Nielson Letter from Buchanan County to Norway, 1848

Publication

St. Joseph Museums

Name/Title

Nielson Letter from Buchanan County to Norway, 1848

Entry/Object ID

2009.3.341

Description

Peder K. Nielson Letter from Buchanan County to his brother, Johannes Nielsen, Norway, July 18, 1848 reprinted by the Northwest Missouri Genealogical Society (volume not dated), pp. 14-17, and "There were Norwegians in Missouri, Too" by Frank Nelson, pp 18-28. Frank Nelson's profile of a party of 50 Norwegians who arrived in St. Joseph in 1847. He follows there trek from Norway through New Orleans and upriver to the furtherest point reached by steamboat in that year. He relates the situations that prompted the emigration, outlines how this more affluent Norwegian group differed from most emigrants from Norway before the Civil War. Peder's letter describes St. Joseph in 1848, land opportunities, and farming operations of the era. Peder's son's left for the gold fields the next year. Many of the descendants of this first group continue to live in the counties of Platte, Buchanan, MO and Doniphan county. Some interesting highlights are: Bringing wagon wheels with his baggage from Norway. A delay of more than 2 months in New Orleans and the death of 12 members of his party. The Mexican War in Texas influencing Peder's decision to settle in Missouri. Meeting a Dane with a mysterious past in Weston that prompts Peder's choice of St. Joseph to purchase farm land, Peder's efforts for his family to learn to speak English, Norwegian reunions in Doniphan County, KS. 70/Report Cover/Journal inside

Collection

Don and Maudie Reynolds Collection

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Letter

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Correspondence

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

LOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials

Settlements

Search Terms

Lillesand, Norway, Gold Rush Years in St. Joseph, Norwegians in Missouri, Norwegians in Kansas, St. Joseph History, Norwegian Emigrants

Publication Details

Author

Nielsen, Peder Kalvehagen

Place Published

City

St. Joseph

State/Province

Missouri

Date Published

1999

Call No.

StJoArea NI

Notes

Copy No.: 1

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Maintenance

Maintenance History

Date

Apr 16, 2009

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Nielsen, Peder Kalvehagen

Person or Organization

Peter Nelson

Person or Organization

Frank Nelson

Person or Organization

Nelson, Johannes

Person or Organization

Anders Holte Neilson

Person or Organization

Reiersen, Johan Reinert

Person or Organization

Wedel, August

Person or Organization

Weddle, August

Person or Organization

Weddle, Frederick

Person or Organization

Osud Enge Neilsen

Person or Organization

Peder Kalvehaven

Person or Organization

August Carl Emil Claussen