King County, Washington

Early Norwegian Settlement

Christopher Christophersen from Mandal was probably the first Norwegian settler in King County. He settled about four miles from Kent, where a small station later bore his name. The year of his arrival was not known. The Norwegian settlement at Woodinville was also relatively early. Emanuel Nelson from Horten, together with Gustav Jacobsen, Lars Wold, and Ingebrigt Wold, settled there in 1876.

A man who worked and traveled in King County in 1877 recalled meeting only six Norwegian families: the Olsons, Hansons, Wolds, Henry Bestrøms, Andrew O. Lunds, and Christopher Christophersens. According to his account, the first four families lived in Seattle, while the latter two lived a short distance away. These were therefore among the earliest Norwegian settlers in the Seattle area.

Bothell, Kent, and Redmond

The following settlers came to the vicinity of Bothell in 1882: Jacob T. Hammer and Ole Justen from Lom, Johannes Olsen from Sogn, and Jacob Mohn and Gerhard Ericksen from Molde.

The first Norwegians in Kent were Peter M. Benson and Hans Moe from Sogn and Julius Johnson from Fet Parish. They settled there in 1889.

The Norwegian settlement at Redmond was established in 1890. Among the first settlers were H., K., J., O., and G. Steensland; Christian Rabstad; William Helstad; Peter Kittelson; and Robert Solberg, all from Kristiansand; Lars S. Herberg from Biri; John Petersen and John Outley from Kristiania; Ole and Gabriel Rosford from Rosfjord; John Eversen from Enebakk; Peder Ericksen from Trondheim; and C. B. Westby and Mathias Monsen, both born in the United States.

Churches and Congregations

The first Norwegian congregation in King County was a Norwegian Lutheran congregation established in Seattle by Pastor Iver Tollefson of the Conference. The congregation built the county’s first Norwegian church in 1890. By 1905, King County had fourteen Norwegian congregations and fourteen churches. Four congregations belonged to the Norwegian Synod, four to the United Church, three to the Lutheran Free Church, two to the Methodist Church, and one to the Baptist Church.

Norwegian-American Press

The Washington Tidende, was established in 1889. The Washington Tidende, Papagøien, Fram, Washington Posten, and Normanna, were all published in Seattle. The Konge-Riget, Den Ev. Herold, and Ebenezer were published in Ballard.

Sources:

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