Sanborn County, South Dakota

Early Norwegian Settlement

Erick Rockney from Voss; H. Marthin and S. Marthin from Hallingdal; Nils Johnson and Mikael Mathiasen from Helgeland; and Hellick Thompson were the first Norwegian settlers in Sanborn County. They all settled in the vicinity of Woonsocket in 1880. They were followed by T. Strand, L. Strand, O. Strand, Ivar Strand, Martin Thompson, B. Dahl, Theodor Thompson, Per Larsen, O. Helgesen, L. Christensen, A. D. Andersen, Claus Jacobsen, Anders Moe, Daniel Johnson, Peder Larsen, G. D. Fønebø, L. Halvorsen, Noranus Aas, Jørgen Aas, and Herbjørn Ostensen. All of these were farmers. 

K. Stakke, L. Bratsberg, O. Hauge, K. Kittelsen, as well as ? Amundsen and ? Holt, were businessmen in Woonsocket.

Churches and Congregations

Sand Creek Congregation was established at Woonsocket in 1881 by Pastor Ole Tjømsland of the Augustana Synod and was the first Norwegian congregation in Sanborn County. By 1905, the county had seven Norwegian congregations and three churches. Three congregations belonged to the United Church, two to the Norwegian Synod, and two to Hauge’s Synod.

Sources:

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