Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Skagit County A Trønder by the name of Hanson settled at La Connor as early as 1869. He came there from British Columbia. Probably after having been a seaman. Seaman, especially the Norwegian ones, travel around the world. About Hanson nothing more can be found. Ole Nilsen Lee, a Vossing who still lives in Skagit, says himself that he was the first Norwegian and white man hereabouts. He stayed in California (naturally as a gold digger some of the time) from 1859 to 1876. In the latter year he came to Skagit, Wash. where he settled among the Indians. The first Norwegian sermon in this county was read in his house. The first in the vicinity of Edison was Gustav Volden from Sogndal. Another old settler there was Rasmus S. Johnson from Egersund. He says that he came to America on a sailship and soon after they had sighted Nova Scotia, they got stuck in the ice (at a speed of 10 knots). This happened in the middle of the night when it was pitch-dark. There was a great uproar and everone believed they would perish. But the captain got them calmed down. It showed that the ship had not suffered any particular damage. However, they were stuck in the ice for 14 days. When they finally got to land they were shipped in cattle cars to Chicago. At night they lay in rows on the floor along the car's walls. They remained in these cars for 8 days. There were about 300 immigrants altogether, most from the Stavanger region and no one wished to make the trip again. In Skagit County, they live mainly by fishing, logging and farming. The first Norwegian congregation here was established in 1888 by Pastor Christian Jørgensen of The Norwegian Synod. Now there are 8 congregations and 5 churches, 6 belong to The Norwegian Synod and 2 to The United Church.