Kandiyohi County, Minnesota

The First Norwegian Settlement at Norway Lake

Even Railsen Glesne, Andrew Railsen Glesne, Ole Knudsen, and E. O. Glesne, all from Sigdal, had settled at Norway Lake by 1858 and were therefore the first Norwegian settlers in the county.

They were followed by Christopher C. Engen from Nordre Land, Erik Kopperud from Hadeland, Lars Andersen, Ole Hagen, Sivert Andersen, and others.

St. Cloud, about sixty miles away, was their nearest market. They began by growing wheat and had only recently established their farms and erected their buildings when the bloody Indian uprising occurred in 1862.

The Indian Uprising of 1862

Ole Hagen, who lived on Section 32, was found dead beside the road not far from his home. He had packed his wounds with grass in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but it did not save him.

The bodies of Berge Bergesen, Fredrik Olsen, and Mrs. Olsen were also found near Hagen’s home.

That same day, four Indians came to Lars Andersen’s house and asked for milk. Andersen himself carried the milk out to them, but when he turned to go back into the house, he was shot.

His son Endre was ordered by the Indians to go into the garden and dig potatoes for them. When he had finished, they killed him.

Endre’s brother Ole was shot in the shoulder and fell behind the stove, apparently dead.

Their sisters, Guri and Brita, seventeen and eight years old respectively, were carried away by the Indians. The following morning, while the Indians were searching for horses that had broken loose during the night, the girls found an opportunity to escape.

Mrs. Lars Andersen had hidden in the cellar with her two-and-a-half-year-old child. From there, she witnessed the destruction of her family. Believing that they were all dead, she began to lose her composure. When she discovered that her son Ole had regained consciousness, however, she recovered her courage.

They obtained a pair of oxen and a sled and drove to the home of Oscar Ericksen.

The Defense of the Ericksen Home

The Indians had also carried out a bloody attack at the Ericksen home.

An unmarried Swede named Carlson, who lived with the Ericksen family, had been killed. Ericksen himself had been severely wounded in the abdomen, and an American who also lived there with his family had received a similar wound.

After the men had been rendered unable to fight, the women in the house were forced to defend themselves against the attackers. They barricaded the doors and windows and fired through cracks and openings with such skill that the Indians decided to withdraw, taking their wounded and one dead man with them.

The women then noticed that one of their neighbors’ houses had been set on fire. Fearing that the same would happen to them, they decided to flee with their children while the Indians were some distance away.

They had to leave the wounded men where they lay. Fortunately, Mrs. Andersen and her son arrived with a vehicle. She took the wounded men with her to Forest City, where their families had already fled.

Refuge on Norway Lake

The entire settlement became the object of plunder and murder.

One evening, a number of refugees gathered at Ole Knudsen’s home. Knudsen and his wife each took a child on their shoulders and hurried to the home of Even Railsen.

Railsen and his family had already abandoned their house. Knudsen and the others therefore sought refuge on a small island in Norway Lake that lay beyond gun range.

They reached the island by means of a tree trunk, which they pushed back and forth until everyone had been brought to safety. There they intended to resist if necessary.

Among the other Norwegians who narrowly escaped being killed were Thomas Osmundsen and his father-in-law, Svend Borgen, from Numedal.

While they were moving furniture and provisions from Borgen’s house, Indians who were lying in ambush opened fire on them. When those on the nearby island heard their cries, they shouted so loudly that the Indians became frightened and fled.

The Flight from Norway Lake

News of the desperate conditions at Norway Lake had reached Paynesville, where a small armed force was quickly organized to assist the settlers farther west.

Among the first refugees encountered by the Paynesville expedition were five children belonging to Johannes Iversen, who had been killed by the Indians. The children had wandered across the prairie, crying, hungry, and without knowing where to go.

About the same time, Even Olsen, Erik Kopperud, Lars Iversen, and their families reached Paynesville. Others followed, one caravan after another.

The company continued eastward toward St. Cloud. As the refugees moved forward, their numbers increased, since no one wished to become the first victim of the Indians, whom they believed were hunting the white settlers.

The Crossing at St. Cloud

When the group reached St. Cloud, they encountered an obstacle. The ferry had been closed, and they could not cross the large river that ran through the city.

The businessmen and others who depended upon the farmers did not wish to see the surrounding countryside abandoned. Thomas Osmundsen, however, knew what to do.

He mounted one of his oxen and had it swim across the river with him. His example was quickly followed, and both people and livestock soon reached the opposite bank.

The refugees nevertheless agreed that they would seize the ferry by force if the authorities did not permit them to use it voluntarily.

The leaders of the refugee party soon made it clear that they were just as willing to fight the citizens of St. Cloud as to return and fight the Indians.

As a result, they were allowed to cross. The police offered no resistance.

Settlement at Kingville and Georgeville

The first Norwegian settler in the vicinity of Kingville was Halvor Jørgensen Førdal from Drangedal parish. He later served in the Civil War and was killed.

George Johnson from Gudbrandsdalen was the first settler in the vicinity of Georgeville.

The Norwegian Settlement at Willmar

The first Norwegian to settle near Willmar was Erik Nelson Elgeraas from Sveio parish in Sunnhordland. He came from Burnett County, Wisconsin, and settled there in 1863, after the Indian uprising.

He was followed by Olai Olsen from Rana, Nordland; Ole Aslaksen; Tollef Homen; Halvor Sondresen; and Andreas Aslaksen from Vinje, Telemark.

A little later came Helmer Martinsen from Lofoten; Ole L. Elgeraas from Sveio, Sunnhordland; Halvor Olsnes from Vinje, Telemark; John Olson; Matias Olsen; Mads Knudsen; Knud Staland; Ellef Ellefsen; Ole Sletten; Thore Lindland; Asbjørn Pedersen; Tore Feiring; Ole Torkelsen; Jacob Jacobsen; and Anders Christiansen. All of them settled near Willmar.

The Return to Norway Lake

At about this time, the settlers who had fled the Norway Lake district during the Indian uprising began returning to their homes.

Several others also settled there, including Martin Engen, Johan Haavelsen, and Erik Negaard, all from Nordre Land; Elling Sagadalen and Erik Ruud from Hallingdal; Anders Skare, John Hamre, and Erik Kvenrud from Eggedal; Iver K. Syse from Hardanger; Jacob Ramstad from Sigdal; and Lars Næs from Sogndal.

Toløre Torgersen from Telemark was the first Norwegian to settle at Kandiyohi Station.

The first at Lake Lillian was Johan A. J. Bomstad from Balsfjord. 

The Nordland Settlement

The first Norwegian settlers in the vicinity of Irving were B. C. Bensen from Helgeland, Ole C. Christensen from Nesna in Nordland, N. Emeson, and Størk Larson.

This settlement was called Nordland because it was founded by people from northern Norway in 1866. It was located in the northeastern part of Kandiyohi County and extended into the northwestern part of neighboring Meeker County.

Churches and Congregations

The Norway Lake Congregation, founded in 1866, was the first Norwegian congregation in Kandiyohi County. Pastor Th. Johnson of the Norwegian Synod was its first pastor. The church was built in 1868.

At the time this account was written, there were nineteen Norwegian congregations and sixteen churches in the county. Six congregations belonged to the Lutheran Free Church, five to the United Church, five to the Norwegian Synod, two to Hauge’s Synod, and one to the “Free-Free.”

Public Office

The first Norwegian to hold public office was C. G. Lien from Numedal. He was elected County Treasurer in 1867.

At that time, the northern half of present-day Kandiyohi County was known as Magnolia County, and it was there that he served as treasurer.

Andrew Railson of Norway Lake was the first Norwegian to represent the county in the State Legislature. He was elected in 1867.

Schools and Institutions

Willmar Seminary, a Norwegian school, was founded in 1882.

More recently, a school intended primarily for Norwegian children was established at Norway Lake.

The Free Church Children’s Home was moved from Lamberton to Willmar in Kandiyohi County in 1905.

Norwegian Place Names

Places with Norwegian names included Arctander, Aspelien, Dovre, Hawick (Havig), Holum, Grue, Negord (Negaard), Norway Lake, and Thorpe.

Sources:

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