Quebec Province, Canada

The First Norwegian Settlement in Canada

The first Norwegian settlement in Canada was established at Robinson Bury, now Bury, in Quebec Province in 1857. Although scattered Norwegians had lived elsewhere in Canada before that time, the source identifies this as the first organized Norwegian settlement. The first settler was John Svendsen, a sea captain from Risør. He died in 1878. Pastor N. Ellestad of the United Church established a Norwegian congregation there in 1876. By 1905, a small number of Norwegian families still remained in the area.

Norwegian Settlement at Waterville

A few Norwegians also settled at Waterville. The first was Knud Madsen Moene from Ørsta, Sunnmøre, who arrived with his family in 1882. Among his grown sons were Carl, Mathias, and Ivar. They were followed by Gulbrand Olsen from Nes, Romerike; John Iversen from the Øyeren area; Mathias Pedersen Brungot; and Elias Eliassen Aamaas from Ørsta, Sunnmøre. Some of the Norwegians worked as tradesmen in Waterville, while others farmed in the surrounding countryside. Pastor Jacobsen was the first Norwegian pastor to visit this small settlement, doing so in 1885. He lived in Montreal, where a small Norwegian Lutheran congregation also existed at that time.

Peder Herreid’s Account of Robinson Bury

Peder Herreid of Twin Valley, Minnesota, later recalled that he had been among those who attempted to establish the Norwegian colony at Robinson Bury in 1857.

The land belonged to the British-America Land Company and was inexpensive, costing only two to three dollars per acre. Much of it, however, was covered with heavy forest, particularly sugar maple and other hardwoods. Although the soil appeared fertile, clearing enough land for cultivation required enormous labor. There was little commercial value in the timber itself. Much of it could only be burned for potash, which brought limited income. Settlers with families found it difficult to earn enough to provide even the necessities of life. As a result, families gradually began leaving the settlement. Most moved to the northwestern United States, although a few remained. Herreid particularly mentioned the merchant Thambs as a man who understood the work of colonization and did what he could to strengthen the settlement. Even so, the permanent Norwegian community remained small.

Norwegian Settlement in Gaspé

In 1860, a small group of Norwegian emigrants established what appears to have been the first Norwegian settlement in the Gaspé district of Lower Canada, near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River.

Among the first Norwegian settlers were Petter A. Berg, Ludvig Brandt, Ekard Baysen, Guldbrand Christiansen, Fredrik Brandt, Knud Arnesen, Petter Brandt, Christian Bjørnstad, and Theodor Bjørnstad. In December 1860, these nine men signed a letter describing their experiences and the opportunities they believed the district offered to prospective Norwegian emigrants. It was printed in the norwegian newspaper Morgenbladet. Another small group came over on the Brødrene from Trondheim in 1861.

Farming and Fishing

Agriculture in the Gaspé district was still relatively undeveloped. The settlers attributed this partly to a shortage of labor and partly to the availability of other sources of income, particularly fishing. They believed Norwegian fishermen were especially well suited to the district. Cod fishing continued from May until late autumn, while herring was caught in the spring and again for a period in the fall. Mackerel fishing was important during the summer and autumn, and lobster fishing was also carried on. Some whaling and sealing took place as well. Local fishermen generally used simple hand lines. The Norwegian settlers believed that fishermen arriving from Norway with more developed equipment could obtain better results and advised emigrants from coastal districts to bring their fishing gear with them. Cod was prepared in much the same way as in Norway and exported to markets including New York, Boston, South America, the West Indies, and the Mediterranean. The settlers regarded the possibility of combining farming with fishing as one of the district’s principal advantages.

Land Reserved for Norwegian Settlers

An important factor behind the settlement was the work of Christoffer O. Closter, described in the account as the Canadian government’s agent for Norwegian emigrants. In his annual report for 1859, Closter had proposed that the Canadian authorities survey a tract of land to be reserved for Norwegian colonization and offered to Norwegian emigrants on favorable terms. According to the settlers, the proposal was approved, and by the time they reached Quebec in 1860 arrangements had been made for Norwegian emigrants to acquire land in the designated area. For the first five years, the tract was to be reserved exclusively for Norwegian settlers. It was divided into lots of 100 acres, and a farm of that size could be purchased for twenty dollars. Payment could be spread over five years at six percent interest. Within those five years, the settler was required to clear six acres and construct a dwelling house of logs or boards measuring eleven by nine Norwegian alen, approximately seven by 5.6 meters.

The settlers reported that wheat, barley, oats, and garden crops grew successfully. The forests contained spruce, pine, cedar, and maple, together with timber suitable for boards, planks, and shipbuilding. Several vessels had already been built in the district. Maple trees provided another source of income. Settlers could produce maple sugar for their own use and sell the surplus.

Roads and Access to the Coast

The Norwegian tract was crossed by rivers that offered opportunities for sawmills and gristmills, as well as for floating timber. The rivers were also described as rich in fish. Roads had already been constructed through the more settled areas, and in the autumn of 1860 new roads were being built toward the Norwegian homesteads. The settlers themselves were employed in this work and were paid by the Canadian government. The group had purchased land and built their homes approximately one Norwegian mile inland from the coast. About half a Norwegian mile from the settlement, the government still owned a tract extending toward the sea. According to the letter, the Norwegian settlers were to be allowed to construct storehouses and other buildings on the waterfront, giving them easier access to the fisheries.

Economic Opportunities

The settlers described the established population of Gaspé as relatively prosperous. Some local residents, they wrote, had begun with little more than a boat and fishing line and had eventually become owners of vessels trading with Europe. They considered the low price of land especially attractive. In their view, an industrious Norwegian laborer could obtain his own property with relatively little capital beyond the cost of the journey. Those who did not wish to become farmers could find work in fishing or as wage laborers. According to the account, a laborer could earn about twelve spesiedaler per month in addition to board. Younger men could also find opportunities in shipping. The settlers further reported that the government was providing assistance toward the construction of a schoolhouse for the Norwegian community.

Sources:

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

[Morgenbladet 1861.03.25]