Jackson County, Wisconsin

Early Norwegian Settlement

The brothers Knut Anderson Lunde and Ole Anderson Lunde from Telemark were the first Norwegian settlers in Jackson County. They came from the southern part of Wisconsin and settled in the vicinity of Taylor in 1848. They were followed by Sjur Finney, Nils Finney, and Anders Skutly, all from Voss, as well as Gunder Nickels, John Nickels, and Ole Nickels from Telemark.

Pioneer Life

During their first years, the settlers lived in dugouts, essentially earth cellars or holes in the ground. Wheat and oats were their principal products for sale. Daily wages for farm or forest work ranged from fifty to seventy-five cents. Oxen and wagons with log wheels were the only means of transportation available at the time.

Black River Falls and “Little Norway”

Martin Matson from Gudbrandsdalen was the first Norwegian settler in the vicinity of Black River Falls. The settlement there became known as Lille Norge, or “Little Norway,” and the oldest congregation, belonging to the United Church, carried the same name.

Martin Matson, recalled that during his first years on the farm he harvested little more than potatoes and some corn. He had no proper farming implements. The only tool he had for breaking the soil was a homemade wooden plow, which his oxen pulled through the hard ground. It repeatedly struck tree roots, stumps, and stones. During the winter, Matson ground his corn in a coffee mill. The meal produced in this way was the only flour he had to live on. He threshed his first wheat by spreading it across the barn floor and driving his oxen back and forth over it until the grain separated from the straw. To have their grain milled, the settlers had to travel all the way to Sparta. At times, food became scarce before they returned home and were able to bake bread from the flour.

Merrillan

Christian Heierdal from Aurskog Parish was the first Norwegian settler in the vicinity of Merrillan.

The Hixton Settlement

Among the first Norwegian settlers in the Hixton area were Anton Baardsen from Trøndelag; Simon Simensen, Mikael Simonsen, T. A. Haugen, John J. Aasegaard, Halvor P. Qværnsletten, Peder P. Lien, Simon A. Kjollom, Jørgen B. Hovdet, Ole B. Hoff, Hans Embretsen Furuhovdet, Ole S. Eidet, Even S. Bransness, Erik A. Lien, Peder T. Bihaugen, Simon Foldet, Esten Samuelsen, Iver Tronson, T. T. Thompson, Ole H. Riismoen, and Halvor Pedersen, all from Folldal in Østerdalen; Ole C. Knudsen and Ingvald Knudsen from Land Parish; and Stengrim Hansen from Syndalen.

City Point

The first Norwegian settlers at City Point included Hans Olsen from Åmot in Østerdalen, Anders Amundsen from Vang in Hedmark, E. R. Holm from Lillehammer, and the Fransen family from Enebakk near Kristiania (Oslo).

Churches and Congregations

The Beaver Creek Congregation was established at Franklin in 1860 and became affiliated with the Norwegian Synod. It was the first Norwegian congregation in Jackson County. It should be noted, however, that the Trempealeau Valley Congregation, located along the county boundary between Blair and Taylor and listed under Trempealeau County, had already been established in 1857. The first Norwegian church in Jackson County was built by the Beaver Creek Congregation in 1864. By 1905, Jackson County had thirteen Norwegian congregations and eleven churches. Five congregations belonged to the United Church, three to the Norwegian Synod, three to Hauge’s Synod, and two to Elling Eielsen’s Society.

Public Office

Olavus Gulord of Northfield was the first Norwegian to hold public office in Jackson County.

Norwegian Place Names

There was once a post office in Jackson County with the Norwegian name Tindahl.

Sources:

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