The Norwegian Community
in Havana and Aurora Townships

The Earliest Norwegian Settlers

     In 1856 the first Norwegian settlers arrived in Havana and Aurora townships in Steele County, Minnesota. According to oral history, twelve families made the trip by covered wagon from the Koshkonong settlement in Dane County, Wisconsin. I have only been able to identify eight families and I suspect that if there were indeed twelve, the others were not Norwegians, or they settled somewhere other than in Havana or Aurora township, or they moved on after a short time, leaving little trace in this community. There are no church or county vital records before 1870, so it would be easy to miss people before then. The eight families I have identified were:

• John and Guri Johnson with daughter Inga. John's mother Inga Svensdatter arrived from Norway a year later. Born in 1780, emigrating at the age of 77, I believe Inga Svensdatter to be the person born longest ago to have ever come to America from L�rdal.

• Agrim and Guri Johnson with daughter Britha, son Jens, and Guri�s mother Anna Nilsdatter. Agrim was half brother to John Johnson. Guri was first cousin to Guri (Mrs. John) Johnson, both named after their mutual grandmother.

• Johannes and Anna Nelson (later known as Quam) and daughter Metta. Anna was sister to Guri (Mrs. John) Johnson. It is possible Metta came with her grandparents the following year. This family moved to Kandiyohi County in 1878.

• Lars and Veljer Thompson with Andrew, Barbra and Brita. There is some question as to whether some or all of this family arrived in 1856 with daughters Guri (Mrs. John) Johnson and Anna (Mrs. John) Nelson, or whether they came a year later.

• Ole and Marta Johnson (later known as Broin). Ole was the brother of Agrim and half brother of John Johnson. They don�t turn up in any of the censuses or other vital records, but I have two sources that place them among the first settlers in the Havana/Aurora area. An 1893 newspaper article refers to Ole J. Broin as the original owner of the T.T. Nelson farm, but the family moved to the Holden/Kenyon area in Goodhue County at an early date.

• Ole and Turi H�genson with her 12-year-old daughter Katherine Endresdatter. I suspect Ole was half brother to Marta Johnson.

• Lewis K. and Dora Johnson with sons Sever and John. Lewis had an adventurous pioneer spirit, and I envision him as possibly the leader of the group. According to one account, he wanted to push on further west, but the rest of the group was weary of traveling and decided to settle in Steele County.

• Torsten Severson and Martha Olsdatter. They may have arrived in 1856 or 1857; they only appear in the 1857 census. I am guessing at the proper spelling of their names and assuming that they were married. He was almost certainly Dora Johnson's brother.

     According to The History of Rice and Steele Counties, Minnesota, the winter of 1856-57 was a harsh one, with travel nearly impossible. Deer could be clubbed to death in the deep and crusted snow. The immigrants spent the winter in dugouts near Rice Lake, on what would become the Kubat farm, before settling in Havana and Aurora townships. Many of the early settlers emigrated from L�rdal Kommune (county) in the fylke (state) of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. The community grew as the first settlers were joined by others, many of them friends and family from L�rdal. Other neighbors were mostly from Germany or Denmark or elsewhere in the U.S.

The Places

• Anderson was a Chicago and North Western Railway station in section 22 of Havana, almost certainly named after Thomas M. Anderson, on whose land the station was built and who served as storekeeper and postmaster there for a time. The village around it was sometimes called Anderson, sometimes Lysne, although technically Lysne was the name of the post office located at Anderson. Lewis Odegard ran the general store at Anderson and served as Lysne postmaster starting in 1907.

• Aurora Lutheran Church was originally built in 1871 on the eastern border of section 32 in Havana Township. In 1886 a new church was built in the northeastern part of section 33. Today, Aurora shares a minister with Trinity Lutheran Church in Blooming Prairie, which was founded by the area's Danish community.

• Aurora Township was first settled by non-Indians in 1856 and it was officially organized on February 17, 1857. The name was chosen in honor of the city of Aurora, Illinois.

• Aurora (Village) was in section 17 of Aurora Township. The post office there was called Aurora Centre from 1857-66 and Aurora from 1868-94. When the it was destroyed by fire it was replaced by Bixby.

• Bixby was a village in section 34 of Aurora Township. It boasted a Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad station, a post office and a general store. Bixby was founded about 1890 and was named for the Bixby family, who were among the earliest settlers in the township and on whose land the railroad station was built. Jacob S. Bixby was the community's first postmaster in 1889. The general store was run by Sam Ray from 1909 through about 1920. Before that it was run by Lewis W. Thompson.

• Havana Township was first settled by non-Indians in 1855 and was officially organized on February 27, 1857. It was called Lafayette until September 1858, at which time the name was changed to Freeman. A month later the name was changed again, this time to Dover. In 1869 the name became Havana, after a city in Illinois.

• Havana (Village) was founded in 1867 at the point where sections 17 and 20 meet. It had a Chicago and North Western Railway station and a post office that operated from 1869-1911. Havana was sometimes spelled with two Ns. Erick Theodore Erickson ran the general store at Havana and served as postmaster and town clerk from 1885-1891.

• Lysne was the name of the post office at Anderson from 1897-1912 and an alternate name for the village itself. Lysne is a variation on Lj�sno, a large farm in L�rdal from which a number of the Norwegian settlers came.

• Owatonna is the county seat of Steele County, first settled in 1854 and incorporated on August 9, 1858. It had a post office from 1855 on and it also had a station of the Chicago and North Western Railway. Owatonna was the Dakota Indian name of the Straight River, which runs through the city.

• Pratt, in section 6 of Aurora Township, had a post office from 1879-1956. Named after a local farmer, it also featured a station of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad.

• Steele County was established on February 20, 1855 and named in honor of Franklin Steele, a prominent Minnesota pioneer at the time.

The Cemeteries

	Thompson Cemetery Township 107 N, Range 19 W of the 5th Principle Meridian, NE Quarter of the NW Quarter of Section 27 (Havana Township) Older and smaller than Aurora, the first burial in the Thompson Cemetery is said to have occurred in 1865. There is no office at the site, but there is a Thompson Cemetery Association that keeps it nicely maintained.
	Aurora Lutheran Church Cemetery Township 107 N, Range 19 W of the 5th Principle Meridian, NE Quarter of the NE Quarter of Section 33 (Havana Township) 6329 SE 38th St. Owatonna, MN 55060 Originally built in 1871, the old church was torn down and a new one built in 1886. The graves from the old cemetery were moved to the new location, but no markers seem to exist from before 1888.

The Census

	1857 Minnesota Territorial Census   28 individuals in 6 households
	1860 Federal Census for Minnesota    25 individuals in 5 households
	1865 Minnesota State Census   51 individuals in 10 households
	1870 Federal Census for Minnesota   145 individuals in 27 households
	1875 Minnesota State Census   259 individuals in 47 households
	1880 Federal Census for Minnesota   294 individuals in 53 households
	1885 Minnesota State Census   335 individuals in 56 households
	1895 Minnesota State Census   375 individuals in 70 households
	1900 Federal Census for Minnesota   415 individuals in 79 households

The Immigrants

Information about many of these people will be found in my database at WorldConnect.

• Who's Included:  Since I am concentrating on the first 50 years, I am trying to include on this list any adult born in Norway (with spouse, Norwegian immigrant or not) who lived in Havana or Aurora Township, or who attended the Aurora Lutheran Church, between 1856 and the early 1900s. Some of these people lived most of their lives in the community; some only passed through.

• Sources:  This list is compiled from census records, Steele County vital records, obituaries, Aurora Lutheran Church records, and other sources. I am doing my best, but do not take this list as absolutely complete.

• Alphabetization:  For simplicity's sake, I have chosen on this page to alphabetize by the most "American" form of the surnames by which these immigrants were known, followed by their "Norwegian" names where I know them. Within a surname, people are not strictly alphabetized by first name but instead are often grouped in families.

• Borgund:  When I say someone is from L�rdal, I am including those from Borgund. At the time, Borgund was a separate kommune but today it is a part of L�rdal and is included in the L�rdal bygdeboker.

• Children Out of Wedlock:  In the book "Between Rocks and Hard Places" by Ann Urness Gesme, she quotes another source stating that nearly half of the children born in Inner Sogn were born out of wedlock in the 1800s. That figure seems high to me, but I have frequently found cases where a couple didn't marry until after the first child was born. This was not unusual at that time and in that place, and both parents often remained involved in the child's life, even if they never married each other.

• Cousins Marrying:  Up until the mid 1800s, when doctors began to be concerned about an increased risk of birth defects, this was a common practice. Our ancestors often lived their whole lives in small, remote communities and didn't travel much. There was a limited pool of marriage prospects, and after a few generations it was almost inevitable that you were going to marry a cousin of some degree. Again, this was not at all unusual in their culture at the time.

• Institutions:  A handful of people in this community spent time in mental institutions. Bear in mind that years ago, people could be committed to an institution for anything from mental retardation to depression to alcoholism to senility, just to mention a few.

• A Difficult Voyage:  Read about the 1873 voyage of the Valkyrie (Valkyrien in Norwegian). At least two families who settled in Steele County were aboard this ship.

• Meanings of the symbols:
  

Link to biographical and family information
Link to photos
Link to obituaries or other newspaper articles
Link to passenger list or account of the voyage
Link to some other relevant web page, often one belonging to a descendant

	Agrimson, Christine   Abt. 1823-?	Kirsti Torstensdatter Hatleberg
	Mother of Torsten Agrimson, she only appears on the 1885 census. Emigrated from L�rdal, possibly in 1873.
	Agrimson, Torsten   1849-?
	Agrimson, Anna   Abt. 1859-?
	I believe Torsten to have been the out-of-wedlock son of Agrim Johnson and Kirsti Torstensdatter Hatleberg. He emigrated from L�rdal in 1872 and only appears in the 1885 census in Havana/Aurora.
	Agrimson, Peder   1826-1905	Peder Agrimson St�dno
	He does not appear in any census or vital record in Steele County, but his obituary states that he lived at times with his daughter Anna Thompson.
	Alacen,? Peter   Abt. 1859-?
	Alacen,? Lena   Abt. 1865-?
	I'm not sure of the spelling of the last name. I have only found them in the 1895 census so far, which states that they were both born in Norway and he came to Minnesota around 1880, settling in Havana around 1888.
	Alvana, P.G.
	Appears in 1880 census only, as a farm hand working for Ole Hogenson.
	Anderson, Ole   1821-1898	Ole Anderson F�restad
	Anderson, Anna   1817-1905	Anne H�gensdatter
	Emigrated from L�rdal in 1873 aboard the Valkyrie with their four sons
	Anderson, Andrew O.   1852-1926	Anders Olson F�restad
	Anderson, Bell   1865-1939	Ingeborg Nilsdatter
	He emigrated from L�rdal in 1873 with his parents Ole and Anna Anderson. She was born in Goodhue County, MN to emigrants from L�rdal, Nels and Gjertrud Nelson.
	Anderson, Ole O.   1854-1934	Ole Olson F�restad
	Anderson, Barbra   1863-1948	Barbra Lassesdatter Molde
	The link is to the web site of their great-granddaughter, who is an entertainer.
	Anderson, Albert O.   1858-1941	Ingebrigt Olson F�restad
	Anderson, Barbra   1867-1935	Barbra Nilsdatter Eggjo
	He came from L�rdal with his parents, Ole and Anna Anderson, in 1873. She also came from L�rdal, with her parents Nels and Anna Lee, in 1870.
	Anderson, James O.   1864-1941	Jens Olson F�restad
	Anderson, Hannah   1867-1949	Thea Johanna Nilsdatter
	James came from L�rdal aboard the Valkyrie in 1873 with his parents Ole and Anna Anderson. Hannah was born in Steele County to Nils and Gjertrud Nelson from L�rdal. This couple moved to Amery, Wisconsin.
	Anderson, Iver   1846-1914	Iver Monsson F�restad
	Anderson, Turi   Abt. 1845-?	Turi Olsdatter Gjerde
	Iver was the out-of-wedlock son of Mons Anderson and Anna (Mrs. Ole) Anderson. He came from L�rdal in 1866 and served as Steele County treasurer in the 1890s. Turi was born in Sun Prairie, WI to parents said to be from Balestrand. Iver was her second husband.
	Anderson, Mons   1825-1898	Mons Anderson Voll
	Anderson, Martha   1833-1924	Marita Torstensdatter Gr�te
	Immigrated 1861 with Martha's parents Torsten and Randi Nelson. First lived in Goodhue County, MN before coming to Steele County in 1866.
	Anderson, Thomas M.   1859-1937	Torsten Monsson Voll
	Anderson, Anna   1866-1925	Anna Halvorsdatter R�/Mo
	Thomas emigrated from L�rdal with his parents Mons and Martha Anderson in 1861. Anna also came from L�rdal, with her parents Halvor and Britha Moe, in 1878.
	Anderson, Andrew   Abt. 1826-1887
	Anderson, Caroline   Abt. 1817-1877	Kari Sivertsdatter
	Anderson, Agnes (2nd wife)   1848-1920	Ragna Knudsdatter Johnson
	Andreas and Kari emigrated in 1856 and lived in Wisconsin until 1865. Kari is said to have come from Ringsaker. Agnes is also listed with her second husband Magnus Johnson. Their main farm was in the northwest corner of section 33 in Havana in 1879.
	Anderson, Jens   1849-1923
	Anderson, Ingeborg   1862-1929
	Ingeborg was the daughter of Henrik and Mari H�genson; Jens was the brother of Thomas Anderson. This family moved near Ulen, Minnesota in 1880 and used the last name Tinjum.
	Anderson, Thomas   1851-1913	Torsten Anderson Tynjo
	Anderson, Rose   1857-1925	Ragnild Olsdatter Erickson
	Thomas came from L�rdal in 1872. Pure speculation: was Ragnild the daughter of Ole and Marit Estenson/Erickson?
	Anderson, Gulbrand   Abt. 1854-?
	Anderson, Marie   Abt. 1854-?	Marie Christophersdatter
	This family appears to have left the community between 1877 and 1880
	Anderson, Peder
	Anderson, Maren	Maren Hansdatter
	They were Danes, but one of their children was baptized at Aurora.
	Anderson, Robert F.   1859-1935	Rasmus Anderson Fagereng
	Anderson, Mary   1859-1923	Maria Andersdatter
	Arrived in the community around 1881 and moved to Becker County in 1913. Robert came from Christiansund and Mary came from Molde in M�re og Romsdal. Both emigrated in 1881 and they were married in Steele County soon after. Likely related to the Hans and Anna Erickson family.
	Anderson, Andrew   Abt. 1857-?
	In the 1880 census only, apparently boarding with Henrik and Sigri Lewison.
	Anderson, Englebert   Abt. 1855-?
	Only appears on the 1875 census. He is in the household of Andrew Anderson, but he doesn't appear to be a son of the family.
	Anderson, Ole   Abt. 1853-?
	Appears in the 1885 census in the household of Thomas and Ragnild Anderson. Perhaps Thomas' brother, although the age is wrong.
	Arnnuson, Chris   Abt. 1811-?
	Arnnuson, Betsey   Abt. 1813-?
	Possibly the parents of Martha Christopherson. They only appear in the 1875 census.
	Astenson, Barbara   Abt. 1854-?
	Appears as a servant in the 1870 census in the household of Lewis K. and Dorthea Johnson.
	B�rdson, Ole
	B�rdson, Anna	Anna Hansdatter
	The only record of them I have found is the baptism record of their daughter Anna in 1877.
	Bixby, Jacob S.   1840-1926
	Bixby, Gertie   1856-1943	Gertrude C. Laivson
	Jacob was one of the early settlers in Havana/Aurora. He came from Vermont with his parents as a teenager. His second wife, Gertie, was Norwegian but I don't know how to connect her to anyone else in the community. They moved to Otter Tail county sometime after 1895, probably around the time he sold his land to the railroad for the new Bixby station.
	Bjerkneth, Olaf   1882-?
	Brother of Anton Larson, he emigrated in 1899.
	Bjoraker, Lewis   1864-1935	Lasse Iverson Selthun/Bj�r�ker
	Bjoraker, Maria   1872-1952	Maria Barsness
	Lewis' parents were not married; his mother Kirsti Torstensdatter came from Selthun and his father Iver Iverson came from Bj�r�ker. He immigrated in 1883.
	Bjoraker, Sven   1869-1920	Sven Iverson Bj�r�ker
	Immigrated with his mother Kirsti in 1900. His father is listed as Iver Svenson Bj�r�ker.
	Bjoraker, Kirsti   Abt. 1829-1919	Kirsti Torstensdatter Selthun/Bj�r�ker
	She apparently never married, which was not uncommon at that time and place. Mother of Lewis and Sven, she came from L�rdal in 1900.
	Boe, I. Ole   Abt. 1853-?
	Only appears in the 1895 census, in the household of Nels and Anna Ray. Probably a relative of hers.
	Boe, Iver   1867-1949
	The brother of Anna Ray, he emigrated from L�rdal in 1884.
	Broin, Louis/Lewis   1861-1918	Lars Johnson
	Broin, Ingeborg (1st wife)   1854-1890
	Broin, Emma (2nd wife)   1876-1922	Emma Hanson
	Louis was born in Steele County to John and Guri Johnson. I haven't been able to determine whether Ingeborg was an immigrant or not. Emma was born in Steele County, the granddaughter of Louis and Emma Johnson.
	Brown, George   Abt. 1851-?
	Brown, Mary   Abt. 1852-?
	Came to Havana/Aurora from McHenry County, Illinois around 1885 and they first appear in the Minnesota census that year. Harry was born in Illinois, but Mary (Maringa?) was born in Norway. I haven't traced this family any further than that so far.
	Brudwick, Arnie   1883-?
	First appears in the 1900 census, having arrived from Norway the same year.
	Christopher, Charly   Abt. 1860-?
	Only appears in the 1875 census.
	Christopherson, Olaus   Abt. 1825-?
	Christopherson, Martha   Abt. 1834-?
	This family came to Havana/Aurora between 1865 and 1870, and by 1880 they had moved to Grant County, Minnesota
	Christopherson, Ole   1856-1938	Ole Christofferson Hauge
	Christopherson, Inga   1856-1948
	The daughter of John and Guri Johnson, Inga was born in Wisconsin and came to Havana/Aurora as a baby with the first Norwegian settlers. Ole emigrated from L�rdal in 1878, the son of Christoffer Olson Hauge and Kisti Nielsdatter
	Davis, Mathias   1873-1958
	Davis, Gurine   1872-1959
	He immigrated in 1892 or earlier, she in 1899. Some of their children were baptized or confirmed at the Aurora Lutheran Church. By 1910 they were living in Owatonna.
	Edwardson, James   1842-1920	Jens Ingvardson Voll
	Edwardson, Anna   1846-1919	Anna Hansdatter Li
	Emigrated from L�rdal in 1867 with infant son Ingvard. His parents were Ingvard Nilson and J�rond Simonsdatter; hers were Hans Nilson and Barbra Einarsdatter. Anna's siblings Nels Lee, Sigrid Lewison, and Mari Hogenson also lived in Steele County.
	Edwardson, Edward   1867-1933	Ingvard Jenson Voll
	Edwardson, Andrina   1868-1907	Andrina Lassesdatter Molde
	He emigrated from L�rdal in 1867 with his parents James and Anna Edwardson. Her parents were Lasse Anderson Molde and Maren Johannesdatter Hunderi, who settled in Olmsted County. Simon Molde was her uncle and Barbra (Mrs. Ole) Anderson was her sister.
	Edwardson, Nels   1837-1926	Nils Ingvardson Voll
	Edwardson, Julia   1841-1920	Guri Monsdatter Lj�sno
	He came from L�rdal in 1867 with his parents Ingvard Nilson and J�rond Simonsdatter; she came in 1868, the daughter of Mons Simonson and Anna Jensdatter. Nils and Guri were first cousins. They were married in Steele County in 1872.
	Edwardson, Edward   1876-1942
	Edwardson, Bertha   1874-1945	Brita Halvorsdatter Mo/R�
	Edward (Ingvard) was born in Steele County, the son of Nels and Julia Edwardson. Bertha emigrated from L�rdal with her parents, Halvor and Brita Moe, in 1878.
	Ellis, William   1850-1901
	Ellis, Betsy   1858-1888	Bergene Severson/Hemmerson
	In 1870, she is an 11-year-old Norwegian girl living in the Ellis household, with no obvious connection to another family in the community. By 1875, she has married William Ellis Jr. and they have a baby daughter. William was born in Illinois to Swedish parents and was adopted by the Ellises. Bergene was 29 when she died in 1888 (probably of childbirth complications), leaving 7 children behind.
	Ericksen, Borger   Abt. 1843-?
	Erickson, Betsy   Abt. 1851-?	Britha Andreasdatter
	Their oldest son drowned on the Fourth of July in 1885. They were married December 15, 1871 in Steele County, and the record shows a surname of Lyster for him.
	Ericksen, Erick Theodor   1854-1891
	Ericksen, Agatha/Agnes   1860-1923
	He came to America around 1866, the son of Erick and Anna Erickson. Erick and Agnes came from Fillmore or Olmsted County to Havana around 1885, where he ran the general store and served as postmaster and town clerk until his death. After Erick died, Agnes married Thomas T. Nelson, and after he died, she moved back to Olmsted County and married Knute Brakke. All five of the children she bore died young, the youngest drowning at the age of 22 months.
	Ericksen, Erick (1st husband)   1829-1874
	Ericksen, Dorthea   1837-1925	Dorthea Olsdatter
	Johnson, Martin (2nd husband)   1850-1925
	Erick and Dorthea lived in Wisconsin prior to settling in Steele County between 1870 and 1874. Erick died when he was thrown from a wagon. Martin was Danish. He and Dorthea were married July 7, 1876 in Steele County.
	Ericksen, Hans   1826-1875
	Ericksen, Anna   Abt. 1833-1909
	Arrived in the community in 1867, although Hans' death record says he came to Minnesota in 1860. Hans died of typhoid fever in 1875, burial place unknown. Hans used the surname Lyster when he and Anna were married in 1867. Anna probably came from Molde Kommune in M�re og Romsdal. After Anna died all three of her children moved to Becker County, Minnesota.
	Erickson, Britha   1831-1906
	Mother of Knute and, almost certainly, of Mary (Mrs. Rasmus) Anderson as well. She came from Norway with Knute in 1887.
	Erickson, Knute   1865-?
	Immigrated from Norway with his mother Britha in 1887.
	Erie, Albert   1853-1936	Ingebrigt Olson Eri
	Erie, Jessie   1844-1916	Gj�sa Lassesdatter Huso
	Both immigrated from L�rdal in 1875, and the first thing they did upon arriving in Steele County was to get married, on June 30, 1875. She was the daughter of Brita Eriksdatter (who came to Steele County) and Lasse Henrikson, and the sister of Henry, Hogan and Erik Lewison. He was the son of Ole Hermundson Eri and Ingeborg Johnsdatter, who were not married. She was a widow and died the same year Ingebrigt was born, so he was raised by his father.
	Eskra, John
	Eskra, Julia	Unni Nilsdatter Kvamme
	Julia was a baby when she came from L�rdal with her parents, Nels and Carrie Quam, in 1878. John was from Bohemia. Together they lived in Clinton Falls Township but at least some of their children were baptized at Aurora Lutheran.
	Estensen, Ole
	Estensen, Marit	Marit Hansdatter
	This family lived here between 1870 and 1880, appearing in the 1875 census only, under the name Erickson. So far I have been unable to trace them further. Estenson may originally have been �stenson, and I am investigating whether they may have eventually used the name Austenson. I'm just guessing at this point.
	Forberg, Hans
	Forberg, Mari	Mari Olsdatter Bj�rkum
	Mari immigrated with her parents Ole and Synneva Tollefson in 1854. This family appears in Marion, Turner County, Dakota Territory in 1880 and later may have lived in Iowa and Illinois.
	Grass, James	Jens Didrik J. Grass
	Grass, Emma
	James was Danish and Emma was Norwegian.
	H�genson, Henrik
	H�genson, Mari
	Immigrated from L�rdal together in 1871 and lived in Steele County until moving to Becker County in 1880.
	H�genson, Jens
	H�genson, Betsy
	H�konson, Ole
	H�konson, Dora
	Halvorson, Jacob   1814-?	Jakob Halvorson Kj�rkevoll
	Halvorson, Gj�rand   1813-1888	Gj�rand Olsdatter Kjodnes
	She was the sister of Randi (Mrs. Torsten) Nelson. They came from L�rdal in 1873 aboard the Valkyrie, which was damaged in a collision with another ship and had to put into Dover for repairs before their journey could continue.
	Hendrikson, Ole	Ole Henrikson Bl�flat/Lj�sno
	Hendrikson, Karen	Karen Davidsdatter Odegard
	Came from L�rdal together in 1883 and lived in Wisconsin before coming to Steele County around 1892. He was the brother of Tollef Hendrikson; she was the daughter of David and Anna Odegard.
	Hendrikson, Tollef
	Hendrikson, Brita
	He came from L�rdal in 1874. She was born to Ole and Turi Hogenson, among the first babies born in the Havana/Aurora community.
	Hillestad, Christopher N.   1858-1934	Kristoffer Nitter Iversen Hillestad
	Hillestad, Olena   1863-1956	Olena Nelson
	Christ emigrated from Hafslo in 1874; Olena was born in Wisconsin to Nils and Gjertrud Nelson who came from L�rdal in 1861
	Hillestad, John   1860-1940	Johannes Iversen Hillestad
	Emigrated from Hafslo in 1882. He lived with his brother Christ for a few years before moving to Fosston, MN.
	Hillestad, Ole
	Hillestad, Barbra
	Hogenson, Ole   Abt. 1819-1891	Ole H�genson Borlo?
	Hogenson, Turi   Abt. 1817-Aft. 1895	Turi Knudsdatter Tokvam?
	This family is hard to pin down. I believe Ole emigrated from L�rdal in 1853 at the same time as John Jensen Tungeteigen (John Johnson). He and Turi were married in Wisconsin prior to coming to Havana/Aurora with the first Norwegians. I believe I have tracked Turi and her daughter Cathrine Endresdatter to Aurland, traveling from Bergen to New York in 1851 aboard the Minerva.
	Hovland, Gullick   Abt. 1853-1917	Gullick Jenson Hovland
	Hovland, Ingeborg   Abt. 1855-1942	Ingeborg Larsdatter
	Iversen, Ole	Ole Iversen Hauge
	Iversen, Guro	Guro Monsdatter Skj�r
	Emigrated from L�rdal in 1866; lived in Yellow Medicine County, MN prior to settling in Havana/Aurora.
	Jacobsen, Halvor
	Jacobsen, Anne
	Halvor was the son of Jacob and Gj�rand Halvorson. He emigrated from L�rdal with his wife and two sons in 1874.
	Jensen, Ole   1864-1952	Ole Jensson Mo
	Jensen, Wilda   1873-1952
	Ole was the out-of-wedlock son of Jens Johnson (listed below) and Maritha Olsdatter Mo. He came from L�rdal in 1880 at the age of 16. Wilda (aka Veljer) was born in Steele County to Andrew and Anna Thompson
	Johnson, Inga   1780-Bet. 1865 and 1870	Inga Svensdatter Tungeteigen/Er�ker
	The mother of Jon Jenssen Tungeteigen (John Johnson), she emigrated from L�rdal in 1857 at the age of 77. She may well be the person born longest ago to ever leave L�rdal for America and she was certainly the oldest member of the early Norwegian community.
	Johnson, John   1821-1890	Jon Jenssen Tungeteigen/Broin/Hegg
	Johnson, Julia   1836-1925	Guri Larsdatter Lj�sno
	He came from L�rdal in 1853 with his half-brother Ole J. Broin and Ole Hogenson. John was half-brother to Agrim Johnson. Guri also emigrated from L�rdal in 1853, with her parents Lars and Veljer Thompson. Guri bore 13 children, 7 of whom died young. Four of the surviving 6 married and had children, but none of those grandchildren bore the name of Johnson.
	Johnson, Agrim   1825-1894	Agrim Jenssen Broin/Hegg
	Johnson, Guri   1829-1903	Guri Johannesdatter Gr�to
	They came from L�rdal in 1854 with their oldest daughter Brita and Guri's mother Anna Nelson. Along with son Jens, who was born in Wisconsin, they were among the first Norwegian settlers in the Havana/Aurora area. Of their 9 children, two died as children and three died as young adults. Of the surviving 4, only two married and had children. In 1879 their farm is in sections 21 and 22 of Havana township.
	Johnson, John   1799-1875	Johannes Simonson B�
	Came from L�rdal with his son Lars/Lewis in 1861. His daughter Guri (Mrs. Agrim) Johnson was one of the earliest settlers in Havana/Aurora and sons Andrew Johnson Moe and James Johnson settled here as well.
	Johnson, James   1838-1917	Jens Johannesson Rikheim
	Johnson, Christie (1st wife)  1839-Bet. 1870-75	Kristi Jacobsdatter Husum
	Johnson, Susie (2nd wife)   1859-1943	Synneva (Andreasdatter?) Larson
	James was the son of Johannes Simonson B� (John Johnson), brother of Lars Johannesson B� (Lewis Johnson) and Andrew Johnson Moe, half-brother of Guri (Mrs. Agrim) Johnson and the father of Ole Jensen. He sired a total of 16 children and is also associated with the surname/nickname Springer. He came from L�rdal with his first wife and son Jacob in 1866. Synneva was born in Minnesota.
	Johnson, Jacob	Jacob Jensen Rikheim
	Johnson, Maria
	Jacob came from L�rdal as a baby with his parents James and Christie Johnson in 1866. He moved to Detroit Lakes around 1906. Maria was born in Germany and she may have been his second wife.
	Johnson, Lewis (1st husband)   1844-1882	Lars Johanesson B�
	Johnson, Mary   1849-1932	Mari Torstensdatter Gr�to
	Odegard, Lewis (2nd husband)   1855-1939	Lars Olson �deg�rd
	Lewis Johnson came from L�rdal with his father Johannes Simonson B� in 1861 and he is said to have served in the Civil War. Mary came with her parents Torsten and Randi Nelson from L�rdal also in 1861. They were second cousins. Lewis Odegard emigrated with his parents as a baby from L�rdal in 1856. He owned the general store at Anderson Station/Lysne starting in 1907.
	Johnson, Lewis K.   1823-1894	Lars Johannesen Kvammen
	Johnson, Dorthea   1820-?	Dordei Sjursdatter Kvamsdal
	I have recently received information that this couple emigrated from Eidjord in Hordaland aboard the Albion in 1847. Lewis was in the U.S. Civil War, with company E of the 4th California Infantry at the end but possibly with another unit earlier.
	Johnson, Sever   1849-1907
	Johnson, Bertha   1854-?
	He was the oldest son of Lewis K. and Dorthea Johnson, born in Deerfield Township, Dane County, Wisconsin. Bertha was the daughter of Louis and Engeliv Johnson. She was born in L�rdal and emigrated with her parents in 1862. This family moved near Sabin, Clay County, Minnesota in 1883.
	Johnson, John L.   1853-1907
	Johnson, Bertha   1855-1934	Brita Nilsdatter Gr�to
	He was the son of Lewis K. and Dorthea Johnson, born in Deerfield Township, Dane County, Wisconsin. Bertha was born in L�rdal to Nels and Gjertrud Nelson and emigrated with them in 1861. In 1906 they sold their farm in section 28 of Havana to Halvor Moe and moved to Amery, Wisconsin, where their daughter and Bertha's sister lived.
	Johnson, Louis S.   1831-1917	Lasse Johanneson Gr�te/Lj�sno
	Johnson, Engeliv   1831-1905	Ingeleiv Nilsdatter
	Came from L�rdal together in 1862 with their three oldest children.
	Johnson, Torger   Abt. 1835-?
	Johnson, Julia   1834-?	Guro Johannesdatter Gr�to
	The sister of Louis S. and Peter Johnson, she came from L�rdal in 1866 with her son from a previous relationship, Ingvard Halvorson. Ingvard, who was deaf, was killed by a train in 1889. It appears that her other child, Anna Olsdatter, emigrated at the same time with her father and his wife, but I have no idea what became of her after that. I am investigating the possibility that Torger died in the Hastings State Hospital.
	Johnson, Peter
	Johnson, Kari
	In 1879 their farm was in section 15 of Havana Township.
	Johnson, Magnus   1872-1945
	Johnson, Agnes   1848-1920	Ragna Knudsdatter Johnson
	Both were born in Norway, but I don't know where. She emigrated in 1882, he in 1892. Her first (brief) marriage was to Andrew Anderson. After Ragna's death, Magnus moved to Faribault and married Anna Blackstead. Magnus and Ragna raised her son Karl as well as foster daughter Alice Raa, but they had no children together as far as I know.
	Johnson, John	Johannes Johannesson Forthun
	Johnson, Bertha/Brita
	They arrived in the community between 1870 and 1875 and moved sometime after 1885, probably to Decorah, Iowa.
	Johnson, John P.
	Johnson, Sina
	Had a child baptized at Aurora in 1898.
	Johnson, Ole
	Johnson, Selma
	Had a child baptized at Aurora in 1892.
	Jorgenson, Even
	Jorgenson, Anna
	Had a child baptized at Aurora in 1877.
	Jorgenson, Hans
	Jorgenson, Elise
	Had a child baptized at Aurora in 1886.
	Jorgenson, Lars
	Jorgenson, Caroline
	They were Danish but five of their children were baptized at the Aurora Lutheran Church between 1884 and 1893.
	Kirkebon, Sven   Abt. 1857-1908
	Kirkebon, Maggie   Abt. 1861-1887	Margrethe Hogenson
	Margrethe was the daughter of Ole and Turi Hogenson and was born in Steele County. She died young, just a few months after their only child, Birgitte, died in 1887. Sven's death record says he came from Himesdahl (Heimdahl?), Norway and he left the community sometime after Margrethe died.
	Larson, Anton
	Larson, Ingeborg
	Anton emigrated in 1893.
	Lee, Hans   Abt. 1801-1897	Hans Nilsson Dokki
	Lee, Barbara   Abt. 1800-1884	Barbro Einarsdatter Kvamme
	The parents of Nels Lee, Sigrid Lewison, Mari Hogenson and Anna Edwardson, they emigrated from L�rdal in 1871 with Mari's family.
	Lee, Nels H.   1843-1903	Nils Hanson Li
	Lee, Anna (1st wife)   1844-1885	Anna Andersdatter Kjorrane Eggjo
	Lee, Johanna (2nd wife)  1851-1918
	Lewis, Ole   1840-?	Ole Kristensen Mo
	Lewis, Anna   1846-Bef. 1924	Anna Torstensdatter Gr�to
	Ole came from L�rdal in 1856 with his father Kristen Larson Mo. Anna emigrated from L�rdal with her parents Torsten and Randi Nelson in 1861. They left the Havana/Aurora area sometime after 1886. In 1900 Anna is living with her married daughter in Owatonna, but I lose track of her after that. In 1879 their farm occupied 40 acres in the northeastern corner of section 21, Havana.
	Lewison, Henry   1839-1908	Henrik Lasseson Spangelo
	Lewison, Sigrid   1837-1899	Sigrid Hansdatter Li
	Came from L�rdal together in 1866. They lost 5 children when their farmhouse burned down in 1885. Of the 11 children Sigrid bore, only two survived to adulthood. He was the brother of Hogan and Erik Lewison and Jessie Erie.
	Lewison, Hogan   1851-1913	H�gen Lasseson Husum
	Lewison, Anna   1859-1926	Anna Jensdatter Nese/N�sset
	He came from L�rdal in 1871, the younger brother of Henry and Erik Lewison and Jessie Erie. Anna came from L�rdal in 1883 at the same time as her future mother-in-law.
	Lewison, Erik   1842-?	Erik Lasseson Husum
	Lewison, Martha   1846-?	Marita Pedersdatter
	He was the brother of Henry and Hogan Lewison. Erik and Martha came from L�rdal together in 1874 with three children. They moved to Gorton, Grant County, Minnesota between 1878 and 1880.
	Lewison, Lewis   1837-1913	Lasse Lasseson Lj�sno
	Lewison, Julia   1834-1916	Guri Ingvardsdatter B�
	Came from L�rdal in 1867 with their two oldest children as well as Guri's parents (Ingvard Nilson R� and J�rond Simonsdatter B�) and siblings. Not related to the other Lewison families. Their farm was in sections 15 and 22 of Havana in 1879.
	Louison, John   1805-1875	Johannes Lasseson Gr�to
	Louison, Betsy   1806-1881	Britha Hansdatter Gr�to
	The parents of Louis S., Guro and Peter Johnson, they emigrated from L�rdal in 1866.
	Lysne, Carrie	Kari Helgesdatter Hauge
	Mother of Gjertrud Monson
	Lysne, Breta O.	Britha Ovesdatter Lj�sno
	Emigrated from L�rdal 1881, died 1888, never married.
	Lysne, John	John Johannesson Lysne/Lj�sno
	Johnson, Guri (1st wife)	Guri Johannesdatter Eri
	Lysne, Anna (2nd wife)	Anna Halvorsdatter Selthun/S�lto
	John came from L�rdal in 1871 with first wife Guri and son Johannes. Went by the name Johnson for many years. Eventually he and Guri were divorced and he married Anna.
	Lysne, Ole J.   1844-1925	Ole Johannessen Lj�sno
	Lysne, Mary   1846-1937	Mari H�konsdatter Nedre Kvamme
	They emigrated from L�rdal together in 1870, although it doesn't seem that they were married at the time. They went by the name Johnson until after 1900, and eventually moved to Blooming Prairie. The link is to the web site of the company their son founded.
	McDale, Charley
	McDale, Randine
	She was probably the daughter of David and Anna Odegard.
	Moe, Andrew Johnson   1831-1897	Anders Johannesson Mo
	Moe, Ingeborg Johnson   1831-1914	Ingeborg Sollesdatter R�
	They used the surname Johnson for many years.
	Moe, Erik   1857-1937
	Moe, Anna   1863-1938
	Erik came from Hafslo. Anna was born in Steele County, the daughter of Agrim and Guri Johnson.
	Moe, Halvor   1828-1912	Halvor Jokumson Mo/R�
	Moe, Brita   1838-1908	Brita Andersdatter Glitre
	Came from L�rdal in 1878 with 7 of the 8 children they had at the time. The oldest, Martha, came a year later and the youngest, Hannah, was born in Steele County.
	Moe, Andrew   1861-1925	Anders Halvorson Mo/R�
	Moe, Martha   1866-1953
	Andrew emigrated from L�rdal with his parents Halvor and Brita Moe in 1878. Martha was born in Steele County, the daughter of Mons and Martha Anderson.
	Moe, Ole
	Moe, Mattie
	Moe, Halvor Jr.   1871-1943
	Moe, Randy   1871-1943
	Halvor emigrated from L�rdal with his parents Halvor and Brita Moe in 1878. Randy was born in Steele County, the daughter of Thomas T. and Olena Nelson. They bought the John L. Johnson farm (Bertha Johnson was Randy's cousin) in the northwest corner of section 28 of Havana in 1906.
	Moe, Knute   1877-1957
	Moe, Agnes Caroline (1st wife)   1892-1921
	Moe, Molly (2nd wife)   1883-1970
	He came from L�rdal in 1878 with his parents Halvor and Brita Moe. His first wife was born in Steele County, the daughter of Nels and Johanna Lee. Molly (Malina) was also born in Steele County, the daughter of Thomas T. and Olena Nelson and also the widow of Andrew Thompson Jr.
	Moe, Johannes
	Moe, Anna
	Molde, Simon   1842-1914	Simon Anderson Moldo
	Molde, Anna   1856-1934	Anna Monsdatter Voll
	Simon emigrated from L�rdal in 1866, the son of Anders Simonson B� and Barbro Johannesdatter Moldo. Anna came from L�rdal with her parents, Mons and Martha Anderson, in 1861.
	Monson, Mons   1812-1899	Mons Simonson Lj�sno
	Monson, Anna   1815-1890	Anna Jensdatter Glitre
	They came from L�rdal in 1875. Mons' brother Johannes (John Johnson) and sisters J�rond (Jennie Edwardson) and Veljer (Velda Thompson) had already settled in Steele County. Mons and Anna were the parents of James Monson, Andrew Munson, and Guri Edwardson.
	Monson, James   1845-1921	Jens Monson Lj�sno
	Monson, Julia   1847-1919	Gjertrud Jensdatter Mo
	Munson, Andrew   1848-1908	Anders Monson Lj�sno
	Munson, Betsie   1848-1944	Brita Larsdatter Lj�sno
	Monson, Lewis   1845-1931	Lasse Monson Skj�r
	Monson, Ida   1852-1931	Ingeri Monsdatter Voll
	Both emigrated from L�rdal; he in 1866, she in 1861 with her parents Mons and Martha Anderson. They were married in Steele County in 1872 and lived in Yellow Medicine County from about 1880 through 1892 before returning to Steele.
	Mork, William
	Mork, Gunhild
	She was Norwegian and he was Danish. They moved to Owatonna, probably in the early 1880s.
	Mussmann, Frederick (Fritz)   1838-1898
	Mussmann, Barbara   1843-1919	Barbra Larsdatter Lj�sno
	In the first known marriage in the Norwegian community, Barbra, the daughter of Lars and Veljer Thompson, married Frederick, a neighboring German immigrant, in 1863. In 1879 they are in the southwestern corner of section 13 in Havana.
	Nelson, Anna   1801-1887	Anna Nilsdatter Gr�to
	Anna never married. She came from L�rdal with the family of her only child, Guri (Mrs. Agrim) Johnson in 1854 and was among the original Norwegians in Havana/Aurora. Her "ex," Guri's father, Johannes Simonson B�, also settled here with three of his sons.
	Nelson, Edward   1807-1886	Ingvard Nilson R�/Voll
	Edwardson, Jennie   1808-1904	J�rond Simonsdatter B�
	She was occasionally listed with the surname Prestegard
	Nelson, Nils    1830-1909	Nils Torstenson Gr�to
	Nelson, Gjertrud    1829-1909	Gjertrud Johannesdatter Yttri Rikheim
	Emigrated from L�rdal with Nils' parents Torsten and Randi in 1861. Both died of natural causes on the same day in 1909. They had 80 acres in section 21 of Havana Township in 1879.
	Nelson, Randi    1853-1920	Randi Nilsdatter Gr�to
	Randi was a seamstress. She never married. Emigrated from L�rdal in 1861 with her parents, Nils and Gjertrud Nelson.
	Nelson, Theodore
	Nelson, Christina	Kirsti H�konsdatter Gr�to
	He was born in Steele County, the oldest son of Thomas T. Nelson. She came from L�rdal as a child with her parents H�gen Olson Gr�te and Anne H�gensdatter aboard the Valkyrie in 1873.
	Nelson, Thomas   1804-1889	Torsten Nilsson Saltkjelen
	Nelson, Rosa   1802-1883	Randi Olsdatter Kjodnes
	Nelson, Thomas T.   1841-1901	Torsten Torstenson Gr�to
	Nelson, Olena (1st wife)   1843-1896	Olena Rasmusdatter Mellem
	Nelson, Agnes/Agatha (2nd wife)   1860-1923
	Thomas came from L�rdal with his parents, Torsten and Randi Nelson, in 1861 and he fought in the Civil War. Olena came from Hafslo to Crawford County, WI with her parents in 1854. Agnes is also listed with her first husband, Erick Theodor Erickson.
	Nelson, Gunder
	Nelson, Serine
	She was born in Norway and he was born in Minnesota. They came to Aurora Township together around 1894, possibly from Rock Dell in Olmsted County.
	Olson, Laurence	Lorentz Olson
	Olson, Lena	Ottelie Hansdatter
	They arrived in the community between 1865 and 1870 and were gone by 1875. In 1880 they can be found in Becker County, Minnesota
	Pederson, Nils
	Pederson, Johanna
	I believe they were Danish, but their daughter Karen Marie was baptized at Aurora Lutheran in 1873.
	Prestegaard, Ole   1804-1893
	Prestegaard, Ragnild   1806-1887
	Parents of Kari (Mrs. Peter) Johnson, Ole and Peter Prestegard. They emigrated from L�rdal together in 1867.
	Prestegaard, Ole   1840-1908	Ole Olson Prestegaard
	Prestegaard, Dora   1840-1929	Durdei Ingvardsdatter Voll
	Both emigrated from L�rdal with their parents and (some) siblings in 1867, and they were married in Steele County in 1868.
	Prestegaard, Peter   1845-1918
	Prestegaard, Ingeleiv   1843-1940
	He emigrated in 1866, she in 1868, both from L�rdal. They appear to have lived in Crawford County, Wisconsin prior to settling in Aurora Township around 1876.
	Quam, John O.   1847-1912
	Quam, Unni T.   1841-1920
	They came from Hafslo.
	Quam, Lars
	Quam, Augusta
	Lars came from Hafslo. Augusta was the sister of Anna Thompson and Unni Thorson and daughter of Peder Agrimson. This family moved to Montana and later Washington state.
	Quam, Hogan   1820-1899	H�gen Jenson Lj�sno/B�/Kvamme
	Quam, Unni   1822-1905	Unni Olsdatter
	They came from L�rdal together in 1880 and came to Aurora around 1895 to be near their daughters Carrie Quam and Mary Lysne.
	Quam, Nels
	Quam, Carrie
	Came from L�rdal in 1878 with their two oldest children.
	Raa, John
	Raa, Brita
	Brita died young, in 1907, and the family appears to have broken apart afterward. In the 1910 census, John is working as a hired hand for Albert and Jessie Erie, while the three surviving children have been taken in by three different neighbors. In 1920, two of the three children are still living with those same families.
	Ray, Nels   1853-1930	Nils Solleson R�
	Ray, Anna   1855-1953	Anna Sophie Iversdatter B�
	Nels emigrated from L�rdal in 1878. His half-sister, Ingeborg Johnson Moe, had previously settled in Steele County. Anna came from L�rdal in 1880. Iver Boe was her brother.
	Selthun, Lewis   1862-1950	Lasse Halvorsen Selthun/S�lto
	Selthun, Jennie   1865-1955	J�raand Lassesdatter Lj�sno
	He came from L�rdal in 1881; she also came from L�rdal, with her parents, Lewis and Julia Lewison, in 1867.
	Thompson, Andrew   1840-1920	Anders Larsson Lj�sno/Lysne
	Thompson, Anna   1846-1928	Anna Pedersdatter St�dno
	Andrew emigrated form L�rdal with his parents (Lars and Veljer Thompson) and sisters in 1853. He was among the first Norwegian settlers in the Havana/Aurora area and it is said he acted as a lay minister to the community. Anna came, also from L�rdal, with her parents and siblings in 1855. They were in section 27 of Havana in 1879.
	Thompson, Jens
	Thompson, Ingeborg
	Left little trace in the community -- they appear in none of the censuses in Havana/Aurora but they were Norwegian and they had a child baptised at Aurora Lutheran in 1880, at which time they lived in Owatonna. The Christ Hillestad farm may once have belonged to them.
	Thompson, Lewis    1799-1883	Lars Toreson Nedste Lj�sno
	Thompson, Velda   1805-1902	Veljer Simonsdatter B�
	Thorson, John
	Thorson, Unni
	Tollefson, Ole   1829-1908	Ole Tollefson Lj�no
	Tollefson, Synneva   1830-1925	Synneva Olsdatter Bj�rkum
	Emigrated from L�rdal in 1854 with daughter Mari. Lived in Wisconsin for several years before coming to Goodhue County, MN, then Steele County between 1865 and 1870. In 1879 their farm straddled sections 27 and 28 in Havana Township.
	Tonjum, Ole	Ole Olson T�njum
	Tonjum, Jorond
	Ole emigrated from L�rdal in 1892, at the same time as John Raa.

The Church

	I plan to put a history of the Aurora Lutheran Church here.
	I hope to put an article from the Owatonna (MN) People's Press about the church's 125th anniversary here.

The State School

     From 1885 to 1945, Owatonna was home to the Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children. When children were old enough, they were often placed with families, where at best they found a safe and caring home but at worst were abused and treated as unpaid labor. I like to believe the best of the people in this community. The State School children listed below were all brought to the Aurora Lutheran Church and were baptized and/or confirmed there.

• Willie Olson (b. abt. 1891), fostered by Martin and Hannah Munson
• Willie Torkelson (b. April 3, 1892), fostered by Andrew and Sena Lewison
• Floyd Allen (b. abt. 1895), fostered by Sam and Anna Prestegard
• Ernest Hemquist (b. abt. 1897), fostered by Martin and Hannah Munson, he eventually adopted their surname
• Harold Lewison (b. abt. 1902)
• Lloyd Malus (b. December 1905), fostered by William and Synneva Thompson

Other Useful Links

Sign My Guestbook

     I intend for this to be a place for researchers to connect with each other. I don't always look at my guestbook on a regular basis, so if you would like a timely reply from me, please e-mail me directly.

 

Name:

Email:

Ancestors in this community:

Comments:

 

Text copyright 1999-2004 by Chris Larson
[email protected]

Last Modified 2/24/04