Chippewa County, Minnesota

Early Norwegian Settlement

One of the earliest Norwegians in Chippewa County was Ole G. Heen from Vang, Valdres. He settled near Maynard in 1857 and had lived there for forty-seven years when he provided his account.

Farther west, in the vicinity of Montevideo and Watson, the first Norwegian settlers included Ole Jacobsen Haugland from Bø, Telemark, Hans Halvorsen from Hadeland, Knut Angrimsen from Setesdal, Ole F. Roe from Tønsberg, Hans Gulden, Ole Svennungsen, and Angrim Knutsen. They settled there in 1867. During the first years, some of the settlers lived in dugouts until they were able to build proper houses. One pioneer later recalled how they had settled on the open prairie and “dug ourselves into a gravel pile.” Wheat growing became the principal source of income in the county.

Churches and Congregations

Immanuel Congregation at Watson was established in 1870 by Pastor L. J. Markhus of the Norwegian Synod and was the first Norwegian congregation in Chippewa County. Its church was built in 1876. That same year, Zion Church was built in Tunsberg Township, also by members of the Norwegian Synod. By 1905, Chippewa County had twenty Norwegian congregations and nineteen churches. Eleven congregations belonged to the United Church, five to the Norwegian Synod, two to the Methodist Church, one to the Baptist Church, and one to the Lutheran Free Church.

Public Office

The first Norwegian county officials were elected in 1869. Ole Torgersen Rød and Oliver Helgesen served as County Commissioners, Ole Overson as Sheriff, and Iver Knudsen as Register of Deeds. Ole O. Lien from Røldal was the first Norwegian to represent Chippewa County in the Minnesota State Legislature, elected in 1878.

Norwegian Place Names

Several townships and post offices in Chippewa County received Norwegian names. The townships included Mandt, Kragerø, and Tunsberg (Tønsberg). Post offices with Norwegian names included Seljord, Kragerø, Risør, Tunsberg, Kalmia, Hagan (Hagen), and Wegdahl. By 1905, only Hagan and Wegdahl were still in operation.

Sources:

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