Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907 Maine Not many Norwegian families can be found in this State. A. C. Miller (in Falmouth) from Schleswig, with whom the author has had correspondence with regard to this, writes, "When in 1872 I came to Portland, where I settled and where I have lived for many years, there were a few Norwegians who, together with us Schleswigers and Danes and a few Swedes, established acongregation. We had a Norwegian priest to serve us. There is no Norwegian settlement in Maine. I have not heard mention of any more than one farmer. On the other hand there are some Norwegians in the City of Portland and they support themselves mainly with factory work. In Oxford County there must have been some Norwegians at some time since they have a Norway, Norway Lake and Norway Village. The first two still exist as post offices and the latter exists as Village. Once also there was a place called Norway Center and one that bore the name North Norway. We have good reason to believe that there had been a Norwegian colony in the old days since this place lies on the Atlantic Coast which Norwegians visited long before they decided to enter it. (The few countrymen found in larger cities in Maine are of a newer date and can provide no information. With regard to this State I have had to be satisfied with what people of other nationality have told me. - Author). Now there are two Norwegian congregations in Portland, one of them belongs to The United Church, the other to The Evangelical Free Church. For information about places where there are only a few Norwegians, see the accompanying map with added explanations. This is not just for Maine but applies to all the other States in the Union. And information about scattered Norwegians can be found in 'Sammenstilling af Sambygdinger i Amerika' in the last part of the book.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907 New Hampshire The founder of the first and only Norwegian settlement in this State was Johannes L. Osvold, born in Toten, but emigrated from Kristiania He settled in Berlin Mills, Coos Co. in 1854. Next after him came Carl Olsen, Herman Olsen and Nils Holje. The latter settled in Gorham. Oswold has been - and still is - the Postmaster in Berlin Mills, even though he is 85 years old. That same Oswold was also the first Norwegian to gain a seat in New Hampshire's Legislative Assembly. See the section 'Norwegians in public positions in America' (3 Norwegians from this little settlement have been members of the Legislature, something that it must be said has been well done) There is a Norwegian congregation with a church in Berlin Mills. It has been served by priests of The United Church. In Stratford County there is a place called Norway Plains. But Norwegians cannot be found, at least not in recent times.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907 Passaic County Norwegians are extremely few in this county. There is one however who has made himself known, Civil Engineer Anton L. Pettersen in Passaic City. He was elected a Member of the State Legislature in 1902. See the section 'Norwegians in public positions in America' In this county there is a post office with the name Moe, but who or where the man is, is not known. It must have been a Norwegian who came up with this name. But the Norwegians likely moved westward, as mentioned.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Hudson County In Hoboken there are quite a few Norwegians. There are also two Norwegian congregations each with a church. One of them belongs to The Norwegian Synod and the other to The Evangelical Free Church. In Jersey City there are also a number of people of Norwegian ancestry. The aforementioned societies each have a congregation and church here also. Therefore we find 4 Norwegian congregations and 4 churches in Hudson County. The most important source of income for the Norwegians: 1) loading and unloading ships, 2) shipping and 3) work in shipyards, drydocks, repair shops as well as paper and silk mills. The newspaper 'Luthersk Sendebud', published by The Norwegian Synod's clergy on the Atlantic coast, was begun in 1904.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Union County Most of the Norwegians in Union County (there are not however, very many of them) live in Elizabeth City, where factory work is the most important employment. In Elizabeth there is also a congregation belonging to The United Church. In this county there was once a post office called Thorsland. It is also known that there was a little Norwegian settlement in this area but it no longer exists. The Norwegian settlers sold their homes and moved west.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Union County Most of the Norwegians in Union County (there are not however, very many of them) live in Elizabeth City, where factory work is the most important employment. In Elizabeth there is also a congregation belonging to The United Church In this county there was once a post office called Thorsland. It is also known that there was a little Norwegian settlement in this area but it no longer exists. The Norwegian settlers sold their homes and moved west.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Hudson County In Hoboken there quite a few Norwegians. There are also two Norwegian congregations each with a church. One of them belongs to The Norwegian Synod and the other to The Evangelical Free Church. In Jersey City there are also a number of people of Norwegian ancestry. The aforementioned societies each have a congregation and church here also. Therefore we find 4 Norwegian congregations and 4 churches in Hudson County. The most important source of income for the Norwegians: 1) loading and unloading ships, 2) shipping and 3) work in shipyards, drydocks, repair shops as well as paper and silk mills. The newspaper 'Luthersk Sendebud' published by The Norwegian Synod's clergy on the Atlantic Coast was begun in 1904.

Friderica Friderichsen or Frederichsdoter was born in Malmo the Daughter of a Soldier Friderich Frantz and Ingeborg Marie Simonsdatr. SOldier Friderich Frantz is listed as interpreter for an officer and was appearantly in the area around 1783. Ingeborg Marie Simonsen was born 1759 in Kleven Mandal , Vest Agder Norway Any advice on military records for Soldier Friderich Frantz. Would records be for Norway or Denmark or Sweden? Any advice would be appreciated.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Buffalo City One of Buffalo's old, well-known citizens, engineer S. Munch Kielland from Stavange writres, "As you naturally know, a number of the Sloop emigrants settled near here. That was in 1825 they came and settled at Kendall, Orleans Co. On a visit there in 1881, I met several of these Sloopers or their descendants, more correctly. I recall I spoke to Messrs. Johnson, Larson, Aarsland, Danielsen and Roes. The Americans here think highly of the old Norwegian immigrants and their families. Mrs. Martha Larsen, the widow of Lars Larsen Jeilene, one of the leaders of the Sloopers, I met in Rochester in1887. She was then eighty-some years old. She knew many of my relatives in Stavanger very well. When she heard that I was going tomake a trip home, she exclaimed, "Oh no, Oh no, Kielland, that's as though you are taking a trip to Heaven!" She could not forget her childhood home at Ryfylke's fjords. One of the oldest Norwegians in Buffalo is Hans Holst who has been here for over 40 years. He is a son of old Captain Per Holst of Chicago. The Holst family (which came from Skien) are well known. In Buffalo we also find some remnants of the Ole Bull Colony that was founded in Potter County, Pa. at a place known as Oleana. (See Pennsylvania). Mr. N. Nielsen, who has lived in Buffalo for a long time was one of Bull's followers. Nielsen's son is the Treasurer of the First National Bank here. Also here is Mrs. Bergh (ca. 90 years old) and her daughter Mrs. Kate Parker. Nor can we forget Ole Snyder, Oleana's first child* who has for a long time been one the City of Buffalo's leading lawyers and who recently was the Democratic Party's candidate for the U.S. Congress; that he lost is not his, but the Party's fault. Otherwise it cannotbe said that there are many Norwegians in this city. Nor are there many in other parts of the State with the exception of Greater New York, as already mentioned. *His father was called Anderson and emigrated with his wife from the Kværnmoe farm in Elverum to Ole Bull's colony in Pennsylvania in 1852. There he (Ole Snyder) was born, but his mother died (in childbirth) and he was adopted by a German family whose name he bears. His father enlisted in the Civil War where he advanced to Captain - and fell. See 'Norwegians in American wars'

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Cohoes City The first Norwegian to settle here was a Wm. Nilsen. Next after him came O. Martinsen Aas† from Drammen as well as Geo. Brecker, John Laim, Henry Broberg, M. Martinsen, Nils Nilsen, O. Martinsen, Edw. Thoresen†, Oluf G. Tufte†, E. Evensen, H. Mikkelsen and Lauritz Nilsen. Most of these and others living here work in engineering shops. They are mainly from Svelvig, Drammen and Kristiania. Alfred Christianson from Kristiania and who died in 1903 was a Master Mechanic in the Government Arsenal here. The last important work conducted under his supervision were the cannons that were used in the Spanish-American War. ---------- In Richmond there are also a number of Norwegian factory workers. And here they have a Norwegian Lutheran congregation with a church. ---------- In Herkimer Co. there is a post office with the name Norway but Norwegians are not to be found here.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Greater New York Concerning the very first emigration to New York (and other Atlantic States) see the "Prehistory" earlier in the book. For information about Norwegian people's attempts here and other places in America, one is referred to "Statistics". I will however repeat some notes that recently appeared in "Nordiske Blade", Brooklyn. They state: "The immigration here began in the 40s. John Onson came in '49, similarly Mrs. Jeppesen, Mrs. Mariager's mother. Beach Place at Hamilton Ferry and 18th Street in South Brooklyn is the oldest Norwegian neighbourhood here. In 1865, Pastor Preutz estimated the Norwegian colony's numbers at ca. 3000. At that time East New York with Market Slip was the Norwegian neighbourhood and here appeared the Riis firm, lawyer Reymert (an uncle of our August Reymert), the florist Gabrielsen on 9th Street, piano makers Narvesen and Ihlseng (on 33rd Street), father of Professor Ihlseng at Brooklyn's Polytechnic. The immigration to Brooklyn began in the 70s with Martin Carlsen at Greenpoint and Widnes at Williamsburg as well as a stream of seafarers who spread through the current Norwegian neighbourhood between Erie Basin, Gowanus and Atlantic Avenue. And here the main stream has come since 1880. The original colonists here were, as is reasonable for a port, seafarers who obtained good-paying employment here and who are now among the popular city's fathers." - according to the newspaper. In 1860, the first Norwegian congregation* was established in New York-Brooklyn. It was led mainly by laymen until 1886 when Pastor O. Juul took over the service. He belonged to The Norwegian Synod and so did the congregation (Vor Frelsers Menighed, as it was then called). Its church, that was the first Norwegian in New York-Brooklyn, was built in 1872. Now there are 15 Norwegian congregations and 12 churches, 4 belong to The Norwegian Synod, 4 to The United Church, 2 to the Methodists, 1 to The Lutheran Free Church, 1 to The Seaman's Mission, 1 to The Evangelical Free Church, 1 to the Baptists and 1 to the Adventists. (This account refers to all of Greater New York that includes the old New York City, Brooklyn, Willaimsburg, Green Point, East New York, Coney Island and Staten Island). For information about 'Skandinaven' (1852), 'Nordisk Tidende', 'Nordisk Blade', 'Norges Posten' and other newspapers see 'Norwegian-American newspapers and periodicals'. For information about the Norwegian Hospital and Seaman's Home see the section 'Norwegian-American charitable institutions.' My search for Norwegians in public positions has been fruitless for Greater New York. I have asked many locally knowlegeable countrymen (editors, priests, businessmen etc) but they know of none of our own who have been elected to public office. In this connection I cannot fail to make you aware of the interesting fact that 'Den Norske Turnforening' (GymnasticClub) made themselves recognized in a recent gymnastic competition as the best club of that sort. (Norwegians as the best gymnasts in th United States) *As early as 1849 mission activity was begun among the Scandinavians in the City but no congregation was established. It was probably the immigrants they wished to contact and to that end they obtained a ship (The Bethel Ship) that they tied up to a pier on the New York side. This activity was mainly led by Swedes. In 1855-56, Pastor Sinding was active among the Scandinavians here, but he formed no (at least not permanent) congregation.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Lincoln County In Davenport, Wilbur and Sherman there are a number of Norwegians. In Wilbur there is a Lutheran congregation that is partly Norwegian and that has for a long time been served by Pastor Lauritz Nissen. It is the same situation in Davenport. Both these congregations belong to The Norwegian Synod, even if not formally. The Norwegian John P. Martin of Sherman has been County Commissioner.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Worcester County In he cities of Fitchburg and Worcester we find some Norwegians as workers in engineering shops, shoe factories and wool mills. In Worcester there is a pair of congregations among whose members are some Norwegians. One of these congregations belongs to The Evangelical Free Church and the other to The Norwegian Synod.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Suffolk County In Boston there are 2 Nowegian churches and 3 congregations. It is The Norwegian Synod's and The Evangelical Free Church's representatives that have been particularly active there. While the Norwegians are rather numerous in the big city, I have exerted myself to get some idea if there was not one or another who had held public office. But neither the priests or other knowledgeable countrymen who I have contacted knows of any. Consul G. Lootz, for example, wrote, "In the course of the 30 years I have lived here, no Norwegian has held public office as far as I know." And there is another thing that suggests that most of them who wished to get ahead in the world and to leave their mark, have followed Horace Greeley's counsel and "went West". However, in Boston we find a number of Norwegian businessmen, artists and others of whom Mother Norway need feel no shame. (See 'Sammenstilling af norske Sambygdinger i Amerika' in the book's last part).In this city there is also a Leif Ericksen monument. It was raised in1887.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Middlesex County As already shown under the title 'Prehistory', Ole Haugen from Bergen was the first Norwegian to settle in this county. He lived in Lowell City right from 1815 until his death. In that city as well there is a group of Norwegian factory workers. Anton Justad of The Evangelical Free Church established a congregation among them in 1895. In the vicinity of Carlisle and Concord there are a number of Norwegian farmers - mainly from Hedemarken. Among the first to settle there (in the 70s) were Lars and Emil Pedersen from Løiten (Hedemarken). The farmers' main sale products are asparagus, sweet corn and strawberries, for which they have a good market in Boston. In Concord there are a pair of congregations that are partly Norwegian, one belongs to The Evangelicak Free Church and the other to The Methodist Church.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Bristol County At Fall River - so the city is named, that lies at a place where Leif Ericksen landed - there are 10-12 Norwegians of whom I shall name 4: merchant Nils Arnesen from Drammen, Pastor C. G. Johnson, priest for an American congregation and shipmasters Harry Johnson and Henry Carlson, the latter three from Slagen Parish. It should be added that none of these descend from Leif Ericksen's colony. The aforementioned Nils Arnesen (who is mentioned in 'Prehistory') is a very old man who has lived in Fall River almost all his life. They have a small Scandinavian-Lutheran congregation there.

Hi Victoria! I don't doubt you you are right, but I only write what Ulvestad showed. A similar problem is seen in what Ulvestad called Assotin County, but was changed to Asotin in 1883. I guess his sources weren't perfect. We'll make a footnote in our excellent compilation. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~maggiebakke/ulvestad.html Olaf Olaf, it's Whitman County, not Whiteman. The county was named after Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, Presbyterian missionaries who were among the first to cross the Oregon trail. In fact, Marcissa Whitman was one of the first two white women to cross the Rocky Mountains. Marcus and Narcissa set up a mission near what is today the city of Walla Walla. Marcus and Narcissa were murdered by Cayuse Indians in 1847. The Native Americans were suspicious of the Whitmans because the white migration into this part of the west brought along a measles epidemic that decimated the Cayuse, the Nez Perce and the Yakima tribes. My family came to Whitman county from Selbu in 1922, They were the tail end of a long long line of Norwegian immigrants from Selbu to the county, particularly around the small town of LaCrosse. And there still is a Selbu kirke in LaCrosse. And yes, in the immigrant era, the church definitely was Haugean in orientation. The Wigens you mention are cousins. Many of them were wheat farmers there. Whitman County is part of Washington STate's Palouse Country, which has bosomy rolling hills covered with wheat and barley. It's one of the most beautiful landscapes in American, and it's certainly the one I think of every time I sing "golden waves of grain." vs-f .

Hei List! In case you haven't been following, Montana and Washington (Warshington?) are now completed. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~maggiebakke/ulvestad.html Olaf

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Thurston County In this county there was once a post office called Ramstad. But there is no Norwegian settlement and never has there been such. There are only some scattered countrymen.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Cowlitz County At Kelso there is a small Norwegian settlement and a congregation belonging to The Norwegian Synod. Also in these counties (where Norwegians are few in number) one will find represented in 'Sammenstilling af norske sambygdinger i Amerika'.