Winnebago County, Iowa

Early Norwegian Settlement

The first Norwegian settlers in Winnebago County were H. J. Knutsen from Modum; Colbein Larsen from Grue; and L. N. Wilberg, Narve Grønhovd, Hendrik Larsen, and Ola K. Færum. They settled at Lake Mills in Norway Township in 1856. The first Norwegian settlers in the vicinity of Forest City were Guttorm Hønsey from Sogn; Petter Hansen from Valdres; Halvor Oustad, Gunder Oustad, and K. E. Oustad from Nissedal; and three other settlers from Telemark, T. K. Rusli, Nils Gangsei, and Kittel Gundersen. The first Norwegian at Woden was Knud Svensen Dalen from Telemark, while the first at Rake was Arnt A. Rake from Nordfjord.

Pioneer Life

One of the old settlers at Lake Mills recalled that when his family arrived from Norway, they had no money left by the time they reached Madison, Wisconsin. From there they had to walk to Perry, even though they had three small children. Later, they traveled by ox team from Dane County, Wisconsin, to Dodge County, Minnesota, and then continued into Iowa. Their next task was to build a hay shelter in which to live until they could establish a better home. The mosquitoes, however, were so severe that it was almost impossible to sleep at night. The settler also recalled that the lack of money and basic necessities among the newcomers was so serious that many families experienced real hardship.

Churches and Congregations

The first Norwegian congregation in Winnebago County was established in Center Township in 1865 by Pastor T. A. Torgersen of the Norwegian Synod. It was called the Winnebago Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, and its church was built in 1876. The Methodists, however, had already built a Norwegian church in 1874. By 1905, Winnebago County had twenty-five Norwegian congregations and twenty-three churches. Nine congregations belonged to the Norwegian Synod, nine to the United Church, one to Elling Eielsen’s Society, one to the Evangelical Free Church, two to the Methodist Church, two to the Baptist Church, and one to the Adventist Church.

Winnebago County had more Norwegian churches than any other county in Iowa.

Norwegian Publications

Republikaneren was the name of a Norwegian-language newspaper published for a time in Lake Mills.

Public Office

John S. Anderson of Lake Mills was the first Norwegian to hold public office in Winnebago County. He was elected County Commissioner in 1861.

James Ellicksen of Thompson was the first Norwegian to represent the district in the State Legislature. He was elected in 1891.

G. S. Gilbertsen of Forest City was elected State Treasurer in 1901.

Norwegian Place Names

Places with Norwegian names in Winnebago County included Norway, Amund, Rake, Vinje, Tveten, Nesheim, Norman, and Grythe, eight in all. If Scarville, which the author believed was probably named after Ole Skar, is included, the total becomes nine.

Sources:

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