Wells County, North Dakota

Early Norwegian Settlement

Geo. Brynjulfson from Telemark was the first Norwegian settler in Wells County. He settled in the vicinity of Bowdon in 1884. Anders Haaland from Sogn was the first Norwegian settler in what later became Haaland Township, which took its name from him. When he settled there in 1886, the township had not yet been organized. That same year, Adolf Josund from Stavanger settled in the vicinity of Cathay.

Churches and Congregations

Stavange Congregation was established at Cathay in 1893 by Pastor H. Thormodsgaard of the United Church and was the first Norwegian congregation in Wells County. By 1905, Wells County had sixteen Norwegian congregations and seven churches. Six congregations belonged to the United Church, five to the Norwegian Synod, three to the Lutheran Free Church, and two to Hauge’s Synod.

Public Office

Alfred Leifson was the first Norwegian to hold county office in Wells County. He was elected Register of Deeds in 1894. 

Norwegian Place Names

Norwegian place names in Wells County included Fram, Valhalla, Heimdal, and Haaland.

Sources:

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