LaMoure County, North Dakota

Early Norwegian Settlement

The Norwegian settlement in the vicinity of Griswold was established in 1882. The first settlers were B. Smedshammer, Christ Smedshammer, O. O. Bjerke, Christ O. Bjerke, A. E. Rockwold, and P. E. Rockwold, all from Hadeland; John Horsager and Ole Horsager from Stadsbygd; John O. Menes from Sogn; as well as H. J. Hansen and L. C. Bjone. They were followed by Oscar Paulsen from Ringerike; Isak Rein, John Paulson, Paul Tingstad, A. K. Rørvig, Ole R. Oie, and Envert O. Kulset, all from Trøndelag; A. Kjelby and E. Nordal from Sogn; O. C. Anderson from Toten; Ed Olsen and Theodor Olsen from Drammen; Ole Grindal from Østerdalen; as well as M. Wernesen, John Arves, Syvert Martin, Ole Kenservik, and Anders Olsen, whose birthplaces is unknown.

The first Norwegian settler in the Edgely area was Carl O. Nordby, who settled there in 1883.

Churches and Congregations

North La Moure Norwegian Lutheran Congregation was established in 1884 by Pastor Hill and was the first Norwegian congregation in the county. By 1905, La Moure County had six Norwegian congregations and four churches. Four congregations belonged to the United Church and two to Hauge’s Synod.

Norwegian-American Press

Lars Heiberg published a Norwegian-language newspaper in La Moure for a short period during the 1890s.

Norwegian Place Names

Places with Norwegian names in La Moure County included Ibsen, Mikkelsen, Nora, and Norway.

Sources:

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