Hubbard County, Minnesota

Early Norwegian Settlement

Jacob Evensen, who came from La Salle County, Illinois, and settled at Dorset, was the first Norwegian in Hubbard County. Evensen’s parents were from Stavanger.

Ole J. Færden from Valders was the first Norwegian in the vicinity of Rosby. He wrote:

“During our first years here, the nearest railroad station was seventy miles away, and we had to travel there with oxen. In winter, we often had to go on skis to obtain what we needed to sustain life.”

Churches and Congregations

There were five Norwegian congregations in the county. Two belonged to the Lutheran Free Church, two to the Norwegian Synod, and one to the United Church.

Public Office

A. G. Johndal, who was elected County Commissioner in 1900, was the first Norwegian public official in the county.

Norwegian Place Names

Places with Norwegian names included the townships of Farden (Færden), Helga, and Hendrickson, and the post offices of Rosby, Dorset, and Maltby.

Sources:

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