Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Waseca County The first Norwegians in this county were Sjur O. Bagne† from Hardanger, Peder Nilsen† from Sogn, Aslak H. Kvitne from Voss as well as Torbjørn Johnson and Tarald Amundsen† from Vinje, Telemarken. They settled north of Waseca in 1855, they had come here from Dane C., Wis. Next after them came Sigurd Johnson†, Ole Engelsen Neset†, Gregor Kjøstofsen, Halvor Johnson†, all from Vinje, Telemarken as well as Oval Olson† from Sætersdalen, Ole Christophersen† from Eidsvold and Peder Thoresen from Hadeland. Sigurd Johnson, one of those named above, and his wife were married in Skien in 1845, just before they were to board the sailship that was to take them to the promised land. They had their honeymoon then, on the journey to America. This was not as pleasant as could have been wished but it was certainly long. The trip from Skien to Dane Co., Wis. took 26 - twenty six - weeks. In 1856, the New Richland Settlement was founded. The first there were: Anthony Sampson (Sørensen) Kongsgaarden†, Hans H. Sunde†, Halvor T. Vakstevold† and Even O. Strenge, all from Sandsvær, Knut O. Rukke† and Christen K. Syvertsen†, from Hallingdal, Webjørn Anderson†, Ole K. Hagen†, Halvor T. Haugerud† and August Møller from Skien, and Nels C. Kopstad from Eker. Next after them came John Thompson†, Hans Olsen Sunde†, Paul H. Sunde, Ole Halvorsen, Bernt Johnson†, Anders A. Berg†, Ole H. Sunde†, Erick Christensen Saga†, Torkel T. Lund†, Hans Jørgen H. Steg† and the brothers Christopher†, John† and Johannes† Sørensen Kongsgaarden, all these from Sandsvær, Ole J. Høgaas† from Sigdal, H. F. Gulbrandsen† and Nels O. Lysholm from Kristiania, Helleck Andersen from Nummedal and hans Bjørnsen from Hemsedal. Nearly all of these had lived for a time at Spring Valley, Rock Co., Wis. and came up here by ox team. All of this area was wilderness at that time. There were only Indians and wild animals to be seen. The first 4 years were times of need here. They began by growing wheat but the harvest was so small that people could not live off it and there was nothing to be earned. Therefore, the had to sell livestock at spot price. A good ox team that the farmers had bought for up to $150 they had to sell for $40, a good cow for $10 each etc. Also they had to drive all the way to Freeport, near Decorah, Iowa to buy corn meal, which was almost all they had to live on for a long time* The nearest city was Winona, a distance of 85 miles. There was no railroad west of the Mississippi at that time. One had to use oxen instead. The Winnebago Indians had their reservation nearby, their Agency was on the line between Waseca and Blue Earth Coiunties. And the Sioux Indians sent riders to them every day to urge them to break out and kill the whites. The consequence then was that they did break out - in 1862 - and caused much destruction. But in 1863 the soldiers came and drove them away. And many of the families that had fled eastward came back. After that time the conditions have been good, writes one of the oldest settlers. While we speak here of the first Norwegians - in every county - it is appropriate to mention old Elling Johnson in Waseca since he was the first in several counties, i.e. he 'visited' several of them before any other Norwegian. In the 60s, when he was young he crossed almost the whole of Wisconsin from south to north and finally ended up in the copper mines of Otonogan Co., Mich. on Lake Superior's shores. It was at that time they began to build roads through north Wisconsin's forests and build bridges across the rivers. Johnson was occasionally involved with this. He was on the way northward anyway. Many a night he and his comrades slept out in the snow on the so-called 'Indian Trails'. He came from Arnefjord, Norway. Nordre Waseca Congregation that was established in 1858 by Pastor V. J. Muus, then belonging to The Norwegian Synod, was the first Norwegian congregation in Waseca County. The first Norwegian church in the county was built in 1863 by the Le Sueur Congregation at New Richland. Now there are 6 congregations and 5 churches, 3 belonging to The United Church, 2 to The Methodist Church and 1 to The Lutheran Free Church. The first Norwegian to hold public office was Anthony Sampson, who has already been mentioned among the first settlers. He was elected Assessor in 1858 and a member of the State Legislature in 1877. *As an example, it was told that large family lived through the winter on 200 pounds of corn meal and a few other necessities, the whole cost would now be $20.00.