Cass County, Minnesota

Norwegian Settlement near Pequot and Graff

A small Norwegian settlement developed in the vicinity of Pequot, where Kittel Halvorson was the first known Norwegian settler. He arrived in 1891.

Norwegians also settled near Graff. The first there was Hal. Rosendal from Trondheim, who came in 1896.

Churches and Congregations

Lunde Congregation at Pequot was established in 1895 by Pastor D. J. Grove of the Norwegian Synod and was the oldest Norwegian congregation in Cass County. Its church was built in 1900. Norwegian settlement in the county was still relatively recent, and several additional congregations were in the process of being organized when the information was collected.

Public Office

The first Norwegian known to have held public office in Cass County was M. J. Quam from Inderøy, who was elected Register of Deeds in 1898.

Norwegian-American Press

In 1901, J. P. Bakken moved the Norwegian newspaper Arbeidsmanden from Fertile in Polk County to Cass County and continued publishing it there.

Norwegian Place Names

Graff Post Office received its name from the Norwegian settler Flategraff.

Sources:

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