Fayette County, Iowa

Early Norwegian Settlement

Tosten Kaasa, John Kaasa, and Eilef Kaasa from Telemark were the first Norwegian settlers in Fayette County. They came from Jefferson County, Wisconsin, and settled near Clermont in 1849. Wheat farming became their principal source of income. McGregor, their nearest market, was about thirty-five miles away. Daily wages ranged from fifty to seventy-five cents. The settlement became known as  Stavanger.

Eldorado

The first Norwegian settler in the vicinity of Eldorado was Kolbein Solø from the Bergen area. 

Churches and Congregations

By 1905, Fayette County had six Norwegian congregations and four churches. Four congregations belonged to the United Church and two to the Norwegian Synod.

Norwegian Place Names

The Lima Post Office was of Norwegian origin.

Sources:

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