Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Mower County In the year 1854, 13 families came from Dane County, Wis. came by ox wagons to the vicinity of Grand Meadow (the 1st July, that year). Here there was free land and each made their own claim. They were as follows; Ole O. Finhart†, Hans Anderson Gamlemon, Ole Simonson Jobaaten†, Ole O. Hovda†, Erland Olsen Skalshaugen, Sivert Olsen Skalshaugen, Anders A. Lybek†, Amund J. Lindelien† and Nils Syvertsen Moen, all from Søndre Aurdal, Knut Klostøl and Ole Olsen Skyru from Etnedalen, S. Aurdal and Ole Julsen from V. Slidre, Valders. Next after them came Halvor Kløsstøl, Aslak Aamodt and Gulik Dalen, all from Søndre Aurdal and Christen Tuv from Slidre. Of the boys that were in the company, who are now old men, can be mentioned Syver, Herman and Engebret Hovda as well as Simon Simonsen and S. T. Simonsen. But at the same time as Ole Finhart and his group settled at the aforementioned place, Thor Olsen Qværsæker from Øvre Telemarken settled in the vicinity of Rose Creek. He came there from Mitchell County, Ia. Next after him came Gunder Halvorsen† from Kragerø as well as Aslak Flaten†, Ole Bjøndal†, Torjus Olsen†, Torger Guttormsen, Knut Lasteru and Tron Richardsen† Tideman Knudsen from Valders was the first in the vicinity of Adams. He settled there in 1855. J. Solnes from th Kristiania region was the first in the vicinity of Lyle. My correspondent in Adams writes, "The first settlers in these parts experienced the new settler life's many and severe hardships. There nearest marketplace was McGregor, Ia., on the Mississippi River, over 100 miles away. A journey there with oxen took from one to two weeks, or more depending on how the roads were. Wheat was their main source of income." O. T. Olsen, son of one of the first settlers in Six Mile Grove tells how he played together with Indian children. It was not exactly the best company, but it wenr well, nevertheless. In any case, he grew up big and strong and now lives as an old man in Belmont, N.D. The halling and Civil War veteran Erik N. Løftegaard of Lansing writes, "I emigrated on the sailship 'Clausheste' and when we came to the quarantine station at Quebec, naturally a doctor came aboard. They stretched a line across the ship and everyone had to slip under it to be examined. The Captain came over to me and said, 'Now you must do your Hallinkast' and when my turn came, I leapt over the rope, right to the place where the doctor stood. The oldster was really frightened, he thought I would leap onto him. But the Captain laughed and said, 'I will show you that I have healthy people aboard!' -- and we all were allowed to go ashore." Bear Creek Norwegian Lutheran Congregation, that was established at Grand Meadow in 1856 by Pastor G. L. Clausen, then of The Norwegian Synod, was the first Norwegian congregation in Mower County. Now there are 11 Norwegian congregations and 9 churches, 7 belong to The United Church and 4 to The Norwegian Synod. There is also a Norwegian hospital (in Austin). John Irgens (Lieutenant in the Civil War) was the first Norwegian to hold public office in Mower County. He was elected County Treasurer in 1870. The first Norwegian to represent the county in the State Legislature was Ole finhart, in 1872.