Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Winona County The first Norwegians known to have settled in this county were the brothers Torbjørn and Tollef Gundersen Fladeland from Vraadal, Telemarken. They came from Dane County, Wis. and settled at Winona city in 1852. That town was usually regarded as the head of navigation in those days and consequently there was much traffic, which suited the Fladeland boys very well. Torbjørn went into wheat trading. However, he soon moved to the neighbouring county (Fillmore) where his saga continued. See the section, "Norwegians in public positions in America". Tollef died in McKee, Oregon, 1902. He was a merchant and postmaster there in recent years. One of the pioneers in Winona County writes as follws, "I emigrated to America in 1854. The trip to Quebec went well, but on the way inland and through the canals, it was sad. Our group was attacked by cholera. Children died from their parents and parents from their children - yes, we even witnessed infants suckle on a mother's breast after she was dead. On the canal boat's decks here was such a mass of corpses and helpless people that one had to step over them to get through. After having spent a couple of years in Dane Co., Wis. I came here. The first winter it was very far between neighbours but so much snow that it was higher than the rooftops. It was a good thing that I had learned to ski and use a rifle before I left Norway. Those who were not at home with those skills suffered much need before the winter was over. I recall one day when I was returning from a hunting trip with a deer and a pair of hares. I gave the hares to a man who was chopping wood. When he took them, he began to cry, which surprised me until he told me that in the past 4-5 days he and his family had not had anything to eat other than carrots." In Winona County there are 4 Norwegian congregations and 3 churches, 2 belong to The United Church and 2 to The Evangelical Free Church.