NOR-OPPLAND-L Archives

From: Olaf <>
Subject: Manistee County, Michigan
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 12:10:24 -0700

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

Manistee County.
Oliver Thompson from Telemarken was the first Norwegian settler here; he
settled in the area of Onekama in 1851. Right after him, a few Norwegians
came to the City of Manistee.
Lars Hansen from Ulesaker and Christian Stevenson† from Grue, Solør,
settled in the area of Chief in 1858. The following year came Gilbert Overn
from Næs, Hedemarken and some others.
Logging and potato growing have been the Norwegian's most significant
source of income. In the woods one could earn 50 cents a day in the first
years In the sawmills one would get $10 per month and that was for a 12 hour
work day.
Onr of my correspondents writes, "On the canal boat that we took from New
York to Buffalo, we had a visit from a Pastor ?? - who complained that we
did not have more others among us. But he wished to lead us for a few days
to take care of us in both a spiritual and bodily sense. He sang and prayed
and preached - and he wished to see if we had obtained valid money. He said,
and it was true, that emigrants often fell into the hands of publicans and
sinners. Yes, many of us brought out our purses that, for the most part,
contained 10-dollar coins of gold. About these, he said that they were far
to large to use in Michigan. But he would change them for us and obtain such
coins for us that were current there. The next morning, the 'priest' and
gold coins were gone and there was great sorrow and anxiety among the poor
innocent emigrants, who were now left without the most necessary."
'Norwalk Evangelical Norwegian Lutheran Congregation' that was founded at
Manistee in 1864 by Pastor Abraham Jacobsen which at that belonged to The
Augustana Synod was the first Norwegian congregation in the county. In 1868
the church was built at Manistee. The congregation that built the church,
however, consisted of Norwegians, Danes and Swedes, so it would be more
correct to call it Scandinavian. Now there are 3 Norwegian churches and
congregations in Manistee County, 2 of the congregations belong to The
United Church and 1 to The Methodist Church.
Some time ago there were two post offices with Norwegian names, namely
Norway and Arendahl.

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• Manistee County, Michigan by Olaf <>