British Columbia, Canada

Early Norwegian Presence

The first Norwegian known to have established a permanent home in British Columbia was the Hon. Hans Helgesen, who had lived in or near Victoria since 1860. He became a well-known and influential resident and served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.

Aldergrove

A small Norwegian settlement was established at Aldergrove in 1884. John L. Broe, who came from Fayette County, Iowa, was the first Norwegian settler there. He was soon followed by John L. Wilson from Stavanger and others.

The Norwegian Settlement at Bella Coola

A Norwegian settlement was established at Bella Coola in 1894 by Pastor Christian Saugstad. He came there from Minnesota, bringing with him a number of neighbors and acquaintances. Saugstad was originally from Ringsaker, Norway, and died not long after the settlement was founded. Among the Norwegians who settled at Bella Coola were Iver Fougner, who held a position with the Canadian government, C. H. Urseth, Ole Fosbak, H. H. Thorson, H. O. Hansen, O. J. Løkken, A. O. Nesvold, Erik Norskog, H. B. Christensen, and B. Brynildsen. Fishing was the principal source of income, followed by mixed farming, including hay, potatoes, fruit, and cattle, as well as logging.

Augsburg Congregation of the Lutheran Free Church was established there in 1895 by Pastor Saugstad. Its church was built in 1904 and was described by the source as the northwesternmost Norwegian church in the world. The settlement’s post office was named Hagensborg, another name of Norwegian origin.

Norwegian Settlements on Vancouver Island

At Quatsino on Vancouver Island, a small Norwegian settlement was established in 1904 by immigrants who came from the Fargo area of North Dakota. Fillip Jacobsen from Tromsø was the first Norwegian settler at Clayoquot, where another small Norwegian community developed.

Norwegian Community in Vancouver

Norwegian seamen, fishermen, and other immigrants had lived in Vancouver for many years. A small Norwegian congregation was established there, and its church was built during the 1890s. Severin Larsen from Tønsberg, who had lived in Vancouver since 1899, was identified as the first Norwegian businessman in the city. Others mentioned by the source include Aksel Borgeson from Drammen, a commission agent; Carl K. Bjerkness, also from Drammen, who owned a hotel; and Bernhard Boe from Bøvangen in Manger Parish, who operated a plumbing business in 1901.

Norwegian Settlement at Matsqui

A substantial Norwegian settlement developed at Matsqui on the Fraser River, not far from Vancouver. The first Norwegian settler there was Gunerius A. Halvorson from Topbakken in Romedal, Hedmark. He settled at Matsqui in 1900. Andreas P. Bergsvik, who had emigrated from Veøy, Romsdal, in 1887, arrived in 1901. That same year Abraham O. Hougen settled there and opened a grocery store. His brother Gabriel Hougen came in 1902 and became a farmer, as did most of the other Norwegian settlers. The Hougen brothers had been born in Decorah, Iowa, but their father had emigrated from Lyngdal near Kristiansand. Tarald Jensen, who had emigrated from Oftenes near Kristiansand in 1882, settled at Matsqui in 1902. His son Theodor B. Jensen later continued farming there. Jens M. Igeland, who had emigrated from Ibestad, Nordland, in 1888, also came to Matsqui in 1902.

Other Norwegian settlers included John Olsen from Hindersland in Lyngdal near Farsund; Herman Skouge, whose father was Pastor Skouge in Orkdal near Trondheim; Nils Førre, who emigrated from Hjelmeland near Stavanger in 1872; Christian E. Anderson; Hans Steenersen, who emigrated from Kragerø in 1901; Anton Ellingsen, who emigrated from Vatne, Lurøy, Helgeland, in 1884; Martin Kveldsrud from Numedal; Ole Sørensen from Berkeland, Konsmo near Mandal, who emigrated in 1901; Karl Anderson from Husøy near Tønsberg, who arrived in 1905; Ivar M. Monsen, whose father Anders Monsen emigrated from Torsnes, Sogn; Mrs. Julia Hamilton, daughter of Berge Lie from Voss; Frederick Hansen from Hindersland, Lyngdal near Farsund; Peter P. Halvorsen from Petersmoen, Nes, Hallingdal, who emigrated in 1886; and Halvor Lunde from Trysil, Østerdalen, who emigrated in 1889 and farmed there with his sons Emil and Rudolf. Carl Lunde from Trysil, who emigrated in 1882, was also described as one of the early settlers. Others included H. M. Hansen from Drøbak, who arrived in 1900; Bernard Ebbesen from Ugelfoden, Herøy, Helgeland, who emigrated in 1896; and Kolbjørn Gilbertsen (Guttormsen) from Breidak, Gol, Hallingdal, who emigrated in 1873.

Dairying and mixed farming were the principal sources of income in the Matsqui settlement. There were both a Norwegian Lutheran church and a Methodist church.

Whonnock

Whonnock also lay along the Fraser River. Among the Norwegians who settled there were Christian Nelson from Grilstad, Strinda, who emigrated in 1887, and Ole Lie, who emigrated the same year from Saksvikbjerget in Malvik. These men and their sons were engaged mainly in fishing, which was the principal occupation in the area besides farming. Johan Mathisen from Strinda also emigrated in 1887. His son Ludvik Mathisen became engineer aboard the Fort Langley, which operated between Whonnock and New Westminster.

New Westminster

Among the early Norwegians in New Westminster was Nels J. Larsen, who emigrated from Sponvik near Fredrikshald in 1889 and operated a grocery store in the city from 1901. Beginning in 1906, his business partner was John J. Aune, who had emigrated from Strinda in 1902. Albert Bakke, who had emigrated from Strand Parish near Stavanger in 1885, was one of the leaders of the Norwegian Lutheran congregation. Other Norwegian residents included Ole Knutsen from Hatlen in Nesset Parish, Romsdal, who emigrated in 1906, as well as Severin Bakke and Ole and John Brudvik.

Brownsville and Annieville

Across the Fraser River from New Westminster, a large Norwegian settlement developed in the Brownsville and Annieville area. Fishing was the principal source of income, although some farming was also carried on. Ole Aamodt from Sokndal near Egersund settled there in 1893. Other settlers who arrived during the 1890s included Gunnar Lande from Årdal near Kristiansand, Julian Berg from Frøya near Trondheim, Hans Iversen from Sula near Trondheim, Albert Holmes from Hoem near Levanger, Erik Knutsen from Tjelle in Nesset, Kristian and Bernt Stegavik from Leksvik, Jacob Gundersen from Ellingsgaard in Sylte, Knud Larsen from the same place, Knud Rastad from Otterøya in Aukra, Nils Johnson from Bækvik in Fillan, Andrew Aamodt from Sokndal, Albert Olsen from Stavanger, and Lauritz Svendsen from Fuskevaag in Trondenes. Others who had arrived by 1907 included John R. Westby from Gjerdrum in 1900, Anton Knudsen from Tjelle in 1901, George Aronsen from Åknes in Andøya in 1902, Peter Larsen from Kormeseth in Veøy in 1900, Andreas Svendsen in 1902, Torsten Foss from Suldal in 1904, Hartvig Gulbransen in 1905, Angel Hansen in 1906, and Ingval Edwardsen and Marelius B. Olsen in 1907. Most of the Norwegians in this settlement worked as fishermen on the Fraser River, while some were fish buyers.

Prince Rupert

Prince Rupert also had a Norwegian presence. The source referred readers seeking information about the community to Consul John Dybhavn or Peter Rørvik, manager of the Rørvik Fish Company. Both were from Sunnmøre. Many other Norwegians from Sunnmøre and other parts of Norway also lived in Prince Rupert.

Churches and Congregations

In 1905, British Columbia had four Norwegian congregations. Two belonged to the United Church, one to the Lutheran Free Church, and one to the Norwegian Synod. At that time, there were two Norwegian church buildings in the province.

Sources:

[Ulvestad, Martin. Nordmændene i Amerika. Utg. History Book Company's Forlag. Minneapolis, Minn. 1907.]

[Ulvestad, Martin. Norsk-Amerikaneren. Utg. M. Ulvestad. Seattle, Wash. 1928.]