Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad 1907 Dakota County The first Norwegians in Dakota County were Peter Sampson† from Voss, Ole Olsen† and Ole Toresen from Hallingdal and Johannes Jacobsen† from Vinje, Telemarken They came from Wisconsin and settled in 1853 in the area that was later called the Christiania Settlement. O. P. Ruh, who settled there a couple of years later, writes, "We came up here with oxen 400 miles (from Muskego, Wis.) and continued to use them 10 years after that time. Our nearest towns, Hastings and St. Paul were 25 to 30 miles away. If one wished to tell of the new settlers' struggles, the Indian raids and war fears, it would be too much." They first began growing hay but wheat became the settlement's main source of income later on. People who wished to earn cash, received 50 cents a day. There was ample clearing work to do. The Telemarking, Halvor Torgersen, who lived here for a time but now lives in Homen, N.D., writes, "In 1862, when the Indian Wars broke out, we were not secure in the Christiania Settlement either. In case of need, the new settlers had decided on a gathering place, namely John Jacobsen's. It happened once, when Ouver Olsen and Torger Juveland led a group of refugees (with women and children) that Ouver shouted the command, 'drop down!' (which meant that the Indians were approaching). Everyone dropped headlong, thinking certain death was at hand. After a moment, Torger Juveland, who was the bravest of the leaders, peeked up to see where the Indians were, but when he saw none he said, 'You can get up now, it was just the back side of a deer that Ouver saw!' and this awakened a feeling of good spirits in the fleeing group. Torger still tells this anecdote, even though he is now over 80 years old. He still lives on his homestead in the aforementioned settlement." Christiania Congregation, that was established in 1857, that built a church in 1862 and that belonged to The Augustana Synod, was the first Norwegian congregation in the county. My correspondent adds, however, that The Norwegian Synod established a congregation about the same time. Now there are 2 Norwegian churches and 2 congregations, 1 belonging to The Norwegian Synod and 1 to The Lutheran Free Church. The aforementioned settlement lies west of the City of Farmington. In Dakota County, there has until recently, been two post offices with good Norwegian names, namely Christiania and Eidsvold.