FROM CANAAN TO THE PROMISED LAND - DUO

660 Pages·2009·12.32 MB·English

FROM CANAAN
TO
THE PROMISED LAND
PioneerMigrationfromHommedalParish
(LandvikandEideSub-Parishes),SouthernNorway,
toSt.Joseph,MissouriandEastNorway,Kansas
by
ErikAalvikEvensen
ADissertationPresentedtotheDepartmentofLiterature,
AreaStudiesandEuropeanLanguages
UniversityofOslo
inPartialFulfilmentoftheRequirementsfortheDegreeof
DoctorofPhilosophy
2008
© Erik Aalvik Evensen, 2009

Series of dissertations submitted to the
Faculty of Humanities,University of Oslo
No. 383

ISSN 0806-3222

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without permission.

Cover: Inger Sandved Anfinsen.
Printed in Norway: AiT e-dit AS, Oslo, 2009.

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3
Present-dayphotographoftheIglandhomestead,LandvikParish,inwinter.BycourtesyofAnnaIgland
Bendixen.
Frontpage:Moray(formerlyEastNorway),DoniphanCounty,Kansas.Ownphoto,2006.
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Roubidoux’sLandinginSt.Joseph,MO.Ownphoto,2006.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks are due to a number of people who have pushed me along and acted as the
goodhelpersinthelonghaultowardsfinishingthisproject. Ithasbeenasolitaryworkanda
marathon run, but a particularly demanding race since I have been in a freelance position,
basically outside academia and a university environment, and forced to use vacations and
shortandirregularperiodsofsparetimetoresearchandwritethisdissertation.
In thelittletownship of Grimstad, several kind and helpful natives have joined mein
mysearchformaterialconcerningthe“Landvik-group”of1846:AnneMøretrøwhoisstillin
contact with the descendants of the Igland tribe in Missouri and has an ocean of experience
from her work at the County Archives; Anna Igland Bendixen who has willingly shared
information about her own family with me; the members of Landvik Historielag/Historical
Society; the Public Library in Grimstad, represented by Odd Johnsen who has worked
miraclesinobtainingoftenratherobscurebooksandarticles;andintheneighbouringtownof
Arendal, the adept staff at Aust-Agder Arkivet/ County Archives. Also in my quaint little
hometown on the seaside, former Associate Professor at Agder College, Bob Baehr, has for
years been a pillar of support and encouragement in my academic endeavours. His steady
handonfinancesinTheAmericanStudiesAssociationinNorwaygavemetheopportunityto
travel to Missouri and Kansas in 2006, and spendthesummerin St.Joseph and Troy. It was
in ASANOR that I met Associate Professor David Mauk who agreed to give me advice, and
who has been a constructive critic of my work from his base in ILOS at the University of
Oslo.
Ishouldalsomentionthegreatinspirationobtainedthroughparticipationinaseminar
on “Learning Migration” in Oldenburg, Germany, in 2005. Associate Professor Dan D.
DaatlandfromtheUniversityinStavangerpatientlylistenedtomyplansforhavingatryata
dissertationonmigration,andputmeoncoursewithaccurateguidance.
Once in St. Joseph, Missouri, I was overwhelmed by the friendly reception given me
by the Nelson family, descendants of the pioneers of 1846. Mort Nelson, Jane Nelson
Thompson, and Catherine MacAdams opened their arms, homes, and hidden genealogical
treasures, and guided me into the nooks of family history. Co-ordinating my search of
contactsandmaterialallthetimewasJackieLewinoftheSt.JosephMuseum.
The moment I ventured into the open spaces of Kansas, other helpers took over, and
Pete Duncan of the Doniphan County Historical Society put me in contact with people who
wereofNorwegianorigin.MyheadquarterswasinthePublicLibraryinTroy,andindeedthe
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whole town seemed to be at my disposal. On my return to Norway, Seth Smith of the
Missouri State Historical Society and the friendly members of the staff at the Kansas State
HistoricalSocietyhavecarriedonthevaluableassistance.
Ihaveforaratherlongperiod been involved in thekind ofwork which devours time
and mind. Members of my family have showed me great patience and encouragement. My
two sons have expressed faith in my progress, and Magnus has offered me precise and
intelligentreadingsofthemanypages.Ingeborg,mydear,hasstoodbymyside,andlovingly
acceptedmymanydimly-lithoursalonewithmycomputer.Ithankyouall!
Grimstad,July29,2008
ErikAalvikEvensen
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 5
PREFACE 15
INTRODUCTION 21
1.1 TheContext 23
1.2 OnaDifferentCourse 33
1.3 ASeriesofLimitations 35
1.4 AModestPlaceintheHistoryofNorwegian
Emigration 36
1.5 UprootedorTransplanted? 39
1.6 AModel:AMultidisciplinaryApproach 48
1.7 ThreeLevels:Macro,Meso,Micro 50
1.8 Decisionvs.Process 51
1.9 AMigrationSystem 53
1.10AComprehensiveConcept 53
PART ONE: EMIGRANTS 57
ChapterI:APassagetoAmerica,1846-1847 59
ChapterII:TheLeadersandTheirFamilies 69
2.1 FamilySketches 70
2.2 PederNielsenDolholtKalvehaven 71
2.3 OsulNielsenEnge 74
2.4 AndersNielsenIglandHolte 75
2.5 MarenNilsdatterLøvaasen 76
ChapterIII:AFamilyExodus 79
3.1 AFamilyMigration 80
3.2 TheFamilyWeb 86
ChapterIV:TheEmergenceofModern
Norway,1800-1850 93
4.1 Introduction 94
4.2 ANew-BornNation 94
4.3 ATroublesomeFreedom–theAftermath
of1814 96
4.4 King–Government–NationalAssembly 97
4.5 ThePoweroftheBureaucracy 99
4.6 EconomicDevelopment 101
4.7 TheRiseofPeasantPower 103
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4.8 IntoModernTimes–theGrowthof
thePopulation 104
4.9 LifeExpectancy 105
4.10TheMetamorphosisoftheCountryside 106
4.11TheSafety-Valve:Emigration 108
ChapterV:MainFeaturesofNedenes
County,1800-1850 117
5.1 Introduction 118
5.2 AdministrativeOrganization 118
5.3 DemographicDevelopment 118
5.4 DetachedViews? 122
5.5 TheFive-Year-Reports 123
5.6 PoliticalDevelopment 125
5.7 Political,ReligiousandIdealisticChallenges 127
5.8 KristianLofthus 130
5.9 HansNielsenHauge 135
5.10MarcusThrane 137
5.11Farming 139
5.12Industry 145
5.13Shipping 146
5.14Communications 149
5.15Education 150
5.16Emigration 152
5.17ReliabilityofSources 153
5.18TheCourseofEmigration 154
5.19InlandCommunitiesvs.CoastalCommunities 156
5.20VolumeandDestination 156
5.21StatisticalAnalysis 158
5.22Occupations 161
5.23Transportation 163
5.24Summingup 165
ChapterVI:TheDevelopmentofHommedalParish
(LandvikandEideSub-Parishes),
1800-1850 169
6.1 Introduction 170
6.2 DemographicDevelopment,1801-1855 172
6.3 VisitorsfromAbroad 174
6.4 Summingup 180
6.5 SchoolsandEducation 181
6.6 RecollectionsofaTeacher 181
6.7 SchoolCommissionProtocols 184
6.8 “PublicLibraries”andPrivateBookCollections 187
6.9 Religion 191
6.10Summingup 193
6.11AReportfromtheParishCouncilinLandvik 194
6.12AReportfromNeighbouringEideParish 200
6.13CensusReturns,1845:Occupations 204
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6.14Age-Groups 206
6.15FarmProduction 209
6.16AComparisonwithOtherParishes:
FrolandandTromøy 212
6.17AFurtherComparison:DovreandTinnParishes 214
6.18Fishing 215
6.19Forestry 218
6.20TheHub:TheIglandFarm 220
6.21ShipbuildingandSeafaring 222
6.22TheEconomicBase:TheEmigrantsandTheirFarms 228
6.23TheEmigrantFarms 234
6.24AgriculturalChange 237
6.25AParallelCase?EarlyEmigrationfromthe
WestCoast 241
6.26PavingtheWayforEmigration? 245
ChapterVII:ForerunnersandaPathfinder 253
7.1 ASponsoredPathfinder 254
7.2 JohanReinertReiersen 258
7.3 Christiansandsposten(1839-1843) 261
7.4 AScoutingExpedition(1843-1844) 268
7.5 PathfinderforNorwegianEmigrants 277
7.6 “ToMySponsorsinEide,andAdjacentParishes” 281
7.7 PreparationsinHommedalParish 282
7.8 TheTexasSettlement 284
7.9 EliseWærenskjold 286
PART TWO: IMMIGRANTS 289
ChapterVIII:HeadingNorth 291
8.1 AtaCross-Roads 293
8.2 HeadingforMissouri 294
8.2.1 AGermanBait? 296
8.2.2 VictoriousMissourians 297
8.2.3 AJeffersonianArcadia 298
8.2.4 TheMysteriousWeddles 301
ChapterIX:TheSettlementinSt.Joseph,Missouri 305
9.1 Roubidoux’sLanding 306
9.2 TheSettlers 309
9.3 AChainMigration 312
9.4 StatisticalSurveys 318
9.5 CelebratingtheExodus 324
9.6 TheHungerforLand 327
9.7 TheAgriculturalSchedules,1850 331
9.8 ACaseStudy:PederNelson–theFarmer 340
9.8.1 PederNelson’sWill 351
9.8.2 TheNelsonCemetery 356
9.9 School 359
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9.10 ImmigrantChurches 362
9.10.1 CongregationsinBuchananand
DoniphanCounties 365
9.10.2 PeterLaurentiusLarsen–Their
FirstPastor 374
9.11 TheSt.JosephSettlement:Summingup 377
ChapterX:TheSettlementinEastNorway,Kansas 383
10.1 AcrosstheRiver 385
10.2 DoniphanCounty 389
10.2.1 Communications 394
10.2.2 WolfRiverTownship 394
10.3 EastNorway 395
10.4 NewHomes–NewPossibilities 399
10.5 School 401
10.6 Church 403
10.7 ACaseStudy:OsulNelson–anAging
Farmer 411
10.8 N.O.Nelson–CapitalistandPhilanthropist 423
10.9 TheEastNorwaySettlement:Summingup 426
ChapterXI:HardTimes–CivilWarandGuerrilla
Warfare 429
11.1 Introduction 430
11.2 BleedingKansas 431
11.3 SoldiersintheWar 433
11.4 AStateDivided 436
11.5 ANorwegianSlave-Owner 443
11.6 ProtestantsandCapitalists 446
ChapterXII:EPluribusUnum 451
12.1 NewCitizens 452
12.2 Acculturation,Assimilation,EthnicIdentity 457
12.3 AtTheirJourney’sEnd 461
ChapterXIII:Conclusion 467
PART THREE: LETTERS FROM THE PIONEERS 479
PART FOUR: INDEX – EMIGRATION FROM
HOMMEDAL PARISH, 1840-1930 599
A.LandvikParish 605
B.EideParish 634