Hancock County, Iowa

Norwegian Settlement

Sewal Simonsen from Ringerike was the first Norwegian settler in Hancock County. He settled in the vicinity of Clear Lake, although the year of his arrival was unknown. One of the early settlers later described how limited their resources were in the beginning. Among the first necessities were a cow and a few hens. When the men were away working, the women often had to walk to town carrying butter and eggs, which they exchanged for flour and other necessities. The families could not yet afford wagons, and the women sometimes had to walk between five and ten miles.

Churches and Congregations

By 1905, Hancock County had five Norwegian congregations and two churches. Three congregations belonged to the United Church and two to the Lutheran Free Church.

Norwegian Place Names

The Klemme Post Office received its name from Norwegians.

Sources:

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