Kittson County, Minnesota

Early Norwegian Settlement

A. C. Teien from Drammen was, as far as is known, the first Norwegian to settle in Kittson County. He settled in the area that now bears his name in 1879.

G. Medso from Overhalla was the first Norwegian settler in the vicinity of Hallock.

B. M. Bothun from Bergen was the first Norwegian settler at Beaton.

The Journey to America

One of the old settlers, who had first lived in Wisconsin, described his journey to America as follows:

“I came to America on a small brig from Kristiania. That was in 1862. We were eighty-two days on the voyage from Norway to Quebec and sixteen days on the journey inland.

During two terrible storms, herring barrels, boxes, and everything else on deck were washed overboard. During one of the storms, we lost all the rigging. The masts, yards, and sails—everything went overboard—while one wave after another swept across the vessel.

We all believed that our final hour had come. Many cries could be heard asking God to have mercy on our souls. We did not soon forget the danger we had faced.

At last we reached land. It then took sixteen days to reach our destination. The journey through the country was also long and unpleasant. What a difference there is between a journey to America then and now!”

Churches and Congregations

The Skjeberg Congregation, founded in Teien Township in 1883 by Pastor Iver Tharalfsen of the Norwegian Conference, was the first Norwegian congregation in the county.

At the time this account was written, there were eleven Norwegian congregations and eight churches in Kittson County. Six congregations belonged to the United Church, three to the Lutheran Free Church, one to the Norwegian Synod, and one to Hauge’s Synod.

Public Office

Ole Holter was the first Norwegian to hold public office in the county.

P. M. Hendricks was, at the time this account was written, the only Norwegian who had represented Kittson County in the State Legislature.

Norwegian Place Names

Places with Norwegian names included Norway, Teien, Reinholt, Visby, and Siggestad.

Sources:

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