Early Norwegian Settlement
The first Norwegians in Stephenson County were the brothers Ole and Ansten Nattestad from Veggli, Numedal, and Clement Stabeck. They settled near Davis in 1837. The Nattestad brothers soon moved on to Wisconsin, and the Norwegian settlement in Stephenson County remained relatively small.
Churches and Congregations
Pastor J. W. C. Dietrichsen established a small Norwegian congregation in 1845. By 1905, the 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.]
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