From 'Nordm'ndene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad, 1907 Griggs County
Amund Nilsen Opheim, who came from Winneshiek Co., Iowa and settled in the
area of Romness in 1878, was the first Norwegian settler in this county. He
('Pioneer Nelson', as they called him*) was from Hardanger. Together with
him came Gustav Olson, who soon moved away. But then (in 1880) came John
Haagensen from Aamot, sterdalen, A. C. Lybeck from Land, Gilbert Olsen from
Ringsaker, A. Nelson from stmarken, Iver Siem from Hardanger and J. E.
Qualey from Sogndal. Valley City, 45 miles from there, was the
aforementioned settlement's nearest marketplace. There they took the wheat
and oats they harvested. In 1880, the following settled in the area of
Cooperstown and Hannaford; Ed Evensen from 'stre Toten and A. Gundersen, J.
Johnson, S. Nelson, Tob. Lima and Even L'ge. And in 1881, S. Sandersen
settled in the area of Gallatin. He was thus, the first there. He is from
Kristiania. T. Fulglestad from Birkrem of Cooperstown writes, "We emigrated
in 1883. The ticket led to Valley City, Barnes Co., since the rail was not
finished north to Griggs Co. yet. By ox cart we went from Valley City to
this county's empty prairie, where there were many poor people who had taken
homesteads the previous year. In the spring of 1883, things looked dark for
them. It was a bad spring and the winter provisions had been consumed. Both
people and livestock were in danger of starving to death, and because of a
severe flood they could not get to town, which was, as well, far away.
However, rescue came in time. The first winter I was here, my life once hung
by a hair. My brother-in-law and I had accompanied a neighbor to town.
Arriving back at his house (or dugout) in the evening, we had to go by foot
to our own nest, which was a long piece from there. It was bitterly cold,
the snow was up to our knees and it was misty. We soon lost our way. After
roaming on the empty prairie until late at night, we stumbled on an
abandoned lumber shanty. There was a foot of snow on the floor and the wind
blew through the cracks, and there was neither a stove nor firewood.
Fortunately we had a few matches in our pockets. Then we began to tear up
the floorboards and made a fire. But it was still cold - and the smoke that
we had to breathe! The next morning we reached home to our young wives, who
had also had a sleepless night. My older brother, who had gone to America
before me, also knew what it meant to wander on the Dakota prairies. He had
heard about Turtle Mountains, where there was land to be obtained. One day
in 1882 he set off on foot. With a map, a compass and a pack sack of food,
he set off. The distance was 200 miles. When his food was gone, he shot
hares and other game. During the day he walked steadily and at night, he
slept under open skies. There were no people or houses where he went.
Finally he reached the forested mountains, but he shuddered with the thought
that he was alone and far from civilized folk and among wild animals and
Indians, of whom he saw traces. The significance of that, he had not thought
of until he faced the reality of it. But, he liked the land. He therefore
came straight back to get his brothers, Godtfred, Sefanius to go with him
and settle there. They went and settled among the Indians at Dunseith,
Rolette Co." 'Ringsaker', 'Thime' and 'Ottawa' congregations, that were
established in 1882 by Pastor J. J. Lundeby of The Conference, were the
first Norwegian congregations in the county. The first Norwegian church was
built by the Ringsaker congregation (at Romness) in 1887. Now there are 19
Norwegian congregations and 18 churches in Griggs Co., 12 of them belong to
The United Church, 3 to The Lutheran Free Church, 1 to The Norwegian Synod,
1 to Hauge's Synod, 1 to The Evangelical Free Church and 1 to The Methodist
Church. Norwegian place names; Romness and Sverdrup. *'Pioneer Nelson' was
the first white settler in the great Sheyenne Valley. As mentioned, he lived
(with his family) a couple of years before other white people began to look
there. He spent his youth at Cambridge, Wis., later he moved to the area of
Decorah, Ia. and finally to N. Dak. where he is remembered with thanks by
many new settlers who gained much from his help and expert guidance.
Translated by, and posted with permission of, Olaf Kringhaug
