Dunn County, Wisconsin

Early Norwegian Settlement

The first Norwegian settlement in Dunn County was established in the vicinity of Elk Mound in 1859. The first settlers were Jacob Andreason, Hans Haagensen, Harold Tillesen, Gabriel Jensen, and Henrik Nilsen, all from Bærum. They came from the Waupun settlement in Fond du Lac County. They were followed by Ludvig Nilsen, Hans Ludvigsen, Jens Tillesen, Martin L. Howe, and Even Bentsen, all from Bærum; Christian Christophersen and Engebrigt Sørensen from Ringerike; and Torsten Olsen from Hadeland. Before the Norwegians arrived, only wild animals and Indians lived in the area.

Colfax and Sand Creek

The Norwegian settlement at Colfax and Sand Creek was established in 1862. Ole E. Running, after whom Running Valley was named, together with Knud Salvesen and Nils Olsen, were the first settlers there. Ole Running was from Skien. They were followed by Ole Larsen from Drammen, Gunnar Kinney from Telemark, and many others.

Pioneer Life

The land was heavily forested and therefore difficult to clear, but the settlers gradually opened it up, inch by inch. Eau Claire was the nearest market. The settlers took their wheat, oats, potatoes, and other farm products there for sale. Oxen and Shank’s mare were naturally their only means of transportation. The sawmills paid only fifty to seventy-five cents a day, so it was not easy to become prosperous.

Mrs. Ole Torgersen’s Journey to America

Mrs. Ole Torgersen, a pioneer woman from Menomonie, recalled:

“I left Kristiania on April 11, 1868, aboard the sailing ship Hannah Parr. Everything went well for three weeks, but then a hurricane arose. The mainmast and one of the other masts broke off at deck level. A pilot then came aboard and guided us into Limerick, Ireland, where we remained for six weeks while the ship was repaired. We used up all the food we had brought for the journey, so the captain had to purchase provisions for us before we could put to sea again. When we reached Quebec, we again had to wait for some time before continuing. While we were there, a young man from Valdres drowned while swimming. The journey continued partly by train, in cars that resembled the cattle cars of later times, and partly by boat. We landed at La Crosse, Wisconsin, and continued up the Mississippi River to Reed’s Landing, Minnesota. From there, we traveled up the Chippewa River to Goose Lake in Peru Township, where Mrs. Torger Oleson and Mrs. Tore Lund came to guide me to my destination.”

(See: The LONG Crossing of the Hannah Parr - Background Essay)

An Early Train at Menomonie

A pioneer from Menomonie recalled an incident from the years before the railroad had been extended into the town and before Menomonie had become a city. There was a mixed train that carried passengers, livestock, and whatever goods were needed. It stopped on the hill outside the settlement. The greatest problem was that the train arrived and departed whenever it, or perhaps the engineer, found convenient. There was no reliable timetable. One day, the settlers heard the whistle and realized that the train was preparing to leave. Everyone who intended to travel hurried up the hill. Among them was an elderly pastor identified only as Pastor R. R. The others ran as fast as they could, but the pastor neither could nor wished to run. After climbing partway up the hill, he stopped to rest and called after the others:

“Tell the conductor that Pastor R. R. is coming!”

The conductor did not wait. By the time the pastor reached the so-called station, he could see only the rear of the train far off in the distance. He later admitted that he had been in a very bad mood. After becoming more accustomed to American ways, however, he was able to laugh about the incident. He observed that in America, shouting one’s title or position accomplished very little. He considered this one of the bad habits he had brought with him from Norway, although he added that he and others had also brought many good habits from the old country.

Churches and Congregations

The Bærum Lutheran Congregation, established at Elk Mound during the 1860s, was the first Norwegian congregation in Dunn County. It built a church in 1878. By 1905, Dunn County had nineteen Norwegian congregations and sixteen churches. Eight congregations belonged to the Norwegian Synod, eight to the United Church, two to the Lutheran Free Church, and one to the Evangelical Free Church.

Public Office

Samuel Omdahl of Menomonie was the first Norwegian to hold public office in Dunn County. He was elected Sheriff in 1874.

Sources:

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