Virginia
Early Norwegian Settlements in Virginia
Map of Virginia 1895
Virginia State
This State's coastal towns have been visited by Norwegian
seamen for a long time but real settlers have not been found before
recent times, which will be seen below.
Andrew Elseth, a Telemarking and a veteran of the Civil
War, was the first Norwegian who started farming here. He settled 12
miles from the City of Norfolk. The next year came Thomas Osmundsen†
from Hardanger.
In the aforementioned city these were the first; Karl
Tennefoss from Sogn as well as Thomas Narum, Olaf Narum and Albert
Lofthus, all from Stavanger and a Trønder by the name of Halland.
They work for the most part in shipyards.
James City County, Virginia
C. M. Bergh from Lands Parish was the first Norwegian in
this county. He settled in Toano in 1896 and was the founder of the
Norwegian settlement there. Now there is a post office called Norge
there.
Zion congregation, the first Norwegian congregation in the
State, was established in that settlement by Pastor H. Rue in 1898 and
is served by priests of The United Church. The congregation has its own
meeting house.
Another congregation was recently established in
Barhamsville, where there are also a number of Norwegians now. Also
this congregation is served by priests from The United Church.
Princess Anne County, Virginia
A Sogning by the name of Jens Pedersen settled here as a
farmer in 1897. But there is no Norwegian settlement.
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Places with Norwegian names in Virginia: Norge, James City
County; Norland and Norman, Dickinson Co.; Norman, Culpepper Co.; Strom
(clearly a form of Strøm), Botetourt Co.; Hagan (Hagen), Lee Co.
and Jørgensen, Lunenburg Co. The first of these, however, is the
only one in which one finds gathered a number of Norwegians.
Translated
by Olaf
Kringhaug
Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
Nordmændene i Amerika by Martin Ulvestad, 1907
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