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CHAPTER XXII
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP REMINISCENCES OF PIONEER NORWEGIANS [Under the head of Settlements by Foreign Born Citizens the chapter written by Hon. A. Jacobson for Anderson & Goodwin's Atlas is referred to. We quote it entire.] INTRODUCTION Inasmuch as this township was settled by Norwegians, and furthermore from the fact that people of this nationality have from the earliest times formed an important part of the population of Winneshiek county, it will not be out of place here to give a brief history of Norwegian immigration to America and to Iowa. The discovery of America by the Norwegian, Leif Ericksen, in the year 1,000 is a conceded fact acknowledged by all prominent historians of our day, but as it brought no immediate results to the world at large, only preparing the way for the later discovery of Christopher Columbus, no further notice of it will be taken in this connection. What may be termed as the first beginning of Norwegian immigration to this country took place in 1825, when a sloop of forty-five tons from Stavanger brought fifty-three passengers who landed in New York. This vanguard settled in Kendall, Orleans county, New York, where they remained until the most of them later on moved out West and settled in Illinois. From that time up to 1840 emigrant vessels from Norway were few and far between. From 1840 to 1850 they became more numerous, but from 1850 up to the present time a constant stream of immigration has steadily been bringing hundreds of thousands of emigrants from Norway into the United States. The first Norwegian settlement in Iowa was evidently that formed at Sugar Creek in Lee county, not far above the mouth of the Des Moines river, a few miles west of Keokuk. About 1840 Story county and other central portions of the state were next settled by Norwegians and later on the northern and western borders. 213 PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 214 The Norwegian that first visited Winneshiek county who afterwards also found a home on its soil, is undoubtedly Ole Halvorson Valle. At the age of twenty he came to America from his native land in 1841. Stopping in Wisconsin one year he then, in 1842, came to Iowa, where he was engaged in the service of the government as teamster, hauling provisions from Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien to Fort Atkinson and the Old Mission. He was also employed in breaking up pieces of bottom land on the Upper Iowa river. One of the largest fields thus prepared for the Indians to plant their corn was situated just below the outlet of Trout Run, now best known as the Peter Roney farm. Mr. Valle died at his home in Canoe township a few years ago. Some members of his family survive him. This township is bounded on the north by Decorah township and in the government survey is designated as range 8 and township 97; hence it is situated seventeen miles south from the Minnesota line and a distance of thirty miles west of the Mississippi river. The town is diversified with prairie, timber, hill and dale, in picturesque variety. The various branches of Trout creek are nearly all within its limits, making the surface uneven, yet the greatest part consists of a rich and tillable soil. On account of its many springs and streams of clear water it is well adapted for raising stock as well as for general farming. The first settlement of the township found place in 1850. There were two parties, one led by Erick Anderson and with him were Ole Tostenson (Haugen) and his brother Staale, Ole A. Lomen, A. O. Lomen, Ole Gullikson (Jevne), Knut Anderson (Bakken), Andres Hauge, John Johnson (Qvale), H. Halvorson (Groven) and Mikkel Omli. All of these made permanent homes in the township the latter part of June, 1850. Another party from Wisconsin, headed by N els Johnson, arrived in the county July 2d, and of these the following selected claims in what is now Springfield township: Tollef Simonson (Aae), Knud G. Opdahl, Jacob Abrahamson and Iver Peterson (Qvale). The rest of the Nels Johnson party settled in Decorah and Glehwood townships. The first list of landed assessments in Winneshiek county has among others these names: Jacob Abrahamson, Knud Guldbrandson (Opdahl), Ole Gullikson (Jevne ), Egbert Guldbrandson (Solland), Erick Clement (Skaali), Halvor Halvorson (Groven), O. A. Lomen, Ole Larsen Bergan, Mikkel Omli, Tolld Simonson (Aae), T. Hulverson and Ole Tostenson. This list must have been for 1852. The writer has a tax receipt from that date, showing that his father, Jacob Abrahamson, was among the first tax payers. The heads of all these families above enumerated died many years ago, with the exception of the Hon. A. O. Lomen * and ex-sheriff Erick Anderson, both residing in Decorah. In most cases the descendants of the old settlers are now occupying the farms where their ancestors .lived and died. Some of them have moved to other parts of the country, mostly northwestward. In the year 1851 quite a number of new settlers came in and in the next succeeding .few years the influx was large, far beyond all expectations, so that all the public lands were taken in a very short time. This was quite contrary to what the first settlers had imagined possible. When they arrived in what was then a wilderness, they thought large portions of the country would never be settled, *Both Mr. Lomen and Mr. Anderson are now dead. PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 215 but would remain as a common, that could be used for pasture. The large strips of prairie without wood and water were supposed to belong to this class of land. The first birth in the township was that of Ole A. Lomen, who now resides in the State of Oregon. He is the son of Hon. A. O. Lomen. The first death that occurred in our midst was that of Mrs. Christine Aae, the wife of Tollef Simonson Aae. She died of consumption and would have been buried on her husband's farm (northeast quarter of section I, Springfield township), if it had not been that the land on the opposite side of the township line was considered a better site for a burying ground. This was on the southeast quarter of section 36, Decorah township, and belonged to Tollef's brother, Aslak Simonson Aae. The first public schoolhouse in the county was erected in the southwest corner of Glenwood township. These corners were at that time the central point of the settlement. An old settlers' monument was erected here in 1887, consisting of a marble shaft of large size, placed on a limestone base four feet high and six feet square. The inscriptions on the monument are these: IN MEMORY OF EARLY NORWEGIAN SETTLERS, who to the number of fifty or more ERECTED BY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES A. D. 1887. "T he wages of sin is death; but the gift
of God is eternal life through Jesus On the monument are carved names of the following pioneers: EAST SIDE Kristine E. Aae. 1831-August, 1850.
Carl A.Aarnes.March, 1826-0ctober, 1854. PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 216 Halvor Olson Lien. October, 1854-March, 1855. WEST SIDE Gurine T. Busnes. August, 1848-0ctober, 1857. The names are placed in chronological order as to time of death. The first dates of course express the time of birth. It will be noticed that the death list numbers very few names among the early settlers. The sifting process to which they had been subjected before reaching the western frontier left, as a rule, only a strong and sturdy set of people to found the new communities in the West. The honor of having taught the first district school in Winneshiek county can in a way be divided between the two daughters of Nels Hanson Katterud. Mary, the younger, had attended a normal school at Platteville, Wisconsin, and after being examined by John McKay, who acted as county superintendent, she received a certificate and entered upon the work of teaching. Being only some fifteen years of age, inexperienced and timid, she prevailed on her elder sister Larine to help the first few days until the school was fairly started. She afterward taught many terms at various places. The first Norwegian Lutheran congregation for this and adjoining
townships was organized in the summer of 1852, and ever since
1853 it has been served by its present pastor, the Rev. Dr. V.
Koren.* This gentleman deserves more than a passing notice. He
was born in 1826 and came to this country in the autumn of 1853.
His field of labor for many years included not only the adjacent
counties in Iowa, but likewise those of Minnesota. Of all Norwegian
Lutheran clergymen now living he is the most widely known by his
countrymen in America. For many years he has served as president
of the Norwegian synod, the functions of which office about equal
those of a bishop in all but in name. In 1903 he was created a
doctor of divinity and, by the King of Norway and Sweden, Oscar
II, he was * Rev. Koren died in 1911. PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 217 in the same year decorated with the cross of St. Olaf, as knight of that order in recognition of his long and faithful service in his calling. The second Lutheran church organized was that which now is connected with the United Lutheran church and is served by Rev. K. E. Bakken.+ The Norwegian Methodists organized a congregation in 1851 under the leadership of O. P. Peterson, then a missionary, later called the father of Methodism among the Norwegians. Their church is situated on section 12. The membership, however, is so depleted by deaths and removals in later years that they have no settled pastor. The Americans, Germans and Bohemians in the southern and western portions of the township are members of Catholic or Protestant churches in Ossian and Calmar. It can be truthfully said that the people are all church members and law-abiding citizens. REMINISCENCES BY A. JACOBSON In the spring of 1850 my parents left Muskego, Racine county, Wisconsin, joining company with a number of other families, intending to move out west. The leader of the party was Nels Johnson, the father of M. N. Johnson, then an infant and later Congressman from North Dakota. He had a large military wagon drawn by six oxen. This had a big box on, filled with household goods and covered with white canvas. On the outside was placed, lengthwise of the wagon box, several joints of stovepipe, so the outfit with a little stretch of imagination looked like a man of war. No wonder these rigs received the name of "prairie schooners." The rest of the vehicles were of all sizes and shapes, from truck wagons, the wheels of which were made of solid sections of oak logs, down to our own cart on two wheels. Our progress west was slow and tedious. At Koshkonong, Dane county, Wisconsin, we received large additions to our company, so that it comprised in all more than a hundred souls, two hundred head of cattle, with a few hogs and sheep, one mare and a colt. Madison was only a small village; the "state house" was a two-story frame structure situated where the massive capitol building now stands. Up to this time our point of destination had been Coon Prairie,
Vernon county, Wisconsin, but near Wingville we met a man by the
name of Wm. Painter, who had settled in Iowa, where Decorah aferwards
was built. He was going to Mineral Point for machinery in order
to put up a gristmill at his new home. He gave such a glowing
description of the country west of the Mississippi in general
and of the locality in which he was settled in particular, that
our company when we came to the Wisconsin river resolved to send
out a deputation of its wisest men to cross the river, explore
the country and report. In consequence of this, the company, when
arriving at Prairie du Chien, divided, one-half going to Vernon
county, Wisconsin, near where Viroqua and Westby are situated,
the other half crossing over into Iowa. The Wisconsin river had
to be crossed on a small ferry boat, the propelling power being
furnished by a horse placed on a tread-power which worked the
paddle wheels. Only one wagon and a team at a time could be taken
aboard. The herd of loose cattle had to swim over the + Rev. Bakken now resides in Minnesota. PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 218 river, all of which was accomplished without any accident worthy of note. The ferry boat at Prairie du Chien was larger and propelled by a four-mule power, but the water being high, the Mississippi river was nearly two miles wide and much time was taken to get all to the western bank. Thirteen miles northwest from McGregor at Poverty Point, since called Monona, another halt of a week was made. The scouting party before alluded to had visited several localities and opinions were divided as to which was the best point to settle down. The company was now divided into three divisions, we going with the original leader to the vicinity of Decorah, landing on our claims on the 3d of July. The journey had taken five weeks, counting from the time of starting. Those who had room enough slept under the wagon covers. The others slept on the bare ground under the wagons. If time and subsistence are taken into account, then our journey was quite expensive. It was indeed a fine country where we settled. Rolling prairies with fertile soil, interspersed with groves, of timber and springs of pure water. For miles there were no houses nor roads or other traces of civilization to be seen. Indian trails, well marked, crossed the' country in various directions, and with little deviation continued to be the roads of the early settlers, until the fencing in of the fields pushed the roads into the worst places, where they now remain. It was high time to break up prairie so as to be able to plant and sow next year, also to put up hay for the cattle for the coming winter. This occupied the time at first so the building of log houses was put off until late in autumn. Many of us were not under roof from the middle of May until September or October, yet all were in good health. The question of subsistence, that is, something to eat and to wear, was for many of us the most difficult to answer. The small stores brought could not last long. The nearest trading place on the Mississippi was fifty miles away, where a barrel of flour cost $12 and a bushel of corn seventy-five cents, other things in proportion. My father worked what time he could spare from his own home for fifty cents a day, while all of my time was put in at driving a breaking team of eight oxen for twenty-five cents a day. At this rate it was hard to make ends meet. Hunting and fishing were resorted to, and gave some help. Men who could be away from their homes spent the first winters up in the Wisconsin pineries or down along the Mississippi cutting cordwood. My father took me along on an expedition of this last named description two weeks before Christmas, 1850. A heavy fall of snow knee deep set in just as we started from home. Walking some twenty-eight miles to where we stopped over night was no easy task. Upstairs in a log cabin covered by clapboards was the place given us to sleep. During the night a high wind made the snow fly through all the cracks and crevices, so in the morning our bed and the clothes we had laid off were covered with no less than eight inches of snow. Arriving the next day to where we had heard employment was to
be had, we found the terms so niggardly hard that we could not
consent to take up work there. This was four miles up the river
from McGregor. It was late in the day, but we thought a walk along
the edge of the river to the last named place would not be dangerous,
even after dark. Having proceeded half way to where North McGregor
is now situated, we saw our mistake. A stream, the Bloody Run,
enters into the river at this point and we could not cross this
stream before trudg- PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 219 ing up along its banks ever so far. Then by felling a tree that reached over it, we concluded to take a short cut over the bluffs to reach McGregor instead of following the water's edge. In this we made a terrible mistake. The steep hills covered with timber and brush, together with the deep snow, impeded our progress so that we did not reach our destination before long after midnight. Fortunately for us a dancing party at the little hotel was using the small hours in merrymaking. This gave us access to a warm room for the rest of the night. When called to breakfast the next morning my appetite was keen enough, having had nothing to eat since the previous morning, but my stiff and sore limbs could hardly be made to carry me to the table. We took a job of cutting wood at 50 cents a cord, boarding ourselves. No cheap place for us to stay could be found, so we had to board at the hotel. The only high-toned part of the hotel was the bill. In the matter of clothing, we were put to about the same straits as mentioned in the way of food. I remember distinctly that during the first two winters neither underclothing nor overcoats were worn, for the good reason that there were none to wear, and overshoes were a thing scarcely heard of, much less seen. Nevertheless good health was always enjoyed by young and old. The land on which we settled did not come into market the first year, but the settlers agreed upon a plan by which they could defend each other in the possession of their homes against unwelcome intruders. "Club claim" expressed this method exactly, both because it indicated a joining or clubbing together, and at the same time reminded one of clubs and cudgels as the most ready weapons of defense, if need be. When the Government proclaimed the lands in market, $200 in gold was the price of a quarter section. Land warrants given to soldiers of the Mexican war were used extensively for the entering of land, as they were sold and bought at a less price per acre than that demanded by the Government. To get the necessary funds with which to pay for the lands was, for many, a difficult thing to do. Those who had money would not lend it for less than three or four per cent per month on-good security. Generally the owner of the money bought the land in his own name and gave the possessor a bond for the deed. Fortunately for the poor, land was not supposed to be worth much, there being so much of it and no reasonable prospect of its becoming settled for a long time to come. Hence there was at first no great rush at the land office in Dubuque, to which our district belonged. This state of things did not, however, last very long. People poured into the country much faster than anticipated. The consequence was that a scrambling for getting good land ensued which defies description. In our midst no bloody encounters found place, but some ludicrous scenes were enacted to the merriment of the lookers on, though serious enough to the actors. There was at that time no limit. A person could purchase all the land he wanted if he had the money to pay for it. This afforded speculators an opportunity to buy large tracts, to the detriment of actual settlers, the evils of which are felt even to the present day. The "Preemption Law," giving a year's time to pay for
the land on which a person had settled and made improvements,
was of much help in acquiring homes for those who were poor, but
the "Homestead" law, enacted in the sixties, was more
than all other things the cause of speedily peopling the great
West. Just think of it! get a farm anywhere on the public domain
for the trouble of taking it in possession! PAST AND PRESENT OF WINNESHIEK COUNTY 220 The first political convention in Winneshiek county was held in the spring of 1851, right in our Norwegian settlement. The parties then existing, democratic, free soil and whig, were all represented, but not a word of party politics was uttered. The all absorbing question was county organization, county officers and county seat. Nominations that resulted in the election of men to offices of trust were based solely on their honest looks; handsome dress and silver-tongued oratory played no figure. Overhearing, as I did, some of the caucus talk which discriminated against a man because he wore a stovepipe hat, reminds me of the fact that trivial causes may have important consequences. For the public welfare it might have been better if some of the officers elected had been in possession of as much ability as honesty. All being strangers to each other, it truly was a wonderful example of how successfully popular government can be initiated where the prime principles of law and order are understood and respected. The fact that the first district schoolhouse was erected among the Norwegians in our county shows that they had the prerequisites for becoming intelligent American citizens. |
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