grave. The
name of Porter C. Olson will live forever, and
Mrs. Martha Fellows.
THE SLOOP PARTY.
127
be handed down along the imperishable ;i
indissoluble linked with the lame of the im-
mortal Thirty-tiL'th."
I am happy to be able to embellish this \<>]
ume with a portrait of Col. Olson. It shows a
peculiarly mild, intelligent and thoughtful face.
This grand life and Col. Olson's splendid serv-
ices resulted from the immigration of his
father, Ole Olson, in 1825, and many a descend-
ant of Norwegian immigrants appreciates the
force and significance of this remark.
Six of this memorable Restauration party
are still (spring, 1895) living, viz.:
1. Mrs. Sara T. Richey, a daughter of Oyen
Thompson. She was born March 1), ISIS, four-
teen miles south of Stavanger, Norway, and
now resides at Guthrie Center, Iowa.
2. Mrs. Inger Mitchell. She was born in
Tysver Parish, Norway, December 11, 1S19, and
now resides at Ottawa, 111.
3. Mrs. Martha Fellows. She was born in
Tysver Parish, Norway, September 27, 1S23,
and now r resides at Ottawa, 111. Mrs. Mitchell
and Mrs. Fellows are sisters, and daughters of
Cornelius Nelson Ilersdal. They are nieces
of Kleng Peerson, who ^as a brother of their
mother.
4. Mrs. Margaret Allen Atwater, a da ugh-
128 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
terof Lars Larson. She was born on board the
sloop September 2/1825, and now resides at
Western Springs, Cook county, 111.
These four became the wives of American
husbands, and as a consequence now bear old
English names.
5. Mrs. Hulda Olson, born in Tysver Parish,
February 20, 1825, a daughter of Daniel Sten-
son Rossadal. She married a Norwegian by
name Rasmus Olson, who, as seen above, died
in Sheridan, Illinois, in 1893. Mrs. Olson still
resides in Sheridan.
6. Mrs. Jacob Anderson (Slogvig), Serena,
born in 1814, a daughter of Thomas Madland.
She with her husband removed to California
and became wealthy. Mr. Anderson died in
1SG1, but Serena is still living in San Diego,
California. I received a letter from her, dated
February 17, 1895. Mrs. Olson and Mrs. Ander-
son still bear Norwegian names.
My readers will be pleased to find portraits
of all these survivors. It will be seen that they
are all women and it is hardly necessary to add
that they very reluctantly gave me their por-
traits for publication in this volume.
The last couple to survive of those who em-
barked in the sloop on July 4, 1825, were Nels
Nelson 1 Iorsdal and his wife Bertha. Mrs. Nel-
THE SLOOP PARTY. 12i>
son died in 1882 and Mr. Nelson in 1886, a little
over S6 years old. The last male survivor was
Nels Nelson, Jr., a son of Cornelius Nelson and
nephew of Kleng Peerson. He was born in
Tysver Parish, Norway, June 29, 1816, and died
at Sheridan, 111., August 29, 1893. His wife,
Catherine Evenson, is still living in Sheridan,
111. Her father, Knut Evenson, came to Amer-
ica in 1831 in the same vessel with Gjert Hov-
land, who was mentioned above (see p. 81). He
settled in Kendall, N. Y., and both he and his
wife died there. Catherine came with friends
to La Salle county, 111., in 1839. Nels Nelson
w r as usually styled Jr., to distinguish him from
Nels Nelson Hersdal, who was called Nels Nel-
son, Sr. Nels Nelson, Jr., and his wife Cather-
ine had ten children, four of whom are now liv-
ing, three daughters and a son. The son, whose
name is Cornelius, lives on the farm in Mission
township, La Salle county, 111., purchased for his
grandmother, Carrie (Kari) Nelson, the widow
of Cornelius Nelson, by Kleng Peerson, be-
fore she moved to Illinois in 1836. On this farm,
which is the west half of the southwest quar-
ter of section thirty-three, township thirty-five,
range 5 E., 3 P. M., she built a log house shortly
after her arrival and made her home there until
130 NORWEGIAN IMMIO RATION.
she died, July 24, 1848. As heretofore stated,
my parents lived in this house with Mrs. Nelson
for several months after their arrival in Illinois
in 1837. This farm became the property of her
son, Nels Nelson, Jr., the last male survivor of
the sloop party, and now his son, Cornelius,
has it. The original log house still stands, but
has been sided over and a larger frame build-
ing has been added to it; but it still serves as
a home for a grandchild of a slooper. I speak
thus fully of this farm, because it is beyond all
doubt the first farm selected by a Norwegian
in America west of the Great Lakes, and it
would not be out of place to commemorate the
event by a small monument in honor of Mrs.
Carrie Nelson's brother, Kleng Peerson, of Hest-
hammer, Tysver Parish, Skjold District, Stavan-
ger county, Norway. Perhaps it was on this
land he lay down and rested and had his mem-
orable dream of which I shall give an account
later on. At all events this is the first piece of
land selected by a Norwegian in the great
Northwest.
It gives me pleasure to be able to give por-
traits of Lars Larson and his wife, Martha
Georgiana; of Nels Nelson Hersdal and his
wife Bertha, and of Nels Nelson, Jr., and his
wife Catherine, whom he married May 8, 1S42.
THE SLOOP PARTY. 131
The portrait of Lars Larson is from a daguer-
reotype taken after death and now in the pos-
session of the daughter, Mrs. Atwater. It is the
only portrait in existence of this leader of the
sloop party.
I have dwelt long on the sloop party and feel
that I may have exhausted the patience of my
readers, but I find the sloop so important from
every point of view, that I have left no stone
unturned in gathering the facts in regard to
its passengers, and I could not refrain from in-
corporating in this work a condensed statement
of all the information in my possession. In
regard to the fifty-three passengers I have given
all the important facts that I have been able
to glean, but in regard to their descendauts I
am in possession of much that I could not use
without swelling this volume into undue pro*
portions. Meanwhile we may now consider
the sloop party disposed of and go back again
and take up the thread of our narrative, where
we dropped it with the foundation of the first
Norwegian settlement in America in this cen-
tury in the town of Kendall, Orleans county,
New Yorkj in 1825-1836.
132 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
VI.
From 1825 to 1836.
From 1825 to 1836 there was but little immi-
gration from Norway. Before 1836 there were
no vessels carrying emigrants from Norway to
America. Those Norwegians who did emigrate
came either by way of Gothenborg, Sweden, or
Hamburg or Havre, in all of which cities pas-
sengers to America could be accommodated.
The Gothenborg vessels carried Swedish iron
to America, but emigrants frequently had to
wait for weeks before they found a ship bound
for New York. From Hamburg regular packet
s'hips carried German immigrants, but these
were so numerous that there was frequently
a delay of from two to three weeks, before they
could be accommodated. In Havre the emi-
grant packets were also regular, but there were
not so many emigrants and the Norwegians
could count on getting a passage on the first
ship leaving the port. This made Havre the
most popular point of departure from Europe
for the Norwegians.
The most of these Norwegian immigrants
from 1825 to 1836.
133
joined the colony at Kendall, N. Y. In my
travels and correspondence I have been able
to trace a considerable number of these and
their descendants, and I shall now proceed to
mention a few more or less conspicuous ex-
amples.
Christian Olson came from Norway in
1829 and settled in Kendall, N. Y. After liv-
ing there eight years he moved to La Salle
county, 111., in 1837, and died there in 1858. He
was married three times and left one son by
his second wife, Rasmus Olson, who married
Hulda, the daughter of Daniel Stenson Rossa-
dal, and died in 1893 at the age of seventy-tAvo,
having been eight years old when he came to
America. His widow, Hulda Olson, who came
in the sloop, is still living, as shown above.
Gudman Sandsberg, whose name until he
emigrated was Gudmund Osmundson Fister,
was born in the Parish of Hjelmeland, Stavan-
ger Amt, Norway, in the year 1787. He emi-
grated with his family to America in 1829 and
first settled in Kendall, N. Y. I have seen the
testimonial from his pastor in Norway, and the
following is a translation of it:
"Gudmund Osmundson Fister, 42 years <>1<1,
and his wife, Mari Pedersdatter, 33 years old,
took communion the last time in Fist or church
134 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
the 17th Sunday after Trinity, 1827. They have
three children, Bertha, baptized December 26,
1820, Anna, baptized January 5, 1826, and Tor-
bor, baptized November 18, 1827. This couple,
whose conduct here so far as known to me has
been christianlike, now intend to emigrate with
their children to America in the hope of there
getting better conditions than in the fatherland.
God the Almighty conduct them on their jour-
ney through time and eternity!
"Hjelmeland Parsonage, June 9, 1829.
"(Signed) Hjorthoi."
Mr. Sandsberg was a loyal Lutheran and as
is clear from this testimonial he did not leave
Norway to escape from religious intolerance
or persecution, but solely to better his condi-
tion. I have also examined Sandsberg's pass-
port, which states that he was born in the Par-
ish of Hjelmeland, that he was "sixty-one inches
tall, had brown eyes, a ruddy face, brown hair
and broad shoulders." This passport is written
at Sandsgaard in Ryfylke, June 10, 1829. It
was shown in Stavanger July 8, 1829, again at
Ny Elfsborg in Sweden July 12, 1829, again at
Gothenborg July 14, 1829, and finally at Ny
Elfsborg July 18, 1829. This is evidence that
he came by way of Gothenborg. In 1836 Sands-
berg came to Illinois and made his home in Mis-
from 1825 to 1836.
135
sion, La Salle county, where he died March 14,
1840. His occupation both in Norway and in
America was that of a farmer. He was well
educated in Norwegian and could also read and
write English. The signature on his passport
shows the handwriting of a man well trained
in the art of writing.
Gudmund Sandsberg lived at Fister before
he came to America, and until that time he
signed himself Gudmund Osmundson Fister.
His father lived at Sandsberg and when Gud-
mund came to America he assumed that name.
When Knud Slogvig went to Norway in 1835,
he carried with him a letter from Gudmund
Sandsberg to his friend Andreas Sandsberg at
Hellen, in Norway. Andreas answered on the
14th of May, 1836, and this letter from Andreas
to Gudmund is with other documents still pre-
served by the family. The family letters were
loaned to me, and from the above epistle I made
the following interesting extract: "A consid-
erable number of people are now getting ready
to go to America from this Amt (that is, Sta-
vanger Amt). Two brigs are to depart from
Stavanger in about eight days from now, and
will carry these people to America, and if good
reports come from them, the number of emi-
grants will doubtless be still larger next year.
136 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
A pressing and general lack of money entering
into every branch of industry, stops or at least
hampers business and makes it difficult for
many people to earn the necessaries of life.
While this is the case on this side of the At-
lantic there is hope of abundance on the other,
and this, I take it, is the chief cause of this
growing disposition to emigrate. I am very
anxious to get a letter from you, in which I beg
you to inform me about your own circumstances
and about the condition of the country in gen-
eral."
This letter is valuable in as much as it throws
light on Knud Slogvig's return to Norway. It
fixes the year of that visit as 1835. It also
helps us in regard to the date of the departure
of the Kohler brigs from Stavanger in the sum-
mer of 1836. We are also glad to get so full a
statement from a person who was in the
midst of it, in regard to the cause of the emi-
gration. While religious persecution drove
the sloop people to America, and while dissat-
isfaction with the social and political condi-
tions in Norway caused many to renounce the
land of their fathers, still we must not forget
that a hope of securing better opportunities
than the parent soil could offer, was a most
potent cause of emigration.
from 1825 to 183G.
137
I have seen a letter written by Andreas
Sandsberg to Gudniund Sandsberg, dated at
Bellen, September 12, 1831, in which the writer
also describes the hard times in Norway, and
mentions the enormous prices of rye and barley.
He tells about the war between Russia and Po-
land and about the terrible cholera epidemic,
Then raging throughout Europe, and he ascribes
the hard times to these causes. Under date of
May 14, 1830, Osmund Anderson Sandsberg
writes to Gudmund to inquire about Anders
Enochson Qiuedland, who left Norway about
the year 1806 as a sailor, and presumably went
to America. A letter had been received from
him, written in America in 1825. There was
money for Enochson in Norway, and Osmund
requests Gudmund to look him up and so find
out what was to be done with the money.
Gudmund Sandsberg's daughter married a
Mr. Mitchell. She still lives in Ottawa, 111., and
her son, M. B. Mitchell, is a wholesale dealer
in cigars in that city. The letters, testimonial
and passport to which I have referred belong
to Mrs. Mitchell, and were kindly loaned me by
her son, M. B. Mitchell. On examining these
documents I could not help thinking what a
help it would be to the historian if people
would take better care of their old letters and
138 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
other written and printed documents. Those
who have no place to take care of them should
present them to some historical society, where
they might be preserved for reference.
According to the best information I have
been able to obtain, Johan Nordboe came to
Kendall, N. Y., in 1832. He was from the east-
ern part of Norway, and took his name from
Nordboe in Ringebo in Gudbrandsdal. His wife
was from CEsterdalen. Nordboe spent three
years in Kendall, but did not seem to get on
well with his countrymen there, who were all
from the western part of Norway, and the Sta-
vangerings, including Kleng Peerson, did not
seem willing to give the man from Gudbrands-
dal a fair chance. To Ole Canuteson, now of
Waco, Texas, he made the statement that he
could not get in Kendall the nice farm that
he wanted, and that Kleng Peerson insisted on
his taking an inferior one, which he did not ac-
cept. Johan Nordboe and Kleng Peerson were
not therefore the best of friends for a time, but
in their later years they seem to have become
nearly, if not entirely, reconciled and their re-
lations in Texas were friendly. In Norway
Johan Nordboe had been an itinerant physician
and he also practiced the healing art after he
came to this country. I learn of his vaccinat-
FROM 1^25 TO 1836.
139
ing children both in Kendall and in the Fox-
River settlement. Mrs. Norboe was a midwife.
In 1836 he moved to Illinois, but did not seem
to like it there any better than in Kendall, and
so we find him removing first to Missouri in
1837 (Shelby county), and then to Texas in 1838.
So far as I have been able to learn he was the
first Norwegian who ever went to Texas. He
had no desire to found a Norwegian settlement.
On the contrary, his aim seemed to be to get
away from his countrymen. He settled in Dal-
las county, Texas, where for himself and family
he got a bonus of 1,920 acres of land.
He was living in Dallas county when the Rei-
ersons and Wserenskjolds came to Texas in
1815 In the early fifties he visited the
Waerenskjolds at Four Mile Prairie. In a
letter to me the late Mrs. Elise Wserenskjold
describes him as a student of history and
science. She say he was skillful in draw-
ing and had talents for sculpture. When
she saw him, he was a small, feeble man
about eighty years old. Although he did not
like to live in a Norwegian settlement, he felt
a deep interest in his countrymen, and when
he learned that the Reiersons and Waeren-
skjolds were living at Four Mile Prairie, old
and feeble as he was, he could not help making
140 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
them a visit. He was unable to ride horseback,
and Ins sods who did not share their father's
desire to meet countrymen," being unwilling to
take him with team and wagon, the old man
trudged on foot the long way from Dallas to
Four Mile Prairie and arrived there a little be-
fore Christmas, 1851. He spent the Yule holi-
days there, and after Chirstmas Kleng Peerson
came to accompany him to his home. This
proves that he and Kleng had become good
friends again. Nordboe was not entirely
pleased with this part of the program, as it was
difficult for the man from Gudbrandsdal to
keep pace with the old Stavangering. Mrs.
y\ T arenskjold adds to this incident that Johan
Nordboe seemed to her a "very kind man."
AVhen Nordboe came to Texas in 1838, he had
three sons, and he left a married daughter in
the Fox River settlement, the wife of the
Blooper, George Johnson. From Dallas county
lie afterwards moved to Tarrant county, where
he died some time in the sixties, but I have no
dates. His widow and sons w T ent to California,
but I have not been able to trace them and find
out their address. The two oldest sons, Peter
and Jeli n, were married to American women.
Through p. C. Nelson, now of Larned, Kansas, I
leur.ied that John Nordboe vaccinated some of
the children of Cornelius Nelson Hersdal in
Inoebret Larson Narviu.
from 1825 to 1836.
141
Kendali, and the rest of them in the Fox River
sett lenient, and thus I was able to get at the
years of his coming to America, of his coming
to Illinois and of his departure for Texas.
Knut Evenson and family came from Norway
in 1831 and settled in Kendall, N. Y., where he
and his wife died. Their daughter Catherine
went with friends to La Salle county, 111., in
1839, where she afterwards married Nels Nel-
son, Jr., the last male survivor of the sloop, and
she still lives in Sheridan, 111.
Gjert Hovland, who has been mentioned al-
ready and who will be mentioned again, came
to New York in the same ship with Knut Even-
son in 1831, lived four years in Kendall, N. Y.,
then removed to La Salle county, 111., where he
died in 1870.
There is a remarkable record of a man by
name Ingebret Larson Narvig, who came from
Tysver, Stavanger Amt, in the year 1831. He
was a Quaker and clung to his Quaker faith
to his dying day. He arrived alone in Boston
and then footed it from there to the Norwegian
settlement in Kendall, N. Y. He remained
there two years and then joined Kleng Peerson
on his journey to Illinois in 1833. It is said
that there was a third Norwegian in this com-
pany, but I have not been able to get any fur-
142 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
tker trace of this third party. On the way In-
gebret Larson Narvig left Kleng at Erie, Mon-
roe county, Mich., and went to work for a
farmer six miles north of that place. Here he
married an American woman and remained
there about twenty-three years. His wife died
and he married her sister, and moved to Wis-
consin, settling in Green Lake county, where
he resided until 1885, when he moved to Tyler,
Minnesota, where he died January 21, 1892.
Mr. Jer. F. Fries, banker in Toronto, South Da-
kota, met him shortly before his death, and in-
forms me that old Ingebret had forgotten his
mother tongue, but spoke English with a Nor-
wegian accent. He was still a Quaker, and had
his old Norwegian Bible, which he was still
able to read. He was a born adventurer, but
his religious views caused him to lead a quiet,
unpretentious life. A daughter of his, Mrs. Car-
rena Vine, living at Porter, Minnesota, and Gil-
bert J. Larson, of Tyler, Minnesota, is a son of
our Ingebret. While a farmer by occupation,
he devoted much time to the study of medicine.
He had twelve children, five of whom are liv-
ing. A friend of this interesting immigrant
writes to me of him : "A most modest, pleasant
and gentle old man was he. It is a pleasure
to me to have known him." Ingebret Larson
from 1825 to 1836. 143
Narvig is to be remembered as the first Norwe-
gian to settle in the state of Michigan.
Early in the year 1S95, I received a letter
from Mrs. Carrena Vine, a daughter of Ingebret
Larson Narvig, and from it I take the liberty
of making the following extract:
"I will try to give you a short sketch of
father's life as told by him to *ue at different
times.
"He was born near Stavanger, Norway, Jan-
uary 8, 1808. His father owned the farm he
lived on and was by occupation a farmer on a
small scale, keeping at the same time a number
of cattle, sheep and goats. My father's youth
was spent taking care of the sheep and goats
on the rocky hills of grandfather's farm, and
at the same time he studied the religious books,
catechism, etc., of the Lutheran churchi In
that church he was confirmed as a small boy.
"But his heart was not with the faith of his
fathers, and he became a member of the Quaker
society in 182G, when he was only eighteen
years old. He loved and revered the faith and
teachings of the Friends throughout his long
life. He served as a sailor for a short time, but
his companions were so rough and profane that
he left the sea after one voyage. In 1831 he
141 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
came to America and settled in Michigan in
1833.
"In 1840, while living in Michigan on his
farm, three miles from Adrian in Lewaunee
county, he married Miss Lydia E. Smith, the
daughter of William Smith, of Farmington,
N. Y. Two children were born to them: Even
D. and Gilbert B. These two children, he often
said to me, were as dear to him as the apple of
his eye.
"Lydia died in 1844. Her death came to him
like a cloud in a clear sky and was the first
great sorrow of his life. In 1847 he married
Chloe A., the sister of Lydia and my mother.
"In 1856 he moved to Wisconsin, and bought
a farm in Green Lake county, three miles from
the village of Marquette. There he lived and
did quite well as a farmer. His son Even died
at the age of twenty-one, and once more his
heart was filled with deepest grief.
"In 1876 my mother passed away and then
his home was broken up.
"After many discouraging experiences with
ic:it crs, he sold the farm and came to Minne-
sota in 1885 and made his home with Gilbert
and myself, living with us alternately. He
passed to the great beyond January 21, 1892, at
from 1825 to 1836. 145
the age of eighty-four, at the home of his son
Gilbert, and was buried January 23, in the cem-
etery near the village of Tyler, Minn., far from
the land of his birth, and far away from the
graves of his mother, wives and child."
From later correspondence with Ingebret
Larson Narvig's family I learn that two of his
daughters started for California on horseback.
Their names were Emma and Ida, aged re-
spectively twenty-four and fifteen. Ida was
forbidden to go, but she left clandestinely. This
occurred in 1883. Ida eventually gave up the
ride and went through by rail. Emma rode a
bay mare with a yearling colt running at her
side. She was very fond of horses and this
mare, named- Kit, was given to frer by her
father. The horse was greatly attached to her
fair rider. Emma carried a blanket and rested
at night on the ground with the horse tethered
at her side. She crossed the plains and of
course suffered somewhat for lack of water, but
reached San Francisco in saftey, though very
much browned and weather-beaten. Ida met
her there and they went together to the house
of Ingebret Larson's brother, Elisha, who lived
near Oakland. There they remained a year.
They then rode their horses most of the way
10
14b NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
back to Minnesota. These two girls later made
a journey to New Mexico in a wagon. Such
expeditions certainly show that these girls had
inherited some of the old Viking spirit and en-
ergy.
When Ingebret Larson left Michigan in a
wagon he had six children, but the three young-
est died in Kenosha, Wis. In Marquette, Green
Lake count}', Wis., he went to the home of his
bachelor brother, Elias, and lived there more
than a year before moving onto a farm that
he had bought near his brother's. Elias died
at Ingebret's home many years ago. Elisha
was in Oregon when last heard from.
VII.
The Exodus of 1836.
Of course a lot of letters were written by the
Norwegians in America to relatives and friends
in Norway, and these were read by hundreds
who were anxious to better their fortunes. I
have already mentioned Gjert Hovland and
Gudmund Sandsberg as letter- writers, and we
have had a glimpse of the character of their
correspondence. Of Gjert Hovland we know
THE EXODUS OF 1836. 147
that his letters to Norway were transcribed in
hundreds of copies and sent from house to house
and from parish to parish throughout southern
Norway. Many of the early immigrants have
stated to me and to others that they were in-
duced to emigrate by reading copies of Gjert
Hovland's letters, and we can conceive that sim-
ilar results would follow from reading letters
written by the intelligent Gudmund Sands-
berg, by Lars Larson and by many others of
the sloop people.
Finally one of the sloop passengers, Knud
Anderson Slogvig, returned to Norway in 1835,
iind the news that he had arrived at his old
home in the Skjold District spread far and wide
and created the greatest excitement. It made
him the hero of the day. People traveled hun-
dreds of miles to see and talk with him. The
letters from Gjert Gregoriuson Hovland and
others had been read with the deepest interest,
but here was a man who had spent ten years
in the New World. Through Knud Slogvig the
America fever spread beyond the limits of
Stavanger Amt and Christiansand Stift. We
find people in the south part of Bergen Stift
discussing emigration to America. In the win-
ter of 1835 and 1836, we find that three men,
1-elatives of the well-known Knud Langland,
148 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
went from Sainnanger in Bergens Stift to
Skjold, to visit and interview Knud Slogvig.
This led to the great exodus of 1836, when the
two Kohler brigs, "Norden," and "Den Norske
Klippe" were fitted out for emigrants in Sta-
vanger and left that summer, loaded with about
two hundred passengers for New York. The
America fever continued, calling for two ships,
in 1837, "^gir" from Bergen, and "Enigheden"
from Egersund. "Enigheden" came from Eger-
sund, but actually sailed from Stavanger.
Then there was a partial lull until after 1840,
w T hen the America fever set in for good and
it has continued to rage ever since, culminating
as already stated in 1882.
The immediate cause and actual leader of the
exodus in 1836 was Knud Slogvig. His return
to Norway was an important event in the his-
tory of Norwegian emigration, and as he was
going back the next year, he naturally became
the promotor and leader. I believe his chief
purpose in returning to Norway was to get a
wife, for he married a sister of Ole Olson Hetle-
tvedt and the great interest he awakened in
America was doubtless accidental. After his
return t<> America he made a visit to Missouri
with Kleng Peerson in 1837, but aside from that
he lived a quiet and unassuming life as
THE EXODUS OF 1836. 149
farmer, first in La Salle county and afterwards
in Lee county, where he and his wife died.
I have myself known personally many of
those who came in "Xorden" and "Den Norske
Klippe" in 1836, and have learned of others,
through their friends and acquaintances. It
would require too much space to give an ac-
count of all of them, even if this were possible,
but I will mention some of them.
Amund Anderson Hornefjeld was born on
the farm Hornefjeld on the island of Moster,
near Stavanger, February 1G, 180G. He emi-
grated with the party led by Knud Slogvig, in
1830, and went directly to La Salle county,
Illinois. In 1840 he came to Wisconsin, and
alter purchasing his land in Albion,
Dane county, Wisconsin, he went back to La
Salle county, Illinois, and there he married Mrs.
Ingeborg Johnson, the widow of Erik Johnson
Ssevig, who came to America in 1836, and died
in the Fox river settlement in 1840. Mr. John-
son was from Kvinhered Parish, in Norway,
and was born in 1803. He left two children,
John, now in Wyoming, and Anna Bertha
(Betsy Ann), who is the wife of John J. Naset,
in Christiana, Dane county, Wisconsin. In
1841, Amund Anderson moved with his wife
and two step-children to Albion, where he be-
150 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
came a prosperous farmer and died ripe in
years, March 18, 1886. His wife was born
November 22, 1809, and died November 7, 1884.
They left several children, one of whom, Soren
Anderson, owns the original homestead, where
Rev. Dietrichson preached his first sermon on
Koshkonong in the fall of 1844. Anmnd and
Ingeborg's portraits are given.
Andrew Anderson Aasen, from Tysver Parish,
Skjold district, Stavanger Amt, came in 1836,
and remained two years in Kendall, N. Y., with
his brother-in-law, Nels Nelson Hersdal, and
came to La Salle county, Illinois, in 1838, where
he died from cholera in 1849. His widow,
Olena, a sister of Nels Nelson Hersdal, died in
the Fox river settlement in 1875. One son of
his, Einar (Ener) Anderson came w T ith his par-
ents, two sisters and two brothers, to Kendall,
N. Y., and thence to La Salle county, Illinois,
and is still living on his farm in the town of
Miller. I visited him in 1893, and found that
he came in the same ship with my parents.
Although now 77 years old he is still hale and
hearty. His portrait will be found in this vol-
ume.
Osmund Thomason came in 1836, settled in
La Salle county, and died there in 1876, 92 years
old. His daughter Ann, who was born July 4,
Einar Anderson (Aasen).
Lars Larson Brimsoe.
THE EXODUS OF 1636. 151
1834, married Christopher Danielson, one of my
best correspondents in La Salle county, and
now resides in Sheridan, Illinois.
Ole T. Olson settled in La Salle county, Illi-
nois. His widow lived until 1877, when she died,
over 90 years old. Their son, Nels Olson, lives
on the old homestead in the town of Adams.
Knud Olson Hetletvedt came from Norway,
with his wife Serina, in 1836. He was a brother
of Ole Olson Hetletvedt, who came to America,
in the sloop, and of whom I have already given
some account. Both Knud and his wife died
from cholera in La Salle county, in 1849. Their
son, Ole Olson Hetletvedt, the namesake of his
uncle, was born in Skjold Parish in Norway,
April 24, 1824, and now resides at Norway, Ben-
ton county, Iowa. He has been helpful to me in
giving me facts about his family.
The first couple to emigrate from Voss, in
Bergen Stift in Norway, were Nels Rothe and
his wife Thorbjor. They emigrated in 1836 and
must have come in one of the Kohler brigs,
from Stavanger. They spent a year or two in
Eochester, N. Y., and then moved to Chicago,
where they died. In 1839 we find them living
in an old log house in that city.
Among the Norwegians who emigrated in
1836, I may still mention Lars Larson Brimsoe, '
152 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
who was born October 14, 1812. On January
1, 1849, he married Anna Hendrikson Sebbe,
from Hjelmeland. The widow came to Amer-
ica in 1848, and now resides in Strand, Adams
county, Iowa. Her father, Henrik Erikson
Sebbe, came to America in 1836 with his two
sons. They first settled in the Fox Biver settle-
ment, but in 1848, they went to Salt Lake Oity,
and there joined the Mormons. I take it that
they were the first Norwegians to enter the ter-
ritory of Utah. Since the death of Henrik, in
Utah, several years ago, nothing has been heard
of the family. Lars Larson Brimsoe came from
Stavanger, w r here he was born. After spending
some time in New York and in Chicago, as a
carpenter and sailor, he moved to the Fox River
settlement. There he soon became known
for his ability, and he w r as repeatedly elected
to the office of justice of the peace. He read
law extensively and made contracts, deeds and
wills for his neighbors. He also argued cases
in justice courts. In 1858, he moved to Ben-
ton county, Iowa, in 1872, to Adams county of
that state, and in 1873, to Montgomery county.
In the last named county, a sad accident short-
en ed liis life. One dark night, September 26,
1873, as he was coming home from Villisca, on
entering his yard, near his home, his horses
THE EXODUS OF 1836. 155
backed his wagon over a steep embankment and
both he and the horses were killed.
During the cholera epidemic in the Fox River
sett lenient, Lars Brimsoe, being a carpenter,
was employed in making* coffins for the dead.
In order that Lars himself should not be ex-
posed to the terrible disease, the neighbors
would run the boards through a window into
his shop, where he made the coffins, which were
returned through the same opening in the wall.
Por a time orders came in faster than he could
fill them.
I could mention many more of those who
came in 1836, but the trouble is, I have gath-
ered too few facts in regard to their lives and
a mere list of their names would not be very
interesting. I would simply have to say that
Lars B. Olson settled in La Salle county, Il-
linois, then moved to Iowa, where he died; that
Lars B. Mikkelson settled in La Salle county,
Illinois, and died there; that Knud Olson lo-
cated in La Salle count}', Illinois, and died there
in 1840, but the reader would soon get tired
of this sort of narration.
Among the Norwegians who arrived in 1830,
though not in either of the Kohler brigs, I
must mention Lars Tallakson, now residing in
La Salle county, Illinois. I visited him at his
t5l NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
heme in August, 1S94. He was born in Bergen,
Norway, August 13, 1805, was a shoemaker by
trade, and six years after his marriage, he emi-
grated by way of Gothenborg, and landed in
X.-w York, August l'S, 1836. He remained in
Ww York two years, working at his trade. In
V838, he went to Clark county, the northeast
corner of Missouri, and remained there three
rears. No Norwegian settlement w T as formed
there, and Lars Tallakson left Missouri and set-
tled in Lee county, Iowa, near Keokuk, in 1841,
and remained there about six years. He joined
the settlement which Kleng Peerson founded
there in 1840. From there he went to the
Bishop Hill colony and joined Eric Janson's
societj 7 , and it was while he was there that he
saw Kleng Peerson married to a Swedish Jan-
sonite, and he lent Peerson his hat for the occa-
sion. He soon got tired of Jansonism and
abandoning the colony, he removed to his pres-
ent home in La Salle county, where he owns a
fine farm and is still very vigorous for his age.
He deserves to be remembered as one of the
first Norwegians to cross the Mississippi, and
to reside in Missouri and Iowa.
I have stated that Knud Slogvig was the pro-
moter and leader of the exodus in 1836; but
among those who contributed to swell the mini-
THE EXODUS OF 1836. 155
ber of emigrants, I may be permitted to men-
tion my father, Bjorn Anderson, from the farm
Kvelve, in Vigedal, north of Stavanger. It
was on account of his active agitation that the
emigrants required two vessels, instead of only
one. He was a born agitator and debater, and
I have it from persons who knew him well in
Norway, that Bjorn Anderson always gathered
a crowd around him outside of the church be-
fore service or at other public gatherings to
listen to his sarcastic criticisms of Norwegian
laws and of the office-holding class. In Sta-
vanger, he had become acquainted with Elias
Tastad, Lars Larson and other Quakers, and
while he did not formally join the Quaker so-
ciety, he was in close, sympathy with the
Friends, and he always said that if he ever
joined any church, it would be that of the Quak-
ers. His life and conduct were controlled by
Quaker principles. He lived on a farm near
the sea, and when he became of age, he bought
a yacht, and became a trader, exchanging mer-
chandise for produce in Stavanger and at other
ports in the vicinity. When he learned of
America, and of Knud Slogvig's plans to load
a ship with emigrants, to sail from Stavanger
in the spring of 1836, he at once decided to leave
Norway and so began to talk to his friends
156 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
about the land in the far west, and about the
advantages offered there to settlers. He was
well Informed, very persuasive, and the result
was, thai he induced many to join him. He
was practically a Quaker, and so felt more or
l< bs the effect of the persecution of all dissent-
ers from the established church of Norway.
Hut this was not all. Besides being a dissenter
from the established church, he had married
< »ut side of his class or station, his wife being the
daughter of an officer in the Norwegian army,
and this was an additional reason for his wish-
ing to get away from his native country. He
wanted for his wife's sake to get to a land where
"a man is a man for a' that," and so he and
his wife and two boys, Andrew T and Bruun, born
in 1832 and 1834, became passengers in the
K&hler brig "Norden" which left Stavanger the
Aral Sunday after Pentecost ami arrived in
\« w York, July 12, 1836. Einar Anderson
Aasrn, who came in the same ship, and still
lives near Danville, La Salle county, Illinois,
lias Informed me that all the passengers looked
Dp to Bjtoo Anderson as their leader, and came
to him for advice in all their troubles.
In regard to his life in America, I take the
Liberty of reproducing here a sketch of him and
of niv mother, written for a Madison, Wis., pa-
Abel Cathrine Amundson.
THE EXODUS OF 1836. 157
per, immediately upon the death of my mother,
which occurred October 31, 1885. I have taken
the liberty of making a few necessary additions
and changes and inserting some dates, and
naming a few places in order to make it con-
form as nearly as possible to the facts as I know
them.
"On Thursday last (Nov. 5, 1885) Abel Cath-
erine Amundson, was laid in her final resting-
place in the family burying ground on the old
homestead, in the town of Albion, Dane county.
She died Saturday evening, October 31, at the
home of one of her daughters, Dina, the wife
of Rev. T. A. Torgerson, near Bristol, Worth
county, Iowa, where she had lived during the
last eighteen years. The funeral services were
conducted at the East church on Koshkonong
prairie by the former pastor of the family, Rev.
J. A. Ottesen, in the presence of a large num-
ber of friends and relatives.
"The deceased was a woman of remarkably
beautiful character, equipped with those vir-
tues which are the adornment of her sex. As
she was the first white woman that settled in
the town of Albion, Dane county, Wisconsin,
some facts of her life will undoubtedly be of
interest.
"She was born in Sandeid Parish, Vigedal
NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
District, St a \ anger Amt, in Norway, October 8,
1809. Her father, Bernhardus Arnoldus von
Krogh, had been a lieutenant in the Norwegian
army, but on account of bodily injuries received
in the service, he had been obliged to resign
and had settled on a small farm called Westbo,
in Sandeid, as a pensioner. Her mother, too,
was of the well-known von Krogh stock, the
ancestry of which presents one unbroken line
of military officers, back to a certain Major
Bernhardus von Krogh, who was a native of
the free city of Lubeck, and who in 1644, came
with troops from the city of Bremen to render
aid to Denmark against Sweden. The major
was married to a certain Alida von Bolten,
daughter of Dietrich von Bolten, at one time
Burgomaster of Bremen. Major von Krogh
remained in the Danish service, and his only son
George Frederik von Krogh became Colonel of
a Norwegian regiment in 1710. His descend-
ants in Norway are numerous, and the great
majority of them became military officers.
Two of them, father and son, each of whom bore
the same name, George Frederik, were at differ-
ent periods, commanders in chief of the Norwe-
ii armies. The younger of these (born 1732
— died 1818),who served his country sixty-eight
i rs was the right hand man of King Frederik
THE EXODUS OF 183G. 159
the Sixth, of Denmark, during the trying days
of the Napoleonic wars, when the Swedes and
Russians were intriguing for the cession of Nor-
way to Sweden.
"In the month of July, 1831, Abel Cartherine
von Krogh was married to Bjorn Anderson,
from the farm Kvelve in the Vigedal parish
joining Sandeid on the east. He was born
June 3, 1801, and was the son of a peasant.
The marriage of the refined daughter of a mili-
tary officer to a peasant's son, naturally caused
some bitterness of feeling. The fact, too, that
Bjorn Anderson was a dissenter from the state
church, and sympathized with the Quakers who
had been making propaganda in Stavanger city
and Amt during the past fifteen years, while the
von Krogh family were pious and loyal Luther-
ans, served to increase the displeasure with
which this marriage was regarded.
"There was the right stuff in both, however,
and they determined to seek their fortune in
that land across the sea, whose star was begin-
ning to appear above the horizon, beckoning to
the oppressed of Europe. Accordingly they
left Norway in the spring of 1836, Bjorn Ander-
son being with Knud Slogvig, the promoter
and leader of the first large party of emi-
grants that came to America."
160 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Baying arrived at New York city, July 12,
1S3G, Bjorn Anderson and his wife, with their
two children, Andrew and Bruun, proceeded to
Rochester, N. Y., where they found the Quaker,
Lam Larson (i Jeilane), who was very kind and
helpful, and where they remained one year, the
husband working at the trade of a cooper. It
was on this account he received the soubriquet
"T<>udebjorn," that is Barrel-Bjorn. This nick-
name clung to him to his dying day. In the
spring of 1837, he removed to the town of Mis-
sion, La Salle county, Illinois, where he kept his
family for four years, that is until the spring
of 1841. The first six months they lived at the
house of Carrie Nelson (Kari Hauge) on the
farm selected for her by her brother, Kleng
Peerson. Then Bjorn Anderson lived a short
time at the house of Endre Aarakerbo, also
called Endre Glasman, whereupon he built him-
self a small log house! in what is now the town
of Rutland, near the "slooper," Endre DahL
The place is located about a mile south from
where Mr. Claes Claeson now lives.* This
Chios Claeson is a native of Norway, born Jan-
uary 13, 1832, whose parents came from Nor-
way to ! Jut laml in 1813. Bjorn Anderson did
not like La Salle county, and bought no land
* I visited the spot in the summer of 1894.— R. B. A.
THE EXODUS OF 1836. 161
there. Tie supported himself and his family by
working for the neighbors, being handy at all
kinds of work. In 1837, he was in Chicago and
there met a company of Norwegians, among
whom w r as Ole Rynning (of whom more later),
but Bjorn Anderson spoke so disparagingly of
the Fox River settlement, saying that the peo-
ple there starved and froze to death, that he
indirectly became instrumental in inducing
Ole Rynning and his friends to found the fatal
Beaver Creek settlement. Bjorn Anderson had
never been at Beaver Creek, but his severe
criticisms on La Salle county naturally influ-
enced the immigrants of 1837 to seek another
locality. Blame has been cast on Bjorn Ander-
son's name in connection with the Beaver
Creek fatalities, but this is utterly unjust.
While he disparaged La Salle county, he did
not recommend Iroquois county, w T hich he had
never seen.
"In 1840," to again adopt the language of
the Madison paper, "Bjorn Anderson, w T ith sev-
eral companions, set out on foot on an explor-
ing expedition to Wisconsin, in search of a suit-
able place for a new home. They determined
on a tract near Lake Koshkonong, in
what is now the town of Albion, Dane county,
11
1G2 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
AYisconsin. Two of his companions remained
until autumn, being unmarried, while Bjorn
Anderson returned to Illinois at once, and
all of them spent the following winter in
the Fox River settlement. The succeeding
spring, 1841, he went with his wife and now
four children, to their newly chosen home in
Wisconsin. They were the first couple that set-
tled in the present towm of Albion, and the tale
of hardships that that fact carries with it
seems but a sad romance to a younger genera-
tion. But during all the trials of this pioneer
life, neither flinched for a moment. The chief
characteristics of each was energy and will.
He was bold, restless, pushing. She was gen-
tle, quiet, persevering. During the first few
years, money was an article seldom seen. They
subsisted mainly on the products of the little
farm, and with what little produce they could
spare the husband went with oxen to Milwau-
kee, a distance of seventy miles, through a wil-
derness, to barter for a few necessaries of life.
During liis absence, the wife remained at home
with the children and with the red men as an
occasional, but fortunately, not unfriendly vis-
itor. Courage and perseverance were indeed
cardinal requisites for success in life under such
circumstances. These characteristics both
Arnold Andrew Anderson.
THE EXODUS OF 1836. 163
possessed in a high degree, and through inces-
sant toil, in the course of time, they became
comfortably situated. Their original one hun-
dred and twenty acres of wild land, had, at the
end of a decade, increased into an improved
farm of two hundred and thirty acres. But
the battles of pioneer life having been success-
fully fought, a new and more terrible enemy
approached.
"In the summer of 1850, the cholera swept
through' the settlement, and among scores of
others, Bjorn Anderson and his sixteen year
old son were carried off. The son, Augustinus
Meldahl Bruun, who was born in Norway, died
August 6, and Bjorn Anderson himself four
days later, August 10, 1850.
"Thus Bjorn did not live to enjoy the fruits of
their joint labors. Just as fortune began to
smile upon them, grim death snatched him
from her side. Nor was it his lot to see any
of his children pass the bounds of youth; but
his oft expressed wish that a brighter future
might be in store for them, his wife lived to
see realized. The children of this marriage
were ten in number, eight of whom are
now (1895) living. One daughter was born,
and died in Rochester, N. Y., and as stated,
one son died in 1850. The oldest son, Arnold
1G4 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Andrew, born in Norway in 1832, is a well-
to-do farmer in Goodhue county, Minnesota.
Elisabeth, born in La Salle county, Illinois,
in is:*7, married Hans Danielson, who served
through the war and now resides on a farm in
Goodhue county, Minn. Cecelia, born in La
Balle county, 111., in 1840, married Rev. S. S.
tteque, and resides at Spring Grove, Minnesota.
Martha, born in Albion in 1841, and, so far as I
know, the first white child born there, married
Lewis Johnson, a Dane, and now lives on a farm
in Goodhue county, Minnesota. Dina, born in
Albion in 1843, married Rev. T. A. Torgerson,
and resides in Worth county, Iow r a. Rasmus B.
was born in Albion in 1846, and now resides at
Madison, Wis. Abel B., born in Albion, in 1847,
is a minister of the gospel and college professor
at Montevideo, Minn. Bernt Augustinus
Bruun, born in Albion in 1851, is a merchant
in Spring Grove, Minn.
"On March 18, 1854, the widow Anderson
married Bright Amundson from Stavanger,
Norway. He died July 21, 1861, leaving one
son, Albert Christian, who is now a practicing
physician in Cambridge, Wis. At the time of
her death, Mrs. Amundson had fifty-three
grandchildren and one great-grandchild."
After the death of Bjorn Andorson, the-
I
THE EXODUS OP 1836. 165
widow had all the children, except the oldest,
baptized by a Danish Methodist minister by
name Willerup, the oldest son Andrew having
been christened in Norway. This Willerup sub-
sequently removed to Denmark, where I visited
him in 1885 shortly before he died. My mother
later joined the Lutheran church in Dane
county, and was a most loyal and pious chris-
tian woman, this being the unanimous testi-
mony of her pastors, her neighbors and her
children
My brother, Arnold Andrew, who was born
April 9, 1832, tells me that he has no recollec-
tion of arriving in Rochester. He remembers,
however, that the family lived upstairs in a
house with stairway on the outside, and that
below on the first floor there lived an American
family, in which there was a blind fiddler. He
and his brother Bruun went to the door occa-
sionally to listen to the music. Father worked
in a cooper-shop, and mother took his dinner
to him. From Rochester they went by canal
boat to Buffalo and thence by steamer to Chi-
cago. Andrew describes the little house that
father erected in Illinois as built of logs, with
rough boards for the loft, but with no other
floor than the bare ground. This house had to
accommodate not only my father's family, but
106 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
also Lars Scheie and his family and Amund
Kossaland and his wife, and sons and daughter.
The sons Elling and Endre Kossaland went
with their father to Wisconsin, and the
daughter Anna married Tonnes Tollefson,.
and settled in Boone county, 111., near
Beloit, Wis., where I visited her about tw T enty
years ago. This Tonnes Tollefson came from
Klep Parish, Stavanger Amt, in one of the
Kohler brigs in 1836. The farm on which he
was born was called Oexnavar. He lived four
years in the Fox Kiver settlement before he
moved to Boone county. His wife's father,
Amund Kossaland, with her brothers, Elling
and Endre, settled in Fairfield, Columbia
county, Wis. There they all died except Endre,
who spent the last days of his life at the home
of his sister on Jefferson prairie. Elling was
killed by an accident near Kilbourn, Wis.
Tonnes Tollefson died in the fall of 1893 and
the widow, Anna, about the year 1888. After
my father's death Mr. and Mrs. Tollefson took
my sister Cecelia and kept her a couple of years.
To quote my brother Andrew: "The log house
in the Fox River settlement in Illinois
was Located on Endre DahPs land. This sloop
family lived only forty rods distant and owned
ji farm. Endre Pahl, Amund Rossaland and
Amund Anderson and his wife
Ingeborg Anderson.
THE EXODUS OF 1836. 167
Lars Scheie were all intimate friends of
father's. The country was, of course, thinly
settled, but father was a worker and during the
three years spent in Illinois, he was making
preparations for a home of his own somewhere.
In the summer of 1838 a drove of cattle came
into the neighborhood, and father bought a
large cow with her calf and paid $40 for them.
The cow was a wonderful milker. The next
purchase was a pair of black steers, large size.
These steers were yoked for the first time by
an American neighbor, and when they were let
out of the yard to be driven around, the Amer-
ican took hold of the borns, but the steers got
away from him and ran against a tree and broke
the yoke. During 1840 preparations were made
to locate in Wisconsin. A party was made up,
consisting of father, Amund Anderson, Lars
Dugstad, Thorstein Olson Bjaadland, Amund
Kossaland and his son-in-law, Tonnes Tollefson.
It was understood that the territory of Wiscon-
sin had been surveyed and that land was for
sale by the United States government. They
went to Koshkonong (Albion, Dane county,
W T is.), and father, Amund Anderson, Lars Dug-
stad and Thorstein Olson Bjaadland bought
land, while Amund Kossaland and Tonnes Tol-
lefson were not satisfied with the localitv, but
168 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
wont further south and located in Boone
county, 111., near Beloit, Wis., in the so-called
Jefferson Prairie settlement.
"In the spring of 1841 we moved to Koshko-
nong with all our belongings. The family then
consisted of our parents, myself, Bruun, Elisa-
beth and Cecelia. Our route was through
Shabona Grove and Eockford, 111.; thence to
Beloit, Janesville and Milton, Wis. From Mil-
ton we went due north to Goodrich's ferry
a (loss Rock river. After we had crossed the
river I can remember that father exclaimed:
'Now we have arrived in the land of Canaan'
(Xaa sb me komne i Kanaans Land). Thorstein
Olson Bjaadland was with us with a yoke of
oxen, and father had the black steers, which
were not broke. Both Thorstein Olson's team
and ours were hitched to a wagon wnich father
owned. Thorstein Olson and Amund Anderson
had built shanties on their farms before they
returned to Illinois in 1840, and we lived in
Thorstein'8 shanty while father built the little
Log house down by the spring (the house in
which yon, Rasmus, was born)."
"A few weeks after we had arrived in Albion,
Amund Anderson (Hornefjeld) came with his
f mii lily. Amund had gotten married that same
year 111 La Salle county, 111., to Ingeborg, the
THE EXODUS OF 1836. 1C9
widow of Erik Johnson. He brought his wife
and two step-children, Betsey Ann (Anne
Berthe) and John, and I remember the enthu-
siastic greeting we gave them, when they came
to Thorstein Olson's shanty. They moved di-
rectly into the shanty that Amund had built in
1840. You see that Thorstein Olson Bjaadland
and Amund Anderson Hornef jeld had remained
a while during the summer of 1840 and had put
up these shanties; but they came back to Il-
linois and spent the winter. Thorstein Olson
came with us, and Amund Anderson came a
few weeks later, in 1841. The earliest actual
settlers in that neighborhood that I remember
were Gunnul Olson Vindeg and his wife, Knud
Olson Yindeg, his unmarried brother, and Lars
Kvendalen, also unmarried. They lived in the
town of Christiana, north of Albion. They
were Norwegians who had come there in the
summer of 1840 from Rock county, Wis. Father
had engaged Knud Yindeg and Lars Kvendalen
to split some rails during the Avinter of 1840 and
1841, so as to have them on hand when he came
there to locate with his family in 1841. I re-
member seeing the rails and heard father com-
plain that they were made too small. They
were made in the timber, on the hill, a short
distance from our bridge across the creek.
170 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Lais Olson Dugstad, a bachelor from Voss in
Norway, had a dugout on the side of a hill near
the creek, but I do not know whether it was
made before we came or not. He continued
to live in it until about 1855 or 185G, when he
got married and moved into a large log house*
At all events, father, Amund Anderson, Thor-
stein Olson and Lars Dugstad each bought
eighty acres of land in Albion in 1840 and paid
for it, and father pre-empted forty acres, where
the house was built by the spring."
VIII.
The Second Norwegian Settlement in America.
We have now seen how the first Norwegian
settlement in America in this century was
founded in Kendall, Orleans county, N. Y. We
have seen that it was not destined to grow into
a prominent center for the Norwegians in this
country. It merely served as a sort of half-way
home for those who came between the years
1825 and 1836, and for some of those who came
in 1836.
We liave seen what became of the sloop peo-
ple and of some of those who came after them.
SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. 171
down to the year 1836, and I have also given
some account of a few of the two hundred who
sailed from Stavanger in 1836. In showing
what became of the sloop people and of those
who came after them down to 1836, I have re-
peatedly mentioned other Norwegian settle-
ments, and I am now prepared to consider in
detail the formation of the second Norwegian
settlement in America and the first west of the
great lakes.
Only a small number of the immigrants of
1836 stopped in New York state. We have
seen that Andrew Anderson Aasen went with
his family to Kendall and remained there two
years, and that Bjorn Anderson Kvelve re-
mained a year in Kochester as a cooper. The
most of them continued their journey to Chi-
cago and thence to Mission, La Salle county,
Illinois, where the second Norwegian settlement
had already been founded. This location had
been selected by the restless Kleng Peerson
Hesthammer, from Tysver, Norway, the man
who with Knud Olson Eide came to America in
1821 and returned to Norway in 1824, the man
who came back to America in 1825, and was
in New York ready to receive his friends in the
sloop; the man who, with the aid of Joseph Fel-
172 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
lows and other Quakers, selected Kendall as
the location for the first settlement.
Kleng was without a shadow of doubt the
first Norwegian who ever came west of the
great lakes. He seems to have spent several
years with his countrymen in Kendall, but I
have complete evidence that he visited La Salle
county, Illinois, as early as 1833. The first
Norwegian settlers located there in 1834, and
it is well known that Kleng had been there
the year before. Kleng stated that when in
1833 he was exploring the country afterwards
occupied by his countrymen in La Salle county,
becoming weary one day he lay down under a
tree to rest. He slept and dreamed, and in his
dream he saw the wild prairie changed into a
cultivated region, teeming with all kinds of
grain and fruit most beautiful to behold; that
splendid houses and barns stood all over the
laud, occupied by a rich, prosperous and happy
people. Alongside the fields of waving grain
large herds of cattle were feeding. Kleng in-
terpreted this as a vision and as a token from
Almighty God that his countrymen should
come there and settle. He forgot his pain and
hunger and thanked God that he had permitted
his eves to behold this beautiful region and he
THE SECOND SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. 173
decided to advise his countrymen to come west
and settle there. He thought of Moses, who,
from the mountain, had looked into the land
of promise. Refreshed and nerved anew by
his dream, he went back to Kendall and per-
suaded his friends to emigrate to La Salle
county, 111. Kleng's dream may have been
dreamed awake, but it has been fully realized.
The early days of this Norwegian settlement
were days of poverty and toil and they repeat-
edly suffered terribly by Asiatic cholera, say-
ing nothing of the fever and ague of the early
days, but they have surmounted their trials, and
as I saw them in the summer of 1894 they were
as wealthy, prosperous and happy as when they
were seen in Kleng's dream, and I shall never
forget that generous hospitality with which I
was received at every hand. Those were happy
days indeed that I spent in this old Norwegian
settlement! I have the account of Kleng Peer-
son's dream or vision from Knud Langland,
from Christopher Daniel son of Sheridan, 111.,
from his niece, Mrs. Fellows, in Ottawa, 111., and
also from several others to whom he told the
story, so there is no doubt that Kleng himself
related it as a fact.
Kleng Peerson returned to Kendall, N. Y.,
and in the spring of 1834 he wfth several others
174 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
moved out to Illinois and founded the so-called
Fo$ River settlement, in the town of Mission, La
Salle county, 111., not far from Ottawa.
At that time the land had not been surveyed
into sections and did not come into the market
before 1835. Those who came with Kleng
Peerson in 1834 w T ere as nearly as I can make
out: Endre Dahl, Jacob Anderson Slogvig,
Gudmund Haugaas, Nels Thompson, and Thor-
siein Olson Bjaadland, who had gone back to
Kendall from Michigan. In the summer of 1894
I talked with John Armstrong, who was born
in Somerset county, Pa., May 29, 1810. He came
to Tazewell county, 111., in 1829, embracing at
that time all the state north to the state line
until the winter of 1830-1831. He took up land
in what is now Marshall county, on wild prairie,
where he built a blacksmith shop and log cabin
which he sold in 1831. In 1834 he settled in
Mission township, where he has since resided
and is one of the well-to-do farmers of the
county. He is still vigorous both in mind and
in body. Mr. John Strawn Armstrong in-
formed me that a couple of these Norwegians
worked for him on his claim in the summer of
1834, and while other writers have stated that
the first Norwegians did not come to La Salle
county before 1835, I have sifted all the evi-
THE SECOND SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. 175
dence thoroughly and am entirely convinced
that at least those mentioned above came there
in 1834, selected land, and waited for it to come
into market the following spring.
I have myself examined the records at Ot-
tawa and found that the following named Nor-
wegians purchased land in the towns of Mis-
sion, Miller and Rutland in 1835:
1. In Mission: June 17, Kleng Peerson, 80
acres; June 17, Carrie Nelson (Kari Hauge, that
is, the widow of Cornelius Nelson). Kleng Peei-
son bought the land for her, 80 acres; June 25,
Kleng Peerson, 80 acres.
2. In Rutland: June 15, Jacob Anderson
Slogvig, 80 acres; June 15, Gudmund Haugaas,
1G0 acres. .
3. In Miller: June 17, Gjert Hovland, 160
acres; Thorstein Olson, 80 acres; June 17, Thor-
stein Olson bought 80 acres, which he sold the
following September 5 to Nels Nelson Hersdal;
June 17, Nels Thompson, 160 acres; January
16, 1836, Thorstein Olson bought 80 acres more.
Gjert Hovland did not come to La Salle county
before 1835, and we also know that Nels Nelson
Hersdal came out there without his family in
1835 and returned to Kendall, N. Y., the same
year, but all the others mentioned as buying
17G NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
land in 1835 undoubtedly came in a body in
K guided thither by Kleng Peerson.
This setlement grew rapidly and gradually
spread into the adjoining counties. The origi-
nal settlers soon welcomed many old neighbors
to the land of their adoption. Like the Kendall
t lenient in New York, the Fox River settle-
ment must be credited to Kleng Peerson. He
was a restless, roving spirit, and under favor-
able circumstances he might have achieved
great fame as an explorer. He led the way in
the settlement of the Norwegians on American
soil, and thousands of the natives of Norway
and their descendants now occupying happy
and luxurious homes in the Fox river valley
owe their prosperity and happiness- in part at
least to the leadership and efforts of that re-
markable man, Kleng Peerson.
When I visited this settlement in the summer
of 1894, I received a royal welcome by the old
settlers who had known niy parents in 1837 to
1841, and I am under special obligations, for
courtesies extended, to Mr. J. A. Quam and his
family (his wife is a niece of Nels Nelson, Jr.,
the last male survivor of the sloop people); to
Andrew Oaard, to J. O. Sebby, to Christopher
Danielson, to Mrs. Hulda Olson, who came in
the sloop; to Ole Thompson Eie, who came in
Ole Thompson Eie.
THE SECOND SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. 177
the ship "Enigheden" in 1837; to Einar Ander-
son Aasen, who crossed the ocean in 1836 in the
same ship with my parents; to Claes Claesson
(a prosperous farmer in Rutland), and to many
others of the citizens there. I met Mrs. Bower,
a daughter of Gudmund Haugaas, in Sheridan,
and in Ottawa I met Mrs. Fellows and Mrs.
Mitchell, the two sisters who came in the sloop,
and also Mr. M. B. Mitchell, the grandson of
Gudmund Sandsberg, who came to America in
1829. To Mr. M. B. Mitchell, Mr. Quain, Mr.
Gaard, and particularly to Mr. Chr. Danielson,
I am under obligations for many valuable let-
ters in regard to the early immigrants. In
church matters I found that a few were still
Quakers, while the largest number adhere to
the Lutheran faith. A considerable number
are Methodists, and the Mormons or more prop-
erly, Latter Day Saints, have a church of about
140 members, Thomas Haugaas, a son of Gud-
mund Haugaas, being their preacher.
Among people who came from Norway be-
fore 1840 and settled in La Salle county, I may
mention the following. To the descendants of
many of them I have written for particulars,
but as a rule I have not succeeded in securing
the desired information.
12
178 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
ITalvor Knutson came to America in 1831.
Jlans Olson came in 1839.
Andrew Anderson Aasen came in 1836. He
is mentioned elsewhere in this volume.
Knud Halvorson came with his parents from
Norway in 1838.
Knud T. Olson from Eiskedal, near Stavan-
ger, came with his father, Ole Knudson, in
1837.
Nels Halvorson came with his parents, Hal-
vor Knudson and Betsey Torgerson, in 1838.
Lars Fruland came with his father, Nels Fru-
land, in 1837.
Ole T. Olson came in 1836.
Halvor Nelson came in 1836.
Thove Tillotson came in 1837.
Paul Iverson came in 1837.
Halvor K. Halvorson came in 1838.
Hans O. Hanson came in 1839.
Osmon Thomason came from Stavanger in
1837. He died in 1876, 92 years old.
Torke] 11. Erikson came in 1837.
Canute Williamson came in 1838.
Kmil Olson came in 1836.
Lara Nelson came in 1838.
limn- gibley came in 1838.
Michael Olson came in 1839.
Lara I J. Olson came in 1837.
KLENG PEERSON. 170
I liave gathered these names from Baldwin's
History of La Salle County, and from other
sources.
I
IX.
Kleng Peerson.
Before beginning the description of other
Norwegian settlements I will now consider once
more the career of that remarkable man, Kleng
Peerson Hesthammer. He was born on a farm
called Hesthammer, in Tysver Parish, Skjold
District, Stavanger Amt or county, Norway,
May 17. 1782. We have seen that in his earlier
years he became a dissenter and that he was
substantially a Quaker, being on particularly
friendly terms with the Friends. He inspired
the organization of the sloop party in 1825, and
with the aid of Joseph Fellows and other Amer-
ican Quakers, he selected Kendall, Orleans
county, as the location of the first Norwegian
settlement. From 1825 to 1833 I have no
knowledge of his whereabouts, but I presume
he spent the most of that time in Kendall and
in Rochester, N. Y. In 1833 we find him in
company with a Quaker from Tysver (Ingebret
lg i NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Larson Narvig, who had come from Norway to
Boston in 1S31 and footed it from there to Ken-
dall), and another man on his way to the far
west. Ingebret Larson Narvig left him and
went to work for a farmer in Michigan. Kleng
(and presumably the other man, whom I have
not been able to identify) continued the jour-
ney westward, until he reached La Salle county,
111., and there selected the location of the second
Norwegian settlement. The Kendall and Fox
River settlements are his undying glory. But
as I have repeated so often, he was a restless
fellow. While the records show that he bought
a considerable amount of land in La Salle
county, still he did not settle on it. He simply
purchased it for his relatives and friends. As
has been shown in the preceding pages, many
of the early settlers in La Salle county were
Kleng Peerson's relatives. He did not care to
work. He needed but little for his support
and this little he got largely by visiting among
his relatives and friends. He was a man of
strict integrity and any matter entrusted to him
would be performed with scrupulous honesty.
Il<* looked upon himself as the pathfinder and
father of Norwegian immigration. At the
homes where he visited he would ask the house-
wife for her knitting-work and request her to
KLENG PEERSON. 181
make coffee. lie would then lie down on the
bed and knit and drink coffee and talk about
his extensive travels. He was a most excellent
story-teller and consequently a welcome visitor
everywhere. In his domestic relations he had
been unfortunate. A veil is spread over the
details, and all I have been able to find out is
that he was married in Norway to a woman by
name Catherine, before he went to America in
1S21. She was much older than he, had con-
siderable property, but for some reason or other
they did not get on well. At all events, he
abandoned her and Catherine probably did not
regret his departure. In 1847 we find him in
the well-known Bishop Hill colony in Henry
count}', 111., and while there he married a Swed-
ish woman belonging to Erik Janson's colony.
Her name was Charlotte Marie. I know this
from Lars Tallakson, who. still lives in La Salle
county and was in the Bishop Hill colony at
the time. Lars Tallakson informed me that he
lent Kleng his hat for the wedding. It is due
to Kleng, however, to add that he stated before
marrying Charlotte Marie in 1847, that his
first wife Catherine, whom he had left in Nor-
way, was then dead. Charlotte Marie died
from cholera in 1849.
Ingebret Larson Narvig told a friend of mine
182 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
that Kleng was proud and essentially an ad-
venturer, that he had married a woman of
means, and that he desired very much to get
Into possession of her property. As he did not
succeed he left her, declaring he would get on
without either her or her property.
And while I do not care to suppress Mr. Nar-
vig's testimony I take pleasure in presenting in
this connection the following extract from a
letter recently received from Kleng Peerson's
niece, Mrs. Bishop Sarah A. Peterson, of
Ephraim, Utah. She is the daughter of the
slooper, Cornelius Nelson, and married Canute
Peterson Marsett, who came to America in 1837,.
and who afterwards became bishop of Ephraim,
Utah. On February 27, 1895, Mrs. Sarah A.
Peterson writes me: "My uncle Peerson read
and heard much of the lovely country in the
west and he resolved to go and see for himself,
lie came back with such glowing descriptions
that all got the emigration fever and moved
\\<st. Joseph Fellows also owned land out
there. The Norwegians could get land for $1.25
per acre. There were no forests to cut away
and burn before plowing and putting in crops.
Bo wIhmi Kleng came back it was not long be-
fore all were ready to move west.
"Un< ■!<• Kleng sold my mother's and his own
KLENG PEERSON. 183
land in Kendall. My father being dead, uncle
Kleng did all the business, bought land for all
the money and gave us eighty acres each. This
was not all we should have had, but uncle be-
lieved in dividing the land among the new-
comers and the poor. He never reserved an
acre for himself. He was the most unselfish
person I ever saw. He was always busy finding
land for the immigrants, and used all his means
for the comforts of others. He left his wife
Catherine in Norway. He went back several
times, but she would not come with him to
America. So after about twenty-five years he
married again a Swedish woman by name Char-
lotte Marie, and she died from cholera in 1849.
He was in La Salle county when I left my home
to go to Utah. He felt very bad to think I
should go beyond the Rocky mountains with
such bad people as the Mormons.
"He spent all his time in trying to do good
to the strangers that came, and was always
colonizing and finding homes for orphans. I
have known him to carry children on his back
for miles to get good places for them. If he
got a place for them and they were not treated
well he took them away again. In this way he
made both friends and enemies. He was not
a man that worked. He traveled and kept busy
184 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
trying to do good to others for but very little
thanks. He was fond of coffee, but I never saw
him knit. For my own part, I shall always feel
thankful to him for being the means of getting
my parents to come to this splendid country
and particularly for the fact that I am in Utah.
"Andrew Dahl has a son in Utah and he has
a nice family. He has two half-brothers that
came to America with the second group of im-
migrants. Their father's name was S. Jacob-
son Aasen, and he died in Kendall, N. Y. Ey-
stein Sanderson Bakke was one that settled in
Beaver Creek in 1837. He and his wife died
there, but three of his children came to Utah.
Ellen, the oldest daughter, came with the pio-
neer company. She was one of the three
women that crossed the Rocky mountains, and
came into Salt Lake valley in 1849. The others
ca in 3 later. My husband, Canute Peterson
Marsett, came from Norway in the same ship
with them but settled in Beaver creek. Thou-
sands of Norwegians are here in Utah and have
been coming ever since the beginning of the
settlement of this territory."
It is said of Kleng that he spoke English
fluently, could read French, and was able to
make himself understood among the Germans;
thus with the Norwegian, he had the command
KLENG PEERSON. 185
of four languages. He was a most interesting
talker. To the Americans, he was able to de-
scribe the landscapes and life of old Norway;
to his countrymen, he could give an account
of soil and climate in various parts of the far
west. People gathered around him wherever
he came, to listen to his reports and stories,
-and when Kleng came to a neighborhood, the
day was usually turned into a holiday. Under
such circumstances it is easy to understand that
he did not need to work and that his few nec-
essaries were supplied without his being a men-
dicant, and he was satisfied with very little.
He was a carpenter by trade, and what he
earned, when he occasionally did work, he gave
freely to his countrymen who needed assistance.
The next glimpse we get of Kleng, after he
had founded the Fox River settlement, is in
Shelb3 T county, in the northeast corner of Mis-
souri, in the year 1837. There he also founded
a Norwegian settlement, but it not only did not
receive any important accretions, but many of
the settlers left it a few years later and founded
another settlement called Sugar Creek, in Lee
county, Iowa, about seven or eight miles west
of Keokuk. Kleng must have been across the
Mississippi before 1837, because he had already
selected the location for the settlement, when,
186 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
in 1887, in company with Jacob Anderson Slog-
rig, Anders Askeland and twelve others, he
went from La Salle county, to Missouri, in
March, 1837. Writers have complained that
Shelby county was badly chosen, but Andrew
Simonson, who was one of the party, and who
in October, 1879, was still living, wrote in a
Norwegian newspaper, that "no settlement ever
founded by Norwegians, in America, had a
better appearance or better location, than this
very land in Shelby county, of which the Nor-
wegians took possession at that time, and
which they in part still own."
It must be remembered that Missouri was a
slave state, a fact which was very distasteful
to the Norwegians, and of course Shelby county
was far from any market. It being reported
that there was good land to be had in Lee
county, Iowa, only seven miles west of Keokuk,
Deng, at the request of Andrew Simonson and
Others, went there to inspect it, and the result
was that Andrew Simonson, born November 10,
1810, and the majority of the settlers in Shelby
county, moved to Lee county, for the sake of a
Hearer market, but Mr. Simonson maintains
thai they did not get as good land as they left
in Missouri. At all events, Kleng became the
founder both of the settlement in Shelby
KLENG PEERSON. 187
county, Missouri, and of that in Lee county,
Iowa, the former in 1837, the latter in 1840.
Kleng purchased eighty acres of land in Shelby
county. To recruit his colony there, he went
to Norway in 1838, and in 1839 we find him
bringing back with him a lot of immigrants.
Kleng had done his recruiting in old Stavanger
county, in Norway, and had secured as emi-
grants, for his Missouri colony, a carpenter, by
name Ole Reierson, and his family, three broth-
ers, Peter, William and Hans Tesman, Nils Ol-
son and six or seven women. On arriving in
New York, he proceeded with them to Cleve-
land, where he decided to take them by way
of the Ohio river, to Missouri. But the water
in the Ohio was low, and the party suffered
many inconveniences before they finally
reached their destination. Kleng's reason for
going by way of the Ohio river was that the two
persons mentioned above, who came with him
to Missouri in 1837, viz., Anders Askeland and
our well-known Jacob Slogvig, the slooper,
had gone back to La Salle county, dissatisfied,
and Kleng feared that if he went by way of the
Fox River settlement, his recruits might be pur-
suaded not to proceed with him to his settle-
ment in Missouri. The brothers Tesman, and
possibly others of this company, later went
188 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
to the Sugar Creek settlement in Lee county,
and there we also find Hans Barlien dying at
an advanced age, in 1842. Some have supposed
that the Sugar Creek settlement was founded
by Hans Barlien, and he may have been with
Kleng in Shelby county, Missouri; but the
statement I have made in regard to the found-
ing of the Sugar Creek settlement, is substan-
tially correct. I shall have occasion to speak
more fully of Hans Barlien later on.
In 1842, Kleng made a third visit to Norway,
for what purpose I do not know. Mr. O. Ca-
nuteson, one of the early Norwegian settlers in
Texas, and now a prosperous business man in
Waco, Texas, writes me under date of December
1G, 1894, as follows: "I am sure he (Kleng) made
three trips to Norway. He came to my father's
house (near Kobbervig, north of Stavanger).
Hi* brought letters from America to my father
and others. I remember seeing him and I par-
linilarly remember a peculiarly made cloak
thai ho wore. He had an atlas of the world,
and showed us the maps, &c, and he took occa-
sion to express himself as opposed to the power
tin* <h niches were exercising over the people.
What started him was that he found pictures
of churches printed on the maps indicating that
the countries were Christian. I remember he
/
KLENG PEERSON. 189
had it in for the Catholics. My father and I
transported him a short distance in a boat, to
a man that had a son in America." This was
probably in the autumn of 1842, for in May,
1S43, we find him a passenger on board the bark
"Juno," which sailed from Bergen for New
York, with 80 passengers.
In 1847, we find Kleng selling his eighty acres
of land in Shelby county, in Missouri, and join-
ing the Swedish Bishop Hill colony, in Henry
county, Illinois. The money he got for his
Missouri farm, he contributed to Erik Janson's
communistic society. Here he married a Swed-
ish woman, belonging to Erik Janson's sect,
but he soon got disgusted with the peculiar life
in the Bishop Hill colony, and abandoning both
his wife and the colony, and as he said, "robbed
of all he possessed, and sick in body and mind,"
he went from Henry county, back to his old
Fox Eiver settlement and remained there until
his health was restored.
At this point, I am in the dark in regard to
the chronology, but either in 1848 or 1840, he
must have made his first visit to Texas. He
went down there evidently at the suggestion
of John Nordboe, who had then lived several
years five miles south of Dallas. Kleng visited
John Nordboe, made some explorations in vari-
190 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
ous parts of Texas, having been as far west as
within a few miles of the present Fort Worth,
and returned to La Salle county, Illlinois, in
J >50, full of the Texas fever. The rest of his
life is easily told in O. Canuteson's letter to me,
dated December 16, 1894: "In 1850, my father,
with his family, came to my uncle, Halvor
Knudscn, in Illinois. My mother had died from
cholera between Chicago and Ottawa. In Ot-
tawa, we found Kleng Peerson, just back from
Texas, and on his advice, and on his promise to
be our guide, we concluded to go to Texas. He
stayed with us the three years we lived in Dal-
las count}', and when we moved to Bosque
county in 1854, he came with us, not as the
leader then, but as a follower, being too old to
undertake leadership any more. The last years
of his life he had his home with O. Col wick
(Kjolvig), but would of course, go around among
his neighbors, where he was always welcome
and felt at home.* He died December 16, 1865.
One of his neighbors and I were with him the
last hours of his life. I closed his eyes in the
long sleep of death. He was buried in the
* In Texas, Kleng Peerson owned half a section of land,
and a few cows, and all this property he gave to O. Colwick,
the latter agreeing to take care of him the balance of his
life.
KLENG PEERSON. 19 J
Lutheran cemetery opposite the Norwegian
church near Norse P. O. in Bosque count y, and
the Norwegians in Texas afterwards put a
small stone monument on Lis grave with the
following inscription written both in Norwe-
gian and in English:
'Cleng Peerson,
The first Norwegian immigrant
to *
America.
Came to America in 1821.
Born in Norway, Europe, May IT, 1782,
Died in Texas, December 16, 1865.
Grateful countrymen in Texas erected this
monument to his memory.' "
Mr. O. Canuteson contributed $15 to this
monument, and superintended the matter of
collecting funds and having it made. So far
as I know, it is the only monument put up in
honor of a Norwegian, in America, by public
subscription.
I have -stated that Kleng Peerson was a dis-
senter from the church of Norway, and that al-
though he did not personally join the society,
he was in sympathy with the Quakers, that he
got help from the Friends in Stavanger for his
first journey to America in 1821, and that he,
by the help of Quakers in New York, not only
192 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
selected Kendall as the place of the first settle-
ment, but also secured financial aid to transport
the sloop people from New York to Kendall.
He also had the help of Quakers in securing
land in the second settlement in La Salle county,,
111. While he admired the Quakers, he gradu-
ally drifted more and more away from all
churches, and the fact is that before he died he
had lost all faith in the Christian religion. On
this point I am able to quote my friend, O.
Canuteson, who lived in the same house with
him for many years in Texas, who was with him
in his dying hours, and who closed his eyes in
death. He says: "I was intimately ac-
quainted with Kleng Peerson from 1850 until
his death in 1865. He w^as the most pronounced
free-thinker I have ever known. I remember
his having an old Danish free-thinking book
translated from the German. He believed lit-
tle or nothing of the Bible, especially of the
supernatural part thereof. Whether he at any
time had belonged to the Quakers, I can not say
positively, but time and again I heard him talk
about them as models in religious and temporal
matters, and I heard him talk about getting
assistance, aid and comfort from Elias Tastad
of Stnvanger, Norway, he being their leader in
that city."
KLENG PEERSON. 193
Kleng Peerson was thoroughly unselfish in
his character, and he devoted his life largely
to the service of his countrymen. While he
never had what might properly be called a home
after he left Norway, he spent his time and his
scanty means in getting homes for others. In
Kendall and in Illinois he secured land for his
relatives and friends. By his trade as a car-
penter he occasionally earned a few dollars, but
these he freely gave to others who needed them.
When he had nothing of his own to give away
he would beg from the rich and give to the poor.
So far as I can make out, he made the most
of his extensive journeys in this country on foot.
On these expeditions he became the founder of
the settlements in Kendall, N. Y., in La Salle
county, 111., in Shelby county, Mo., in Lee county,
Iowa, and he finally guided one family to Dal-
las county, Texas, although John Nordboe,
Johan Eeinert Keierson and others had been in
Texas several years before Kleng came there.
This is as full and accurate account as I am
able to give of old Kleng. His great services
to Norwegian immigration deserve to be re-
membered and appreciated, and with all his ec-
centricities and shortcomings his countrymen
will look upon him as a benefactor to his race
and as an honest and benevolent man.
13
194 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
X.
The Third Norwegian Settlement.
The third permanent Norwegian settlement
in America was founded in Chicago in 1836.
Of course Norwegians had passed through
there in 1834 and 1835 on their way to La
Salle county, and Kleng Peerson doubtless was
there in 1833. Halstein Torrison and Johan
Larson have the honor of being the first two
to locate in this city. Halstein Torrison came
from Fjeldberg in Norway and settled in Chi-
cago with his wife and children, October 16,
1836. His first house was on Wells street on
the ground now occupied by the Chicago and
Northwestern railroad depot. He certainly
was the first one to get his own home in this
city, where the Norwegians and their children
are now numbered by the tens of thousands,
and where so many Norwegians have become
prominent as bankers, merchants, importers,
physicians, ministers, lawyers, and publishers.
Johan Larson from Kobbervig in Norway
was a Bailor, and as such visited Chicago at
an earlier period from Buffalo, but he located
THE EXODUS OF 1837. 195
there in 1836, about the same time as llalstein
Torrison. When and how Torrison and Lar-
son came from Norway, I do not know. Torri-
son left the city in 1848 and settled in Cal-
umet, south of Chicago, where he died many
years ago. In 1887, Mr. Johan Larson was
still living.
XI.
The Exodus of 1837.
We have now considered the fate of the im-
migrants of 183G. We have seen how the sec-
ond Norwegian settlement was founded in the
towns of Mission, Miller and Rutland, La Salle
county, in 1834, and how the third Norwegian
settlement was founded in Chicago in
1836, and we have described the career
of Kleng Peerson from his cradle to his
grave. We have seen that letters from the
first settlers, and particularly those from Gjert
Gregoriuson Hovland, were widely read in Sta-
vanger Amt and in Bergen Stift in Norway,
and that Knud Anderson Slogvig, a slooper, re-
turned to Norway in 1835. We have seen what
a great influence these letters had, and how
196 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Knud Slogvig became the leader of the exodus
of 1836.
We may, therefore, now return to the year
1837, when two more ships brought Norwegian
immigrants direct to America. These were
"Enigheden" from Stavanger, and "iEgir" (the
god of the sea in Norse mythology) from Ber-
gen. We may look upon the exodus in 1837 as
a continuation of that of 1836, and as produced
by the same causes. It is fair to assume that all
who decided to emigrate either did not get
ready or did not secure passage in 1836. The
ship "Enigheden," commanded by Capt. Jensen,
started from Egersund, south of Stavanger,
with a few emigrants on board, and then came
to Stavanger, whence it sailed with ninety-three
passengers. The cost of the passage to New
York, not including board, was $31 for each
grown person. The passengers on board this
ship were partly from the city of Stavanger and
partly from the surrounding country, from
Hjelmeland, Aardal, Tysver and other parts
of Stavanger county. They had fair weather,
and were twelve weeks on the sea. Among the
passengers on board "Enigheden" were Knud
Olson Eide, supposed by some to have been
Kleng Peerson's companion to America in 1821,
and his family, Ole Thompson Eide from the-
;
the exodus of 1837. 197
:samo farm in Norway as Knud, Christopher
Danielson and Hans Valder (Vaelde).
In the autumn of 1836 Capt. Behrens, who
owned the ship "JEgir" which he commanded,
returned to Bergen from America, where he
had been with a cargo of freight. Learning
that a considerable number of his countrymen
in the vicinity of the city, particularly from
Samnanger, had sold their farms and desired
to emigrate to America, Capt. Behrens decided
to change his vessel into an emigrant packet,
and made a contract to carry these people over
in 1837. Capt. Behrens had seen many Ger-
man and English emigrant ships in New York,
and hence he was well informed as to what to
do to make his passengers comfortable in every
respect. Moreover, he had carried back to
Europe two German ministers who were bound
for the fatherland to solicit subscriptions for
churches they were about to build, and from
these ministers he had learned much about the
German immigration by way of Baltimore to
Pennsylvania. On board "^Egir" there were
eighty-four emigrants. Among these we daay
mention N. P. Langeland, who had been a
school teacher in Norway, Mons Aadland, Nils
Frtfland, Anders Nordvig, Anders Rosseland,
Thomas Bauge, Ingebrigt Brudvig, Thorbjorn
198 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
5te, and others, all of whom had families.
Among unmarried men Knud Langeland men-
is by their surnames, only, Dovig, Eosseland,
Bauge, Finland, Xordvig, Hisdal and Tosseland.
On this ship also came Ole Rynning, a man of
whom I shall give a more full account later on.
"-aSgir" was eight weeks in crossing the At-
lantic. In mid-ocean it collided with an Amer-
ican packet, but no damage was done.
The immigrants of 1837 also intended to go
to the Vox River settlement, and many of those
who came in "Enigheden" actually proceeded
thither at once. But w T hen the passengers in
"JSgir" got as far as Chicago, they heard un-
favorable reports from La Salle county, and so
they revised their plans and took into consider-
ation reports about good land to be had in Iro-
quois county, about seventy miles south of Chi-
cago. This led to the unfortunate Beaver
Creek settlement
XII.
The Beaver Creek Settlement.
Tt was in Chicago these immigrants met my
father, BjOrn Anderson, who had come to that
city from the Fox River settlement. lie gave
THE BEAVER CREEK SETTLEMENT.
an unfavorable description of the colony in La
Salle county, and would not recommend his
countrymen to go there. He was entirely
honest in his statements. He did not like the
Fox river country, and neither bought land
there nor intended to make his home there, and
we know from what has been said of him that
he took the first opportunity to look for a new
place of settlement. But it is a great injustice
to him to blame him for the misfortunes of
those who went to Iroquois county. Bjorn An-
derson had never been there, and consequently
he neither could nor did recommend it to any
one else.
A couple of Americans with whom Ole Ryn-
ning talked persuaded him to go with his
friends to Beaver Creek, which was the name of
the particular place in question. Others ad-
vised against the selection of this place, and in
order to proceed as cautiously as possible, the
new-comers decided to send four of their party
to Beaver Creek to look at the land and the
country. The persons chosen for this expedition
were Ole Bynning, Niels Veste from Etne in
Norway, Ingebrigt Brttdvig and Ole Nattestad.
Mr. Nattestad, with his brother Ansten, had
just arrived by way of Gothenborg and Fall
Biver, Mass., and had joined the newcomers in
200 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Detroit, and had accompanied them to Chicago.
The rest <>f the company remained in Chicago
to await the result. Ole Nattestad says that
he did not like the land, it being sandy and
swampy, but as the others were pleased with it,
it was agreed that Mr. Nattestad and Mr. Yeste
should remain and put up a log house for the
reception of the immigrants, while Rynning and
Brudvig returned to Chicago to fetch their
friends. Some of those who were left in Chi-
cago had, in the meantime, gone with my father
to the Fox River settlement, but the most of
them went with Rynning and Brudvig to
Beaver Creek. There were no settlers in the im-
mediate vicinity, and it was difficult to procure
the common necessaries of life, although the
most of these people were well supplied with
money. Many of the new settlers grumbled and.
were inclined to find fault with Ole Rynning
and the others who were responsible for the se-
lection of this settlement. All chose land for
farms, and before winter set in a sufficient num-
ber of log huts had been built. The number of
settlers here was about fifty. These people were
well, and in a measure happy, during the first
winter, but the next spring the whole settle-
ment was flooded and the swamp was turned
into a veritable lake. In the summer the set-
THE BEAVER CREEK SETTLEMENT. 201
tiers were attacked by malarial fever. In a
short time no less than fourteen or fifteen
deaths occurred, and among those who here
found his last resting place was Ole Rynning,
and, adds Mons Aadland, "his death was a great
loss to the colony." The survivors fled, leaving
farms and houses as there was nobody to buy
land where a malarial atmosphere threatened
the inhabitant with almost certain destruction.
The most of those who fled found their way to
the Fox River settlement, reaching there late in
the summer of 1838. Only a few remained two
or three years, defying the dangers to life and
health. The last one to leave the colony was
Mons Aadland, a brother of the well-known
journalist and author, Knud Langland. He
finally exchanged his farm for a small number
of cows and oxen, and with these he went to
Racine county, in Wisconsin, where we shall
find him later on.
Such was the sad fate of the Beaver Creek
enterprise, and as this settlement was wholly
abandoned in 1840 we do not count it as one
of the six settlements, the founding of which
we are to describe in this volume. It is grati-
fying to know that no other Norwegian colony
in America has had the misfortune of suffer-
ing a similar calamity.
NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
XIII.
Ole Rynning.
Before discussing the formation of the next
settlement, I will now describe the careers of
some of the immigrants who came in the year
1837. The most important ones are unques-
tionably Ole Kynning and the two brothers,
Ole Knudson Nattestad and Ansten Knudson
Nattestad. Ole Kynning became particularly
conspicuous and influential on account of a
book w^hich he published in Christiania, Nor-
way, in 1838, the title of which is "Sandfaerdig
Beretning om Amerika til Oplysning og Nytte,
for Bonde og Menigmand forfattet af en norsk,
som komderoveri Juni Maaned 1837;" that is
"A truthful account of America for the instruc-
tion and help of the peasant and commoner,
written by a Norwegian, w T ho came there in the
month of June, 1837." The author's name is
giyen at the end of the preface, where w T e read:
"Illinois, February 13, 1838. Ole Kynning."
Tli is little book of only thirty-nine pages is
now exceedingly scarce, and for the copy now
in my hands I am indebted to Rev. B. J. Muus-
of Norway, Goodhue county, Minnesota. Kyn-
OLE RYNNING. 203
ning's book was widely read everywhere in Nor-
way, and was regarded as a reliable document
It made its lamented author one of the chid'
fathers of Norwegian immigration, second in
importance, I should say, only to Kleng Peer-
son. On account of his valuable service through
his little book I have taken pains to gather the
facts of his career as carefully as possible. The
Keverend Bernt J. Muus, mentioned above, is
his nephew, Ole Rynning being the brother of
Rev. Muus' mother, and he has kindly sent me
the following brief sketch, which may be re-
garded as entirely authentic:
"Ole Rynning was born on the farm Dusgaard
in Ringsaker, where his father was at that
time resident curate, that is, clergyman em-
ployed under the incumbent, on the 4th of April,
1809. His parents were Jens Rynning and
wife, Severine Cathrine Steen. In 1825 lie
moved with his parents to Snaasen (in Trond-
hjem Stift), where his father had been appointed
minister of the parish. Ole passed the matric-
ulation examination at the university in 1829,
and returned to Snaasen, Christmas eve, 1833.
Here he kept a private school for advanced
scholars until he emigrated to America on the
2d of March, 1837, and settled at Beaver Creek,
about ten miles south of Lake Michigan in Illi-
204 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
nois, North America. The climate was very
unhealthy and he died here from malarial fever,
one year and a half after his landing in Amer-
ica. He was not married. A woman, Mrs.
Davidson, at whose house he made his home
the most of the time, related that when Ole died
xill the people in the settlement were sick but
one. This one went out on the prairie and
-chopped down an oak and made a sort of coffin
of it. His brother helped him to get the dead
body into the coffin and then they hauled it ont
on the prairie and buried it. Ole is said to
have made a journey to Fox Eiver and to have
worked on the canal there. Thither, too, all*
the survivors at Beaver Creek w^ent after Ole
Rynning's death."
In regard to the cause of Ole Rynning's emi-
gration, Rev. B. J. Muus expresses himself as
follows:
"I do not know it (the cause) positively, but
what I have been able to learn from the family
is, that his parents, and particularly his mother,
desired that Ole should study theology. He
had no taste for it. On the other hand he had
made a contract with my father, w r ho lived on
the farm joining the parsonage, to buy from
him a large marsh, which he was going to culti-
* Nearly all, but not all as has been shown above.— R. B. A.
OLE RYNNING. 205
vate. He was to Lave this marsh and two small
farms belonging to cottagers for 400 dollars
(Norwegian money). As he was unable to raise
this money he went to America,
"He was fond of making himself hardy. ITo
did not, for instance, wear socks in the winter,,
and he would cut a hole in the ice and take a
bath. He trained his scholars in racing, bath-
ing, swimming and other exercises.
"I do not know the date of his death and do
not know how to get it."
Mr. Muus rejects the idea that Ole Rynning
emigrated on account of any dissatisfaction
with the condition of things in Norway, and his
opinion must be accepted. We may therefore
say that he came to America to ameliorate his
own position. He left a marsh farm, which he
found himself unable to pay for, and being a
well informed man it is easy to see that he
looked for better prospects in the western hem-
isphere. All agree in describing Ole Rynning
as a noble-minded, philanthropic man, and
Mons Aadland said that it was a great loss to
the Beaver Creek colony when Ole Rynning
died.
It is entirely certain that Rynning had no
share in promoting the exodus of 1837. That
must be credited to the sloopers, to the left
206 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
written by Gjert Hovland and to the visit of
Knud Anderson Slogvig. Rynning had seen
an advertisement of the proposed departure
of "iEgir" and had corresponded with the
owner of the vessel and so secured a pas-
sage. He loved Norway and made no secret of
his intention to visit his native land again. Of
his devotion to Norway there is ample evidence
in a poem which he wrote on board the "iEgir,"
and which was sung at a little celebration on
the 4th of July. I give this poem in the origi-
nal as the oldest piece of poetry extant, so far
as I know, written by a Norwegian immigrant
to America in this century.
"Nu ligger Norges Klippeland
Saa dybt i Skjul bag sal ten Vove,
Men Lsengslen higer til den Strand
Med gamle, dunkle Egeskove,
llvor Graners Sus og Joklers Dron
Er Harmoni for Norges Son.
Men om end Skja?bnen bod ham der,
Bom forduni Bjom af Leif, at tjelde,
Hans vil dog stedse have kjaer
Sit gode gamle Norges Fjelde,
Og lsenges 6mt med sonlig Hu
At se sit elskte Hjem endnu."
This poem shows that Rynning loved Norway
will, a genuine loyalty. That he gained the
confidence of his fellow travelers is shown by
the fact that he was one of the four chosen to
OLE RYNNING. 207
go to Beaver Creek to inspect the land there
That he also became thoroughly devoted to
America is fully demonstrated by the bonk
which he wrote while at Beaver ('reck and
which was sold in thousands of copies in Nor-
way, Ansten Nattestad, of whom we shall
have more to say presently, speaks of hi in in
the following complimentary terms:
"When sickness and trouble visited the col-
onists (at Beaver Creek) he was always ready
to comfort the sorrowing and to aid those in
distress so far as it lay in his power to do so.
Nothing could shake his faith in the idea that
America would become a place of refuge for
the masses of Europe who toiled under the bur-
dens of poverty. He himself was contented with
little, and bore his suffering with patience. I
well remember one time when he returned from
a long exploring expedition. A heavy frost
had set in during his absence, and the ice on
the swamps cut holes in his boots. He finally
reached the colony, but his feet were frozen and
lacerated. His feet presented a terrible sight
and we all thought he would be a cripple for
life. He had to take to his bed, and while thus
confined he wrote his book about America, the
manuscript of which I took with me to Norway
and had it printed in Christiania. As soon as
208 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
he had written a chapter he read it to me and
to others and got our opinions and criticisms.
His feet got well again, and he once more took
up his benevolent work among the colonists.
But in the fall of 1838 he was taken sick and
died soon after, and his death caused the
greatest sorrow to all of us."
Long after the Beaver Creek settlement had
been abandoned by the Norwegians, French-
men, Germans and Americans made a settle-
ment there. They drained the marshes and
plowed the fields where the Norwegians w T ere
buried. I understand Beaver Creek is now a
prosperous settlement, but there is not a man
or woman who can point out the grave of our
lamented Ole Rynning.
In Eynning's book I find this preface: "Dear
countrymen, peasants and artisans! I have
now been in America eight months and in that
time I have had an opportunity of finding out
much in regard to which I in vain sought infor-
mation before I left Norway. I then felt how
disagreeable it is for those who wish to emi-
grate to America, to be in want of a reliable
and tolerably complete account of the country.
I also learned how great is the ignorance of the
people, and what false and ridiculous reports
were accepted as full truth. In this little book
OLE RYNNING. 209
it has, therefore, been my aim to answer every
question which I asked myself, and to clear up
every point in regard to which I observed that
people were ignorant, and to disprove false re-
ports which have come to my ears partly before
I left Norway and partly after my arrival here.
"I hope, dear reader, that you may not find
any point in regard to which you may desire
information, neglected or imperfectly treated.
"Illinois, Feb. 13, 1838."
The book is divided into thirteen chapters,
answering the following questions:
1. In what direction is America situated
and how far is it thither?
2. How did this land become known?
3. What is the nature of this country and
what is the reason why so many people go there
and expect to make a living there?
4. Is it not to be feared that the land will
soon be over populated? Is it true that the
government there is going to prohibit immigra-
tion?
5. In what part of the land have the Norwe-
gians settled? Which is the most convenient
and cheapest route to them?
6. What is the nature of the country where
the Norwegians have settled? What is the
14
21 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
price of land? What is the price of cattle and
of the necessaries of life? How high are the
wages?
7. What kind of religion is there in Amer-
ica? Is there any sort of order and govern-
ment in the land or is everybody permitted to
do as he pleases?
8. What provision is there for the education
of children and for the care of the poor?
9. What language is spoken in America and
is it difficult to learn?
10. Is there danger of disease in America?
Is there reason to fear wild animals or the
Indians?
11. What kind of people should be advised
to emigrate to America? Advice against un-
reasonable expectations.
12. What dangers may be expected on the
ocean? Is it true that those who are taken to
America are sold as slaves?
13. Advice to those who wish to go to
America. How they are to get a vessel; how
they are to exchange their money; what season
and route is the most convenient; what things
should be taken along on the journey.
These questions will be seen to be to the
point and they are all answered in a most in-
iHligent manner. Some of the questions may
OLE RYNNING. 211
seem silly, but it is a fact that in those days
many plain people in Norway believed thai the
emigrants ran the risk of being sold into slav-
ery to the Turks, of being killed by the In-
dians or of being devoured by horrible mon-
sters of sea and land.
In the second chapter Rynning devotes a
paragraph to the Norse discovery of America
in the tenth century by Leif Erikson, and he
appears to be well up in the literature of that
subject. What a pity that his Beaver Creek
settlement should have a fate so much like that
of the ancient Vinland the Good! In chapter
five of his book, where he speaks of Norwegian
settlements, he describes the Beaver Creek set-
tlement as containing eleven or twelve fam-
ilies.
I would like to translate Rynning's whole
little book of forty pages, but it would injure
the proportions of this volume. I will, how-
ever, reproduce chapter seven, in which the
author discusses the religion and government
of America. Here it is:
"It was a common opinion among the lay
people in Norway, that there is in America
nothing but pure heathendom or something
still worse, that there is no religion. This is
not the case. Here everyone is allowed to have
212 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
his own faith and worship God in the manner
that seems to h«m right, but he must not per-
secute anybody, because he has another faith.
The government here assumes that a compul-
sory belief is no belief at all, and that it will
be most evident who has religion or not, if there
is perfect religious liberty.
"The Christian religion is the prevailing one
in America; but on account of the self-conceit
and obstinacy in opinion of the teachers of re-
ligion in little things, there are a multitude
of sects, which, however, agree in the essen-
tials. Thus we are here told about Catholics,
Protestants, Lutherans, Calvinists, Presbyteri-
ans, Baptists, Quakers, Methodists, and many
others. Among the Norwegians, too, there
are various sects, but they have no ministers
or churches as yet. Every man who is some-
what in earnest in his profession has devotional
exercises at home in his own house, or worships
together with his neighbors.
"I have already stated that the United States
has no king. Nevertheless it has a person who
exercises about as much authority as a king. *
This person is chosen for four years only and
is called president The legislative power in
matters pertaining to the United States as a
unity rests with congress^ which is composed
OLE RYNN1NG. 213'
of men chosen by the various states. The
various states have each its own government
like Norway and Sweden, but the common con-
gress, the common language, and the common
financial system unite them more closely. The
number of the United States is now twenty-
seven.
"As a comfort to the timid, I can truthfully
assert, that here, as in Norway, there are laws,
governments and authority. But everything
is here calculated to maintain the natural
equality and liberty of man. In regard to lib-
erty everybody is free to engage in any kind
of honest occupation and to go wmerever he
chooses without a passport and without being
examined by custom house officers. Only the
real criminal is threatened with the law and
punishment.
"In w^orks written only for the purpose of
finding something for which the authors can
find fault with America, I have read that the
American is faithless, deceitful, hard-hearted,
etc. I will not undertake to deny that such
people are to be found in America as well as
elsewhere, and that the stranger never can be
too prudent; but it has been my experience
that the American as a rule is a better man
to get on with than the Norwegian, more yield-
214 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
more accommodating and more reliable
in all things. The oldest Norwegians here
have given me the same assurance. It being
so easy to get a living here in an honest way,
Stealing and burglary are almost unheard of.*
"In ugly contrast with the above liberty and
equality which justly constitute the pride of
the Americans, is the disgraceful slave-traffic,
which is still tolerated and carried on in the
southern states. Y/e find here a race of black
people, with woolly hair on their heads, that
are called negroes, and that have been brought
here from Africa, which is their original
country. In the southern states these poor
people are bought and sold like other property
and are driven to work with a whip like horses
or oxen. If a master whips his slave to death,
or in his rage shoots him dead, he is not looked
upon as a murderer. The children born by a
Degress are by birth slaves even if a white man
is the father. In Missouri the slave-trade is
still permitted, but in Indiana, Illinois and
Wisconsin territory it is strictly forbidden and
the institution is despised. The northern
states endeavor at every congress to get the
slave-trade abolished in the southern states;
but as the latter always make resistance, and
* Who would dare to make this statement in 1895? RB.A.
OLE RYNNING. 215
claim the right to settle the matters pertain-
ing to their states themselves, there will prob-
ably soon come either a separation between
the northern and southern states or bloody
civil conflicts."
As this was written twenty-two years before
the breaking out of the rebellion, Rynning's
words are most remarkable and give evidence
of his intelligence and sagacity.
Enough has been quoted to show that Mr.
Eynning was in full sympathy with American
institutions as he found them, and he did not
hesitate to advise those of his countrymen who
desired to better their circumstances to emi-
grate to America. As stated above, Ansten
Nattestad took the manuscript with him to
Norway and had it printed there, but the
author probably never saw a copy of the book
which was destined to have so great influence
upon emigration from Norway during the fol-
lowing years.
Ansten Nattestad also took with him to Nor-
way the manuscript of a journal kept by his
brother, Ole Nattestad. This was printed in
Drammen the same year, 1838, but it has not
been my fortune to ever see a copy of Natte-
stad's book. In an interview published on
page 94 in Billed Magamn (Madison, Wis.,
216 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
1869), Mr. Nattestad makes the following some-
what startling statement:
"In the spring of 1838 I went from Illinois
(Beaver Creek) by way of New Orleans to Liv-
erpool in England, and thence to Norway, to
visit friends and acquaintances in my native
land. I brought with me letters from nearly
all the earlier Norwegian emigrants whom I
had met, and in this way information about
America was scattered far and wide in Nor-
way. My brother's journal was published in
Drammen, and Ole Rynning's work on matters
in the new w^orld appeared at the same time
in Christiania. Of this book (that is, Ryn-
ning's) I brought the manuscript w T ith me from
America. The Rev. Mr. Kragh in Eidsvold
read the proofs, and left out the chapter about
the Norwegian clergymen who therein were
accused of intolerance in religious matters and
of inactivity in questions concerning the bet-
terment of the condition of the people in tem-
poral affairs and in questions concerning the
advancement of education."
I fully accept the statement of Rev. B. J.
Muus as final that such considerations were
not among the causes which led Ole Rynning
to emigrate, but from what I have quoted from
Rynning's book it is clear that he preferred
OLE KYNNING. 217
.American Institutions to the Norwegian (al-
ways excepting the slavery institution in the
south), and I have no reason to doubt the
above statement of Ansten Nattestad, with
whom I was personally acquainted and whom
I knew to be a man of truth and veracity.
I have heretofore shown that as in the case of
the Huguenots, the Puritans and the followers
of William Penn, the early Norwegians left
Norway to get away from religious intoler-
ance and persecution. This is certainly true
of the Quakers, the Haugians and of the dis-
senters generally. It is impossible to point
out the motives and causes in each individual
case, but it is our duty to find, if possible, the
motives that governed the movement as a
whole. When we consider that the sloop peo-
ple and the emigrants of 1836 came from Sta-
vanger county, where the soil is poor and the
struggle for existence is a severe one, it is easy
to jump to the conclusion that the main object
of the emigrants was to ameliorate their con-
dition and prospects in the Dew world, but on
a closer inspection we find that a very large
number of those emigrants were dissenters
in some form or other, and when we came to
talk with them and also with later emigrants
we found that religion and oppression on tin*
218 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
part of the office-holding class did have much
influence in leading them to depart from their
native country. As has been well said by a
writer in Scandinavia in 1884, "peculiar re-
ligious opinions were often one of the motives,
especially for the leaders; for even if there
were no direct persecutions, there was not full
liberty at home. For a number of individuals,
special personal motives played a part."
Rynning's book cleared away much of the
ignorance in Norway in regard to America,
and it helped the emigrants to fight their bat-
tles with the higher classes, especially the offi-
cials of church and state, who were very much
opposed to emigration. I have mentioned the
expunging of the chapter on the clergy from
[fynning's book by the Rev. Mr. Kragh to em-
phasize the fact that Ole Rynning looked upon
tiic early Norwegian emigration to America in
the same light as that in which I am con-
st autly presenting it.
Hans Valder.
OTHER PIONEERS OF 1837. 219
XIV.
Other Pioneers of 1837.
A prominent man of those who came to
America in the ship "Enigheden" in 1837 is
Hans Valder (Vselde) now residing at New-
burg, Minnesota. He was born on the farm
Yrelde in Vats Parish, Stavanger Amt, Nor-
way, the 18th of October, 1813. His father
was at that time sergeant in the third Ryfylke
company, and stationed in Christiansand. nans
was educated as a farmer and itinerant school-
master, and for several years he taught school
in his native country. He told me that he
taught school in Tysver, the parish whence
came Kleng Peerson and several of the sloop
people. He also met my father in Norway.
He had a splendid opportunity of getting in-
formed in regard to America through letters
received from this country. At the age of 24 he
emigrated with his wife and one child to
America. He left the other immigrants at De-
troit, and from there went with Osten Espe-
land, from Hjelmeland in Norway, by mil t«>
Adrian, Mich. From Adrian they went three
miles into the country in Lenawee county t 1
220 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Ingcbret Larson Narvig, the same man who
had settled in Monroe county in 1833 and who
was now there. The Espelands lived with
Mr. Narvig for a time, but later moved to the
Fox River settlement. Osten Espeland is
dead years ago, but his widow married again
and is still living. Ingebret Larson Narvig
also had two brothers living in this settlement
in Lenawee county, and in addition to those
mentioned there was only one other, viz.,
Jochum Hervig. They lived in a Quaker settle-
ment, and this corroborates my former state-
ment that Narvig was a Quaker from Norway.
Jochum Hervig afterwards lived with a doctor
in Indiana, and Mr. Valder informs me that he
died there. As Engebret Larson Narvig was
occupying his second home in Michigan, when
Mr. Valder came there in 1837, it is Mr. Val-
der's opinion that he had lived in Michigan
three or four years and hence must have im-
migrated in 1833 or 1834. The fact is, as I
have already shown, that I. L. Narvig came to
America in 1831, then went west with Kleng
Peerson in 1833, and settled in Monroe county,
and a couple of years later moved to Lenawee
county.
The slooper, Thorstein Olson Bjaadland, and
these three brothers Narvig were, so far as I
OTHER PIONEERS OF 1837. 221
have been able to find, the first Norwegians to
stop in Michigan where their countrymen now
number about 12,000, not counting grandchil-
dren. The little Lenawee settlement became
entirely Americanized, and has been well-nigh
forgotten, since it received no Norwegian ac-
cretions.
The following May, i83S, Valder continued
his migration to Mission, La Salle county,
where he says he found about fifteen Norwe-
gian families settled. He resided in Illinois
until 1853, when he moved to Newburg, Min-
nesota, and became one of the very first Nor-
wegian settlers of that state. He writes me
that four families came from Indian Creek and
four from the Fox River settlement and lo-
cated in Newburg at the same time. I asked
Mr. Valder whether he could inform me who
was the first Norwegian settler in Minnesota,
but his only answer was, that on his way to
Newburg he found three young men in a log
cabin in Spring Grove, viz., Hakon Narveson,
Knud Kjeline and Fingar Fingarson, and at
Blackhammer near by he found Torkel
Kosaaen and some people from Sogn, who had
log shanties there. How long they had lived
there he does not know. Meanwhile it ap-
pears that Mr. Tosten Johnson, who still lives
222 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
at Blackhammer, Houston county, and who
has frequently represented his neighbors in
both branches of the legislature of Minnesota,
came to the state with his brother from Dane
count}', Wis., in 1852. This volume does not
concern Minnesota, but I mention this matter
in connection with the life of Mr. Yalder, and
1852 is probably a safe year to accept for the
first actual settlement of Norwegians in Min-
nesota, where they and tlie children of the first
generation now number about 200,000.
Since Valder came to Newburg his occupa-
tion has been farming and hotel keeping. In
1871 he was a member of the lower house of
the state legislature. He has been married
three times and has sixteen children, and in
1892 he had more than one hundred and fifty
descendants living in six different states. His
son has a flourishing normal and commercial
school in Decorah, Iowa. When I visited Hans
Yalder in the autumn of 1894 I found the octo-
genarian well and active, a fine specimen of a
pioneer.
In the ship "Enigheden" came also Christo-
pher Danielson from Aarland in Stavanger
county, Norway. He was born in 1780, and
came to America with his family. He went at
once to Mission township, La Salle county,
OTHER PIONEERS OK 1837.
whore lie bought a farm. 1 1 is iirst wife died
in Norway and his second wife died two or
three years after their arrival in La Salle
county. Christopher Danielson died of chol-
era in 1849. The only child living is Christo-
pher, who now resides at Sheridan, 111., and
is in prosperous circumstances. He wr.s a
small boy when he came in "Enigheden," and
is still in the bloom of manhood. I am under
great obligations to him for many valuable
letters concerning the early immigrants.
Nils Froland^came in "^Egir." He was from
Bergen Stiff, and he with his wife and chil-
dren lived for two years in Beaver Creek, and
then came on to La Salle county, where they
lived one year in Mission and then located in
Miller in 1840, where he died in the spring of
1873. His son is a substantial farmer. On my
visit to La Salle county in August, 1894, 1 called
on Mr. Johnson, a prosperous farmer near Nor
way, who is married to a daughter of Nils Fra
land. At their house I found Nils Froland'a
widow, Anna, still living. She was then 9*)
years old, being born March 24, 1798, but she
could still remember my father whom she met
in Chicago in 1837. The old lady was inclined
to blame him to some extent for the misfor-
tunes of the Beaver Creek colony.
224 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
One of the passengers in "Enigheden" was
Ole Thompson (Torbjornson) Eide, who came
from the same farm as Knud Olson Eide, that
is, from the island Fogn, near Stavanger. lie
was horn May 27, 1820. He had only ten cents
left when he reached La Salle county. He
was industrious and frugal, and has acquired
a competency for his old age. His first wife
died and he is now living with his second wife,
whose name is Caroline. In the early days of
the Fox River settlement he and my father
husked corn together for the Pitzers in the
town of Rutland. His portrait appears in this
volume.
In connection with the "^Egir," N. P. Lange-
land, a school teacher from Samnanger, Nor-
way, was mentioned. When the party got as
far as Detroit his money had given out, and
there were no less than eight in the family^
Some of his friends had promised to help him
through to Chicago, but I suppose they did not
have any funds to spare. Langeland conse-
quently was obliged to stop in Detroit. He
was a competent carpenter and blacksmith,
and he soon found a turner to employ him.
In this way he supported his family and saved
some money which he invested in a farm in
Lapeer county, Michigan. He died? in Michi-
K«UD Langland.
OTHER PIONEERS OF 1837. 225
gan many years ago, but in 1887 a son of his
was living in San Francisco, California.
Mons Aadland frpm Samnanger came in the
w -33gir. w He was a man of some means, but he
lost nearly all he had in Beaver Creek. He
was the last one to abandon that marshy and
malarial settlement. He went to Racine
county, Wis., in 1840. He died there many
years ago, but three of his children are still
living, two sons, Knud and Thomas, who own
large farms in Racine county, and a daughter
Martha, who married the Lutheran minister,
Rev. A. C. Preus, who succeeded Rev. Dietrich-
son on Koshkonong in Wisconsin, and later re-
turned to Norway, where he died. The widow,
Mrs. Preus, is still living at Horten in Norway.
I shall discuss the Aadland family more fully
when I come to Muskego.
A brother of Mons Aadland was the well-
known and very competent journalist, Knud
Langland, who came to America in 1843 and
settled in Racine county. He was born in
Samnanger, Norway, October 27, 1813, and
died in Milwaukee, Wis., February 8, 1888.
He edited for some time "Nordlyset," which
was published in the Muskego settlement (Nor-
way, Racine county), and which was started
15
226 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
in 1847, and was the first newspaper pub-
lished in the Norwegian language in this
country. The first publishers were Messrs.
Even Heg and James D. Reyrnert, the lat-
ter being the editor. In 1849 Knud Lang-
land and O. J. Hatlestad, the brother of Mrs.
Langland, bought the paper, moved it to Ra-
cine, Wis., and Langeland became the editor.
Soon after they changed the name to "Demo-
kraten," but even under its new name it did
not flourish more than about half a year, when
it was suspended. Mr. Langeland served a
term in the Wisconsin assembly in 1860, and
was a presidential elector in 1880. His great
reputation was won as the first editor of
"Skandinaven," which was established in Chi-
cago in 1866. For many years he conducted
that paper with signal ability. When he be-
came too old for editorial work he retired to
his farm in Racine county, and there produced
a volume in the Norwegian language on "The
Norwegians in America." It is a valuable
work and has proved very serviceable to me
in connection with the volume I now have in
hand. By his death I lost one of my most in-
timate friends, one to whom I am greatly in-
debted for many valuable favors. He sent his
book to me in Copenhagen, but when my letter
Thomas A. Thompson.
OTHER PIONEERS OF 1837. 227
of acknowledgment reached his old home he
was laid away in the churchyard. After com-
ing to America Knud Langland (in Norwegian,
Langeland) married Miss Anna, daughter of
Jens Olson Hattlestad. She was born in the
Skjold Parish in Norway, January 12, 1830, and
she is still living with her son, Peter Langland,
who is a successful physician in Milwaukee.
When I last visited Mrs. Langland in Decem-
ber, 1894, she was as well and bright and cheer-
ful as ever. Knud Langland's children now
living are Peter, the physician mentioned
above, Frank, living in Milwaukee, James, liv-
ing in Chicago, and Mrs. Malinda Brimble, also
in Chicago.
Knud Langland's sister was Mrs. Magda-
lena Nordvig, her husband's name being the
Anders Nordvig mentioned above. Two of her
children survive her — Mrs. Iver Lawson, the
mother of Victor Fremont Lawson, and Mrs.
Sarah Darnell, of Sandwich, 111.
Among the emigrants of this year (1837) 1
find Thomas A Thompson. He was born
February 3, 1812, at Aareg, Skjold Par-
ish, Norway, and died in Adams county,
Iowa, October 15, 1870. On April 1,
1848, he married Carrie J. Melland, from
Etne, and she is still living at Strand,
228 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Adams county, Iowa. Mr. Thompson first set-
tled at Norway, 111., where he bought a farm.
In those early days the settlers broke up only
small patches on their land and raised a little
wheat and garden truck. When the time for
marketing came, ten neighbors would some-
times club together, load one or two w T agons,
hitch two or three yoke of oxen to each wagon,.
and then start for Chicago to sell their produce
and purchase as economically as possible the
necessaries of life. On coming near Chicago,
they would sometimes have to hitch five or
six yokes of oxen to a single wagon in order
to pull it through the mud, for which Chicago
was noted. In the Fox Kiver settlement that
city was then know^n as "the Chicago mire."
In course of time home markets were estab-
lished and the overland trips to Chicago w r ere
abandoned. In 1877, Thomas A. Thompson
moved to Adams county, Iowa, where he died
as stated above. He was a Lutheran when
he emigrated, but joined the Methodist church
in this country. Mrs. Malinda Nelson, now
living in Strand, Adams county, Iow r a, came in
the same ship ("Enigheden") with Thomas A.
Thompson; The story of her life throws a
Hood of light on the early days of Norwegian
immigration; and while it contains some rep-
Malinda Nelson.
Lars Davidson Rekve.
OTHER PIONEERS OF 1837. 229«
etitions of what I have stated elsewhere, I can-
not help giving the substance of her state*
ments here. Her maiden name was Malinda
Danielson. She was born in Aurdal, Norway,
September 29, 1827. She emigrated with
her parents. Her father's name was
Knud Danielson, and her mother's maiden
name was Sara Olson. Mrs. Malinda Nel-
son says the vessel "Enigheden" was eleven
weeks and three days on the way from
Stavanger to New York. We have already
made the acquaintance of many of the pas-
sengers in "Enigheden." Among them are
Hans Valder, Ole Thompson Eide, Knud
Olson Eide, Christopher Danielson and
others, and we have seen how they made
their way up the Hudson to Albany, thence
by canal to Kochester, N. Y., where they
stopped several days, thence to Buffalo,
and then on by the lakes to Chicago. As soon
as they arrived in Chicago, Malinda Nelson
says they sent one man to the Fox Eiver set-
tlement to engage some people to take the im-
migrants to Norway, 111. Two men engaged
for that purpose were Helge Vatname and
Samuel Peerson, who yoked their oxen to their
"Hoosier wagon" and started for Chicago, and
in about ten days' time these newcomers were
230 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
thus brought to their destination. It will be
observed that in Helge Vatname and Samuel
Peerson, w r e have secured the names of two
immigrants who came to America before 1837.
Malinda's parents settled in the town of Mis-
sion near what is now Norway, 111. They had
a little money and invested it in a small farm
at $1.25 per acre. They had not been there
very long before they received a visit from
Kleng Peerson, and through his influence Ma-
linda secured a place to w^ork in Ottawa, I1L
Kleng Peerson, who had secured the position
beforehand, accompanied Malinda to Ottawa
and they walked all the way, it being about
fifteen miles. I mention this fact here as evi-
dence of Kleng Peerson's helpfulness to his
countrymen. It is also interesting to note
that Malinda w T as only about eleven years old,
when she had to leave her parents and go out
to earn her own living. She continued to be
a servant girl until she was seventeen years
old, that is until 1844, when she married Peter
Nelson Ovrabo, who had emigrated from Fis-
ter, in Hjelmeland in 1839. Hans Valder
was at that time, it seems, a Baptist preacher
in Illinois, and he performed the marriage cere-
mony. After they were married they set-
tled in the town of Freedom, La Salle county,
Peter Nelson OvrebO.
OTHER PIONEERS OF 1837. 231
111., where they purchased a little farm. In
the early days of their married life their finan-
cial circumstances were not enviable. They
had no stove, and Malinda did her cooking and
baking over a hole in the ground. This hole
had a stone wall around it and over it she
hung her kettles and prepared food for the
family, during the first six months of her
housekeeping. In the fall of 1844, Peter yoked
up his ox team and he and his yotfhg wife
drove in to Chicago and bought a stove.
In 1849, we again get the sad story of the
cholera. Malinda's father, Knud, had died
in 1838, and her mother had married Chris-
topher Danielson. The cholera in 1849 car-
ried off her step-father, her mother, two
brothers and a working man, all of whom died
within a few clays in one house. In 1878,
Peter Nelson and his w T ife moved to Adams
county, Iowa, where he died in January, 1892.
Malinda and six of her eleven children are
still living.
In 1837, three families from Tin in Upper
Thelemarken, joined the Fox Kiver settlement.
They did not come either in "^Egir" or in
"Enigheden," but went by way of Skien,
and probably Gothenborg to New York.
How they got information about America is
232 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
nowhere stated, but the fact that they went
directly to the Fox River settlement is evi-
dence that they had been in communication
with the earlier emigrants from Stavanger.
One of the leaders of this little company,
who led the van of the emigrants from Thel-
emarken, was Erik Gauteson Midboen. He
had a large family and settled in La Salle
county, but fortune does not appear to have
smiled on him. He became a Mormon, and in
the capacity of a Mormon preacher, he made
a visit to Norway and died soon after his re-
turn to America.
A second one of the party, Thor Kittelson
Svimbil, who was also the head of a family
when he left Norway, died as a farmer in Blue
Mounds, Wis.
The third married man in this company,
was John Nelson Rue, who in 1869 was living
on a farm in Winneshiek county, Iowa, and
probably died there. An unmarried man
who joined these three families of emigrants,
was Torsten Ingebrigtson Gulliksrud, w T ho
died years ago in Illinois.
An unmarried brother of Erik Midboen,
so far as I can make out, and one of these emi-
grants from Thelemarken in 1837, was Gunder
Gauteson Midboen. He had been a school
OTHER PIONEERS OF 1837. 233
teacher in the Tin Parish in Thelemarken, and
being a moderately well educated man, it is
fair to assume that he was one of the leaders.
He lived in the Fox River settlement from 1837
until 1842, and then moved to the Muskego
settlement in Wisconsin, where we find him
living as a prosperous farmer and owning
about 200 acres of land in i869.
An anonymous Thelemarkian sums up the
causes of emigration from that part of Norway
in the following words addressed to Prof.
Svein Nilsson: "You ask me for the causes
of the considerable emigration from Thele-
marken which began in 1837, and was contin-
ued the succeeding years. In order to answer
this question in a satisfactory manner it is,
in my opinion, necessary to go far back to the
beginning of the century, when two wealthy
men, Bernt Blair of Brevig, and Didrik Oap-
pelen of Skien, became the owners of vast
tracts of land in Upper Thelemarken.
Even a large number of those who were pre-
sumed to own their farms had sold their tim-
ber and made such contracts that they practi-
cally were mere tenants. Stock raising, the
most natural industry of this part of the coun-
try, was neglected. The same is true of agricul-
ture, and the majority of the peasants had no
234 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
other income than the scant pay they could get
for cutting timber and bringing it to the mar-
ket. Thus many people were dependent on a
couple of wealthy men, and when for some
reason or other, logging was suspended there
was much want and suffering. This was the
condition down to the time of the beginning
of emigration, and doubtless for some time
afterwards. Frequent lack of employment,
impoverishment, debt and dissatisfaction were
the visible manifestations of this condition.
But it was a golden epoch for money-lenders,
attorneys and sheriffs. Then the America
fever began to rage, and many crossed the sea
hoping to find a spot of ground where they
could live in peace and enjoy the fruits of their
labors without being annoyed by the thoughts
of pay-day, rents and foreclosures.
"In Lower Thelemarken it was the hard
w T ork or corvie on the estates of Mr. Loven-
skjold, which drove people from the father-
land, while in the upper districts, it was a
process of impoverishment developed through
a long period of years and the uncertainty of
a living, which induced people to emigrate.
"When the way was opened many followed
without any other motive than that of joining
friends and relatives in America."
OTHER PIONEERS OF 1837.
Hans Barlien emigrated from Norway in
1837. He was born in Overhalden, lived for a
time in Trondhjem, then in Christiania and
then at Ovengaarden, Namsdaleidet, in the
Beitstaden parish. He was a representative
of the ideas of the French revolution and had
many friends who were called Barlians. He
had some literary talent and was also a skill-
ful mechanic, and had many admirers, while
the official class naturally opposed a man ad-
vocating the doctrines of the French revolu-
tion. At Overgaarden, Barlien had his own
press, and his published utterances frequently
involved him in litigation, but he usually
came out acquitted, owing to his brilliant de-
fense. Tired of being persecuted in Norway,
he resolved to emigrate to America in 1837,
and from here he carried on an extensive cor-
respondence : with his friends in Norway.
American institutions appear to have suited
him. In one letter he wrote: "Now at last I
am able to breathe freely. Here no one is per-
secuted on account of his religious belief.
Every one is permitted to worship God in the
manner that agrees with his conscience.
Pickpockets or lawyers, unscrupulous credit-
ors, corrupt officials and vagabonds have here
lost all power to injure the people. Every
236 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
occupation is free, and every one reaps the
fruits of his industry and by a wise legislation
the American citizen is secure against oppres-
sion. The so-called free constitution of Nor-
way has hitherto served only to oppress the
people with higher taxes, to increase the
emoluments of officials, and to promote luxury
and idleness. The results of all this w r ill soon
appear, and such a condition must necessarily
lead to general ruin."
His letters were full of hatred to Norway.
They were copied and read by a large number
of people, but there w T ere not many w T ho had
implicit faith in the reports of the old agitator,
and the America fever did not make its ap-
pearance in that part of Trondhjem Stift,
before some time after Ole Eynning's book had
been published.
Where Hans Barlien spent his first years
in America, I am unable to say. I take it that
he went directly to the Fox River settlement.
Whether he went to Shelby county, in Missouri,
I do not know, but I think it very probable.
II<- became one of the first settlers in the Sugar
Creek settlement near Keokuk, Iowa, and died
there at an advanced age in the year 1842.
Among those who came to America in 1837,
we must not forget Ole Heier and his wife,
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT. 237
from Tin in Thelemarken. They located in
La Salle county, 111., but moved to Iowa in
1868, where Ole Heier, who was born July 4,
1812, died November 1G, 1893. Ole Heier had
been a Haugian in Norway, but in this country
he first became a Mormon and afterwards a
Baptist. His name in Norway w r as Ole Olson
Omdal. Six of his children are living, four
sons and two daughters. One of his sons is
A. Hayer, of the firm Hayer & Thompson,
general merchandise in Leland, 111. Christian
Hayer also lives in Illinois, while Ole and Ben-
jamine reside in Iowa.
XV.
The Fourth Norwegian Settlement.
The fourth Norwegian settlement in Amer-
ica and the first in Wisconsin, was founded
by Ole Knudson Nattestad (changed in Amer-
ica to Natesta), who was accordingly the first
Norwegian to set foot on Wisconsin soil. He
came to Clinton, Eock county, Wisconsin,
July 1, 1838, and this was the beginning of the
so-called Jefferson Prairie settlement, which
occupies the southeast corner of Rock county,
238 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
and extends into Boone county, 111. I have al-
ready had occasion to mention Ole Knudson
Nattestad and his brother Ansten Knudson
Nattestad among the promotors of Norwegian
emigration. They came from Vsegli, Eolloug
Parish in Numedal in 1837, but were not pas-
sengers either in "Enigheden" or in "^Egir."
They came by way of Gothenborg, and Fall
River, Mass.
In 1869, interviews with Knud and Ansten
Nattestad were written down by Prof. Svein
Nilsson and published in "Billed-Magazin," and
as their interviews shed a flood of light upon
the beginnings and causes of emigration
from Numedal and Thelemarken in 1837,
and the following years, I take the lib-
erty of reproducing the major part of
them here. I will first introduce Ole Knud-
son Nattestad, who was born in Vsegli, Rolloug
Parish, Numedal, December 24, 1807, and died
in Clinton, Rock county, Wisconsin, May 28,
1886. In 1869, he said:
"As the next oldest of three brothers, I did
not have the right of primogeniture to my
father's farm, which according to law and cus-
tom would go to the oldest son. My ambition
was to become a farmer, and I hoped some day
to be able to buy a farm in my own neighbor-
Ansten Nattestad.
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT. 230
hood. Then niy brother entered the military
school in Christiania and I was to manage the
farm in his absence. I entered upon my task
cheerfully, worked with all my might, and kept
a careful account of income and disbursements.
To my great surprise I soon found out, that in
spite of all my toil and prudence, I did not
make much headway. When the year was
ended I had little or nothing left as a reward
for my labor, and it was clear to me that it
would not do to buy an expensive farm and
run in debt for it. Farming did not pay in the
locality where I was born. I then tried the
occupation of an itinerant merchant. I could
earn a little in this way, but the laws were
against me and I did not like to carry on a
business of such a nature, that it was neces-
sary to keep my affairs secret from the lends-
mand (under-sheriff). Then I worked a while
as a blacksmith. This furnished me enough
to do, but it was difficult to collect the money
I earned. The law did not permit me to work
at my trade in a city. Then (1836) my younger
brother, Ansten, and I went across the moun-
tains to the western part of Norway to buy
sheep, which we intended to sell again.
While we were stopping in the vicinity of
Stavanger, we heard much talk about a coun-
240 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
rrv which was called America. This was the
first time we heard this word. We saw letters
written by Norwegians who w T ere living in
America, and we were told that Knud Slog-
vig, who many years before that had em-
igrated in a sloop (Restaurationen) from Sta~
vanger had lately visited his native land, and
had given so favorable reports about America
that about 150 emigrants from Stavanger Amt
and from llardanger had gone back with him
and had sailed that very summer (1836) in two
brigs from Stavanger across the ocean.
They had gone in spite of all sorts of threats
and warnings about slavery, death and dis-
ease. This was the first large exodus after
the emigration of the sloop party in 1825. All
that we here saw and heard was so new, and
came to us so unexpectedly, that we were not
at once able to arrange all the reports into a
systematic whole and thus get a correct idea
of conditions in the new world. But w T hen I
spent the following Christmas with Even Nub-
bru, w T ho was a member of the Storthing from
Sigdal, we discussed the hard times in my na-
tive valley, and I suggested that I might have
better luck in some other part of the country.
In replying, Even Nubbru remarked that wher-
ever I went in the world, 1 would nowhere
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT. 241
find a people who had as good laws as the
Americans. He had accidentally just had the
opportunity of reading something about Amer-
ica in a German newspaper, and he admired
the free institutions of America. This infor-
mation had a magic effect on me, as I looked
upon it as an injustice that the laws of Nor-
way should forbid me to trade, and not allow
me to get my liying by honest work as a me-
chanic, wherever I desired to locate. I had
confidence in the judgment of the member
of the Storthing and I compared his remarks
with what I had heard about America in the
vicinity of Stavanger. Gradually I got to
thinking of emigration, and w T hile consider-
ing the matter on my way home, the idea ma-
tured into a resolution. My brother Ansten
did not need to be asked a second time. He
was willing at once; he approved of my plans,
and in April, 1837, we were ready for our jour-
ney. When we left home we had together
about S00 dollars, Norwegian money, but this
sum gradually grew less on account of our ex-
penses on the way, and besides we lost consid-
erable in changing our money into American
coin. Ansten also paid the passage for II a 1-
sten Halvorson Brsekke-Eiet, who now (1SG9)
1G
242 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
resides in Dodgeville, and is looked upon as an
■llent blacksmith.
"Our equipment consisted in the clothes we
wore, a pair of skees and a knapsack. People
looked at us with w r onder and intimated that
we must have lost our senses. They sug-
gested that we had better hang ourselves in
the first tree in order to avoid a worse fate.
We went on skees across the mountains from
Rolloug to Tin, and thence in a direct line
over hills and through forests to Stavanger,
where we expected to get passage across the
sea. We did not worry about the roads, for
all three of us were experts on skees and our
baggage caused us no inconvenience. In
Stavanger we told everybody that we were
going to America and wanted to secure a pas-
sage across the sea. This open-heartedness
came near spoiling our plans. The report of
the three mountaineers soon spread over the
whole city, and high government officials came
to see our passports. We were now told that
the bailiff's passport only permitted us to go
to Stavanger, while the certificate from the
pastor correctly stated that we intended to
leave the country and emigrate to America.
We were not posted in such things and thought
our papers were in order, especially as the
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT. 213
documents we carried gave testimony that
we were men of good habits and Christian con-
duct. No suspicious remarks were made, but
in the evening there came a man who was an-
gry on account of the wrong the officials were
going to do us, and related that it had been
resolved that we were to be arrested the fol-
lowing day and then be sent from lendsman
to lendsman to our native valley, as we in-
tended to leave the country without permis-
sion being given in the passport from the bail-
iff. The government here, he said, was in a
bitter rage against all emigration, and we
could not count on any mercy. On this man's
advice we departed secretly from Stavanger
under cover of night in order to avoid the dan-
ger that threatened us, and without attracting
any attention, we got to Tananger. Here we
met a skipper, who with his yacht, loaded with
herring, was ready to sail to Gothenborg.
He promised to take us on board, but when
we told him what had happened to us in Sta-
vanger, he became doubtful. He praised our
honesty, and on our assurance that we would
assume all responsibility, if he got into
trouble, he decided to accept us as passengers
We acted discreetly while we were ashore, and
we felt greatly relieved when we finally got
t
244 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
to sea. In Gothenborg we had no mishaps,
and we secured passage in a vessel loaded with
Swedish iron and bound for Fall River, Mass.
The journey lasted 32 days, and we paid $50
each for transportation and board. From
Fall River, we went to New York, where we
met a few Norwegians, who helped us to get
to Rochester. Here we talked w T ith some of
our countrymen, who twelve years before had
come in the Sloop from Stavanger, and that
brought the first Norwegian immigrants to
America. Rochester and vicinity did not meet
our expectations in regard to the new world.
Many of the first immigrants had left the first
settlement in Kendall and had gone west to
find new homes, particularly to La Salle
county, 111., near Ottawa on the Fox river.
The Fox River colony received a very consid-
erable increment by the great exodus from
Stavanger in 1836, that is, the year before I
came to America. The most of these immi-
grants had located in that settlement. This
we learned in Rochester, and there we heard
for the first time the name Chicago. We de-
termined to go west and see what we could
find. When we had reached Detroit, I was
walking in the streets to look at the town.
There I accidentally met a man, by whoso
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT. 245
clothes I could see that he was from the western
coast of Norway. I greeted the man and he re-
turned my greeting, and the meeting was like
that of two brothers who had not seen each
other for years. He informed-me that he had
left Bergen some months before, together with
about TO (should be 84) passengers, and that
the whole company of which the university
graduate, Ole Rynning, was the leader, had
been waiting a week for transportation to Chi-
cago. We were glad to meet our countrymen
and we joined the party in which there was at
least one (Rynning) who could speak English.
On landing in Chicago we met Bjorn Anderson
Kvelve from the Stavanger country. He had
come to America the year before (1836) ; and
had traveled through various parts of Illinois,
but all that he had heard and seen had only
served to make him dissatisfied with this side
of the ocean. Broken down in soul and body,
he stood before us as a victim of misery and
produced a scene so terrible that it never will
be blotted from my memory. 'God bless and
comfort you/ said he, 'there is neither work
nor land nor food to be had, and by all means
do not go to Fox River; there you will all die
from malarial fever.' These words had a ter-
rible effect on our little flock, many of whom
246 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
had already lost all courage. Like demons
from the lower world all the evil warnings
about the terrors that awaited the emigrants
to America were now called to mind, and even
the bravest w T ere as by magic stricken by a
panic w T hich bordered on insanity. The
women wrung their hands in despair and ut-
tered terrible shrieks of w T oe. Some of the men
sat immovable like statues, with all the marks
of profound despair in their faces, while others
made threats against those whom they re-
garded as the promoters of emigration and
the leaders of the party. But in this critical
situation, Ole Bynning's greatness appeared.
He stood in the midst of the people who were
ready for mutiny; he comforted those in de-
spair, and gave advice to those who doubted
and hesitated, and reproved those who were
obstinate. He was not in doubt for a moment,
and his equanimity, courage and noble self-
sacrifice for the weal of others, had a quieting
influence on the minds of all. The storm
abated, and the dissatisfaction gave place to
an unanimous confidence. A couple of Amer-
icans, with whom Rynning talked, advised him
to take the immigrants to Beaver Creek di-
rectly south of Chicago in Iroquois county ."
It seems to me that in the story told above
OLE NATfESTAD.
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT. 247
about my father and the succeeding scene,
either Mr. Ole Nattestad, or the scribe Prof.
Svein Nilsson, must have been drawing some-
what upon his imagination. The facte as I
have them from my mother, from Mons Aad-
land and even from Ole Nattestad himself, do
not warrant the painting of so weird a picture.
All the prose there is in the romance is that
my father met these people in Chicago and
was unwilling to recommend the Fox River
settlement, with which he was not pleased,
and as is easily seen, he had no hand in rec-
ommending the immigrants to go to Beaver
Creek.
On page 234 in Billed Magazin, where Prof.
Svein Nilsson gives an extended account of my
father and mother, he again alludes to the
Beaver Creek affair in these words:
"Ole Rynning's company met Bjorn Ander-
son in Chicago. The unfavorable description
he gave of the land both west and north fright-
ened the immigrants from locating near any
of the existing Norwegian colonies, and this
resulted in the founding of the Beaver Creek
settlement, whose sad story is well known to
the Scandinavian population in the North-
west. In this connection, bitter reproaches
have been directed against Bjorn Anderson,
248 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
he being in a great measure blamed for the
fatalities of Beaver Creek. But it is usually
the case that people like to seek in others the
cause of their misfortunes. This is true of the
individual as well as of corporations and soci-
eties, and perhaps still more so in the case of
the immigrants visited by adversity. At all
events it is our conviction, and we ow^e to jus-
tice the remark, that the criticism on Bjorn
Anderson has been too severe, if not utterly
unfounded."
I omit the part of Ole Nattestad's interview
which relates to the unfortunate Beaver Creek
episode, as I have already given a full account
of the settlement, and resume his narrative
with the spring of 1838.
"In the spring of 1838, my brother Ansten
went to Norway, and I worked by the day in
the northern part of Illinois.
"The first of July, 1838, 1 came to my present
home in about the middle of the tow T n of Clin-
ton, Rock county, Wisconsin, w T here I bought
land, and I am consequently the first Norwe-
gian to settle in this state. So far as I know
no other Norwegian had planted his feet on
Wisconsin soil before me. For a whole year
I saw no countryman, but lived alone, with-
out friend, family or companion. Eight Amer-
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT.
•leans had settled in the town before me, but
they lived about as isolated as I did. 1 found
the soil very fertile and the monotony of the
prairie was relieved by the small tranches of
trees. Deer and other game were abundant.
The horrid howl of the prairie-wolf disturbed
my sleep, until habit armed my ears against
annoyances of this sort. The following sum-
mer (1839) I built a little log hut, and in this
residence I received in September a number
of people from my own parish in Norway.
They had come as immigrants with my brother
Ansten. The most of these settled on Jef-
ferson Prairie, and in this w^ay the settlement
got a large population in a comparatively
short time."
In 1S40, Ole Nattestad married Lena Hiser,
who died September 15, 18S8. She left seven
children all in good circumstances and well
educated. Henry, the youngest son, now occu-
pies the old homestead.
We now pass to Ansten Knudson Nattestad,
the brother of Ole, and will also let him ell
the story in his own words translated from me
same source (Svein Nilsson in Billed Maga-
tin).
"In the spring of 1838 I went by way of New
Orleans to Liverpool and thence to Norway,
250 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
to visit friends and acquaintances in my na-
tive land."
The part concerning the manuscripts of his
brother's journal and Ole Bynning's book has
already been fold (pp. 207-216).
"I spent the winter in Numedal. The re-
port of my return spread like wildfire through
the land, and an incredible number of people
came to see me and to get news from America.
Many came as far as 20 Norwegian (140 Eng-
lish) miles to have a talk with me. It w T as
impossible to answer all the letters I received
asking questions about the condition of things
on the other side of the ocean. In the spring
of 1839, about 100 persons from Numedal
stood ready to go with me across the sea.
Among these were many farmers and heads
of families, all excepting the children, able-
bodied persons in their best years. Besides
these there were a number from Thelemarken
and from Numedal, who were unable to join me,
as our ship was full. We went from Dram-
men direct to New York. It was the first
time the inhabitants of Drammen saw an
em i Grant ship.* Each person paid f 33.50 for
his passage. We were nine weeks on the sea t
* The name of the ship was " Emelia " and the captain's
name was Ankerson.
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT. 251
the passage was a successful one, and there
was no death on board. From New York
we took the common route up the country.
In Milwaukee we met those from Tin in Thele-
marken, and the others, who were unable to
come in our ship across the sea.* They came
on board to us and wanted us to go with them
to Muskego. Men had been out there to in-
spect the country and they reported that the
grass was so high that it reached up to their
shoulders, and told of many other glorious
things. The Americans, too, used every argu-
ment to pursuade us to stop in Milwaukee. I
objected, and we continued our journey. In
Chicago, I learned that my brother Ole had
settled in Wisconsin during my absence in
Norway. Some of the party went to the Fox
River settlement, where they had acquaint-
ances** while some unmarried persons found
employment in Chicago and vicinity. The rest
of them, that is to say, the majority accompan-
ied me to Jefferson Prairie. Among these
there were a few who settled in the town of
Rock Run, Stephenson county, in the northern
* They had gone to Skien, thence to Gothenborg, thence
to Boston, and had already reached Milwaukee.
** Three families had emigrated from Thelemarken to La
Salle county, in 1837— see p. 232.
252 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
part of Illinois, about fifty miles west from
Jefferson Prairie, and there they formed the
nucleus of a Norwegian settlement. Others
of my company went to Rock Prairie (Luther
Valley), a few miles west of Jefferson Prairie.
I and the rest came at once to Jefferson Prairie
where we bought land and began to culti-
vate it. Among those who came here with
me at that time I will name Thore Helgeson
Kirkejord, his brother Thorstein, Erik Skav-
lem, and the. brothers Kittel and Christopher
Nyhuus, all from Numedal. These are all
still in the settlement and have become thrifty
farmers."
Here follows a severe criticism of conditions
in Norway, but as it is of the same character
as that already quoted from Ole Nattestad it
is not necessary to repeat it.
'In 1840 a few came here from Numedal,
and from that time the number of the settlers
steadily increased chiefly by new arrivals from
Norway. The most of those from Numedal
settled in the northern part of the colony, for
we who came after my brother, who was here
before any of us, bought land near the place
where he had built his cabin, and those from
the same part of Norway who came later as
immigrants and who sought us out in the far
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT. 253
west, settled as our neighbors. I and the
first Numedalians chose this tract as our
home, and our choice was made immediately
after our arrival. The same autumn (1839)
a company from Voss came to the settlement.
These Vossings went further south, and as birds
of a feather usually flock together, so their
friends from Voss gradually settled near them.
Hence the Jefferson Prairie settlement may as
to population be divided into two districts, of
which the northern consists chiefly of Nu-
medalians, while the Vossings predominate in
the southern $art."
Thus was begun and gradually developed
the Jefferson Prairie settlement in Wisconsin.
Its founder was Ole Knudson Nattestad on
July 1, 1838. I count it as the fourth Norwe-
gian settlement in America and the first in
the state of Wisconsin. The settlement em-
braces the south half of the town of Clinton,
which is the southeast corner of Rock county
and extends across the state line into the town
of Manchester in Boone county, 111. It was
stated that a part of Ansten Nattestad's com-
pany went to Rock Prairie the same year, 1839.
The Rock Prairie settlement consists properly
of the towns of Plymouth, Newark, Avon and
Spring Valley in the southwestern corner of
254 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Rock county, and is usually mentioned as a dis-
tinct Norwegian settlement, particularly on ac-
count of its having had from an early period a
separate congregation and church. Besides the
Jefferson and Rock Prairie settlements are actu-
ally separated from one another by settlers of
other nationalities, but it will be noticed that
the Jefferson Prairie settlement quickly and
easily ramified into all directions, and inas-
much as Jefferson Prairie and Rock Prairie
are in the same county I have taken the lib-
erty of considering them as one. In this first
settlement I also include those families that
went to Rock Run in Stephenson county. In
those days people might be separated by many
miles and still be considered neighbors. The
Fox River settlement in La Salle county very
quickly extended branches into Kendall, Lee
and other neighboring counties, where the
Norwegian settlements became known under
separate names, but of this fact I take no note
in this volume. I trust my friends and readers
at Rock Run and on Rock Prairie will not feel
slighted because I have included them with
the Jefferson Prairie settlement. It raises
their rank. For, as I have considered them,
they now rank with the fourth settlement in
America and the first in Wisconsin, while, were
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT.
I to treat them separately, they would botli
rank after the Muskego settlement in Racine
county, Wis.
Ole K. Nattestad (Xa testa) was born Decem-
ber 21, 1807; died May 28, 18S6. His wife died
September 15, 1S8S.
Ansten K. Nattestad (Xatesta) was born
'August 2G, 1813; died April 8, 1889.
It was a wealthy man by name Klemet Sta-
bek, who in company with others, liirt settled
in Bock Run, 111. From here and Jefferson
and Rock Prairies the Norwegians spread fl
to the Pecatonica river and to Mineral Point.
The majority of the first settlers in all these
places came from Numedal, and in 1843,
while they were visited by Johan Reinert Rei«
erson, about 200 of them united in addressing
a letter to Bishop Sorensen in Norway and ask-
ing him to send them a capable and pious
young preacher. In this letter they offered a
salary of §300 a year, a parsonage with 80
acres of land attached and extra pay for all
special services, baptism, marriage, etc. More
than two hundred persons of both sexes >igned
their names to this agreement.
I cannot leave the Jefferson Prairie settle-
ment without mentioning some other parties
who came there in 1839. •
256 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Jens Guldbrandson Mykre was born in
V»gli, Numedal, in 1812. In April, 1839, he and
his brother Gudbrand emigrated by way of
Gothenborg and came in a German vessel to
Newport, llhode Island, where they arrived
after a voyage of six weeks and five days..
From Newport they proceeded to New York
and thence to Chicago, which took two weeks.
In Chicago they heard of a man from Thele-
marken, by name Halstein Halvorson, who w T as
living twenty-two miles west of there. They
set out on foot and found Halstein working
for a man by name Downing. Halstein had
been in America two years, having arrived in
1837. He was of course one of those who had
left Thelemarken in company w T ith Gunder
and Erik Gauteson Midboen, Thor Kittelson
Svimbil and John Nelson Eue. After stop-
ping at Downing's a few days Jens and Gul-
brand Myhre continued their journey to Jef-
ferson Prairie, where they soon found employ-
ment at seventy-five cents a day. Later on
11 icy went into well-digging, for which they
received fifty cents a foot.
At Christmas, 1839, Jens Myhre married
Bergit Nelson Kalrud, also from Vsegli in Nu-
medaL She had come from Norway the same
tr in the ship "Emelia," which came direct
m m^
m
'felm
'
9m
" 4*tik \k-
HH
1 mm* ^j*M
m m
TO H «
SB
v llifm
Jens Gulbrandson Myhra.
Bergit Myhra.
Till: FOURTH SETTLEMENT 2C7
from Drammen to New York, and which
was commanded by Capt Ankerson. This
the vessel in which Austen Xattestad and Ins
company came to America In 1839. Mrs.
Myhre says tliis ship was nine weeks on the
way across the ocean. As there were too
many passengers on board Capt Ankerson had
to resort to a stratr-v. .Jnsi before arriving
in New York he had some of the passengers
put on Bailors' Clothes, and in this way he
avoided all trouble with the custom honse otli-
eers. Capt. Ankerson accompanied the im-
migrants as far as to Buffalo.
Qulbrand Myhre married Ambjftr Olson
from Ya«gli, Xumedal, in 1840, and then both
Jens and (Julbrand bought farms on Jefferson
PraMe. They soon sold these farms, however,
and moved to Rock Prairie, and after some
years they also sold their Rock Prairie farms
and moved to Mitchell county in Iowa, settling
near St. Ansgar, a town founded by Rev. C. L
Clausen, of whom we shall hear something
later on. Jens and (Inlbrand Myhre were
among the first Norwegian settlors in Mitchell
county, and there they became owners of a con-
siderable amount of land. Gtalbrand's wife
died there in 18G3; his only daughter died in
17
258 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
1SG7, and he himself died November 15, 1867.
Their only son, Gilbert G. Gilbertson, now
lives a little south of St. Ansgar.
Jens came to St. Ansgar July 5, 1861, and
both he and his wife are still living on their
magnificent estate there. Their only daughter
is married to Mr. T. M. Tollefson, an intelli-
gent and prosperous farmer near St. Ansgar,
while their only son, Gilbert J. Gilbertson, is
married, lives with his parents and takes care
of the farm.
The first Norwegian settler on Eock Prairie
was Gullek O. Gravdahl, and he is said to have
been the first white man who began to turn
the sod in the Luther Valley settlement. The
Indians were then his neighbors, and the
wolves gave him a free serenade every night.
Gullek Olson Gravdahl was born on the
farm Kjimhus in Vsegli, Numedal, September
26, 1802, and died on Eock Prairie, July 17,
1873. He was the son of a peasant in Norway,
and in 1839 he emigrated in company with
Ansten Nattestad. Coming to Jefferson Prairie,
he left his family there and with a couple
of comrades went westward until they found
the location which became the nucleus of the
Eock Prairie settlement. At the end of the
first day's travel they found a place that
GULLEIK GRAVDAHL.
Mrs. Gravdahl.
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT. 259
suited them. They lay clown to rest for the
night. Their bed was the cold ground and
their covering was the star-spangled canopy
of heaven. A large spreading oak stood sen-
tinel and w r atched over those men who were to
be the first to fell the giants of the forest and
to begin the work of civilizing the wilderness.
Soon Gravdahl had his log-house built. Into
it he moved his family from Jefferson Prairie,
and he was the first Norwegian settler on the
west side of Rock river, but it did not take
long before the settlement thus founded by
him became one of the most flourishing Nor-
wegian settlements in America. Gullek Grav-
dahl prospered and became a wealthy farmer.
A companion of Gullek O. Gravdahl in the
ship "Emelia" from Drammen was Helleik
Glaim. He stopped a year in Chicago and then
w ent to Rock Prairie in 1840. After remaining
there about a dozen years he removed to Fill-
more county, Minnesota, and in 1S66 he settled
at Hanley Falls, Yellow Medicine county,
Minn. He is still living. The restless viking
spirit survives in the Norwegian immigrants!
Helleik Glaim was born on the farm Glaim
in Vsegli, Numedal, February 15, 1810. He
informs me that Klemet Stabek, who settled
200 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
near Davis, HI., came in the same ship with
him in 1839.
The first Norwegian to be buried in Rock
county or in Wisconsin soil, so far as I have
been able to learn, was Hans Gjermundson
Haugen, who came from Viegli in Nuniedal in
1840. His wife's name was Sigrid Peders-
datter Valle. Hans Gjermundson was born
in 1785 and died on Jefferson Prairie in the
latter part of October, 1810. Sigrid w r as born
January 30, 1803, and died in Beloit, January
21, 1885. They had two sons, Gunnul and
Gjermund. Gunnel was born in Va?gli, April
28, 1827, and died in Canby, Minn., January 1,
1893. Gjermund w r as born in Vsegli, Septem-
ber 19, 1836, and is still living in Beloit, Wis.
Of Gunnul it is to be said that he taught the
first English school in the town of Primrose^
Wis., in the winter of 1849-1850, that he vis-
ited Pike's Peak in the year 1854, and that he
served in the war of the rebellion, apparently
in a Wisconsin regiment.
Gjermund was also a soldier in the war. He
recruited a company in Primrose, Dane county,
and vicinity, under Pres. Lincoln's call of July,
1864, was assigned to the 43d Wis. Vol., com-
missioned as captain of company "I," and mus-
THE FOURTH SBTTLBM] 23!
Icrcd in the United States service at < am;>
Washburn in Milwaukee on the Wth of Sep-
tember, 1864 B$ was Immediately sent to
Johnsonville, Tenn., where liis company re-
mained (after having a fight with Gen. Forest),
until the beginning of November, when he was
ordered to Nashville, but was cut off by (Jen.
I [end's forces before reaching the city. lie
therefore wen* bach to Clarkville on the Cum?
berland river below Nashville, There he re*
mained until January l, 1865, when he was
sent down to guard the railroad from Mnr-
freesboro t<> Decherd, Tenn. Here he and his
company remained until the close of the war,
and he was mustered out of service in Nash-
ville, Tenn., on the 26th of January, 1865. In a
letter to me dated March 30, 1895, Gjermund
Hanson (Capt. Geo. Jackson) informs me that
his father had been in the military service in
Norway for seven years, having been mustered
out after the treaty of peace between Sweden
and Norway in 1815. From Captain Jackson's
interesting letter, I make the following ex-
tract which throws some light upon his com-
ing to America and on the early settlement
of I\ock county.
"I will also mention something about our
voyage from Norway. We embarked in a sail-
262 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
ing vessel at Drammen, leaving there on the
17th of May, 1840, touched at Gothenborg,
Sweden, where we took a cargo of iron, re-
maining there two weeks; and from there to
2s' ew York it took eleven more weeks. From
New York we came by canal to Buffalo, and
from there to Milwaukee by steamer. At Mil-
waukee a part of the passengers went to Mus-
kego, Racine county, among them the Heg
family and the Skofstads and a number of
others. We all came over on the same vessel.
I have forgotten the ship's name, but I remem-
ber the captain's name w T as Ankerson, and
that he had made one voyage the year before,
this being his second, and that he made sev-
eral after that to this country.
"In reply to your inquiry about the Norwe-
gians who were in Rock county, when we ar-
rived here, I would say, that I believe there
were none on Rock Prairie or on Koshkonong
at that time. Ole and his brother, Ansten
Knudson Nattestad, Erik Guldbrandson Skav-
lem, and the two brothers, Jens and Guldbrand
Guldbranson Myhre, Kittel and his brother
Kristofer Nyhuus, Thore and his brother Thor-
stein Helgeson, Halvor Pederson Haugen, an
uncle of mine, are all I can remember as living
there at that time. All these were from Nu-
THE FOURTH SETTLEMENT. 263
medal, and came there in 1839, with the ex-
ceptioD of Die Knudson Nattestad, who came
to Jefferson Prairie in 183S.
"By way of explanation I will state how we
came to take the name of Jackson. Among
the passengers across the sea was a man by
Dame Ludvig. He had spent some time in
England and was pretty well versed in the
English language. He acted as interpreter
for the emigrants. He told my father that his
name, Hans, translated into English would
he Jack, and Hanson, would accordingly be
Jackson, and as my name was Gjermund Han-
son, it was turned into George Jackson. The
whole family adopted the name Jackson.
"I may also mention that the above named
Ludvig taught the first English school ever
taught in Rock county among the Norwegians
there. "There were no school districts organ-
ized and there were no school-houses. Lud-
vig taught in private houses, and both the
grown people and the children attended school."
Captain Jackson also informs me that in
1849, he with his mother and brother, moved
from Jefferson Prairie, to Primrose, Dane
county. They were preceded in Primrose by
only four Norwegian families. Christian
Hendrikson had come there in 1846, from
2J4 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
YViota, in LaFayette county, Salve Jordanson,
Nels Enerson, and Nels Nelson Skogen, came
from Jefferson Prairie in 1848. In 1849 sev-
eral families went to Primrose from Rock
county, and among* them are mentioned Hon.
Gunnuf Tollefson, Knute Bowerson and Ole
Tollefson.
As will appear later on, Norwegians had
actually settled on Koshkonong at the time
when Captain Jackson and his parents arrived
at Jefferson Prairie in 1840.
Before we pass to the consideration of the
next regular settlement, we must still men-
tion one of the pioneers of emigration by name
Ole H. Aasland. He was a rich farmer in
Fledsberg Parish, Numedal, and emigrated in
1838. He took with him twenty poor people,
for whom he paid the expenses, went to Tons-
berg, thence to Gothenborg, and then lo New
York. After arriving in America, going first
to the Kendall settlement, he was induced
to buy 600 acres of land in Noble county, Indi-
ana, not very far from Ft. Wayne. But he had
fallen into the hands of unscrupulous specu-
lators, who took advantage of his ignorance of
American affairs, and he was badly swindled.
Tlir land he bought was said to be very poor
and swampy. Many of the colonists died.
Tin; For inn SETTLEMENT.
With tin* survivors he moved hark to Orleans
county, x. v., where tie became a well-to-do
tanner. Die II. Aasland changed liis name in
this country to Die II. orslaml, Four of liis
Children ace still living, viz., Canute ami
Harry Ii., living in Kendall, X. V., Ilalloek ami
•lane, residing in Detroit, Mich. In January,
1895, I received a letter from Canute Orsland,
who now lives on the old family homestead
in Kendall, N. Y., ami from it I take the lib-
erty <»f giving the following extract: "The
postmaster banded me your letter, and in re-
ply would say that I am not competent to giVe
you the desired information, hut I will do the
best I can. There are not many Norwegians
left in Kendall now; some have died and some
have moved away. My father, Ole II. Orsland,
came to America in 183& Be went to Ft
Wayne, Indiana, ami purchased 600 acres of
Land in Noble county. He had paid the pas-
sage Of some of his countrymen, and they were
to work for him and reimburse him. It \
sickly there and some of them died and the
rest had the fever and ague. My father,
therefore, ahandonod the land and came back
to Kendall and gave his (100 acres of Indiana
Land to Andrew J. Stan^vland, who was horn
here, but whose father came in the sloop in
266 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
1825, for fifty acres of land, which I now oc-
cupy." In a letter dated at Kendall, N. Y.,
February 27, 1895, Canute Orsland informs me
that Ole H. Orsland (Aasland) was born in
1795, and died in 1864, at the age of 69 years.
XVI.
The Fifth Norwegian Settlement.
We now pass to the consideration of the
fifth Norwegian settlement in America, the
so-called Muskego settlement in Waukesha
and Kacine counties, Wisconsin. We have
seen how three families and a couple of sin-
gle men left Tin in Upper Thelemarken in
1837, and how the Nattestad brothers, Ole and
Ansten, and Halstein Halvorson Brsekke-Eiet
made up their minds to emigrate from Vsegli
in Numedal the same year. These two par-
ties apparently entirely independent of each
other were the first to leave those parts of
Norway and settle in the new world. Then
letters came back to Tin, and in this man-
ner information was spread throughout Thele-
marken in regard to conditions in America,.
THE FIFTH SETTLEMENT. 267
and many began to talk about emigration.
The following year (1838) Ansten Nattestad
returned and spent a year in Norway, and
while there he published his brother Ole's
book in Drammen, and Ole Kynning's "Ac-
count of America" in Christiania. Ansten
Nattestad clearly went back for the purpose
of organizing a party of emigrants. His case
is similar to that of Knud Slogvig, the slooper,
who returned to the Stavanger country in
1S35, and caused the great exodus from Sta-
vanger in 1S3G, and Ansten Nattestad's return
t«> X u medal in 1838 created no less excite-
ment and wonderment than Knud Slogvig's
had caused in the western part of Norway in
1835. People would not have been more as-
tonished, if a man had actually returned from
the moon, and the two books, Ole Nattestad's
and Tivnning's, particularly the latter, in
which a scholarly and graphic account of con-
ditions and prospects in the new world were
presented, were quickly spread throughout Nor-
way, and from this time <>n wo may regard reg-
ular ('migration from various parts of Norway
as fully established, though emigrant packets
do not appear to haye begun to ply regularly
until after 1S40. Down to 1840, we bfl
only the sloop "Restaurationen" in l^i'."".; the
268 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
two Kohler brigs, "Norden" and "Den Norske
Klippe" from Stavanger in 1836; "Enigneden"
from Egersund and Stavanger, and "JEgir" from
Bergen in 1837; and the ship "Emelia" from
Drammen, commanded by Captain Ankerson,
carrying Ansten Nattestad and his party di-
rect to New York in 1839. The rest of the
emigrants down to 1840 seem to have gone
by the way of Gothenborg, Hamburg and
Havre, as did many after 1840.
The people whom we are now to mention
io tended to come with Ansten Nattestad and
Captain Ankerson in the "Emelia" but there
were no accommodations to be had. The ves-
sel was loaded. The result was that the over-
flow went to Skien. The party who went to
Skien consisted of about forty persons from
Tin and the neighboring parish Hjertdal in
Upper Thelemarken. These forty people
were extensively connected by family ties,
and the Luraas family w r ere represented • by
four heads of families embracing about half
of the company. There were eleven families in
all, eight of them, including the Luraas fam-
ilies, being from Tin and three from ITjertdal.
Thiers were also a few unmarried people in
lie- party. The most conspicuous among these
people from Thelemarken was John Nelson
John Nelson Luraas.
THE FIFTH SETTLEMENT. 269
Luraas, a man who, until very recently, wee
still living as a prosperous fanner near
fsfamghton, \\is. I am happy to be able to
give the rest of the Btory as he told it to Prof.
Svein Nilsson. He says:
"I was my father's oldest son, and conse-
quently heir to the Luraas farm. It was re-
garded as one of the best in that neighbor-
hood, but there was a £1,400 mortgage on it.
I had worked for my father until I was
twenty-five years old, and had had no oppor-
tunity of getting money. It was plain to mo,
that I would have a hard time of it, if I should
take the farm with the debt resting on it, pay
a reasonable amount to my brothers and sis-
ters and assume the care of my aged father. I
saw to my horror how one farm after the other
fell into the hands of the lendsmand and other
money-lenders, and this increased my dread
of attempting farming. But I got married
and had to do something. Then it occurred
to me that the best thing might be to emigrate
to America. I was encouraged in this pur-
pose by letters from Norwegian settlers in Illi-
nois, written by a Norwegian emigrant who
had lived two years in America, Such were
the causes that led me to emigrate, and I pre-
270 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
sume the rest of our company were actuated
by similar motives.
"On May 17, Norway's day of liberty, in the
year 1839, the ship left Skien and glided be-
fore a stiff breeze out of the Langesund fjord,
and soon the great sea was in sight. We soon
got out of sight of land, and when the last
mountain tops disappeared from above the
horizon, some of the passengers doubtless felt
sad at heart while thinking of their uncertain
future and of the probability that they would
never again see that home from which they
had taken with them so many dear memories.
But the decisive step had been taken, and
doubt and hesitation would now be out of
place. We continued to make progress, and
after a few days of fine sailing, the Norwegian
captain landed the passengers in Gothenborg,
Sweden, which was his destination. Here
we met a few families from Stavanger, about
twenty persons in all, who were also bound
for America. Both parties united, and an
American captain, whose vessel was lying in
the harbor and loaded with iron, agreed to
carry the emigrants across the sea to Boston
for a fare of forty-two dollars, Norwegian
money, for each person. There was no acci-
THE FIFTH SETTLEMENT. 271
dent on the way, the health of the passenf
was good, and after nine weeks we saw land
on the other side of the ocean."
From Boston these immigrants proceeded
to New York and thence to Buffalo. In Buf-
falo they met a captain who agreed to carry
the immigrants by way of the lakes i<> Mil-
waukee. They went on board his miserable
vessel, which twice came near being wrecked
on the way. A woman was washed overboard,
and after three w T eeks they reached Milwau-
kee. Here there was some talk among the
officials of bringing suit against the captain,
who was reproached in severe terms for taking
so many people on board a ship that leaked
like a sieve and could scarcely hold together.
When we consider that this ship was loaded
with poAvder, it must be admitted that the
passengers had been in no enviable position.
It was seventeen weeks since they left Skien
in Norway, and still they were far from their
journey's end. They intended to go by way of
Chicago to the Fox River settlement in Illi-
nois. But this plan was abandoned, and our
new-comers were persuaded to remain in Wis-
consin. In regard to this change of purpose a
strange little story is current. I give it for
what it is worth, partly to relieve somewhat
272 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
the dullness of my pages and partly because
it is believed by many people. While I do not
care to discredit it, I have not, on the other
hand, been able to get any conclusive evidence-
that the episode ever occurred. Here it is:
The day after our immigrants had arrived
in Milwaukee, they were getting ready to de-
part for Chicago. Then some Milwaukee peo-
ple came on board the vessel. They asked the
new-comers what they intended to do in Amer-
ica. The answer came, that they were farmers
and desired to buy land, and were thinking of
going to Illinois. "Go where you like," said
one of the visitors. "This is a free country,
but if you want to do that which is best for
yourselves, then take my advice." Then he
presented two persons, one of whom was a
large fat man, the picture of health, while the
other was a mere skeleton, all emaciated from
disease. "Look here," said the Milwaukeean,
"this fat man is from Wisconsin, where there
is a healthy climate and an abundance of food;
this invalid is from Illinois, where people are
burnt up by a scorching heat and where they
die like flies from malarial fever. Now choose
as you think best."
It was a hot day in August, and the burn-
ing rays of the sun added weight to the man's-
THE FIFTH SETTLEMENT. 273
words and arguments. Our new-comers were
perspiring in their thick woolen clothes, and
they thought with dread of the heat in Illinois,
where they would soon be changed into skel-
etons like that emaciated fellow who stood
by the side of the healthy and vigorous man
from Wisconsin.
The result was that these immigrants went
ashore in Milwaukee, a city which was then in
its infancy. It is claimed that the fat man
exhibited to the Norwegians was the well
known Mr. Walker, after whom the present
south, side of the city was for a long time called
Walker's Point.
Our immigrants having been persuaded to
shorten their journey and remain in Wis-
consin, their American friends advised them
to locate on the shores of Lake Muskego in
the present Waukesha county. A committee
of the immigrants were appointed to go with
an American to look at the land, which could
be bought for $1.25 per acre. The summer
weather had dried up the marshes, and the
Norwegians took the large swamps covered
with tall grass to be prairies. There was
plenty of timber, and the waters were filled
with fish. The emissaries liked the land, and
18
274 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
made a favorable report to their comrades in
Milwaukee. The result was that nearly the
w T hole company abandoned their purpose of
going to the Fox River settlement in Illinois,
and settled around the north end of Muskego
lake. They at once began to clear their farms,
but when the fall rains came the most of the
land was flooded. It was clear that they had
made a poor choice, but still our settlers con-
tinued to live on their farms, and they were
afterwards joined by others both from Tin
and from Illinois. The settlement grew and
it became the stopping place for many of the
later immigrants, who would remain in Mus-
kego a year or two before going out to other
settlements in Wisconsin. But in the years
1849, 1850 and 1852, cholera visited the settle-
ment and caused such a mortality that the lo-
cation came into disrepute. The most of those
who were spared by the cholera epidemic, emi-
grated to other settlements.
From a conversation with Mr. Hans J. Ja-
cobson, assistant sergeant-at-arms of the Wis-
consin state senate in 1895, I learn that the
following Norwegians are now living in Mus-
kego, Waukesha county: 1. Gunnerius P.
Ducleth; 2. Ole Larson; 3. Rolf Rolf son Fla-
ten. lie also informs me that the following
THE FIFTH SETTLEMENT. 275
reside in the town of Vernon, wesl of Mus-
kego: 1. Kittel Lohner; 2. Gunnul Knut-
son Morem; 3. Thomas Throndson; 4. Andreas
Halvorson; 5. Anna Kjonaas, the widow of Die
Kjonaas. Both Ole Kjonaas and his wife
came with the Luraas party in 1839. John
Jacobson Einong, who came from Tin, Thele-
marken in 1843, lived and died in Vernon. He
had four daughters. One of these married
Col. Hans Heg, another married John Evenson
Molee, and is the mother of Elias J. Molee, a
third married the well known publisher and
journalist, Elias Stangeland, and the fourth
married Hans Tveito. A son of John Jacob-
son Einong lives in Fillmore county, Minne-
sota.
In the History of Waukesha County, by
Frank A. Flower, I find the following sad re-
port of our Muskego settlement: "What was
called the Norwegian settlement began in the
south part of the town in 1839, and grew rap-
idly until some of the newly arriving immi-
grants brought the cholera in 1849. Terrible
and indescribable scenes followed the break-
ing out of this fearful scourge, as the poor and
ignorant people did not know how to diet or
abate its ravages in the least. A hospital
was finally established on the shores of Big
27b NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Muskego lake, in a large barn, where scores
of the poor people died. This plague broke
out here again in 1851, and raged with fright-
ful violence and fatality. A log house near
the town line in Noway was then an im-
provised hospital, and graves were dug and
kept open for expected corpses. The plague
resulted in so many deaths, and carried such
terror into the community, that all but a few
of the surviving Norwegian families left the
town."
The fate of this Muskego settlement most
forcibly reminds us of the unhappy Beaver
Creek settlement in 1837.
John Nelson Luraas, the leader of the party
from Tin, very soon left Muskego and bought a
farm in Norway, Racine county. This farm he
improved considerably, and then sold it to
Even H. Heg, and Luraas himself removed
to Dane county, Wisconsin. This John Nel-
son Luraas, who deserves prominence as one
of the principal founders of the Muskego set-
tlement, was born in Tin in Thelemarken,
December 25, 1813. He landed in New York,
September 8, 1839, and as stated, remained in
Muskego until 1813. On June 16th, 1843, he
arrived in the town of Dunkirk, Dane county,
and in October, 1868, he removed to a farm
THE FIFTH SETTLEMENT. 277
in Webster county, Iowa, about ten miles
north of Fort Dodge, where he remained until
the fall of 1873, when he returned to his farm
in Dane county. In the fall of 188G, he re-
moved to Stoughton, where he died May 29,
1890. He was married in Norway, April 8,
1839, to Miss Anna Olson Berg. John Nelson
Luraas was an intelligent, enterprising man,
and he accumulated a considerable amount
of wealth. I was several times a guest at his
hospitable home near Stoughton.
In the spring of 1840, Soren Bache and Jo-
hannes Johannesen, men of means and intelli-
gence who had come from Drammen, Norway,
the preceding year, 1839, and spent the winter
in the Fox River settlement :n Illinois, arrived
in the town of Norway in Racine county,
directly south of Muskego. Norway became
the nucleus of the new settlement, which ex-
tended into several towns of Racine county,
and the whole settlement has since been
known as Muskego, although the original set-
tlement in Muskego became practically aban-
doned.
Bache and Johannesen came for the purpose
of selecting a home for themselves and for
others who intended to emigrate to America
from the vicinity of Drammen in Norway.
£78 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
The cluster of beautiful lakes, the clear
streams of living water, swarming with fish
and game, which they found in the towm of
Norway, satisfied their desires. A cabin was
built in one of the Indian mounds on the banks
of Wind lake, reports of the country were sent
to their friends across the sea, and in the fall
of 1840, a large party of emigrants arrived at
Milwaukee, destined for the town of Norway.
This party consisted of Even II. Heg, his wife
and four children, Syvert Ingebretson, Ole
Hoganson, Ole Anderson, Helge Thompson,
Johannes Skofstad and others, all of whom
settled in the same vicinity. Soren Bache
having considerable capital, he with his part-
ners, Even II. Heg and Johannes Johannesen,
purchased a large tract of land in the town of
Norway. They afterwards sold a part of their
lands to immigrants who came later.
Johannes Johannesen being a man in whom
the Norwegians reposed great confidence, a
large number of the immigrants that landed
at Milwaukee in the forties first- came to what
was known as Heg's farm, where they would
remain for weeks consulting about which part
of the country w r as the best to locate in.
Many now living in Wisconsin, Iowa and Min-
nesota well remember the old barn that shel-
THE FIFTH SETTLEMENT. 279
tered so many of them for a while in those
early days when houses were scarce. In this,
Heg's barn, Bev. C. L. Clausen preached to the
Norwegians in this settlement in 1843, and in
this barn he organized a congregation that
same year. A Norwegian church was begun
in 1843, but was not finished and dedicated
before 1845. Rev. C. L. Clausen was a Dane
by birth, but he had been a lay preacher in
Norway, and soon after his arrival in America
he was ordained by a German Lutheran minis-
ter. The spot selected for the church and
also for the burying ground was covered with
a large number of Indian graves, and was
considered as appropriate a resting place for
the pale-faced Norwegian as it had been for
the red savage. The church was built of logs,
but large and commodious, on the same ground
where the beautiful new church now stands
and where lie buried so many of those old
pioneers, including Johannes Johannesen,
Even II. Heg, his wife, and his son, Col. Hans
C. Heg, who was killed in the battle of Chick-
amauga, during the rebellion.
In the year 18G0, the state of Wisconsin
ceded to the town of Norway all the swamp
lands within the limit of the town, about 2,300
acres. The act provided that the proceeds
280 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
should be used for a drainage fund. Only a
small portion of this fund has been used as yet,
but the money is let out at interest, on good
paper, and thus far not a dollar has been lost.
The credit of securing this grant to the town
is due to the efforts of the Hon. Knud Lang-
land, who at the time represented the second
assembly district of Racine county in the
state legislature, and who labored zealously
for the passage of the bill. The lands are
now all or nearly sold and have proved to be
of great benefit to the settlers of the town.
For the above facts in regard to the first
settlement of Norwegians in Racine county,
I am indebted in part to an article published
some years ago in a Racine county paper, the ar-
ticle being presumably w r ritten by Mr. Ole
Heg, a brother of Col. Hans Heg. In a sketch
of the Muskego settlement written for Billed
Magazin, Prof. Svein Nilsson says that Soren
Bache and Johannes Johannesen came to Ra-
cine county in 1839, having spent only a few
weeks in the Fox River settlement, but I have
accepted the more probable version that these
men spent the whole winter in Illinois and
came to Wisconsin in the spring.
A sad accident occurred in the early days
of this old settlement, and that is said to be
THE FIFTH SETTLEMENT. 281
the chief reason why Soren Bache returned to
Norway. He and his friend, Rev. C. L. Clausen,
were out hunting one day and stopped at the
house of a Norwegian settler. While 88reo
Bache was making some examination of the
trigger his gun accidentally discharged and
killed the housewife, whose name was Hege.
It made the husband almost distracted and
Soren Bache was in danger of losing his rea-
son. He gave Hege's widower forty acres of
land and a cow, and did all he could for the
poor man, who accepted the gifts, but said
"these things do not bring back to me my
dear Hege." It is believed that this accident
was the main reason why Bache returned to
Norway in 1845. He wanted to get away from
the scene of his great misfortune.
Even Heg had a considerable amount of
money with him, and with that he bought a
large tract of land. It was not long before the
town of Norway became occupied, and soon
the newcomers began to spread into the ad-
joining towns. Mr. Johannesen died in the col-
ony in 1845, and the same year Bache re-
turned to Norway and settled on a farm, Valle,
in Lier, where he is said to have lived until the
year 1870, but these two men are to be remem-
bered as the founders of that part of the Mus-
282 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
kego settlement, which was located in Racine
county, and which became permanent. Even
Heg was a most enterprising man. His barn,
which is still standing, was generally filled a
couple of months each summer with Norwe-
gian emigrants on their way to Koshkonong
and other Norwegian settlements in Wiscon-
sin. Even Heg's oldest son was Hans C. Heg,
one of the most brilliant names in Norwegian
American history. He was elected state prison
commissioner in 1859, and in 1861 he organ-
ized the 15th regiment, Wisconsin volunteers,
consisting almost exclusively of Scandina-
vians. Hans Christian Heg became its colonel.
He was born near Drammen in Norway, De-
cember 21, 1829, came to America with his
father in 1840, and was fatally wounded in the
battle of Chickamauga, on the 19th of Septem-
ber, 1863, and died the next day, September 20.
In a former chapter of this book I gave a
full account of Col. Porter C. Olson, largely
for the reason that his name had never re-
ceived any particular attention in the Scandi-
navian press of this country. Col. Hans C.
Heg's name, is, on the other hand, well known,
particularly to all Scandinavians. Col. Porter
C. Olson's father came to America in the sloop
in 1825, while neither Col. Heg nor his father
THE FIFTH SETTLEMENT. . 283
left Norway before 1840. The latter do not
therefore properly belong to the epoch treated
in this volume, and thus the reader will readily
see why I do not yield to the temptation of
giving Col. Heg such a biographical notice
as his distinguished and patriotic services de-
serve.
Even Heg's daughter, Andrea, is to be re-
membered as one of the first Norwegians to
teach English district school in Wisconsin.
She taught school in the Muskego settlement
during the winter of 1855 and 1856. She after-
wards married Dr. Stephen O. Himoe, who
taught school in Muskego during the winter
of 1S51--1852, and who was the surgeon of the
fifteenth regiment, Wisconsin volunteers; and
after the war she settled with her husband in
Kansas and died there. Dr. Himoe is still
living in Kansas City, Mo.
Speaking of early Norwegian school teachers
in Wisconsin, I am informed by a letter from
Mr. H. J. Ellertsen that as early as 1S45 a
man by name John Tvedt, taught school in
Muskego, both Norwegian and English, but
this was private school. Then Mr. Ellertsen
tells me of a man by name Carl Torgerson,
who taught public district school in Muskego
in the winter of 1S52--1853. He w T as then a
281 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
young man of about 25 summers, and had
come from Cliristiania in Norway, having
learned English before coming to America. He
was a man of good education. In the summer
of 1854 he returned to Norway, and it is pre-
sumed that he did not come back to America.
Mrs. C. L. Clausen taught Norwegian school in
the Muskego settlement during the winter of
1844.
XVII.
The Adland Family.
Among the Norwegians who came to Ra-
cine county in 1840, was Mons Adland, he be-
ing the last one to abandon the fatal Beaver
Creek settlement. Mons Adland. (Aadland)
was, as has been stated heretofore, an older
brother of the journalist, Knud Langland, they
taking their names from different farms in Nor-
way. They also had a sister by name Magda-
lena Nordvig, the wife of Anders Nordvig,
who came with her husband in the same ves-
sel with Mons Adland and Ole Eynning, and
who also settled in Beaver Creek. Anders
Nordvig died in the Beaver Creek settlement,
THE ADLAND FAMILY. 285
and his widow moved to the Fox River settle-
ment, where she died about the year 1892,
over 90 years old. Her daughter Malinda is the
widow of Iver Lawson, who was a prominent
Norwegian real estate owner in Chicago, and
the mother of Victor F. Lawson, the well
known owner of the Chicago Record and Ncirs.
Mons Adland was born April 14, 1793, and
died April 25, 1869. He left Bergen, Norway,
April 7, 1837, arriving in New York about
June 12, and in Chicago about July 12. After
stopping in Chicago about a week he went to
Beaver Creek.
In a history of old settlers in Racine county,
is found the following interesting sketch of
Mons Adland and his family:
"Thomas Adland, who resides on section 30,
is one of the most prominent citizens of Ray-
mond township, Racine county. His varied
business interests have made him widely
known, and his honorable dealings in all
things have won him the respect and confi-
dence of those with whom he has come in con-
tact. Few men in the community have a
larger circle of acquaintances, and we feel as-
sured that this record of his life will be re-
ceived with interest by many of our readers.
"Mr. Adland was born near Bergen. Norway,
286 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
August 12, 1831, and is a son of Mons K. and
Ellen (Thompson) Adland. His father was
also born and reared in Bergen, and in the
public schools of his native country, acquired
his education. He grew to manhood upon a
farm, and afterwards became owner of a fish-
ing vessel. In 1837, accompanied by his fam-
ily, he crossed the Atlantic, landed in New
York and by way of the lakes went to Chicago,
which he found to be a mere hamlet situated
in what appeared to be then a swamp.
"Joining a colony, he removed to Iroquois
county, 111., and in the midst of a wild and un-
settled region made his home for three years;
but the settlement was broken up on account
of prevailing sickness — fever and ague, w T hich
was very common at that time. By team, Mr.
Adland removed to Wisconsin and settled up-
on a farm on section 30, Eaymond township,
which is now the home of our subject. The
quarter section of land which he had pur-
chased from the government was entirely des-
titute of improvements, not a furrow having
been turned, a single rod of fence built or the
work of developing in any way commenced.
The first home of the family w T as a log cabin,
and in true pioneer style they spent the first
years of their residence in Wisconsin. Mons
Mons K. Adland.
THE ADLAND FAMILY. 287
Adland came here with nothing but his i
tie, yet at his death he had accumulated a fair
property, his unremitting labor, his persever-
ance and enterprise winning him a handsome
competence, and ten years before his death,
he divided among his children between 6 vi-
and six hundred acres of land. He was a man
of generous spirit, as is shown by his liberal
gifts, and one who took a commendable inter-
est in public affairs. Both he and his wife
were members of the Lutheran church, and in
politics he was a republican, after the birth
of that party, having previously been a dem-
ocrat. He resided in the neighborhood of
his pioneer home until his death, which oc-
curred in 18G9, at the age of seventy-six years.
His estimable wife had passed away two years
previously. Six of their children grew to ma-
ture years, and three are yet living — Knud, a
prominent citizen of Raymond township;
Thomas, the subject of this sketch; and Martha,
who is married and resides in Norway.
"The first six years of Thomas Adland's life
were passed in his native land, and he then
came with his parents across the briny deep
to the United States. Upon new farms in Illi-
nois and Wisconsin he was reared to manhood,
288 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
and the hard task of improving unbroken land
is not unknown to him.
"His education was acquired in the district
schools, and reading and observation in sub-
sequent years have made him a well informed
man. At the age of sixteen he began to run
a threshing machine, which business he fol-
lowed for a number of years. He has had
charge of the home farm since 1859, and is
now the owner of 300 acres of as fine land as
can be found in Racine county.
"The Adland homestead is a model farm,
supplied with all modern improvements, ex-
cellent buildings, the latest machinery and good
grades of stock.
"On the 19th of May, 1859, Mr. Adland se-
cured as a companion and helpmate on life's
journey Miss Julia Nelson, who was born in
Norway, but since two years old has been a
resident of Racine county. Nine children
grace their union, and the family circle yet re-
mains unbroken. They are as follows: Carrie,
Ellen, Peter, Martha, Edwin, Bertha, Lavina,
Thomas and Jessie. All of the children were
born on the farm, and under the sheltering
roof of the old home their childhood days were
passed. Good educational advantages have
been afforded them, and Carrie and Peter have
THE ADLAND FAMILY. 289
both attended school in Racine. The latter
wns a student in Spencer's Business College
of Milwaukee, ami now has charge of his
father's tile factory.
"Both Mr. and Mrs. Adland are members of
the Lutheran church, and to its support he
contributes liberally. He cast his first presi-
dential vote in 1852 for John P. Hale, four
years later supported Fremont, twice voted for
Lincoln and once for Grant. He then cast
his ballot in support of Horace Greeley, and
since that time has advocated the principles
of the democracy, being opposed to high tariff.
He has often served in the conventions of his
party, both county and state, and is widely
known among the prominent democrats of
Wisconsin. For three years he has served as
chairman of the town board of supervisors;
for thirty years he has been connected with the
North Cape literary society, and is the present
treasurer of the township insurance company.
Other business interests have also occupied
the attention of Mr. Adland, who has been
connected with many of the leading industries
of this neighborhood. Five years ago he es-
tablished a tile factory, which has since been
successfully operated. Mr. Adland possesses
290 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
superior business and executive ability; his
life has been characterized by energy, perse-
verance and good management, which are es-
sential to success, and his progressive spirit
has made him a leader in the community. Over
half a century has passed since he became a
resident of the county, during which time he
has witnessed the greater part of its growth
and development, and not a little of its ad-
vancement and upbuilding is due to his enter-
prising efforts. He is accounted not only one
of its substantial business men, but is also
numbered among the honored pioneers of Ra-
cine county, and is well deserving of repre-
sentation in this volume."
XVIII.
Other Early Settlers in Muskego.
Among those w T ho emigrated from Upper
Thelemarken in 1839 and settled in Muskego,
we must not forget Nelson Johnson Kaasa. He
dropped the farm name Kaasa in this country,
and was known as simply Nelson Johnson.
He came to America by way of Gothenborg,
and went directly to Milwaukee, where he
Nelson Johnson.
Mrs. Nelson Johnson.
OTHER EARLY SETTLERS IN MUSKEGO. 201
found work during the first year, and then E
tied in Muskego. Lie worked out for $G per
month in the winter, splitting rails, and at
$12.50 a month in the summer. In this way he
paid for his passage from Norway, and also in
part for a farm which he had bought in Mus-
kego.
In 1850 he moved to Iowa and pre-empted
a farm in the town of Decorah, Winneshiek
county, where he lived until his death in
April, 1882, excepting from the fall of 1S55
to the fall of 1857, when he was pastor of the
Norwegian Methodist Episcopal church at
Cambridge, Dane county, Wis. Nelson John-
son preached in all about twenty-five years.
Nelson Johnson was born in Hitterdal
Parish, Upper Thelemarken, in the year 1S1G.
In 1843 he married in Racine county, Wis.,
Miss Anna Nelson Solheim, who came from
Voss in 1841. They had seven children, all
of whom are living, viz.: John W. Nelson, who
lives at Racine, Wis.; Bessie P. (now Mrs. J. E.
Cook), residing at Independence, Iowa; Martha
A. (now Mrs. J. E. Anderson), residing at Forest
City, Iowa; Martin N. (now serving his second
term as member of congress for North Da-
kota), residing at Petersburg, N. D.; Lewis C,
an attorney-at-law, now residing at Fargo,
292 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
X. D.; Mary H. (now Mrs. P. P. Wilcox), resid-
ing at Los Angeles, Cal.; and Salinda F. (now
Mrs. Geo. Spofford), residing at Forest City,.
Iowa. Nelson Johnson died April 14, 1882,.
and his wife died March 17, 1883. The same
year with Nelson Johnson came also his
brother, Gjermund Johnson, born in Hitterdal
in 1802. He, too, sailed from Gothenborg, but
not in the same ship with his brother. He
lived in Eacine county, Wis., until 1850, when
he moved to Iowa and bought land in Glen-
wood, Winneshiek county. He remained on
his farm until the early seventies, when he
moved to Decorah and died there in Decem-
ber, 1893, at the ripe age of ninety-one. His
wife Eagnhild died there about ten years
earlier. They were married in Norway, and
had one or two children before they emigrated.
Nelson and Gjermund Johnson were among
the pioneers of Winneshiek county, Iowa.
The Indians had been removed in 1849, and
there were only two small log houses in the
now prosperous and famous city of Decorah..
As soon as the number of settlers in Mus-
kego had increased sufficiently, Mr. Bache and
Mr. Johannesen started a store there; Their
home was, as already stated, in an Indian
mound, which they had dug out and sided in-
Gjermund Johnson and his wife.
OTHER EARLY SETTLERS IN MUSKEGO. 293
side with boards, and this strange abode
served as bedroom, kitchen, sitting room and
store. The most necessary articles of mer-
chandise were bought in Milwaukee and dis-
tributed from this mound, which was regarded
as the center of the settlement.
In the Muskego settlement also appeared
the first Norwegian newspaper published in
America. It was called Nordlyset (The
Northern Light), and made its appearance in
1847. It was started by Even Heg and James
D. Keymert, an attorney, who afterwards re-
moved to New York city. Even Heg, being in
good financial circumstances, furnished the
money. Mr. Eeymert became the editor, ami
Ole Torgerson, a man who came from Sogn in
Norway in 1844, and who is still living in
Madison, Wisconsin, set the first type. Thus
Ole Torgerson may be regarded as the first
compositor in a Norwegian printing establish-
ment in America. Eeymert, who was an edu-
cated young man, who was of Scotch descent
on his mother's side, and who had been edu-
cated partly in Norway and partly in Scotland,
w^as a Free Soiler, and Nordlyset became
the Norwegian organ of that party. During
the first year it secured about 200 subscribers,
but it is said that many of them forgot t<> pay
294 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
for the paper. Nordlyset appeared with four
pages and four columns on each page. As it
was published in the country it could not count
en getting many advertisements. Nordlyset
served its editor a good purpose, in as much as
it brought him into political notice. He was a
member of the Wisconsin Constitutional Con-
vention in 1847, of the Wisconsin assembly in
1849, of the senate in 1854-1855, and again of
the assembly in 1857. He was, so far as I
know, the first Norwegian to fill the above
named offices in America. Mr. Eeymert came
from Farsund in Norway, and he married Miss
Hanson in Muskego. He was an energetic
business man, and in 1852 he completed a
plank road in Kacine county. At another
time we find him running a saw-mill in Sauk-
ville, Ozaukee county. I do not know as he
was entirely trustworthy. At all events he is
charged with mismanaging the property of
Soren Bache, which was left in his care. From
Muskego Eeymert went to Milwaukee and
thence to Hudson, where he served as regis-
ter of the United States land office. From
Hudson he went to New York city, where we
lose trace of him altogether. I have been told
that he left New York for New Mexico or some
other part of the far west.
OTHER EARLY SETTLERS IN MUSKEGO. 295
The newspaper Nordlyset, of which he was
for a short time the editor, was Bold in the
autumn of 1849 to Knud Langland and 0. J.
Hatlestad, and moved to Racine, Wis., where
its name was changed to Demokraten. Its
fate in the hands of the new proprietors has
been told in connection with the account of
its new editor, Knud Langland. (See page 226.)
An old settler in Muskego was Herman Nel-
son Tufte, from Hallingdal. I mention him
particularly on account of his three daughters,
who made notable marriages. One of his
daughters was married to the far-famed lax-
preacher, Elling Eielson, a second one to the
wealthy merchant in Perry, Dane county, Wis.,
O. B. Dahle, and the third sister married Mr.
Thomas Adland, whose sketch has been given
above.
One of the oldest settlers in Muskego was
John J. Dale. He was born in Bergen Stift,
Xorway, in August, 1795, and came to America
in the same ship with Ole Rynning in 1837.
FTc first settled in the Fox River settlement,
and came to Muskego in 1S42, where he died
in 1882. Anna, his wife, died in Illinois in
1S39.
296 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
XIX.
Rev. C. L. Clausen.
The lay preacher, Elling Eielson, came to
Muskego in 1840, though he had his headquar-
ters in the Fox Kiver settlement. It is, how-
ever, of record that he held a number of gospel
meetings in Muskego prior to 1843. In that
year the settlement obtained a teacher from
Norway in the person of C. L. Clausen, a Dane,
who had gone to Norway to seek employment
in the missionary field, but w r as persuaded to
go to America as a teacher among the Nor-
wegian immigrants. He came to Muskego,
but he soon found that his mission would be
more successful as a minister than as a mere
schoolmaster, and being found amply qualified
for the vocation he was regularly ordained
by a German Lutheran minister, and became
the pastor of the Muskego congregation. Mr.
Clausen arrived in Muskego in August, 1843,
and in the latter part of November of the same
year a meeting was held, in which it was
agreed upon and resolved to build a church
the next year. I am aware that there is some
REV. C. L. CLAUSEN.
controversy as to when and where the first
Norwegian Lutheran congregation was organ-
ised. I have seen no documents showing thai
a congregation was formally organized in Ifus-
kegO in 1S43, but I suppose that the fact that
a body <>!' people call a pastor and resolve to
bnild a church implies some kind of organiza-
tion behind it.
The building of a church, particularly, in-
volves buying land and becoming owners of a
church edifice. It also appears that money
was invested in a parsonage. I do not care
to enter upon any controversy, but I may be
permitted to ask when the Muskego congrega-
tion was organized, if this was not done in the
fall of 1843. At the meeting held in Novem-
ber, 1843, Mr. Hansen stated that lie had invi-
tations to preaeb in settlements further west.
These requests ho laid before the meeting and
sa: 1 he found it to be his duty to visit the set-
tlements in question, "as he was the only min-
ister among the Norwegians in America,' 1 ami
we know that Mr. Clausen soon after did
preach on Koshkonong and at other plac
The church register (Minlsterialbogen) begins
October 21, 1843, and the heading on the first
page is "Protocol of baptisms (Daabsprotokol)
for the Norwegian Lutheran congregation in
i
298 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Mnsfcego for 1843 to 1846 inclusive." This, to-
gether with the fact that the people resolved
to build a church and transact other business,
seems to me to be evidence of the existence of
an organized congregation, although the mem-
bers may not have formulated and signed their
names to any constitution or expression of re-
ligious belief.
Tollef Bache, of Drammen, Norway, con-
tributed four hundred dollars toward the erec-
tion of the church, which was built by the late
Halvor Nelson Lohner. This old building now
belongs to Hans J. Jacobson. He bought it
for about $150, and it now does service as a
barn. The builder, Halvor Nelson Lohner,
came with the Luraas party from Thelemarken
in 1839, and died at an advanced age in 1894.
He is to be remembered as the first church-
builder of the Norwegian immigrants in this
century. Lohner also built the parsonage for
Rev. C. L. Clausen, and this house also belongs
to Hans J. Jacobson and is a part of his resi-
dence. After Mr. Clausen had been ordained
as a minister, his wife, a most intelligent and
noble woman, taught the children of her hus-
band's church free of charge.
Johan Reinert Reiersen, the founder of the
first Norwegian settlement in Texas, visited
REV. C. L. CLAUSEN. 299
the Norwegian settlements in America in
1843, and in his h<,.»k, "Veiviseren" (The Path-
finder), published Immediately after his return
to Norway, I find this statement in regard to
Mnskego: "The settlement has organized
itself into a congregation and chosen a Danish
seminarist, Clausen, who has been ordained
by a Lutheran clergyman, as their pastor. He
is a very capable and well educated young
man, who in a short time has won the respect
and confidence of the whole settlement."
Mr. Eeierson then gives this quaint bit about
Elling Eielson: "Elling Eielson also lives in
this locality and has married a Norwegian girl
after having previously talked zealously about
the sinfulness of marriage. By several doubt-
ful transactions he has wholly lost the con-
fidence he once enjoyed, and is nearly at the
end of his career as an apostle." (!) Then
Reierson gives this fact: "The teacher in gym-
nastics (dancing master), Hanson, has also lo-
cated in. this settlement."
300 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
XX.
John Evenson Molee.
Before leaving the Muskego settlement I
must present to my readers an autobiographic
sketch of John Evenson Molee, who came with
the Luraas party in 1839. In the preparation
of it the aged writer has had the assistance
of his son, Elias J. Molee, the well-known
language reformer, now of Butler, Day county,
South Dakota. His letter will be found to
voice the views and sentiments of many of the
old emigrants:
Kock Dell, Olmstead Co., Minn.,
Feb. 22, 1895.
Prof. R. B. Anderson,
Madison, Wis.
Dear Sir —
Your letters received. You ask me for rem-
iniscences of my early life; of my journey to
the United States, and events of my later years.
I fear your readers will be little interested
in my personal story, unless, indeed, they are
students of heredity, and are pursuing the new-
educational line of thought, which aims at
finding out the ideas of primitive men and chil-
John Evenson Molee and his
wife Anne.
JOHN EVEN SON MOLEE. 301
dren, for purposes of discovering imp roved
methods and subjects of Instruction*
you will at once see my northern, demo-
cratic, independent viking instincts, when i
ask you to be so kind as to leave out all nsel
capital letters from my communication to
you.* i wish also to go on record as a friend
of self-explaining, home-grown, saxon-english
compounds, instead of the foreign-borrowed,
thought-hiding rags of ronie; as. "equator," for
"mid-line;" "artic," for "north;" "artic ocean"
for "north ocean;" "zone" for "belt;" "isthmus"
for "neck-land;" "capricorn" for "south sun-
line," "peninsula" for "half-island," etc. this
would be easy for children and primitive men.
i also believe in the easy world's metric sys-
tem of weights and measures, multiplying and
dividing by ten.
As you requested me to give you a synopsis
of my life, "such as I have give I unto thee. ,r
I first saw light in 1816 in the district of Tin
/Tins-Prestegjeld), Norway, but I do not know
on what day in the month, for I lost the record
* Mr. Molee writes without using any capital letters. I am
sorry that I am not able to comply with his request, but I
print one paragraph as a sample. Except as to capitals I
publish Mr. Molee's letter in the somewhat r uaint English
in which it is written. R. B. A.
302 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
when I came to America more than half a cen-
tury ago.
My father was a large, powerful man, and
went by the name of "Strong Even" (Strcrk-
Even). My paternal grandfather's name was
Halvor, after whom my brother was baptized.
He owned a farm and a grist-mill in the valley
east from the farm he gave to father, and on
which we lived. My mother's name was Gun-
hild Nerison, which means blessing. All my
ancestors, as far as I know, have been land
owners and tillers of the earth, for land is not
monopolized in Norway. They were all very
kind to their domestic animals. They housed
and fed them, as if they had been their half-
brothers. There was a belief common among
the people that it was a great sin to be cruel
to the dumb brutes, and that they would com-
plain against those who abused them on the
day of judgment. Every Christmas day (Jule-
dag), sheaves of barley and oats were placed
on the roofs of the barns for the wild birds.
My father's farm ran down to the edge of
the river in the valley and back over the
meadow and up to the top of a high hill. We
children caught fine fish there whenever we
wished to do so. This was a great help to our
JOHN EVENSON MOLEE. . 803
family, while father was out as a soldier, de-
fending the country against Che Bwed
Fortunately, the war was soon ended by a
compromise, Norway retaining her own legis-
lature, and a right to act more freely and in-
dependently than if she had been a state In
the American union, for she even retained her
own tariff. Norway also made her own con-
stitution, and she consented to a union for
mutual self-defense with Sweden. Paragraph
112 goes even so far as to take away the king's
absolute veto. The title of nobility was also
abolished in Norway.
Father and Uncle John came home to as,
full of stories of the "war with the Swed<
After I had learned, in school and at home,
to read, sing, and to say from memory my cate-
chism, explanation-book (forklaring), a short
Bible history and a few hymns, I was con-
firmed and admitted as a communicant of the
Lutheran church. Our minister was appointed
by the state; that is, by the church department
of the state, and held the office in the same
place during good and bad behavior. The
people had at that time no choice in selecting
their own pastor.
I remained at home to help father work his
land until I was nineteen years old, when I
301 • NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
began to wonder what I should do in the
future. I loved the pleasant old homestead,
the goose that had laid so many golden eggs
for us through many generations, but alas! I
was obliged to leave the old nest with no hope
of getting a nest of my own near home.
My oldest brother, according to the old law
of primogeniture (odels-ret), would take the
farm unincumbered, and there was not enough
cash or personal property on hand for me and
my sisters with which to buy another farm, for
we were seven children. I thought often, "O,
where shall we younger children go? What
will become of us?"
We had no thought of North America then.
The labor market was so overstocked that
strong young men could hardly obtain work
for more than five dollars and clothing a year.
I had not been used to be a servant, nor had
my dear sisters. Whey my oldest brother,
llalvor, marries and gets a family of seven or
eight children, there will be no room for us.
I can hardly tell how bad I felt for my sisters
and myself in the year 1835.
Some curious thoughts flitted through my
mind. I began, in a sinful manner, to blame
God and my parents for giving us so large a
family. When over-population takes place,
JOHN EVENSON MOLES. 305
thought I, neither a just government nor a
good minister can help the people to obtain
the comforts of life. Would it not be better
to have fewer children, and make each child
more efficient by more training? If God had
given each family only two or three children,
then land and houses would have been cheaper
and easier to buy. If each family had only
two children, thinks I, in my youthful way,
then brother Halvor would have married, and
given some neighbor's daughter a pleasant
home and taken better care of father and
mother. I could then have, in like manner,
gone to some other neighbor.
Now, however, there is a terrible waste of
life. I dreaded a servant's fate. The profes-
sions and trades were also overstocked. A
laborer was not allowed to eat at the same
table with a land-owner. Labor commenced
before sunrise and lasted till after dark — no
time for the enrichment of the mind by read-
ing newspapers or good books evenings. Yet
it w r as worse before the French revolution,
when my father was a boy.
At the age of nineteen, I gained my parents'
consent to go to the western coast of Norway,
with a view of becoming a sailor, and roam
20
306 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
upon the free sea, the spacious home of so
many brave Northmen.
I packed up all the clothes I could carry.
Father gave me pocket money until I could
find employment. After bidding farewell,
with father, mother and my sisters amid tears
and weeping, I started afoot on my journey to
the old seamen's city of Stavanger, in 1835,
about 150 kilometers distant. This is a good
seaport in the southwestern part of Norway.
After inquiring around a short time, I be-
came acquainted with a stock and dairy
farmer, by the name of Gitle Danielson, who
lived on an island ten kilometers north from
the city of Stavanger. The name of the island
is Eenneso. This island supports four churches.
The main industries consist in fishing, raising
cattle, and sending butter and milk to Sta-
vanger. The island is about thirty kilometers
long and fifteen wide, and is the largest of the
many coast islands here. I remained four years
with Gitle Danielson and family, at such
wages as were then going. He was one of the
. kindest men I have met among strangers. As
I had frequent chances to row to Stavanger
with butter and milk, I enjoyed my work very
well.
In 1839, the "America fever" as it was
JOHN EVENSON MOLEE.
called, commenced. Gitle Danielson, my d
ter, and his family, were smitten badly by the
"America fever;" thai is, an intense desire to
emigrate to America. Mr. Danielson sold his
farm and personal property and made himself
ready for the daring undertaking.
When I saw my good master and unstress,
Mr. and Mrs. Danielson, and the children,
whom I had begun to regard as my own
brothers and sisters, making ready t<> sail to
America, I also caught the "America fever"
in its most intense form. You may be sure
I wanted to go along. I was aching to go, but
the passage money was too high for me. I
had only a few dollars and three suits of
clothes. You can imagine that I asked Mr.
Danielson to take me along to America. At
first he said that he had a large family to pay
for, and that he would like to have some spare
money left when he came to the state of Wis-
consin, so that he could buy some land and
build a house and buy provisions for a year,
without being obliged to work out, and thus
neglect his own home. He also said that he
had not received much for his land and per-
sonal property, as prices had been greatly de-
pressed by the government through the influ-
ence of the office-holding class and the money-
308 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
loaners, and their policy to contract the cur-
rency to increase their incomes; that is, make
the same incomes relatively more valuable by
making the dollar dearer by less currency,
and, hence cheaper labor and more goods for
the same inoney, while incomes remained un-
changed.
When I heard Mr. Daniel son say that he
could not take me along to America, I felt so
small that I could have hidden myself away in
his trunk. I could not sleep the next night,
and I often cried bitterly. When I met Mr.
and Mrs. Danielson the next morning, they
asked me if I was sick for I did not look well.
I said I felt very bad because I could not go
with them to America. They smiled at what
I said, but made no remarks one way or the
other.
After an interval of two days, Mr. Gitle
Danielson told me that he had talked the mat-
ter over with his family and come to the con-
clusion that he could take me along and pay
the passage money if I was willing to agree
to work for him two years after I arrived in
America. That was just what I wanted. It
did not take me longer to make up my mind
than it requires to say "/«," I agreed to work
for him two years after I arrived in Wisconsin.
JOHN EVENSON MOLEE. 809
Although this was three limes more than the
amount of the passage money, I would rather
do that than remain In the over-crowded old
country.
In May we spread the sails, and set out from
the good old city of Stavanger in a little her-
ring yacht (silde-jakt) to Got henborg, in
southern Sweden.
I can yet remember the names of the follow-
ing persons from Stavanger Amt, namely: —
Gitle Danielson, with family.
Halvor Jellarvikon, with family
Peder Rosoino, with family.
Erik Svinalie and sister (both single).
When we came to Gothenborg, in Sweden,
another ship came there from Drammen, in
the southern part of Norway, and brought the
following passengers from Tin, which I can re-
member, namely: —
Ole Hellekson Krokan, with family.
Halvor Lonflok Vinlete, with family.
Torger Ostenson Luraas, with family.
Havor Ostenson Luraas, with family.
John Nilson Luraas, with family.
Knudt Luraas, with family.
Helge Matison, with family.
Osten Mollerflaten, with family.
Nils Johnson (from Hitterdal), with family.
310 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Nils Tollefsjord, single.
Ole Tollefsjord, single.
John Tollefsjord, single.
Both the party from Stavanger and that
from Tin in Upper Tellemarken, went on board
together into an American sail ship loaded
with Swedish iron from Gothenborg to Boston.
I cannot remember the name of the ship or the
captain. It took us nine w r eeks and three
days to sail from Gothenborg, Sweden, to Bos-
ton. We had from Stavanger one Norwegian
Quaker on board. I forget his name.
When we entered the commodious harbor of
Boston, you may be sure we felt very happy
to behold land, after having tumbled about so
long on the wide sea. Boston looked familiar
to me. There were the same cluster of coast
islands before entering the city as at old Sta-
vanger in Norway. In the distance we saw
hills and trees, which looks very natural and
home-like to a Norwegian or a Swede.
After four days' stay in Boston, we sailed to
New York city and up the Hudson river to the
entrance of the Erie canal. Here we were of-
fered work if we would stay, but we had all
made up our minds to go west to find land on
which to settle. A jovial American told our
interpreter that we must not go to Buffalo or
OHM EVENSON MOLEE. 311
wo would 1)0 sold into slavery. This was the
great topic <»f the day in the United States.
Then lie said to our interpreter, "Don't let
those good people go to Buffalo^ for the; will
certainly ho taken south and be turned nv.-r to
slavery to work side by side with black men,
to raise cotton and tobacco. Don't go to Buf-
falo, for God's sake!"
We could not think of any crime we had
committed to deserve such treatment, yet the
statement surprised us at first. My master
and his family, Gitle Danielson, from Sta-
vanger, had been sick nearly the whole time
on the journey, but this slavery joke waked
him up, for he had been a great reader. He
said, "It can not be true, because Norwegians
or Scandinavians in general are not the kind
of people of which to make slaves. I have
never heard of any Scandinavians ever being
slaves to a foreign race. Just think of it.
Never at any time since the dawn of history
have the Scandinavians been ruled by other
than Scandinavians. No other European
people have so long a history of self-govern-
ment. Our great Scandinavian race has be-
sides laid the foundations of two of the might-
iest empires on earth. The Norwegians and
312 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Danes laid the foundation of the British, and
the Swedes of the Kussian empire.
"That we, the sons of the brave and hardy
Northmen, can be enslaved alive by an open
and visible enemy, is incredible! The slave
owners do not want us to go down south, for
they know we would talk of freedom and jus-
tice to the slaves and in time produce a change
of opinion."
At the entrance of the Erie canal, our bag-
gage was. transferred onto the canal boat,
which was tugged by horses walking al»ng
the side of the canal through the state of New
York, from the Hudson river to Lake Erie, a
distance of 585 kilometers.
Mr. Danielson and his family were very sick
on the whole journey, but I believe, although
I was not sick, I had as hard time of it as
they had, for I had to nurse and care for them
all the w r ay from Gothenborg, in Sweden, until
we reached our point of destination in Wis-
consin.
At Buffalo our baggage was again trans-
ferred from the canal boat to a sail ship, which
carried us across Lake Erie, Lake Huron and
Lake Michigan to the city of Milwaukee, Wis.
We arrived at that place in August, but I can-
not now remember on what day. We were
JOHN EVENSON MOLEE.
not in the habit of keeping a memorandum,
which we ought to have done for our own ami
others' interest. We had been nearly fonr
months on the voyage. O, what a Long and
tedious journey we Had! I should not lik<- to
endure such traveling again. On Lake Michi-
gan the wife of Ilalvor Lonflok Vinlete waa
drowned. At Milwaukee our interpreter, Mr.
Jensen, a Dane, drowned. While rowing in a
little boat on the lake the wind turned it over.
At Milwaukee our band of pioneers spread
out to different parts of southern Wisconsin.
-Some went to Muskego, while others went t<>
Yorkville and Jefferson Prairie. For my part
I remained between two and three years in
Milwaukee.
The first fall and winter I worked in the
woods, chopping, teaming, or at any other work
I could find to do to earn money to pay Mr,
Danielson for the amount he advanced for my
passage to America, $47. When I came to set
tie with him he charged me but little, because
I had nursed his sick family on our long
journey.
The next spring, 1840, I hired out to run a
ferry-boat across the Milwaukee river for
Henry Dunbar, who was agent for the count v.
which owned the ferry. There were too few
314 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
rich men at that time to monopolize the means
of public conveyance, so the people were com-
pelled to resort to public co-operation through
the collective power of the county.
I boarded with Mr. Dunbar, doing such
work, mornings and evenings, as was desired
by his family or himself. Dunbar tended to
his store himself. The next winter after the
river froze over, so that I could not run the
ferry boat, I started again for the woods with
two good axes.
At this time I had learned to talk English
very well, hearing no Norwegian in Mr. Dun-
bar's family. Mr. and Mrs. Dunbar and the
children urged me to stay with them through
the winter and attend the public school, and
to do a little chores for my board. I was,
however, so discouraged by the English sys-
tem of spelling that I was afraid it would take
more time to master it than I could spare. I
had seen and heard how Dunbar's children
worked year after year to learn to spell, a
thing which caused no trouble in Norway,
where they spell according to sound. If Dun-
bar's children, thought I, require so much time
to learn to spell their own native language,
how can a poor foreigner expect to master the
mystery of unphonetic spelling? I preferred
JOHN EVENSON MOLEE. 315
chopping to spelling and to reading meaning-
less stories about cats and dogs. That was
nearly all they learned in school then. Not
one word was read about how to take care
of health, about etiquette, the proper behavior
in society, civil government, political economy,
logic, theory of education, or singing.
Knowledge which was of most value to the
children, they had to learn outside of the
school room, the best they could, but many
never did discover what knowledge they most
needed to guide themselves through life, or
how to enjoy sweet moments of cheering song
in later years.
The following summer I hired out again to
run the same ferry boat as in the previous
summer for advanced wages, but another man
had taken the contract to manage the ferry
for the county. His name was William
Bentley. He had invested too heavily in lots
and land. After the crisis and bank failures
of 1837, real estate was so depressed that he
could not sell land enough to meet the high
interest, and I lost my year's wages, for he
went into bankruptcy. Money-loaners took
the property.
In 1842 I went to Muskego, where I worked
out for Americans to earn money for which to
316 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
buy a piece of land. After procuring a piece
of land four and a half kilometers west from
Reymert's lake or about eighteen kilometers
south from Waukesha, Wis., I married Anne
Jacobson Einong in 1844, in Even Heg's new
home-sawed, oak-frame barn. Another couple
was married before the same altar at the same
time by Rev. Clausen from Denmark. There
was no church then, which I can remember.
This was the way Mr. Heg had of dedicating
his new barn before he put it to more common
use. The boards had been sawed at Reymert's
saw-mill, about two or three kilometers north
on the east bank of Reyinert's lake (Silver lake
in Waukesha county).
The other couple, besides Anne and myself,
was the muscular giant, Hans Tveito (Twi-to),
and my wife's sister, Oslaug.
My wife, Anne, was a good, patient, indus-
trious woman when she was well, but she was
not as strong as her sisters, Oslaug Tveito, nor
as Cornelia Heg, wife of Colonel Heg of the
15th Wisconsin regiment, nor as strong as
Gurina Stangeland, w r ife of Elias Stangeland,
editor of a Norwegian paper in Madison, W T is.
She had also two brothers, John and Osten
Jacobson Einong.
All the Jacobson girls married noted men,
JOHN EVEKSON MOLEE. 317
except my dear Anne, who married me. My
wife came over from Tin by way of Drammen,
in Norway, in 1843. She had a harder time
in crossing the Atlantic than I had. The ship
was thirteen weeks in crossing, and fourteen
persons died of typhoid fever while sailing
over the Atlantic. They were buried in that
great ocean. Her own mother, Anne, and her
twin sister, Susana, were buried in the sea.
My wife was often sorry she came to the
wilderness of Wisconsin, for her father had a
fine farm and servants in the old country, and
could have lived better there. Yet the "Amer-
ica fever" brought them to the west. Her
father died a few years after he came to this
country, but he gave all his children a small
start, which made their life here a little easier
than it would otherwise have been. He gave
forty acres of land to each, and also a few dol-
lars in money, which he had brought with him
from Norway.
As soon as I was married, I built a log house
on my land, 4.7 meters long, 4.1 meters wide
and 3.5 meters high. This gave us a good
room below and a room upstairs for beds and
clothing. We had at first only one window
toward the east, consisting of twelve window
panes. The size of the panes was of the old
318 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
regulation, namely, 20 by 25 centimeters, the
window being divided into two halves.
The house was small, but my wife and I got
along well with it. We would rather have a
small house and own it free from debt, than
to be the slaves of a money-loaner, which
might take awav from us both house and land
and make us mere renters. That did not
agree with our northern ideas of true inde-
pendence.
The pioneers that came to America before
1840, I believe were the most democratic and
self-helping and peaceable that ever came from
Europe, excepting only the "Pilgrim fathers"
that came over from England in the "May-
flower" in 1620, which, by the way, came from a
district in England largely settled by Norse-
men.
Historical events work with a reflex power
on the feelings of descendants.
While the Romans in the South were forging
fetters to enslave mankind, the Scandinavians
in the North developed institutions and senti-
ments to break those fetters. In the old North
the kings had to obey the people instead of
the people obeying the king. There arose the
system of trial by jury. Without the influence
of the Scandinavians, there would have been
JOHN EVENSON MOLEE. 319
no Magna Charta in England, and probably no
"Declaration of Independence" in America.
In Normandy, in France, the Scandinavians
were the cause of the Institution of knighthood,
which soon spread over Europe, to defend
woman and the oppressed. The great French
writer, Montesquieu, says: "What ought to
recommend the Scandinavians to us above all
other people is r that they are the source of
nearly all the liberty among men." In the
"thirty years' war" between Catholics and Prot-
estants, they determined the success of the
latter, who were struggling for religious free-
dom in Germany, and indirectly for religions
freedom in other countries. The Scandina
vians were also the first to introduce "courts of
conciliation" without the assistance of lawyers,
and Norwegians were the first to abolish the
corrupting order of nobility. The Scandina-
vians have been and will be a leaven of pop-
ular rights wherever they settle. If we couple
these truths with the fact that they have the
largest proportion of the tillers of the soil, in-
stead of crowding into overflowing cities, we
can safely say that they are the host immi-
grants the United States has received, not
even excepting the Scotch and Germans.
It would have a very wholesome influence
320 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
upon the intellectual life of the United States r
if they would study more Anglo Saxon and
Icelandic instead of the foreign, time-wasting,
arbitrary and useless Latin. We have as
grand a mythology in the North, as the Ro-
mans in the South. Why go over the river
after water? We shall not understand Eng-
lish or Norwegian better by mastering Latin
declensions and conjugations. It would be
more democratic and useful to master a great
modern language, and more permanent, life-
guiding science, instead of memorizing the
foolish exceptions to Latin nouns and verbs,
soon forgotten.
After I had built my log house in 1845, I
exchanged work with some of the most dex-
trous neighbors, w T ho made for me bedsteads,
tables, chairs, floor, shingles, sleigh, truck-
wagon (from round logs), harrow, bureau, cup-
board, loom, spinning-wheel, shoes and cloth-
ing. We exchanged produce for store goods.
We had Norwegian schools and gave the
teacher a certificate ourselves.
W T e conducted our religious meetings in
our own democratic way. We appointed a
foreman and he requested some one to read
from a book of sermons. This book was our
preacher at first. We prayed, exhorted and
JOHN EVENSON MOLEE. 321
sang among ourselves and even baptised our
babies ourselves, for we had no regular min-
ister at first, bllt this want was soon supplied*
In 1S4 ( .) was the year of fcbe "Asiatic cholera"
in the United States and Europe. It was the
awfulest summer I have experienced in my
life. By this time there were a great number
of our people in Muskego. When the epidemic
cholera struck our settlement, there were, at
oue time, only seven families, all well, bo thai
they could get away to help their neighbors.
From three to four persons died every day.
Hans Tveito and myself had all we could do,
to carry the dead out of the houses and haul
them to the grave with our oxen, while others
dng the graves. No ceremony took place, and
there were no glittering coffins with silver
knobs and handles. We simply rolled a white
sheet around the dead, unwashed and tin-
shaved; and then we placed him or her into a
rough board box, emplaned and unpainted, and
hauled them to a spot selected tor a grave-
yard, called "the Indian hill" (Indiehaugen);
there we laid them to rest. It was the best
we could do, God knows. We cared for them
the best we could, while living, but when dead,
they did not need more care.
21
322 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
I have often thought since, when behold-
ing a husband, wife, father, mother, child or
neighbor buried amid great pomp and expense,
alas ! if some of that good will had been shown
to the dead while living and the rest given to
the poor, how many hearts would have been
made happier, instead of being ruined by vain
show.
I shudder when I think of how we had to
go into the catching cholera houses to carry
out the dead day after day. We expected to
be struck down by the fell disease every mo-
ment, yet we stood by our post of duty like
true soldiers of peace, Uve or die.
I have not much, more to relate, that is, of
interest to your readers.
I lived in Muskego until 1855, when I moved
to Blue Mounds, Dane county, Wisconsin, 35
kilometers west from Madison. In Blue
Mounds, I lived on a farm of 128 acres until
1873, when I again moved to Bloomfield, Fill-
more county, Minnesota, where I bought an-
other farm. In 1876 I lost the best friend
I had on earth, my beloved wife, Anne. She
died of cancer in the right breast at the age
of 54. We had a comfortable room for her,
and she received all the assistance which I
and others could give her, but the diseasq
JOHN EVENSON MOLEE. 323
proved incurable, so that the best medical aid
and nursing proved in vain. After my wife
died, I sold my place and went to live with my
daughter Anne, who is named after her
mother. She is married to Mads Holm, a Dane.
Both my daughter and son-in-law, .Mrs. and
Mr. Holm, are very kind to me, for which 1
am very thankful. Though I will be eighty
years old next spring,- 1 am yet in good health,
and enjoy highly to talk with both old and
young friends, and hear what is going on
around me, especially with regard to religious
movements in the Lutheran church. This is,
of course, the greatest of all Protestant denom-
inations, and the strongest fort against Cath-
olicism both in America and Europe. There
is one thing which recommends this church to
me above all others, considered purely from an
educational point alone; namely, the confirma-
tion. About the age of 14, all boys and girls
have, for the last three hundred years been re-
quired, by the Lutheran church, to learn to
read, by requiring them to learn their cate-
chism and a number of hymns by heart, and to
answer questions from bible history, in order
to be confirmed in the church. This could
not be done, unless they first learned to read;
hence, long before general public schools were
Cf?4 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
organized, this church alone served as a gen-
eral teacher of reading and singing. For this
reason the Lutheran countries are the most
intelligent in the world according to official
statistics. Ninety-seven per cent, of the peo-
ple of such Lutheran countries, as Norway,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland and
Switzerland, over twelve years old, can read.
The Lutheran church has done the most for
religious freedom, but it was also through
Lutheran influence that compulsory education
was introduced into the world. All Lutheran
countries have compulsory education. I be-
lieve it will degrade the Scandinavians as a
rule, rather than elevate them, to leave this'
great education and freedom-loving church.
It may be possible to add more educational
features to it. Every minister might organize
more singing societies and literary clubs and
introduce more English speaking and more
historical lecturing. As soon as possible,
let us increase " sweet reasonableness."
I have three children now living; namely,
my oldest son, and my present secretary, Elias,
was born January 3rd, 1845. Halvor and Anne
were born December Tth, 1849. Halvor is only
three hours older than Anne.
My dear professor and countryman! In the
JOHN BVENSON MOLEE. 325
beginning of my letter to .vm, I started fa
a northern democratic viking. I .should like
to give vou another piece of old typical Scan-
dinavian sentiment to give to your yuimvj-r
readers; a child-like primitive Scandinavian
sentiment, such as I have to give. I beliew
in the "Monroe doctrine" with my whole na-
ture. It is natural for the great freedom lov-
ing Scandinavian people to favor self govern-
ment among all civilized people. Canada, our
enlightened neighbor on the north, is vet un-
der foreign bondage 4 . The queen of England
appoints the governor general, and he ap-
points all the senators, all the judges of the
supreme court and all the governors of the
provinces; now, if the queen in another part
of the world appoints half of the law-making
and the whole interpreting power, what is the
rest worth to the people, except for false show ?
If Scandinavian writers have a chance to say
a good word for the independence of Canada,
I hope they will do so.
Again, let us speak and write against a per-
petual bonding of the United States. Let us
pay our debts, and after that live within our
yearly incomes.
My last word to my children and countrymen
is, that I hope they will continue to honor
82j6 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
themselves and Scandinavia by being a sober,
industrious, intelligent and moral people.
I shall soon go away to meet my dear Annet
She always appears young to me.
t Your well-wishing
"JOHN EVENSON MOLEE.
XXI.
The Sixth Norwegian Settlement.
The sixth Norwegian settlement in America
and the third to be founded in Wisconsin was
the now large and prosperous one in the east
half of Dane county. It is the so-called Kosh-
konong settlement, taking its name from Kosh-
konong lake, and particularly from Koshko-
nong creek, and it is still the most widely
known as well as the wealthiest rural Norwe-
gian settlement in America.
The first Norwegians located there in the
spring and summer of 1840. Those w T ho lo-
cated there that year were Gunnul Olson Vin-
deg, Bjorn Anderson Kvelve (the author's
father), Amund Anderson Hornefjeld, Thor-
stein Olson Bjaadland (one of the sloopers), Lars
Nels Siverson Gilderhus and wife.
THE SIXTH SETTLEMENT. 327
Olson Dugstad, Nels Siverson Gilderkus, Nels
Larson Bolstad and Anders Finno.
It has generally been supposed that all the
Norwegians here mentioned visited Koshko-
nong for the first time in 1840, but my friend,
Nels A. Lee, of Deerfield, Wis., has investigated
the subject pretty thoroughly, and he has con-
vinced me that Nels Siverson Gilderhus, Nels
Larson Bolstad and a third person, who did
not settle there, visited the towns of Christiana
and Deerfield somewhat late in the fall of 1839.
Nels A. Lee, himself a Vossing, published in
June, 1894, a very interesting article on the
early emigration from Voss, Bergens Stift, in
Norway. In this article he makes the claim,
and I think proves it satisfactorily, that men
from Yoss were the first to plant their feet on
Koshkonong soil, but before discussing this sub-
ject any further, I will make a digression and
take a look at the early emigration from Voss,
and in the presentation of the matter I shall
be largely guided by Mr. Lee's article.
Nels Kothe and his wife Torbjor left Voss
for America in 1836, and they were the first
to emigrate from that part of Norway. They
spent a couple of years in Rochester, N. Y., and
then moved to Chicago, where, so far as I can
328 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
make out, they remained the balance of their
lives.
In 1837 Odd J. Himle, Baard ITaugen, Kol-
bein Olson Sane, Stark Olson Saue, Halle
Va&te, Nils Larson Bolstad, John Haldorson
Bjorgo and Ole Dyvik, emigrated from Yoss.
Himle and Haugen, and probably also Bjorgo
and Dyvik, went at once to the Fox Biver set-
tlement, while Kolbein and Stark Saue and
Halle Ya?te went to the unfortunate Beaver
Creek settlement, settling in that part of it
that was located in Indiana. Halle Vsete, his
wife and a grown-up daughter, died there.
Kolbein and Stark Saue* finally came to Kosh-
konong in 1843, and I believe died there. Stark
(Styrk) Saue's youngest son, known as N. O.
Stark, is an inventor of note, and is at present
the superintendent of the Fuller & Johnson
Manufacturing company, in Madison, Wis.
Odd J. Himle lived in the Fox River settlement
and in Chicago until 1844, when he made a
visit to Norway. He spent the winter there,
*Stark Olson Saue was born at Yoss, Sep-
tember 25, 1814, and died in Dane county, De-
cember 5, 1893. His wife, whose name was
Ellen Olson Bekve, was born in Yoss, Julv 16,
1816, and died in Dane comity, October 8, 1882.
They were married in America.
Kolbein Olson Saue and wife.
THE SIXTH SETTLEMENT. 32iJ
and married Miss Marie L. Jermo, and re-
turned to America in 1845. Upon his return
to America he settled on Spring Prairie north
of Madison, Wis., and resided there ota his
farm until 1800, when lie snld the farm and
moved to De Forest, Dane county, and died
there in May, 1893.
What became of Ole Dyvik I do not know,
but Nils Larson Bolstad and John Qaldorson
Bjoro-o appear among the first settlers on K<>sh-
konong.
In 1838 Knud Lydvo, Ole Lydvo, Stephen K.
Gilderhus and Lars Jerstad emigrated from
Yoss. Knud and Ole Lydvo and Lars Jerstad
settled in Missouri, no doubt in Kleng 1'eer-
son's settlement in Shelby county, while S. K.
Gilderhus remained a year in Cleveland, Ohio,
then removed to Chicago, and finally settled on
Koshkonong in 1844.
In 1839 we find the following emigrants from
Yoss: Ole K. Gilderhus, Anfin Leidal, Knud
Ojostein, Nils Lydvo, Lars Ygre, Anders Flage,
Anders Nelson Brrekke and wife, Knud Braekke
and wife, Anna Gilderhus, Anders Fenno, Lars
Dugstad, Anna Bakketun (afterwards Mrs.
Nichols), Magne Bystol, Lars Davidson llekve
and Nils S. Gilderhus. Nils Lydvo went to his
brothers in Shelby county, Mo. Anna Gilder-
330 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
hus was the sister of Nels A. Lee's moth or.
Lars Dugs tad was born in Voss in 1807, and
died in Albion, Wis., in 1863. His wife, whom
he married in the fifties, is still living in Cam-
bridge, Wis. From the records it appears that
this party landed in New York, July 8, 1839.
L. D. Rekve, N. S. Gilderhus, Anfin Leidal, and
Anders Finno went first to the Fox River set-
tlement, and then to Koshkonong. The rest of
this party remained in Chicago. Of this com-
pany Lars Davidson Rekve still lives in Deer-
field, Dane county, Wis.
Lars Davidson Rekve worked the first year
on a steamer plying between Chicago and St.
Joseph, Mich. In the fall of 1840 he, in com-
pany with Nils and Ole Gilderhus, went first
to the Fox River settlement, and then to Kosh-
konong. On reaching Albion, they stopped
over night at the house of Thorstein Olson
Bjaadland, who had not yet returned to Illinois
for the winter. Thorstein Olson, w^ho was a
shoemaker, mended Lars Davidson's shoes for
him. When they reached the northern part
of the town of Christiana, a log house had been
built there by the three Vossings who settled
there in the spring or summer of 1840, and a
small patch of ground had been cultivated.
Lars Davidson Rekve bousrht a piece of land,.
THE SIXTH SETTLEMENT. 331
but did not settle there before a couple of years
later. He is now the oldegl gian land
purchaser living on Koshkonong.
In the winter of 1839 there was a pari
the house of Mr. Gilderhus in Voss, and one
man read aloud out of Ole Rynning's book.
All listened attentively. It is said that wher-
ever Ole Rynning's book was read anywhere
in Norway, people listened as attentively as
if they were in church. Several Vossings re-
solved to emigrate that year, and in obedience
to instructions in Rynning's book all took guns
or rifles with them to be prepared for all the
wild game they expected to find in America.
Thus it will be seen that Rynning's book also
found its way to Yoss, where it had an im-
portant influence on emigration. In this con-
nection it may be repeated that a lay preacher
had brought a copy of one of Gjert Hovland's
letters to Voss, and it was the reading of this
letter that induced Nils Rothe, Nils Bolstad
and John H. Bjorgo to emigrate in 1836 and
1837.
For the year 1840 Mr. Lee names the follow-
ing emigrants from Voss: Knud J. Hylle, Ole
S. Gilderhus, Knud Rokne, Mads Sonve, Baard
Nyre, B. Ronve, Torstein Saue and wife and
their son Gulleik, Lars Saue and wife, Klas
B82 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Grimestad and wife, Arne Orland and wife, and
Lars Rothe. All these settled in Chicago.
The ship in which they came was commanded
by Captain Ankerson. Mr. Lee also names the
principal emigrants from Voss for the years
1841, 1813, 1845, 1846, 1849 and 1850, but they
do not come within the scope of this volume.
In the town of Christiana, Magne Bystol
and Anders Finno are to be counted among
the pioneer settlers. In Deerfield, Dane
county, N. Gilderhus was the first to purchase
land, but Nils Bolstad built the first house
there in 1841. His wife Anna, the sister of
Gunnul Vindeg, was at that time the only
white woman in that town. Nils Gilderhus
and Magne Bystol lived in a cellar a couple of
miles west of Cambridge for two years, and
Nels A. Lee, then a little child, with his par-
ents, Anders N. Lee and wife, were accommo-
dated in that same cellar on their arrival in
1841.
Among the descendants of Yossings who
have become more or less prominent in Amer-
ica, I may here take occasion to mention
Knute Nelson, now of Minnesota. He has
served three terms in congress, has twice been
elected governor of Minnesota, and in January,
18D5, he was chosen to represent his state in
THE SIXTH SETTLEMENT. 333
the United States senate. lie has the honor
of being the first of the Norwegian Immigrants
to occupy the above offices in America. While
born in Norway, he was brought up and edu-
cated in Dane county, Wis., and old Koshko-
lioug claims him as one of its most distin-
guished sons.
Knut Bergh (Berge), who, until his death,
was a most competent and highly beloved pro-
fessor in Luther College at Decorah, Iowa;
Lars S. Reque, also a professor for many years
at Luther College, and now United States con-
sul at Rotterdam; Victor F. Lawson, the far-
famed publisher of the Record and News of Chi-
cago; C. K. Matson, who has held the office of
sheriff and other prominent positions in Chi-
cago; John Anderson, the energetic founder
and publisher of SJcandinaven, the widely
known Norwegian newspaper, and Rev. S. S.
Reque, the well-known Lutheran minister in
Spring Grove, Minnesota, are all Vossings by
birth or descent, and this does not by any
means exhaust the catalogue of prominent
Vossings in America. While the Vossings can
not claim more than one-half of the credit for
having produced Victor F. Lawson, his mother
not being from Voss, they square the account
by claiming one-half of the credit of bringing
331 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
forth M. N. Johnson, member of congress from
North Dakota. The father of M. N. Johnson
came from Thelemarken, but his mother from
Toss.
After this digression we may return to the
founding of the Norwegian settlement on
Koshkonong.
In 1839 Odd J. Himle, Nils Larson Bolstad
and Magne Bottolfson Bystolen were living in
the Fox River settlement, and Nils Siverson
Gilderhus had just arrived there from Norway.
Bolstad, Gilderhus and Bystolen w T ere anxious
to secure farms for themselves, and so they
hired Odd J. Himle to go with them to Wis-
consin, where good land was to be had. Magne
Bystolen was prevented by sickness from go-
ing, but it was agreed that the rest of the party
should select land for him, too. The three
others started from La Salle county, 111., in
the fall of 1839, say in September, or more
probably in October, and went first to Mil-
waukee, and then proceeded west to Dane
county. It is needless to add that they went
all the way on foot. They stopped in the
northern part of the present town of Christi-
ana, and after looking the ground over for a
couple of days, they then selected land a short
distance northwest from the present Cam-
THE SIXTH SETTLEMENT.
bridge, in the northeast part of the town of
Christiana. Thus these three Vossings apr
to be the first three Norwegians who visited
Koshkonong. They selected 120 acres of land,
viz., forty for Nils S. Gilderhus, forty for Nils
Larson Bolstad and forty for Magne BystoleH.
Odd Himle, who had acted as their guide, did
not select any land for himself, and we have
seen that he did not settle on Koshkonong.
The three men left Koshkonong as soon as they
had selected their land, proceeded to Milwau-
kee, wiiere Mr. Lee claims they made entry of
the land at the land office, and then spent the
winter in the Fox River settlement.
Early the next spring N. S. Gilderhus, N. L.
Bolstad, Magne Bystol and Anders Fenno left
the Fox River settlement and moved up to
Koshkonong. There they built on Magne Bys-
toTs land a cellar or dugout in the face of a
bank, and in this they were all sheltered dur-
ing the first year. Mr. Lee thinks this was the
first house built by Norwegians in the town
of Christiana. For my part I am inclined to
think that Gunnul Olson Vindeg built the first
house in that township, and I shall give my
reasons later on. The first township north of
Christiana is Deerfield, and there the first Nor-
wegian to select land and build a house was
336 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Nils L. Bolstad. In 1841 he married, as stated,
Anna, a sister of Gunnul O. Vindeg, and the
same year he bnilt his house in Deerfield, where
his wife w T as the first white woman. Nils Gil-
derhus and Magne Bystol lived in the dugout
two winters, and with them Nels A. Lee and his
parents found shelter on their arrival on Kosh-
konong in December, 1841.
In my opinion Gunnul Olson Vindeg was
the first Norwegian to build a house and actu-
ally locate in what is now the town of Chris-
tiana, and so far as I have been able to make
out, he was the first Norwegian to settle in
Dane county. He came to America in 1839
from Kolloug in Numedal, where he was born
August 16, 18Q8. He was to have come with
Ansten Nattestad in the "Emelia," but he was
detained by the sickness of his child, and so
came on later by another route. He found his
way by the usual immigrant route from New
York to Chicago, and from there he came on to
Jefferson Prairie, near Beloit, where the ma-
jority of the Nattestad company had settled.
There he spent the first winter, but early in
the spring of 1840 he built or bought or bor-
rowed a boat, and in it he and a companion
by name Gjermund Knudson Sunde, who also
had come from Numedal in 1839, navigated up
THE SIXTH SETTLEMENT. 337
Rock river, and, as the story goes, up Koshko-
nong lake and Koshkonong creek into the town
of Christiana, and so found the parcel of laud
where he located and lived until his death,
which occurred October 22, 1S4G. Lie was
killed by an accident. Gjerraund K. Sunde also
selected forty acres of land, which he after-
wards sold to Ole Lier. Gjermund Sunde lost
his reason, and in this condition he disap-
peared, and doubtless soon perished.
Gunnul Olson had tw r o sisters and a brother
who came to America a year or two later. One
of his sisters, Berit, married a Swede, John G.
Smith, who pretended to be both minister and
preacher. His wife soon died, and John G.
Smith left about 1844. He went first to Chi-
cago, but soon disappeared from that city, and
has not since been heard from. The other
sister, Anna, married Nils Larson Bolstad, as
stated above. The brother's name was Hel-
leik, w T ho, in company with Lars Kvendalen
and a man called Nils Hailing, made counter-
feit Norwegian paper money in the early
forties, and w T ent to Norway with it, where they
were arrested, found guilty and put in prison.
The township in which Gunnul Vindeg settled
in 1840 contained at the time less than a dozen
22
338 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
settlers, and as several Norwegians soon lo-
cated there it was called Christiana (should
have been Christiania), after the capital of Nor-
way, on the suggestion of Gunnul Olson Yin-
deg.
Gunnul Olson Vincleg and Gjermund Sunde
returned with their boat to Beloit, and soon
after we find Gunnul moving with his wife in a
covered wagon from Jefferson Prairie to Kosh-
konong. He stopped at Milton, Wis., on his
way for repairs. Ezra Goodrich, of Milton, and
Jones, of Ft. Atkinson, visited him in his home
early in the summer of 1840. They were
caught in a heavy rain storm and drove to
Gunnul Olson's shanty, w r here they stopped.
Ezra Goodrich says: "We stayed at Gunnul
Olson's and got dinner. It was the first Norwe-
gian dinner we had ever eaten, but we were as
hungry as a wolf and we don't remember to
have relished a better meal. They had only
fried pork, warm biscuits and coffee. The
coffee was made in a little copper kettle that
was as round as a ball. The shanty had but
one small room with a bed in the corner, and
a ladder up to a little low attic under the roof.
It had a little stall attached to one end for the
cow. Mr. Gunnul Olson was subsequently
killed by a loaded wagon tipping over him."
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THE SIXTH SETTLEMENT. 339
My good friend, Ezra Goodrich, of Milton,
makes a mistake when in an Edgerton paper
he says he made the above visit to Gunnul Vin-
deg's in 1839, as it is a well-established fad
that Gunnul did not leave Norway before the
summer of 1839.
Much has been written about Gunnul Vin-
deg's journey by boat from Beloit to Kosh-
konong, and many objections have been raised.
It is argued that he could not take his family,
household effects and cattle with him in a boat,
and that the journey on foot would have been
much easier and would have taken much 1< ss
time. The answer to the first objection is
that he naturally left his family and cattle on
Jefferson Prairie until he had found the land
he proposed to settle on. He actually did first
select his future home and then went back with
the boat and took his family and belongings
in a wagon by way of Milton. In reply to tin*
second objection it may be said that he prob-
ably started from Beloit early in the spring,
when the low lands would be more or loss
flooded with water. We must bear in mind
that he did not know the country into which
he was to penetrate. He naturally wanted to
select land near some stream, where ho could
be sure of getting water, timber and meadow,
340 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
and by going up a river in a boat he would
naturally feel more certain of finding what he-
looked for, and under all circumstances he
w r ould be more sure not to get lost in an un-
known wilderness. In the boat he could at
any time easily find his way back to Beloit, the
place he started from. The more I think of
it, the more it seems to me that the most pru-
dent thing was to go up Eock riVer by boat.
None of the old settlers on Koshkonong ever
saw this boat, and this has been used as an
argument against its existence. It goes al-
most without saying, that when Gunnul and
Gjermund had come all the way up to the
present town of Christiana against the cur-
rent, it would be mere pastime to go back in
the same boat, in the first place, because it
would be down stream, and in the second
place, because they would not have a moment's
anxiety about finding the way.
And now as to actual evidence. There is a
son of Gunnul Olson Vindeg still living on
Koshkonong. His name is Ole Gunnulson, and
he is a man of great intelligence and most ex-
cellent character. He writes me that Gjer-
mund Sunde talked with Lars Lier about this
journey by boat and told him that they had
tied the boat a little below the Anixstad ford r
THE SIXTH SETTLEMENT. 341
where the Pankell bridge was afterwards
built Lars Lier made this Btatefoent to Ole
(lunnulsou. Balvor ECravig, an <>M settler,
Bays that Gunnul Vindeg pointed <mt a place
a little below where Henrik Lien now lives, as
the spot where he tied the boat. There is no
objection to this conflict in the evidence. They
probably first tied the boat where Gjermund
says they left it, and then moved it to the other
place at the mouth of a little brook, which
led them to the land which Gunnul bought.
Jens P. Vehus, who was Ole Gunnulson's uncle,
being a brother of Gunnul Vindeg's wife, and
a neighbor, reports that Gunnul had told him
how T many difficulties they had had to contend
with in rowing up the creek. They had found
obstacles in the form of windfalls across the
creek, and they had been obliged to use the
axe to get these windfalls out of the way. My
brother Andrew is inclined to doubt this boat
episode, but he has not had the opportunity of
examining the evidence, which, to my mind, is
entirely satisfactory.
We have now T seen that the Yossings visited
the northeastern part of Christiana in the fall
of 1839, and that Nils Siverson Gilderhus, An-
ders Finno, Nils Larson Bolstad and Magne
Bottolfson Bystol actually settled there in the
342 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
spring or summer of 1840. We have also seen
that Gunnul Olson Vindeg, from Numedal,
visited the southeastern part of Christiana
early in the spring of 1840, and settled there as
soon as he could bring his family from
Jefferson Prairie, and we are thus prepared to
show how a third group of Norwegians settled
in the northeastern part of what is now the
town of Albion.
That same spring (1840) Bjorn Anderson
Kvelve, Amund Anderson Hornefjeld, Thor-
stein Olson Bjaadland, Lars Dugstad, Lars
Scheie and Amund Anderson Bossaland,.
formed a party to go in search of land and
homesteads, and started from the Fox Biver
settlement, where they had been living several
years. They set out on foot, and went by the
way of Shabano Grove, Bockford, Beloit,
Janesville, Milton, and crossed Bock river at
Goodrich's Ferry (now Newville), and con-
tinued until they reached the northeast corner
of Albion, which is the township immediately
south of Christiana. The first four of these im-
mediately selected land in the town of Albion.
Amund Bossaland chose a piece of land near
that selected by Bjorn Anderson and Thorstein
Olson, but a government surveyor stated that
it had already been taken, and it was soon
THE sixth SETTLEMENT. 343
afterwards occupied by William Fulton. The
result was thai Ainunii Rossaland and La
Scheie went to Jefferson Prairie and located
there.
My oldest brother Andrew, who was born
in 1832, writes me that he remembers that our
father started from the Pox River settlement
for Wisconsin, in company with the men men-
tioned above, in the spring of 1840, and he adds
that our mother m£de a bag f<>r provisions
which father carried on his back. It was made
with straps fastened above and below on the
bag for the arms to pass through, and he also
remembers that father carried a cane.
In regard to early immigrants and early days
on Koshkonong I have the following letter
from my brother Andrew, written from White
Willow, Minnesota, February 8, 1895:
"My Dear Brother Rasmus:
"Your letters dated the 29th and 31st ultimo
were duly received.
"I remember some of the Norwegians that
came to America while I was a little boy, but
I am not able to give the year they came. Of
these immigrants I remember particularly
Amnnd Anderson Ilornefjeld, Thorstein (dson
Bjaadland (the slooper), Lars Dngstad, Amnnd
Anderson Eossaland, his wife, tw T o sons, End re
344 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
and Elling, and daughter Anna; Lars Scheie
and wife and two daughters, Gyri and Anna;
Tonnes Tollefson, who married Miss Anna Kos-
saland; Lars Kvendalen, Nils Bolstad, Mis
Gilderhus, Magne Bystolen, Helleik Vindeg,
Ole and Ansten Nattestad. Amund Rossaland
and Lars Scheie moved from Jefferson Prairie
onto land that they bought near Baraboo, Wis.
Helleik Vindeg, Lars and Nils Hailing made
counterfeit money and went to Norway. Dur-
ing the winter of 1841 these three unmarried
men, all from Numedal, spent their time partly
on Koshkonong and partly in Whitewater,
making Norwegian money. The next year
they went to Norway, where they were con-
victed and sent to prison. The supposition
is, that this lot of counterfeit money was made
by these men during their sojourn on Kosh-
konong. They wore the money as soles in
their boots in order to make the bills look old
and worn. Nils Hailing was considered the
least guilty of the three, and was accordingly
sentenced to a shorter term in prison. After
paying the penalty of his crime, he returned to
America, and became an industrious farmer,
in the town of Albion, where he died at an ad-
vanced age. Helleik Vindeg was a brother
of Gunnul Vindeg. Gunnul Vindec: had a sis-
Tin; sixth SETTLEMENT.
ter who married a Swede, by Dame John Smith,
a man of doubtful character, who officiated
both as minister and physici&n. Gnnnnl Vin«
deg had another sister, Anna, who was i
ried to Nils Bolstad, and lived near Cambridge,
in the neighborhood of ftfagne Bystolen, Kol«
boin Sane and Nils < iilderhus.
"I visited Aniund Rossaland in 1862. He
was living on a farm about ten miles from
Kilbourn City, and about the same distance
from Baraboo. His son Endre used to stop at
our house in Albion, when he went on his \i
to Jefferson Prairie. I think they moved in
1843 or 1844, and their home was near tin*
bank of the Wisconsin river.
"And now a word about Gunnul Vindeg go-
ing by boat from Beloit up Rock river, and
Koshkonong creek. I am familiar with the re-
port, but I have had doubts as to whether the
feat was actually accomplished. Their was
certainly no necessity for choosing such a way
of getting to Koshkonong in 1840.
"In this connection,- 1 will relate a little
perience I had, in going by boat down Kosh-
konong creek from where we lived to the lake.
"The summer that we built our stone house
on the prairie, that is in 1851, Halvor Murmes-
ter made me a boat to use in my hunting ex-
peditions. In the spring of 1852, I heard of
346 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
good fishing, down at Johnston's saw-mill
(now Busseyville). Ole Lien, Sr., and I con-
cluded to take the boat dow T n the creek,
chiefly for the novelty of it. We started early
in the morning, with a view of getting through
before dark; to our surprise, the sun set before
we were more than about half way to the mill.
It was moonlight, and we plied the oars with
all our might, and got to our destination about
midnight. The only description I can give of
the creek, is that it was very crooked. Well,
we caught no fish, and went home afoot. Hav-
ing the boat at the mill, Mr. Thure Kumlien
and I made a hunting expedition with the boat,,
to Koshkonong lake, and returned the same
day with the boat to the mill. The boat was
finally brought home on a wagon. I am in-
clined to think that this little "Viking" boat,,
is the only one that ever navigated the waters
of Koshkonong creek, down to 1852. The first
Norwegians that came to Koshkonong, were
Gunnul Vindeg, wife and two sisters, Gjer-
mund Knudson Sunde, Thorstein Olson, Amund
Anderson, Lars Dugstad, Bjorn Anderson, wife
and four children, Nils Bolstad, Nils Gilderhus,,
Magne Bystolen, Helleik Vindeg, Lars Kven-
dalen and Nils Hailing.
"Affectionately, your brother,
'Arnold Andrew Anderson."
THE sixth SETTLEMENT, 347
Of Thorstein Olson Bjaadland, Bjftrn Amh-r-
son Kvelve, Amnnd Anderson Bornefjeld and
Lars Dugstad, I have already given biograph-
ical notices, just as Ghranul Vindeg 9 ! lister,
Mrs. Anna Bolstad, was the first white woman
in the town of Deerfield, so my mother and m\
two sisters were the first white women in tin-
town of Albion.
While the Yossings, Odd J. Bimle, Nils Lar-
son Bolstad, and Nils Biverson Qilderhus, vis-
ited, and we may say discovered, Koshkonorig,
in the autumn of 1839, I believe (iunnul Olson
Vindeg was the first Norwegian to locate in
Dane county. I take this to be the fa« t,
largely for the reason that he had so short a
distance to go to get there, lie had come from
Norway to Jefferson Prairie, in the fall of 1839,
and as soon as the weather permitted, the next
spring he and Gjermund Bunde went in a boat
up to the township of Christiana, and if In-
started as early as I think he did, there was
nothing to hinder his getting located on his
homestead with his family, in the month of
April.
The other Norwegians who came to Kosh-
konong in 1840, made their departure from the
Fox River settlement. They had much fur-
ther to go, and presumably did not start until
348 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
the weather was settled and the ground dry
for walking. Of those who started from Fox
river, there were again two parties; one a
party of Vossings, and the other party made
up chiefly of Stavangerings. I have not
been able to make out w T hich of these two par-
ties first left the Fox Eiver settlement, or
which arrived first at their destination. The
Vossings were bound for the northeast part
of Christiana, where they had selected land
the preceding autumn, while the Stavanger-
ings went in search of land, which they found
in the northeast part of Albion. I have taken
pains to examine the records, but all I can
find is that all the parties mentioned, entered
their land at the government land office
in the year 1840. The Vossings re-
mained on their land in 1840, while all
the Stavangerings w T ho located in Albion,
went back to the Fox River settlement,
spent the winter there and did not
actually settle in Albion before the spring of
1841. Thorstein Olson . Bjaadland built a
shanty on his land in 1840, before returning to
Illinois, and in the spring of 1841, he and my
father with his family moved into this, and
my father had shelter there, while he built his
own little log house "down by the spring."
THE SIXTH SETTLEMENT. 349
Before leaving the discussion of this sub
I want to quote whal Prof. Syein NUssod pub-
lished in I>i!h<l-M<i(/(i:iit in 1969, page 387, in
connection with his sketch of John Haldorson
Bjorge. He says: "John Bjorgo worked a
week in Rochester, N. V., and in this way he
earned money to get to Chicago. Here he
again worke'd to earn some more money, and
then he continued his journey westward to
La Salle county, Illinois, where a part of the
sloop people had founded a Norwegian colony.
'Here, I at once got work,' says Bjorgo. 'For
my money I bought a scythe and whet-stone,
and during the harvest, I earned a dollar a
day by mowing, and from that time, I contin-
ually made progress, so that after living in this
settlement for five years, I had saved enough
to be able to establish my own home.' In
April, 1840, some of the people living in La
Salle county, went north to look for homes in
Wisconsin. Among those who set out for
this purpose, I may mention Nils Bolstad (now
deceased), Nils Gilderhus (now living in Min-
nesota), and Magne Bystolen (died in Minne-
sota). On their journey they came to the re-
gion now called Christiana. They liked the
locality, and went at once to Milwaukee, where
they selected land at the land office. On their
350 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
return to La Salle county, they told about their
discoveries, and as there was fertile land to be
had in abundance, many of their countrymen
decided to move from Illinois and settle in Wis-
consin. John Bjorgo came in the spring of
1841, and a little later, Ole Siverson Gilderhus
also settled a little further north, in the town
of Deerfield. He is a brother of the above
mentioned Nils Gilderhus, who, the preceding
year, had been here on a journey, of discovery.
<Xow we wrote,' says John Bjorgo, 'to our
friends and informed them about the land
here.' "
I give this quotation for what it may be
worth, with the remark that it was written
in 1868, that is, twenty-seven years ago, as
taken down from the lips of John Halderson
Bjorgo, who was an intelligent and honest
man, who was in a position to know what he
was talking about.
The other version, making those Norwegians
visit Koshkonong in the fall of 1839, is pub-
lished by Nels A. Lee, a very intelligent, hon-
est and painstaking investigator, and he has
his facts from the lips of no less authority than
Odd J. Himle, himself. Odd J. Himle lived
until May, 1893, and he was a man of intelli-
gence and undoubted veracity. It would seem
THE sixth SETTLEMENT.
that Odd J. Eimle ought to know what be
had himself done.
After the above was written and printed I
finally received on May 22, L895, the following
letter from the United States land commis-
sioner at Washington, D. C. As every reader
will see it throws valuable light <»n the question
as to who were the first Norwegians to enter
land in Dane county.
The official records thus show that Nils Lar-
son Bolstad, Magne Bottolfson Bystflen and
Nils Siverson Gilderhus were the first, and that
their lands were entered by them on May 6, 1840.
They were followed by Gunnul Olson Vindeg,
who entered his land sixteen days later, on May
22, 1840.
Bjorn Anderson Kvelve, Amund Anderson
Hornefjeld, and Thorstein Olson Bjaadland did
not enter their land until June 22, 1840, that is,
just one month later than the Vossings. This
definitely settles the question as to who were
the first Norwegians to locate in the Koshko-
nong settlement.
The letter from the land commissioner at
Washington does not, of course, answer the
question as to whether the Vossings, as claimed
by Mr. Nels A. Lee, had visited Koshkonong in
the autumn of 1839. They certainly did not
352 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
enter any land that year; but from the fact that
they were able to enter their lands as early
as May 6, 1840, it seems more than probable
that they had actually visited and selected their
homesteads the autumn before (1839). I am
personally fully persuaded that the Vossings,.
Odd J. Himle, Nils Larson Bolstad and Nils
Siverson Gilderhus must have visited the town
of Christiana in the fall of 1839. The follow-
ing letter speaks for itself and is entirely au-
thentic:
Department op the Interior,
General Land Office,
Washington, D. C, May 18, 1895.
Hon. Easmus B. Anderson,
Madison, Wisconsin.
Sir:
I am in receipt of your letter of May 3, 1895^
stating that you wish to ascertain who are the
first Norwegians who actually entered or pur-
chased ]and in Dane county, Wisconsin; that
the first settlers located there in 1840; that you
w T ish to investigate only concerning the towns
of Albion (town 5 north, range 12 east), Chris-
tiana (town 6 north, range 12 east), and Deer-
field (town 7 north, range 12 east); that the per-
sons in question are:
Tin: sixth settlement. 353
Gunnul Olson (Vindeg) in Christiana,
Nils Siverson in Christiana.
MagneBottolfson in Christiana.
Bjorn Anderson in Albion.
Amund Anderson in Albion.
Thorstein Olson in Albion.
Nils Larson (Bolstad) in Deerfield; that you
have examined the records in the Dane County
Court House, but they give you no clue; that
what you desire to know in connection with a
book you are publishing, in what year, what
month and what day the above persons entered
or bought their land; that there is a claim that
some of them entered their land as early as
1839, that your impression is that they all en-
tered their land in 1840.
In reply you are advised that, as shown by
the records of this office, no en try men, ap-
parently Norwegian, entered or purchased land
in the townships named prior to 1840, and that
the names of those who entered during that
year are not exactly the same as those men-
tioned by you, but appear as follows:
Omen Anderson made C. E. No. 7330, June
22, 1840, for the east half of the southeast quar-
ter of section 1, town 5 north, range 12 east.
Birn Anderson made C. E. No. 7332, June 22,
23
354 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
1840, for west half of southeast quarter of sec-
tion 1, town 5 north, range 12 east.
Lars Olson made C. E. 7333, June 22, 1840, for
the east half of the southwest quarter of sec-
tion 1, town 5 north, range 12 east.
Foster Olsen made C. E. No. 7334, June 22,
1840, for the west half of the northeast quarter
of section 2, town 5 north, range 12 east.
Nils Larson made C. E. No. 7035, May 6, 1840,
for the northeast quarter of the northwest quar-
ter of section 2, town 6 north, range 12 east.
Magany Buttelson made C. E. No. 7033, May
6, 1840, for northwest quarter of northwest quar-
ter of section 2, town G north, range 12 east.
Gunul Oleson Wiudeg made C. E. No. 7129,
May 22, 1840, for the northeast quarter of the
northwest quarter of section 35, town 6 north,
range 12 east.
Lars Davidson made C. E. No. 7944, December
8, 1840, for the south half of the southwest quar-
ter of section 28, town 7 north, range 12 east.
Nils Seaverson made C. E. No. 7034, May 6,
1840, for south half of the southwest quarter
of section 35, town 7 north, range 12 east.
Very respectfully,
S. W. Lamoreux,
Commissioner.
1XTH SETTLEMENT.
Jens PedersoD Vehua, who died in the an-
luinii of 1894, came from Nore, in Numedal, in
L842, Ee was a brother of Gtannnl Vindeg'a
wife, and in the same ship with him came Hal-
vor Funkelien from Kongsberg and Thore
Nore, from NumedaL They all settled on Koah-
konong, and Halvor Funkelien had a lawsuit
with Rev. J. W. G Dietrichaon, of which Rev.
Dietrickscn gives a long account in his volume
about his first visit to America.
One of the old settlers on Koshkonong in the
southeast part of Christiana was Lars Jo-
hanneson Holo, who emigrated from Kiir
aker, in Norway, in 1839. He was an intimate
friend of Johan Nordboe, who emigrated from
Ringebo in Gudbransdsdalen in 1832. Johan
Nordboe wrote letters from America to Lara
Holo, and this induced him to emigrate in com-
pany with a glass-blower by name Lauman,
from Faaberg. This Lauman afterwards died
in the Sugar Creek settlement, near Keokuk,
Iowa. They went by way of Havre to New
York, and first located in Rochester, New York.
Lars Holo remained in Rochester about two
years. He and his three grown up sons get-
ting employment on the canal there. In 1841,
he went to Muskego, and in 1848 he finally lo-
cated on Koshkonong. He and his wife died
356 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
there, both very old. Many of his sons are
living, and one of them, Martin L. Holo, now
owns the farm bought in Albion by Bjorn An-
derson Kvelve.
Seven years later (1846), Lars J. Holo's
brother, Anders Johanneson Toininerstigen,
emigrated from Vardal in Norway, and settled
near his brother on Koshkonong. Anders and
his wife prospered and died at an advanced
age. Their youngest son, Peter, now owns the
old homestead, and is one of the most success-
ful and intelligent farmers in the town of
Christiana.
XXII.
Miscellaneous Matters.
In the year 1840, Gudmund Haugaas and
Johan Nordboe, and possibly Engebret Larson
Narvig, were the only Norwegians who had
practiced the art of medicine in America.
Neither had studied medicine in any medical
college. So far as I have been able to learn,
the first regular graduate of the medical de-
partment of the university of Norway who
came to America, to practice medicine, was a
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS. 857
man, by name Brandt, from Drammen. lie
first practiced a while in Chicago, then in the
Norwegian settlements in Illinois, then bought
a farm in Iowa, and finally settled as a regular
practitioner in Indiana. I do not know what
year he came to America, or what finally be-
came of him.
Brandt was followed by Theodore Schj&tte
and Gerhard C. Paoli. Both came to Kosh-
konong. Dr. Schotte returned to Norway and
became a government physician in Finmarken,
and Dr. Paoli is still practicing in Chicago.
Dr. Madsen was a medical student from Nor-
way. He settled in Cambridge, Wisconsin,
and died there. Dr. J. C. Dundas came to
America about the year 1850, and settled in
Cambridge, where he died about a dozen years
ago. After him came Dr. E. Hanson, who lived
near Utica, on Koshkonong, but eventually
returned to Norway, where he died. The num-
ber of Norwegian physicians now living in
America is very large, both of those who have
graduated in Norway, and of those who have
studied in this country.
Ole Kynning's book produced a large em-
igration from Norway in 1839, particularly
from Numedal and adjoining districts, where
his statements were corroborated by the pres-
358 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
ence of Ansten Nattestad. But the report of
Ole Eynning's untimely death at Beaver Creek,
partly caused by his unhealthy work on the
canal between Chicago and the Illinois river,
while it did not absolutely stop emigration,
made people hesitate and wait until they could
get reliable reports from friends and relatives
in America. The revival came in 1843, when
two ships sailed from Bergen, in one of which
we find Kleng Peerson, and in the other Knud
Langland. That same year an emigrant vessel
sailed from Drobak, in the eastern part of Nor-
^ay. This ship from Drobak was commanded
by Capt. Gasman, and among the emigrants
were found Hans Gasman and his family.
Hans Gasman came from near Skien, that is,
Thelemarken. He had been a member of the
Norwegian Storthing, and was a man of char-
acter and considerable prominence. He and
many of his company went to Pine Lake, in
Wisconsin, where a young Swedish settlement
had been founded by a Swedish minister named
G. Unonius in 1841. The fact that Hans Gas-
man located there brought a large number of
Norwegian immigrants to this settlement.
These people chose Mr. Unonius- as their pas-
tor, and he was ordained by an Episcopalian
bishop. In 1843, the people in this settle-
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
ment had resolved t<> build a church on the
west side of Pine Lake.
About 2,000 Norwegians emigrated In 1843,
mainly from Thelemarken and Voss, and a ma-
jority of them came to Wisconsin. The emi-
gration wonld scarcely have been Less In L844,
but for the fact that many were waiting to
letters and reports from their friends concern-
ing affairs in America, and about the condition
of Norwegian settlements. Much of this in-
formation was supplied by Johan Beinert lei-
erson's book in regard to his visit to America
in 1843. He had traveled extensively both
north and south, and had made a more thor-
ough investigation than had ever been made
before, by any Norwegian. His book "Veivi-
seren" (The Pathfinder) was published in Nor-
way in 1844. The "Pathfinder" w T as a volume
of 166 pages, and gave a far more elaborate
account of conditions and opportunities In
America than Rynning's little pamphlet of
only 39 pages, though the two books covered
pretty much the same ground and agreed in
view£ and conclusions.
360 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
XXIII.
Capt. Hans Friis.
Among the many gallant tars who assisted
in piloting thousands of our Norwegian em-
igrants to their new fatherland, I must not
neglect to mention Capt. Hans Friis. He was
a sailor in "Enigheden," the ship that left
Egersund in 1837, and he made no less
than nine trips with emigrants from Nor-
way between the years 1837 and 1847. In
1847, he concluded he would emigrate himself,
and from that time until his death, he re-
mained a United States citizen. He began his
life in America, as a sailor on our great lakes.
Then he tried to get into the United States
navy, but failed. Finally he enlisted in the
United States army; was wounded, discharged,
had a pension, and spent his old days on his
farm in Muskego, where he died in 1886.
Hans Friis was born near Farsund, in Nor-
way, December 14, 1809. In his younger days
he received some instruction in reading, writ-
ing and arithmetic. Later he studied naviga-
Capt. Hans Friis.
CAPT. HANS FRIIS. 361
tion, and when about 25 years old, he passed
an examination as navigator.
His career as a sailor began when he was
about 16 years old by going as cook in a sum 11
vessel on the coast of Norway. Be Boon
shipped on board a larger vessel, and sailed to
various European ports. He advanced until
he became ship carpenter, and finally, second
mate. During these years he visited most of
the ports of Europe, and acquired some knowl-
edge of English and German. In the spring
of 1837, he hired as a common sailor in a ship
in Egersund, bound for America with emi-
grants, and that summer made his first visit
to New York. In 1839, we find him a sailor
in Captain Ankerson's ship "Einelie," going
with emigrants from Drammen. He sailed sev-
eral years, with Captain Ankerson, the last
years as second mate. After some years, Cap-
tain Ankerson quit sailing, and Friis hired in
another ship from Drammen. As far as I can
find out, the name of this ship was "Tricolo,"
and it was commanded by Captain Overveien
of Farsund. Friis was first mate. The "Tricolo"
was also engaged in carrying emigrants to
New York. In the spring of 1846, Friis be-
came captain of "Tricolo," and that summer
made a trip to New York with emigrants.
3G2 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
After his return to Norway, in the fall, "Tri-
colo" was sold and a young man, a relative of
the new owner, became captain, and Friis be-
came first mate. In the spring of 1847, the
ship sailed from Drammen, with a party of em-
igrants, destined for America, and the young
captain, naving but little experience as a
sailor, the ship had a long and troublesome
voyage to New York. Friis decided to leave
the ship in New York, but the captain would
not pay him his wages, and so Friis went to
the Swedish-Norwegian consul, and telling him
how matters stood, he got his pay.
Friis was in New York nine times with emi-
grants; the first time in 1837, and the last in
1817, and in this time he three times accom-
panied the immigrants as far as Milwaukee,,
the ship in the meantime, taking its cargo for
some European port. During the winters in
Norway, Friis traveled extensively in the
eastern part of Norway as emigrant agent, and
thus he became acquainted with many of the
pioneers in the Norwegian settlements in
America.
In 1847, he settled in America, and for sev-
eral years, he sailed on the great lakes, first
before the mast, but later as captain of the
ship "North Cape."
CAPT. HANS FRIIS. 363
July i, L852, tie wai married In Milwaukee
to Miss Bertha Andrea Abrahamsoii, and lived
there until L854, when lie and his wit*.- moved
to Muskego, where some time before he had
bought a farm in the town <>t' Norway.
being used to agriculture, h<* continued sail-
ing while his wife managed the farm.
In 18G3, he desired to enlist in the United
States navy, and was sent to Philadelphia, but
as there was no place for him, he enlisted in
company A, 61st regiment Pennsylvania vol-
unteers. He was wounded in the battle of
Petersburg, a bullet passing through the upper
part of his right shoulder, and was discharged
June 8, 1SG5.
After his return from the war, he lived on
bis farm, where he died, August 14, 18S6. His
wife and five children, three boys and two
girls, survive him, all in comfortable circum-
stances. His nephew, Jer. F. Fries, a banker
in Toronto, South Dakota, is a most intelligent
man, and I am indebted to him for many val-
uable facts contained in this volume, lie is
a most excellent correspondent.
The following is a copy of the discharge of
Mr. Hans Friis from the army:
"Hans Friis, a privtae of Capt. D. M. Look-
hart's Company "A," 61st Regiment of Penn-
364 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
sylvania Volunteers, enrolled September 1,
1863, to serve three years, was discharged from
service the 8th day of June, 1865, at Harewood
General Hospital by reason of disability.
"Surgeon.
"Said Hans Friis, born in Norway, is 53
years old, 5 ft. 8 in. high, fair complexion, gray
eyes, and dark hair and beard."
XXIV.
Retrospect.
As we now look back and examine the
ground we have gone over in the present vol-
ume, we find that in the year 1840, there were
six Norwegian settlements in America that
were destined to continue to receive accretions
from the old county, and become more or less
prominent in the annals of Norwegians in this
country. These six settlements were:
1. The Kendall settlement founded by
Kleng Peerson and the sloopers on the shores
of Lake Ontario, in Orleans county, New York,
in the autumn of 1825. This settlement still
exists, though it has not grown much in the
past fifty years. Land was too dear in Orleans
RETROSPECT. 865
county for Norwegian Immigrants. No Norwe-
gian schools or churches were ever built In I
Kendall settlement. The Norwegians there
are pretty thoroughly Americanized, and they
have but little correspondence or intercom
with their countrymen, in other parts of Amer-
ica. The Norwegian language, is, how.
still spoken there by a few of the inhabitants.
2. The Fox River settlement, in La Salle
count} T , Illinois, discovered by Klenu Peerson
in 1833, and founded by him and others from
the Kendall settlement in 1S3L It receh
large accretions in 1835, and particularly in
1836, 1837 and 1838, and it became the nu-
cleus of a number of settlements in the adjoin-
ing counties Lee, Kendall and others.
3. Chicago, Illinois. Here the first Norwe-
gians settled in 1S36. Here Hal stein Torrison
from Fjelberg, in Norway, was the first to set-
tle, October 1G, 1S36. There are now more
Norwegians in Chicago than any where else
in America.
4. Jefferson Prairie in Rock county, Wiscon-
sin, and in Boone county, Illinois, also includ-
ing Rock Prairie, west of the Rock river in
Rock county, Wisconsin, and Rock Run, in
Illinois, in 1838. Ole Knudson Nattestad was
the founder of the Jefferson Prairie settlement
366 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
in 1838. Gullik O. Gravdahl became the first
settler on Rock Prairie in 1839, and Kleinet
Stabek in Rock Run in 1839.
5. Muskego, in Waukesha and Racine
counties, Wisconsin. The settlement in Wau-
kesha county was founded by the Luraas party,
from Tin, Thelemarken, in 1839, and the set-
tlement in Norway, Racine county, was started
in 1840 by Soren Bache and Johannes Johan-
nesen, from Drammen. These were soon fol-
lowed by Even Heg, and others. In Muskego,
was published, in 1847, Nordlyset, the first Nor-
wegian newspaper in America.
G. Koshkonong, in the southeastern part of
Dane county, Wisconsin,. The first Norwegian
settlers there were Gunnul Olson Yindeg,
Bjorn Anderson Kvelve, Thorstein Olson Bjaad-
land, Amund Anderson Hornefjeld, Lars Olson
Dugstad, Nils Larson Bolstad, Nils Siverson
Gilderhus, Magne Bottolfson Bystol and An-
ders Finno. This settlement grew rapidly, and
soon spread throughout Dane county. It is
still the largest and most prosperous commun-
ity of Norwegian farmers in America.
But in reviewing our work, we find that a
number of Norwegians had settled outside of
these six settlements in 1840, some with, and
others without, the purpose of foundiDg Norwe-
RETROSPECT.
gian settlements, it we go back to the y
L840, we will find Norwegians domiciled In New
York city, (Lars Tallakson) in Rochester, N.
(Lars Larson and others) in Detroit, Mi»h., (N.
P. Langeland with his family) in Philadelpl
Pa., and also in Now Orleans. I hare not
been able to trace any of the Norw< liv-
ing in Philadelphia of Now Orleans, but in Ids
book on America, Ole Bynning states that
there were Norwegians residing in those ci
in 1S37.
In the foregoing pages we have taken oote
of Norwegian settlers living alone or in bodies
in the following places before the end of the
year IS40:
1. In Lenanwee county, near Adrian, Mich-
igan, where Ingebt'et Larson settled in 18!
and afterwards was joined by a few oth(
2. At Niagara Falls, where Ole Olson Iletle-
tvedt worked in a paper mill in the early thir-
ties.
3. Thorstein Olson Bjaadland left the Ken-
dall settlement early, and wandered into Mich-
igan and other states, before he got to the 1
Iiiver settlement in 1834.
4. In Shelby county, Mo., where Kleng Peer-
son and about a dozen Stavangerings from the
Fox Eiver settlement, located in the spring of
1837.
368 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
5. In White county, Indiana. In his book,,
page 12, Ole Rynning says that about seventy
miles south of Lake Michigan, in White county,
Indiana, on the Tippecanoe river, there lived
in 1837 two Norwegians from Drammen, who
together owned 1,100 acres of land, and that
there was still good land to be had near them.
I 'have not been able to identify these two Nor-
wegians from Drammen. I have made many
attempts to find out who they were, but all
my efforts thus far have been fruitless.
0. In Beaver Creek, Iroquois county, Illinois,
in 1837. Here Ole Rynning w r rote his book,
and here he died and was buried near Mons
Adland's farm. The last one to abandon this
unfortunate settlement was Mons Adland, in
1840. Among those who settled there Rev.
O. J. Hatlestad mentions one Knud Tysland r
who has escaped my notice. The Beaver Creek
settlement was near the state line of Indiana
and extended partly into that state, so that
some people are in the habit of speaking of
the Beaver Creek settlement as iu Indiana.
7. In Clark county, Missouri, where Lars Tal-
lakson settled in 1838, and spent three years,
moving to Lee county, Iowa, in 1841.
8. In Noble county, Indiana, where Ole
Aasland, from Fledsberg, bought GOO acres of
TKOSPECT. BOO
land, and located with a colony of twenty of
bis countrymen in 1S38. Ole Aasland soon
abandoned the colony, and remoyed to B
dall, X. Y., where he died in lsi;i.
9. In Dallas county, Texas, where Julian
Xurdboe located in 1838 with the avowed pur-
pose of getting as far away from his country-
men as possible. He left a. married daughter in
the Fox River settlement, and upon her death
Ole Canuteson took her children to their grand-
father in Dallas county.
10. In Sugar Creek in Lee county, Iowa, about
seven miles from Keokuk. This settlement
was founded by Kleng Feerson, Hans Barlien,
Andrew Simonson, the three brothers, Peter,
William and Hans Tesnian, and by a number
of people from Xserstrand, in Btavanger Amt,
Norway. It will be noticed that this settlr-
ment was located near the prosperous Mormon
city of Xauvoo in Illinois, and the Norwegians
in the Sugar Creek colony were mostly Mor-
mons. Johan Reinert Reierson mentions this
settlement, and says that both Hans Barlien
and one of the Tesmans had emigrated from
Xorway on account of litigation in which they
were involved. He puts its population in 1843
as thirty to forty families and says they were
Mormons.
24
370 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
XXV.
TEXAS
Johan Reinert Reierson.
In 1840 there was, so far as I have been able
to learn, only one Norwegian family residing
in Texas. Johan Nordboe and his wife and
children had settled in Dallas county on a large
tract of land in 1838. He founded no settle-
ment.
Although this volume was to end with the
year 1840, I cannot resist the temptation of
giving a brief sketch of when and how the first
couple of settlements were formed in that far-
off state. The honor of founding the first Nor-
wegian settlement there belongs to Johan Rein-
ert Reierson.
Johan Reinert Reierson was born April 17,
1810, in Vestre Moland, Norway, where his
father, Ole Reierson, was a deacon. The father
afterwards moved to Holt. Ole Reierson
had seven sons and two daughters, Johan Rein-
».
£<
m
flu fl^F ^ ^flflfeHl
^■T Mfc^Wf^Pr
JOHAN REINERT REIER80N.
JOHAN REIN£RT REIERSON, 71
ert being the eldest. The boy, being tal-
ented, was to have an education, but the
means of the deacon were limited, and Reinerl
had to earn money as a private teacher in
Tvedestrand. On account of some youthful
indiscretions, he was obliged to leave the uni-
versity at Christiania, and went to Copen-
hagen, where he supported himself for several
years by translating German and French
books, in conjunction with C. F. Gyntelberg.
In Copenhagen he married his wife, Henrietta
Walter, and had with her six sons and two
daughters. The wife died when her last son
was born in Prairieville, Texas, in the begin-
ning of 1851. From Copenhagen, Reierson
went to Hamburg, and after a short stay there,
he came back to Norway, where in Christian-
sand, he began the publication of Christian-
sandsposten, through which he worked for
education, freedom of conscience, religious tol-
erance and the development of public senti-
ment. He did all he could to promote liberty
and independence, and he worked with all his
might against the evil of intemperance, and
for this reason, some gave him the nickname,
"the apostle of temperance." He succeeded in
organizing the first temperance society in
Christiansand, and he gradually stalled other
372 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
similar societies in the neighboring districts.
lie often criticised the office-holding class r
and was always ready to take the part of
the poor against the abuse of those in
power. The fact that his paper contained
information about America, and encouraged
people to emigrate, gave offense to many
people, for in that time emigration was
looked upon as a crime close akin to treason.
Among Eeierson's most bitter enemies, was
Adolph Stabell, the editor of Morgcnbhidet, in
Christiania, the leading paper in Norway; but
Mrs. Elise Wserenskjold testifies that she has
heard Stabell say that Eeierson was the most
competent editor in Norway. One of Keier-
son's friends, Christian Grogaard, a son of the
Eidsvoldsman, Rev. Hans Jacob Grogaard, pro-
posed when it was known that Eeierson had
decided to emigrate, that he should be induced,,
first to make a journey alone, and find out
what localities in America were best suited for
Norwegian emigrants. For this purpose, Gro-
gaard, Mr. Wserenskjold, and others, agreed ta
furnish him the sum of $300. Eeierson ac-
cepted this offer, although the amount was not
sufficient to pay his expenses. In the summer
of 1S43, he left Norway by way of Havre, in
Prance, for New Orleans, whence he proceeded
to Illinois and Wisconsin. After visiting the
JOHAN REINERT REIERSON. 373
Norwegian settlements, he wrote a book, the
;ruthfulness of which was attested by Hans
Gasman and Rev. Unonius and many others,
and sent it to Norway. On this journey, we
find him writing a long letter to Hans Gasman
in Pine Lake, December 16, 1843. Later on, he
went to Texas, which was at that time an in-
dependent republic. In a letter written by
Reierson, and dated Cincinnati, March 19,
1844, it appears that from Natchitoches, in
Louisiana, he had gone by stage to San Augus-
tine, in Texas, and thence to Austin, the capital.
Congress was in session there at the time, and
Reierson was presented to the governor, Sam
Houston, who took a deep interest in getting
Norwegian emigrants to choose Texas for
their new home. After a sojourn of six days
in Austin, he traveled through the towns of
Bastrop and Reutersville, to the town of Wash-
ington, on the Brazos river, and then proceeded
to Houston and Galveston, where he arrived
March 7, whence he took a steamer to Cincin-
nati, Ohio, where he wrote the letter above
referred to. After his return to Norway, he
published his famous book, the Pathfinder
(Veiviseren), of which one copy was given to
each one of those who had contributed to the
fund of |300. Before departing from Norway,
374 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
be began in company with bis brother Chris-
tian, to publish Norway and America, of which
three volumes appeared. In April, 1845,
Reierson went with a ship from Lillesand, in
company with C. Grogaard and S. Nielson, to
Havre, where they met Reierson's father, his
oldest sister Gina, and his brother Gerhard, who
had arrived by a vessel from Arendal. From
Havre they sailed in two different American
ships to New Orleans. In New Orleans the
father, Ole Reierson, bought a land certificate
on 1,446 acres of land in Texas, and from the
Texan consul, in New Orleans, they received a
letter of recommendation to Dr. Starn in Na-
cogdoches, the oldest town in Texas. From
New Orleans, they went by steamer to Nat-
chitoches, whence John Reinert Reierson, his
father and sister, Gina, proceeded to Nacogdo-
ches; but G. Reierson, Grogaard, and Nielson
continued their journey to Shreveport, and
thence to Marshall. They arrived in Nacog-
doches, the fourth of July, and as there was a
celebration in honor of the day, they were in-
vited, and received much attention. In Nacog-
doches, Reierson found a German merchant, by
name Hoya, and a Slesvigian, by name G. Bon-
dis, also a merchant, and these were very kind
to him as well as to the Norwegians, who came
JOHAN REINERT REIERSON.
375
in later years. Hoy a went with Eeierson to Dr.
Starn, who in turn went with him to the land-
office, to look up the certificate which his father
had bought, and offered to find a surveyor on
whom he could depend.
In the autumn they went out to look for
land, and they located where we now have the
settlement called Brownsboro, and this was the
beginning of the first Norwegian settlement in
Texas. They gave it the name of Normandy,
but this was afterwards changed for some rea-
son or other, to Brownsboro.
After helping his father to buy the neces-
sary cattle, and getting an American to build
a log house for his family, Eeierson went to
New Orleans to meet his wife and children,
his mother and his sister Gina, who had come
by another ship from Christiansand to Havre,
and thence on to New Orleans. Of this journey,
Oscar Eeierson, who is a son of J. E. Eeierson,
and now cashier of a bank in Key West, Flor-
ida, writes:
"My mother with myself, John, Carl, Chris-
tian and infant daughter Henriette, took sail-
ing vessel from Christiansand late in the sum-
mer of 1845, proceeding to Havre de Grace,
France, with grandmother and Gina. At
Havre we remained ten days, and then
376 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
boarded the sailing vessel "Magnolia," with a
number of other Norwegian families bound
for New Orleans, Louisiana. On the voyage,
little Henriette died, and was consigned to the
waves.
"We took lodging in New Orleans, remaining
there several months. The Grogaards, too,
were there. After a time, uncle Larson came
there from Shreveport, and later, father. We
proceeded to Shreveport, up Red river on a
very small steamboat. Water was very low
and no passage over the falls at Alexandria.
A week was spent before they succeeded in
winding our little boat over the falls by haw-
sers fastened to trees up the river bank, and the
capstan worked on the boat. Slowly we went
up the river. Seven miles above Natchitoches,
a little after dark, the boat ran on a snag.
We all got in a canebrake. The boat was lost ;
w T et provisions were fished out of the boat's
cargo, diving for which to attach a rope or hook
to barrel or bales, father was nearly drowned,
being hauled up unconscious after having
gone down successfully several times. No
chance to get away, until rain atom? should
swell the river, so that boats vaiM asreud.
This lasted two weeks, during which, mudilv
river water was our only drink, and we were
JOHAN REINERT REIERSON.
377
exposed to rains, etc. All our movable effects
except some light boxes or trunks, were lost in
the wreck. At Shreveport, our means being
slender, we lived in a cabin, we boys all down
with diarrhoea, and I with measles in addition.
For weeks I was not able to turn in bed. A
Dr. Black was in attendance. I was delirious
much of the time. One evening, Dr. Black,
with other physicians examined me with father
and mother at the bedside. They decided
that I could not live through the night, that I
was already dying, my extremities growing
cold. This was in the winter of 184G. Now it
is 1S94, and I am not dead yet, and I have had
but little faith in the medical art since that
time. The doctors left. Father heated bricks
and rocks which were rolled in carpets and
blankets. These were piled up around me, and
in this way my life was doubtless saved. I
remember this as distinctly as if it had oc-
eurred but yesterday. Later we moved, for a
time, to a better house on the Bayou above the
town, where boarders were taken. Here Carl
died. It was spring (1846), when Carl and I
a few days before his death, were out picking
flowers, and my wrist was dislocated by a rail
falling on it. Some time after that we were
hauled in a wagon with our little plunder into
378 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Texas, some three miles from what became
later the town of Mount Enterprise, in Kush
county. Charles Vincent had a little country
store, and we lived in a Gin House. Father
had met Vincent in Shreveport and had been
helped by him. We children w T ere fearfully
w r eak, but we recuperated at the Gin House,
where we got an abundance of buttermilk.
We were there for some time before we were
hauled up to father's house in the Brownsboro
settlement in 1846. Grandmother and Gina,
with Lasson, left us when we got to Shreve-
port."
I reproduce the above letter, partly because
it bears directly on the life of Johan E. Eeier-
son, and partly because it shows us vividly,
w T hat troubles and difficulties our early Norwe-
gian immigrants had to contend with. Beier-
son's experiences are a fair sample.
A few Norwegians and a Danish family were
added to the Brownsboro settlement about
Christmas, 1846, and settled near the Eeier-
sons; but the next year, 1847, they all became
sick and some of them died.
About New Year's, 1848, Reierson, with his
family, moved to Four Mile Prairie, and there
he founded the little town of Prairieville.
After the death of his first wife, he married
Mrs. Elise W^renskjold.
ELISE WAERENSKJOLD.
379
the widow of his brother Christian. Her
maiden name was Ouline Jacobine Orbek, and
she was a daughter of a merchant in Lillesand,
in Norway. By his second wife he had no chil-
dren. Of his children by his first wife, three
are living, viz.: 1. Oscar, the writer of the above
letter. 2. John, who owns a large hotel in
Kaufman, Texas; and 3. Christian, who lives
in Indian Territory. The first two married
American wives. Johan Eeinert Reierson
died at Prairieville, September 6, 1864, and
there his widow still resides. For these facts
in regard to the founder of the first Norwegian
settlement in Texas, I am mainly indebted to
that intelligent and kind old lady, Elise Wseren-
skjold.
XXVI.
Elise Waerenskjold.
Those who went with Reierson from Norway
in 1845, were, besides those already named,
several peasants from Ssetersdal. In New Or-
leans, the Sseterdalians were frightened from
proceeding to Texas, and went to the Norwe-
gian settlements in the northern states.
£80 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
When the name, Normandy, was dropped,
and Brownsboro substituted, I have not
learned, but it must have been very soon after
the founding of the settlement.
The Norwegians who arrived Christmas,
1840, were from Ombli Parish in Norway. The
year 1847, when Keierson moved to Four Mile
Prairie, and founded Prairieville, marks the
foundation of 'the second Norwegian settle-
ment in Texas. This second settlement soon
received accretions both from Brownsboro and
from Norway.
There being considerable sickness in the
early days of both these settlements, many
of the settlers removed to Bosque county,
where the third Norwegian settlement in Texas
was started, and which is at present, the larg-
est and most flourishing Norwegian settlement
in the state of Texas. Of the starting of the
Bosque settlement, I shall give some account,
further on. Mrs. Elise TYserenskjold spent
forty-six years of her life at Four Mile Prairie.
In the winter 1853-1854, the first Norwegian
Lutheran church was built at Four Mile
Prairie, and the first Norwegian minister came
there from Norway in 1854. In 1894, there
were nineteen Norwegian families in that set-
tlement.
ELISE WAERENSKJOLD. 381
In 1S53, tbe wife of Dean Fredriksen wrote
to Mrs. Wserenskjold, that her son, Emil Fred-
eriksen, a young candidate in theology, desired
to go to Texas as a minister, and the offer was
accepted by the Norwegians in Brownsboro
and on Four Mile Prairie. Emil Frederiksen
came in 1854, and served these congregations
as their pastor for three years, and he also
visited Bosque county, where the third Norwe-
gian settlement in Texas had been started.
Before this minister came, either Wilhelm
Wserenskjold, or another man who had been
a school teacher in Norway, baptized the chil-
dren that were born, according to the Norwe-
gian Lutheran ritual (Mrs. Wserenskjold had
with her her father's ritual), buried the dead
and conducted a Sunday school. Mr. Wseren-
skjold also organized a temperance society at
Four Mile Prairie. Mrs. Wserenskjold writes
me that they received visits from Elling Eiel-
sen, and that they were pleased with his zeal
for the cause of Christianity and morality.
Both the first settlements founded by Reier-
son were at that time in Henderson county, the
county seat of which was Buffalo, a little town
on Trinity river, but this town is long since
abandoned. Henderson county is divided;
but the oldest settlement, Brownsboro, is still
382 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
in Henderson county, while Four Mile Prairie
was divided so that half of the settlement is
in Van Zandt and the other half in Kaufman
county. Mrs. Waerenskj old's home was in Van
Zandt county, and Beierson's in Kaufman
county.
The majority of the Norwegians in Texas
are from Hedemarken. The first two who
came from there at the instigation of Andreas
Gjaestvang, Postmaster in Loiten, Hedemarken,
were an old school teacher, Engelhoug, and an
elderly farmer, Knud Olson. The latter w T as a
capable workman, and an honest man, and his
daughter and her children are now living in
comfortable circumstances in Bosque county.
The Postmaster Gjaestvang, in Loiten, took
the paper published by Eeinert and Christian
Beierson, but when Christian also emigrated
to America in 1846, nobody cared to be the
publisher of so dangerous a paper, which in-
duced people to emigrate. In order that the
paper should not suspend, Mrs. Waerenskj old
assumed the responsibilities of publisher.
One day Mr. Gjaestvang came to Christiania,
to talk with the publisher, and was not a little
surprised when he found that C. Tvede was a
woman, and from that time, Gjaestvang and
Mrs. Waerenskjold became friends and corres-
ELISE WAERENSKJOLD.
383
pondents. Some time after Mrs. Warenskjold
bad settled in Texas, Hamar Budstlkke, which
seized every bad report about America
with avidity, had made a valuable discovery
in a French romance, being a description of
travel in Texas. Gjsestvang took the trouble
of copying all this nonsense and sent it to Mrs.
Wserenskjold in Texas, requesting her to make
a reply to it. Mrs. Wserenskjold, with the aid
of John Nordboe, and Kleng Peerson made the
necessary corrections, and Mr. Waerenskjold
also wrote an article on the same subject.
All Mrs. Wserenskj old's article, with quotations
from John Nordboe and Kleng Peerson, and
Mr. Waerenskj old's article, were first published
in the Hamar BadstikJce, and afterwards in
pamphlet form, and had a far-reaching influ-
ence on the Norwegian emigration to Texas.
The Waerenskj old's home became a trysting-
place for all Norwegian immigrants to Texas,
and many are the stories told about the hos-
pitality of that family.
Mrs. Elise Wserenskjold is a notable person
in Norwegian American history. She was al-
ways busy with her pen, and many are the val-
uable articles written from time to time in the
Scandinavian press on both sides of the Atlan-
tic
384 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Her maiden name was Tvede, and she was
born in Vestre Moland, in Norway, where her
father was a minister (Provst), February 19,
1815. Her mother died in 1839, and that same
year she married the far-famed Svend Foyen,
who by his success in the whaling industry,,
became one of the wealthiest and most cele-
brated men of Norway. As their views on
many subjects did not harmonize, they agreed
to separate, and they parted as friends.
Though not again married, she came to Texas
in company with the man w T ho w T as to be her
second husband, in 1847. She first lived a
short time with Christian Grogaard's widow,
in Nacogdoches. C. Grogaard and his two
youngest children had died. In the beginning
of October, 1817, she came to the Normandy
settlement, which was afterwards called
Brownsboro. There were fifteen Norwegian
families in that settlement when she arrived
there, but the most of them w T ere living on low
lands and were sick and despondent. Mrs.
WiereDslvjold, still Mrs. Foyen, bought land on
Four Mile Prairie in 1848, and about that time,
she married Wilhelm Wierenskjold. With him
she lived a very happy life, but unfortunately*
he was assassinated during the civil war, on
account of his sympathy for the North. With
O. Canuteson.
ELISE WAERENSKJOLD. 385
Mr. W»renskjold, she bad two sons, Nils, who
now occupies the old homestead at Prairie-
ville, and Otto, who for some time past has
resided at Hamilton, Hamilton county. Both
sons are married to American ladies.
Just as I had finished writing the above
sketch of this dear old lady, I was startled by
the information that she had died January 22,
1S95, only two weeks ago. I recently had a
letter from her, in which she tells me that she
had returned from a long journey visiting
old friends, and that she now had settled down
in Hamilton, to remain there until her dying
day. She was eighty years old, but a well
preserved woman. Mrs. Wierenskjold was an
eminent personality. No other Norwegian in
Texas was better known than she. She took
the deepest interest in all things both in Eu-
rope and in America. In her last letter to me,
she discussed the death of Svend Foyen, which
occurred recently in Norway. She was busy
writing the history of the Norwegian settle-
ments in Texas, but a few days before she
died, she wrote to her good friend, Mr. O. Ca-
nuteson, of Waco, Texas, and complained that
she was sick and said she did not think she
would be able to complete her history. It is
25
386 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
to be hoped that some intelligent person will
secure her manuscript, and make the neces-
sary additions for publication. Although I
never had the good fortune of meeting Mrs.
YVa?renskjold, my correspondence with her
caused me to esteem most highly, this gifted,
scholarly, kind, brave and noble woman.
XXVII.
Ole Canuteson.
In 1850, Ole Canuteson and his father Knud
Knudson, came to his uncle, Halvor Knudson,
in the Fox Eiver settlement. His mother died
from cholera on the way from Chicago to Ot-
tawa. In the Fox Kiver settlement, they
found Kleng Peerson, just back from a trip to
Texas, and on his advice and promise to ac-
company them, they concluded to go to Texas.
They went to Dallas county and remained
there three years, near w^here Johan Nordboe
was then living. No Norwegian settlement
was founded there. In 1853, they went to
Bosque county, and Kleng Peerson went with
them not as a leader this time, but as a fol-
OLE CANUTESON. 887
lower, as he was now too old to lead in settle-
ment enterprises.
When Canuteson and his party came to
Texas in the fall of 1850, they stoppeda while
at Nordboe's. He lived on a high prairie, five
miles south of Dallas. He had then lived
there twelve years, and his houses already
looked old. Nordboe came to Texas at a time
when the state gave one section of land to each
married man and half a section to each one of
his children. As has been heretofore shown,
Johan Nordboe had availed himself Nof this
liberality on the part of Texas. He got 640
acres for himself, and 320 for each one of his
three sons, who came with him, and also
320 acres for the married daughter who still
lived in Illinois. In 1850, this daughter in Il-
linois had died, and John, one of the sons of
Johan Nordboe, came to Illinois to fetch the
children. John and these children then joined
Kleng Peerson and the Canutesons, and they
all went together to Texas, where Nordboe's
grandchildren received the inheritance of
their deceased mother.
The Canutesons bought land five miles south
from Johan Nordboe, that is to say, ten miles
south of Dallas. There they lived three years
and then moved to Bosque county.
388 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
The third Norwegian settlement in Texas
was in Bosque county. It was founded by Ole
Canuteson in the fall of 1853, and it soon be-
came the largest in the state. The postoffice
was Norman Hill, and Ole Canuteson was the
postmaster from its beginning until he moved
to Waco. The confederate government kept
him in office during the war, ,and when the re-
bellion had ended the postoffice department
at Washington did not disturb him. He spent
three years in Dallas county, fifteen years in
Bosque county, and since 1868 he has resided
at Waco, where he owns the Biverside foun-
dry and machine shop. He is a very intelli-
gent and well read man, and he has been of
very great help to me in supplying me with
information concerning Kleng Peerson and
Johan Nordboe, both of whom he knew very in-
timately, and he has given me many valuable
facts regarding the early settlements in Texas.
The Norwegian settlement in Bosque county
now contains about 2,000 people. They have
a Norwegian Lutheran church, and a Norwe-
gian Lutheran minister resides among them.
As the founder of the largest and most pros-
perous Norwegian settlement in Texas, Ole
Canuteson deserves more than a passing notice*
I am not able to do justice to his interesting
OLE CANUTESON. 389
and important career in this meager sketch
of the Norwegians in Texas, but I am happy
to be able to give a few additional facts in
regard to him.
Ole Canuteson was born September 4, 1832,
on the island of Karmo (Karmt), an island
which abounds in monuments of antiquity, on
the farm Nordstokke, near Kobbervig, in the
parish of the famous Augsvaldsmes in Sta-
vanger Amt. One of his uncles, Ilalvor Knud-
son, emigrated to America so early that he
settled in the Fox River settlement about the
same time as Gjert Gregoriuson Hovland, and
became his neighbor. A younger uncle, Jens,
emigrated somewhat later in company with a
fiddler, Sjur Dale, who afterwards became a
Mormon.
When Kleng Peerson visited Norway in
1842, he brought with him many letters from
America to Ole Canuteson's father and to
t
others. In 1850 his parents resolved to go
to America, and he took passage in the Kohler
brig, commanded by Capt. Wefetergaard. In
this same ship came Rev. A. C. Preus with his
wife, whose maiden name was Engel Bruun.
Captain Westergaard also had his wife with
him on board. The second mate was a son of
the Rev. Kauring, of Tarvestad. Six weeks
390 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
after leaving Stavanger they landed in New
York. On the propeller, between Buffalo and
Chicago, cholera attacked the passengers, and
a Norwegian woman died and was buried on
an island in the straits of Mackinac.
As has been seen in earlier pages of this vol-
ume, cholera had raged fearfully both in the
Pox River settlement and in Muskego in the
summer of 1849, and in 1850 the epidemic re-
turned claiming many victims. Many of those
who landed in Milwaukee were sick, and a num-
ber of them died after reaching their respective
settlements in Wisconsin. Cholera committed
great depredations on Koshkonong in 1850, and
claimed my father and brother as its victims.
When the rest of the immigrants landed in
Chicago all were apparently well, but on board
the canal-boat which carried them to Ottawa,
the dreadful disease made its appearance, and
among those who died was Ole Canuteson's
mother. When the people in the Fox River
settlement heard of the cholera they were
panic-stricken and did not dare to receive the
new-comers. Finally the Canutesons received
shelter in a school-house, and fortunately chol-
era did not make its appearance again. Land
was at that time selling in La Salle county for
ten dollars an acre. Ole Canuteson's father
w
w
x
5
be
rj
W
c
O
w
6
3
OLE CANUTESON. 3»1
had only five hundred dollars, and did not dare
to run in debt for a farm and stock and im-
plements, and he contemplated going to Iowa,
where land was to be had for less money. In
the meantime they had left the school-house
and were living at the house of Halvor Knud-
son, and while they were considering what
was best to do, Kleng Peerson came there one
day. He had just returned from a journey to
Texas, and he was chock full of stories of that
wonderland. He said land could be bought
in Dallas county, Texas, with as deep and as
black soil as that of Illinois for fifty cents per
acre, and he told the truth. The result was
that they resolved to take Kleng Peerson's ad-
vice, and he agreed to go with them. In the
midst of these discussions as to where to lo-
cate, Ole Canuteson, young as he was, married
a young lady of his own age, Miss Ellen Maline
Gunderson, a girl who also had come from the
famous Karino.
John, one of Johan Nordboe's sons, had also
returned from Texas to bring to their grand-
parents three children left by a daughter of
Johan Nordboe. The mother had died in the
Fox River settlement or in Lee county near
Leland. The result was that Kleng Peerson,
Ole Canuteson and his young wife and his
392 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
father, and Joim Nordboe and his sister's chil-
dren, formed a party and set out for Texas.
They went by canal-boat from Ottawa to La
Salle, thence by steamer to St. Louis, thence
by another steamer to New Orleans, and tnen
by still another steamer to Shreveport. In
New Orleans they were joined by two other
Norwegians from Throndhjem. They got a
wagon to haul the children and the baggage
to a little town called Greenwood, sixteen miles
on the way to Dallas. There they rented a
house, and in it they left Mrs. Canuteson and
the Nordboe children, and the rest of the party
footed it to Dallas. Ole Canuteson, John Nord-
boe and the two men from Throndhjem took
the shortest route, while Kleng Peerson and
Ole Canuteson's father took a longer route as
they desired to visit the Norwegian settlements
in east Texas. Ole Canuteson and his com-
rades camped out at night, though it was the
month of December, and after eight days'
travel they reached Johan Nordboe's home,
having gone a distance of 200 miles. Kleng
Peerson had instructed them not to locate in
the Norwegian settlements east of Trinity river
under any circumstances, and they obeyed him.
Then John Nordboe hitched a yoke of large
oxen to a light wagon and w T ent after Ole
OLE CANUTESON. 393
Canuteson's wife and the three children that
he was to bring to their grandparents. By
the time they all got united again it was
Christmas. The Canutesons bought 320 acres
of land from a man who had received 040 acres
from the state for living on it. The price was
fifty cents per acre, and it was located ten
miles south of Dallas. In Dallas there were
then only a few houses along the river. They
broke twenty acres, and hauled rails six miles
to fence them in with. They built a tolerably
good house, sawing the planks for it them-
selves with a whipsaw.
In 1852 the Texas legislature again resolved
to donate land to actual settlers who had not
already received land in that way. Now it
was the Canutesons' turn to get land without
paying for it, and this opportunity must not
be neglected. In August, 1853, Ole Canuteson
and one of his American neighbors left Dallas
to look for land. Vacant land was found by
them near Bosque river, a tributary of the
Brazas. The county was afterwards organized
as Bosque county. This land suited them, and
Ole Canuteson selected about 300 acres for
himself and a similar amount for his father.
Later many families came there from the other
Norwegian settlements, all getting land for
391 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
nothing or buying it for a small price from
those who had homesteads. The Canutesons
sold their land in Dallas and moved to Bosque,
and Kleng Peerson went with them as he was
now, so to speak, one of the family. Ole
Canuteson's father had married in the mean-
time a girl from the Brownsboro settlement
in Henderson county. The next year a ship
from Arendal in Norway brought a lot of emi-
grants, and many of them came direct to
Bosque.
The following persons have been mentioned
to me as the first Norwegian settlers in Bosque
county, Texas: Ole Canuteson, with family;
Canute Canuteson; Ole Peerson; Kleng Peer-
son, single; Carl Qvastad, with family; Jens
Kingnes; Jens Jenson; Mrs. Annie Bronstad;
Ole Ween, single; Andrew Bretten, single, the
first Norwegian that died in the settlement;
Andrew Huse, single.
Among later-comers to Bosque county are
mentioned Henrik Dahl, with family; B. E.
Sw T enson; O. Calwick; O. Olson; O. Johnson;
P. Poulson.
Many left the older settlements in Texas and
came to Bosque, and others came either direct
from Norway or from Illinois, and before many
years it became the largest Norwegian settle-
RESUME.
395
ment in Texas, which it still is. It is to be
said with emphasis in regard to the Norwegian
settlers in Texas that they made very poor
rebels during the civil war, but of course they
had to be discreet, witness the fate of Mr.
Wserenskjold. Mr. and Mrs. O. Canuteson have
had six children, of which five are living, four
daughters and one son. The daughters are
all married, and the son is still single.
XXVIII.
Resume.
The first Norwegian to settle in Texas was
Johan Nordboe.
The father of Norwegian immigration to
Texas and the founder of the first two settle-
ments was Johan Reinert Beierson.
The founder of the third, the largest and
most prosperous settlement in Texas was O.
Canuteson.
The first Norwegian Lutheran church was
built in Texas in the winter of 1853--1854.
Emil Frederiksen was the first Norwegian
Lutheran minister in Texas, and he came there
in 1854.
NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
XXIX.
religious Work among the Nor-
wegians IN AMERICA DOWN
TO THE YEAR 1845.
Introductory.
To present a correct statement of the re-
ligious work done among the Norwegian im-
migrants from 1825 to 1845 is exceedingly dif-
ficult. We have scarcely any records to guide
us, and the most of those living at the time
are either dead or if living w^ere too young to
grasp and remember what was going on. This
much is certain that there was nothing that
could be called a Norwegian Lutheran congre-
gation or minister in America before 1843.
Many of those who came in the sloop and
some of those who came later were Quakers.
Instead of organizing themselves separately
they naturally attached themselves to Amer-
ican Quaker societies and worshipped with
them. This I know was the case with Lars
Larson i Jeilane in Rochester, with Ingebret
Larson Narvig in Michigan, and with the Ros-
RELIGIOUS WORK DOWN TO 1845. 397
xihkils and Olsons in the Fox River settlement.
Some of the early Norwegian immigrants bad
no profound religious convictions, and might
properly be called agnostics. I have myself
known a considerable number both of the
sloopers and of those who came in 1830 and
in 1837, w T ho were not only destitute of reli-
gious convictions, but who seemed utterly to
despise and were fond of ridiculing ministers,
churches, the Bible and religious people. I
could mention many of these by name, but I
forbear. It seems that some of these agnostics
had acquired their hostility to the church and
to religion before they emigrated from Nor-
way. They merely became louder and more
outspoken in their ridicule and denunciations
after they got their feet on the free soil of
America.
But still the great majority of these early
immigrants were devoted to religion. Many
were Lutherans, and among these a consid-
erable number were so-called Readers or Ilau-
gians. Of the religious aspect of the colony
in Kendal], New York, I know but little. They
had no church or school of their own, and no
minister. I know only from hearsay that
those among them who were religiously in-*
clined held devotional exercises in their fam-
393 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
ilies, and on Sundays several families would
get together for worship.
I am credibly informed that Bjorn Hatle-
stad, who died about fifteen years ago on Odd
Himle's farm in Dane county, came to Amer-
ica about the year 1S3G, and that he held re-
ligious services for a time after his arrival in
the Kendall settlement. There is but little
doubt that Ole Olson Hetletvedt, who came in
the sloop, also held religious services in the
Kendall settlement, and so it appears that
these two, Hetletvedt and Hatlestad, were the
first to preach and conduct religious services
among the Norwegian immigrants. Both of
course belonged to the Haugian branch of the
Lutheran church.
In 1834 and 1835 a large number of the Ken-
dall settlers moved west to Illinois, and there
did not remain enough of the colony to main-
tain any distinct church organization.
In the Fox River settlement all was chaos
and confusion during the early days of the
colony. Some of the Norwegians there were
Quakers, others Baptists, others Presbyterians,
others Methodists, others Lutherans, others
Mormons, and some were free-thinkers, all in
inextricable disorder.
THE MORMONS.
899
XXX.
The Mormons.
The Mormons, or more properly, the church
of the Latter Day Saints, secured a consider-
able following among the Norwegians in La
Salle county. There Gudmund Haugaas be-
came a high priest of the order of Melchizedek.
His son Thomas succeeded him as a minister in
the church of Latter Day Saints and is still
preaching to a congregation of about one
hundred and forty members. A man by the
name of Jorgen Pederson, who had been a
school teacher in Norway, was chosen by the
Haugians to administer the sacraments. At
one time he administered the Lord's Supper
in the Indian Creek settlement, which was
started near Leland in 1S3G. It was doubtless
the intention that Jorgen Pederson was to be
ordained and be regularly authorized to ad-
minister the sacraments, but he soon after-
wards joined the church of Latter Day Saints.
The Haugians lost another conspicuous and
sturdy leader in Ole Ileier. He was from Tin
in Thelemarken, where his name had been Ole
400 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Olson Omdal. Id Thelemarken he was re-
garded as a pious Reader, and had conducted
Ilaugian meetings, and when he first came to
the Fox River settlement he w r as active in hold-
ing gospel meetings in the interest of the Ha/u-
gians. lie is said to have been of a most win-
ning personality and to have possessed remark-
able gifts as a speaker, but he, too, joined the
church of Latter Day Saints and was made
first an elder and then a bishop in that organi-
zation. When the church moved to Utah,.
Heier remained in Illinois, and finally joined
the Close Communion Baptists, and preached
for them some years. In 1S68 he went to
Iowa, and died there in 1873 as heretofore
stated. His son writes me: "Soon after com-
ing to America, my father (Ole Olson Heier)
was taken in by the Mormon faith, but on a
visit to Nauvoo, 111., where the Mormons were
preparing to emigrate to the west, he was one
of the first to get his eyes open to the terrible
work of the church he had espoused. He then
left the Mormon church, joined the Baptist
church and held meetings as a layman." One
of his old acquaintances writes me that Ole
I Icier belonged to seven different churches, but
of course this is an exaggeration. All I can
Mrs. Bishop Sara A. Peterson.
THE MORMONS. 401
make out is three, or if we count the Readers as
distinct from the Lutherans, four.
Knud Peterson was one of the seventy dis-
ciples of the church of Latter Day Saints, who,
as an Evangelist, did service as an itinerant
preacher. Gudmund Haugaas and Knud Pet-
erson visited Koshkonong while Dietrichson
was pastor there. They were well treated by
Dietrichson at his house. This Knud Peter-
son I have been able to trace, as will be seen,
in an earlier part of this volume.
He married Sarah A., a daughter of the
slooper, Cornelius Nelson Hersdal, and moved
to Salt Lake City in 1849. Under date of
January 20, 1895, Mrs. Bishop Peterson writes:
"In 1849 I left all that was near and dear to
me and cast my lot with a people commonly
called Mormons. On July 2 of that year I
married Canute Peterson, and we at once went
to Utah. We were five months crossing the
plains and deserts and the Rocky mountains.
We located in Salt Lake City, which was only
a small village at that time."
Having learned that Sarah, the daughter of
a slooper, w r as the wife of the bishop of
Ephraim, and that Bishop Canute Peterson
Avas the same person as Knud Peterson, who,
26
i02 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATIONS.
in company with Gudniund Haugaas, pro-
claimed Mormonism on our dear old Koshko-
nong, and was entertained by Rev. Dietrich-
son in 1845, I concluded that he, too, must be
one of our pioneers to be sketched in this vol-
ume, and accordingly I wrote to his wife for
more information in regard to his life. In re-
ply I received the following interesting letter
dated March 9, 1895. It throws much light
upon the work done by the Mormons among
the Scandinavians.
"Ephraim, March 9, 1895.
"Rasmus B. Anderson, Esq.,
"Dear Sir: As you requested me to write
about my husband I will try to give you a few
facts. He is still living and in good health.
He was born in Eidsfjord, Hardanger, Norway,
May 13, 1824, and emigrated with his parents
in 1837. They settled in La Salle county, 111.
My husband's father died in 1838, and his
mother in 1848. He was married in 1849, emi-
grating to Utah the same year. He resided
in Salt Lake City for eighteen months, and
there our first child, Peter Cornelius Peterson,
was born June 22, 1850, being the first Norwe-
gian male child born in Utah. In July, 1850,
my husband, with others, was called to settle
the place now called Lehi, thirty miles couth
Bishop Canute Peterson.
THE MORMONS. 403
of Salt Lake City, where the great sugar fac-
tory was built, which last year produced be-
tween five and six million pounds of first class
sugar. The Lehi sugar took the first prize at
the world's fair in Chicago. In 1852 my hus-
band was called to take a mission in Norway.
He remained in Norway four years, and re-
turned in 1856. He visited nearly all the prin-
cipal cities in Norway, and brought with him
about GOO Scandinavian immigrants. At that
lime they were obliged to cross the plains with
teams.
"We lived in Lehi until 1867, when my hus-
band was called to go to Sanpete, and we now
reside at Ephraim, one hundred miles south
of Lehi. At this time the Indians had become
very hostile, and war was raging between them
and the settlers. Many people were killed,
and the most of their cattle and horses were
either stolen or killed. Under these trying
circumstances Mr. Peterson was called to take
the lead as bishop of this place. A bishop
with us takes the lead in temporal as well as
in spiritual affairs. The first thing he did was
to send teams and guards to bring the settlers
from the smaller settlements, where they were
not able to protect themselves. A fort was
built of stone, and men were put on guard to
404 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION
protect the people. From that time but few
people were killed, and scarcely any cattle
were stolen. In one of the raids our son Peter
with others went up in the mountains to re-
cover some horses, but the Indians lying in
ambush shot at the men. Our son had his
horse shot from under him, and he and his
men were glad to get back with their scalps.
"This was continued a little over two years,
but finally the Indians saw that they w T ere out-
generaled. Ten of their chiefs came down
from the mountains and stopped in front of
our gate. We were very much surprised, not
knowing their intentions. My husband went
out to meet them and asked them what they
wanted. They dismounted, and said they
wanted to talk. He invited them to come in
and at once sent for two interpreters. After
they had eaten a hearty dinner at our table,
my husband asked them if they felt like fight-
ing. They said 'No!' they felt good and wanted
to smoke a pipe of peace. After this matters
were talked over and an agreement of peace
was made, which has not been broken since.
My husband is now known among them as
their 'White Father.' Their chiefs frequently
come to visit us. Brigham Young instructed
my husband to buy out a small settlement and
THE MORMONS. 405
give it to the Indians. Brigham Young said
'it was cheaper to feed them than to fight
them,' and we have found this statement to be
true. The town given to the Indians is called
Indianola, and is thirty-five miles from
Ephraim.
"In 1871 my husband was called to go on a
second mission to Scandinavia. He made his
headquarters at Copenhagen. He visited
nearly all the principal cities of Denmark,
Sweden and Norway, holding conferences and
meetings. While there he edited a semi-
monthly periodical called Skandinavicns Stjcrne,
Organ for de Sidste Dages Hellige. He also pub-
lished many tracts. He returned to Utah, July
28, 1873, with a large company of nearly one
thousand Scandinavian immigrants.
"In 1877 he was called to preside as presi-
dent over Sanpete county, which contains seven-
teen ecclesiastical wards, each one being pre-
sided over by one bishop with two counsellors
and other officers. The population of this county
is nearly 17,000. In 1878 my husband was
chosen as second superintendent for the erec-
tion of the Manti Temple, which is located six
and a half miles from our door. Eight years
were spent in its construction, and it cost more
than one million dollars. It is a beautiful
406 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
stone structure. Being built on the spur of a
mountain, its position is very commanding and
imposing. It has been built by voluntary con-
tributions. My husband has three times been
a member of the legislature, and he has filled
many other offices of trust.
"I send you a copy of the Salt Lake Tribune
for the 4th inst. In it you will find portraits
and biographies of all the members of the re-
cent Constitutional Convention in Utah.
Among them jovl will find A. S. Anderson, a
grandson of the slooper, Endre Dahl, and also
A. C. Lund, who is my grandson.
"I taught school in the Fox River settlement
in 1845 and 1846. Elling's meeting house was
built before that time. I have often attended
meeting there and remember him well. My-
self and my husband were acquainted with
your parents. They lived near by Endre Dahl,
and at one time near my mother's. We knew
your father by the name Bjorn Kvelve. Now,
Mr. Anderson, I have written this to help you
in preparing your history. It is a great
pleasure to me if I can be of any service to you.
Hoping to hear from you again, I remain,
"Yours respectfully,
"Sarah A. Peterson."
THE MORMONS. 407
While reading proof on the above, I received
the following letter from Mrs. Peterson. It
supplies a few additional facts concerning our
earliest Norwegian settlers, and will be read
with interest:
"Ephraim, April 17, 1895.
"Rasmus B. Anderson,
"Dear Sir: I hope you will pardon me for
delaying so long. You wished to know about
my teaching. Do you remember Middlepoint,
where my mother lived? Your folks lived
there, dowm by the old spring from which we
all drank. Some folks used to come half a
mile to get water, as good water was very
scarce in the summer season. In '45-^46 I
taught one mile and a half south, and in '47 one
mile and a half north of our home; I never
thought of that coming into history. It did
not require much education to teach those
country schools. I had some scholars who
w T ere from twenty to forty years old. They
came to learn the English language.
"I am the second Norwegian born in Amer-
ica. My cousin, Susan Nelson, was the first;
her name is now Danielson, and she is living
in Illinois. Betsy Haugaas was the third one,
being three weeks younger than myself. If I
knew of anything that would help you in your
408 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
history, I would gladly tell you. Mother said
that after they found that cask of wine, they
would make mush and use the wine for water
and milk to eat with it. My oldest daughter,
Apostle A. H. Lund's wife, was the first Nor-
wegian female child born in Lehi, Utah county.
"My husband sends his kind regards.
"Yours truly,
"Sarah A. Peterson."
This took us far beyond the year 1845, but
it revealed to us the fate of the descendants
of sloopers and of early pioneers in far-off
Utah, and it brought to light a phase of Scan-
dinavian American history which, I dare say,
is but little known to the majority of my
readers.
XXXI.
Ole Olson Hetletvedt and Others.
Hans Valder was also a Baptist preacher,
and his field was mainly in La Salle county
and the immediate vicinity. He was ordained
by a council of five or six ministers, and
preached occasionally for four or five years,
OLE OLSON HETLETVEDT AND OTHERS. 409
but a radical change took place in his mind on
the subject of religion and he quit preaching
about 1850, that is, a couple of years before he
went to Minnesota, and has not preached since.
The first to conduct Lutheran religious serv-
ices among the Norwegians in America in
this century was, I believe, Ole Olson Hctle-
tvedt. He dropped the name, Hetletvedt, and
called himself simply Ole Olson. He was a
farmer's son from the northern part of Sta-
vanger Amt in Norway, lie came, as we have
seen, in the sloop, settled in Kendall and then
went to Niagara Falls, where he worked in a
paper mill, and married Miss Chamberlain. I
have no doubt that he conducted religious
services in the Kendall settlement, but I have
no information on that point. But in the Fox
River settlement he was the first to gather the
people to hear the word of God according to
Haugian custom. He is described as a mild-
tempered, earnest Christian, who traveled ex-
tensively in all the Norwegian settlements, and
he also acted as agent for the American Bible
society. He had been a school teacher before
he left Norway, and hence he was tolerably
well educated. As Bible agent and lay
preacher he visited the Norwegian settlements
in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. His nephew,
410 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
Ole Olson Hetletvedt, now of Norway, Benton
county, Iowa, writes me that he heard his
uncle preach in Middlepoint (Mission, La Salle
county) in 1845.
Among other Lutheran laymen who preached
before the arrival of Clausen or Dietrichson,
Rev. O. J. Hatlestad, in his book published in
1S87, mentions Enclre and Herman Osmundson
Aaragerbo, Kleng Skaar, Even Heg, Bjorn
Hatlestad, Aslak Aae, Peder Asbjornson Me-
nus and John Brakestad. Of course there
were others, but I have not been able to get
at the details. Enough has been stated to
show that while many scoffed at religion,
there still was a considerable number who de-
sired to preserve the faith of their fathers, and
did the best they could to maintain religious
services more or less regularly and more or
less successfully.
XXXII.
Elling Eielsen.
After this brief notice of the meek and pious
Ole Olson Hetletvedt, of the bold Jorgen Peder-
son, of the eloquent Ole Heier, of the sturdy
Knud Peterson, and the picturesque Gudmund
Elling Eiklson.
ELLING EIELSEN. 411
Haugaas, we may now pass to the considera-
tion of one who became more far-famed than all
of them together, and that is Elling Eielsen.
Elling Eielsen Sunve was born on the farm
Sunve in Voss, September 17, 1804. As a
young man he became a Haugian in Norway,
and began to work as a lay preacher. He
traveled extensively in Norway, Sweden and
Denmark before his emigration to America,
which took place in 1839 in the same ship with
Soren Bache and Johannes Johannesen. On
his arrival in Chicago in the autumn of 1839,
he preached his first sermon in America, and
then proceeded to Fox River. He seems to
have had his headquarters during the first
years of his activity partly in the Fox River
settlement and partly in Muskego, Wis. In
Muskego he married, as heretofore stated, Miss
Sigri Nilson, on the 3d of July, 1843. During
his long life he visited almost every Norwegian
community in the Northwest and also made
journeys to Missouri and Texas. In 1842 we
find him putting up a meeting house in Nor-
way, La Salle county, Illinois. This meeting
house, the first house built by Norwegians in
America in this century for divine worship,
was erected on land owned by Elling Eielsen.
It was one story and an attic. The ground
412 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
floor consisted of two rooms, occupied as a
dwelling by Eielsen, while the attic was a sort
of hall used for devotional meetings. The
building was paid for mainly, if not wholly, by
Elling Eielsen himself. It would be improper
to call this half dwelling and half meeting
house a church.
Thomas Orstad, of Strand, Iowa, in writing
to me about it calls it a ForsamlingsliHS, that is,
a house for meetings. He says it was built of
white oak logs, constructed in Norwegian
fashion. It was 24 feet long, 16 feet wide and
12 feet high. The lower story was fitted up
for family use, and the upper story for church
services. The shingles used for roofing this
building were split out of blocks of native
wood. The seats in the assembly hall consisted
of planks made from the same kind of wood
and resting on blocks of the same material.
Mr. Orstad adds that there w r ere also a few
small windows. "For many years," says Mr.
Orstad, "this w r as a place where those gathered
who had any desire to hear the word of God."
In course of time the congregation built a
frame church, and what became of Elling Eiel-
sen's meeting house I do not know. In the
autumn of 1894 I visited the spot where this
famous little edifice had stood on a little hill
ELLING EIELSEN. 413
near the present Norway, 111. Old residents
pointed out the site to me, but there was no
trace of it visible. When I asked the citizens
what became of the old meeting house, they
shook their heads and said they did not know.
Eielsen was an energetic traveler and a zealous
preacher. His education was sadly defective,
and he had no talent for organizing. He was
in his element when he could tramp from place
to place and gather the people to his gospel
meetings. In order to be permitted to admin-
ister the holy sacraments he was requested by
his friends to secure holy orders, and he was
accordingly ordained by Eev. F. A. Hoffman,
D. D., the pastor of a German Lutheran con-
gregation at Duncan's Grove, twenty miles
north of Chicago, October 3, 1843. Much has
been written about the genuineness of Eiel-
sen's ordination, but this is a subject which I
do not care to discuss here.
After a long life of hard work Elling Eielsen
died in Chicago, 111., January 10, 1883, at 11:40
o'clock in the evening, and he was buried in
the Graceland cemetery. I saw Elling Eielsen
a few times, and once attended one of his re-
ligious meetings, but I failed to discover the
secret of his great influence as a religious
414 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
worker. I remember he used the expression
several times that he was only puttering in a
small way ("eg bare putla saa sniaat").
XXXIII.
John G. Smith, Ole Consulen, G. Unonius.
In 1841 a Swede came to Koshkonong and
pretended to be both minister and physician.
His name w r as John Smith. Hatlestad says
that "he claimed to be a Lutheran clergyman
and to have been the king's chaplain in Stock-
holm; that he had an attractive personality
and a smooth tongue, and thereby secured
much confidence among the simple-hearted
and shepherdless Norwegians, but that he
after a time became known in his true char-
acter." When he could no longer deceive peo-
ple as a preacher, he pretended for a time to
be a doctor, but he did not succeed in this
either very long. He afterwards tried to
preach in Chicago, but here, too, he was soon
found out, and his occupation came to an end.
Rev. J. TV. C. Dietrichson calls this man "the
"Swede John G. Smith," and says he was "a
Baptist," and I suppose the truth of the mat-
J. G. SMITH, OLE CONSULEN, G. UNONIUS. 415
ter is that he first pretended to be a Lutheran
and then joined the Baptist church. lie was
married to a sister of Gunnul Olson Vindeg,
but his wife died before John G. Smith left
Koshkonong.
Johan Eeinert Reierson says of John Smith:
"A Swede who calls himself Smith, and pre-
tends to be a minister, has settled here and
has preached sermons for the new settlers,
but his conduct is not such as to inspire re-
spect."
Some of my readers will remember Ole "Con-
sulen." His name was Ole Hanson, but he
was generally called "Consulen," because he
pretended to be a lawyer (counsellor), and I
believe he actually appeared in court a few
times as an attorney. He was, however,
chiefly known as an itinerant Methodist lay
preacher. lie seems to have made his head-
quarters on Rock Prairie and at Highland, Wis.
He married a widow from Primrose, Dane
county, and died, so far as I can learn, many
years ago at Highland, Wis.
In an earlier portion of this work I have
made a brief statement of a settlement at Pine
Lake, founded in 1841 by some Swedes, among
whom was a young student by name G. Uno-
nius. Mr. Unonius entered the Episcopal
416 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
church as a minister, and organized a congre-
gation at Pine Lake. As shown heretofore,
Hans Gasman and his friends from Skien set-
tled here in 1843, and the Norwegians united
with the Sw T edes and became members of the
Episcopal church, choosing G. Unonius as their
pastor. In this settlement there was a wealthy
Dane by name Fribert and a Swedish man of
means by name Saint-Syr. A son of the latter
is now a physician and druggist in Sheboygan.
In 1843 this Pine Lake congregation had re-
solved to build a church on the west shore of
the lake.
XXXIV.
C. L. Clausen.
I have now described briefly but still as
comprehensively as I am able the religious
work done among the Norwegians in America
down to October 3, 1843, the date when Elling
Eielsen was ordained by the Kev. Francis Allen
Hoffman. I have shown how all the religious
work down to that time was done by laymen,
with the possible exception of the Swede, G.
Unonius. Neither was he a theologian from
Rev. C. L. Clausen.
C. L. CLAUSEN.
417
Sweden. At the Upsala university he had
studied cameralistics or the science of state
finance, and he took his course in theology at
an Episcopal seminary in America. I have
shown what a chaotic conflict there was on the
part of both the people and their lay preachers,
between regular Lutherans, Haugians, Bap-
tists, Mormons, Methodists and the scoffers,
and such a chaotic conflict was well calculated
to produce scoffers. I have shown how a little
meeting house was built by Elling and some
of his friends at Norway, 111.; how Elling him-
self was ordained, and how Mr. Gasman and
other Norwegians had joined the Episcopal
church at Pine Lake, Wis. And here I might
end, as the year 1840 was the limit I first set for
this volume, but I cannot resist the tempta-
tion of showing how a better day was dawning
for the Norwegian Lutherans in America, and
T shall, therefore, trespass on the patience of
my readers, and carry my skeleton church his-
tory down to the summer of 1845.
Claus Lauritz Clausen was a Dane. He was
born November 3, 1820, on the island of iEro,
Fyen Stift, in Denmark, and he died in Paulsbo,
Washington, in 1892.
In 1841 he came to Norway to seek work in
27
118 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
the missionary field in South Africa, but he
found that there did not seem to be an opening
for him in that direction. Tollef O. Bache, the
merchant in Drammen, whose son Soren, with
Johannes Johannesen, had settled in Mus-
kego, was anxious to send a teacher to Amer-
ica in order that his ow T n grandchildren and
other children growing up there might be
properly instructed in the religion and lan-
guage of their fathers. Tollef Bache's atten-
tion had been called to this young man, Clau-
sen. A proposition was made and Clausen ac-
cepted. He first went to Denmark, and mar-
ried Martha F. Rasmuson, and then proceeded
to his new field of work in Muskego, where he
arrived with his young wife in August, 1843.
After arriving in Muskego it seemed to him
and to the people of Muskego that his services
were more needed as a preacher than as a
teacher, and accordingly he was called as
preacher, duly examined by a German Lutheran
minister by name L. F. E. Krause, and or-
dained by him on the 18th of October, 1843,
just fifteen days after Elling Eielsen had been
ordained. Clausen at once began to preach
in Even Heg's barn, in the houses of the set-
tlers and in school houses. On the second
Sunday after Easter, 1844, he confirmed the
C. L. CLAUSEN. 419
first class of children in Even Heg's barn.
This was the first Norwegian Lutheran con-
firmation in America. In the fall of 1843 the
congregation (sit venia verbo) decided to build
a church. Heg gave the ground on the so-
called Indian Mound, and here the church was
built. Tollef Bache in Drammen contributed
$400 to the church, and the building of it was
begun early in 1844.
For a picture of this church edifice I am in-
debted to Mr. H. J. Ellertsen, of Wind Lake,
Wis. In a letter to me, accompanying the
picture, he says, "Enclosed I send you a draw-
ing of the old Muskego church as it looked
when it was built. It was built of oak logs
hewed on both sides, six inches thick, and
matched after the Norwegian fashion of build-
ing houses. On the inside the logs were
dressed perfectly smooth and then fitted so
close together that no mortar was used between
them. Double doors in the front were made
of black walnut. The pulpit was also made
of walnut and was about seven feet from the
floor. Galleries were built across the front
and along both sides to about the middle of
the church. These galleries were supported
by six heavy columns turned out of solid wal-
nut. In fact the church was pretty well fur-
420 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
nished inside. The erection of the church was
commenced in the spring of 1844, and the dedi-
cation took place March 13, 1845. It is un-
doubtedly the first Norwegian church built in
America."
In the meantime Mr. Clausen also visited
other settlements, and he had been on Kosh-
konong and preached and administered the
sacraments a couple of times before Dietrich-
son arrived there in September, 1844, the first
time in the last week of May, 1844, when he
preached near the present Utica. Kev. C. L.
Clausen was for many years a warm personal
friend of mine, and I learned to admire his per-
sonal magnetism, his keen intelligence, his vast
amount of knowledge and his large heart.
XXXV.
The First Controversy Among the Norwegian
Lutherans in America.
Before going any further I take the liberty
of presenting here an account of what was
undoubtedly the first controversy, and caused
the first split among the Norwegian Lutherans
in America. I have the facts from Hon. Gun-
THE FIRST CONTROVERSY IN AMERICA. 421
nuf Tollefson, of Mount Horeb, Wis., a Hau-
gian, who came from Bygland in B&tersdal,
Norway, in 1843. It is interesting to note that
he and his parents and brother and sisters were
the first to emigrate from that part of Nor-
way. He came directly to Muskego and there
he and Kev. C. L. Clausen worked together, fell-
ing trees for the Muskego church. He chopped
on one side of the tree and Clausen on the other.
This illustrates the kind of stuff our early
preachers were made of.
In the beginning Clausen and Eielsen held
services together in Even Heg's barn, but it
was not long before they got into trouble. Al-
ready in the fall of 1843 Rev. Clausen and
some others prepared a document of charges
against Elling, a document which was read
publicly at a meeting in the barn.
The foundation of the complaint was as fol-
lows: A Stavanger family had died on Jeffer-
son Prairie, in 1843, and had left a little five
year old daughter. Before their death, they
had requested Elling to take care of their child.
Then there was in Yorkville, Racine county,
an Irish Catholic family, who wanted to adopt
the girl, and Elling left the child with them.
Then Elling's friends said to him, "For God's
sake, Elling, what have you done? How could
422 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
you give this little girl to Catholics?" Elling
at once regretted what he had done, and went
to the Irish family and asked to get the girl
back. Her adopted parents had dressed the
child nicely. They had no children of their
own, and refused to give up the child they had
secured from Elling. Then Elling asked the
little girl to meet him outside of the house
after dark, when he appeared with horse and
buggy and carried her away surreptitiously.
He took her back to Jefferson Prairie. Mr.
Clausen got hold of this matter and formu-
lated the facts into a complaint against Elling,
for stealing the child from the Catholic family.
The result was a split in the church. Elling
left and a few went with him, among whom
were Gunnuf Tollefson's parents. From that
time on, Elling held meetings separately, and
he never afterwards became united w T ith Clau-
sen or his friends. Gunnuf Tollefson was
present when this arraignment of Elling's con-
duct was read by Rev. Clausen after a regular
service in the Heg barn. I have no com-
ments to make.
Rev. J. W. C. Dietrichson.
Photographed by W. A. Fermann, Stoughton, Wis.
J. W. C. DIETRICHSON. 423
XXXVI.
J. W. C. Dietrichson.
Then came Rev. J. W. C. Dietrichson, from
Norway. He was the first Norwegian Lu-
theran minister in this country who had been
regularly educated at the university of Nor-
way, and regularly ordained by a Norwegian
bishop.
Johannes Wilhelm Christian Dietrichson
was born at Fredrikstad, Norway, April 4,
1815, and died at Copenhagen, Denmark, from
a stroke of paralysis, November 14, 1883. He
was buried at Porsgrund, November 28, 18S3.
A dyer by name P. Sorenson in Christiania,
Norway, induced Mr. Dietrichson to go as a
minister to his countrymen in America. Mr.
Sorenson encouraged him not only with words,
but also with a sum of money for the mission.
After some hesitation, Dietrichson finally con-
sented, and with a view of going to America,
he was ordained in the Oslo church by the
bishop of Christiania Stift, February 2G, 1844.
424 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
On the lGth of May, 1844, he went on board
the brig "Washington," in Langesund, Captain
H. Smith commanding. This ship was loaded
with iron and emigrants, and bound for New
York, and on May 21st, the wind permitted the
captain to weigh anchor. There were in all,
112 persons on board, including the sailors.
Mr. Dietrichson acted as chaplain during the
vovage. He also taught the children, so that
on this occasion, the emigrants had both
church and school. They landed in New York,
July 9.
In New York, Dietrichson preached twice
for Norwegians, Swedes and Danes, the 6th
Sunday after Trinity, and the following Sun-
day.
He landed in Milwaukee, August 5, 1844.
From Milwaukee he went on to Muskego,
where he stopped a short time with Rev. C. L.
Clausen, whose ordination he recognized as
regular, in every respect.
On one of the last days of August, 1844,
Dietrichson arrived on Koshkonong, and there
he at once began to preach and organize the
people into congregations.
From the records kept by him of those im-
portant events in the Norwegian American
J. W. C. DIETRICHSON. 425
Lutheran church history, I make the follow-
ing extract, translated from the first page of
the Protocol or Register :
"Friday, the 30th of August, 1844, I, Johan-
nes Wilhelm Christian Dietrichson, from my
fatherland, Norway, regularly ordained minis-
ter in the Lutheran church, held service for tin*
Norwegian settlers living on Koshkonong
Prairie. In this first service which I held Iiere,
said day's afternoon, I preached in a barn at
Amund Anderson's,* on the words in Rev. 3, 11,
'Behold I come quickly; hold that fast which
thou hast, that no man take thy crown!' I
sought according to the grace God gave me to
impress solemnly, upon my countrymen's
hearts, the importance of holding fast to the
true saving faith and to the edifying ritual
of the church of our fathers here in this
land divided by so many erroneous sects. On
Sunday, September 1, the 13th Sunday after
Trinity, I held a service in the forenoon, and
also administered the Lord's supper, in the
same place, in the presence of a numerous gath-
ering. This was in the eastern part of the set-
tlement.
"On Monday, September 2, I held service and
* In the northeast part of the town of Albion.— R. B. A.
426 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
communion in the western part of the settle-
ment in the open air, under an oak tree on
Knud Aslakson Juve's land."
Mr. Dietrichson at once proceeded to organ-
ize the people into congregations. The so-
called East church, in the town of Christiana,
was organized October 10, 1844, and the West
church, in the town of Pleasant Springs, on
October 13, 1844. "The erection of tw T o houses
of worship," to quote the language of my
friend, Rev. Adolph Bredesen, of Stoughton r
Wisconsin, "was begun in the fall of 1844, and
pushed to completion. The Western church
was completed first, and was dedicated Decem-
ber 19, 1844, by Pastor Dietrichson, assisted
by his friend, Pastor Clausen, of Muskego. The
Eastern church * * * was dedicated Jan-
uary 31, 1845. * * * These were the first
two Norwegian Lutheran church edifices on
American soil. The third was the Muskego
church, dedicated March 13, 1845. The Kosh-
konong churches were both built of logs and
were of the same dimensions, 36 feet long and
28 feet wide. In both, movable benches served
as seats, a plain table, adorned with a white
cloth and a black w r ooden cross was the altar,
a rude desk was the pulpit, and the baptismal
font was hewn out of an oak log. After dedi-
Photographed by W. A. Fermann, Stovghton, Wis
Oak trees on Juve's farm where Rev. J. W. C. Dietrichson
preached Sept. 2, 1844.
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J. W. C. DIETRICHSON. 427
eating their churches, the two Koshkonong
parishes sent a written call to Dietrichson, to
become their settled pastor."
As has already been shown, the Muskego
church was begun in the spring of 1844. It
was used by Rev. C. L. Clausen in the autumn
of 1844, but was not dedicated before March,
1845. It would be stating the matter ac-
curately, to say that the first church begun
and built by the Norwegian immigrants in this
century was the Muskego church; but that the
two churches on Koshkonong, were the first to
be dedicated. In this statement, I do not take
into account the meeting house built by Elling
Eielsen, in the Fox River settlement in 1842.
Ole Knudson Trovatten became the first
school teacher on Koshkonong, at a salary of
$10 per month.
Dietrichson remained in America until the
next summer, and on the Tth of June, 1845, he
sailed from New York in the Swedish ship
"Thore Petr^," commanded by Capt. Ander-
son from Gefle, and bound for Stettin. After
twenty-eight days he reached Elsinore, and
from there he took a steamer to Norway. The
next year, 1846, he published in Stavanger a
little volume containing an interesting account
428 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
of his travels and labors among the Norwe-
gians in America.
During his absence, the Koshkonong con-
gregations were served by Rev. C. L. Clausen.
On July 11, 1846, he sailed from Norway to
America again, and served his congregations
until 1850, when he returned to Norway for
good, and was succeeded the same year on
Koshkonong by Rev. Adolph C. Preus.
Before returning to Norway in June, 1845,
Dietrichson had visited a considerable number
of the Norwegian settlements, and his book
contains many important facts in regard to
them. He visited our dear Fox River settle-
ment in the spring of 1845, and says there
were at that time about 500 Norwegians in the
colony. Some of them, he says, were Presby-
terians, some Methodists, some Baptists, some
Ellingians, some Quakers and some Mor-
mons. Elling had but few adherents, but
about 150 were Mormons. Ole Heier (Omdal)
"was bishop and could heal the sick," Gud-
mund Haugaas was "high priest after the or-
der of Melchezedek in the church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints." He was also
"counsel of the highest Mormon bishop."
Dietrichson preached in the Fox River settle-
LIST OF LEADERS. 429 1
ment the 4th Sunday after Easter, 1S45. G mi-
ni und Haugaas was present, and at the close of
Dietrichson's sermon he said: "I desire to say a
few words concerning the things the minister
has uttered, if the audience will stop a mo-
ment; at least I suppose the minister will
stop." Dietrichson did not stop. He had
visited Gudmund Haugaas at his house the
day before and had had a talk with him.
There he saw, hanging over his sofa, a fac-sim-
ile of the golden tablets. The writing, he says,
was a strange mixture of Greek, Hebrew,
Syriac and other letters and of strange figures
like Chinese writing, so that it was impossible
to make out a single word.
XXXVII.
List of Leaders.
As I am now rapidly approaching the end
of my story, I will once more call attention
to the names of the chief leaders and pro-
motors of Norwegian emigration, of the
founders of settlements, and of the first
preachers. Their lives have been discussed
430 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
more or less fully and I will here simply pre-
sent their names collectively. They are:
Kleng Peerson.
Knud Olson Eide.
Lars Larson (i Jeilane).
Gjert Gregoriuson Hovland.
Knud Anderson Slogvig.
Bjorn Anderson Kvelre.
Halstein Torrison.
Nils Eothe.
Ole Rynning.
Ole Nattestad.
Ansten Nattestad.
Hans Barlien.
Ole H. Aasland.
Johan Nordboe.
Gullik O. Gravdahl.
Captain Hans Friis.
Gudmund Sandsberg.
Ingebret Larson Narvig.
Hans Gasman.
Knud Langland.
John Luraas.
Soren Bache.
Johannes Johannesen.
Gunnul O. Vindeg.
Odd J. Himle.
Nels S. Gilderhus.
LIST OF LEADERS. 431
Nels Bolstad.
Aniund Anderson Hornefjeld.
Thorstein Olson Bjaadlaud.
Lars Dugstad.
Johan Reinert Reierson.
Elise Warenskjold.
Ole Canuteson.
The pioneer preachers are:
Ole Olson Hetletvedt.
Bjorn Hatlestad.
Jorgen Pederson.
Ole Heier
Gudmund Haugaas.
Knud Pederson.
Hans Yalder.
Elling Eielsen.
C. L. Clausen.
J. W. C. Dietrichson.
Even Heg.
Endre Osmtindson Aaragebo.
Herman Osmundson Aaragebo.
Kleng Skaar.
Aslak Aae.
Peder Asbjornson Mehus.
John Brakestad.
Such was the beginning of Norwegian im-
migration in the United States, in the 19th
432 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
century. From 1821 to 1840, is the first chap-
ter of the history of the Norwegians in this
country. I have described the immigration
proper, down to the end of the year 1839, and
the formation of the first six settlements, the
last of which (Koshkonong) was started in
1840, while I have given some account of the
first three settlements in Texas (1850), and
sketched the beginnings of religious work
down to the middle of the year 1845.
XXXVIIL
Pioneer Life.
How our fathers toiled and how much they
suffered, w r e, their descendants, who are now
enjoying the fruits of their labors, can never
realize or know r ; and we owe them a debt of
gratitude which we can never pay. The best
we can do, is to live worthy lives, and try to
keep green the memories of those w T ho did so-
little for themselves and so much for us.
An interesting volume might be written, de-
scribing the life in those early Norwegian set-
tlements. Our libraries abound in biographies
of great men, kings and potentates; but good
PIONEER LIFE. 433
books on the life of the common people are
scarce; and yet it is far more important and
interesting to know all the little circumstances
that sway and control a people, than it is to
study the life of a prince who has but few feel-
ings in common with the masses, and who is
socially far removed from them. In perusing
the foregoing pages, have my readers thought
of all the toils, privations, hopes, fears, antic-
ipations and misgivings of our dear settlers in
Kendall, in Illinois, and in Wisconsin? Have
you realized what the parting with dear
friends in Norway meant? Did you travel
with them, in your imagination, the long
weary way across the Atlantic? Did you ac-
company them in your sympathies on the canal
boats and through the unfrequented forests
on the frontier? Have you thought of the im-
migrant's exposures, and of his patient indus-
try? All these things must be considered by the
reader who would fully realize what hardships
had to be endured by those who braved the
dangers and privations of a new country, made
homes and fields and gardens, and prepared the
way for advancing civilization. To [draw a
picture of the life of the pioneer Norwegian
settler would require the hand of a master,
28
434 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
nor do I think the tale could be properly un-
folded by any one who has not had personal
experience.
Go, in fancy, with the new comer to Koshko-
nong in 1840; watch him select the site for his
future home; trudge with him the long way to
Milwaukee, where he enters the land at the
government land office, his little family, in the
meantime, living in or under his covered
wagon. Foot it back seventy miles and note
the happiness of the wife and children when
they see him return. Watch our pioneer set-
tler while he builds the first shelter for his
family, that little log cabin or dugout with
one room, twelve by fourteen or less, and an
attic. Notice with what hospitality he shares
these scanty accommodations with two or three
other families who come the next year to be-
come his neighbors. Think of the resignation
with which they dispensed with such things
as could not be had or which they were not
rich enough to buy. And yet some of the old
settlers will tell you that they were quite com-
fortable in those rough dwellings, and that
they had much real enjoyment. From similar
homes came many of the greatest men that
America has produced.
Then comes the turning of the sod to make
PIONEER LIFE. 435
fields. On the prairie, this was easy enough;
but in the timber, what a lot of trees had to be
removed! Did you ever see one of those huge
breaking-plows? On its beam, which was
from eight to twelve feet long, there was framed
an axle, on each end of which was a wheel,
sawed from an oak log. This wheel held the
.plow upright. It was a sight worth seeing,
when a ten or twelve year old boy drove an
ox team of six to ten yoke, and the heavy,
queer-looking plow, with its coulter and broad
share was turning the virgin soil in black fur-
rows two to three feet wide. And there is lots
of work to be done. The husband and wife
and children are all busy from early in the
morning until late at night, building fences
around the farm, hunting the oxen and cows
on the boundless prairies and meadows,
through the heavy dews, early in the morning
and late in the evening. Prairie-fires sweep
over the country yearly, and have to be fought
by the whole neighborhood of settlers; and
what little they have to sell is taken in "Kub-
berulles," a kind of wagon made with wheels
sawed from oak logs, to Milwaukee, or to Chi-
cago, the nearest markets.
The timber has been cleared, and the prairie
sod has been turned, and the decaying \<
4^0 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
tation produces malaria. The season of fever
and ague has come. We visit a little log cabin,
and find all its occupants sick. In this home
and in these surroundings, which required all
the patience and resignation that could be
mustered in health, sickness wears a darker
garb, and the new settlement always gets a
double amount of sickness. The few distant
neighbors are afflicted in a similar manner
and can render no assistance. The poor in-
valids need stout hearts and steady nerves not
to quail under their affliction, and repent the
day when they resolved to emigrate; but the
bridges are burnt behind them and there is
nothing for them to do but make the best of
it. How gloomy the world looks through
those bilious eyes with throbbing temples and
aching limbs! Death would be a relief to that
homesick heart. There w T ere seasons in the
Fox Eiver settlement and on Koshkonong,
when nearly all the inhabitants were pros-
trated by fever and ague. A couple of fortun-
ate individuals, whose constitutions w T ere proof
against sickness, would then go from house to
house, give the patients some medicine, go to
the spring for a pail of water, carry a pail of
gruel with them, and lea\e a little for each
patient and then return to watch over their
PIONEER LIFE. 437
<lear ones at home. Note the happiness in the
faces and the tenderness in every word as these
messengers come on their daily errands of
mercy. Surely those good deeds done in ob-
scurity are written in the great book.
We need not wonder at the friendships that
grew up among those early settlers. They
were thousands of miles away from their kin-
dred and as they lay with fevered brows listen-
ing to the howling of the wolves and thought
of their neglected cattle, wasting crops and
hapless lot, you can imagine what it meant to
have a neighbor come in with sympathy for
their sufferings and with water for their
parched tongues. When the neighbor told his
deeper tale of woe, and how he had surmounted
it all, the countenances of our immigrants
would brighten and they would forget their
pains for a time. They learned to appreciate
the value of human sympathy and kindness,
and they rallied from their sufferings with
their natures purified and strengthened for the
battle of life.
In his carefully prepared address delivered
at the dedication of the Pioneer monument at
East Koshkonong, Wis., October 10, 1S94, my
friend, Rev. Adolph Bredesen, uttered the fol-
438 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
lowing eloquent and truthful words about the
old Norwegian pioneers:
"In 1890, according to the last national cen-
sus, more than 322,000 natives of the kingdom
of Norway w r ere then living in the United
States. Today the Americans of Norwegian
birth or parentage number probably not far
from 650,000, or about one per cent, of the
total population. Half a century ago, the
number was probably somewhat more than
5,000, of whom about four-fifths had domiciled
in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois,
about 3,000 on this side of the state line and
1,000 on the other. The oldest of these settle-
ments was that on Fox river, near Ottawa,
111., dating from 1834. The first Norwegian
settlement in our own state was, doubtless,
Jefferson Prairie in Kock county, and Ole Natte-
stad, who settled there in 1838, seems to have
been the first Norwegian settler in Wisconsin.
The Koshkonong, Muskego and Kock Prairie
settlements all seem to have had their incep-
tion in 1839. The three strongholds of our
people, fifty years ago, were Koshkonong, with
seven or eight hundred souls, Muskego in Ra-
cine county, with about six hundred, and the
Fox River settlement with about four hundred
and fifty. Wisconsin, now so populous and
PIONEER LIFE. 439
wealthy, was, in those early days, still a ter-
ritory and almost an unbroken wilderness, the
happy hunting ground of the red men. There
was not a mile of railway within her borders,
and even passable wagon roads were few and
far between. Horses were scarce. I am told
that the seven or eight hundred Norwegians
on the Koshkonong prairies had one horse be-
tween them and that a poor one. 'Buck and
Bright' and a Kubberulle or other primitive
wagon, were about the only means of trans-
portation, and Milwaukee, or Chicago, was the
nearest market. Milwaukee was a city of
about 7,000 inhabitants, and Madison, our
beautiful capital city, was an ambitious village
of 700, while the total population of the state
was about 35,000.
"Our Norwegian pioneers were poor, but they
were not paupers. They had not come here to
beg and steal, nor to sponge on their neigh-
bors. It was not their ambition to be organ
grinders, peanut venders or rag-pickers. They
had come to make by the sweat of their brows
an honest living, and they were amply able to
do so. They possessed stout hearts, willing
hands, and robust health, and nearly all had
learned at least the rudiments of some useful
trade. And the women, our mothers and
440 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
grandmothers, God bless them! were worthy
consorts of the men who laid low the giants of
the forest, and made the wilderness rejoice and
blossom as the rose. They girded their loins
with strength. They were able to stand al-
most any amount of privation and toil. They
were not afraid of a mouse. They were in
blissful ignorance of the fact that they had
nerves. They knew nothing of 'that tired feel-
ing/ and did not need the services of the dentist
every other week. They did not have soft
velvety hands, as some of us, who were bad
boys, had reason to know; but for all that they
had tender, motherly hearts. They could not
paint on china, or pound out 'The Mocking
Bird' on the piano, but they could spin and
knit and weave. The dear souls could not drive
a nail any better than their granddaughters
can, but they could drive — a yoke of oxen, and
handle the pitchfork and the rake almost as
well as the broom and the mop. Our mothers
and grandmothers did not ruin our digestion
with mince-pie and chicken-salad, but gave us
wholesome and toothsome flatbrod and mylsa
and brim and prim and bresta, the kind of food
on which a hundred generations of Norway
seamen and mountaineers have been raised.
"Our Norwegian pioneers were ignorant of
PIONEER LIFE. 441
the language, the laws, and the institutions of
their adopted country, and in this respect were,
indeed, heavily handicapped. The German im-
migrant found compatriots everywhere, and,
at least, in all the larger cities German news-
papers, German officials, German lawy<
doctors, and business-men. The Norwegians
had not a single newspaper, and, outside of a
few struggling frontier settlements, there was
practically not a soul with whom he could com-
municate. But though our pioneers were ig-
norant of the English language, they were not
illiterates. They had books and could read
them, and by and by astonished natives were
forced to confess, 'Theni ? ere Norwegians are
almost as white as we are, and the} 7 kin read,
too, they kin.' If in those early Norwegian
settlements books were few, a family Bible
and some of Luther's writings were rarely
wanting, even in the humblest homes. If the
people were not versed in some of the branches
now taught in almost every common school,
they were well grounded in the Catechism, the
Forklaring, and the Bible History, as all their
bright and good grandchildren are today.
"The houses of our pioneers of fifty years ago
were log cabins, shanties and dugouts. Men
:and women alike were dressed in blue drilling
442 NORWEGIAN IMMIGRATION.
or in coarse homespun, brought over from the
old country in those large, bright-painted
chests. In 1844, I am told, not a woman on
Koshkonong prairie was the proud possessor
of a hat. Some of the good wives and daugh-
ters of those days sported home-made sun
bonnets, but the majority contented themselves
with the old-country kerchief. Carpets, kero-
sene lamps, coal stoves, or sewing machines,
reapers, threshing machines, top-buggies and
Stoughton w^agons, w^ere things not dreamed
of.
■ "Among these pioneers of Norwegian immi-
gration were also the pioneers of our Norwe-
gian Lutheran church, to whom this monument
is dedicated."
He who continues the story of Norwegian
immigration will find a rapidly increasing pop-
ulation and many new settlements to deal with.
The materials continually grow more abun-
dant and complicated. The Norwegian group
of our population is today scattered throughout
the United States. There are hundreds of
churches and ministers, scores of newspapers,
and a large number of colleges and academies.
Scandinavian professorships have also been es-
tablished in many of the leading American
universities and colleges. The Writer of this
PIONEER LIFE. 443
volume Lad tbe honor of filling the firsl chair
of Scandinavian languages in an American
university.
This large body of Norwegians become
Americanized fully as rapidly as any other
class of immigrants from the European conti-
nent They acquire the English language
easily, and make most loyal citizens. They are
by nature industrious and thrifty and pay
much attention to the proper education of their
children. It is universally admitted that tin*
Norwegians are among the most desirable im-
migrants to this country from Europe. While
the Norwegians have filled a considerable
number of offices, national, state, and county
and as a rule with great credit to themselves,
they are not an office-seeking class. The Nor-
wegian press is, as a rule, enlightened and ex-
ceedingly loyal to the highest interests of
America and her institutions.
444 APPENDIX.
APPENDIX
Brief Sketch of the Author.
Assuming that some of the readers may be
interested in learning something about the
author of this volume, and in as much as he
is a descendant of one of those who constituted
the exodus of 1836, a brief sketch of him is
here given. It is copied, with some omissions,
from the Madison, Wisconsin, Democrat:
"Hon. Easmus B. Anderson, the Norse
scholar, was born in the township of Albion,
Dane county, Wis., January 12, 1846. His
father, Bjorn Anderson, came from Norway in
1836.
"Rasmus B. Anderson grew up on the farm
of his parents in Albion, and as a boy he dili-
gently attended the public school. He also
received instruction from Carl Johan Rasch at
the parsonage of Rev. A. C. Preus on Koshko-
nong.
"From 1862--1865 he attended the Norwegian
Luther College at Decorah, Iowa, and is a
BRIEF SHETCH OF THE AUTHOR. 445
member of the first class of alumni of that in-
stitution. In 18GG he was made professor of
Greek and modern languages at Albion Acad-
emy near his home.
"On account of his success at this school he
attracted the notice of the authorities of the
University of Wisconsin at Madison. Having
severed his connection with Albion Academy,
he spent the spring term of 1869 as a post-
graduate student in the University of Wiscon-
sin, at the end of which time he was made an
instructor in languages in the institution. He
served in this capacity until the summer of
1875, when the professorship of Scandinavian
languages and literature was created for him.
Before this time he had lectured on Scandina-
vian subjects, and had, as an instructor, taught
the Scandinavian languages. He also founded
a Scandinavian library in the university. This
project received the cordial support of the
famous Norwegian violinist, Ole Bull, who, on
the 17th of May, 1872, (Norway's natal day),
gave a concert in Madison in aid of the enter-
prise. Prof. Anderson and Ole Bull were very
warm friends. Madison was for some years Ole
Bull's American home. Together they con-
ceived many a scheme for the spread of the
fame of Norway and the Norsemen. Among
446 APPENDIX.
other things they formed a plan and started a
fund for the erection of a monument in honor
of Leif Erikson. This monument was erected
in Boston in 1887. In 1872 Prof. Anderson
visited Norway in company with Ole Bull to
extend his acquaintance with the literature
and scholars of northern Europe. On this trip
he met the Norwegian poet, Bjornson, with
whom he traveled on foot through some of the
most delightful parts of Norway. Several years
later Bjornson visited America, and made a
lecturing tour among his countrymen through-
out the northwest, under the auspices of Prof.
Anderson, at whose home in Madison he was
a frequent guest.
"Prof. Anderson has been a prolific writer.
He began to write for the press at the age of 19,
and he has ever since been an extensive con-
tributor to both Norwegian and American
periodicals. He has contributed also to John-
son's Universal Cyclopedia, McClintock &
Strong's Cyclopedia, and Kiddel and Schem's
Year Book of Education, to the American Sup-
plement to Encyclopedia Britannica and to the
last edition of Chamber's Encyclopedia. He is
also one of the editorial staff of Funk & Wag-
nail's Standard Dictionary of the English Lan-
guage. I lis interest in the American common
BRIEF SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR. 1 17
school system has been great, and some yei
ago he made himself widely known by con-
ducting an active controversy in defense of it
with the Norwegian Lutheran clergy in the
northwest.
"Prof. Anderson has lectured extensively
both in this country and in Scandinavia. In
1874 he spoke in the house of the poet Long-
fellow to a select audience of literary celebrities
on the subject of Norse Mythology, and in 1877
he delivered a course of four lectures upon
Norse literature at the Peabody Institute in
Baltimore.
"As an author of books he has won an en-
viable reputation. He began his career in
1872 with the publication of a collection of
Norse folk-lore stories, called Julegye, now in
the 7th edition. In 1874 he published a little
book in Norwegian, entitled Den Norske Maal-
sag, and also his first book in English, America
Not Discovered by Columbus, which gives a
short account of the discovery of America by
the Norsemen. Of this work translations have
appeared in Norwegian, Danish, German and
Russian.
"Prof. Anderson's most important contribu-
tion to literature, Norse Mythology, appeared
in 1875. It contains an exhaustive and &ys-
448 APPENDIX.
tematic presentation of the religion of the old
Northmen. It is the only adequate treatment
of the subject in the English language. It has
been well received both in this country and in
Europe, and has been translated into French,
German, Italian and even into Danish. His
next publication was Viking Tales of the
North, 1877. This work contains a translation
of the two old Norse sagas into English, and
the Swedish author, Bishop TegneVs poem,
Frithiofs Saga, based upon them. This work
also contains an introduction on saga litera-
ture and a biography of Tegner. In 1880 he
published The Younger Edda, a translation
from Old Norse. This book is, as it is some-
times put, tlie New Testament of Norse my-
thology. During the years of 1881-2 he su-
perintended the translation and publication of
Bjornson's novels and stories, in seven volumes.
In 1884 he published a translation of Dr. F.
Winkel Horn's History of the Literature of the
Scandinavian North From the Earliest Periods
to the Present Time. His introduction to the
translation of Kristofer Janson's The Sped I
Bound Fiddler contains an interesting sketch
of Ole Bull.
"In 1885 Prof. Anderson was appointed by
President Cleveland United States minister to
BRIEF SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR. 449
Denmark, which position be held until the
autumn of 1S89. Before receiving this ap-
pointment (in the fall of 1883) he had severed
his connection with the university for the pur-
pose of going into business.
"Prof. Anderson proved a valuable man at
the Danish capital. He was thoroughly con-
versant with the language of the country be-
fore going there, and hence was in a position
to profit much from his stay in the Athens of
the north, where it was his good fortune to
make the personal acquaintance of nearly all
the scholars and artists of Scandinavia. On
the election of President Harrison a petition,
signed by the most prominent men of the three
Scandinavian countries, was sent to Washing-
ton, asking his retention in Copenhagen.
"While in Copenhagen he became very pop-
ular, not only in literary but also in diplomatic
and social circles. This did not, however, pre-
vent him from being active in a literary way.
In 1886 he published a translation from the
Danish of Georg Brandes's Eminent Authors
of the Nineteenth Century. Dr. Brand ex is
the most distinguished literary critic in Scan-
dinavia,— the Taine of the North. In 1887
Prof. Anderson wrote the chapter on Ancient
29
450 APPENDIX.
Scandinavian Eeligion, which was published
in a London work, entitled Non-Biblical Sys-
tems of Religion. In 1889 London firms pub-
lished his translation from the Swedish of Dr.
Viktor Rydberg's monumental work, entitled
Teutonic Mythology, his revision of Samuel
Laing's translation of The Heimskringla or the
Sagas of the Norse Kings, and his translation
of Dr. Carl Lumholtz's work Among Cannibals.
"Prof. Anderson now resides in Madison,
Wisconsin, where he has a comfortable home.
"On July 21, 18G8, he was married to Miss
Bertha Karina Olson, of Cambridge, Wis. She
was born February 11, 1848, at Bjornerud near
Christiania, Norway, and came to this country
with her parents in 1852.
"Prof, and Mrs. Anderson have had five chil-
dren, four of whom are living: Hannah Bu-
rena, born April 18, 1869, died April IS, 1870;
Carletta Cathrina, born December 4, 1870;
George Krogh, born November 7, 1872; Hjal-
mar Odin, born June 7, 1876, and Rolf Bull,
born December 17, 1883.
"The literary work of Prof. Anderson has
been enormous, and even a partial list of his
original writings and translations would out-
run the limits of this article."
INDEX.
A.
PAGE.
Aae, Aslalc 410,431
Aaragerbo, Endre Osmundson
(See Osmundson).
Aaragerbo, Herman Osmundson
(See Osmundson ) .
Aardal (parish) Ill, 196, 223
Aareg 227
AarUus 21
Aasen, Andrew Anderson (see An-
derson) .
Aasen, Einar Anderson (see An-
derson).
Aasen, S. Jacobson(see Jacobson).
Aasen, Sven .108
Aasland. Ole. . .84,88,109,264,265, 368
369, 4:0
Abel, Henrik 12
Abrabamson, Bertha Andrea 363
Adams 151
Adams (Co ) . . 152, 227, 228, 23 1
Adams, John 27, 28
Adland, Bertha 288
Adland, Carrie 288
Adland. Edwin 288
Adland, Ellen (Jr.) 288
Adland, Ellen (Thompson) 286
Adland, Jessie 288
Adland, Knud 225, i'S7
Adland, Lavina 288
Adland , Martha 225, 287
Adland, Martha ( Jr . ) i!88
Adland, Mons 197, 201, 205, 225
247, 284-289, 368
Adland, Mons K 286
Adland, Mrs 289
Adland, Peter 288
Adland, Thomas 225,285, 287
288, 295
Adland, Thomas (Jr .) 288
Adrian 144,219, 367
JEgir....44, 148, 196-198, 206, 223-225
231, 238, 268
JEro 417
Africa 214
Alabama 42
Albany 65, 76. 229
Albion 107, 149, 157, 161, 162, 164
167-170, 330, 342, 344. 315
347. 348. 352, 353. 356, 444
* lbion Academy 445
PAGE.
Alexandria .....-,
Allen, Joseph
Allen, Margaret... -tC, 67
Alleu, William 46
Alliance 87
American Bible Society
Amunrison. Albert Christian 164
Amundson, Bright 104
Amundson. Bright, Mrs 164
Andersen, Rasmus, Kev v2
Anderson, Abel B 164
Anderson, Abel Catherine lj
Anderson, Amund (Hornef jeld). . . 149
150, 167-170, 326, 342, 3)3. 346
347, 351, 353. 366, I
Anderson, Amund (Kossaland) 166
Anderson, Andrew (Aasen). 150, 171, 178
Anderson, Andrew J 101
Anderson, Anna 84
Anderson, A. S 108, 406
Anderson, Anold Andrew. ...156, 160
163-166. 31
Anderson,Bernt Augustinus Bruun it 4
Anderson, Bjorn (Kvelve) 43, 155
156, 159,-164, 171, 198, I!
247, 248, 326, 342, 346, 347. 351
353 356, 366, 406, !
Anderson, Bruun. 156, 160, 163, II
Anderson, (Capt.) 427
Anderson, Carletta Cathrina 450
Anderson, Cecelia 164, 166, 108
Anderson, Christopher
Anderson, Dina 157, 164
Anderson, Einar (Aasen) 150, 156, 177
Anderson, Elizabeth 164, 163
Anderson, George Krogh 450
Anderson, Hannah Bureua 450
Anderson, Hans Christian 1,. 14
Anderson, Hjalmar Odin
Anderson, Jacob (Slogvig)
100, v 186, 1^7
Anderson, Jacob (Slogvig), 31 1 -
Anderson, J. E., Mrs
Anderson, John
Anderson, Knud (Slogvig) ....]
1:35, 136, 1 1
195, 196, 206, 2 !•
Anderson, Lars
Anderson, M
Anderson, Martha 161
452
INDEX.
PAGE.
Anderson, Ole 278
Anderson, Osmund (Sandsberg) . . 137
Anderson, Easmus B., Prof ... .85, 90
164, 168, 300, 301, 34-3
352, 302, 407, 444, 450
Anderson, Robert 25
Anderson, Rolf Bull ... , 450
Anderson, Soren 150
Anglo-Saxon 6, 320
Anixstad (ford) 840
Ankerson, (Capt.) . . . .250, 257, 262, 268
332, 361
Archimedes, The Danish 10
Arctic 12, 13, 300
Arendal 374, 394
Ariel 27
Arizona 42
Arkansas 42
Armstrong, John 174
Asbjornson, Peder (Mehus)...410, 431
Ashby 100
Asia 12, 20, 21', 35
Asiatic 173, 321
Askeland, Anders 186, 187
Aslakson, Knud (Juve) 426
Atlantic 12, 16, 57, 59, 67, 71, 198
286, 316, 383, 433
Atwater, John 67
Atwater, Mrs 63,91,93,127, 181
Augsvaldsnaes 389
Aurdal 229
Aurland 61
Aurora , 114
Austin 373
Avon 253
B.
Babel 9
Baptists.... 212, 230, 237, 398. 400, 408
414, 415', 417, 428
Bache, Soren.... 277-281, 292, 294, 366
411, 418, 430
Bache, Tollef 298,418, 41
Bakke, Ellen Sanderson.
(See Sanderson).
Bakketun, Anna 33
Baldwin's History of La Salle
County 179
Baldimore 197, 447
Bald i more American 73,' 75
Baraboo ... 341 345
Barby 21
Barlians 235
Barlien, Hans. . . . 188, 235, 236, 369J 430
Bauge, Thomas 197, 198
Bayard, Thomas F 26
Beaver Creek ... . 161,184,198-208, 211
210, 228, 225, 216-248, 276, U84, 285
328, 358. 868
Behrens (Capt.) 44, 197
PAGE..
Beitstaden (parish) 823
Bellman 14
Beloit. ... 113, 166, 168, 260, 336, 338-340
342, 345
Bennett's History 120, 123
Bennett, L. G. (Major).... 114, 121
123, 126
Bentley, William 315
Benton (Co.) Ill, 151, 152, 410
Beowulf 6
Berg, Anna Olson (see Olson) .
Berge, Knut ( see Bergh ) .
Bergen.. . 44, 56, 64. 109, 147, 148, 151
154. 189, 195, 196, 197, 223. 245, 268
285, 286, 295, 3:7, 358
Bergen (family) 23, 24
Bergen, Hans Hanson 23. 37
Bergen, Teunis 21
Bergh, Knut (Berge; 333
Bering, Strait *0
Bering, Virus 20
Berzelius, J. J 11
Biddulph (Adjutant), .. . .118, 120, 1*5
Billed Magazin 215,238,247, 249
280, 349
Bill of Rights 5
Biorkman, Peter 29
Birch Run 80, 105
Bishop Hill (Colony) 154, 181, 189
Bjaadland, Thornstein Olson
(See Olson).
Bjoroson, John Haldorson. . (See
Haklorson)
Bjornerud 450
Bjornson, Bjornstjerne 14,416, 448
Black (Dr.) 377
Blackhammer 221, 22£
Blair, Bernt 233
Bloomfleld 322
Blue Mounds 232, 322
Bolstad, Anna Larson, Mrs . . . (See
Larson)
Bolstad, Nils Larson .. (See Larson)
Bolten, Alida von 158
Bolten, D'etrich von 158
Bondis, G 374
B.on Homme, Richard 27-V9
Boone (Co ) 166, 168, 238, 253, 365
Boorman & Johnson 70, 72
Bosque 394
Bosque (Co.) 1C0. 191,380-382
C.S6-38S, 393
Bosque (river) 393
Boston ....27, 43, 73, 141, 180, 251, 270
871, 31 J
Bouton (Quartermaster) 118
Bower, R. W. (Dr.) 106
Bower. Mrs 177
Bowerson. Knute 264
Braekke, Anders Nelson.
(See Nelson.)
Braekke-Eiet, Halver Halversun.
(See Halversun.)
INDEX.
453
PAGE.
Braekke. Knud 329
Brahe, Tycho ...
Brakestad, .John 410, 431
Brandes, Georg 4 1;»
Brandt, Mr
Bradstad 06
Bra^trop 878
Brazos (.river) 372
Bredesen, Adolph, Rev 426, 437
Bremen
Bretten, Andrew 30 1
Brevlg 233
Brimble, Malinda, Mrs 227
Brimsoe, Lars Larson (See
Lai son)
Bristol 157
British 2,36, 312
British Channel 57
British Museum 6
Broadway (St.) 8*
Brodstad, Annie, Mrs 349
Brookfield 98
Brooklyn 22, 43
Brown. Ellen 99
Brown, F. M W
Brown. Lewis 20
Biownsboro 375, 377, 378, 3S0, 3X1
384, 394
Brudvig. Ingebright 197, 199 200
Bruun.Engel 88H
BudstikKeu 383
Buffato.. 102,165,194,229,257,262. 271
310 312, 390
Buffalo (Texas) 381
Bull, Ole. 1,14, 445-44H
Bun van, John 49
Bush (Capt.) 116, 119
Bussevville 346
Butler 300
Bygland 421
Byron 32
Bystolen, Maene 329, 332, 334-336
341, 344-346, 349, 351, 353, 354, 306
c.
Calitornia' '. ". '. '.'. 42,'i6i, 103," 128,' 140,' 145
225, 292
Calumet 195
Calvanists 212
Calwick, 394
Cambridge .... 164, 291 , 330, 332, 334 , 335
345,357, 450
Canada 325
Canadian 67
Canuteson, Canute 394
Canuteson, Mrs 395
Canuteson, Ole.... 138, 188, 190-192, 3*9
385-395, 431
PAGE.
Canutesons 3S7,:r.<
Caopelea, Didrik
Capricorn
Carolina, North 42
Carolina, Boutn 42
Carstenaen, ciaes 23.
Gary, Susan 109
Catholic- 189,212,319,:;
Chamberlain, Miss 109, 409
Chamber's Encyclopedia
Charleston 2".
ChHjuskin, Cape 12
Chicago . . . 43, 07. 68,102, 123, 1 !
161, 165, 171. 190, 194, 196, 198
228-231,244 847, 251. 2V;. 859
272,
337, 319, :,
411, 413, 4.
Chickamauga
Chiekamauga (Battle*of) Z
Chinese 4*9
Christian the IV (King)
Christiana 149, 168, 887, 330, 332
334 342, 347-34'.».
Christiania 47, 87, «02, 207, 216
23:..
371, 372, 3- .
Christianity 18, 8al
Christians 18, 19, 43, 188, 192. 212
Christiansand 147, 219, 374, 375
Christiansandsposten 171
Christopuersou, Christopher,
(Hervig) ... 102
Churehhill (river) 22
Cincinnati 73. 373
Clark (Co.)
I Clausen. C. L, Rev. . . .257, 879.S
296-299, 316-410, 416-422.
Cleason, Cleas II
Cleveland :
Cleveland (Pres.) 148
Clinton 237.238,2
Close Communion Baptists . . .
Colon, Marshall E
Colon, Mrs 105
Colorado
Columbia 125
Columbia (Co.)
Columbia. District of.. H
Columbian . . .
Columbus 15, 17, 19. 21
Colwick, O. (Kjolvig) 190
Commercial Advertiser 6 »
Congress 373
Connecticut 41
Constantinople 4
Consulen. Ole 414, 416
Cook(Co.)
Cook, J. E., Mrs
Cooperstown 73
Copenhagen 21, 40, 226, 371, 409
423, 449
454
INDEX.
PAGE.
Corneliuson, Nels (Hersdal) 101
Cothrien, Cornelius 99
Cowan 124
Crittenden, Gen 118
D.
Dahl, Andrew (Endre) ....98, 108, ieo
166, 174, 184, 406
Dahl, Henrik 394
Dah:e. O.B.. 295
Dahlgren. JohM A 25, 86
Dakota, .North. ...42, 43, 291, 292, 334
Dakota, South 42, 43, 99, 148
300, 363
Dale, Anna, Mrs 2.)5
Dale, John J 295
Dale, Sjur 389
Dallas 139, 140, 189, 190, 19% 387
391-294
Dallas (Co .) 369, 370, 386, 388
Danaw 4
Dane. ... 8, 9, 20, 22, 41-43, 164, 879, 896
318, 31b, 383, 416, 484
Dane (Co).... 107. 149. 157, 161, 165
167, 388, 363, 876, 877, 81)1, 295, 38,'
336, 388, 339, 333-331, 336, 347
351-353. 366, 398, 415, 417
Dane County Court House 353
Daneville 156
Danielson, Anna 85, 89, 90, 104
Danielson, C. (Valle) 61,68, 151
173, 176, 177, 197, 333, 333,389, 231
Danielson, Da iel 89
Danielson, Gitle 306-313
Danielson, Gitle, Mrs 307, 308
Danielson, Hans 164
Danielson, Knud 838
Danielson, Malinda 329-231
Danielson, Rasmus 84, 89
Danielson, Susan, Mrs 407
Danish. . . . 1. 6, 7, 10. 21. 23, 46, 70, 73
158, 165, 193, 899, 378, 447-449
Darnell, Sarah, Mrs 337
Davidson, Lars (Rekve).. 339,330, 354
Davidson. Mrs 204
Davis (Co.) 260
Davis, Gen 11!)
Day (Co.) 300
Decherd 261
Declaration of Independence 5. 25
319
Decorah 223,291, 292, 444
De Costa, B. F 33
Deeifteld....387, 333, 335,.336, 347, 350
352, 853
De Forest 339
I >.d;iware 24-26, 42, 45
i> -iih.kraten. 336, 295
Denmark. . . . 1. 2, 5, 6. 8, 9, 20. 38, 40
46, 158, 159. 165, 316, 384
4U5, 411, 417, 418, 433, 419
PAGE.
Denning, Lieut 119
Den Norske Klippe 43, 44, 148, 149
?/i8
Department of the Interior 353
DeSolido 8
Detroit. 102, 200, 219, 284, 214, 2G5, 3G7
Dietrichson .J. W. C. Rev .... VIII.
45, 150, 385, 355, 401, 403
410, 414. 430, 433-439, 431
Dodgeville 343
Dovig, Mr 198
Downing, Mr 856
Drammen....315, 316, 250, 257. 259, 362
267, 368. 377, 883, 398, 309
317, 357, 361, 368, 366, 368
418, 419
Drobak 358
Dueland, Henrik 103
Ducleth, Gunnerius P 374
Dugstad, Lars Olson (see Olson).
Dunbar, Henry 313, 314
Dunbar, Henry, Mrs 314
Duncan's Grove 413-
Dundas, J. C, Dr 357
Dunkirk 876
Dusgaard . . 303
DyviK, Ole. 338, 339
E.
East (Church) 157, 426
Edserton 339^
Edison 10
Eenhjorningen ... 21
Egersund 44, 60, 148, 196, 268
360, 361
Eide, Knud Olson (see Olson).
Eidsfjord... 402
Eidsvold 216
Eidsvoldsman, son of 372
Eie, Ole Thompson.
(See Thompson.)
Eielson, Elling.. 395, 396, 899, 4KM16-
418, 481, 433, 437, 438, 431
Einung, Anne Jacobson.
(See Jacobson.)
Einung. John Jacobson.
(See Jacobson.)
Einung, Austin Jacobson.
(See Jacobson.)
Einung, Susana Jacobson.
(See Jacobson.)
Ellertson, H. J 383, 419
Ellingians 488
Ellin^'s Meeting House 406
Emblon (m.), Daniel 39
Emelia 350, 856, 259, 268, 336, 361
Emington 99, 106
Encyclopedia Britannica 446
Emerson, Nels 264
Engelhoug 382
INDEX.
455
PAGE.
England ...2, 4-C, 24, 26, 45, 46, 49-51
56, 57,71, 21(3, 263, 818, 819, 825
English. . . .32, 46, 56, 65, 71, 70, 10'.), 188
135, 142, 184, 101, 197, 245, 200
260, 26:3, 283, 284, 301, 314, 320
324, 361, 407, 441, 443, 44<>, 448
Enighedcn 44, 60-62, 75, 148, 17?
196, 198, 219, 2*2-221
229, 231, 238, 268, 360
Enochson, Anders (Quauland) 137
Ephraim 95, 182, 40 1-404, 407
Episcopal 115, 417
Episcopalian 3o8
Ericsson, John 20, 26, 30
Erie 142
Erie (canal) 31C, 312
Erie (lake ) . . . . 312
Erikson, Henrik (Sebbe) 152
Erikson, Ida y9
Erikson, Leif 17-20, 82, 211, 446
Erikson, Mary 99
Erikson (Mate) 56, 64, 93, 109
Erikson, Torkel H 178
Erik, The Red 17. 18
Erik Upse 19
Espeland, Osten 219, 220
Etne 199. 227
Europe 2-4, 7, 12, 15, 16, 23, 33-30
46, 137, 159, 191, 197
207, 318, 319, 321, 823
361, 385, 443,446, 418
European. . .18, 19, 31, 35, 311, 367, 443
Evangelist 401
Evening Post (New York) 76
Evensen, Catherine 129, 141
Evensen, Knut 129, 141
Evenson, Halvor 302, 304, 305
Evenson, John 303
Evenson, John (Moleo).. .275, 300, 326
R
Faaberg 355
Fadrelandet og Emigranten 79.
Fairfield 166
Fall River 199,2-38, 244
Fareys 16
Fargo 291
Farmington 144
Farsund 294,360, 361
Fellows, Beach 94, 111
Fellows, Joseph 64,77,102, 171
179, 182
Fellows, Martha, Mrs 93, 127
173, 177
Ferson, Alex, Col 30
Fillmore (Co) 259,275, 322
Fingarson, Fingar 221
Finmarken 357
Finnboge 19
Finno, Anders. 327, 330, 332, 88S
341, 366
PAGE.
Fister (church) 133, :
Fister, Gudniund Osmundsou.
(See Osomndson.)
Fjeldberg :
Plage, Anders
Flateu, Rolf Rolfson. (See Rolf-
son.)
Fledsberg 264, 308
Florida.. 42, 375
Flower, Frank A 279
Fogn 47,54,60,02, 294
Ford (Co.) Ill
Forest City i
Forest, Gen
Forsamliugshus 412
Ft. Atkinson 888
Ft. Wayne I
Forth Worth 190
Fox River (Settlement)... 95,100, 101
112, 114, 130-141, 149, 150, 153, 168
101, 102, 171, 170, 180, is:,, lv
198-200, 201,220,221, '.
231-233, 236, 244, 245. 247, 251, 254
271, 274, 277, 280,285,2
330, 331, 335, 342. 343, 317, 818,
367, 309, 386, 389-391, 397, 3*8, 400
400, 409, 411, 427, I
Four Mile Prairie ... 189, 140, 878
380-v
Foven, Svend 381, 3n">
Foycn, Mrs
France.... 2, 4, 5, 24, 30, 46.
Franklin 121
Franklin (Battle of) 112, 114, 125
Fredrick the VI (King) 158
Fredriksen, Dean
Fredriksen. Emil 381, 395
Fredrikstad
Freedom 230
Free Soiler
Fremont, Mr
French.... 5, 11, 33, 184, 235, 305, 319
371, :
Frenchman 31. 208
Freydis 19
Fribert, Mr 410
Friends 47, C3, 75, 104, 1 1
170, 101
Fries. Jer. F U
Friis, Hans (Capt.) 360-:
Froland, Anna
Froland, Nils 197, 1.
Fruito 101
Fruland, Lars 178
Fruland, Nels 178
Fuller & Johnson Manufacturing
Co 328
Fulton, William
Funchal
Funk & Wagnall's Standard Dic-
tionary
I unKeli (bridge)
456
INDEX.
PAGE.
runKelien, Halvor 355
Fyen (Stift) 417
G.
re, v,
Gaard. Andrew 1?
Gade
Gallic ... 32
Galveston 273
Gardar lfi
Gartineau, Benjamin 20
Gasman (Capt.) 35S
Gasman, Hans 358, 373, 416, 430
Gauceson, Erik (Midboen) ... 282, 256
Gauteson, Gunder (Midboen). 232, 256
Gene 427
General Land Office 352
Georgia 42
German 11, 41, 132, 184, 192, 197
208, 241, 256, 279, 319, 301
371, 374, 441, 447, 448
German Lutheran 296, 413, 418
Germany 319, 324
Gerude 6
Gibraltar 4
Gilbertson, Gilbert G ... 258
Gilderhus, Anna 329
Gilderhus, Nds Siverson.
(See Siverson )
Gilderhus, Ole K 329, 330
Gilderhus, Ole S , 8*1, :-50
Gilderhus, Stephen K 329
Gin House 378
Gjaistvang. Andreas 382, 383
PAGE.
Greenwood 392
Gregoriuson, Gjert (Hovland) ... 81
82, 129, 141, 146, 147, 175
195, 206, 831, 389, 430
Greusel (Col.) 115,117-119, 121
Greig 14
Griggs, S. a, &Co 123
Grimestad, Klas 331, 332
Grimm 9
Grogaard, Christian 37 2, 374
376, 384
Grogaard, Hans Jacob, Rev. .. 372 , 376
Grundtvig 14
Gudbransdsdalen 355
(iuubrausdal 13S, 140
Gudrid 19
Guizot 32
Gulbranson, Erik (Skavlem). .252, 262
Gulbraudson, Gulbrand (Myhre).. 257
262
257
256
262
Gjermundson, Gjermund 260
Glermundson, Gunnel 200
Gjermundson, Hans (Haugen)... 200
Gjustein, Knud 329
Glaim Cfarm) 259
Glaim, Helleik 5559
Glenn (Co.) 101
Glenwood 292
Goodhue (Co.) 164, 202
Goodrich, Ezra 338, 339
Goodrich's ferry 108, 342
Gothenborg ....40, 54, 63, 81, 132, 134
154, 199, 231, 238, 243, 244
251, 255, 262, 264, 2liS, 270
„ , 290, 292, 309, 310, 312
Gothic \ 35
Graceland (cemetery) 413
Grant (Co.) 100
Grant (Pies.) 289
Qravdahl Gullek 258, 259
306, 430
Great Britain 10
Great Lakes 130
Greece - 4
Greek 4,"9V32,'429, 445
Greeley, Horace 289
Green Lake (Co.) 142. 144, 146
Greenland , 4, 13, 19 1
Guidbrandson, Guldbrand, Mrs..
Guidbrandson, Jens (Mynre). ..
257
Guidbrandson. Jens, Mrs 257
Gullixsrud, Torsten L gebrigtson.
(See Ingebrigtson )
Gimderson. Ellen Maline 391
Gunuison. Ole 340, 341
Gustaff, Oliver 29
Gu*tavus, Adolphus 5
Guthrie Center 97, 127
Guthrie ( Co.) 98
Gyntelberg, C. F 371
II.
Haa (parish) 106
Haldorson, John (Bjorgo). .. 323, 329
331,349, 350
Hale, John P 289
Hallingdal 295
Hailing, Nils 337,344, 346
Hall (Lieut.) 125
Hah orson, Andreas 275
Halvorson, Andrew 84
Halvorson, Halstein 256. 266
Halvorson, Halvor 47
Halvorson, Halvor (Brcekk-Eiet). 241
Halvorson, Halvor K 178
Halvorsou, Knud 178
Halvorson, Nels 178
Hamar 383
Hamburg 40,112,132,268, 371
Hamilton — 88B
Hamilton (Co.).... 385
Hamlet 6
Hancock, Pres 23
Hauley Falls 259
Hanson (dancing master) 899
Hanson, E., Dr 857
Hanson, Gjermund 2C1 ; 203
INDEX.
PAOE.
'Hanson, Hans 178
Hanson, Miss 894
Hanson, Ole (see Consulen).
Hardanger 240, 402
Hardanger (fjord) M
Harewood General Hospital 364
Harrison, Pres 4-ti*
Hartman l-l
Hanvig, Henrick 86
Hattlestad, Anna 227
Hattlestad, Bjorn 398, 410, 431
Hattlestad, O. J., Rev 220, 2.'?
295, 368, 410, 411
Haugaas, Caroline C 1(K>
Haugaas, Caroline, Mrs 106
Haugaas, Daniel 106
Haugaas. Gudmund 92,100, 1(J5
106, 108, 174, 175, 177. 356, 309
401, 402, 410,411, 488, 439, 4: 1
Haugaas, Thomas 106,177, 399
Hauge, Hans Nielsou 48, 49
Haugea, Baard 328
Haugen, Ha Ivor Pederson.
(See Pederson\
Haugians ....48, 110, 217, 287, 397-400
409, 411, 417. 421
Havre.... 40, 132, 268, 355, 372,374, 375
Havre de Grace 875
Hayer, A 237
Hayer & Thompson. 237
Hayer, Benjamin 23;
Hayer, Christian 2i7
Hayer, Ole 237
Hebrew 429
Hedemarken 38.'
Hrg, Andrea 8SH
Heg, Cornelia, Mrs 316
Heg, Even H 226, 267, 878-288, 293
311, 366, 410, 418-422, 431
Heg (famijy) 262
Heg, UaiAC. (Col.) 113, 115, 121
123, 275,279-283, 316
Heg, Mrs 881
Heg, Ole 280
Heier, Ole Olson (See Olson)
Helge !9
Heigeson, Thor. (Kirkejord). 252, 262
Helgeson, Tuorstein (Kirkejord)
252, 262
Hellekson (Krokan) 309
Hellen 135, 137
Henderson (Co.) 381, 382, 394
Hendrickson, Anna (Sebbe) 152
Hendrickson, Christian 868
Henry (Co) 181, 189
Hercules, Pillars of 4
Herjuifson, Bjarne 18
Hersdal, Amelia 94
Hersdal, Ann 98, 94
Hersdal, Bertha.. 92, 101, 105, 128, 130
Hersdal, Caroline (Kari)
93, 94, 102, 129, 130, 160, 175
Hersdal, Catherine 130
PAOE.
Hersdal, Cornelius Nelson . . . <
Nel-
Hersdal, fnger
Hersdal, Martha. ...
Hersdal, Nele •. 130, 141. 176
ii, Neis Oorneliuson
ii. Nels Nelson (fit
Hersdal, Peter ... 94
Hersdal, Sara (Sarah).
Hersdal, Susanne (01
Hervig, Caroline |0S
Hervig, Cecelia 102
Hervig, Christopher Christoph
son (See Christopli-M s
Hervig, Erik Jul
Hervig, H 79, 92, 101, 108-106
Hervig, Jochum
Hervig, Martha, Mrs 104
He^hammer 54, 130, 171, 179
Hetletvedt (farm) no
Hetletvedt, Jacob Olson .. ..(See
Olson-
Hetletvedt.Knud 0'son(See Olson)
Hetletvedt, Lars01s->n &
Hetletvedt, Ole Olson. (See Olson)
Hitch and 415
Hille, Metta 47, 50
Hille, Thomas 47, 50
Hhnle, Odd J ....328, 334, sa% 347, 850
352,.;
Himoe, Stephen 0,Dr
Hindoo
Hisdal, Mr 194
Hiser, Lena
Hitterdal (oarish) 8
Hjelmeiaud.... Ill, 133, 134, 152. 196
K1U, 889
Hjertdal
Hjorthoi
Hoffman, Francis Allen, Rev. 413, 416
Ho.censon, Ole
Holberg 14
Holland 23, 51,70.
Holley I
Holm, Mads
Holm, Mads. Mrs
Holo, Lars Johanneson
(See Johannesou.)
Holo, Martin L
Holt
Hood's (army) IS
Horn. F. WiuJcel, Dr
Hornefjeld 140
Hornefjeld, Amund \nderson
(See Anderson.)
Horten
Horveudel..
Houston
Houston (Co.)
Hovland, Gjert Gregoriuson
B6 Gregoriuson.)
Hoya, Mr
458
INDEX,
PAGE.
Hudson 294
Hudson Bay 81, 22
Hudson (river) 229,310, 312
Huguenots 50, 217
Humboldt (Co.)... 94
Huron (lake) 317
Huse, Andrew 392
Hveen S
Hylle, KnudJ 331
Ibsen 14
Iceland 1, 5, 15, 17, 19, 20
Icelanders 2, 14
Icelandic 1,2, 320
Idaho 42, 43
Illinois. . . .42, 43, GO, 65, 67, 68, 82, 83
86. 94, 96-113, 120, 127-130, 133
137, 139, 141, 149-151. 153, 15 i, 160
162, 164-168, 171-174, 180, 18i
189-193, 203, 204, 209, 214. 215, 221
223, 227-232, 237, 238, 244, 245, 248
252. 253. 255, 260, 271-274, 277, 280
286, 295,334, 350, 357, 365 308, 369
o72, 387, 394, 398, 400, 409, 411
413, 417, 433, 438
Illinois (river) 358
Illinois (vol.) ...114, 115, 1?0, 121, 123
Independence 291
Indiana ...42, 84, 87, 109, 214, 220, 204
205, 328, 357, 368
Indian Creek 221 , 399
Indian Hill 321
Indian Mound 419
Indianola 405
Indians 107, 210, 258, 278, 279, 292
403-405
Ingebretson, Syvert 278
Ingebrigutson, Torsten.
(Gullixsrud).... 232
Iowa 42, 43, 97-99, 111, 112, 127
151-154. 157, 104, 185-187, 193
222. 227. 228,231, 232. 236, 237
857, 277, 278, 291, 292, 305, 867
368, 309, 400, 409, 410, 412, 441
Irish 41, 422
Irish Catholic 421
Iroquois (Co.) 161.198,199, 240
286, 368
Italian 448
Italy 8, 24
Iversou, Catharine 9i
[verson, Haivor 92
[verootr, Knud 94
Iverson, Paul 178
Jackson , George (Capt.) . . .261 , 263 , 26 1
Jacobs, Daniel 99
PAGE.
Jacobs, Jacob 99
Jacobs, James B 90
Jacobs, John 99
Jacobs, Joseph 99
Jacobs, Jens 99
Jacobs, Mary 99
Jacobson, Anne (Einong) 316, 317
322-326
Jacobson, Enoch 47
Jacobson, Hans J 274. 298
Jacobson, John (Einong) 275, 316
Jacobson, Osten (Einong) 316
Jacobson, S. (Aasen) 184
Jacobson, Susana (Ein just) 317
Janesville 108, 342
Janson, Charlotte Marie 181
Janson, Erik 154, 181 , 189
Janson, Kristofer 44S
Jansonisra 154
Jansonite 154
Jefferson Prairie (settlement) 106
237, 251-204, 313, 336
338, 339, 342-345, 347
305, 421, 422, 438
Jeilane, Lars Larson i(see Larson).
Jellarviken, Haivor 309
Jenks(Capt) 21, 22
Jensen (Capt.) 44, 190
Jensen, Jens 394
Jensen, Mr 313
Jensen, Rasmus 21
Jerauld (Co.) 99
Jermo, Marie L 329
Jerstad, Lars 329
Jews 53
Johannesen, Johannes 277-2H1 . 292
366, 411, 418, 430-
Johanneson, Anders (Tommersti-
gen) 356
Johanneson, Lars (Holo) . ...355, 358
Johanneson, Peter 356
Johnson, Anna Bertha 149, 169
Johnson, Bessie P 291
Johnson, and Boorman 70. 72
Johnson, Canute 89
Johnson, Elizabeth 88, 89
Johnson, Erik (Saevig) 149, 169
-Johnson, George 29, 92, 108, 140
Johnson, Gjermund 292
Johnson, Henry W 96
Jor.n?on, Ingeborg... 105, 149. 150, 168
Johnson, Inger 87. 88, 105
Johnson, John.. 84,88,89
Johnson, John H9, 109
Johnson, Lew. s .' 164
Jonnson, Malinda iu4
Johnson, Martha A 291
Johnson, Martin N 291, 334
Johnson, Mary H 292
Johnson, Mr 223
Johnson, Nelson (Kaasa) 290-292
Johnson, Nils 309
Johnson, O 394
INDEX.
450
PAGE.
Johnson, Ole 8C-S8, 92, 104, 108
Johnson, Phoebe.. 87, 105
Johnson, Raynaud
Johnson, Salinda
Johnson, Thomas 26-30, 37
Johnson, Torsten :.'2 1
Johnson's Universal Cyclopaedia..
69, 448
Johnsonville 261
Johnston's Saw Mill
Jones, Mr 338
Jones, Paul 26-29
Jordanson, Salve 848
Juno 189
Jutland 6. 5i0
Juve, Knud Aslakson . . (See Aslakson)
K.
Kaasa (farm)
Kaasa, Nelson Johnson (See
Johnson)
Kalrud, Permit Nelson(See Nelson)
Kalmar Nyekel 25,
Kamchtna (Sea of)
Kansas 42,43,95, 140,
Kansas City 07,
Karnni (Karmt) 389,
Karmt (See Karaio)
Kaufman (Co.)
Kauring, Rev
Kendall 04, 68, 77-109, 129, 131,
139, 141, 150, 170-176,
180. 183, 184, 192, 193,
264-266. 304, 365, 307,
397, 398, 409,
Kendall (Co.) ... 110, 113, 1*8, 254,
Kenosha :
Kentucky
Keokuk 154, 185, 186, 236, 355,
Keppler
Key West
Kiddle & Schem's Year Book of
Education
Kiel
Kiedand Company
Kilbourn
Kilbourn City
Kirkejord, Thorstein Helgeson.
(See Helgeson.)
Kirkejord, Thor Helgeson.
(See Helgeson.)
Kittelson . Thor (Savimbil) . . .232,
Kjeling, Knud
Kjimlms
Kjolvig, O (See Kolwick.)
Kjonaas, Anna
Kjonaas. Ole
K j> laa, Sven
Klep (parish)
29m
382
889
13s
179
214
369 I
433
305
140
42
869
8
375
440
4"
^3
166
315
Kuudsou, Ojermund (Sui. '
Knudsou, Halvor ... 178, l
Knudson, Knud
Kmulsc.n, Ole
Knudson Ole (Trovattan) ....
Kimtson. Gunnud (Movem) ..
Knutson, Halvor 178
Kohler (brigBJ ...43, 45, 103, 186. II*
151, 15.3, 150, 161
Kongsberg
Kopervig
Koshkonong ...180, 187, 167, :
866. 491, 102, I! ;. 418,
424-42*
442, 441
Koshkonong (creek) 84
Koshkonong (lake) 161, ■;.
Kragh. Rev 210, 11*
Krau>.\ L. F. E., Rev 418
Kravig, Halvor 341
Krogh, Able Catherine von. .. .43. 159
Krogh, Bernhai'dus Arnoldus von. 158
Krogh, George Frederick von 158
KroKan (see Heliekson).
Kumlien, Thure 346
Kvelve 155, 159
Kvelve, Bjorn Anderson.
(See Anderson.)
Kvendalen, Lars 169, 337, 344, 3*6
Kvinhered (parish) ... 149
L.
La Crosse
La Fayette (Co.)
Laing, Samuel
Lakeside
Lamoreux, S. W
Lam prenen
Langesund (fjord) 270,
Langland, Frauk
Langland, James
Langland, Knut VIII. 147, 173,
201.
896, 358,
Langland, Mrs
Langland, N. P 197, 224,
Langland, Peter 887,
Lapeer
Laps
Lamed 95,
Larson, Anna (Bolstad), Bin
336,345,
Larson, Chloe A
Larson, Clara Elisabeth ..
Larson, EliasTastad 67,
Larson, Elisha 145,
Larson, Emma
Larson, Even D
354
21
421
198
307
231
13
140
332
111
68
146
111
460
INDEX.
PAGE.
■Larson, George Marion OS
Larson, Georgiana Henrietta OS
Larson, Gilbert B 144, 145
Larson, Gilbert J 142
Larson, Ida 145
Larson, Ingebret (Narvig) 141-146
179-182. 220. 356, 367, 396, 430
Larson. Inger Marie 67
Larson, Johan 194, 195
Larson, Lars (Brimsoe) 151-15 >
Larson, Lars (i Jeilane ) . . 45-47, 50, 55
58, 59, 63-67, 83, 84, 91-03
108, 128, 130, 131, 147
155, 160, 367, 396, 430
Larson, Lars, Mrs 93
Larson, Lydia Glazier 67
Larson, Martha Georgiana ... 57, 66
67, 130
Larson, Martha Jane. ...;... 68, 69 , 85
Larson, Martin 85
Larson, Miss 69
Larson, Mils fBolstad) ...327,337, 341
344, 47,349,351-354,366, 431
Larson, Ole 274
Larson, Sara 47, 92, 103
La Salle (Co) 82, 94, 96-110, 114
129, 133, 135, 141, 14,-156
160, 161, 164, 163, 171-174
177, 179, 180, 181, 1S3, 18(5
187, 190, 192-195, 198, 199
' 22 1 -2 :4, 230, 232, 237, 214
251, 254, 334, 349, 350, 335
390. 392, 399, 408, 4 10, 411
Latter Day Saints 105,103, 177
.399-401, 428
Lat'n 9, 11, 320
Lauman, Mr 355
Lawson, Iver 285
Lawson, Iver, Mrs 227
Lawson, Victor Fremont.. 227, 28 \ 331
Lee, Adders N 332
Lee (Co.) 103, 112, 149, 151
185-188, 193. 254, 365. 368. 369, 391
Lee, Nels A. . . .327, 330-332, 325, 336, 350
351
Lagendre 13
Lohi 402, 403, 408
Liebolds, Col... 119
L^idal, Anfiu 329, 330
Leire ... 6
Leland .... 237, 399
Lenawee 219-221
Lewauo»e 144, 367
Lhwu, Dollie 99
Lewis, Isabel (Mrs.) 106
Libby (prison) ... 122
Libyan 4
Len, Henrik 341
Lien, Ole (Sr.) 343
Lier 2si
Lier, Lars 340, 341
Lier, ole 337
Lillesand 374
PAGE.
Lilley, Robert.... 69, 76
Lima, Simon 92, 101
Lincoln, Pres ... . 260, 289
Lind, Chas 84
Lind, Claudine 84
Lind, Ellen 84
Lind. Jenny 1, 14
Linne, Carl von 10, 11
Lisbon 113
Lisett 57
Liverpool ... 216, 249
Livingston (Co.) 99, 111
Lockport 6»
Lohner, Halvor Nelson.
(See Nelson.)
Lohner, Kittle 275
Loiten 882
London 11 , 46, 67, 450
London (Wis.) 103
Lonfl >k, Halvor (Viulete) ....399, 313
Loi.gfellovv, H. W 447
Long Island 23
Lonj; Island Sound 70, 72
Lockhart, D. M. (Capt.) 363
Los Angeles 292
Lossing. Benson John 32
Lruisiana 42, 373, 3"6
Lovrsnskjold, Mr 234
Lubeck 158
Ludvig. Mr 233
Lumholtz, Carl 450
Lind, A. C 406
Lund , A H (Apostle) 403
Luraas (family) 268, 275. 198
300, 366
Luraas (farm) 269
Luraas, Halvor Osteuson.
(See Ostenson.)
Luraas, John Nelson.
(See Nelson.)
Lurq RSt Knudt 30)
Luthean 190,212,225.228,279, x87
289, 293. 297. 299 . 303, 323. 324, I 3 3
380, 381, 388, 395-398, 401 ,409, 410
414,4 iP, 117,419,420,423,425, 423
442. 147
Lutber College 333, 441
Lutner Valley 252, 253
Lyd vo, Kuud 329
Lydvo, Nils 329
Lydvo, Ole 329
M.
McClintock and Strong's Cyclo-
pedia 446
McCook (Major General) 118
McFadden, William F 67
Mackinac, Str. of 390
Madeira 58,71, 72
Malison 156,161,164,215,293, 300
310, 322, 328, 329. 35~, 439, 445-416
INDEX.
401
., ,. ~ PAG*.
Madison Democrat 44 4
Madland, Christina 1QU
Madiand, Jens kk)
Madlaud, J. O. D 10o
Madland, Julia 100,101, 105
Madlaud, Martba 100
Madland, Rachel 100, ]0S
Madland, Serena 100 12tf
Madland, Thomas. ...92,03, 100, 103, 105
lou, 128
Madsen, Dr 317
Madvig, J. N y
Manila Charta 5, 811
Magnolia 876
Maine 41
Mai let, Paul Henri 83, 34
Manchester 113, 2>1
Mandal . . 20
Manhattan (isle) 22
Manti Temple 405
March, John H 72
Markland lit
Marquette 141, 146
Marseilles 97, 9b
Marsett, Canute Peterson.
(See Peterson.)
Marsett, Peter Cornelius 95
Marshall 374
Marshall (.Co ) 174
Maryland 42
Massachusetts 41 , 199, 328. 214
Matison, Helge 30.)
Matson, C. R 333
Mayflower 5, 25, 45, 5ti
Menus, Peter Asbjornson
( ->ee Asbjornson.)
Melchizedek (order of) 399, 428
Meiland, Carrie J 887
Methodists 177,212,228,398. 415
417, 428
Methodist Episcopal 2.U
Mexican War 80
Michigan.... 42, 61, 68. 88, 89, 105, 107
142-144, 140, 174. 180, 219-221
224, 205, 330, 307, 8x6
Michigan (Lake).... 111,203,313, 860
Midboen, Erik Gauteson.
(See Gauteson.)
Midboen, Gunder Gauteson.
(See Gauteson.)
Middle point . 407, 410
Mikado 89
Mikkelson. Lars B 153
Miller 150, 175, 195, 223
Miller, Major 114, 115, 117, 120
122-124
Milton (poet) 4
Milton (town) 108, 338. 339, 342
Milwaukee 102, 225, 227, 251, 2(50
262, 271-274, 87$, 890, 2 3, 294
312, 313, 335, 349, 302, 303, 390
421, 485, 189
Mineral Point. 255
Minneapolis
.Minnesota 12. 18.89, 100,11V, 142
ill 146, 164, i
259, 275, *7N, 300, ;.
Mission 94. 95, 110, 111, 114. 189
184, 135, 160, 171, 174
(80, 410
M issi< >n Ridge (Battle of;
Mississippi 42, :
Missouri 42. 07. 103, 189, I
185-189, 193, 2:
Mitchell (Co.)
Mitchell, Inger, Mrs 98, I
137. 177
Mitchell. JohuS
Mitchell. M. B 137, 177
Molee, Anne :^4
ftfolee, Elias J 2, 5,-'.'
Moee, Halvor
Molee, John Evenson. (See K.
son.)
Molin. Peter 89
Moilerflatou 30.)
Monitor 20.
Monroe (Co.) ;
Monroe Doctrine
Montana J2
Moutesqti'eu 319
Montevideo 104
Montgomery 114
Mon gomery (Co.) 152
Morem. Gunnul Knutson. (S. j e
Knutson.)
Morg^ubladet 372
Mormons 95. 105, 152, 177, 1 -
237, 309,389, 398-40S, 4K
Mormonism
Morris, Mrs '.8
Morse 10
Morton, John 25, 30
Morter 149
Mount Enterprise
Mount Hi -reb 421
Muher, Max 9
Munk, Jens
Murfree-boro .
Murtreesboro (Battle of) 112, 110
Muremester, Halvor
Murray 78
Muskego ....225. 288,251,
874 877, 280 284,
313,315,321.
303, 866,890, 411. 41 \ tl9
421.
Muskego (Lake)
Muuss B J., Rev
Myhre, Gulbrand Gulbrandson
(See Gulbrandson).
Myhrre, Jens Gulbranson (See
Gulbranson)
462
INDEX.
N.
PAGE.
Nacogdoches 374, 884
NflBrscrand 369
Naes, Bttrre ... 85
Namsdkleidt 235
Nansen, Frithiof 13
Nap >leon 46
Napoleonic Wars 45, 159
Narveson, Hakon 221
Narvig. Ingebret Larson. . (See
Larson)
JSaset. John J 141
Nashville 26 1
Nashville pike 119
Natchitoches 373, 376
Nattestad, Ansten... 199,202,207, 215
217,238,239.241,248,249, 253
257,258,502,267-268,336, 314
358, 430
Nattestad, Henry 249
Nattestad, Ole. . ..199,200,202.215, 216
237, 238,247-255, 263, 266. 267
344,365,430,' 438
Nauvoo 369, 400
Nebra, ka 42. 43, 98
Neison, Amelia 95
Nelson, Anders (Brackke), . . . — 329
Nelson, Anna (Solkeirn) , 291
Nelson, Bergit (Kalsudj 256
Nelson, Cornelius (Hersdal) 91, 93
101,127,129, 130,140,175,182. 401
Nelson, Halvor 178
Nelson, Halvor (Lohner) 298
Nelson, Herman (Tufte) 295
Nelson, I ia 102
Nelson, John (Luraas)... 268,269, 276
277,309,430
Nelson, John (Rue) 232, 256
Nelson, John W 291
Nelson, Jalia 2S8
Nelson, Knute 332
Nelson, Lars 178
Nelson, Malinda, Mrs 228, 229
Nelson, Nels 86
Nelson, Nels (Hersdal) ....92,94, 10.
■•02, 128-130, 150, 175
Nelson, Nels (Skogen) 264
Nelson, Peter 102, 2U
Nelson, Peter C 95, 96
Nelson, Peter (Ovrabo) 230
Nelson, Susan . 40.
Neuson, Gunhild 30'
Nevada 42
New Amsterdam 22, 23
Newark 110, 1 12, 1 13, 253
Newburg 219, 221, 222
New England 51
New England Historical and Gen-
ealogical Register 26
New Hampshire 41
New Jersey 23, 41
New Mexico 42, 146, 294
New Norway 68
PAGE.
New Orleans 210. 249, 367, 372
374-376, 379, 392
New Port 256
New Siberian Isles 13
N e ws, The Chicago 333
Newton 8
Newville 342
New World 17, 18, 36, 44, 56, 147
New York .... 22 , 23, 38, 41 , 43 ,44, 54
54, 55, 57, 60-82, 86, 93-103
108-112, 129-133, 138, 141
144, 148-156, 160. 163, 170
• 171, 173, 175, 176, 179, 184
187, 189, 191-193, 196. 197
229. 231, 244. 250. 251, 256
257, 262. 264-268, 271. 276
285, 286, 293, 294, 310, 312
327, 330, 336, 349, 355
361, 362,361, 367. 369
390, 397, 424. 427
New York American — 72, 73
New York Daily Advertiser 70, 72
New York Gazette 70
New York National Advertiser.. .70.72
Niagara Falls 109, 113, 307 409
Nichols, Mrs 229
Neilson, S 374
Nilson, Sigri 411
Nilson, Svein VIII
Nilsson, Svein, Prof. 233, 233, 237, 269,
280, 349.
Nilsson, Sven 8, 12
Noble t Co.) 109, 264, 265, 368
Nolde, Peter 29
Nordboe 138, 187
Nordboe, Johan. 108, 138, 140, 355, 356
369, 370, 386-388, 391, 392, 395
430, 140, 189, 193, 383, 387, 391
Nordboe, Mrs
Nordboe, Peter
Norden 43, 148, 149, 156,
Nordenskjold, N. A. E
Nordlyset 225, 293-295,
Nordstokke
Nordvig, Anders
Nord vig, Magdalena
Nordvig, Malinda
Nore
N ore, Thore
Norman Hill
Normandy 5, 6
Normandy (Texas) 375, 380.
Normans
Norse .... 3, 31, 32, 196, 211, 444, 447,
Norsemen 1, 3, 15-18, 32, 33,
318,
Norse (P. O.)
North Cape 12,
North Oape Literary Society
Northmen 1, X!8, 33, 306,
North Sea
Norvig, Anders 197, 198,
139
140
284
248
285
355
355
388
319
384
5
448
312
448
191
362
289
445
16
227
INDEX.
4C3
PACE.
Norvig, Magdalena, Mrs
Norway (111.) 96, 97, 106, 823
228-230, 413, 417
Norway (Iowa) ill, 151, 410
Norway (Minn.) 20i
Norway ("Wis J 277-278
Nova Uania gfi
Nova Scotia is
Nubbru, Even 240
Nu medal.. 238, 250. 252, 255-260, 204
286, 207, 330,342, 344, 351
Numedalians 258
Ny Elfsborg u,
Nylin us, Christopher 252, 200
Nyluius, Kittel 252, 26s!
Nyiv, Baard 33]
o.
Oakland 145
Odin 18
Oersted, H. C 9
OEsterdalen 13c
QSxnavar 166
Ouio 42, 329
Ohio (river) 187
Oklahoma 42
Olmstead, Benson C 98
Olmstead, Unas. B 98
Olmstead (Co.) 300
Olmstead, George 97
Olsons 397
Olson, Ambjor 25
Olson, Anna (Ber^ 277
Olson. Anna (Vindeg) 837
Olson. Bent (Vindeg) 887
Olson, Bertha 112, 111
Olson, Bertha Karina 450
Olson, (Camp) 124
Olson, Charles P Ill
Olson, Christian 133
Olson, Edward ill
Olson, Ellen (Uekve) 828
Olson, Gunuul (Vindeg). 16 , 326. 332.
335-355, 366, 415, 430
Olson, Guro 107
Olson, Hans 178
Olson, Hedeik (Vindeg).. 337, 344, 346
Olson, Hulda, Mrs. 93, 99. 128, 133, 176
Olson, Jacob (Hetletvedt) 112
O'son, James Webster 112
Olson, John Ill
Olson, Knud 153, 178
Olson, Knud 882
Olson, Knud (Eide) . 54, 55, 60, 62, 75
171. 196, 197. 224, 229, 430
Olson, Knud (Hetletvedt) . . . . 110,151
Olson, Knud T 178
Olson, Knud (Vindeg) 160
Olson, Kolbein 'Saue) 328, 345
Olson, Lars B 153, 178
Olson, Lars (Capt.) . 50, 60, 61, 93, loo'
109, 342
Olson, Lars (Dugstad).. 167, 1
329, 330, 343, 846,
431
Olson, Lars (Hetletvedt) 1 12
Olson, Malitula m
< Hson, Michael i;*
Olson, Miss. 09
Olson, Nels
Olson, Nils ,,., isf
Olson, O
Olson, Ole (Heier)
410, I
Olson, Ole (Hetletvedt) . .
109-113, 148, 151, :;
408-1
Olson, Ole (of Knud Het.) ....110, ill
Olson, Ole (Onidal) 237, 3
Olson, OleT 151, 178
Olson, Peter C 111
Olson, Porter C. 112-115, 120 1
Olson, Rasmus \)'j, ; .
Olson, Sara
Olson, Sarah Anne m
Olson, Serina 1 5 1
Olson, Siri (Si^rid) ill
Olson, Sophia (Jr.) Ill
Olson, Sophia (of Knud Het.) ill
Olson, Soren L 112, 119
Olson, Soren (of Knud Het.).. 110, 111
Olson, Stark (Saue)
Olson, Thorstein (Bjaadland)..
92, 93. 106, 107, :■
174, 175, 2
342. 343, 846-848, 351
353, 354, 300, 861
Omaha 43
Ombli (parish) 380
Ombo 110
Omdal, Ole Olson (See Olson) ....
Ontario ... 7<).
Ontario (Lake) 77, 79, 101. 105
Orbek, Ouline Jacobine 379
Oregon 42, 14»>
Orkneys 16
oiland. Arne 332
Orleans (Co.). ..04.65,68,72.70-82, 104
181,171,11
Orsland, Canute... 84, 85, 88, 89, 165, 200
Orsland, Hallock
Orsland. Harry B 84,88, 265
Orsland, Inger, Mrs
Orsland, Jane . .
Orsland, de 88, 86i
Orated, Thomas Ill, 412
Oslo (church)
Osmondson, Endre (Aaragerbo . . .
410, 431
Osmundson, Gudmund (Fister) .
133, 135
Osmundson, Herman (Aaragerbo)
410, 431
404
INDEX.
PAGE.
Ostenson, Halvor (Luraas) '60a
OstensoD, Torger (Luraa-*) 309
Ottawa 94.96,97,102,106,127, 137
173-175, 190 . 230, 244, 386,390, 392, 488
Otteson, J. A , Rev 157
Overgaarden 235
Overhalden 235
Overveien 361
Ovrabo, Peter Nelson . . (See
Nelson).
Ozaukee (Co.) 290
P.
Pacific 12
Paoli, Gerhard C 357
Parker, Eliza £5
Patriol (Abany) 76
Patterson , Martha Jane 6 s
Patterson, Elias C 68
Patterson, Mrs *. . . 8?
Paulsbo ._ 417
Peabody institute — . 417
Pecatonica (river) 2'it
Pedersdatier, Marie 1-3
Pedersdatter, Sigrid (Valle) 260
Pederson, Halvor (Haugen) 262
Peder son, Jens (Vehus) 314, 355
Pederson, Jorgen 399, 410, 481
Peerson, Catherine, Mrs 181, 18-1
Peerson, Charletta Marie 183
Peerson, Kleng 54, 55, 60, 62, 75, 83
86, 93. 103, 107, 127, 129
138, 140-142. 148, 154
160, 171-176, 179-196
203, 219, 222. 2 SO, 829
358,364,365,367, 369
383, 386, 387-394, 430
Peerson, Martha Georgiana 47
Peerson. Ole 394
Peerson, Samuel 229, 230
Penn, William 57, 217
Pennsylvania 25,42, 174, 197
363, 367
Pennsylvania (vol.) 363, 364
P^rry 235
Persian 32
Petersburg (Battle of) 36 1
Peterso i, Bshop . 40}
Peterson, Sarah A., Mrs 96, 182
401, 406, 407
Peterson, Canute 401
Peterson, Charles 29
Peterson, Knud 401, 410, 431
Peterson, Canute (Marsett) — 94, 95
182, 184
Philadelphia.... 24, 29, 38, 43, 363, 367
Pikes Peak 260
Pilgrim (fathers) 318
Pine Lake 358, 359, 373, 415-4lf
Pioneer History of Orleans
Coun y, New York 82
PAGE..
Pitzers. 224
Pleasant Springs 426
Plymouth (Mass.) 20, 51
Plymouth (111) 253
Poland 137
Porsgrnnd 423
Porter 142
Paulson, P 394
Prairie ville 871, 378-3*0, 385
Presbyterian 212, 398, 428-
Preus. A. C Rev.. ..225, 389, 428, 444
Preus. Mrs 225
Primrose , . . . .260, 263, 264, 415
Protestant 2J2, 319, 323
Protocol 425
Puritans 32, 45, 50, 217
Q.
Quadlind, Anders Enochson (Sea
Enoch son).
Quaker. . . 46, 51, 55, 56, 63, 64, 67, 88
100, 104, 141-143, 155, 156, 159
160, 172, 177, 179, 191, 192, 212
217, 220, 310, 396, 398, 428
Quakerism 47
Quam; J. A 96,176, 177
Qvastad, Carl 394
Racine 289, S9>
Racine (Co).... 201, 225, 226, 255, 2j2
266, 276, 277, 280, 282, 284, 28 1
288, 291, 292, 294, 366, 421, 4;8
Ranger 26, 27
Ransom 106
Rasch, Carl Johan 444
Rask, Rasmus 9
Rasmuson, Martha F 418
Raymond (township) 285-287
Readers 48, 397, 400, 401
Record , The Chicago . . 333
Rector(St.). 22
Red (river; 375
Keierson, Carl 375, 377
Reierson, Christian.. .374, 375, 379,382
Reierson, Gerhard 374
Reierson, Gena 374, 375, 378
Reierson, Henrietta 375, 376
Reierson, Henrietta Walter, Mrs. 371
Reierson, Johan Reinert . . VIII, 193
255, 298, 299, 359, 869-382, 395
415, 431
Reiersen, John 375, 379
Reierson, Ole 187, 374
Reierson, Oscar 375, 3?9
Reiersons 139 , 372, 378
Rekve, Ellen Olson. (See Olson.)
RennesO ?06
Reqae, S. S., Rev 164,333-
INDEX.
465
PA OK.
Rostaurationen 83, 15,51, 53, 56
64, 04, 07, G'J, 70, 72, 79, 1*
844, 96i
Reutersville
Revolutionary War
Reymert, James D . . . .226, 293, 89 J, 816
Reymerta (Lake) :;io
Reymen's (saw-mill) 816
Richey, Cora A 96
Kichey, Sara T., Mrs. ..93, 98, 101, 127
Richey, Will F 96
Richey, Win. W 97
Ridley 86
Riggs (Corporal) 119
Ringebo 138, 855
Ringn^s, Jens 894
Ringsaker 203, 855
Rlskedal 176
Riverside 888
Rhen i 4
Rhode Tsland 41,256
Rochambeau, Gen 80
Rochester .. .61, 65-69, 73, 87, 88, 96
101, 103, 104, 108, 111, 151
160, 103, 104, 171, 17', 229
244, 327, 349, 355.
Rock (Co.) 109, 237.
254, 260-264, 365, 438
Rock Dell 800
Rockford 168, 848
Rock Prairie 252-259, 202, 866
366, 415, 438
Rock (river) 168,259,337, 340
342, 345
Rock Run 251 , 254, 255, 305, 300
Rocky (mountains) 133, 184
Rokne, Knud 331
Rolf son , Rolf (Flaten) 274
Rollong (parish) 238, 242, 336
Roman 3,24-36, 318
Roman 85
Romer, Ole 10
Romish 5
Ronve, B 331
Rosaaen, Torkel 221
Rosadals 390
Rosdal, Bertha 98
Rosdal, Caroline
Rosdal, Ellen 98, 99
Rosdal. Hulda 98, 99
Rosdal, John 98, 99
Rosdal, Lars 98
Rosdal, Ove 06, 09
Rosecrans. Gen 120
Rosoino, Peder SOU
Rossaland, Mr 198
Rossaland, Amund Anderson (Sec
Anderson)
Rossaland, Anna 166, 344
Rossaland, Anders 197
Rossaland, Piling 166, 844
Rossaland, Endre 166, 34 i, 345
Rossedal, Daniel Stiuson
Stenson)
30
. r-AGK.
EtSthe, Lars
Rttthe, Nelg 151, 327, 8
Rathe, ThorbjSr i
Rotterdam
Rue, John Nelson. .(See Nelson).
Rush (CoO
Eturaia
Russian
Rutland 160, 175, 177, 1
Rydberg, Victor, Dr
Ryfylke :
Hyiming, Jens
Rynning, Ole ...VIII, 161,
245
295, 331, 31
s.
Sa?tersdalians 379
Sffltersdal :
Saevig, Erik Johnson . . (See
Johnson).
St. Ansgar ....257, 258
St. Joseph.-
St. Louis 43, 399
St. Paul
Saints
Saint Syr, Mrs 416
Salt LakeXjity 95, 10S, 152, 401-W3
Salt Lake Tribune 406
Salt Lake (Valley)
Samnanger 14s
San Augustine
Sandeid 43, 15.-159
Sanderson, Elleu (Bakke)
Sanderson, Eystein (Bakke) 184
Sandfaerdig Beretnin* om Ameri-
ka til Oplysning og Nytte, for
Bonde og Menigmaad forfattet
af en norsk, som kom derover i
Juui Maaned 1837 303
Sin Diego 101,103,128
Sandsberg 136
Samsberg. Andreas 135, 137
Sandsberg, Anna 134
Sandsberg, Bertha 184
Sandsberg, Gudman. 138-135,137, 146,
147. 177, 480.
Sandsberg, Osmond Indersoi)
Anderson).
Sandsberg, Torbor
Sandsgaard
Sandwich
San Francisco .
Sin Houston
Sanpete
Mine, iiiilleik 331
San.-. Kolbein Olson (See Olson).
Saue, Lars 331
Saue, Stark Olson (See Olson).
46(5
INDEX.
PAGE.
Saue, Torstein 331
Sauk Centre 100
Saukville 294
Saxo 6
Saxo, Grammatocus 3
Saxon 33
Saxon English 301
Scandinavia 2, 218, 326, 404
447, 449
Scandinavians 1-7, 14-22. 30-34
37-44, 91, 282, 311, 318, 319, 324
325, 383, 402, 403, 405, 408, 442
443, 445, 449
Scheele, C. W 10, 11
Scheie, Anna .. 344
Scheie, Gayri 344
Scheie, Lars 166, 167,343-344
Sc b j < ">tte, Theodore 357
Schubtead, Caroline 85, 88
Schweigaard, A. M 53
Scofleld, Gen 124
Scotch 36, 293
Scotland 293
Scott, Gen 30
Sebbe, Anna Hendrickson.
(See Hendrickson.)
Sebbe, Henrik Erikson.
(See Erikson.)
Sebby, J. 176
Seland 6
Serapis 27, 28
Shabona Grove 168, 342
Shakespere 6, 32
Sheboygan 416
Shelby (Co ) ....103, 139, 185-189, 193
236,339, 367
Sherborne, John Henry 29
Sheridan.. 60, 94, 96, 99, 106, 128, 129
141, 151, 173, 177, 223
Sheridan, Gen 118-120
Sherman, George D. (Major) . .122, 123
Shreveport 374, 376-378, 392
Shulstead, Claus 88
Sibley, Henry 178
Sigdal 240
Sigard, The Volsung 31
Sill, Gen 114, 116, 117
Silver (Lake) 316
Simonson, Andrew 186, 369
Binding 14
Siverson, Nels (Gilderhus) 327
329-335, 346-354, 266, 430
Skaar, Kleng 410, 431
Skandinaven 226, 333
Skandinaviens Stjerue 405
Skavlem, Erik Guldbranson.
(See Guldbranson.)
Skien 231, 233, 251, 268, 270, 271
358, 416
Skjold (District).. .54, 61, 93, 130, 147
148, 150, 151, 179, 227
Skofstads 262
Skofstad, Johannes 278
PAGE.
Skogen, Nels Nelson.
(See Nelson.)
Slesvigian 374
Slogvig, Jacob Anderson.
(See Anderson.)
Slogvig, Knud Anderson. (See
Anderson.)
Smaalenene 48
Smith, H. (Capt.) 424
Smith, John G 337, 345, 414-416
Smith, Lydia E 144
Smith, William 144
Snaasen 203
Snorre Sturlason 14, 19
Society, Royal 11
Sogn 221, 293
Solheim, Anna Nelson. (See Nel-
son.)
Somerset (Co.) - 174
Sonve, Mads 331
Sorensen, Bishop 255
Sorensen, S 41
Sorenson, P 423
South Africa . . 418
Southern Rebellion 30
Spain 4
Spencers.
Spencer's Business College 289
Spitzbergen 14
Spofford, Geo., Mrs 292
Spring Grove 164,221, 333
Spring Prairie 329
Spring Valley.... 235
Stacek, Klemet 255,259, 366
Stabell, Adolph 371
Stafford, Miss 29
Stangeland, Andrew J 85-87, 90
92, 108, 109, 265
Stangeland, Elias 275, 316
Stangland, Gurina, Mrs 316
Stark, N.O 328
Starn, Dr 374, 375
Stavanger.... 43-45, 47, 49, 52-61, 66
79. 89, 93, 96, 100, 102, 103, 106
109-111, 127, 130, 133-136, 141
143, 147-152, 155-159, 164, 166
171, 178, 179, 187, 188, 191, 192
195, 196, 219, 222, 224, 229, 232
239-245, 267, 268, 270, 306, £09
310, 369, 389, 390, 409, 421, 427
Stavanger (Cape) 71, 73
Stavanger ings 138, 140, 348
Steen , Severine Cathrine 203
Stene, Johannes 92, 96
Stenson, Daniel (Rossedal) ...92, 93
98, 100, 128, 133
Stenson, Niels 8
Stephenson (Co.) 251, 254
Stettin 427
Stockholm . . 414
Scone River (Battle of) 114, 121
Storthing 240, 241, 358
Stoughton 269, 277, 442
INDEX.
4G7
PAGE.
Strand 152,227, 228, 412
Mtrauiiifjord jg
SuflfJU' Creek . . .112, 185, 188, 230, 355, 3(5*)
Sumter Fort 25
Suode, Gjermund Knudson (See
Knudson)
Sunve (farm) 411
Svendseu 14
Svimbil. Thor Kittelsoa See
Kittelson
Svinalie, Erik 309
Swede 8, 10,20, 25, 26, 30. 41-43, 45
159.303,310,312,337, 345,414-41(1, 124
Sweden 1,2.5,8,10,12,29,80,88-40
48,64,68,132,184,158,169,218, 261
262,303.309,310,312,324,405,411, 417
Swedenborg 14
Swedish .... 1, 5, 6, 24, 25,68,132, 154, 181
183, 189, 244, 310,358, 416,427, 450
Swedish Norwegian Consul 3(12
Swenson, B. E 394
Switzerland 51, 224
Syriac 429
Taine, H. A 31, 32
Tallakson, Lars.. .153,154,181,367, 368
Tananger 248
Tarrant (Co.) 140
Tarvestad 389
Tastad, Elias 47,50,155, 192
Tazewell (Co) 1:4
Tegner, Bishop 14, 4is
Tennessee 42,112,114,124, 861
Tesman, Han <:
Teaman, Peter 187, 309
Tesman, William 187, 309
Teutonic 2,3, 32
Texan Consul 374
Texas. . . VII, 42. 44, 13.8-141, 188-193, 29s
369-375, 878-895, 411, 432
Thelemarken 107, 231-234. 237, 288
250, 251. 250. 200, 268, 275, 876
290, 29 1 , 298 , 334 , 35S , 359 , 300
370,399, KX)
Thelemarkian 233
Thomas, Arad 64, 82, 83
Thomas, WW. (Jr.) 25
Thomason, Ann 150
Thomason, Osmund 150, 178
Thompson, Abraham 97
Thompson, Anna Maria 97
Thompson, Bertha Caroline 96, 97
Thompson, Caroline 96,98, 224
Thompson, Beige
Thompson, Nels .92.96-98,108,- 174
Thompson, O'e (Eie) 176, 190
Thompson, Ole (Thorbi5mson
Eide) 60-1
Thompson, Oyen (Thorson).. .
Thompson, Sara '.'
Thompson, Serena
Thompson, Thomas A. . .
D, Christian... m
Thor
Thorbjornson Eide, OleTh'onip'-
80n O^ Thonaps.
Thore Petre ..... 427
ITiorfln Karlsefue '{3, 19
Thorflnson, Snorre 11
Thorkelin, C.J ,*".' q
Thorson, Oyen (see Thompson). '
rhprstetnson, Ole 107
Thorvald
Thorwaidsen. Albert ....... 11
Tbordson, Thomas
Tidende (Minneapolis). ...'..'..' 41
Tillotson, Thove
Tin (parish).
266, 26t
310, 317, 3v
I ippeeanoe (river)
Tollefsjord. John
Tollefsjord, Nils JJ0
Tollefsjord, Ole
Tollefson, Anna, Mrs
Tollefson, Gunuuf 864, ;.
Tollefson, Ole
Tollefson, Tonnes 166, II
Tollefson, T. M
Tdmmerstigen, Anders Johanne-
son (See Johanueson.)
Tonsberg
Torgerson , Betsy
Torgerson , Carl
Torgerson, Ole
Torgerson, T. A., Rev 157,
Toronto 14
Torrison, Halstein 194, 195,-.
Tosseland, Mr
Treatise on the Blow Pipe 11
Tricolo 861
Trinity (church)
Trinity (river) 381
Trondhjem 203, 2
Trovatten, Ole Knudson.
Knudson.)
Tufte, Herman Nelson.
(See Nelson.)
Turks
Tuttle, Osmund ill
Tvede, C
Miss
Twdestran'l 371
Tveito, Hans 275, 3:
Tveito. Oslaug, Mrs 336
Tvedt, John
Tyler
Tysland. Knud 868
Tyeoen (Parish.) 54, 55, .->:
101-10
198, 219
468
INDEX.
U.
PAGE.
. 58
.. 17
Uelarci, Ole Gabriel
Ulfson, Gunubjorn
Union Rei W
United States. 18, 20, 32, 33, 38, 41, 45
50. C'.i. 115. 107, 212, 213, 261
294. 300, 311, 320, 321, 325
333. 351, 360, 431, 438, 442, 448
United States Naval Asylum 29
United States Navy. .. .25, 2d, 319, 363
University of Wisconsin 26, 445
Unonius, G 358, 373, 414-416
Upsala 417
Uranienborg 7
Utah 42, 43, 95, 108, 152, 182-184
400-402, 405, 406, 408
Utah Constitutional Convention.. 406
Utah (Co.) 408
Utica 357, 420
Vaegli 238, 256-260,266
Vaelde (farm) 219
Vaelde, Hans (See Valder).
Vaete, Halle 328
Valder, Hans 61, 62, 197
219-222, 229, 230, 408, 431
Valem Ill
Valle, C. Danielson.
(See Danielson.)
Valle (farm) 281
Valle, Sigrid Pedersdatter.
(See Pedersdatter . )
Van Zandt 382
Van Zandt (Co) 382
Vandal ..... 356
Vatname, Helge 229, 230
Vats (parish) 61, 219
Vega 12
Venus, Andrew 341
Venus, Jens P (See Pederson.)
Veiviseren (The Pathfinder) 299
359, 373
Vermont 41
Vernon 275
Vespucci, Amerigo 17
Veste, Nils 199,200
Veste, Thorbjorn 197, 198
Vestre. Moland 370, 384
He 53
Vitfedal 43, 155, 159
Vi^fusson, Gudbrand 1, 14
Viking .. 1, 2, 4, 5, 15, 24, 33, 146, 301
Vikings, Norse 16
Villisca 152
Vincent, Charles 378
Vindeg, Anna Olson. (See Olson.)
Vindeg, Bernt Olson. (See Olson.)
Vindeg, Gunnud Olson. (See
Olson )
Vindeg, Helleik Olson. (See
Olson.)
Vindeg. Knud Olson. (See Olson.)
Vine, Carena, Mrs 142, 143
Vinland 14,16,18,38, 83-
Vineland, The Good 211
Vinlete, Halvor Lonflok. (See
Lonflok.)
Virginia 42
Virginia, West 42
Vo*s... 151, 170, 253,291, 327-334, 359, 411
Vossings 253 , 327, 330-333, 335, 341
347,348,351, 352
w.
Waco 13S.18S.385. 388
Waerenskjold, Mr 372; 381, 383, 384
Waerenskjold, Elise, Mrs 139, 140
372,379-386, 431
Waerenskjold. Nils 385
Waerenskjold, Otto 385
Waerenskjold, Wilhelm 381, 384
Waerenskjoids 139
Walker, Mr 273
Walker's Point 273
Washburn (camp) 261
Washington 29,42,43, 417
Washington (brig) 423
Washington (D. (J.).. 251,252,388, 419
Washington, Gen 2S, 30
Washington (Texas) 373
Watkins, Lieut 118
Waukesha 316
Waukesha (Co.). . .266. #73, 274, 3 16, 366
Waukesha (Co.), History of 275-
Webser (Co.) 277
Webster's (Unabridged) 125
Ween, Ole 394
Wells(St.) 194
Wergeland 14, 52
Westbri 158
West (church) 426
Westergaara , Capt 889
Western Springs .. . 07 68, 128
White(Co.) 368
White Father 404
Whitewater 344
White Willow. . 343
Whitney, W. D 9
Whittels-y , F. C 67
Wilcox, P. P., Mrs 292
Wilkinson Cpike) 116, 118
W illerup, Minister. ] 65-
Willets, Alfred 68
Williamson, Canute 178
Williamson (Capt.) 43
Wind (Lake) # 278, 419
INDEX.
PAGE.
Winneshiek (Co.) 232, 891, 292
Wiota
Wisconsin.... 42, 43, 59, 05, 79, 89, 107
108, 113, 142, 144, 146, 1 1'.t
15G, 157, 101, 1G2, 164, 100-109
201, 214, 216, 222.
220. 2C0, i>06, 209, 271-274, -S,*;
278-283, 280, 287, 289, 291-293
300, 307, 308, 312, 313, 816
317, 322, 320-330, 888
343, 344, 349, 350, 352, 357-339
305, 3G0, 372, 390, 409
411, 415, 417, 419, 421, ]-_>r,
433, 437, 438, 4 !
Wisconsin Constitutional Conven-
tion 294
Wisconsin (river) 345
Wisconsin (vol) 08, 113, 2G0, 282
283, 316
Worth (Co) ....157, 164
Wyoming ........42, 149
Xerxes
TAGE.
... 77
Y.
Yarnell (Sergeant) 125
Yellow Medicine (Co.)
Ygre, Lars
Yorktown
Yorkville 81
Young, Brigham ;
Z.
Zimmer, Mr.
125
A PARTIAL ANDERSON BIBLIOGRAPHY.
REPRINTED FROM BIBLIOGRAPHY OP WISCONSIN AUTHORS
PUBLISHED BY THE WISCONSIN STATE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY.
Natur-Videnskabernes Forhold til Religionen. En
Forelasning af P. A. Chadbourne, LL. D., tidligere Pro-
fessor i Naturhistorie ved Williams College og Pro-
fessor i Naturhistorie og Chemi ved Bowdoin College,
nu President for Universitetet i Wisconsin. Oversat
af R. B. Anderson. Madison, Wis.: Trykt i B. W.
Suckow's Bog-og Accidents Try kkeri, 1869. 16p. O.
The Scandinavian languages; their historical, linguistic,
literary, and scientific value. Elucidated by quota-
tions from eminent American, English, German, and
French scholars. Notices of these languages by H. W.
Longfellow, George P. Marsh, Samuel Laing, Robert
Buchanan, Schlegel, Mallet, and others. Madison, Wis.:
Democrat Company Printing Office, 1873. 16p. O.
Den Norske Maalsag. Han Per og ho 'Bergit. Chicago:
Skandinavens Forlag, 1874. 99p. S.
Tro og Fornuft. Tale af Dr. John Bascom, holdt i As-
sembly Chamber i Madison, Wis., til de examinerede
Kandidater af Wisconsin Universitet SOndag Efter-
middag den 13de Juni, 1875. Oversat af R. B. Ander-
son. Chicago, 1875. 15p. O.
Tale ved Femti-Aarsfesten for den Norske Udvandring
til Amerika Holdt i Chicago den 5te Juli, 1875. Chi-
cago: Trykt i Skandinavens Bog og Akcidents tryk-
keri, 1875. 27p. O.
Norse mythology, or the religion of our forefathers, con-
taining all the myths of the Eddas, systematized and
472 ANDERSON BIBLIOGRAPHY.
interpreted, wi£h *n introduction, vocabulary, and
index. 2d edition. Chicago: S. C. Griggs & Co.; Lon-
don: Triibner & Co., 1876. 473p. O. 5th edition,
1890*. Price §2.50
From Prof. F. Max Muller, University of Oxford: "I like it de-
cidedly and shall gladly avail myself of its help and guidance.''
Hand-book for charcoal burners, by G. Svedelius.
Translated from the Swedish by R. B. Anderson, A. M.,
Professor of Scandinavian languages in the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin. Edited with notes by W. J. L.
ISicodemus, Professor of civil engineering in the Uni-
versity of Wisconsin. With twenty-three wood en-
gravings. New York: John Wiley & Son, 1875. xv+
217p. D.
Viking tales of the north. The sagas of Thorstein, Vik-
ing's son and Fridthjof the Bold, translated from the
Icelandic by R. B. Anderson. AlsoTegner's Fridth-
jof 's saga, translated into English bv George Stephens.
Chicago: S. C. Griggs & Co., 1877. xviii+370p. D.
3d edition, 1889. * Price 82.00
From The Nation, New York:— Prof. Anderson's book is a very
valuable and important one. The "Saga of Thorstein, Viking's
Sou,'" temis with magnificently dramatic situations, uie impres-
siveness of which are rather increased by the calm directness and
dignity with which the* are related. And these features are as
characteristic of the English version as of the Icelandic originals.
America not discovered by Columbus. An historical
sketch of the discovery of America by the Norsemen
in the tenth century, with an appendix on the histor-
ical, linguistic, literary, and scientific value of the
Scandinavian languages. Also a bibliography of the
pre-Columbian discoveries of America, l>y Paul Bar-
ron Watson. Chicago: S. C. Griggs & Co.; London:
Triibner & Co., 187 7 . 120p D. 4, h edition. 1891.*
Price SI 00
Inmemoriam. Prof. Stephen Haskins Car renter, LL.D.
Address before the State historical society, Decem-
ber 17, 1878. Wisconsin Historical Collections, v. 8,
pp. 8G-95.
Amerika ikke opdaget af Columbus. En historisk skil-
dring af Nordmaendenes Opdagelseaf Amerika idet
lOde Aarhundrede. Med et Anhang om de nordiske
Sprogshistoriske, sproglige, literasre og videnskabelige
Vaerd. Oversat fra engelsk efter den anden forbe-
drede og forOgede Udgave af C. Chrest. Portrait.
Chicago: " Skandinavens " Bogtrykkeri, 1878. 125p.
ANDERSON BIBLIOGRAPHY. 473
The influence of reading upon health. Tliir.l Annual
Report of the State Board of Health, 187b, pp. 71
Finland and the Kalevala. Wisconsin Journal of 1 .
cation, v. 8, 1878, pp. 285-290.
Teutonic mythology. The American Antiquarian, v. 2,
1879-80, pp. 271-275.
The Younger Edda; also called Snorre's Edda, or the
Prose Edda. An English version of the 1
the fooling of Gylfe, the Afterword; Brage's Talk.
Afterword to Brage's Talk, and the import
in the poetical diction (Skalkskaparmal), with an in-
troduction, notes, vocabulary, and index. Chica
S. O. Griggs & Co.; London: Triibner & Co., 1
302p. O. Price
From The Scotchman, Edinburgh, Scotland:— Students of the
Scandinavian Mythology will acknowledge that l'rof. And."
has given them the most complete and literally faithful I
lish version yet produced of Snorre's Edda. He furnishes B
scholarly notes and a vocabulary.
Biographical sketch of Lyman C. Draper, LL. D., secre-
tary of the State historical society of Wisconsin.
Portrait. Cincinnati: Peter G. Thompson, 1881.
31p. Q.
Synnove Solbakken. By Bjornstjerne BjOrnson. Trans-
lated from the Norse by Rasmus B. Anderson. 1
trait. Boston: Houghton. Mifflin ft Co. 18S1.
197p. D.
Magnhild. By Bjornstjerne Bjornson. Translated from
the Norse by Rasmus B. Anderson. Boston: Hough
ton, Mifflin & Co. 1883. 223p. D.
The fisher maiden. By Bjornstjerne BjOrnson. Trans-
lated from the Norse by Rasmus B. Anderson. Bos-
ton: Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1883, 27-ip. D.
Captain Mansana, and other stories. By rne
bjornson. Translated from the Non B,
Anderson, boston: Houghton, Miilliu ct Co., I
474 ANDERSON BIBLIOGRAPHY.
The bridal march and other stories. By Bjornstjerne
Bjornson. Translated from the Norse by Rasmus B.
Anderson. Illustrated. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin
& Co., 1883. 201p. D.
Arne. By Bjornstjerne Bjornson. Translated from the
Norse by Rasmus B. Anderson. Boston: Houghton,
Mifflin & Co., 1883. 200p. D.
A happy boy. By Bjornstjerne Bjornson. Translated
from the Norse by Rasmus B. Anderson. Boston:
Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1884. 165p. D.
All B jornson's novels bound in three vols. Price 81 50
In this group of stories we have a distinct addition to the world's
literature — the exponents of a high and noble genius.— The Atlan-
tic Monthly.
Julegave. Et udvalg af Eventyr og Fortsellinger.
Chicago: John Anderson & Co., 1881. 212p. D. 7th
edition, 1890.
History of the literature of the Scandinavian North,
frem the most ancient times to the present. Trans-
lated f romjthe Danish of Frederik Winkel Horn, Ph. D.,
with a bibliography of the important books in the
English language relating to the Scandinavian coun-
tries, prepared for the translator by Thorvald Solberg.
Chicago: S. C. Griggs & Co., 1881. ix-f 507p. O.
Price , 83.00
Boston Advertiser:— Exhaustive and accurate. It is moreover, t
pervadedjby a wholesome enthusiasm never seriously warping the
author's judgment, adding much to the charm and freshness of his
style. There is an endless and unfailing fascination in Norse Liter-
ature.
Mythologie Scandinave. Legendes des Eddas. Traduc-
tion de M. Jules Leclercq. Paris: Ernest Leroux,
1886. x+293p. D.
Eminent authors of the nineteenth century. Literary
portraits by Dr. Georg Brandes, translated from the
original by R. B. Anderson. Portraits. New York:
Thomas Y. Crowell & Co., 1886. vii+!60p. O. Price.. 82.00
Amerikas forste Opdagelse. Af forfatteren gjennemset
og autoriseret oversaettelse ved Fr. Winkel Horn.
Portrait. Kjobenhavn: Gyldendalske Boghandels
Forlag ( P. Hegel & Son), Graabes Bogtrykkeri, 1886.
8jp. O.*
ANDERSON BIBLIOGRAPHY. 475
Nordisk mythologi af R. B. Anderson. De Forenede
Staters Minister-resident i Kjobeuhavn. .-lse
efter originalens 4de oplag ved Dr. Pr. Winkel Horn.
Kristiania: Albert Cammermeyer, 1887. xvi-H-
O.* With steel portrait and biographical sketch of
the author.
The religion of the ancient Scandinavians. From Horn-
iletic Magazine, v. 16, 1887, pp. 1-6, 69-76.
Non-Biblical systems of religion. A symposium, by the
Ven. Archdeacon Farrar, D. D.; Rev. Canon Rawlin-
son, M. A.; Rev. W. Wright, D. D.; Rabbi G. J. En.
uel, B. A.; Sir William Muir; Rev. Edwin Johnson,
M. A.; T. W. Rhys Davids, LL. D., Ph. D.; The Hon.
Rasmus B. Anderson; and Rev. Wm. Nicolson, AL A.
London: James Nisbet & Co., 1887. 243p. O*
Monumentet til Ole Bull. Madison, 1887. 4p. O.
The Lofoden cod fisheries. United States Consular Re-
ports, v. 25, 1888, pp. 70-82.
Market for American wares in Denmark and Scandi-
navia. Ibid., v. 25, 1888, pp. 82-85.
Die erste Entdeckung von Amerika. Eine historische
skizze der Entdeckung Amerikas durch die Skandi-
navier. Autorisirte Uebersetzung von Mathilde Mann.
Hamburg: Verlag von J. F. Richter, 1888. C2p. O.*
Teutonic mythology. Translated from the Swedish of
Viktor Rydberg, Ph. D., member of the Swedish
academy, author of "The Last Athenian," "Roman
Days," and other works. London: Swan Sonnen-
schein & Co., 1889. xii-f 706p. O. Price $8.00
From F. York Powell, Oxford, in Folk Lore, March, 1800: -T
is the most important addition to our knowledge of early Teutonic
myths since Grimm. It contains the most Important work done in
Northern mythology by a Scandinavian book during the last fifty
years.
Among cannibals: an account of four years' travels in
Australia and of camp life with the aborigines of
Queensland. By Carl Lumholtz. Translated by Ras-
mus B. Anderson. With portraits, maps, 4 chromo-
lithographs and woodcuts. New York: Ch;r
Scribner's Sons, 1880. xx+395p. O. Price $5.00
47(3 ANDERSON BIBLIOGRAPHY.
The Heimskringla or the sagas of the Norse kings, from
the Icelandic of fenorre Sturlason, by Samuel JLaing,
Esq. 2d edition, revised with notes by Rasmus B. An-
derson. Plates. Maps. London: John C. Nimmo;
New York: Scribner & Welford, 1889. 4 v. O. Price.. .820.00
From New York Tribune:— The present edition has been care-
fully revised by Prof. Anderson, with the aid of the latest scholar-
ship and criticism, and the editor's notes to the text of the sagas
apoear to be sufficiently full and accurate to bring the work down
to a level with recent discoveries.
Scandinavian mythology, the religion of our forefath-
ers. Minneapolis, 1890. 15p. O. Same. Madison,
1892.
Where was Vineland ? A reply to Prof. Gustav Storm,
refuting his arguments in favor of locating Vineland
in Nova Scotia, and maintaining that Columbus was
acquainted with the Norsemen's discovery of America.
Minneapolis, 1891. 12p. O.
Professor Anderson has also contributed to the American supple-
ment of Encyclopedia Britannioa ; to McQlintock dt Strong's Cyclo-
pedia; to Johnson's Cyclopedia; to Kiddle cO Schemes Cyclopedia;
to the last edition of Chamber's Cyclopedia, to Gilmore''s Cyclo-
pedia, and to the Standard Dictionary. He has been a frequent
contributor, also, to The Dial (Chicago), to The Nation (N. Y.),
and to various other periodicals.
Any of the above books with prices given will be sent
postage prepaid on receipt of price by
R. B. Andebson, Asgard,
Madison, Wis.
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