Canada

Translated from "Nordmændene i Amerika"
by Martin Ulvestad, 1905

Quebec Province, Canada
    The first Norwegian settlement in Canada was established in Robinson Bury (*now Bury), Quebec Province in 1857. The first to settle there was John Svendsen, a sea captain from Risør. He died in 1878. Pastor N. Ellestad of the United Church, established a congregation here in 1876. There are some Norwegian families still.**
    At Waterville, there were also a few. Knud Madsen Moene, from Ørsten, Søndmøre, was the first who settled at the latter place. That was in 1882. He had his family with him, of whom can be named his grown sons, Carl, Mathias and Ivar. After them came Gulbrand Olsen, from Næs, Romerike, John Iversen from the area of Øieren as well as Mathias Pedersen Brungot, Elias Eliassen Aamaas, from Ørsten, Søndmøre. Some of the Norwegians were tradesmen in the City of Waterville and some farmers nearby.
Pastor Jacobsen was the first Norwegian priest to visit this tiny settlement (in 1885); he lived in Montreal, where there was also a small Norwegian (Lutheran) congregation at that time.
    Old Peder Herreid of Twin Valley, Minn. recounts, "I was one of those who tried to establish a Norwegian colony at Robinson Bury, Canada in 1857. The land, that was owned by the British-America Land Company was cheap, only $2.00 to $3.00 per acre. There was much forest, mostly sugar maple and other hardwoods. To get rid of that forest so one could begin to cultivate the soil, which looked to be of good quality, was no easy matter. There was, as well, nothing to get out of the wood other than burning it for potash, nor did that bring in much money. Those who had families could barely earn enough for the necessities of life. The consequence was that people left the place, first one and soon another. The majority went to the Northwest (in the United States). However, a few remained. Merchant Thambs was one of those who understood colonizing work. He did his best, but the permanent colony was not large.
    Towards the fall of 1858, I went, with a couple of other boys, to New England, U.S.A. On arrival in Portland, Maine, we separated however; my comrades went to the West Indies while I remained behind. I got work with a Shaker family, about 20 miles from Portland, Maine. These Shakers as they were called because of their agitated movements during their services, lived in large families - up to 100 persons or more. Their essential occupation was farming; otherwise they made brooms - and not to be forgotten, the well-known Shaker hats, that were much sought after. They are an industrious and upright type; they deliver usually more than they promise. And they believe that they are Christ's true followers because they do not enter matrimony; they live in strict self-denial - the men by themselves and the women by themselves - in separate houses. But here one must ask the question: How can a family be continued in such a life? Therefore, they adopt orphans in great numbers and raise them to be Shakers. At their private meetings, that are held regularly 3-4 times a week, no outsiders are permitted entry. But on Sundays, they hold services with open doors. Then people come from all over to see and hear what happens. When there is a break in the sermon, the congregation begins to sing and at the same time they put their hands and bodies in movement, rhythmic but curious, while they marched in a circle in two ranks, men in one and women in the other. The whole congregation, men and women wore a gray uniform dress. The sect numbered ca. 6000 at that time. All trade and business was conducted by elected managers. The sect's members were not permitted to go out in the outside world. I was the only Norwegian in the area. (This was, as is obvious, a bit off the Norwegian settlements, but it cannot be helped. Ed.)
    ** Scattered Norwegians were found also in Canada before 1857. But this was the first settlement.

Norwegian Colony at Gaspe, Quebec Province
    About a Norwegian colonizing attempt at Gaspé, at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River, Canada, about 1860, Pastor N. C. Brun ( then a 15 year old lad) writes;
    "Father, like the other neighbors, had sought out a homestead, and it was now time to begin to get ready for winter. But to get through impenetrable forest was not so easily done. One had to clear and make roads, bridges had to be built across small rivers and everyone was concerned about the little they had brought.
In this need, the government came to our assistance and every capable man obtained all the work he could handle for a reasonable pay. As far as I can recall, father got $1.25 per day, I got $1.00 - naturally without board - but we felt as though we worked for ourselves. The roads were thus opened so that one could get through with a wagon. The worst torment during this work was the mosquitoes, who in our open huts at night, drew more blood than we had sweated during the day at work. Eventually we got so used to them that we did not feel their sting, if we could have been deaf, we not have heard their song!
    As soon as we were more or less finished with the road work, the work began of clearing a place for the homes for all, falling timber and building. The timber did not have to be transported. At most places, enough timber could be cut to build a good-sized house. The main problem was that the pines at the place could be too big for our purpose and therefore we had to look about for more suitable sizes. In this manner we raised three houses in our neighborhood but only two were fitted out.
    Before we were finished with our building, it began, in October, to rain - and such rain! I will give an example, one of the bridges we built, we had to rebuild because the water washed it away. Then, because of its length, the snow broke it down, and we had to re-erect it, so altogether we had to raise it four times that fall. As well, old bridges that had stood for years were swept away, and all the gristmills that had stood for many years were similarly carried away. There was not a mill left standing anywhere for 30 miles. After one sudden and unexpected change of weather, in the morning we found the land in the quiet forest covered with over a foot of loose snow, and - to be brief - on the morning of Christmas Eve, we had to crawl out the attic window if we wanted to get out, and we found that the snow was 8 feet deep, so loose that we could shove a stick all the way down. It began to look a little unpleasant for Christmas. We had enough firewood and in our little neighborhood, we had food. It looked worse in several places for the price of a barrel of flour had gone up to 20 dollars in that time. Later in the winter, it could not be obtained for any price.
    The immediate reason for this sad situation was first and foremost that as soon as the St. Lawrence River and Gulf froze, ship traffic stopped. So, literally, nothing could be brought in.
    However, there was one, whose all-seeing eye had peered deeper into the dark than we, and long before us. Had not his care showed so suddenly, would many a poor newcomer have closed his eyes in the anguish of starvation that winter.
    In November, towards the end of the month, a large bark sprang a leak in the gulf outside Gaspe. It had to come in for repairs. The damage showed itself to be so serious that it could not be quickly be repaired. Therefore, the cargo had to be brought ashore. It consisted of many thousands of bushels of maize.
    When the government had heard, during the winter, of the newcomer's need, they immediately ordered that the maize should be issued to the needy and that they begin with the moist first, but the load was mostly distributed so the need was helped.
But to convert the maize into food was another matter. As already mentioned, the mills were gone. But the coffee mill remained and it suffered on many occasions. In our neighborhood, a hand mill had been brought from Norway. It went night and day, when one person stopped, another took over. The grindstones were completely worn out when spring came. All in all however, it was a great help and without that help things truly would have looked dark. But, God governs.
    Then, one after another began to decide to go to the States, mother and I also wished that we should follow. To this we always got the answer from father that we had ruined everything we owned and that it was impossible to start again at another place.
But there came a day, about the middle of April, when we had sawn all the trees around our trestle and had to move it. We had long had our eye on a group of lovely firs that would measure about two feet in diameter. To roll these onto the trestle, we could not leave the trestle on top of the snow, but had to dig down to the ground to get a firm footing. When we reached the ground, we found we did not need the trestle, it sufficed to lay some smaller logs across the hole and roll the firs onto them, it was deep enough for me to stand on the ground and saw. It took 7-8 feet of arm and saw length.
    Then father gave up. There seemed to be no more hope for spring and fall. After a month of fishing at Perce with Captain Holst, later of Chicago, and as soon as there was regular steamship service to Quebec, we and many others, all those who had lived at our little settlement and others, took the first steamship"

Ontario Province, Canada
    In the beginning of the 1870s a number of Norwegians settled in the area of Gravenhurst and Sequin Falls; the latter was renamed Jarlsberg. That is certainly a good Norwegian name.
    At the Jarlsberg Post Office a Norwegian congregation was established in 1876 with Pastor M. P. Ruh, of The Norwegian Synod, as its first priest. Currently it is serviced by Pastor Kolbein Hovde, who is from the same synod. The parish church was dedicated in 1884. In 1905 (when the first of these accounts was collected) there were two Norwegian churches and congregations in the aforementioned area, both belonging to the Norwegian Synod.

Manitoba Province, Canada
    The first settlement in this Province was established in the area of Brown P.O., Stanley District, in 1887 by B.O. Holo from Indre Sogn. He came there from Pembina Co., N.D. No more Norwegians came that year. Holo had been in the Civil War and took part in many battles, so he could manage himself among the less civilized people alone for a time. He had his family with him, however. The next Norwegian settlers were Jacob Spangelo from Sogn, Nils O. Vigen, Ole B. Nelson, Knud Halvorsen, Gisle K. Gundersen, Halvor Halvorsen, Kittel Halvorsen, Thore Halvorsen and Lars H. Lien, all from Nummedal. These latter lived at the North Dakota border. They have there a Post Office with the name Nummedal. Logging and farming were the settlement's source of income.
    The first Norwegian in the area of Morris was Ole H. Gilman from the Lykken farm in Saude, Telemarken. He came from Walsh County to Morris, Man. in 1899. Later came Johannes Johnson from Trøndelagen and others.
The aforementioned O.H. Gilman emigrated from Norway in that time when emigrants were carried by sailing ships. The trip was long and so there was a lot of filth, vermin and other misery aboard. There was also a man who the City authorities of Skien had bought a ticket for because they wanted to be rid of him. He had clearly been a burden to them. This man complained greatly about stomach aches after he learned that Gilman's mother had a bottle of camphorated spirits with her.
    When the immigrants came to Quebec they were met by a Norwegian 'gentleman' who told them how wonderful it would be for them if they continued their trip inland by steamship. They took his counsel and went aboard the steamer that lay there; however it did not go further than Montreal. From there they continued their trip on some wretched boats, that were otherwise loaded with livestock, wood etc. That was the 'palatial steamship' that the agent had advised them to take instead of the railroad. Aboard these boats the newcomers had to maintain themselves until the snail's pace over rivers and lakes was done.
    Who of us have not been acquainted with these kinds of 'gentlemen' among our countrymen? The immigrants meet them on disembarkation. The farmer meets them when he goes to town; they speak your dear Norwegian mother tongue - that moves you and that you understand so well, while you do not understand well something else; they are so helpful and they assist you with 'good' advice because you are foreign and ignorant, and because they are your countrymen and sincerely wish you well; until you are swindled. They have been a shame and a damage to the Norwegian people right from the beginning of emigration and until now, but -alas - they seldom go to prison for they pick their victims among those people who find it difficult to send them there, where they belong. (Ed. We have made note of this before, but it does not hurt to repeat it)
    In the City of Winnipeg, there are also a number of Norwegians. A Norwegian congregation was established there in 1904 by Pastor J.E. Ingebrigtsen, belonging to the Norwegian Synod. Pastor T.K. Thorvilson, who also belongs to that synod, became the first serving priest. He was, as well, the first Norwegian priest who settled in this Province. In 1905 there were two Norwegian-Lutheran congregations and there will be more before this writing sees the light of day. Quite a few Norwegians have migrated to Manitoba and other Provinces in Canada in later years.

Assiniboia District, Canada
    About his trip to and pioneer life in Pheasant Forks, Assiniboia, R. R. Reinertsen, who formerly lived in South Dakota, had this to say, "I, with some of my friends and relatives, took land here in the spring of 1902, and as it approached summer, my wife and I came here to settle on our homestead. Our land lay about 40 miles from the nearest railroad station.
    The first winter we lived in Canada, was very harsh and there was so much snow that without a road, it was impassable. Our huts were not of the best sort and it was very far between neighbors. Once, a couple of us were to collect some livestock that were almost 50 miles away, a powerful snowstorm blew up - and this was at nightfall. However, we rode against the wind, so we could finally spot a light far away. We traveled toward it but accidentally came upon a lake, where we almost lost our lives for there were so many holes in the ice. When we arrived our faces and noses were frozen. It was 41 degrees below zero.
    The nearest post office was 18 miles away. One time, when my wife and I had gone to a neighbor, about 4 miles away, to get our mail that they had fetched for us, we went astray and stumbled around in our moccasins until late at night when we bumped into our snowed-in hut. The next day there came a fierce snowstorm with drifts so it was with luck that we had reached home.
    The next spring, came my brother-in-law, O. G. Knudsen and Haakon Holmedal (Knudsen was born in Wisconsin, Holmedal was from Haugesund) from South Dakota with their families. I went to town to fetch them. When we were going home over the poor roads, we were often stuck because of the heavy load. Over the worst sloughs and rivers we had to carry the women, children and everything else that was in the wagon, while the cold runoff water was up to our knees. At times we also had our hands full getting the horses out of the wilderness swamps. We got through that time as well - but now the conditions have bettered such that it is now a good place to live here."
As one has seen from the foregoing, the Norwegian settling in Assiniboia is of a recent date. There are already 4 Norwegian officials. See the section "Norwegians in public positions in America." (This was written in 1905)

Saskatchewan District, Canada
    The first Norwegian settlement in Saskatchewan was established at Glen Mary in the 90's by the brothers Christian and Ole Bøe, from Solør. They came there from North Dakota. This was early in 1901 and it was in 1902 when the actual immigration occurred. Among those who settled at the aforementioned place were Carl C. Larsen from Hønefos, Tollef Kjøntvedt from Nore, Nummedal and Carl Hovdeby from Kongsberg. Livestock raising was the farmer's main source of subsistence. Prince Albert (ca 40 miles away) was the Norwegian settlers' nearest market place.
    Norden congregation at Glen Mary and Saskatchewan congregation at Park were the first Norwegian congregations in the aforementioned district. Both were established in 1903 by The United Church Mission's superintendent, H. C. Holm. The first Norwegian priests who settled here were S. H. Njaa and Ole Hungness, who belonged to the aforementioned society. In 1905 there were 10 congregations, of which 6 belonged to The United Church, 3 to The Norwegian Synod and 1 to The Lutheran Free Church.

Alberta District, Canada
    It is in Alberta that we find the most Norwegians among Canadians.
    The first Norwegian settlement in this territory was established in the area of Calgary in 1880. The settlement's founders were Bernt Thorp, Conrad Anderson, Nils Anderson, J. Næss, L. Pedersen, Ole Foss and S. Soly, all from Fredrikstad, Hans Green, A. Hurom and Hans Olsen, all from Kristiania, Theodor Strøm from Hedemarken, C. Andersen from Lister at Farsund, as well as Gilbert Berg, Peder Eide and Charlie Hommer. They settled amongst Indians and Canadians.
    The settlement at New Norway was established in 1893 by Even O. Olstad from Hedemarken and Gullik Iverson from Nummedal. They came from Polk County, Minn. A short time later came Peder O. Haukedal who was born in Ringerike, and many more.
In 1894 a settlement was established at Northern. The settlement and post office was later called Bardo. It was a fine custom for Norwegians to plant Norwegian names - even on Canadian land. The founders of this settlement were Martin Finseth, Nils Jevning, P. B. Anderson, J. Lerbakmo, H. Haugen, J. Johnson and L. Johnson, all from Bardo, Tromsøe Amt, N. Mosland from Christiansand, P. Flaaten from Hallingdal, P. Moen from Gudbrandsdalen, H. Simonson and A. Erickson, born in Wisconsin, as well as T. Owelsenï¿½ and S. Simonsen, all from Telemarken. Most of these came from Minnesota. Livestock and chicken raising and mixed farming was the main source of income. Some tried also to wash gold in the Saskatchewan River but with uneven result. To the nearest markets, Wetaskiwin and Edmonton was, ca 45 miles from the Norwegian settlement. Here it was horses not oxen that one plowed and drove with. In most other settlements they had nothing but oxen for that use. At most places in Canada, as in the United States, there were Indians that the Norwegian pioneers came upon, but the Indians always had to withdraw, but not always without a struggle.
The same year as the Bardo settlement was established (1894) Peter Petersen from Assiniboia came and settled at Olds, Alta. He was from Lode, Jæderen. He also got some Norwegian neighbors in the course of time. One of them was Samuel Garborg, Arne Garborg's brother, from Jæderen.
    The Stony Creek settlement (in the area of Duhamel and Skaffe) was founded in 1895 by Lars O. Bjaaland from Øvre Telemarken as well as John E. Spokkeli, Peter Skaffe and Ole J. Statlemo.
    Martin Eid from Søndre Aurdal, Vaødres was the first in the area of Lacombe, at Blind Man River. He settled there in 1896. Iver Olsen, Hans Ebeltoft, Søren Nygaard, H. M. Lien and perhaps several more had gone there a bit earlier but had moved away.
The founders of the Norwegian settlement in the area of Claresholm were Ole Amundsen from Devil's Lake, North Dakota along with I. Ugland, John B. Hall and a fourth Norwegian-American with the name Ole Ødegaard. Two men from Sogn, Thom and Amund Thompson were also among the first. Some of these worked as tradesmen in Claresholm, the rest were farmers.
B. I. Johansen was the first Norwegian settler at Burnt Lake. Oluf Normann from Malvik parish has also been here a few years. Swedes, however, are the majority in this area.
    Ole, Nils, Knud, John and Petter Engeseth from Volden, Søndmøre, Petter Thompson from Gudbrandsdalen as well as John Tingstad and Ed Anderson, whose birthplace in Norway is unknown to the author, were the first Norwegian settlers in the area of Markersville.
The last mentioned settlements are new.
    Nels Jevning, one of those mentioned above, writes, "It was in 1876, when a company of five families, me and my family included, emigrated from Norway to the Red River Valley. Our destination lay 65 miles north of Moorhead. When we came to that place we were perplexed, for there was no railway along the Red River at that time and the steamboats had suspended their trips because of too little water in the river; there had been a drought for a long time. We learned from experience that the river (Red River) was navigable by raft. Therefore we decided to buy the materials for a house and from that material we built a raft that was big enough to hold 16 persons and our baggage. Our trip which took a week was not exactly pleasant. The women and children were frightened since just at that time it was rumored that General Custer and his men had been killed by the Indians - led by Sitting Bull. As was known, many Indians traveled in the Red River Valley, though none did us any damage. Once on that emigrant trip, the raft came so near land that a tree branch tore the stovepipe into the river. One of those aboard was however brave enough to dive to the bottom after it. One night the raft turned toward land in the swift current. It looked at first that we would run aground but luckily we broke loose again and reached our destination in good condition. Those dark nights on the Red River will never be forgotten - at least, not by our wives and children, who were awakened from their sleep in dangerous moments.
    Later we emigrated to Canada. The year after we came our settlement was close to being destroyed by a prairie fire that was driven so rapidly by a wind that one could not escape it with even the fastest horse. It did much damage in the area. We worked with all our strength to limit it, and we were successful. Neither lives or property were lost in our neighborhood. The smoke was so thick that the air and sun were darkened, while the sound of the flames sounded like thunder. What I have told may seem unbelievable to whoever has not been witness to it. Nevertheless, it is true, all of it.
    For information about Ole Bredesen, in Edberg and others, see the section, 'Norwegians in public positions in America.'
The first Norwegian congregation in Alberta was founded at Northern (now Bardo) in 1895 by Pastor B. Anderson, belonging to Hauge's Synod. He was also the first Norwegian priest who settled in Alberta. There are now 22 Norwegian congregations and 4 churches in Alberta, 11 congregations belong to The United Church, 5 to Hauge's Synod, 4 to The Lutheran Free Church and 2 to the Baptist Church.
In 1904 a newspaper 'Ebenezer' came out in Wetaskiwin. See the section, 'Norwegian-American newspapers and periodicals'.
Molstad is the name of a Post Office that some Norwegians have gotten established up there, besides the aforementioned Bardo, Viking, Skafse and New Norway.
    (These accounts were written in 1905)

British Columbia Province, Canada
   From Quebec Province on the Atlantic coast, we must make a giant jump to British Columbia on the Pacific to find early Norwegian immigrants. It is natural. Norwegians are certainly sea-faring folk, who first seek out life on the coasts. And only when - a number of them - tired of life on or near the sea, they would move in the land. Some of them, however, have such an inclination for adventure and hardship that they do not feel at peace until they have tried what both, the sea and the land, have to offer. That is, they wish to see and try everything under the sun.
   The first Norwegian who took a permanent home, as far as is known, was the Honorable Helge Helgesen, who lived in or near the City of Victoria right since 1860. He was a well-known and influential man, which is shown in that he was a Member of British Columbia's Legislative Assembly.
   The little Norwegian settlement at Aldergrove was established in 1884. John L. Broe from Fayette County, Iowa, was the first to settle there, that was in 1884. Soon after him came John L. Wilson of Stavanger and others.
   At Bella Coola, far up British Columbia, in the northwest corner of America, a Norwegian settlement was established by Pastor Christian Saugstad in 1894. Pastor Saugstad who went there from Minnesota, bringing a number of his neighbours and acquaintances and died soon after, was from Ringsaker in Norway. The settlers most important sources of income were: 1) fishing, 2) mixed farming (hay, potatoes, fruit and cattle) and 3) logging. Of the Norwegians who settled up there can be mentioned, Iver Fougner, who has a position with the Canadian government, as well as C. H. Urseth, Ole Fosbak, H. H. Thorson, H. O. Hansen, O. J. Løkken, A. O. Nesvold, Erik Norskog, H. B. Christensen and B. Brynildsen.
   The Augsburg congregation of The Lutheran Free Church was established there in 1895 by the aforementioned Pastor Saugstad. Its church, the most northwesterly Norwegian church in the world, was built in 1904. The settlement's post office bears the name Hagensborg that is also of Norwegian origin.
   At Quatsino on Vancouver Island a little settlement was established in 1904 by Norwegians from the area of Fargo, North Dakota.
   Fillip Jacobsen from Tromsø was the first to settle at Clayoquot, Vancouver Island, where there is also a small Norwegian colony.
   In the City of Vancouver, Norwegian seamen, fishers and other countrymen have had their home for a longer time. There they also have a small Norwegian congregation - with a church, that was built in the 90s. As mentioned, Norwegian seamen had lived here earlier, but grocer Severin Larsen from Tønsberg, who has lived in Vancouver since 1899, was clearly the first Norwegian businessman. Of others, can be mentioned Aksel Borgeson from Drammen, a commission agent, Carl K. Bjerkness, also from Drammen, who owns a hotel, Bernhard Boe from Bøvangen, Mangers parish, in 1901 had a plumbing business, Nels N. Westby from Stokke in Sandefjord has edited and published 'The Norseman' (This newspaper was started in 1911 by Einar Finsand from Ringerike, who published it under the name of 'Canada Skandinaven' and who later transferred it to other owners). Carl J. Bjørke emigrated from Oslo in 1905 and came to Vancouver in 1910 is an office manager, Norwegian Vice-Consul and as well instructor of the Norwegian Song Society. Harald Rindal (whose father came from Rindal, Nordmøre) is District Engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Erling Giske from Søndmøre is an instructor in accounting. Ragnar Svendsen from Skogsholm in Tjøttø, Helgeland, 1913, is the captain of a tugboat. Jacob Pederson Ulvestad from Volden, Søndmøre is a mining promoter. Lawrence Kleive, who took part in the World War also lives in Vancouver. It should be as well noted that skier Nils Nilsen, of Revelstoke, holds the championship for the longest jump in Canada, 1919. Of the priests in Vancouver, I remember L. A. Mathre, who was there about 1920 and Benj. A. Sand, who is still there.
   At Matsqui on the Fraser River (not far from Vancouver), there is a significant Norwegian settlement, where Gunerius A. Halvorson from Topbakken, Romedal, Hedemarken, 1866, was the first. He settled at Matsqui in 1900. Next (1901) came Andreas P. Bergsvik, who had emigrated from Veø, Romsdalen 1887. Also in 1901 Abraham O. Hougen and opened a grocery store, while his brother, Gabriel Hougen, who came in 1902 and went into farming, like about all the others. The Hougen brothers were born in Decorah, Ia., but their father emigrated from Lyngdal, near Kristianssand. Tarald Jensen, who emigrated from Oftenes at Kristianssand 1882 settled at Matsqui in 1902 and his son, Theodor B. Jensen is still a farmer there. Jens M. Igeland who emigrated from Ibestad, Nordland in 1888, came to Matsqui in 1902. And a little later came, John Olsen from Hindersland in Lyngdal near Farsund, Herman Skouge (whose father was Pastor Skouge in Ørkedalen near Trondheim), Nils Førre emigrated from Hjelmeland near Stavanger 1872, Christian E. Anderson (whose son made a name for himself in the World War and was promoted to Sergeant), Hans Steenersen, emigrated from Kragerø in 1901, Anton Ellingsen emigrated from Vatne, Lurø, Helgeland 1884, Martin Kveldsrud from Nummedal, Ole Sørensen from Berkeland, Konnesmo near Mandal 1901, Karl Anderson from Husø near Tønsberg 1905, Ivar M. Monsen, whose father Anders Monsen emigrated from Torsness, Sogn, Mrs. Julia Hamilton, daughter of Berge Lie from Voss, Frederick Hansen from Hindersland, Lyngdal near Farsund, Peter P. Halvorsen from Petersmoen, Næs, Hallingdal 1886, Halvor Lunde from Trysil, Østerdalen 1889 and farms here with his sons, Emil and Rudolf (almost all are farmers in this area). Carl Lunde from Trysil 1882 was one of the first settlers here, H. M. Hansen from Drøbak 1900, Bernard Ebbesen from Ugelfoden, Herø, Helgeland 1896, Kolbjørn Gilbertsen (Guttormsen) from Breidak, Gol, Hallingdal 1873. Merchants here; Nels Berkeland from Konsmo near Mandal 1912, Ole Thompson from Hægbostad near Mandal 1914, Knut Andersen from Fadnes, Voss, H. O. Hansen from Myraness, Selbu 1888, Gukdbrand Kjemperud from Modum 1903, shoemaker in Matsqui. The main source of income in this area is dairying and mixed farming.There is here both a Norwegian Lutheran and a Methodist church.
   Whonnock, B.C. also lies on the Fraser River and of the Norwegians who settled there, we can name, Christian Nelsonï¿½ from Grilstad, Strinden 1887 and Ole Lie who emigrated the same year from Saksvikbjerget in Malvik.
   These men and their sons have worked in fishery, which is the leading occupation here besides farming. Johan Mathisenï¿½ emigrated from Strinden 1887. His son Ludvik Mathisen is the engineer aboard the 'Fort Langley' which has a route from Whonnock and New Westminster.
   In the City of New Westminster, that adjoins Vancouver, we find first, Nels J. Larsen. He emigrated from Sponvik near Fredrikshald in 1889 and has operated a grocery store in New Westminster since 1901. And as his partner since 1906, he has had John J. Aune, who emigrated from Strinden in 1902. Albert Bakke, one of the leaders in the Norwegian Lutheran congregation here, emigrated from Strand parish near Stavanger in 1885, and has lived here recently. Ole Knutsen emigrated from Hatlen, Nesset parish, Romsdalen 1906 and is employed here in New Westminster, where also Severin Bakke and Ole and John Brudvik and several other Norwegians live and practice their respective trades.
   Right across the river from New Westminster, we have a large Norwegian settlement (in the area of Brownsville and Annieville) where people mainly support themselves at the fishery as well as a little farming. Ole Aamodt who came from Sokendalen at Egersund emigrated about 1890, settled here in 1893. Others who came to this settlement in the 1890s are Gunnar Lande from Aardahl near Kristianssand 1886, Julian Berg from Frøien near Trondheim 1890, Hans Iversen from Sulen near Trondhjem 1887, Albert Holmes from Hoem at Levanger about 1892, Erik Knutsen from Tjelle, Nesset, Romsdalen 1888, Kristian Stegavik from Leksviken near Trondhjem 1891 and Bernt Stegavik from the same place 1898, Jacob Gundersen from Ellingsgaard, Sylte, Romsdalen 1888 and his brother Jens Gundersen, who is a fish buyer, came later. We also find Gunnar Hansen from the aforementioned Ellingsgaard (he took part in the World War 1916-19), Knud Larsen, similarly from Ellingsgaard in Romsdalen 1897, and Knud Rastad came the same year from Otterøen in Akre, Romsdalen, Nils Johnson from Bækvik in Fillan near Trondhjem 1892, Andrew Aamodt from Sokendalen near Egersund 1892, Albert Olsen from Stavanger 1895, John R: Westby from Gjerdrum, Akershus 1900, Anton Knudsen from Tjelle, Nesset, Romsdalen 1901, George Aronsen from Aakenes, Andøen, Vesteraalen 1902, Peter Larsen fromm Kormeseth, Veø, Romsdalen 1900, Leonard Pedersen from Aalesund 1889, Lauritz Svendsen from Fuskevaag, Trondenes, Nordland 1898 and his brother, Andreas 1902. Also here, Hans Iversen's sons John and Ingeman, Enok Gabrielsen from Hemnes, Hadsel, Nordland 1890 and his brother's son Gunnar Gabrielsen 1913, Sverre Nilsen from Rotvoldsberget, Strinden 1891, Anton Nelson from Maalsjord, Lenvik near Tromsø 1911, Olaf Carlsen from Hulsund, Skjørn near Trondhjem 1912, Torsten Foss from Suldal, Ryfylke 1904, John O. Vik from Grøtvik, Leksvikstranden near Trondhjem 1910, Gustav Bordsen from Hemnes, Hadsel, Vesteraalen 1907, David Christoffersen from the same place 1913, Ingvar Hansen from Aanstad, Ibestad, Nordland 1909, Nels Olsen from Metvedt, Sund near Bergen 1911, Oliver Aune from Stadasbygden near Trondhjem 1912, Hartvig Gulbransen 1905, Angel Hansen 1906, Ingval Edwardsen 1907 and Marelius B. Olsen the same year all (the last four) from Gryting, Langøen, Vesteraalen. The last mentioned are fish buyers, but the greatest part of those mentioned here are fishers on the Fraser River.
   With regard to Prince Rupert, any questions can be referred to the Consul, John Dybhavn or to Peter Rørvik, manager of the Rørvik Fish Co. Both of them are from Søndmøre. And in Prince Rupert, there are many from Søndmøre and other places in Norway.
   In 1905, there were altogether 4 Norwegian congregations in British Columbia, 2 belonging to The United Church, 1 to The Lutheran Free Church and 1 to The Norwegian Synod. And there are 2 Norwegian churches as mentioned above.

Translated by Olaf Kringhaug
Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
Nordmændene i Amerika by Martin Ulvestad, 1907
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