Early Norwegian Settlements in New York

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Map of New York 1895 Greater New York City, New York
   Concerning the very first emigration to New York (and other Atlantic States) see the "Prehistory" earlier in the book. For information about Norwegian people's attempts here and other places in America, one is referred to "Statistics".
   I will however repeat some notes that recently appeared in "Nordiske Blade", Brooklyn. They state:
   "The immigration here began in the 40s. John Onson came in '49, similarly Mrs. Jeppesen, Mrs. Mariager's mother.
   Beach Place at Hamilton Ferry and 18th Street in South Brooklyn is the oldest Norwegian neighborhood here.
   In 1865, Pastor Preutz estimated the Norwegian colony's numbers at ca. 3000. At that time East New York with Market Slip was the Norwegian neighborhood and here appeared the Riis firm, lawyer Reymert (an uncle of our August Reymert), the florist Gabrielsen on 9th Street, piano makers Narvesen and Ihlseng (on 33rd Street), father of Professor Ihlseng at Brooklyn's Polytechnic.
   The immigration to Brooklyn began in the 70s with Martin Carlsen at Greenpoint and Widnes at Williamsburg as well as a stream of seafarers who spread through the current Norwegian neighborhood between Erie Basin,Gowanus and Atlantic Avenue. And here the main stream has come since 1880.
   The original colonists here were, as is reasonable for a port, seafarers who obtained good-paying employment here and who are now among the popular city's fathers." - according to the newspaper.
   In 1860, the first Norwegian congregation* was established in New York-Brooklyn. It was led mainly by laymen until 1886 when Pastor O. Juul took over the service. He belonged to The Norwegian Synod and so did the congregation (Vor Frelsers Menighed, as it was then called). Its church, that was the first Norwegian in New York-Brooklyn, was built in 1872. Now there are 15 Norwegian congregations and 12 churches, 4 belong to The Norwegian Synod, 4 to The United Church, 2 to the Methodists, 1 to The Lutheran Free Church, 1 to The Seaman's Mission, 1 to The Evangelical Free Church, 1 to the Baptists and 1 to the Adventists. (This account refers to all of Greater New York that includes the old New York City, Brooklyn, Willaimsburg, Green Point, East New York, Coney Island and Staten Island).
   For information about 'Skandinaven' (1852), 'Nordisk Tidende', 'Nordisk Blade', 'Norges Posten' and other newspapers see 'Norwegian-American newspapers and periodicals' .For information about the Norwegian Hospital and Seaman's Home see the section 'Norwegian-American charitable institutions.'
   My search for Norwegians in public positions has been fruitless for Greater New York. I have asked many locally knowledgeable countrymen (editors, priests, businessmen etc) but they know of none of our own who have been elected to public office.
   In this connection I cannot fail to make you aware of the interesting fact that 'Den Norske Turnforening' (Gymnastic Club) made themselves recognized in a recent gymnastic competition as the best club of that sort. (Norwegians as the best gymnasts in the United States)
*As early as 1849 mission activity was begun among the Scandinavians in the City but no congregation was established. It was probably the immigrants they wished to contact and to that end they obtained a ship (The Bethel Ship) that they tied up to a pier on the New York side. This activity was mainly led by Swedes. In 1855-56, Pastor Sinding was active among the Scandinavians here, but he formed no (at least not permanent) congregation.

Cohoes City, New York
   The first Norwegian to settle here was a Wm. Nilsen. Next after him came O. Martinsen Aas† from Drammen as well as Geo. Brecker, John Laim, Henry Broberg, M. Martinsen, Nils Nilsen, O. Martinsen, Edw. Thoresen†, Oluf G. Tufte†, E. Evensen, H. Mikkelsen and Lauritz Nilsen. Most of these and others living here work in engineering shops. They are mainly from Svelvig, Drammen and Kristiania.
   Alfred Christianson from Kristiania and who died in 1903 was a Master Mechanic in the Government Arsenal here. The last important work conducted under his supervision were the cannons that were used in the Spanish-American War.
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In Richmond there are also a number of Norwegian factory workers. And here they have a Norwegian Lutheran congregation with a church.
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In Herkimer Co. there is a post office with the name Norway but Norwegians are not to be found here.

Buffalo City, New York
   One of Buffalo's old, well-known citizens, engineer S. Munch Kielland from Stavange writres, "As you naturally know, a number of the Sloop emigrants settled near here. That was in 1825 they came and settled at Kendall, Orleans Co. On a visit there in 1881, I met several of these Sloopers or their descendants, more correctly. I recall I spoke to Messrs. Johnson, Larson, Aarsland, Danielsen and Roes. The Americans here think highly of the old Norwegian immigrants and their families.
   Mrs. Martha Larsen, the widow of Lars Larsen Jeilene, one of the leaders of the Sloopers, I met in Rochester in1887. She was then eighty-some years old. She knew many of my relatives in Stavanger very well. When she heard that I was going tomake a trip home, she exclaimed, "Oh no, Oh no, Kielland,that's as though you are taking a trip to Heaven!" She could not forget her childhood home at Ryfylke's fjords.
   One of the oldest Norwegians in Buffalo is Hans Holst who has been here for over 40 years. He is a son of old Captain Per Holst of Chicago. The Holst family (which came from Skien) are well known. In Buffalo we also find some remnants of the Ole Bull Colony that was founded in Potter County, Pa. at a place known as Oleana. (See Pennsylvania). Mr. N. Nielsen, who has lived in Buffalo for a long time was one of Bull's followers. Nielsen's son is the Treasurer of the First National Bank here. Also here is Mrs. Bergh (ca. 90 years old) and her daughter Mrs. Kate Parker. Nor can we forget Ole Snyder, Oleana's first child* who has for a long time been one the City of Buffalo's leading lawyers and who recently was the Democratic Party's candidate for the U.S. Congress; that he lost is not his, but the Party's fault.
   Otherwise it cannot be said that there are many Norwegians in this city. Nor are there many in other parts of the State with the exception of Greater New York, as already mentioned.
*His father was called Anderson and emigrated with his wife from the Kværnmoe farm in Elverum to Ole Bull's colony in Pennsylvania in 1852. There he (Ole Snyder) was born, but his mother died (in childbirth) and he was adopted by a German  family whose name he bears. His father enlisted in the Civil War where he advanced to Captain - and fell. See 'Norwegians in American wars'

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