O'Brien County, Iowa

Norwegian Settlement

In the vicinity of Paullina, where a Norwegian settlement developed, the first settlers were Mrs. Anne West and her children, Anton Hansen, and Jonas Norland and Sam Norland, all from Strand Parish near Stavanger. They came from Marshall County and settled there in 1882. They were followed somewhat later by O. P. Tjossem, Lars Gudmindsen, Sivert Tow, Ed Korem, Peter Tjossem, Christian Thompson, Knut Meltvedt, Christ Meltvedt, Andrew Meltvedt, Jonas Tjossem, and others. Corn, oats, and wheat became the settlers’ principal agricultural products.

Travel by Canal Boat

One of the pioneers later recalled traveling by canal boat. He emphasized that these were not steamboats, but boats drawn by horses. Over long stretches, this was one of the principal means of transportation at the time. He remembered the journey as painfully slow, with the boat pulled along at what he described as a snail’s pace by a thin and exhausted-looking horse.

Churches and Congregations

By 1905, O’Brien County had one Norwegian congregation and one church, both belonging to the United Church.

Sources:

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