Houston County, Minnesota

Early Norwegian Settlement

The first Norwegian in Houston County was Torkel Aagesen from Stavanger. He settled in the vicinity of Blackhammer in 1853.

Knut Olsen from Stavanger, as well as Guttorm Olsen and Jens Winjum, both from Urland, Sogn, also settled in that area in 1853, though somewhat later in the year, as far as is known.

Hans Nilsen Myra from Hadeland was the first Norwegian settler at Spring Grove.

Hans A. Dahle from Upper Telemark was the first in the vicinity of Houston.

Pioneer Life

The land was largely covered with forest. After the trees had been cleared, wheat growing became the settlers’ principal source of income.

A man received from twenty-five to thirty-five cents a day, together with board, for splitting rails and clearing land. The farmers, however, performed nearly all the work themselves. There were few laborers, and no one had much money with which to pay them.

Because there was no flour mill nearby, the settlers often had to grind their grain in coffee mills. The nearest mills were at Lansing, Iowa, and a journey there could take two or three weeks.

Guttorm Guttormsen Øino from Rotnem in Gol, Hallingdal; Ole Evensen Dølehus from Hemsedal; the Stutelien brothers; and G. G. Karsenborg from Valdres were the first white settlers along the South Fork River.

At that time, the area was filled with drunken Indians. Although they were not hostile, the settlers lived in constant fear of them.

The following account is told of the aforementioned Guttorm Øino:

“After an eighteen-week voyage by sailing ship, he and his family landed in New York without money or food. Nevertheless, during the following three weeks, they made their way to Illinois, traveling most of the distance on a lighter. They then had to go in search of land. One day, while wandering through a wilderness area, they were overtaken by a terrible storm. Toward evening, they found a farmer who allowed them to spend the night in an old, dilapidated stable. There his wife became ill and gave birth during the night. They remained there in a pitiful condition for several weeks, after which she died from complications of childbirth and swamp fever. Her name was Helga Larsdatter from Hulebaklien in Gol.”

The hardships endured by Øino and the other pioneers of Houston County give much cause for reflection.

A Pioneer Poem

One of the oldest settlers at Spring Grove sent the author a long poem instead of an account in prose. A few verses describing the pioneer settlers read:

“First you had a cabin and then a steering yoke,

To that a wagon, and then your spirits rose.

You broke up some fields and sowed your seed,

And it bore much fruit and lightened your temper.

You felt so lost and lonely many times,

Without help and means in the primitive land.

But your spirit never left; you went to work again.

For yourself and your children, you built a home.”

He concluded by saying that the younger generation should be grateful to their elders for having received everything from them in good condition. He then left it to the poets of the new generation to correct his poem according to all the rules of the art, since he was not, and did not claim to be, a poet.

Churches and Congregations

The Norwegian Ridge Congregation, which belonged to the Norwegian Synod, was founded at Spring Grove in 1855. It was the first Norwegian congregation in the county.

C. L. Clausen was its first pastor.

At the time this account was written, there were seven Norwegian congregations and seven churches in Houston County. Five belonged to the Norwegian Synod and two to the United Church.

Public Office and Newspapers

Ole Knudsen, who was elected County Commissioner in 1856 and had died by the time this account was written, was the first Norwegian public official in the county.

Jørgen Timansen Quarve, who was also deceased, was the first Norwegian to represent Houston County in the State Legislature. He was elected in 1859.

Sven Ellestad published a newspaper called Spring Grove Posten for a time.

The post offices of Nittedal and Norman, both of which received their names from Norwegians, had been closed.

Sources:

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