Grant County, South Dakota

Early Norwegian Settlement

Edward Jensen from Selbu was the first Norwegian settler in Grant County. He settled in Adams Township at Nassau in 1877. He was followed by Nils Dahl from Valdres. The first Norwegians in the vicinity of Revillo were Ole Scheie, Gunder Paulsen, Bersvend Ingebrigtsen, and John Aasli. They arrived among a group of Irish settlers whom was described as troublesome. Indians were also still present in the area. As the Norwegian population increased, however, the less desirable elements gradually disappeared. One settler recalled that the settlement had initially consisted mainly of poor, unmarried people, but most had become prosperous and many had children around them to provide support and companionship in old age.

Pioneer Life

One settler described how he and his family first built a small sod house. They had no furniture and no money with which to buy any, so for a time they had to make do with a pair of Norwegian emigrant chests. He managed to buy a small stove on credit and obtained some boards from which he constructed a simple bed. There was no work available nearby, so he had to travel far into Minnesota to earn enough money to support his family. In time, he acquired a milk cow, an ox, and an old wagon, and he recalled that this made him feel prosperous again.

Prairie Fire

He vividly remembered the first prairie fire in that part of South Dakota after white settlement began. Driven by a strong wind from the southwest, the fire swept through the dense, dry grass with tremendous force. The settlers had prepared a firebreak around their buildings, but even with about ten rods between the house and the approaching wall of flame, the heat became so intense that they had to go inside and close the door.

The Winter of 1880–1881

The severe winter of 1880–1881 brought even greater hardship. Snow began falling on October 15 and remained until the middle of April. Winter arrived before the settlers were properly prepared. They had not yet ground their grain or purchased the supplies they needed, and their nearest town was Canby, Minnesota. The nearest mill was fifty to sixty miles away. As a result, they had to grind wheat in a coffee mill in order to make bread, porridge, and soup throughout the winter. There was little else to eat because they had not been able to purchase additional provisions. They had also failed to gather enough firewood before winter began, so they burned hay for fuel throughout the season. The house became buried in snow. Whenever they needed to go outside to care for the livestock, they had to shovel snow into the house in order to make an opening through which they could crawl. Since snow continued to fall and drift, the passage had to be cleared repeatedly. The hay barn and stable were also buried. He recalled that simply keeping the family and livestock alive gave him enough work from morning until night.

Summer Hardships

Summer brought different difficulties, particularly mosquitoes. Their bites tormented those working outdoors, but the settler believed the worst suffering was experienced by the women and children inside the house. To drive the mosquitoes out, the settlers filled pots with hay and set it smoldering. At times, he recalled, the smoke made it appear as if the whole house were on fire. As more land was brought under cultivation, prairie fires became less dangerous and mosquitoes gradually became less numerous. By the time the account was written, settlers had deep cellars for protection against lightning and cyclones, better houses and coal-fired stoves for protection against winter storms, and well-stocked pantries. The old settler concluded that life had become comfortable compared with the hardships of the pioneer years.

Churches and Congregations

The first Norwegian congregation in Grant County was established at Revillo in 1880 by Pastor A. O. Utheim of Hauge’s Synod. The congregation built the county’s first Norwegian church in 1883. By 1905, Grant County had seven Norwegian congregations and four churches. Two congregations belonged to the United Church, two to the Norwegian Synod, and three to Hauge’s Synod.

Public Office

Albert Nash of Milbank was the first Norwegian to hold county office in Grant County. He was elected Sheriff in 1881. Wm. O. Storlie of Revillo was the first, and by 1905 the only, Norwegian to represent Grant County in the State Legislature. He was elected in 1895.

Sources:

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