1915 History of Shelby County Iowa - Index - Chapter VII European Immigrants

The United States census of 1856 reported as then in Shelby county five persons of Danish birth. They were undoubtedly the first Europeans in the county aside from the natives of the British Isles. Professor Flom, formerly of the chair of Scandinavian languages in the University at Iowa City, in an article contributed by him to The Iowa Journal of History and Politics, expressed his conclusion that these Danes were in the county but temporarily while enroute to Council Bluffs. This author is not inclined to take this view of Professor Flom, for the reason that it is well known that many of the Danish people embraced the faith of the Latter-Day Saints church and of the Mormon church, and for the stronger reason that Scandinavian names appear among the pioneers of Grove township. For instance, on November 5, 1856, one Anders Anderson was united in marriage at Galland’s Grove to Miss Jane Keairnes. Again, a small creek in Galland’s Grove was early known as “Hansen’s creek,” and until very recently there was a Hansen family residing in Galland’s Grove and belonging to the Latter-Day Saints church. These names, if not Danish, were at least Scandinavian.

There were also a few Danish pioneers of the county outside of the particular Danish settlements hereinafter mentioned. Among these were L. C. Jensen, who in 1874, and Hans N. Henrickson, who in 1875 settled in Shelby township, J. C. Bonne, who settled in Shelby in 1878, and Andrew Petersen, a tailor, who in 1876 settled in Harlan. A bit of local news in a Shelby county paper of 1877 records the fact that in Harlan a team ran away belonging to a Dane residing in Tarkington’s Grove, which was a piece of timber in Washington township. The owner’s name was not given.

The first Danish persons to settle at Cuppy’s Grove, Monroe township, were Chris B. Christiansen and wife, who came here in 1865. Soon after came Lars Weien, C. Nasby, Rev. P. H. Dam, Mr. Westerby, Chris Johnson, Peter Hansen, Nels Norgaard, and their wives, Mr. Madsen, father of Lars Madsen of Harlan, Mr. Tonnesen, and their wives, and others. In the early or middle seventies came Carsten Tobiessen, Michael Hansen, N. C. Petersen, K. Nelson, Nels Hansen, Simon Petersen, Anders Lundby, Soren Lundby, Mr. Heilesen, Alexander Samuels and others. Many of these pioneers came from Racine, Wisconsin. They saw many hardships during the early days. They were all devoted members of the Danish Baptist church, their first meetings being held in the Rubendall school house, a brick structure standing slightly north and east of where the present Danish Baptist church stands.

The first Danish settlers in Clay township came at about the same time that the Danish settlement at Cuppy’s Grove began. In 1867 Chris Johnson, from Moline, Illinois, settled on Indian creek in Clay township. He was followed in 1868, by Ole Jensen, who also came from Moline, Illinois; in 1872-3 Hans Larsen, J. P. Carlson, Peder Hansen and P. P. Nelson became residents of Clay. Some of these men came from Omaha and some of them had worked on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad. In 1874 Louis Johnson and Ole Therkelson came. In 1875 George James, Rasmus Hansen, J. C. Johnson, Lars Jensen, Jens Nielsen and others came to the township. This settlement of Danish people has flourished greatly and has extended into Jackson and Monroe townships. Largely through the progressive spirit of its people, a railroad was secured for that part of the county and the town of Elk Horn incorporated and developed.

Many Danish people very early in the history of Jackson township settled on the prairie. As often happened in the various townships of Shelby county, the school section (section 16), was settled very early, largely owing to the fact perhaps that good terms could be secured for the payment of this land and perhaps for the further reason that it was often appraised at comparatively low figures. Danish people who settled on the school section of Jackson township, several of them about 1870, or possibly a year earlier, were Ole Hansen, M. C. Rasmussen, R. Rasmussen, Lars Nelson and P. Nelson.

A slightly later settlement, chiefly from about 1874 to 1880, was that known as “Copenhagen,” chiefly in sections 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32. Among the Danish people belonging to this settlement were Hans Hoogensen, J. D. Lorentzen, Chris Hess, Peter Hansen, Andrew Hansen and their father; Nicholas H. Hess, Hans Hansen, H. P. N. Stendrup, A. H. Christensen, Mathias Sorensen, Hans Hendrickson, Chris Christiansen, and perhaps others. Claus Ohms, a native of Schleswig-Holstein, also belonged to this settlement.

Among the very early Danish settlers in the north part of Jackson township were Peter Martinsen, Peter Nelson, Andrew Rasmussen, Peter Madsen, Carl Petersen, Jacob Brodersen, Rasmus Brodersen and others. The Brodersen brothers came about 1869. Very early Danish settlers of the township were J. C. Petersen, Christian Damm, Charles Damm, Peter Kroman, Hans Nissen, John Nissen, Jens Tolstrup and others. Jackson township today is largely settled and owned by these Danish pioneers or by their children. The extreme east part of the township was the last to be settled. The Jackson township Danish settlement has spread out into Polk township, where many Danish people reside, although several of the earliest pioneers of Polk township were Danes, including Chris Michaelson now a resident of Harlan, Lars Michaelson, Peter Martinsen and others, who did not come from Jackson. The Danish settlement at Merrill’s Grove is largely an outgrowth of the settlement at Cuppy’s Grove.

The Danish people have been frugal, industrious and progressive. They were and are good farmers and no farms in the county today are better improved or better cared for than theirs. Today they and their descendants comprise a large proportion of the population of the townships of Clay, Monroe, Jackson, Center, Polk and the eastern part of Douglas and the south part of Jefferson.

Hans Brodersen, of Danish descent, brought up in the Danish settlement of Jackson township, is one of the present members of the board of supervisors.

Shelby County
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CHAPTER VII -- EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS IN SHELBY COUNTY (CONT'D)

DANISH PIONEERS.

DANISH VETERANS OF THE WAR WITH PRUSSIA.

Shelby County IAGenWeb

CHAPTER VII -- EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS IN SHELBY COUNTY (CONT'D)

DANISH PIONEERS.

DANISH VETERANS OF THE WAR WITH PRUSSIA.

Shelby County
IAGenWeb