Norfolk city, Virginia

Early Norwegian Presence

Norwegian seamen had visited the coastal towns of Virginia for many years, but permanent Norwegian settlement appears to have begun only much later. Andrew Elseth from Telemark, a veteran of the Civil War, was the first Norwegian known to have taken up farming in the area. He settled about twelve miles from the city of Norfolk. The following year, Thomas Osmundsen from Hardanger also settled there.

Among the first Norwegians in Norfolk itself were Karl Tennefoss from Sogn; Thomas Narum, Olaf Narum, and Albert Lofthus, all from Stavanger; and a man named Halland from Trøndelag. Most of these men found employment in the shipyards.

Sources:

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