Manitoba Province, Canada

Early Norwegian Settlement

The first Norwegian settlement in Manitoba was established near Brown Post Office in the Stanley District in 1887 by B. O. Holo from Indre Sogn. He came there from Pembina County, North Dakota. No other Norwegians arrived that year. Holo was a veteran of the Civil War and had taken part in several battles. This experience helped prepare him for life in a sparsely settled area, although he did not come alone, as his family accompanied him.

The next Norwegian settlers included Jacob Spangelo from Sogn; Nils O. Vigen; Ole B. Nelson; Knud Halvorsen; Gisle K. Gundersen; Halvor Halvorsen; Kittel Halvorsen; Thore Halvorsen; and Lars H. Lien, all from Numedal. These settlers lived near the North Dakota border, where a post office named Nummedal reflected their Norwegian origins. Logging and farming were the principal sources of income in the settlement.

Norwegian Settlement near Morris

The first Norwegian settler in the Morris area was Ole H. Gilman from the Lykken farm in Sauherad, Telemark. He came from Walsh County to Morris, Manitoba, in 1899. He was later followed by Johannes Johnson from Trøndelag and others.

O. H. Gilman’s Journey to America

Ole H. Gilman had emigrated from Norway during the era of sailing ships. He later recalled the voyage as long and uncomfortable, with poor sanitary conditions, vermin, and other hardships aboard. Among the passengers was a man whose passage had reportedly been paid by the authorities in Skien because they wished to be rid of him. After learning that Gilman’s mother carried a bottle of camphorated spirits, the man began complaining repeatedly of stomach pains. When the emigrants reached Quebec, they were approached by a Norwegian-speaking agent who advised them that the most comfortable way to continue inland would be by steamship. They followed his recommendation and boarded a steamer, only to discover that it went no farther than Montreal. From Montreal they continued aboard poor-quality vessels that also carried livestock, wood, and other cargo. The journey through the rivers and lakes was slow, and the emigrants had to provide for themselves throughout the trip.

A Warning about Emigrant Agents

Gilman’s experience was used to warn other emigrants against unscrupulous countrymen who approached newly arrived Norwegians and gained their confidence by speaking their native language. Such agents presented themselves as helpful guides to people unfamiliar with the country and unable to understand English well. According to the author, some used this trust to mislead or defraud immigrants. The author regarded this as a recurring problem throughout the history of Norwegian emigration and repeated the warning that newly arrived immigrants should be cautious when accepting advice from strangers simply because they were fellow Norwegians.

Norwegian Community in Winnipeg

A number of Norwegians also lived in Winnipeg. A Norwegian congregation was established there in 1904 by Pastor J. E. Ingebrigtsen of the Norwegian Synod. Pastor T. K. Thorvilson, also of the Norwegian Synod, became its first serving pastor and was identified as the first Norwegian pastor to settle in Manitoba. By 1905, Winnipeg had two Norwegian Lutheran congregations. The source expected that additional congregations would soon be established, reflecting the increasing number of Norwegians moving to Manitoba and other Canadian provinces.

Sources:

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