Humboldt County, Iowa

Early Norwegian Settlement

Andreas Gullicksen from Vardal near Gjøvik and Christian Rossing from Land Parish were the first Norwegian settlers in Humboldt County. They came from Wiota, Wisconsin, and settled at Bode in 1865. Later that same year came Christian Gullicksen and Ole Gullicksen from Vardal, together with Peder Williamsen from Hallingdal. Wheat and oats became the settlers’ principal sources of income. Fort Dodge, about thirty miles away, was their nearest market.

The Thor and Eagle Grove Settlement

The Norwegian settlement at Thor and Eagle Grove was established during the 1870s. Among the first settlers were Ole Tang from Stavanger; O. W. Willickson, E. Tennesen, O. Sheldos, Lewis Olsen, Stewart Olsen, J. Opheim, N. M. Johnson, N. S. Johnson, Ole Espe, Elling Johnson, and Lewis Waage, all from Hardanger; O. Halgrims and H. T. Thompson from Hallingdal; E. Korslund from Eidsvoll; E. Gangestad, A. E. Gangestad, and H. E. Gangestad from Skjeberg; as well as J. Bjøndal and Hans Thompson from Hadeland.

Hans Thompson’s Pioneer Account

Hans Thompson recalled some of the hardships of pioneer life. In the spring of 1869, he traveled from Wisconsin to Iowa with two teams of oxen and an old wagon. Poor roads, sloughs, unbridged rivers, mosquitoes, and flies made the journey extremely difficult. He reached Fort Dodge on June 11, the same day the first passenger train arrived there. After working for the railroad company during the summer, Thompson went into the unsettled countryside and claimed a homestead. Because winter had already arrived, he and his family had to construct a dugout in great haste. The roof proved inadequate, and snow often accumulated on both the floor and the bed. During the coldest nights they had to keep the stove burning continuously to avoid freezing, and hay was the only fuel available. Thompson recalled that his wife watched the stove while he slept, and when she slept, he kept watch. Thompson had also emigrated during the period when immigrants were transported from Quebec to Chicago in boxcars with only planks for seats. As the author remarked, these pioneers experienced a little of everything.

Churches and Congregations

Badger Congregation, established in 1869 by Pastor N. Amlund, was the first Norwegian congregation in Humboldt County. By 1905, the county had ten Norwegian congregations and ten churches. Six congregations belonged to the United Church, three to the Norwegian Synod, and one to Hauge’s Synod.

Public Office

Christian Gullixsen was the first Norwegian to hold public office in Humboldt County. He was elected Sheriff in 1877.

Col. Halgrims stated that E. K. Winne, elected State Senator in 1900, was Norwegian. Captain Rossing, however, maintained that no Norwegian from Humboldt County had yet been elected to the State Legislature.

Education

Lutheran High School was established in 1887, and Humboldt College in 1895.

Norwegian Place Names

Place names of Norwegian origin in Humboldt County included Thor, Renwick, Ottosen, Rutland, Nora, and Norway.

Sources:

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