St. Croix County, Wisconsin

Early Norwegian Settlement

The North Rush River Settlement at New Centreville and Baldwin was founded in 1854 and was the first Norwegian settlement in St. Croix County. The founders were Ole H. Thoen, Nils O. Hengsly, August O. Hengsly, and Christian, Hans, and Lauritz Thomasrud, all from Modum; Even Evensen Sagsven from Biri and his three sons Mathias, Christian, and Martin; and Mathias Nilsen, all from Jarlsberg.

Others who arrived in 1854 included H. G. Thoen, H. A. Thoen, Lauritz Thoen, and Halfdan Thomasrud, all from Modum; T. Evensen from Lillesand; as well as Nils Christensen, Nils Gunvalsen, Knudt Halvorson, Jørgen Aslaksen, and Torger Johnson. The birthplaces of the last-mentioned settlers were unknown to the author. It was also said that a cabinetmaker named Svendsen, who was deceased by the time the account was written, had settled in Hudson City somewhat earlier, although the date was not known.

Pioneer Life

Wheat farming was the county’s principal source of income. The new settlers had to haul their wheat all the way to Hudson by ox team, and there were few opportunities to earn cash. As a result, poverty was common, something reflected in both their homes and their meals. One of the first settlers recalled that his first house had cost him only one dollar. Those who traveled to Menomonie could find work in the sawmills, where wages were about seventy-five cents a day.

Norwegian Gold Seekers and Western Travelers

Ole H. Thoen, mentioned above, and several other Norwegians traveled from Rock County, Wisconsin, to California by ox team in 1848 to search for gold. The enormous distance, across open plains and through forests, did not deter them. Alfred H. Evensen from Lillesand, a brother of J. C. Evensen of Baldwin, was among the first Norwegian gold seekers to choose the sea route around Cape Horn, South America, that same year. 

Aslak Olsen from Hardanger was another widely traveled Norwegian pioneer. He was among the first Norwegians to visit Minnesota, traveling there by ox team before roads had been established. He later took part in warfare against Indians in the West and was wounded.

Fear of Indian Attacks

An early settler in St. Croix County later described the anxiety experienced during the Civil War, when Indian warfare also broke out in the North. In Rush River, where he was then living, the settlers feared an attack by the Chippewa Indians so greatly that they gathered in neighboring houses in the evenings and patrolled at night with loaded rifles.

His work took him through the forests of northern Wisconsin, where he dug for or purchased ginseng. When camping at night, he and his companions always kept their weapons beside them because they feared both wild animals and Indians. Every branch moving in the wind could cause alarm, and sleep was often difficult. During the day, they also had to endure enormous swarms of mosquitoes. Despite these hardships, he recalled that they continued to hope for better times and were not disappointed.

Churches and Congregations

North Rush River Congregation, established in 1859, was the first Norwegian congregation in St. Croix County. Its church was built in 1862 and was the first Norwegian church in the county. The congregation’s first pastor was Ole J. Hagestad of the Norwegian Synod. By 1905, St. Croix County had twenty-two Norwegian congregations and eighteen churches. Twelve congregations belonged to the United Church, five to the Norwegian Synod, two to the Methodist Church, two to the Baptist Church, and one to the Unitarian Church.

Public Office

Civil War veteran Hans G. Thoen of New Centreville was the first Norwegian county official in St. Croix County. He was elected Clerk of Court in 1867.

Oluf A. Sangestad of Baldwin was the first Norwegian to represent St. Croix County in the State Legislature. He was elected in 1881.

Norwegian Place Names

The Dahl Post Office, which existed for a time, was named after the pioneer Elling Offerdahl.

Sources:

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