Buffalo County, Wisconsin

Early Norwegian Settlement

The first Norwegian settlers in Buffalo County were Ole Hansen Lerum, Jens J. Hovland, Erik Alme, Arne Ottesen Sørum, and S. Arnesen, all from Luster in Sogn. They came from Vernon County and settled in the area now known as Nelson on July 4, 1856. More Norwegian families soon arrived, probably also from Luster. For a time, the settlement was therefore known as Luster, but the area later became known as Norskedalen. Wheat farming was the principal source of income. Peder N. Aasen was the first Norwegian settler in the Naples area. Ole Ton was the first in the vicinity of Gilmanton. Ole Iversen from Meråker was the first Norwegian settler at Lookout.

Hjalmar Ruud Holand’s Description

Hjalmar Ruud Holand described Buffalo County as lying in western Wisconsin, bordered on the west by the Mississippi River. The county consisted largely of narrow valleys and steep ridges rising about five hundred feet above the valley floors. The farms lay sheltered along the slopes. The soil was good, and although it was difficult to cultivate, the farmers were generally prosperous.

In the northwestern part of the county, extending between Mondovi, Misha-Moskwa (?) and Modena, there was a Norwegian colony in which about nine-tenths of the population came from Luster in Sogn.

The Origins of the Luster Colony

Holand explained that the colony had its origins in Dane County. During the 1850s, many people from Luster had settled at Springdale and Blue Mounds. By then, good land there had become expensive and difficult to obtain. After considerable discussion, a group of these settlers decided to send one man out to search for and purchase suitable land. That man was Ole Hanson Lerum from Luster. In the spring of 1856, he set out on foot and traveled widely in search of a suitable place. He crossed the prairies of Minnesota and traveled far into the forests of Dunn County.

When word reached Springdale that Ole Hanson had returned from his journey, it caused considerable excitement. The settlers took a day off to hear his report. With great ceremony, he described the long journey on foot, the fine land he had seen, his encounters with Indians, his dealings with land speculators, the weather, the great forests, and the broad plains. After further discussion about what they should take with them, several weeks were spent preparing for the journey. Finally, the caravan was ready to follow a new branch of the immigrant trail.

The Journey to Buffalo County

The party had four good wagons, heavily loaded, five teams of oxen, cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens. They followed the military road from Madison toward Prairie du Chien, crossed the Wisconsin River by ferry, and continued through the narrow Kickapoo Valley to Coon Prairie. From there, they traveled to Sparta and Black River Falls. At Black River Falls, they lost their way. For weeks, they wandered through unfamiliar and isolated valleys. Many of these valleys in Trempealeau County were later settled by Norwegians. For days at a time, the travelers saw no sign of other people. They did, however, have the necessities of life with them in their wagons. They baked bread, made coffee, milked their cows, and had fresh eggs every day. At times, they had to build bridges and cut roads. The children herded the pigs and sheep, picked flowers and strawberries, and regarded the journey as a splendid adventure. There were also plenty of partridges to shoot.

The First Homes

On July 6, 1856, smoke rose from the first hearths of the new settlement in Buffalo County. For the next two years, these settlers were the only white inhabitants over a large area, with the exception of the Indians, who had a large camp in the same valley. At first, some of the women felt uneasy about having them as neighbors. They feared that the Indians might one day become hostile and attack the settlement.

Jens Hovland’s Scare

Holand related that one day Jens Hovland was standing on a ridge when he noticed unusual activity in the nearby Indian camp. A large number of Indians appeared to be moving about and shouting. Hovland concluded that this could only mean they were preparing for war. He hurried home, brought his oxen and other livestock inside, gathered his wife and children, and barricaded the door. He then watched through the cracks, prepared to defend himself and his family as best he could. He remained in this state of alarm for a couple of days. When no attack came, he finally opened the door and began to relax.

Relations with the Chippewa

The Indians in the area belonged to the Chippewa tribe and were described as peaceful. In the evenings, hunters would often come down the valley carrying a hindquarter of deer or other game on their backs. They sometimes stopped at one of the Norwegian homes to borrow a little tobacco or syrup. Through gestures and facial expressions, the settlers from Sogn and the Chippewa worked out informal exchanges, including how much syrup should be given for a quarter of venison. Holand noted that the Chippewa were particularly careful about returning things they had borrowed. When a cooking pot was returned, it was often filled with meat.

Churches and Congregations

The Lyster Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was established at Urne in 1856 and was the first Norwegian congregation in Buffalo County. Its first pastor was K. Thorstensen of the Norwegian Synod. The congregation built the county’s first Norwegian church in 1867. Buffalo County had eight Norwegian congregations and eight churches. Four congregations belonged to the Norwegian Synod, three to the United Church, and one to Hauge’s Synod.

Public Office

Erik Alme, mentioned above among the first settlers, was the first Norwegian to hold a county office in Buffalo County. He was elected County Treasurer in 1884.

Norwegian Place Names

Norwegian place names in Buffalo County included Norden, Urne, and Nelson.

Sources:

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