Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Latah County Tønnes Møller† from Sogndal, Stavanger Amt was the founder of the first Norwegian settlement in Idaho. He came from Wisconsin and settled at Genesee, Latah Co. in 1876. Later in the year came John Tetly from Levanger, Ditlef and Hans Smith from Kvalheim, Mangers Parish, Knud Bergquam† from Sogn, Hans Tvedt from Lindos Parish as well as Casper Johnson, Andrew Christensen, Iver Christensen†, Carl Christensen, James Jacobsen, Charles Fering, Ole Ottesen†, Martin Andersen and Erik Andersen†. In the beginning thye had to be satisfied with dugouts and log cabins. Growing wheat was their most important source of income. Lewiston, 20 miles away, was their nearest marketplace. Day pay at the time was 50 cents. Søren Nelson from Valders was the first Norwegian in the vicinity of Anderson P.O. and Henry V. Jørgensen from Flekkefjord was the first in the vicinity of Park. And Sam Johnson from Telemarken was the first in the vicinity of Moscow. The Nez Perce Indians were aggressive and warlike in those days so the first Norwegian newcomers had trouble in keeping them at bay. They found it necessary to build entrenchments against them. Civil War veteran T. E. Møller and Samuel Johnson undertook the construction and later became the commanders of the main fortification; this was in 1876. The first Norwegian hotelkeeper in Idaho was Knud Madison. He started a boarding house in the Genesee valley, where Genesee City now lies and T. E. Møller provided the house with a sign on which he wrote Genesee Hotel in large letters. And so the city got its name. This to the annoyance of a Jew who had arrived earlier and had begun calling the place Jerusalem - but had failed to supply his store with a sign! The first Norwegian congregation in the State of Idaho was established at Moscow, Latah Co. in the 80s. The founder was Pastor C. Eriksen of The Methodist Church. The first Norwegian church in the county (and the State) was built by that congregation in 1887. Now there are in this county (Latah) 3 Norwegian churches and 8 congregations, of which 2 belong to The Methodist Church, 2 to The Norwegian Synod and 4 to The United Church. Knud Larsen of Genesee was the first Norwegian to hiod public office in Idaho. He was a Member of the State Legislature.