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

the Norwegian, Lei EIlCh-
sen, in the year 1000 is a
conceded fact that is 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 dis
covery of Christopher Columbus, no
further notice of it will be taken
in this connection.
What may be termed as the first
beginning of Norwegian immgra-
ton to this country took place in
1926, when 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 most of them
later on moved out west and settled
in Illinois.
The first Norwegian settlement in
Iowa was evidently that formed at
Sugar Creek in Lee county. not far
river, a few miles west of Keokuk
About 1910 Story county and other
central portions of the state was
next settled by Norwegians, and later
on the northern and western borders
The Norwegian that first visited
Winneshiek county who afterwards
also found a home on it's soil, is un-
doubtedly Ole Halvorson Vale. At
the age of twenty he came to Ameri-
ca from his native land in 1841.
Stopping in Wisconsin one year he
then, in 1912, came to Iowa where
he was engaged in the service of the
government as teamster, hauling
provisions from Fort Crawford at
Prairie du Chen to Fort Atkinson
and the Old Mission He was en-
ployed in breaking up pieces of bot
tom land on the Upper Iowa river.
One of the largest fields thus pre-
pared for the Indians to plant their
corn was situated just below the out
let of Trout Run, now best known
as the Peter Roney farm.
Mr.. Vale died at his home in
Canoe township few years ago.
Some members of his family survive
him.
The first settlement of Springfield
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 Ander-
son (Bakken), Andres Hauge, John
Johnson (Qvale), H. Halvorson
(Groven), and Mikkel Omil All of
these made permanent homes in the
township, the latter part of June,
1850. Another party from Wiscon-
sin, headed by Nels Johnson arrived
in the county July I'd, and of these
the following selected claims in what
is now Springfield township: Toilet
Simonson (Aae), Knud G. Opdahl,
Jacob Abrahamson and liver Peter
son (Qvale). The rest of the Nels
Johnson party settled in DEBORAH
and Glenwood townships.
The first list of landed assessments
in Winneshiek county has among
others these names: Jacob Abra-
hanson, Knude Guldbrandson COP
dahD, Ole Gullikson (Jevne), Egg
bert Guldbrandson (Solland), Erick
Clement (SkaalD, Halvor Halvorson
(Groven), o. A. Lomen, Ole Larsen
Bergan, Mikkel Omil, Toilet Simon
son (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.
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 expecta-
ton. so that all the public lands |
were taken in very short time |
This was quite contrary TO what the
first settlers imagined possible. When |
they arrived in what was then a |
wilderness, they thought large por-
lions of the country would never be |
settled, but remain as 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 i'm
our midst was that of Mrs. Christine
Aae, the wife of Toilet Simopson
Aae. She died of consumption and
would have been buried on her hus-
bands farm IN. e. quarter of Sec
ton 1, Springfield township,) if it