NOR-OPPLAND-L Archives

From: Olaf <>
Subject: McPherson County, South Dakota
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 14:27:20 -0700

Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad, 1907

McPherson County
Simon Olsen from Telemark and Ole Jacobsen† from Valdres, who settled
near Alpha in 1884, were the first Norwegian settlers here. There neighbours
were of red skin and decorated with feathers, which sounds beautiful, but it
was not pleasant to live among them.
Pastor J. D. Swalestuen of The United Church established a Norwegian
congregation in Alpha in 1887.
Norwegians in this area were comparatively few, but if one judges people
by quality and not by quantity, then McPherson County measures up well,
since it here (in Eureka) that the Norwegian Charles Herreid, the former
Governor of South Dakota lives.

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• McPherson County, South Dakota by Olaf <>