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CHAPTER XIX.

THE DANES.

From History of Audubon Co., Iowa (1915)
by H. F. Andrews

Between Exira and Harlan in the west part of Audubon county and the east part of Shelby county is a large settlement of Danish people. Their rise and progress have been something remarkable and interesting. The first of these people settled in Shelby county, and came later to Audubon county. As early as 1863, Chris Johnson, better known to old setlers [sic settlers] as "Big Chris," lived on a homestead in Shelby county, near the northwest corner of Oakfield township, about two miles south of the present town of Elkhorn. In the early days he was instrumental in settling several Danish people in the western part of Audubon county. These people came direct from Denmark to his place and lived with him to learn the language of the country and the methods of agriculture. He assisted them in buying and improving their lands, and in making their initial start at home making and farming, in many ways.

The first Dane who settled in the county was Jens U. Hansen, who came in 1869 from Shelby county and lived temporarily in a shanty in the north part of section 5, Exira township, near John W. Dodge. He was a carpenter and a very industrious man; worked with Mr. Dodge and helped build the old big barn on the Pray place, now owned by Martin P. Mardensen, on section 27, Hamlin township. He also helped build the Congregational church in Exira, in 1870; built a house for Charles Van Gorder, in Exira, in 1871, and built the John D. Bush house in Exira. He improved a farm in section 36, Sharon township, in 1870, upon which he settled in 1871, and lived there many years. He now resides in the same vicinity. During succeeding years many Danish people setled [sic settled] in Audubon county.

Following is a list of the early Danish settlers in Audubon county, with places and dates of settlement:

OAKFIELD TOWNSHIP.

In Section 2. Lorenz P. Nelsen, 1883.
In Section 3. M. Ballmus, 1880; C. Christensen, 1880.
In Section 4. A. P. Hansen, 1878; Rasmus Axelsen, 1875; Andrew P. Hansen, 1878; Jens Hansen, 1878; Chris Hansen, 1878; Lars N. Esbeck, 1882; Christian N. Esbeck, 1881; John Sorensen, 1882; John N. Esbeck, 1883.
In Section 5. Nels J. Boose, 1881; Nels B. Christensen, 1887; Andrew Sorensen, 1882; Drace Sorensen, 1882; Chris Jensen, 1881; Chris Hansen, 1878; Andrew N. Esbeck, 1879; John Petersen, 1885; Jacob Beck, 1885; L. P. Miller, 1883.
In Section 6. A. C. Nelsen, 1880; Lars Hansen, 1875; Nels J. Nelson, 1883; Tore Toresen, 1871; Lars Hansen, 1875; Paul Boyeson, 1880; Aug. L. Boyeson, 1880; Chris Petersen, 1878; Nels C. Christensen, 1885; Charles J. Shack, 1875; H. F. Shack, 1875; J. P. Nielsen, 1886.
In Section 7. Simon Everson, 1875; Chris Olsen, 1885; Nels Bollesen, 1878; A. P. Poulsen, 1880; Elias Jacobsen, date unknown.
In Section 8. Peter Nelson, 1882.
In Section 10. Niels Hansen, 1883; Lars Christensen, 1875; Nels J. Petersen, 1883.
In Section 14. Jens U. Petersen, 1872; Peter Hansen, 1973; John Johnsen, 1872.
In Section 15. Hans Nymand, 1881; Jesse Nymand, 1880; Jacob P. Bendixen, 1881; Carl F. Nelsen, 1872.
In Section 16. Knud Knudsen, 1875.
In Section 17. Jens P. Christoffersen, 1872; B. H. Christensen, 1876; John P. Hoegh, 1881; S. P. Daugard, 1882.
In Section 20. Hans C. Hansen, 1882;
In Section 21. Nels P. Hoegh, 1875; George Hansen, 1875; H. C. Nielsen, 1872.
In Section 22. Chris Christensen, 1883; Hans P. Hansen, 1880; Ebbe J. Hansen, 1880; Peter Jacobsen, 1877.
In Section 27. Peter Albertsen, 1881; H. P. Larsen, 1875.
In Section 28. H. C. Nielsen, 1873; William Erickson, 1880.
In Section 33. N. P. Petersen, 1871; Peter Nielsen, 1871; Niels Andersen, 1871.
In Section 34. N. C. Nielsen, 1871; Nartin Nielsen, 1871.

HAMLIN TOWNSHIP.

In Section 29. J. H. Johnson, 1880.
In Section 30. Chris Petersen, 1886; Peter Wilson, 1885; Peter Madsen, 1880.
In Section 31. Jens P. Wilson, 1885; Nels Petersen, 1881.

SHARON TOWNSHIP.

In Section 7. Peter F. Pedersen, 1880; Andreas C. Sorensen, 1881; Jens Rosenbeck, 1886.
In Section 14. Christian M. Hansen, 1882; Charles Petersen, 1878.
In Section 15. Jasper Jensen, 1880; Martin N. Esbeck, 1879; Chris L. Hansen, 1880.
In Section 16. Martin Larsen, 1882; Jens Marcussen, 1882; Anders Christoffersen, 1882; Hans Marcussen, 1882.
In Section 17. Hans Petersen, 1876; Nels Petersen, 1880; George L. Jorgensen, 1879; Chris J. Christensen, 1881; Henrick J. Ipsen, 1880; Albert H. Jorgensen, 1880; Peter Rasmussen, 1880.
In Section 18. Chris T. Christensen, 1880; Chris L. Petersen, 1881; Peter Nissen, 1885; Lars Jensen, date unknown; Niels H. Nielsen, 1878; Niels J. Meng, 1880; Chris Larsen, 1880.
In Section 19. Andreas Petersen, 1881; Albert C. Christensen, 1880; Ole Ericksen, 1877; Peter Olsen, 1877.
In Section 20. Peter N. Jorgensen, 1874; Thomas Smith, 1880; Hans Larsen, 1880; Nels Petersen, 1880.
In Section 21. Jens Larsen, 1880; Hans Petersen, 1883; Peter H. Andersen, 1883.
In Section 23. Willads Rattengorg, 1883.
In Section 27. Rasmus Petersen, 1885; Soren S. Faaborg, 1882; Simon Christensen, 1879.
In Section 28. John Faaborg, 1881; Chris Montensen [?sic Mortensen], 1879; Peter N. Esbeck, 1878; Chris Mascussen [?sic Marcussen], 1882; Peter Johnsen, date unknown.
In Section 29. Jens T. Larsen, 1874; Erik P. Simonsen, 1878.
In Section 30. Hans J. Jorgensen, 1874; Chris P. Madsen, 1874; Jens Christensen, 1878; Hans Madsen, 1874; Mads Madsen, 1874; Ole H. Jacobsen, 1875; Ole H. Jacobsen, Jr., 1875; Clarence Jacobsen, 1875; Chris Jacobsen, 1875; Ole Olson, 1873.
In Section 31. John Andersen, 1878; Hans P. Christensen, 1877; Lars Mortensen, 1878; Hans Rasmussen, 1881.
In Section 32. Jens C. Hansen, 1880; Niels Hansen, 1880; Soren Sorensen, 1880; Svend Larsen, 1883; Chris Christensen, 1881; Lars Nelsen, 1881; Jens Carlsen, 1882; Jens C. Kjar, 1880.
In Section 33. Lars C. Jensen, 1883; Jens M. Rasmussen, 1880; Carl Iversen, 1882; Chris Iversen, 1882; Anton Christensen, 1877.
In Section 34. Chris Thomson, 1880; Nels P. Jensen, 1882; William Christensen, 1881; Lars Sorensen, 1883; Chris Hendriksen, 1883; Soren Sorensen, 1880.
In Section 35. Peter Axelsen, 1875.
In Section 36. Jens Sorensen, 1881; Jens U. Hansen, 1871.

DOUGLAS OWNSHIP.

In Section 35. Chris Justesen, 1880.

DESIRABLE IMMIGRANTS.

These people have greatly multiplied and now number many thousans. [sic thousands] But few of them possessed more than the common necessities of life. The lands where they settled were mostly hilly, rough, and brushy, and not of the best quality; but they were well adapted as colonists in a new country, a strong, hardy, healthy race; intelligent, honest, industrious, patient and progressive -- just what were required to subdue the wilderness, and build up a prosperous community.

The writer well recalls their first coming, and sold land to some of them. Many at first purchased but forty acres -- usually paying down about $70 -- upon which they built a board swhanty, ten feet square, barely sufficient to hold a bed, table and a few necessary household articles. The cooking stove was set up outside under a board shed, next to the living room. Then they obtained a cheap team, wagon and plow, a cow, an old sow and some chickens and proceeded to break out the farm. Sometimes they planted sod corn the first year and prepared for a crop the next year. After about this fashion they began life inthis new country. Times were hard and ready money not to be had. No banks, and farm loans not to be obtained here at that period. Farm products were low in price, and the markets many miles distant. But they had come to stay. By industry and patient perserverance they worked and paid for their homes and increased their possessions. Their financial integrity as compared with that of the average western man was remarkable from the start. There were very few rogues among them. The writer found that when a Dane was given credit for any kind of purchase that he usually met his obligations promptly to the day, which was not true of many other people in the community.

In 1894 the writer had occasion to mention them in the senate of Iowa, citing the founding and progress of their community, and contending that it compared favorably with anything of the kind of its age in the world; which was true, and it has since continually been progressing.

BUILDING ELKHORN COLLEGE.

In 1878 Rev. Olav Kirkeberg, pastor of the Lutheran church at Elkhorn, founded Elkhorn College, built by subscription; the Danish people in the vicinity contributing liberally for the purpose. It was out in the wilderness, but the Danish farmers turned out with their teams and hauled the material for the erection of the building from the railroad, and the coal with which to heat it when completed. There was a college mess-hall for the students, the food for which, meat, flour, milk, vegetables, etc.,was supplied by the neighboring people. They sent their boys and girls to this school. The students printed and published a college journal-- Cannevirke -- proclaiming that Elkhorn College was the only Danish college in America. Students attended from all over Iowa, llinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Dakota, nebraska and other states, and some even from Denmark.

It was a common occurrence at that time to observe the old, heavy, wooden chests and trunks of the Scandinavian emigrants marked: "Elkhorn, Iowa, U.S.A." The college was burned down twice, but a better building was erected on the original site in 1910.

TOWNS IN THE DANISH NEIGHBORHOOD.

In 1888 the town of Kimballton -- named for an official of the railroad company -- was founded in the southwest quarter of section 30, Sharon township, and another town, Elkhorn, is situated two and one-half miles south, in Shelby county. These towns, situated well back in the hills, are strictly up-to-date, with commodious dwellings, business houses and modern improvements, new and tidy. A spirit of rivalry exists between the two little cities, while the people are mostly Danish.

After living in the country for more than thirty years without a railroad the citizens rallied and built one themselves, from Kimballton to Atlantic. Sharon township voted a railroad tax of five mills on the dollar, and another township in Shelby county voted a like tax, for building the road, and private citizens along the line subscribed for the railroad stock for the same purpose. In such way the railroad was accomplished.

These Danish people have become an important factor in the affairs of Audubon county. They are largely devoted to agricultural pursuits, for which they are peculiarly well qualified. As farmers they are not excelled. Starting as poor men, they now own hundreds of magnificent farms, under a high state of cultivation, with handsome dwelling and home lots, fine barns and farm buildings for sheltering stock and housing grain and hay; fields and pastures thoroughly fenced and stocked with the best breeds of horses, cattle, hogs, poultry, etc. The tidy, thrifty appearance of their farms attest the industry and prosperity of the owners.

As business men they rank favorably with the same classes of people elsewhere. In the learned professions we find among them lawyers, doctors, clergymen, and school teachers. They have represented the county in the Legislature, and in the county and local offices. Others are bankers, merchants, agents and representatives of nearly all lines of trades and special callings.

WORTHY CITIZENS.

The Danish people in this countyaspire to become thoroughly Americanized, to assume the best types of American manhood and womanhood, and to conform themselves to American laws and customs. Nearly all of the male portion of them as early as convenient become naturalized citizens and readily assume their duties as such. They are patrons of schools and education. It is a rare thing to discover one of these people who cannot read and write. In politics they are remarkably independent about local affairs, generally favoring their own race of people. In this particular they are inclined to be clannish. Religiously many are Lutheran, the church of their nativity. Quite a number are Adventists, and some are members of other denominations.

Honest "Pete" Christiansen once in discussing the Danish social proposition said that the Danish boys should marry American girls, and vice versa. He put the theory into actual practice, with success as it appeared.

To sum up in a nutshell -- there are no better or more worthy people in the county than the Danes; and there are many other people here who are equally worthy.

Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, January, 2015, from History of Audubon Co., Iowa (1915), by H. F. Andrews, page 290-295.