Early Norwegian Settlements in Idaho

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Map of Idaho 1895
Latah County, Idaho
   Tønnes Møller† from Sogndal, Stavanger Amt was the founder of the first Norwegian settlement in Idaho. He came from Wisconsin and settled at Genesee, Latah Co. in 1876. Later in the year came John Tetly from Levanger, Ditlef and Hans Smith from Kvalheim, Mangers Parish, Knud Bergquam† from Sogn, Hans Tvedt from Lindos Parish as well as Casper Johnson, Andrew Christensen, Iver Christensen†, Carl Christensen,  James Jacobsen, Charles Fering, Ole Ottesen†, Martin Andersen and Erik Andersen†. In the beginning they had to be satisfied with dugouts and log cabins. Growing wheat was their most important source of income. Lewiston, 20 miles away, was their nearest marketplace. Day pay at the time was 50 cents.
   Søren Nelson from Valders was the first Norwegian in the vicinity of Anderson P.O. and Henry V. Jørgensen from Flekkefjord was the first in the vicinity of Park. And Sam Johnson from Telemarken was the first in the vicinity of Moscow.
   The Nez Perce Indians were aggressive and warlike in those days so the first Norwegian newcomers had trouble in keeping them at bay. They found it necessary to build entrenchments against them. Civil War veteran T. E. Møller and Samuel Johnson undertook the construction and later became the commanders of the main fortification; this was in 1876.
   The first Norwegian hotelkeeper in Idaho was Knud Madison. He started a boarding house in the Genesee valley, where Genesee City now lies and T. E. Møller provided the house with a sign on which he wrote Genesee Hotel in large letters. And so the city got its name. This to the annoyance of a Jew who had arrived earlier and had begun calling the place Jerusalem - but had failed to supply his store with a sign!
   The first Norwegian congregation in the State of Idaho was established at Moscow, Latah Co. in the 80s. The founder was Pastor C. Eriksen of The Methodist Church. The first Norwegian church in the county (and the State) was built by that congregation in 1887.
   Now there are in this county (Latah) 3 Norwegian churches and 8 congregations, of which 2 belong to The Methodist Church, 2 to The Norwegian Synod and 4 to The United Church.
   Knud Larsen of Genesee was the first Norwegian to hold public office in Idaho. He was a Member of the State Legislature.

Bannock County, Idaho
   Frantz Kay from Akershus and Edward Berg were the first Norwegians in this county, they settled at Pocatello in 1886. The Kay family were leading members of the Mormon Church.

Kootenai County, Idaho
   The first Norwegian in this county was Hans A. Sandager from Modum. He settled near Stinson in 1894. A couple of men ferried him and his family and baggage - on a log raft - down a lake that lay between civililization and his future home.
   Another Norwegian who has lived a long time in this county is Captain Sørensen of Coeur d'Alene. P. Johnson and T. Hedal have also lived there some years.
   The first (and until now the only) Norwegian congregation in Kootenai County was established at Stinson in 1901 by Pastor J. Blækkan of The Norwegian Synod.
   Post offices with Norwegian names in Idaho; Stinson in Kootenai Co., Lund in Bannock Co., Ola in Boise Co. as well as Anderson and Nora in Latah Co.

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