Bergen Lutheran Church, Meckling, South Dakota

Bergen Lutheran Church
Norway Township, South Dakota

    Bergen Lutheran Church, named for Bergen, Norway, was built in the heart of the permanent settlement in Clay County in 1871. It was a modified design of the Medieval Norwegian stave churches which appeared about 1000 A.D. The church was built on land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Hans Myron in the NW¼, Section 15, Norway Township. Under the supervision of Aslak Iverson who was assisted by Ole Bottolfson, Peter Brunick and Lars Anderson, the church was built 40 x 30 feet and 18 feet high. The first service was held July 19, 1871 even though the interior of the church was not completed until 1880.

   A second structure was built in 1883. The church merged with Meckling Lutheran Church in 1972 during reorganization. The current building had its cornerstone laid October 3, 1909 and was dedicated June 11, 1911.

   A 1901 atlas records the church as Bergen's Norski Evangelical Lutheran Church like an organization which was established August 12, 1863.



Bergen Church 1910


The first couple to be married in the New Bergen Church on September 15, 1910 was

Mr. Adolph Hanson and Mary Erickson Hanson


Bergen Pioneers

1.Carl F Brunick 2. Bernhard Erickson with his wife Anna sitting below 3. Ole Hanson 4. Amund Hanson 5. Hans I. Hanson 6. Lewis Iverson 7. Mrs. Lewis Iverson 8. Ingeborg Wold 9. Mrs Peter D. Lund(Alida)10. Sivert Myron(his 3 children below) 11. Iver Iverson

Please print out pictures in landscape mode.


Young Ladies of Bergen

Top row: Clara Erickson, unknown, Sena Jorgensen, Anna Hansen, Bertha Iverson, Louisa Iverson

Middle row; Marie Hansen, Alma Erickson, Bertha Hanson, Amanda Hanson, Emma Lund.

Front row: Two unknowns and Caroline Myron

It has been estimated that this picture was taken about 1910, give or take a few years.


Bergen Sunday School Class 1927

All need identification


More Bergen children about 1930s

Kathleen Nylen is on second from the top row, 3rd from the right.

Don Iverson 3rd row from the top, 3rd person from the right.

We will add more identifications as we can.


Bergen Ladies Aid circa 1934

Please print pictures in landscape mode.

Marion Kryger has identified and given further information for us:

Back Row: Mrs. Hans Hanson (Bertina Larson), Mrs. Ole Bottolfson (Dora Jasperson), Rev. H.S. Bly - Mrs. Anna Bly, Mrs. Andrew Hansen (Catherine Asmussen), Mrs. Bernhard Erickson (Anna B. Iverson -daughter of Amond Iverson).

Front Row: Mrs. Iver Hanson (Anna), Mrs. Hans I. Hanson (Emma Lunde), Mrs. Severt S.Myron (Dorthea Olson), Mrs. Lewis Iverson (Marit Olson), Mrs. Frederick C. Brunick (Sigruid), Mrs. Elling Hanson (Julia Anderson)

Additional info on the families:

Mother

Children/Child and status

Mrs. Hans Hanson (Bertina Larson) Harry -All family moved away
Mrs. Ole Bottolfson (Dora Jasperson) Odell, Elmer, Schuyler, Leonard, Adeline (Alfred Kluonhouse)
Mrs. Alva Larson (Bertha Bottolfson) Leonard died as an infant
Mrs. Andrew Hansen (Catherine Asmussen) Botilla (Carl Strecter), Mary (Anton Straum), Anna, Christina, Margaret, Metha, Hans and Marie
Mrs. Jens Lund (Alice Hansen) Jurdis, Audrey, and Verle - Hans died in infancy,
Mrs. Bernhard Erickson (Anna B. Iverson -daughter of Amond Iverson) John, Carl, Amanda, Alma (Chris Anderson), Julia
Mrs. Iver Hanson (Anna) Children: Inman, Lud, Martin, Albert, Henry and Sarah (Edgar Gray)
Mrs. Hans I. Hanson (Emma Lunde) Gust, Eli, Nellie (? Moen), Andrea (Lud Hanson), Walter, Bertha (Martin Wold)
Mrs. Severt S.Myron (Dorthea Olson) Hans, Severt P., Ole (Myra Snyder), Art, Elling (Anna Larson), Annie (Emil Larson), Caroline (Adolph Iverson), Emma, Bertha (Art Fulton) and Selina (? Preston)
Mrs. Lewis Iverson (Marit Olson) Barthold (Edna Hall), Adolph (Caroline Myron), Louisa (Isaac Johnson), Martin (Anniea Paulson), Fred (Hannah Johnson), Bertha (John Nylen), Lewis (Georgia Iverson), George (Dora Lund), Clarence, James, Ernest and Charles (Eleanor Swenson)
Mrs. Frederick C. Brunick (Sigruid) Alfred, Ben, Nels, Peter, Lewis, George, Adolph, Charles, Sidney, Irvine, Ardis, Natalie (Robert Johnson)
Mrs. Elling Hanson (Julia Anderson) Anna Helena (Robert Gilbaugh), Hans Oliver (Anna Larson), George (Rebecca Bursell), Constance (Frank Vickery), Alfred (Fanny Powell)

Photo courtesy of Jim Erickson

Spelling corrections welcome!


Bergen Ladies Aid 1939


Front Row: Mrs. Louise (Isaac) Johnson, Mrs. Anna B. (Bernhard) Erickson, 
Mrs. Catherine (Andrew) Hansen, Mrs._______ (George) Natwick, Rev. George Natwick, 
Mrs. Lydia (Mikel) Mickelson, Mrs. Sigruid (C.F.) Brunick, Mrs. Bertina (Hans) Hanson.

Row Two: Mrs. Clara (Oscar) Danielson, Mrs. Margaret (Walter) Kaeberle, 
Mrs. Mary (Adolph) Hanson, Mrs. Mae (Arthur) Iverson, Mrs. Louise (C.W."Bill") Mount, 
Miss Annie (Sara) Larson, Mrs. Alice (Roy) Erickson, Mrs. Alma (Chris) Anderson, 
Mrs. Dora (George) Iverson.

Row Three: Mrs. Rennie (Odell) Bottolfson, Mrs. Andrea (Lud) Hanson, 
Mrs. Caroline (Adolph) Iverson, Mrs. Alice (Jens) Lund, Mrs. Dorothea (Ole Jr.) Bottolfson, 
Mrs. Clara (Martin) Hanson. 

Row Four: Mrs. Georgia (Lewis) Iverson, Mrs. Ida (Louis) Ahrendt, Mrs. Anna (Tom) Knutson,
Mrs. Maude (George) Jasperson, Mrs. Sena (Hans) Kryger.

Row Five: Mrs. Amanda (Nels) Bensen, Mrs. Metha (August) Kryger, Mrs. Myra (Ole) Myron, 
Mrs. Maude (Jay) Wherry, Mrs. Bernice (Ernest) Cayce, Mrs. Martha (Hoyle, "Bud") Gunderson, 
Mrs. Lillian (Ben) Brunick.

Row Six: Mrs. Olga (Stein) Knutson, Mrs. Nathalie (Schuyler) Bottolfson, 
Mrs. Esther  (Elmer) Bottolfson, Mrs. Sena (Julius) Erickson, Mrs. Anna (John) Erickson.


Ladies Aid at Ted Kryger's House in 1940 4 Children in the front row from left to right; Irene Danielson(Iverson),Glennys Benson (Robbins) Carol Danielson, Patty Lund? Second row: Violet Jasperson (Mrs. Hans Jasperson), Mae Iverson (Mrs. Art Iverson), Maude Jasperson, Opal Kryger(Mrs.Ted Kryger),Inez Knutson, Rennie Bottolfson (Mrs. Odell Bottolfson), Helen Bottolfson Third row back: Zola Lund(Mrs.Frank Lund,?,Caroline Iverson (Mrs.Adolf Iverson), Sena Erickson(Mrs. Julius Erickson), Amanda Benson?, Clara Danielson (Mrs. Oscar Danielson), JoAnn Danielson(baby) Emily Benson These were identified by Cleo Erickson and Marion Kryger in January 2000. Thank you Cleo and Marion for your tremendous contribution.

Bergen Lutheran Church 2001 Courtesy Jim Jensen Bergen Church Confirmation Classes To Home Page








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