CHAPTER XXXVI

_Continued Immigration from Aurland, Sogn, to Koshkonong. The Arrival of Settlers from Vik Parish, Sogn, in 1845._

In the year 1845-1846 immigration to Koshkonong from Laurdal, Vinje and Moe Parishes continued and a considerable number came from Flesberg. The accessions from Laurdal, Moe, and Hvideseid for these years record the end of a movement that began in 1843. But that which especially characterized the growth of the Koshkonong Settlement in 1845-1846 was the extensive additions through immigrants from Sogn. So extensive, in fact, was the influx from Sogn these years as to make their total representation on Koshkonong at once exceed that from either Voss or Numedal, and equal to about half that from Telemarken. These four have ever since been the dominant elements in Koshkonong's population. A part of this immigration from Sogn was from parishes represented among the arrivals of the year before. Such were Botolf J. Grinde, Ole N. Steenhjerde and Sjur I. Romören from Leikanger, Herman T. Vee, Joseph J. Gjellum and Hermund O. Offerdal from Lærdal, Anders S. Övrebö, wife Anne and three children from Lyster, Erik L. Grov and Anders H. Ödegaard and wife Martha from Hafslo.

But much more significant was the immigration from Aurland Parish in 1845-1846, from Sogndal in 1846, and the new immigration from Vik Parish in 1845. We shall discuss these three groups in order briefly.

We have noted above, Chapter XXXI, that there were several persons from Aurland Parish, Sogn, among the immigrants who settled on Koshkonong in 1844. I am now in receipt of a letter from Anders J. Flaam of Flaam in Aurland, Norway, relative to the earliest emigration from Aurland to America. His letter, as also that of Reverend E. P. Juul, the present Minister of the Parish, shows that the earliest emigrants left there in 1844. I quote in translation from Reverend Juul's letter:

"Those who, according to parochial records here, were the first to emigrate to America are the following: Iver Hansen Vingum, age twenty-five, unmarried,[331] Ole Torjussen Flaam, age fifty, wife Anna Botolfsdatter, age forty, and children, Ole, thirteen and a half years old, and Anders, ten years. Of these, Iver Hansen's certificate of emigration is shown to have been issued March 20, 1844, and he to have left the district on April 13th the same year. Ole Torjussen's certificate of emigration was issued on the 13th of April, 1844, and his departure took place the following day. All therefore emigrated together."

[331] The writer's father has always pronounced the name Vangen, which also according to Haakon Lie, is the correct form. Iver Vangen settled on Bonnet Prairie, where his son Hans Vangen is still living.

Reverend Juul thereupon gives a list of those who emigrated from Aurland in 1845, and while several of these did not settle on Koshkonong it will be of interest to the reader to see this list. I therefore give it complete here:

"In 1845, on the 19th of April the natives of Aurland (Aurlændinger) left their native village: Torsten Olsen Bjelde, (45 years of age) wife, Anna (29), and son, Ole (3½ years); Iver Ingebrigtsen Ytreli (32 years); Jens Botolfsen Bergkvam (23½ years); Jens Torgersen Tærum (44½ years), wife Ragnhilde Monsdatter (27) and son Torger (one year); Sjur Olsen Stundal (19) and sister Katrine (30); Anna Marie Hansdatter Vangen (28½); Erik Johannesen Ytreli (43) and wife Marthe Larsdatter (48) and children; Brita (21 years), Magnilde (18 years), Johannes (16 years), Ingeborg (14 years), Lars (10½ years), Haakon (9 years), Anna (7 years), Tomas (5 years); Johanne Botolsdatter Ytreli (16 years); Eilef Olson Loven (24 years); Mikkel Knutsen Österbro (22½ years), and wife Martha Gulvsdatter (27½ years), and son Knut (two months); Lars Gundersen Gjellum (33½ years) and wife Gjertrud, and son Knut (4 years); Martha Gundersdatter (17 years); Josef Johannesen Vindedal (73 years), and wife Anna Jensdatter; John Johnsen Frondal (28 years) and wife Magnhilde; Rognald Johannesen Knit (19½ years); Simon A. Gjellum (20 years); Peder Monsen Loven (34 years); Johanne M. Loven (20 years); Iver J. Stene (22 years).

These are the emigrants who first went to America from this Parish.

Aurland Parish, January 25th, 1909. E. P. Juul."

Some of the immigrants mentioned by Reverend Juul are still living on Koshkonong. Thus among the children of Erik J. Ytreli (who died in 1892, at the age of 90),[332] Johannes (John E. Johnson) is still living on the old homestead, two miles east of Utica, and his brother Haakon is living there with him.[333] Simon Gjellum lived two years in Chicago, then entered the Mexican War, after which he came to Koshkonong. Ivar I. Ytreli[334] had been a school teacher and deacon at Systrond, in which capacity he continued serving here in this country, at Rock Prairie, Rock County, whither he went soon after arriving in Wisconsin; he died there about 1875. Of other immigrants from Aurland, which Mr. Anders J. Flaam speaks of, I shall mention Peder J. Gjeirsme, and Torbjörn O. Gjeirsme, wife Metta and family, who came in 1846, and Hans Torjussen Flom, who, he says, went soon after Ole T. Flom.

[332] The family shortened the name to Lie in this country.

[333] During a visit with him at the John E. Johnson homestead last August I had the pleasure of listening to H. Lie's narrative of the emigration of this party from Aurland and of their early experiences. Haakon Lie has a remarkable memory and he has made it a point to follow the career and keep in touch with his fellow immigrants of 1845, and their history in this country. Space does not permit me to give here details from my interview with him, nor from that with others relative to the immigration of these years. But I may add that the party sailed with Kong Sverre, Captain Fisher; they were six weeks and four days on the way from Bergen to New York, thence they went by steamboat to Albany, where they arrived on the fourth of July. Arriving in Chicago one of the last days in July, they remained there a week then proceeded to their destination, Koshkonong, driving with oxen from Chicago.

Haakon Lie says there were none on the ship from Telemarken or Numedal; the 300 passengers were all from Sogn and Voss; but I learn through others that there were some from Hardanger on the ship.

The limitations of space necessitates curtailment in the account in nearly every chapter. From the vast amount of material I have, I can offer here practically only that which pertains specifically to the history of immigration.

[334] Or, as Kristen Sherpi of West Koshkonong called him in an interview last summer, Ivar i Heggvikji.

During the year 1845 there came also a group of immigrants to Koshkonong from Vik Parish, namely several families from near Arnefjord. This party included several Næset families, the oldest living survivor of which is Jens J. Næset (b. 1828), well-known Koshkonong architect, who resides at Stoughton, Wisconsin.[335] I have had several interviews with Mr. Næset relative to their sailing, and their early life as pioneers; it will be possible to give here only the briefest facts. Jens Næset tells me that there were eight estates at Næset and that the owners of four of them sold out at the same time and went to America. The biggest of these estates was that of Ingebrigt Næset, or as he was usually called, Skuungen. In the party were Jens Næset's parents, Johannes Jensen Næset and wife Eli, his oldest sister Gro, married to Ole Larson (Haugan)[336] who is living in Cambridge, Wisconsin, two brothers Ingebrigt and John, and another sister who later married Henrik Lien of East Koshkonong.[337]

[335] Jens Næset, I have just learned, died at Stoughton last week, May, 1908.

[336] They had one child when they came; she is Mrs. Ole Venaas, Rockdale, Wisconsin.

[337] Johannes Næset was born in Feios, but his father had bought Næset in 1823 and settled there, three Norwegian miles from Arnefjord.

There were three ships that sailed at the same time, Næset relates. One of these was the _Kong Sverre_, Captain Fischer (of which Haakon Lie speaks above), and on which the emigrants from Aurland were embarked. Another was a two-masted sloop, _Peder Schröder_, and which carried about 130 passengers, among whom the Næset families; this sloop had crossed twice before. The third was one commanded by Captain Brock. The passengers on this ship were mostly from Sogn, but there were three boys from Hardanger, and a few persons from Voss. _Peder Schröder_ also carried emigrants principally from Sogn, but there were two from Voss, says Næset. One of these was Brynjulf Leland, who settled at Norway Grove, where he is still living. The other was Odd Himle, whom we have met with above page 168, as the guide of the first party of explorers of Koshkonong in 1839. He had returned to Norway in 1844, married there in 1845, and was now returning to America. Among those who came on the Brock-ship were Skuungen and Ole Menes.

We recognize in Captain Brook's ship the same ship that Lasse Ellingson of Capron, Illinois, came on in 1845. It was furthermore the very same voyage of this ship. The name of the ship was _Albion_. For a partial list of the passengers on this ship as of _Peder Schröder_, whose captain was Vingaard,[338] the reader may now be referred to the account of the sailing of these two ships above, Chapter XXXII.

[338] The much talked of Vingaard-ship.

The two ships _Kong Sverre_ and _Peder Schröder_ sailed side by side the whole way, relates Næset, _Kong Sverre_ arriving in New York in the evening, _Peder Schröder_ the next morning. Captain Brock's ship which had started ten days earlier, arrived three days later (see above page 275). From New York the immigrants were taken over the usual route to Milwaukee.[339] Having arrived in Muskego, they secured Halvor Luraas to take their goods to Koshkonong; he brought them to Clinton (Rockdale), where the first man they met was Torstein Selseng, who had emigrated from Aurland, Sogn, to Koshkonong the preceding year. Johannes Næset, who was a man of considerable means for the time, bought the land, which is now occupied by the son Ingebrigt Næset, which is section thirty-five in the southeastern part of Christiana Township.

[339] Mr. Næset's full account of this journey I shall publish elsewhere.

Johannes Næset was born in Leikanger Parish in 1795; his wife, Eli I. Berdahl, was born in 1797. She died in Koshkonong in 1850, Johannes died in 1882. He was noted for his ability as a mechanic, was successful as a maker of violins, and was himself a capable player. Jens Næset early distinguished himself as a builder and an architect. Though but sixteen years old he assisted in the building of the old log church in East Koshkonong in 1844, and it was Næset who took it down again in 1858 and constructed the old stone church, which a few years ago was replaced by a handsome brick edifice. He also built the tower of the old Liberty Prairie Church, and a number of the oldest houses on Albion Prairie were erected by him. Jens Næset was married in 1850; he has no children. Mrs. Ole Melaas of Stoughton, Wisconsin, is an adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Næset.[340]

[340] The Næsets have been living in Stoughton since 1876.

As has been noted, there was a considerable immigration from Sogndal, Sogn, in 1846; to name only a few: Ole C. Teigen, Ellend T. Quale, with wife Dordei Baardsdatter and family, eight in all, Anders S. Hundere, Nils O. Selseng and wife, and Johannes I. Gjerde. From Aurland, Sogndal, and Hafslo there came others in the following four years. I shall here name Peder Sylfestson Aaberge from Hafslo, who came in 1847, Ole O. Anderson (1848), Ole O. Hemsing (1849), both from Sogndal, Atle S. Gjellum and family, Per Sherping and wife Kristine and Kristen Olson Gulvangen from Aurland in 1849. Of these Aaberge later moved to Minnesota. Ole Anderson (often called Skog-Ola) settled three miles north of Albion, where he lived till his death. He married Guri Pederson, adoptive daughter of Torstein Selseng in 1851, who had come to America in 1849. She died in June, 1909. Ole Hemsing located first in Cottage Grove; in 1855 he purchased the old Hemsing farm three miles north of Stoughton, later owned by the son Ole H. Hemsing (b. 1853), since 1884, of Stoughton, Wisconsin. Ole O. Hemsing died about 1895, the widow (Ragnilda) died in 1907. Per Sherping died early and the widow married Kristen Olson, who then took the name Sherping (Sherpi). Kristen Sherpi (b. 1823) is still living at the old homestead near West Koshkonong Church. There was scattered immigration from Telemarken down to 1850, especially from Hvideseid, about forty in all came from Hallingdal, and twenty-five from Hardanger; Valders, Ringsaker, Biri and Vardal, and a dozen other provinces and parishes are represented by four or five settlers each. The first to arrive from Hardanger were Svend L. Lund, Ingebrekt, Nicolai, and Johannes Erdahl, Guttorm Buo, Ole L. and Aslak E. Quammen; these came in 1847. From Ringsaker came Anders J. Tömmerstigen, wife Maria Olsdatter and children Johannes, Olive, Peter (b. 1843) and Karen Marie, in 1846, while from North Aurdal in Valders came Ole Loe and Ole H. Hippe, both with families, and from Slidre, Tollef H. Gvale, all in 1847.

I shall now offer a copy of the official register of members of the Koshkonong churches during this period, according to the Parochial Records left by Reverend J. W. C. Dietrichson for the years 1844 to 1850. This is here printed for the first time and will be read with considerable interest by the many descendants of the founders of these two historic congregations on Koshkonong Prairie.