Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-08-25

the county was erected in the south
west corner of Clenwood township.
These corners were at that time the
central point of the settlement. An
old settlers monument was erected
here in 1887, consisting of marble
shaft of large size, placed on lime
stone base four feet high and six
feet square.
The honor of having taught the
first district school in Winneshiek
county can in a way be divided be-
tween the two daughters of Nels
Hanson Katterud. Mary, the young
er, had attended normal school at
Plattville, Wisconsin, and after being
examined by John Mckay, who acted
as county superintendent, she re-
ceived a certificate and entered upon
the work of teaching. Being only
some Is 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. She is now
known and honored by many as Mrs.
Ole A. Anderson of DEBORAH.
The first Norwegian Lutheran con-
gregation for Springfield and adjoin-
ing townships was organized in the
summer of 1852, and ever since 1853
it has been served by it's present
pastor. the Rev. DR.. v. Koren. This
gentleman deserves more than a
passing notice. He was born in
1926, 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 like
wise those of Minnesota. Of all Nor
wegian Lutheran clergymen now liv-
| ing he is the most widely known by
his countrymen in America. For
many years he has served as Presi-
dent 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 Nor
way and Sweden, Oscar ii, he was in
the same year decorated with the
cross of st. Olaf, as knight of that
order in recognition of his long and
fcif frI1 inn in hi nnIl i,Nr Tl>n
second Lutheran church organized
was that which is now connected
with the United Lutheran church and
is served by Rev. X. e. Bakken
The Norwegian Methodists organic
ed congregation in 1851 under the
leadership of o. p. Peterson, then
missionary, later called the father
of Methodism among the Nor
wegians. Their church is situated
on Section IL. The membership is
so depleted by deaths and removals
in later years they have no settled
pastor.
Some Personal "reminiscences.
In the spring of 1850 my parents
left MuskegO, Racine county, Wiscon-
sin, joining company with a number
of other families, intending to move
out west. The leader of the party
was Nels Johnson, the father of NJ
N. Johnson, then an infant and later
congressman, now senator from N.
Dakota. He had large military
wagon drawn by six oxen. This had
big box on, filled with household
goods and covered with white can
vas. On the outside was placed
lengthwise of the wagon box, several
joints of stove pipe, so the outfit
with a little stretch of the magma
ion 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
o"h CdIl Oh TWO WDeelS. our pro-
gress west was slow and tedious. At
Koshkonong, Dane county, Wiscon-
sin, 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 colt
Madison was only q small village:
the State House" was a two-storv
frame structure situated where the
massive capitol building now stands.
UP to this time our point of des-
tination had been Coon Prairie. Yer
non county, Wisconsin, but near
Wingville we met a man by the name
of VIM. Painter, who had settled In
Iowa, where DEBORAH afterwards has
been built. He was going to Mineral
Point for machinery in order to put
up grist mill 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.