Transcriber’s Note
The numbered footnotes have been consolidated and moved to the end of thetext. Unnumbered footnotes to the Church Register in Chapter XXXVII and toTable I of the Appendix appear locally.
Please consult the Transcriber’s Note at the endof this text for the details of any textual issues.
History of Norwegian Immigration
A History of Norwegian Immigration
to
The United States
From the Earliest Beginning down to the Year 1848
By
GEORGE T. FLOM, Ph. D. (Columbia)
Professor of Scandinavian Languages and Literatures and Acting Professor of English Philology, State University of Iowa
PRIVATELY PRINTED
IOWA CITY, IOWA
1909
COPYRIGHT 1909
GEORGE T. FLOM
THE TORCH PRESS
CEDAR RAPIDS
IOWA
To My Mother
THROUGH WHOM I HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING
OF THE HEROIC WOMANHOOD EXEMPLIFIED IN THE
LIVES OF OUR PIONEER MOTHERS, THIS VOLUME IS
AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED
FOREWORD
This volume is intended to present the progress of immigration fromNorway to this country from the beginning down through what may betermed the first period of settlement. It is possible that I may atsome future time return to these studies to trace the further growth ofthe Scandinavian element and its place and influence in American life.
Four years ago I contributed an article to The Iowa Journal ofHistory and Politics upon “The Scandinavian Factor in the AmericanPopulation,” in which I discussed briefly the causes of emigrationfrom the Northern countries. This article forms the basis of chaptersVI-VIII of the present volume, much new evidence from later yearshaving, however, been added. In a subsequent issue of the same JournalI published an article on “The Coming of the Norwegians to Iowa,” whichis embodied in part in chapters III-V of this volume. The remainingthirty-six chapters are new. During the last three summers I havecontinued my investigation of that part of the subject which deals withthe immigration movement. This book represents the results of thatinvestigation down to 1848.
For invaluable assistance in the investigation I gratefully acknowledgeindebtedness to the numerous pioneers whom, from time to time, I haveinterviewed and who so kindly have given the aid sought. I wish tothank, also, several persons who generously have accepted the task ofpersonally gathering pioneer data for certain localities. For such helpI owe a debt of gratitude to the following persons: J. W. Johnson,Racine, Wisconsin; Reverend A. Jacobson, Decorah, Iowa; Reverend G. A.Larsen, Clinton, Wisconsin; Henry Natesta, Clinton, Wisconsin; Rev. O.J. Kvale, Orfordville, Wisconsin; Rev. J. Nordby, Lee, Illinois; Dr. N.C. Evans, Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin; M. J. Engebretson, Gratiot, Wisconsin;Dan K. Anderson and wife, Woodford, Wisco