Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Nicollet County The first Norwegian settelers in this county were the brothers Mathias* and Peder G. Evensen as well as A. K. Skaro*, who came from St. Paul to Rock Bend (now St. Peter) and took claims here in 1853. There was no sign of a town at that time. But there were Indians and they were very unpleasant. (Once they whipped 3 Americans and put them in the river in a canoe, they were never heard from again. This happened close to the place where the aforementioned Norwegians settled). The Norseland Settlement was established the following year (1854) by John Tollefsen from Toten, Tosten Østensen from Tinn, Telemarken and Lars Swensen Rønning† from Hallingdal, they came from Wisconsin. Next after them came Ole Norman†, Bryngel Norman† and Chas. Larsen, all from Voss. The first Norwegians in New Sweden was Ole Ostenson Bøen from Tinn, Telemarken as well as Gunder Nerisen and S. Torgersen from Sætersdalen. Here, as in other new settlements, they had to use oxen for plowing and driving. St. Paul was the new settlers' nearest marketplace and it was 80 miles to there. Though, in the first 3 years the settlers had nothing to sell. They sowed wheat and maize, but the grasshoppers ate most of it before it was ripe. They had to drive to St. Paul to get provisions. It was in this county that the Indians left the bloodiest mark. The killings at new Ulm were colossal. Luckily, the Norwegian settlers lived further east, so they avoided the terror, but they had to flee - especially the women and children. Many of the men took to the field. John Peterson (later Captain of the settler's Defence Company) was one of those who took part in the battle at new Ulm. He writes, "While we were there, some of the Indians attacked our settlement (further east), they killed some and put the rest to flight. When I came back after an week's absence, the settlers in Norseland and New Sweden had fled to St. Peter and there I found my wife and my children" Nicollet Congregation, which was established at St. Peter in 1858 by Prof. Laur. Larsen, belonging to The Norwegian Synod, was the first Norwegian congregation in the county. Th. Johnson was its first and permanent priest. Its church was built in 1866. The material for that had to be brought all the way from Minneapolis. Now there are 6 Norwegian congregations and 5 churches, 3 belonging to The Norwegian Synod, 2 to The United Church and 1 to the Methodists. John Peterson who was elected Probate Court Judge in 1873 (and held the position for continually for 25 years), was the county's first Norwegian official. Christopher Amundsen was the first Norwegian in the State Legislature from Nicollet County (1879) Places with Norwegian names; Solem, Granby and Norseland. It is also claimed that some royalist Norwegians assisted the Swedes in getting a Township and post office named Bernadotte (in Nicollet County) *Both Mathias Evensen and A. K. Skaro enlisted in the Civil war. (Captain) Skaro fell in the Battle of Nashville, the 16th Dec. 1864, while he commanded his company. He died in the arms of his comrade, (Sergeant) Evemsen's arms. The latter still lives.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Marshall County The first Norwegian in this county was Halvor Gundersen from Vægli, Nummedal. He settled in Oak Park Township on a site that is now called Halvor (P.O.) in 1878.The names of the first settlers in other areas is given below. In the area of Bigwoods: Mathias Swensen, S., B. M. and H. M. Swensen as well as John Helland, all from Telemarken, John J. Enden, Martin J. Enden, John H. Enden, Hans B, Imdahl and Ole T. Imsdahl, all from Ringebo, O. P. Oseth from Storelvedalen, Charles and H. A. Larson, both born in Wisconsin, as well as A. Tondrum and John Gjelhaug, both from Lands parish. Warren: K. Tharalsæth from Nordfjord. Newfolden: Hans O. Folden and Ole J. Folden from Skjærvø, Finmarken, Even A. Schie from Rakkestad, Smaalenenes Amt, Ole Hevle from Opdal, Ole O. Lie from Hallingdal, Hans H. Saugen and Mathias Hansen from Hedemarken as well as Anton Stokke and Ole Madsen. Ellerth: Elias A. Haarstad from Gudbrandsdalen. West Valley: Gulick S. Vedme from Sogn. Excel: John Berg from Grue, Solør. Apple: Elling Halvorsen from Sigdal. Strip: Gulbrand Haugen from Ringsaker. Ingalls: Jørgen Knudsen Moen from Vegardsheen, Telemarken. Juvik: O. T. Odegaarden. Ware: Anders Malvik† from Strinden and M. G. Broten† from Toten. (Anders Malvik was run over on the railroad near Crookston in 1902) Liner: Otto P. Lee, whose parents were from Gudbrandsdalen. Germantown: Emil Sigerud from Aasnes, Solør. Thorwick: Saave Brokke from Sætersdalen. Fir: Herbrand Helgesen from Gol, Hallingdal. Foldahl: Mr. -- Dahl from Foldal, Østerdalen. One of the first settlers writes, "My new settler's story is hardly bright. I came here in great poverty and here there was not a known person that I could turn to. The first fall I was here, I became sick and lay 5 months in a little shanty, 8x12 feet. I slept on some boards, a sort of bed, that were nailed to the wall. My wife slept in a rounded old country trunk all winter. It was far from a doctor and we had nothing to pay for medical help, for all we had was debt. But until now, th lord has helped." This is an example of what opportunity there was for medical help when a new settler became ill. Another settler tells how it went with him when he drove from his old to his new home (ca. 150 miles) with an oxteam, a sick wife and 4 children and some household goods in the wagon. There was nothing, however, that could be called roads. When bad weather came, and the roads became almost impassable, it quite other than great to stay in the wagon. One time he got stuck in a slough where there seemed to be no people or oxen nearby to help. Fortunately there was a German in the neighbourhood. On my call for help, he came with his team and pulled out the Norwegians. The Lutheran congregation, that was established at Bigwoods in 1882 by Pastor Andreas Øfstedal, belonging to The Norwegioan Synod, was the first Norwegian congregation in the county. There are now 28 Norwegian congregations and 21 churches in the county, 11 belong to The Norwegian Synod, 6 to the Lutheran Free Church, 6 to The United Church, 3 to Hauge's Synod and 2 to the Methodists. Esten E. Royem, who was elected County Auditor in 1881, was the first Norwegian official here. Andrew Grindeland (now a district judge) was the first Norwegian in the State Legislature from this county (1898). Norwegian newspapers in Marshall County: 'Red River Dalens Sol', Warren and 'Bud og Hilsen', Newfolden. (The first mentioned existed only a short time) Places with Norwegian names; Agder, Augsburg, Elmbo, Englund, Esplee, Fodvang, Foldahl, Fram, Grygla, Halvor, Hellem, Holt, Idun, Jevne, Jonstad, Juvik, Klep, Koland, Lund, Løveid, Nelson Park, Newfolden (Nyfolden), Ny Solum, Opdahl, Oslo, Ringbo, Rockstad, Skog, Sørum, Thorwick, Valborg, Viking and Wanger, altogether 34. Marshall County takes the prize with regard to Norwegian place names, it has more than any other county in America. In 'Historical and Statistical Resumé' can be found the total number of Norwegian place names here in thr country.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Lyon County Johan Mo, Trønder and bachelor, was the first Norwegian here. He settled in the vicinity of Cottonwood in 1870. In 1871 came another Trønder, Nils Nilsen Rosvold (from Leksviken). He and his wife walked from Brownsville to Spring Grove, Houston County, and from there by oxcart to their present home. The first thing they did was dig a hole in the hillside, they lived there for 8 years. Their dugout was often covered with snow so they had to dig a hole to get in an out, much like the prairie gophers. It was such houses the new settlers had to be satisfied with. Also in 1871, came three Valdriser, Johannes Andersen (from Etnedalen) and O. Brenna and Ole Brotten. Next after them came Knut Brotten and Mikkel Snortum, similarly from Valdres. The first in the vicinity of Minneota were the brothers Svennung and Ole Pedersen from Solør, Johannes Ilstad from Stavanger, Torjus Flom from Sogn, Nils Torgersen, Halvor Nyland, Betle Hovden, Torjus Loftsgaarden and Ole Nordbo, all from Telemarken, Fred Holritz from Kristiania, Nils Gregersen, Tobias Trana, Niels Anderson and Ole Myrvik, the last 4 from Nordland, and A. O. Strand, Jacob Hansen, Torbjørn Hansen and Ole Espe. It was mainly wheat and cattle raising they took on, but because of grasshoppers there was very little wheat they could harvest in the first years. St. Peter, 75 miles away, was the nearest marketplace. One of the most severely tested pioneers in Minneota was N. B. Nelson Kvamme. He left Norway together with his parents in 1851, they came from Lærdal parish. Shortly before their departure, his mother had a baby and being weak, she became seriously ill after they came onto the sea. His father felt such a regret during these circumstances, however, that he against his wishes, had brought his family on such a long and unpleasant journey (by sailship) that he eventually lost his reason. And here in a foreign land - far from family and friends - sat a poor mother with five small children. Ole Nordbo suffered frostbite of his feet in a snow storm that raged in 1872. He had spent most of the time in a boxcar. Hans Samuelsen was out in the storm for three days before he found his way home to his family. And Nils Torgersen lost his oxen in the same storm. E. K. Rønning, C. P. Myran, John Myran, H. P. Sanden, Andrew Sanden and C. P. Sanden, all from Opdal, C. J. Halset from Fron and Peder Anderson† from Rennebo were the first in the vicinity of Florence. Ole Helgesen, Ole Andersen, Kittel Christoffersen and Asle O. Bjerkerud (most, if not all, from Sigdal) and Nils S. Taarud were the first in the area of Tracy. Taarud got the town, where he lives, called Dovray (Dovre). Iver S. Roti from Nordfjord, now in Cottonwood, writes, "In 1871, my wife and I came from Norway to Trempeleau, Wis., from there we went by steamship up the Mississippi to Winona, from there we continued our journey westward on foot. A haystack, not far from an Indian tent was our lodging the first night. The next day just as we came to a height from we had a good view of the west's plains, a storm broke loose with rain, thunder and lightning and we were very frightened. After much travail, we finally reached Beaver Creek." Ole A.Lien, also one of Lyon County's pioneers gives a detailed description of a new settler's life. He writes, "Nearly all who came here were poor people. And there was nothing here to be earned. If we wished to earn a little money we had to travel east to Rice and Goodhue Counties and often further. But what made our position even more oppressive was the grasshoppers that ravaged this area for the first 7 years. And another thing that cannot be forgotten by those who went through it, was the snowy winter of 1880-81. It came so early that almost no one was ready for it. Winter made its entry with an violent blizzard as early as the middle of October and much of the livestock lost their lives on the prairie. Either they froze to death or they were smothered by the snow. One storm was replaced by another in short intervals throughout the whole winter and as a consequence, all contact with the outside world was closed. The railroad was blocked almost all the time and it was about as impossible to get to town with a team. Needless to say, we had to be satisfied with the most necessary items and those we had to carry - or bring them homemade sleds that we pulled behind us as we went on skis. The biggest problem was to get flour and firewood. There were many families who had to get themselves through winter with what they could grind in a coffee mill. And if the family was large, someone had to sit and grind continuously from morning till night, all winter. For our fires we had to use hay, straw and anything else - yes, even furniture, when the pinch came. St. Lucas Congregation, that was established at Brenner in 1875 by Pastor K. Torstenson and that was in The Norwegian Synod, was the first congregation in the county. Now there are 15 Norwegian congregations and 10 churches, 8 belong to The United Church, 5 to The Norwegian Synod and 2 to The Lutheran Free Church. Hans Oakland† and O. H. Dahl were the first Norwegians to hold public office in the county. Oakland was elected County Commissioner and dahl as court Clerk in 1875. Places with Norwegian names in Lyon County; Nordland, Eidsvold, Sverdrup, Vallers and Westerheim.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Lincoln County Knut T. Nameland from Bakke, Sætersdalen writes, "Before I mention our present home, I will mention 'the home we left'. We settled in the Rock River Settlement, 9 miles from Watertown, Wis. in 1844. There we lived for 3 years. Our house was built of basswood. A large tree, whose bark was loosened on one side, served as both door and hinge. From Wisconsin we moved to Boone County, Ill., where we lived until 1870. Then I went to Lincoln County, Minn. At that time this area was wilderness. I believe certainly that I was the first white man that visited Lincoln County with the intention of taking land. Some Indians (half-breeds) told me that there was still forest to be found, and forest was what we all coveted at that time. I wandered around for 4 days without finding either people or wagon tracks, but I found what I was looking for. Later in the year, I received many neighbours. The land was still not surveyed. To our little post office it was 35 miles, the nearest flour mill was 60 miles away. Now, it is only 2 miles to the nearest town - Porter." The Honourable John Hanson, Hendricks, Minn. says: "In the election of 1873, Lyon County was divided in two parts and the western part (15 Townships) was organized under the name Lincoln County. At that time there were only a few Norwegian settlers, and they had settled in the northeast part of the county, near where the little Town of Porter in Yellow Stone County was later built. Of these can be mentioned; Jacob and Johannes Dahl from the Trondhjem area, who are both dead. And Amund Gunderson from Sætersdalen, he still lives there and cultivates his farm. Also, Ole Syverson from Gudbrandsdalen, he is still alive but has moved from there. These and some others were the first settlers in the Town of Alta Vista. to the west lies the Town of Marble. This town also received some new settlers in 1872, among them, Ole Fladeland from Sætersdalen and Martin Paulson from Nordland, but these two families moved from here many years ago and are likely dead. West of Marble, we have Hansonville, where the author of this account, John Hanson was the first settler. I settled here the 4th July 1873 and functioned as absolute ruler for almost 3 years, but since I had only grasshoppers and blackbirds to rule, the position was not so great as the words suggest, but big enough and good enough since I sat here as one of Uncle Sam's sons (bachelors) and my freedom was unlimited. But it is not good for people to be alone, I needed neighbours and the emigration here had stopped. Whether it was the grasshoppers that scared people off, I do not know, but I will put the blame on them anyway, for they were very numerous, but for me it made no difference, but they took all we sowed and planted and this people usually detested. With these conditions, I found no other way to get more people in our Township than to take a wife, and this ceremony took place the 5th April 1876, when Miss Karen Caulum from Næs, Hedemarken abandoned her maiden name and took the name Mrs. Karen J. Hanson. This ceremony doubled the immigrant population in our Township but diminished my lordship fifty percent. As mentioned, in the spring of 1876 our Township had only one family, but in 1880, when as an enumerator for the U.S. Census Department,, I did the census for these three mentioned Townships, it was 30 families and in all three Townships, not quite a hundred and fifty families, of which at least ninety percent of the parents were Norwegian born. By this time the grasshoppers had disappeared and the worst had been overcome, and a degree of prosperity had begun to take the place of poverty, even though in 1881 almost everyone needed to grind their flour in a coffee mill, since we had 3 to 20 feet of snow in the fields so that no one could go the 30 to 40 miles to the mill. But we had enough wheat that, as soon as we learned the milling profession, we also had our own flour - a sort of first patent. Then we were in our best age and of capable ancestry, had good health and appetite and were not concerned that cold and snow drifts bit a little in the ears and noses, we overcame everything we had to go through very well. Since 1872 until now, great changes have taken place, the prairies has been converted to fertile fields and gardens and greater or amaller forest groves are to be seen on almost every farm, so prosperity and pleasant homes are to be seen everywhere. Instead of sod huts we have large, splendid, modern houses, the horse had taken the ox's place, threshing machines are run with steam, 'fine' wagons are Top buggies and Surreys, the homesteader is called Master, the wife uses false teeth and is called 'Missus'." Of the oldest settlers there should be mentioned Lars Fjeseth, John Knutsen, Ole Nesseth, Nils Thoresen† and Ole E. Larson, all from Singsaas, Knut Støver from Opdal, as well as Jens Hansen, John Thoresen and M. B. Nygaard. They came here in 1876, most of them from Allamakee County, Ia. There are 3 Norwegian churches and 5 congregations in the county, 2 belong to The United Church, 2 to the Methodists and 1 to The Norwegian Synod. The aforementioned John Hanson of Hendricks was the first Norwegian official in this county. He was elected County Commissioner in 1874. He was also the first and, until now, the only Norwegian to represent the county in the State Legislature (elected 1886). Townships whose names are of Norwegian origin; Hansonville and Drammen. And for a time the was a post office with the name Harstad.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. McLeod County Christen Johnson from Hedalen, Valders and Andreas Olsen† from Hedemarken were the first Norwegians in McLeod County. They came from Green Co., Wis. and settled in the Town of Bergen in 1856. Later in the year came A. Anderson, A. Hansen, Arne Olsen, Østen Syversen†, Esten Qvien† and Nils G. Tvedt, all from Valders, Esten Bakken† from Trøndelag, Bryngel Pedersen† from Hardanger, Elling Johnson from Gudbrandsdalen, Mathias Anderson† from Risør, Gunder Halvorsen from Skjervø parish as well as Lars Vrengen†, John Ellingsen†, Nils Torgrimsen† and Ole Knudsen†. The land was for the most part covered with forest. They began with wheat and cattle raising. To the nearest marketplace, Carver, it was 25 miles. In 1862, when people in other parts of the state were being murdered and plundered by the Indians, there was unease her also. They believed they saw Indians everywhere. And people moved night and day. Everyone was frightened but they did not know where they could best find safety. In McLeod County there are 2 Norwegian churches and 3 ongregations, all belonging to The Norwegian Synod. Norwegian place names; Bergen and Winsted.

Thank you, I guess this doesn't apply to me then. As a new subscriber to this newsletter, I wasn't aware of what was happening. Roberta Stepan rstepan@bellsouth.net -----Original Message----- From: Margit [mailto:margit@eot.com] Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2004 6:58 PM To: NOR-VEST-AGDER-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [VAgder] attbi email users Hi Roberta, All subscribers who use to use attbi.com for their email address now have comcast.com as they bought attbi out from what I understand. Anyone with attbi email addresses will be bouncing at rootsweb and will be unsubscribed automatically. So this will apply to attbi subscribers only. Margit > > I'm not sure what you are trying to tell me. > > Roberta Stepan > rstepan@bellsouth.net > > Hi all, > > If the attbi email users haven't changed their subscribed address over to > the new address, they might want to do it before they are unsubscribed > automatically or by Rootsweb. > > Margit ==== NOR-VEST-AGDER Mailing List ==== Visit http://www.fellesraad.com/ Norwegian-American Bygdelagenes Fellesraad ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx

Hi Roberta, All subscribers who use to use attbi.com for their email address now have comcast.com as they bought attbi out from what I understand. Anyone with attbi email addresses will be bouncing at rootsweb and will be unsubscribed automatically. So this will apply to attbi subscribers only. Margit > > I'm not sure what you are trying to tell me. > > Roberta Stepan > rstepan@bellsouth.net > > Hi all, > > If the attbi email users haven't changed their subscribed address over to > the new address, they might want to do it before they are unsubscribed > automatically or by Rootsweb. > > Margit

I'm not sure what you are trying to tell me. Roberta Stepan rstepan@bellsouth.net -----Original Message----- From: Margit [mailto:margit@eot.com] Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2004 5:21 PM To: NOR-VEST-AGDER-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [VAgder] attbi email users Hi all, If the attbi email users haven't changed their subscribed address over to the new address, they might want to do it before they are unsubscribed automatically or by Rootsweb. Margit ==== NOR-VEST-AGDER Mailing List ==== Make sure you check out the other lists available here for Norway: http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/NOR/ ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx

Hi all, If the attbi email users haven't changed their subscribed address over to the new address, they might want to do it before they are unsubscribed automatically or by Rootsweb. Margit

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Murray County Iver†, Petter and Albert Pettersen, together with J. Ingebrigtsen, all from Valders, were the county's first Norwegian settlers. They came from Winneshiek Co., Ia. and settled in the vicinity of Slayton in 1868. Next after them came Sven Nelson, H. Nelson, P. Sakrisen, Claus Clausen, G. Gulbransen†, Sakris Thompson, Peder Thompson, Hans Simonsen, Erick Larson, Lars Solem, Gulbran Johnson and Christian Christiansen. They settled in the vicinity of Hadley. The first in the vicinity of Avoca were Christ Larson, Ole Olsen, Brede Tanner and Arnt Larson, all from Odalen. It was partly dugouts and partly log houses they had as residences in the first years. Wheat growing was the main source of income. The nearest marketplaces were heron Lake and Marshall. One of the old settlers mentions the prairie fire as one of the greatest dangers. When it came, things looked dark for the new settlers. It was worst if it came when there were only women and children at home. The men were often away at work. But, if one did not lose his composure, it went well. And then one had to fight hard to prevent it from reaching the huts and haystacks. Beaver Creek Cingregation, that was established at Mason in 1873 by Pastor L. Lund, was the first Norwegian congregation in the county. Its church was built the following year (1874) Now there are 13 Norwegian congregations and 12 churches, 8 belonging to The United Church, 2 to The Norwegian Synod, 1 to Hauge's Synod and 1 to the Free-Free. Civil War cavalryman Peter Petersen from Valders was the first Norwegian to hold a public office in the county. He was elected Registrar of Deeds in 1874. He was also the first to represent the county in the State Legislature (in 1885) Places with Norwegian names; Dovray (Dovre) and Ibsen.

Hallingdal Rosemaling The story behind my great-great-great-grandmother¹s trunk Friday, December 10, 2004 By Deb Nelson Gourley <http://www.fillmorecountyjournal.com/main.asp?SectionID=16&SubSectionID=109 &ArticleID=14932>

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Mower County In the year 1854, 13 families came from Dane County, Wis. came by ox wagons to the vicinity of Grand Meadow (the 1st July, that year). Here there was free land and each made their own claim. They were as follows; Ole O. Finhart†, Hans Anderson Gamlemon, Ole Simonson Jobaaten†, Ole O. Hovda†, Erland Olsen Skalshaugen, Sivert Olsen Skalshaugen, Anders A. Lybek†, Amund J. Lindelien† and Nils Syvertsen Moen, all from Søndre Aurdal, Knut Klostøl and Ole Olsen Skyru from Etnedalen, S. Aurdal and Ole Julsen from V. Slidre, Valders. Next after them came Halvor Kløsstøl, Aslak Aamodt and Gulik Dalen, all from Søndre Aurdal and Christen Tuv from Slidre. Of the boys that were in the company, who are now old men, can be mentioned Syver, Herman and Engebret Hovda as well as Simon Simonsen and S. T. Simonsen. But at the same time as Ole Finhart and his group settled at the aforementioned place, Thor Olsen Qværsæker from Øvre Telemarken settled in the vicinity of Rose Creek. He came there from Mitchell County, Ia. Next after him came Gunder Halvorsen† from Kragerø as well as Aslak Flaten†, Ole Bjøndal†, Torjus Olsen†, Torger Guttormsen, Knut Lasteru and Tron Richardsen† Tideman Knudsen from Valders was the first in the vicinity of Adams. He settled there in 1855. J. Solnes from th Kristiania region was the first in the vicinity of Lyle. My correspondent in Adams writes, "The first settlers in these parts experienced the new settler life's many and severe hardships. There nearest marketplace was McGregor, Ia., on the Mississippi River, over 100 miles away. A journey there with oxen took from one to two weeks, or more depending on how the roads were. Wheat was their main source of income." O. T. Olsen, son of one of the first settlers in Six Mile Grove tells how he played together with Indian children. It was not exactly the best company, but it wenr well, nevertheless. In any case, he grew up big and strong and now lives as an old man in Belmont, N.D. The halling and Civil War veteran Erik N. Løftegaard of Lansing writes, "I emigrated on the sailship 'Clausheste' and when we came to the quarantine station at Quebec, naturally a doctor came aboard. They stretched a line across the ship and everyone had to slip under it to be examined. The Captain came over to me and said, 'Now you must do your Hallinkast' and when my turn came, I leapt over the rope, right to the place where the doctor stood. The oldster was really frightened, he thought I would leap onto him. But the Captain laughed and said, 'I will show you that I have healthy people aboard!' -- and we all were allowed to go ashore." Bear Creek Norwegian Lutheran Congregation, that was established at Grand Meadow in 1856 by Pastor G. L. Clausen, then of The Norwegian Synod, was the first Norwegian congregation in Mower County. Now there are 11 Norwegian congregations and 9 churches, 7 belong to The United Church and 4 to The Norwegian Synod. There is also a Norwegian hospital (in Austin). John Irgens (Lieutenant in the Civil War) was the first Norwegian to hold public office in Mower County. He was elected County Treasurer in 1870. The first Norwegian to represent the county in the State Legislature was Ole finhart, in 1872.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Gabrielsdtr, Evertsen, Berntsdr, Pederson, Jacobson Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/lcC.2ACI/333 Message Board Post: I am searching for information on any one related to my great-grandparents. Gesine Gabrielson(dtr) was born in 1862 in Vanse, Vest-Agder to Gabriel Evertsen and Janniken Berntsdr who married in 1859 in Lista. Gesine married Benjamin (Barent) Martin Pederson in MI after he had immigrated to the US from the same area. He was born in 1851. According to his death certificate, his father was Peter Jacobson. I believe they both came from the Brekne (Braekne) Farm.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/lcC.2ACI/269.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Or. . .if you use MS Office, you can click on "insert" then "symbols" then find and insert the appropriate character. From this screen you can also create "shortcuts" (using the function keys on the top of the keyboard) so you don't have to go through all those gyrations every time. Good luck.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/lcC.2ACI/269.1.2 Message Board Post: Hi Roberta! For many other symbols as well, go here: http://www.typeart.com/special_characters.asp Olaf

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/lcC.2ACI/268.2 Message Board Post: Who are you calling a Norwegian character? ;-) Seriously, you can do it in a number of ways. The way I usually remember seems to be the most difficult. Open up Microsoft Word as a New Document, use the Insert -> Symbol menu, a box pops up with international characters. Add the ø Ø å Å æ or Æ that way. Then highlight the character and copy <ctrl>C from the document and paste <ctrl>V into the doc. I just did that here. There is a shortcut key for each of them on the US English keyboard also that people tell me about, but I never remember. Maybe someone else does.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/lcC.2ACI/269.1.1 Message Board Post: Special characters Here's how you type those special Norwegian characters . . . With Num Lock "on", hold down Alt key and type using your numeric keypad (not number keys at top of keyboard): Alt 0216 = Ø Alt 0248 = ø Alt 0198 = Æ Alt 0230 = æ Alt 0197 = Å Alt 0229 = å Alt 0214 = Ö Alt 0246 = ö FOR MAC USERS å = Alt/Option Key and a æ = Alt/Option Key and apostrophe ø = Alt/Option Key and o Ø = Alt/Option Key and O with Shift down Å = Alt/Option Key and A with Shift down œ = Alt/Option Key and q Installing Norwegian Keyboard (Windows users) 1. Choose Start - Settings - Control Panel. 2. Double-click on Keyboard icon. 3. Click on Language tab. 4. Click on Add. 5. From Add Language drop-down list, choose Norwegian (Bokmal). 6. Click OK. 7. Click Apply. [You may need to insert your Windows disk] 8. Click OK to finish.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Pederson, Jacobson, Gabrielsdtr, Andersen, Christensdr Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/lcC.2ACI/269.1 Message Board Post: How do you get these Norwegian characters needed to access things online?

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Morrison County The first Norwegian in this county was Martin Christensen from Sarpsborg. He settled amongst the Indians not far from Little Falls in 1870. The first in the vicinity of Royalton was Lars Olsen from Kongsberg. The first in the vicinity of Ausland was John Knudsen from Evje parish. An old Norwegian settler tells, "One day an American neighbour came to me and asked if I had paid my taxes. 'No,' I replied, 'I do not have the money for that yet.' 'Listen here,' he said, 'you have two pigs and I have none, give me one of the pigs and I will give you two wolf heads I have lying at home, take them to town and you can collect the bounty.' Obviously I accepted the offer, and in this manner paid my taxes in the fall." There are 10 Norwegian congregations and 4 churches in Morrison County, 7 belong to The Norwegian Synod and 3 to The Lutheran Free Church. Norwegian place names in this county; Ausland, Dovray (Dovre), Freedhem (Fridheim) and Strand.

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Mille Lacs County John Johnson from Kragerø was the first Norwegian in this county. He settled at Mille Lacs Lake in 1886. He worked at shipping with his own steamship. He was actually a sea captain from Norway, so to experience a lake in the middle of Minnesota was not difficult for him. He now lives at Princeton. This information I have received from John Skretting (from Opstad, Jæderen), who came right after Johnson, and who gives his name to Opstad P.O. He reached his present home after many adversities. He was, however, untouched by the Indians, since Johnson had civilised some of them and chased some away. A couple of years after Skretting came the brothers Hans and Ingvald Melsby, Peter O. Hagen and a widow, Mrs. Anna Pettersen. Later came Helmik Skretting, Ole Thoreson, T. C. Thompson, Carl S. Johnson, Jonas Skrettingland, Amun Hagen, Peter Ottersen, Ole Langerud, Ole Andersen, Simon Gilbertsen, the brothers Hans, Martin and August Ruud, August Anderson, Reinhart Graff, Anders and Mathis Mathisen, Daniel and Ole Danielsen, Chr. Fredriksen, Thor Anderson, Per Ellingbø, Louis Dale, S. Anderson, Bent Wamberg, Erick Dalen, Didrik Gabrielsen, Fr. Suckow, Henry Ree etc. In the vicinity of Greenbush, the first Norwegian settlers were Jens Olsen from Hartmark parish, John Aarseth from the Bergen area and Andrew Homme from Bakke parish. Next after them came John Teutz from Grimstad, Jacob Ege from Lunde parish, Karl Berg from Eidskogen, Daniel Andersen from Solør, Albert Jensen from Maalselven and Jacob Jacobsen from Kvinnesdal. Later came Ole H. Uglem from Selbu as well as O. P. Opsahl, G. Opsahl, John Erstad, Erik Pedersen, Erik Eriksen and more. The first Norwegians in the Bogus Creek Settlement were Absalon Nelson, John Folvik (from Stjørdalen) and Hans Christophersen from Gran parish. The first in the vicinity of Milaca were Stefanus Pedersen and Rasmus Rasmussen. The first Norwegian congregation in this county was established at Opstead in 1894 or '95 by Pastor D. J. Grove, belonging to The Norwegian Synod. Its name is Holden Congregation. Now there are 4 Norwegian congregations and 4 churches in the county, all belonging to the aforementioned Synod.