Goodhue County, Minnesota - Chapter 20: Sons of the Vikings, 1909

Discovery of America - Modern Norwegian Immigration - Mathias Pedersen Ringdahl - Early Settlers - Anecdotes - Officeholders - Newspapers - Norwegians as Pioneers - Their Present Status.

The Norwegians of today are the descendants of that fearless race, the Vikings, who peopled the coast of Norway and swept the oceans with their swift craft, venturing to Iceland, then to Greenland, and then, it is believed, even to the Atlantic coast of North America as far south as Long Island. It is stated that Bjarne Herjulfson, while driven about in a storm, sighted the coast of Labrador in 986. Erie, the Red. was one of the pioneers of Iceland and Greenland, and his son. Lief Ericson, or Leif the Lucky, as he was called, was early filled with the spirit of adventure. In the year 1000, this Leif, with a company of thirty-five men, set out from Greenland and started down the North American coast, landing on the island of Newfoundland and on the peninsula of Nova Scotia. Continuing their voyage, they reached the vicinity of what is now Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the fall of the year. The wild grapes were hanging heavy on the vines, and Tyrker, a German, who accompanied the expedition, called the place Vineland. Norwegian historians have declared that Leif landed and settled near what is now Fall River, Mass. Even to the present day, there exists in New England a stone tower believed to have been the work of these Norsemen.

In 1003, Leif's brother, Thorwald, was killed by the savages while leading another expedition of Norsemen in about the same locality. In 1007 came a larger expedition, headed by Thorfinn Karlsefin, who had married Gudrid. a widow of Thorstein, a brother of Leif. This expedition consisted of 600 men and possibly some women. They landed near what is now Buzzards Bay. Three years later this settlement was abandoned, and the party sailed back to Greenland with hides and timber.

settlements. It has been declared that Columbus visited Iceland in early life, and that he was familiar with the story of the discovery and settlement of the New England coast by the Norsemen.

In 1619, a Norseman. Jens Munk, visited America at the head of a Danish expedition whose intention it was to take possession of a part of the country in the name of the king of Denmark. He returned to Norway in 1620, the only survivor of the attempt.

In 1633, a Norwegian ship builder by the name of Hans Hanson Bergen, who had for a time resided in Holland, came to New Amsterdam, as New York was then called. It is also believed that there were some twenty other Norwegian settlers in that early colony. Clans Van Sande, the Indian interpreter of the New Amsterdam colony, was a Norwegian.

July 4, 1825, a party of Norwegian Quakers left Stavanger, Norway, and in due time reached New York. What subsequently became of this party has never been positively established. In 1839 a large colony of Norwegians came to Wisconsin. With [Ins colony begins the story of modern Norwegian immigration to America, although from the settlement at New York down to that time there had been here and there individual Norwegians who took an active pari in public affairs, notably in the Moravian colony at South Bethlehem, Pa. It is possible that several Norwegians settled in Minnesota in 1851, but the real influx started in 1852-53. when Houston and Fillmore counties began to be populated.

The first Norwegian in Goodhue county was Mat bias Pederson (Ringdahl), from Hadeland. Norway, who came to Red Wing in the winter of 1852-.)::. He did not, however, found any settlement. It was in 1854 that the Norwegians settled in two townships at the same time - Holden and Wanamingo - also occupying portions of Leon and later of Minneola. Following is a list of some of the early Norwegian settlers: Hans Ovaldsen, from Krageroe; Henry and Toege Nelsen Talla, from Lyster, Song; William Runningen, from Sandoekedal; Anders Baanhus, from Soevde, Telemarken ; John Stroemme ; Anders Hesjedalen and Haldor Eive, from Strilelandet ; Tosten Aaby, from Sigdal ; Bernt Sauland, from Jaederen ; Torbjoern Wraalstad, from Dramgedal; Nils Fenne, Syver Honedal, from Voos; Gunder Hestemyr, from Sandoekedal ; Olaf P. Ness, from Vik, Sogn ; Guttorm Otternes, from Aurland. Sogn; Mathias Ringdahl, Faaberg; Christian Lunde and Andreas Erstad, from Land; Tosten Guldbrandsen, from Gudbrandsdalen ; Ola and Aamund Ofteli, from Telemarken; Knut, Anders. Ole and H. K. Finseth, from Hallingdal; Jens Ottun, 0. J. Sortedal, Kolben Egtveit, 0. 0. Huset, Halvor Enersen, Torbjoern Enerson, Ole 0. Oakland, Ole J. Bakke, Tosten

Anderson, Wis Gulbrandsen. As far as is known all these came in 1854, most of them from Wisconsin. Next came Svend Norgaard, from Telemarken; Ola Gunhus, from Kroedsherrad ; Christian Halvorsen Dbkken, from Hallingdal; Ragnvald Ohnstad, from Aurland, Sogn ; Ole Eriksen, Elling Halgrimsen, Lars N. By ; G. K. Norsving, Ole Nesseth, Erick Anderson ; Nils Mikkelsen, Mickel Johnson, P. N. Langemo, Syvert Halvorsen Dokken, Halvor Syvertsen Dokken, Syvert Markussen, Lars Markussen, and Helge Gulbrandsen Bakken, from Vang, Valders. The last named walked from Decorah, Iowa.

Mrs. Ole Bakke, the first white woman in Holden, relates that one day she left her child lying in its bed and went out to get some water, and when she returned the child had disappeared. She hurriedly ran out and as she heard the cries from a nearby grove, she ran to it as fast as she could. A squaw had stolen the child, but when she saw the mother coming she left the child and ran away. Mrs. Torbjoern Enersen gave birth to the first white child in Holden. Erik Elton died there in the fall of 1855. This was the first death in the township.

The early settlers in Goodhue county were as poor as they were able, the worst was that they did not have sufficient clothing to withstand the severe cold. But they soon overcame this. Soon they began to raise wheat on a large scale. As an example of what the first settlers had to endure the following is given : A man wdio wished to go to Oronoco, Olmsted county, in the winter of 1855 spent the night with Erik Talla and continued his journey the following morning. After three days he returned. During all this time he had been wandering about on the prairie in a blinding snowT storm without knowing where he was and without finding people. The following story relating to Indians was obtained from Cleng J. Dale: "It was in the year 1852. One evening about 7 o'clock there came a warning that the Indians were coming and that they were murdering our next neighbor and his family. It was difficult to say what to do. The thought of saving anything of our possessions we immediately gave up. AVe thought it wisest to flee just as we were. With our one-year-old daughter, my wife and I went eastward to Osmund Wing, who was busy getting his family into a wagon. We decided to go in an easterly direction to Torger Rygh, a devout old countryman, where people frequently held meetings. Here we soon gathered a whole company. The women and children occupied the second story, while the men remained below and armed themselves as well as we could with axes, pitchforks; firearms we did not have. Those of the men who were the most Viking-like took their places as sentries about the house during the night. However, the Indians did not come. In the morning we sent out two spies to examine how matters stood in our homes. They returned with the report that as far as they could see and hear, everything was quiet and our homes were in the same order in which we had left them. Then we returned. At this time B. J. Muus was pastor of the Holden congregation. He removed his family to Red AVing." Mr. Muus, however, returned and continued his labors.

Herman Hansen Bakke, who now lives in Spring Valley, AVis., relates that die settled at Belvidere Mills, Goodhue county, in 1855, and that he had no crops the first five years. Prairie fire destroyed them. On one occasion he also lost his tools and everything else which he owned except his house.

The pioneer Peter Langemo relates, among other things : "The houses in Goodhue county occupied by our fellow countrymen were si nail, as a rule 10x]2, but small as they were, they often accommodated two or three families. The first year after Minnesota became a Mate a law was passed that the taxes should be collected by the town treasurer. Thus it happened in Holden that the treasurer and his family lived together with another man in the latter- 's log hut, which to all appearances was still smaller than the others. So it happened one day that a Hailing who lived in the western part of the township came to pay his taxes, bu1 he seemed to harbor a fear that he had come to the wrong place. After having carefully examined the 1 1 u I on all sides, he entered and made his observations and asked, "Is it here that the high official lives?' The treasurer was Ole Solberg, and a Tier an affirmative answer the Hailing paid his tax.

The Holden congregation was founded in 1856, by Rev. H. A. Stub, belonging to the Norwegian synod. Jt was the first Norwegian congregation in the county. Nevertheless the congregation did not have regular service before Rev. B. J. Muus arrived in 1859. The church was buill in 1861.

Hans Hanson Holtan was the first Norwegian in Goodhue county to hold a public office, he being elected to the legislature in 1857. His brother-in-law, 0. O. Hagna, was the first Norwegian in the county to hold county office, being elected treasurer in 1869. He is still living, and makes his home with his sons in Minneapolis. A list of public officers in Goodhue county of Norwegian birth or descent follows : Members of the state legislature - Hans Hansen Holtan, from Naes, Telemarken; Lars K. Aaker; A. K. Finseth, of Kenyon, from Hemsedahl. llallingdahl; Olaf O. Norvold, of Zumbrota, from Lesje, Gudbranclsdal; 0. J. Wing, of Aspelund, parents from Htavanger district; O. K. Naeseth, of Wanamingo. parents from Holden, Skien ; Frederick Pettersen, Zumbrota. from Ondenhus; Knut K. Finseth. of Kenyon, from Hemsedahl; A. A. Flom, of Cannon Falls, from Aurland,

Kenyon, from Lystcr, Sogn; Ole P. Hulebaek, of Kenyon. from Hausedahl; II. P. Hulebak, of Kenyon, from Hausedahl; Ole O. Huseth, of Norway, from Bolden's; John H. Boxrud, of Goodhue, from Eidsvold ; C. L. Brusletten, of Kenyon, from Naes. Ilallingdal ; Jens K. Grondahl, of Red Wing-, from Eidsvold; A. J. Roekne, of Zumbrota, parents from Voss. Treasurer - 0. 0. Hcgna. from Sande, Telemarken. County auditor - Carl N. Lien, of Red Wing, ancestors from Vang. Valders. Clerk of district court - Hans Johnson, of Red Wing; Albert Johnson, of Red Wing. Court commissioner - George M. Gulbrandsen, of Red Wing. County attorneys - S. J. Nelson, of Red Wing; Albert Johnson, of Red Wing. County coroner - A. H. Allen, of Red Wing, from Hallingdal. Sheriff - A. F. Anderson, of Red Wing, from Fredricks. (Mr. Anderson lias also been county commissioner, state dairy commissioner and presidential elector.) County superintendent of schools - Julius Boraas, of Red Wing, parents from Stjordalem County commissioners - 0. K. XTaeseth, of Wanamingo; A. T. Kjos. of Kenyon. from Vang; Ole O. Huset, of Norway, from Trondhjem; O. K. Pinseth, of Kenyon, from Hemsedal; T. K. Simmons, of Red Wing. County supervisor - Nils G. Nyhagen, of Kenyon. Judge of probate, Oscar D. Anderson. Justices of the peace - K. K. Hougo, from Hallingdal; Mons S. Urevig, from Aurland, Sogn: A. A. Flom. of Cannon Falls; judge of district court. Albert Johnson, Red Wing.

The following places in Goodhue county have Norwegian names: Holden, Norway, Totem Eidsvold, Dovre, Sogn, Henning, Vang, Nausen, Aspelund, Skyberg. The majority of these postoffices have been replaced by the rural free delivery.

Several Norwegian papers have been published in this county : "Budbaereren," the organ of the Hauge's synod, was started in 1868, by L. E. Swenson, of Christiana. The first editors were the Revs. Oesten Hansen and 0. A. Bergh. It is published weekly at Red Wing, has twenty-four two-column pages and has of late years been edited alternately by Rev. Christian Brohough and C. C. Holter. "Boernevennen," an illustrated Sunday school paper, was established in 1877, by C. Lillethun and Rev. Christian 0. Brohough. The paper belongs to Hauge's synod and is published at Red Wing. "The Little Messenger" is a weekly paper for children, published in Red Wing under the auspices of Hauge's synod. "Nordstjeren," a w.eekly paper, was started in Red Wing in 1895 and was published several years. Jens K. Grondahl was the manager and editor. "Broderbaandet." the publication of "Brodersamfundet," was issued in 1899 at Ken-

Thirty years ago a previous history published an estimate of the Norwegians as pioneers. At the time this article was written less than two decades and a half had elapsed since the settlement in the county, and but few of the children born in the township had attained their majority. The article, as written at that time, follows: "A large number of inhabitants of the county - at least one-fourth - are Norwegian. In the southwest part, where the county offers the greatest advantages for agricultural purposes, several townships are settled almost exclusively by them. In this fertile and suitable region they have a better chance of having their energy and industry rewarded than they had in Norway, where greater exertions were needed merely to gain a subsistence, whether as agriculturists on the small, stony and steep pieces of cultivated land or as sailors and fishermen on the surrounding sea. The Norwegians are eminently fit to be pioneers of civilization. In their lonely valleys they have become more accustomed to live by themselves and to be content in their own company than settlers from more densely populated countries ; and they do not to the same degree feel the want of social advantages, from which the pioneers, to a greater or less degree, arc excluded. Self help was, in the old country, cultivated to a high degree in regard to the mechanical work needed by the farmers. It was often a considerable distance to the next neighbor, and the farmers did much of the work themselves, where in other places a tradesman was called into requisition. Almost everyone could, for instance, do his own horseshoeing and other blacksmith work ; thus they were well accustomed to the hard work called for in a pioneer country, because in their own country they had to work hard to make a living, and this rigorous training has made them hardy, strong and enduring. As soon as they arrive in this county they commence working with a good will, and almost universally their exertions have been crowned with success. The kind of property the Norwegians value the most is landed estate. The first settlers tried to stretch themselves over as much land as they could, occupying land for their relations and friends yet to come, besides what they claimed for themselves. New land seekers were frequently turned off with the' information that all the surrounding land was taken. The boundaries were sometimes so extravagant that controversies ensued with later arrivals, which on one occasion, at least, resolved into blows. This collsion caused the 'Club Law' - established by some of the oldest settlers for the retention of their claims - to be abolished. A battle with clubs, axe handles and other weapons was fought at one time on section

:5<). Wanamingo, with damaging results to more pates than one. As soon as tlic claim was secured, work commenced, preparing tlic ground for seed, grubbing out the brush and breaking the soil. The lodgings were inferior, and for a long time, confined to the primitive log hut,. which, however, was solid and warm. As the Norwegians care well for their domestic animals, the first improvements in the way of buildings are good and substantial stables and barns. They do not, for immediate use, build a smaller and cheaper structure, but they wait until able to build something large and solid, and then, economical as they are, they do not shun the expense. 'The best is the cheapest,' is their motto. As soon as the Norwegian has a comfortable home, and often before, he looks around for more land, and buys of his neighbor, if he can ; thus the price of land rises in Norwegian neighborhoods so that it often sells for one-fourth more than the same quality brings in other parts of the county. Those farmers who have been less successful in obtaining for themselves land or property frequently sell out and remove to other parts of the country. The Norwegians prefer to build each at a distance from the other. Everyone likes to have his own for himself, and at a distance from his next neighbor, and to be in as large a degree as possible 'Monarch of all he surveys, whose rights there are none to dispute.' "

Thus was it written thirty years ago. Today there are no more intensely loyal Americans than the descendants of these same Norwegians. Intelligent, educated, progressive, with unswerving devotion to principle, foremost in the ranks of those who work for the good of the county, they are often more thoroughly American than the descendants of the Puritans. With the ancient Norse ancestry of which to be proud, and a record of modern achievement which places them with the leaders of twentieth century movements, they have laid their stamp upon the county and country, and their sons and brothers are occupying positions of trust and honor wherever the United States flag is floating at the present time.