Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-07-24
The NorIEeglans in Amsricas

The EOrTTegtans IN Americas
An interesting feature of the large
emigration that is setting towards our
shores this year from Europe is found
in the unusual number Of Norwegians
who are seeking homes in the North
west. Within the past few weeks. we
have heard Of the arrival st Chicago
and Milwaukee of entire steamer loads
of these hardy emigrants, Numbering
in all several thousands. The majority
of them come by the way of Canada;
but, although the climate Of the prov
inee is more Ike that OF their native
country than our own, not dozen OUT
of these thousands have stopped there.
Probably two-thirds find their way to
Minnesota and Northern Iowa, while
the remainder settle in Wisconsin.
The preference for Minnesota has
been attributed to the wise and ener- =
getic efforts of that State to attract the
attention of the NOrHegians at home
and to inform them fully ss'to the sd
vantages ofsettlement there. MINES
ota has certainly made more liberal
provision for this purpose than any
other State, and her commissioners OF
emigration haYe been unusually active
in their efforts. This, of course, has had
its natural results, but does not entire-
ly explain the direction of Norwegian
emigration.
The movement of Norwegian emf.
grants to Wisconsin began about eight
cen or twenty years ago. arriving at
one of the Lake Michigan ports, they
purchased wagons and OK teams, and {
set out for their places Of destination
mostly in the Rock River Vslley-with
all their household ''traps.n The APP
pearance of these rough looking emf
grants was not prepossessing but sufici-
emily singular. The heavy and baggy
Norwegian attire the leather bottom
ed breeches Of the menS the queer
looking and ponderous iro.l bound
chests the personal dirtiness Of the
men, women and children; and the
pock marked features of many of them
altogether attracted more attention b
than admiration. But that they were
so inoffensiVe and bent on .sminding
their own business, their arrival
would have been regarded with con-
siderable disgust by the Americzns. -
The frat effort was always to get land
small tracts at first, and not unfrs-.
quently owned and cultivated II com
mon. They clustered in neighorhoodz,
where they could help each other. and !
enjoy their Lutheran religion and nat
tive festivals in common. These Nor
wegian settlements" are known all oy-
er the southern part Of Wisconsin,
Ridiculed and good natuFedly despissd
at first, it soon appeared that these an
KENT sons of Thor had in them the
making of good citizens. Consuming
hardly anything which Americana
would buy, working along steadily
from year TO year on their little farms
and investing thGr surplus money IN
more land, they gradually came to bsls
respected as well 70 do farmers; while
their inofensiye and quiet ways and ~
most universal honesty made tham1
many friends.
Unlike most foreigners. they sho8ea
stong disposition to assimilato 3 70
American methods of living. The
brighter portion Of the young men and
pidity, and the young women and girls
even of independent means-gladly.
sought domestic employment ia Amer
lean families, where they learned our
language, our ways Of dress, our style
of cooking, in remarkably brief time,s
many of them becoming available
matches for respectable youne Ameri-
cans. For these there were never any
antagonisms Of nationality, so far as
they were concerned.
The prosperity of these first settlers ll
led tocs constant increase Of numbers
from their former neighbors and rela-
tions in Norway. Sometimes q family
numbering by the score
came over in the course of few years
10 share the good fortune of the ENTER
prising pioneer. s-. -. s-.,..f.
1t was rare that the new arrivals
we're diverted from the settlements 81. 2
ready formed, which became the nu- @
,leus of considerable rural Eillagess AZ a
Ier, however, the Wisconsin settlement
had become strong and prosperous,
heir more enterprising members
sought other locations, where land was
cheaper and larger farms could be had.
IN one instance, at least, the Lutheran
priest looked out for suitable tractof
and for his flock, in northern Iowa,
md conducted nearly all the negotia-
ions for its purchase. Minnesota,
however, became the faVorite region,
md when once the settlements there
became established, the movement to-
Yards lem was steady.
We may add that demagogue politi-
,i4ns never had much control over the
Jorwegians, Stolidly they listen to
heir persuasions, but what goes into
me ear goes quickly out at the other.
They are sensibly gcided by the advice
# their own people in whom they have
'onfdence. They early took correct
'eiWs of the slavery question, and have
true ever since. Their pa
riotism, was also strongly and praetic-
lily shown during the war. In Wis
;onsin a Norwegian regiment was
aised by q Norwegian Of rare talent
nd promise, Col. Hegg, who Ieft the y
!andsome position Of State Prison
commissioner, to serve in the field,
nd was finally killed, at the head Of,
Is regiment, at the battle Of Stone
'iVer.-N Y. E5e,uiAg PosL
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