Beverly banner., 1925-06-05

born in Iowa, as were his father and grandfather.
He is member of the board of education of the
Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. Here
are some Of the things he said about the celebra-
tion:
The hundredth anniversary of the real beginning
OF Morse immigration to the United States will
this year be observed in many places; 1t will be
celebrated in every community in the United States
where the incoming Norwegians have settled and
established themselves and where their descend
ants are now to be found in numbers. notably in
Chicago and New York city. The largest and the
principal one however is the celebration which
Will be held at the Minnesota State Fair grounds,
officially known as the forse-American centennial
Informed and impartial observers declare it will
be the greatest celebration in the history of the
Northwest
Representatives chosen from each Norwegian
organizaton-ethnic religious, fraternal, social.
civic-organized the corporation which has ar
and appeal away and beyond the original plans of
It's promoters and sponsors. Five neighboring
states have also, through their executive depart
ments, urged support and operation the part
of their citizens. Civic bodies stand solidly behind
the event church denominations are indorsing It:
Norwegian organizations in foreign countries will
participate and will send delegates and representa-
tives to the centennial.
Notables in large numbers will address the as
sembled gatherings; prominent men will stress the
In all activities; exhibits and will graph
ically describe them; musical organizations will
at the time exhibit and entertain.
well that to of you gentlemen
the prefix Morse" or any prefix, may seem to
indicate something not purely and truly Amer
lean. If the prefix in this implied anything
family suggesting such possibility, l would
be the first to repudiate It in the most emphatic
and unqualified terms And i know that in MAX
ing this statement 1 do so with the unanimous
approval Of all the people here concerned Amer
old proud of their lineage, but doubly proud
of their American citizenship: and thew CLAIM, 90
pure and unadulterated American patriotism
that possessed by any other group of citizens
OF this country, 1t matters not what European
land Is designated by them as the mother country.
without apologizing, are this year celebrating
the Norse-American centennial, and do so in
afr,1 amir Of 4hare
recognition of what these immigrants have done
for and for our country
The Restauratonen brought So Norwegian i'm
migrants This the first shipload of Morse
people to emgrate to the new land Of the free
across the Atlantic. The project was arranged by
Kleng Peerson-sometimes known as Cleng Pear
son-that romantic frontier figure, the Daniel
Boone of the Norwegians. He had been in the
United States and had covered the primeval West
in his wanderings; he returned to Norway with
his wonderful tales of the possibilities and the
opportunities that awaited his fellow countrymen
in America organized the expedition, and assisted
in the purchase of the little sailing vessel The
sloop sailed from Stavanger harbor, Norway july
A, 1925, and reached New York after long and
Storm passage.
This single event marks the beginning of the
steady and swelling stream of immigration from
Norway. Norway has sent to America a larger
proportion Of her population than any other coun
try with the exception of Ireland; her sons and
daughters here total in excess of 2,500O0O. That
is equal to the actual population of Norway. which
according to the last census, was 2649775
1t was Keng Peerson who arranged for the re
cepton of the Restaurationen's passengers by pro-
viding for them the settlement at Kendall. N y
the colony which he founded. His work in estab-
fishing colonies in the Northwest and the South
west was Interrupted by three return voyages to
Norway. He died at the ripe age Of eighty-three
years, in Bosque county, Texas in 1865; and he
1soe fodo In hoo~k
ment founded by him. The story Of his life and his
work is true epic
j. Others were ready to carry on the work he had