Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-04-07
KOSHKONONG HAS CHARM
WISCONSIN SETTLEMENT OF NOR
WEGIANS is FIRST AMONG
MANY IN NORTHWEST.
NOTED MEN HER SONS.
Knute Nelson, Rasmus Anderson and
Others Numbering Seventy in All
Are On That Roll

northwest the word kOShkonong mas Il
peculiar charm. 1t is the name OF
Norwegian settlement comprising the
towns of Deertield Christiana, Albion
and Pleasant Springs, in southeastern
Dane county, Wis. For long time TINS
was the largest Morse settlement III
America and is still the richest, most Ia
nous. most beloved 1t was the Mecca TO
which nearly all Norwegian immigrants
Of the '4Os. sos and Cos directed their
steps, and whence they went forth III
after years to found new settlements.
Koshkonone is therefore the mother col
Ony Of the numerous Norwegian settle
ments of the northwest and as such Is
entitled TO first place among them
Starting Point for Many.
Koshkonong is the starting point of
the great majority of Norwegian Amer
leans that have attained distinction III
the various fields of eudeayor. by care
fnl investigation it has been found that
no less than seventy sons ana daughters
of Koshkonong have made their mark III
the great land of opportunity. Among
these may be mentioned the following:
Knute Nelson, the distinguished United
States senator from Minnesota; Rasmus
b. Anderson. the foremost Norwegian
American author; Victor L. Lawson, the
eminent Chicago newspaper publisher
whose real name is said to be Larson,
Andrew Il. Lee, former governor OF
South Dakota; Charles n. Herreid, for-
mer governor Of South Dakota; Pfof.
JuIius E. Olson, head of the Scandina-
Wan department of the University OF
Wisconsin, Lars Rogue, professor IN
Luther college, DEBORAH and former con-
sui to Rotterdam; DIR. Teigen OF Mime
apolis. talented writer; and Prof:
George r.. Flom of the University OF
Iowa.
The story of the founding of the
Koshkonong settlement is full OF ro-
nance and interest. The most reliabie
authority on this subject is Nels a. Lee
of Deerfeld, Wis. He is urged to make
an investigation by his old friend ana
former neighbor, Senator knute Nelson
of Minnesota.
Start Out for Wisconsin.
Prior to the founding of the Koshko
noug settlement, the objective point OF
Norwegian immigrants was the Fox riv-
or settlement in La Sale county, Ill,
about sixty miles from Chicago. In
1899 no more government land was
available there and it occurred to some
that there were greater opportunities Ill
Wisconsin, about which they had heard
glowing reports.
So in the fall of that year three brave
men. Nils Larson Bolstad. Mis- SJurSon
sGilderhus and Magne BottOltSon Bystol,
handed themselves together for the pur-
nose of exploring the interior parts oil
the territory Not having acquired COM
mand of the English language and be-
ing too inexperienced, they hired Odd
j. Himle to accompany them as guide
and interpreter He was bright eour-
ageOus young man and could tax Eng
lsh quite tiuently
AT the hour of departure ByStol took
sick and the other members OF the eXpe-
dition set out without him. They
thought the safest aud best way to pene-
trate the wilderness was to walk and
away they tramped.
Came to Milwaukee First,
They first went to Milwaukee, where
they procured maps and considerable
verbal information as to conditions IN
the interior of the territory. Then west
ward they bent their steps, inquirlng
diligently as TO the land ahead from the
white people with whom they came N
contact Finally. after many days of
trudging, they arrived at Smells tay-
ern." two miles east of the present site
of Cambridge.
Mr. Smell, the proprietor of this from
tier hosiery, was sort of Daniel
Boone. deeply vcrSed i'll all that per
tanned to frontier life lie instructed the
newcomers in regard to government
markings and how to proceed in enter
ing government land. lie told them
about a beautiful low prairie lying hard
by to the west, which he felt sure was
just the place for them to select as their
future home KoshkOnong was its name,
derived from Koshkonoug lake and a
river of the same musical name.
la,r ta pNst, If,rnp
came out of the woods upon this lovely
prairie. But they did not file on any
of this land Immediately; instead. they
returned to Ia Sale county, Ill.,. to
spend the winter and, if possible per
Suade other NorweGiaus to locate on
koshkonong prairie.
Founding of Spring Prairie
The next spring Giiderhus ana RolStad
again set out for Wisconsin, accompa.
MED by Magne Bottolfson Bystol and
Andrew Femme; IIimle did not go back
then. but went later ana Il few years
afterward founded the we'll known
Spring Prairie settlement in Columbia
county. Wis This vigorous. taleuteC
man died at De Forest. Wis. in 1885
a highly respected pioneer of ncarl!
eighty winters
The grass was just beginning to ap
pear when Bystol, Fenue BolStad an,
Gilderhus left the Fox river settlement
aud they reached Koshkonong ii April
They brought along everything they pos
eeSscd in rude wagons. drawn by oxen
They filed their claims" nj the Ian,
office at Milwaukee May 6. 1910,
These men. with Odd j. Himle wer
the first Norwegians TO plan their fee
on the soil of koShkonong and are III
founders of this far-famed settlement.
fact which gives them an importau
place in wegian-American pjoueC