Latah County, Idaho

Early Norwegian Settlement

Tønnes Møller from Sokndal founded what the source identifies as the first Norwegian settlement in Idaho. He came from Wisconsin and settled at Genesee in Latah County in 1876. Later that same year, he was joined by John Tetly from Levanger; Ditlef and Hans Smith from Kvalheim in Manger Parish; Knud Bergquam from Sogn; Hans Tvedt from Lindås Parish; Casper Johnson; Andrew Christensen; Iver Christensen; Carl Christensen; James Jacobsen; Charles Fering; Ole Ottesen; Martin Andersen; and Erik Andersen. In the early years, the settlers lived in dugouts and log cabins. Wheat became their principal source of income. Lewiston, about twenty miles away, was their nearest marketplace, and daily wages at the time were about fifty cents. Søren Nelson from Valdres was the first Norwegian settler in the vicinity of Anderson Post Office, while Henry B. Jørgensen from Flekkefjord was the first near Park. Sam Johnson from Telemark was the first Norwegian in the vicinity of Moscow.

Conflict and Frontier Defense

The Nez Perce Indians were described as aggressive and warlike during these early years and the Norwegian settlers found it necessary to construct defensive entrenchments. Civil War veteran T. E. Møller and Samuel Johnson took responsibility for building the principal fortification and later served as its commanders. This occurred in 1876.

The Naming of Genesee

Knud Madison became the first Norwegian hotelkeeper in Idaho. He opened a boarding house in the Genesee Valley, at the place where Genesee later developed. T. E. Møller made a sign for the building bearing the words Genesee Hotel in large letters. According to the source, the town took its name from this sign. This reportedly annoyed an earlier settler, described as a Jewish merchant, who had begun calling the place Jerusalem but had never put up a sign with that name.

Churches and Congregations

The first Norwegian congregation in Idaho was established at Moscow during the 1880s by Pastor C. Eriksen of the Methodist Church. The congregation built what the source identifies as the first Norwegian church in both Latah County and the state of Idaho in 1887. By 1905, Latah County had eight Norwegian congregations and three churches. Two congregations belonged to the Methodist Church, two to the Norwegian Synod, and four to the United Church.

Public Office

Knud Larsen of Genesee was the first Norwegian to hold public office in Idaho. He served as a member of the Idaho State Legislature.

Sources:

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