The Norwegian settlement at Thor was founded in the 70s. The first settlers there were:

From Hardanger - Ole Tang

From Stavanger - O. W. Willicksen, E. Tennesen, O. Sheldos, Lewis Olsen, Stewart Olsen, J. Opheim, N. M. Johnson, N. S. Johnson, Ole Espe, Elling Johnson and Lewis Waage. 

From Hallingdal - O. Halgrims and H. T. Thompson.  

From Eidsvold - E. Korslund. 

From Skjeberg - E., A. E. and H. E. Gangestad .  

From Hadeland - J. Bjøndal and Hans Thompson

Henry Thompson, Helge Knutson, Oddmund J. Sanven and  Andreas Kluge were ones who came to America when emigrants were shipped from Quebec to Chicago in boxcars - with only planks to sit on.

John Kirchhof, son of G. and Gustive (Fleming) Kirchhof, was born in Beaver Township, Humboldt County, January 31, 1879.  He settled in Norway Township in 1890.  In politics he is a Republican and is non-sectarian in religious belief.  He started in life as a farmer and now owns 120 acres of land in Norway Township and is interested in stock raising.

Martin Larson was born in Norway on May 17, 1850.  In 1871 he emigrated to Chicago, Illinois, later settling in Lee County, Illinois, where he remained until 1877.  At that date, he came to Humboldt County, and located in Badger Township.  Six years later he moved to Norway Township and settled upon his present place, a farm of 120 acres nearly all of which is under cultivation.  In 1877, he married Matilda Johnson, now deceased.  They had four children:  George, Mary, Linda and Walter.  On September 20, 1885, he married Martha Erickson and to them nine children have been born, six of whom are living:  Edward, Lars, Alfred M.; Andrew D.; Matilda E.; Arletta G.  In politics Mrs. Larson is a Republican and in religion, a Lutheran.  He is especially interested in education.  He is one of the successful farmers and stock raisers of the county.

Lewis Sheldos  was born August 1, 1846, in Norway He emigrated in 1868, at the age of twenty-two years, and first settled in Lee County, Illinois.  After living there for approximately three years he moved to Humboldt County and settled on section 19 in March of 1871.

Lewis married August Berven was born in Norway, on March 22, 1871.  The Sheldos are members of the Lutheran Church.

Children:  Julia O. (Lena) born in 1874    

Ole Halgrims was born January 13, 1846, in Norway.  He emigrated in 1850 with his parents.  The Halgrims settled in Rock County, Iowa.  He graduated from Lutheran College at Decorah, Iowa in 1865.  After graduation, Ole went to Clayton County and taught school for six years there.  Leaving the teaching profession, he was an agent for Rochester, New York, Nursery for two years.  On June 5, 1871, he came to Humboldt County, and settled on land in section 27 of Norway Township.  Ole married Theresa Groth, a native of Norway, on October 14, 1869.  Theresa Halgrims died September 27, 1882.  He was again married on February 5, 1884 to Helina Gangestads, also a native of Norway. 

Children:  Barbo (died 4 September 1877), Cornelius, Rosina, Barbo and Theodore.  

The Halgrim family are members of the Lutheran Church.  Ole held community positions, in the township, Justice of the Peace, township clerk, assessor, treasurer, road supervisor, director and school secretary.

Alex Nelson, born June 21, 1852, is a native of Iowa County, Wisconsin, where his youth was spent working on the farm and attending school.  In the spring of 1873, with his brother Nels Nelson, he came to this county and bought his present farm which contains eighty acres.  In the fall of 1882, he built the house in which he now lives.  He was married to Anna Paul of Wisconsin.  They have one child, Pearl Orington.

Aaron Hoover, a prosperous farmer of Norway Township, is a native of Wayne County, Ohio.  He was born July 17, 1843.  He was brought up on a farm and obtained his education in his native county.  In 1863, he moved with his parents to Black Hawk County, Iowa, where he lived until 1870.  Then he came to Goldfield, Wright County, Iowa, engaging in the cattle business and part of the time in improving his present farm.  He now owns 240 acres of good land.  He was married October 14, 1874 to Regina Atwater, a native of Wisconsin.  They have two children, Mary A. and Nellie I.

Samuel Lund was born August 8, 1861 in Clinton County, Iowa of Norwegian parents.  In 1865, the family moved to Benton County in the same state, and in 1878 to Humboldt county, settling in Norway township.  On October 21, 1883, he married Hannah Korslund and to them nine children have been born, all living with their parents:  Olive C.; Joseph H.; George A.; Sarah; Julia; Clarence; Edwin; Anna; Hendrick.

Mr. Lund started in life as a farmer.  In 1885 he moved to Thor and went into the general merchandise business and still continues in the same, dealing also in real estate.  In politics, he is a Republican and has held the following offices:  township clerk, assessor, member of school board and constable.  He is at present township clerk and postmaster of Thor.  He opened the Thor Savings Bank and has been a director and assistant cashier for ten years.  He is a member of the A. O. U. W. and the Lutheran Church of which he is a trustee, and secretary-treasurer.

Stewart Olson was born in Norway on June 17, 1849.  He emigrated to Lee County, Illinois, where he received his education.  In 1871, he came to Norway Township, section 22.  He married Miss G. M. Kluga, December 24, 1873.  Twelve children have been born to them, none of whom are living:  Melinda, now Mrs. Moklebust of Thor; Olaus; Alletta; Amanda; Antoine; Stena; Edwin; Floranus; Levy living at home.  In 1880, Mr. Olson moved to Thor, being one of the first settlers in the town.  In politics, he is a Republican and in Religion, a Lutheran.  He was for many years president of the school board and justice of the peace.  Previous to Cleveland's administration, he was postmaster of Thor and is now mayor.  He owns a farm of 280 acres, all under cultivation, his residence and a business block in Thor.  In 1880 he opened and general merchandise store and is still in business.  In company with Mr. Groth, he operates the largest and best stocked store in the town.

J. E. Lanning was born in Norway, on November 9, 1871.  In 1887, he emigrated to Humboldt County settling in Norway Township on a farm.  Three years later he moved to Thor and went into the hardware business as a partner of O. A. Opheim.  His first wife was Selma Opheim.  By her, he is the father of one Anna Nelson, and to them three children have been born, only one of whom, Edna, is living and resides with her parents.  In religion, Mr. Lanning is a Lutheran and in politics, a Republican.  He has been constable for two years.  he is still in partnership with Mr. Opheim and is doing very successful business.

Christian J. Lund was born in Norway on May 4, 1857.  In 1860, he emigrated to America with his parents, settling in Clinton County, Iowa.  Four years later they moved to Benton County.  In 1879 he came to Humboldt County and located in Norway Township.  Here in 1879 through 1880, he opened a small general merchandise store at the Verbeck post office.  One year later, the railroad being completed, he moved his stock to Thor and continued in business until 1890.  At that date he accepted the position of cashier in the bank at Badger, Iowa, where he remained tow years.  Returning to Thor, he became cashier of the Thor Savings Bank.  He was married January 18, 1882 to Martha Olson Beveland, and to them five children have been born, all living at home:  Georgiana T.; Jens C.; Christiana M.; Peter S.; Osmond.

Mr. Lund is a Republican in politics and a Lutheran in religious belief.  He has held office as a justice of the peace, township clerk and school director.  He owns a farm of 120 acres in Norway Township; beside his office of cashier of the Thor Bank, hi is vice-president of a bank at Hartland, Minnesota, is president of the Thor Lumber & Grain Company, and a partner in a general merchandise business in Thor.

Ezekiel T. Malvick is a native of Norway, born September 12, 1847.  He grew to manhood and obtained an education in his native country, where he engaged in the mercantile business until 1866.  In that year he came to America, his destination being Lansing, Iowa.  he did not remain there long, but went to Winona, Minnesota where he entered the First State Normal School.  He graduated with a teacher's diploma.  He then taught in that state tow years and attended school one year after which he went to Colfax County, Nebraska and studied law in the office of the Hon. Reuben Butler.  He also engaged in the drug business at Austin, in the same state, which he continued one year.  He then went into the dry goods business at Grand Meadows, Minnesota for a short time.  He returned to Winona and attended the High School one winter.  In the year 1875, he went to Minneapolis and was, for a time, professor in the Augsburg Seminary.  He then came to Webster County, and resided there until the spring of 1881 when he came to this county and settled on his present farm which consists of 120 acres.  He was married March 4, 1877 to Carrie Erickson of Norway.  They have two children:  Emma C. and Edwin C.  

Wade H. Brown is a native of New York, born in Millsboro, Essex County, October 11, 1822.  He was there reared, receiving a good common school education.  In 1849, he went to the state of Connecticut, remaining one year, being engaged in railroading the greater portion of the time.  While in Bridgeport, he often saw P. T. Barnum and Tom Thumb, who had just returned from Europe.  In June, 1850, Mr. Brown engaged to work for a man named Smith, a railroad contractor.  After completing the track laying, he was employed by the company as foreman of repairs.  In June, 1852, he went to Kosciusko County, Indiana, where he cleared a farm out of the heavy timber land, and followed farming in that place until 1870.  He then sold out and came to Humboldt County.  He located in Dakota City and farmed for six years.  He moved to Norway Township, where he still resides.  On the 6th of October, 1851, he was united in marriage to Rosanna Leedy of Jefferson Township, Richland County, Ohio.  They have five children:  Sarah L.; Lizzie M.; William O.; Arial C.; John L.

Peder Larson is a native of Norway, born January 11, 1853.  His father being a farmer, he had to do his share of the farm work, but received a good education.  In 1870, he emigrated to America, locating in Clayton County, Iowa.  He worked during the summer and attended school in the winter for three years after which he came to this county.  He engaged in the stock business until 1880, when he located on his farm which contains 200 acres.  On the second of March, 1880, he was united in marriage with Mattie Kluga, born in Norway.  They have two children:  Lars Gunillins; Mardy Adillia; Henry; Gunild; Albert Edwin; Palmer; Guy; Myrtle; Lillian.  They are members of the Lutheran Church.  Peder was secretary of the rural schools until his death in 1917.  At that time, the position was taken over by his son, Lars G. who held this position until his death in 1959.  Traveling to town in the winter for the mail was done mostly by way of ice skates on the dredge ditch.

Ole Korslund was born in Norway on April 5, 1852, and is the son of Hans and Olea (Olson) Korslund.  The family emigrated to the United States in 1868 and settled in Iowa County, Wisconsin, where they lived on a farm until 1872.  They then came to Webster County, from whence Ole came in 1874 to this county.  His father came to the county and settled in 1873, and they worked together until 1879.  In that year, Ole located on a farm on section 10, on which he lived two years.  In the fall of 1881, he settled on his present farm, where he owns 188 acres of improved land.  On October 27, 1881, Annie F. Hausen became his wife.  She is a native of Iowa.  They have one child:  Minnie O.  They are members of the Lutheran Church.

Hendrik Pederson born March 3, 1827, is a native of Norway, where he remained on a farm until 1861 when he came to America.  He located in Clinton County, Iowa and remained there for three years engaging in farming.  Then he moved to Benton County and lived there until 1876 when he came to this county.  The year following he bought his present farm.  He has 220 acres of land well improved.  He was married April 22, 1861 to Caroline Olson.  They have eleven children, six of whom are now living:  Christopher Albert, born May 2, 1870; Magrathe Gjortine, born November 1, 1872; Hans Olie, born May 3, 1875; Alette Marie, born April 26, 1878; and Olena Bredina, born December 9, 1882.  Mr. Pederson is a member of the Lutheran Church.  He is at present sub-director.

Peder J. Lund is a native of Norway, born September 18, 1855.  In 1860, he came with his parents to Clinton County, Iowa where they lived four years.  They moved to Benton County, same state, and remained until 1879 when they came to this county.  Peder came in November and located where he now lives.  He owns 100 acres of land.  He married April 25, 1878 to Torkelanna (Saren) Olson.  Mr. Lund is a member of the Lutheran Church.

Louis Olson was born in Norway in 1838.  He settled in Benton County, Iowa in 1869.  In the fall of 1871, he came to Humboldt County and remained in Norway Township two years, before going to Ft. Dodge, Iowa.  Later he returned to Humboldt County from which place he went east and spent two years.  In 1880 he again settled in Norway Township, where he still resides.  He married Evelyn Warner in 1868 and to this union two children were born:  Oscar of Thor, Iowa and Henrietta, now Mrs. Rogdo of Norway Township.  Mrs. Olson died in 1894.  The subject of this sketch started in life as a farmer.  He had dealt in grain for 37 years, and from 1880 to 1894 operated a general merchandise store.  He is at present secretary of the Thor Co-operative Creamery which was organized in 1891.  In politics, he is a Republican and has held office as school director, as township clerk and as trustee.  he is interested in education and keeps himself informed concerning affairs of the times.  He is a member of the Lutheran Church of which he has been secretary for a number of years.

O. A. Opheim was born in Benton County, Iowa on April 2, 1870.  He came to Humboldt County with his parents who settled on a farm in Norway Township.  In 1896 he moved to Thor and bought a half interest in a hardware store.  He still continues in that business.  He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Lutheran church.  He married June 7, 1899 Gunda Dahlen.  In company with his partner, he does a first class business in the hardware line.  He also owns a residence and two town lots in Thor.

G. K. Groth was born in Clayton County, Iowa on April 29, 1866.  He came to Humboldt County in 1873, settling on a farm in the southeastern part of Norway Township.  In 1890 he moved to Thor and went into the general merchandise business.  On June 24, 1897, he married Clara Olson.  She died July 1, 1898.  In politics, Mr. Groth is a Republican and in religious belief a Lutheran.  He owns 250 acres of land, all under cultivation, and in partnership with Stewart Olson, runs the largest general merchandise store in Thor.

L. Kallem was born in Norway on September 14, 1862.  His parents were R. and Elizabeth Kallem.  He settled in Livingston County, Illinois and came from there to Humboldt County in 1884 settling in Norway Township.  He married Bertha Iverson July 12, 1895, and they have two children:  Roy L. and Ida M.  Mr. Kallem started in life as a farmer.  In 1898 he moved to the town of Thor and opened a harness shop and has carried on a very successful business.  In politics he is a Republican and in religion a Lutheran.  He is interested in education and owns a store building in Thor.

Lars Maage, from Norway, owned and operated 240 acres of land.  One hundred sixty acres is in Norway Township, Humboldt County -- 120 acres in section 33 and 40 acres in section 32.  The rest, (80 acres) is in Newark Township, Webster County.  The first purchase of land was made in 1871.  Lars Maage was married to Martha Mangsager from Hardanger, Norway.  Their children were Lars, Daniel, Ole, Ingelieve, Bertha and Dena.  Their first home was a sod house located in section 33.  Lars was a machine operator and operated steam engines, corn shellers and threshing machines.  He also had a Blacksmith Shop on the farm.  Lars Maage was a charter member of Ullensvang Lutheran Church.

Mikkel Kirkeberg, born in 1836, was the youngest of 11 children of Knud Larsen Kirkeberg and his wife, Marie Andersdatter Hulterstand.  The Kireberg farm is in Valdred over Bagn in Central Norway.  In Norway Mikkel was a farmer and a carpenter.  In 1861, he married to Marie Kvale.  Three of their children, Knut, Andrew and Marie, were born in Norway.  Halover (Oliver), Bertha and John were born in Clayton County.  Many early Norwegian settlers came to Clayton County in northeast Iowa because it reminded them of their beautiful homeland.

In 1872, Mikkel and Marie bought 160 acres of land 3 miles east and 1 1/2 miles south of Thor.  He paid $760 for NW 1/4 25-91-27.  Here seven more children were born:  Anna, Dena, Carl B., Anton (Ed), infant twin brother, Carl John (C. J. Kirk), and Anna.  The children who died young of contagious diseases were burned on the farm.  Later when the older brother, Oliver, was drowned, he was buried at West Ullensvang cemetery; the monument has all their names on it.

Mikkel and Marie lived on this farm for 35 years, selling it January 16, 1907 to Dan Levinson of Eagle Grove for $11,300.  Being a skilled carpenter, Mikkel helped work on the buildings for Luther College at Decorah, Iowa.

Of the 13 children of Mikkel and Marie, only four of them have descendants:  Knut, who married Joren Berven and farmed in the Thor area; Mary, who married J. O. Prehm and lived in Eagle Grove; John, who lived and died in California; and Dena, who married Henry Olson of Bode.

In 1885, Mikkel bought 240 acres 3 1/2 miles east of Thor.  In 1891, he deeded it to his son, Knut.  This land is still owned by Clifford and Dorothy Mickelson, great grandchildren of Mikkel Kirkeberg.

Helge Knutson was born in Nore Prestegjeld, Numedal, Norway in 1826.  He was the only son of Knut and Gunild.  There were four sisters. He married Ingebor Oldsdatter, daughter of Ole and Gro.

They left from Oslo on a sail boat, sailing for 9 1/2 weeks.  They landed in Quebec and sailed by boat on the St. Lawrence River to Lansing, Michigan.  They next came down the Mississippi River to McGregor, finally locating at the home of an aunt of Helge, eighty miles southwest of McGregor.

Ole Halgrim encouraged them to move to Humboldt County.  In May 1872, a caravan of five neighbor fixed up covered wagons and started out.  They finally reached a homestead belonging to Kluge's, (John Opheim's present home). Kluges had a sod hut, and the family camped there for a few days.

Then Helge decided to build a sod hut (1 1/2 miles east, 1/2 miles north of Thor, section 15) on a knoll of dry land with sloughs to the west and east.  later lumber was hauled from Fort Dodge to build a house which consisted of one large room and a loft upstairs.

That year was a difficult one.  There was no cash and no credit.  The family lived mostly on midling bread.  They had a dollar's worth of sugar the entire first year.

Ten children were born to this family.  Only four grew to adulthood.  Several died from diphtheria.  The four who grew up were Knut, who did blacksmithing and also farmed near Thor; Rosa, who married Jens Gangestad and lived on a farm near Goldfield; and Ole and Henry, who lived on the family farm.  Henry lived on this farm until 1946 when he retired and moved to Eagle Grove.  The farm was sold in 1951 to Lawrence McDermott.  Gordon Mersch is the present owner.

Henry and Ingeborge Mickelson Knutson were the parents of Thelma, Iva, Everett and Howard.

Henry (Hans) Thompson was born at Gran Hadeland, Norway in the year 1843.  He was married to Bertha Jeffries.

In 1866, they immigrated to the United States and located at Chicago, Illinois.  After about a year's stay, they moved to Argyle, Wisconsin.  In the spring of 1869, in a covered wagon drawn by two oxen, they crossed the prairies to Fort Dodge, Iowa.  Here he was employed by the Illinois Central Railway Company and helped to build the railroad to Sioux City, Iowa.  Later he homesteaded near Fonda in Pocahontas County, Iowa.  In 1871, he moved to a farm near Thor, Norway Township, section 28, in Humboldt County, Iowa.  Henry and Bertha Thompson had eight children:  Thomas, Lewis, Mattie, Martin, Ed, Minnie, Olaus and Henry B.

The Thompson's lived in a sod house for a few years.  When they built their house, one of the first in the area, the lumber was hauled from Fort Dodge in a lumber wagon pulled by oxen.  The Verbeck Post Office was built on the Henry Thompson farm.

The swampy area made traveling difficult, so cream and other produce were hauled to Thor on stone bolts.

In the fall, Henry would drive the oxen and wagon to Fort Dodge to get his winter supply of coal.  It was a two day trip if the weather was good.  Often he would stay overnight with the friendly Indians.  On one of these visits, they served him stew.  When they offered him more, Henry asked if it was horse.  They told him: "No, bow-wow."  He was hungry for the first first serving, but turned down the second.

While fighting a prairie fire, Henry Thompson, Sr. lost the sight of an eye when a fence wire hit his eye.

Henry B. Thompson told ho Dan Lothe and Helge Lund went out on the ice covered swampy land to kill muskrats with pitchforks.  In one day they killed 101 of them.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry. B. Thompson were the parents of M. Burnette and Arden (Toby) Thompson.

Erick O. Andreason was born in 1828 in Sjosberg Sogn, Fredrikstad, Norway.  His parents were Andreas and Helena Erickdatter.  His wife, Anne Gretta Andreasdatter Lilleng was born in 1855.  Her parents were Andres Hanson and Olliane Marria Pederson.  Grandmother was a small, active, neat and very alert woman.

We do not know where Erick and Anne lived in Norway, nor the date of their marriage, but into their home were born nine children:  Anton, Jens (wife, Rosa Knutson), Helena (Mrs. Ole Halgrim), Edvard Gustav (died as a child), Hans (wife Hannah Peterson), Ole Martin, Herman (wife, Segrid Aga), Clara (Mrs. Olaf Gunderson), and Edward (wife, Lena Williksen).

In 1871, the family decided to leave their native land and venture to America to make a new home.  They settled in Webster County where they resided one year -- moved to Humboldt County and settling in Norway Township, Section 15, near Thor, where they reared their children.

The land near Thor was mostly prairie then, and the boys shot or trapped wild game for meat.  the boys also recalled going with their father to the coal mines south of Fort Dodge to get coal for the following winter.  They traveled with oxen and wagons, and often when they came to a swamp the oxen would run into it to find respite from the flies, pulling the load of coal with them.  Indians lived near by and often they would bargain with them.

In America, the children of Erick and Anne Andreason took the Gangestad from their farm near Fredrikstad, Norway.  The next generation in America changed the spelling from Gangestad to Gandstead.

In 1868, Oddmund J. Sanven and wife, Anna Tokheim, came from Odda area, Hardanger, Norway.  They came by ship to Quebec, Canada.  They sailed down the St. Lawrence River, then to a Norwegian settlement at Norway, Iowa.  To earn money, Oddmund worked in Illinois harvest fields and also for a very new railroad as a section hand.

They and their friends, the Jacob Opheim family traveled together on covered wagons with a cow tied in back, which was an important food supply for them.  They first stopped near badger; then arranged to settle on prairie land owned by Prushia of Fort Dodge.  This land was one mile east and three miles south of the future town of Thor.  Records show that the purchase price for the first 40 acres was $3.00 per acre.

They dug a cellar.  There was a window, a door and a roof -- likely of sod.  There were planks on the floor as water seeped in.  They were charter members of the Ullensvang Lutheran Church in 1872.  The early settlers obtained wood near the Boone river and their coal from the coal mines at Fort Dodge.

Anna T. Sandven was an aunt of Jergen, John, Lewis, Andrew and Sam who came later to the Thor area.  A brother of Anna, Knud Knudsen, a famous photographer, brought pictures in 1893 to the Chicago World's Fair.  Today, there are 100,000 of his pictures at the Bergen University.

The Oddmund Sanven family:  Anna, Ole, Knut (married Jennie Tokheim), Johanna Swasand, Anna, and Nels.  Mr. and Mrs. Knut Sandven were the parents of Agnes, Esther, Malfrid, Frances and Florence.  (Oscar and James deceased in childhood).

In 1867, Andreas Kluge and wife Margit Morterud and six children came from Nummedal and Biri, Norway to Quebec.  From there they arrived at Coon Rapids, Wisconsin.  An aunt gave them two calves and they were on their way to Claremont, Clayton County, Iowa to relative there where they lived in a granary.

They and the Ole Halgrims family went together with their covered wagons to a relative at Cylinder, Iowa; they made arrangements to settle on prairie land 1/2 miles east of the present town of Thor.  For building, they obtained wood near the boon River and worked there to obtain a wagon load of potatoes.

The Kluge family:  Eivend, Gina, Agnes, Karen, Ludvig and Mattie, Peter Larson came to the United States after he was confirmed at Hol, Norway.  He herded cattle east of Thor on the prairie; there he met Mattie also herding cattle for her parents.  Later he suggested marriage and said he could buy the dress.  They were married in 1880.  Their first home was on the Larson farm 2 1/2 miles east of Thor.  Later Peter and Mattie moved about 1/2 mile east of there.  They had a large family of 11, many of whom lived in the Thor area.

By Andreas Klug's first marriage, he had tow children -- one was Clara who married Christian Jevne in Norway.  They came to Chicago and owned and operated Jevne Importing Company.  In 1880 Jevne installed the first electric light to be used in Chicago; crowds jammed the street night after night to witness the illumination in his store.

Gudman Christopher was born near Stavanger, Norway in 1851, the son of Gudman and Martha Tveide.  Later the Tveide name was changed to Christopher.  The father, with four motherless children, came to America -- the land of promise -- and settled in Leland, Illinois, learning to work hard and live in an economical way.  He was confirmed by Rev. F. Gjertson in Illinois.

Mr. Christopher came to Iowa in 1881 and settled on a farm two miles east and one half mile south of Thor.  Gudman was married to Jullia Hanson, daughter of Edward and Ambjor Hanson from Hallingdahl, Norway.  They were the parents of eight children:  Mable, Edward, Arthur, G. Herman, Lyman, Albert, John and Millard.  They were members of the Norway Lutheran Church.

Kittel Groth, oldest son of Halsten and Ragnild Groth, was born in Hol, Hallingdal, Norway, August 14, 1813.  He was the oldest of nine children, eight boys and one girl, all of whom came to America with their parents, Assorson Groth and his wife Ragnild K.  Their son, Kittel Halstenson Groth was married to Ragnild Syversdatter Qvammen on May 23, 1844, and they had ten children:  Sidsel, Torend, Halsten, Rachel, Ole K., Margit, Syver (Lumberman in Thor), Guri, Gustav and Anne (Mrs. Theodore Tenneyson).  Kittel Halstenson Groth moved with his family to Humboldt County, in 1874, where he resided until his death in 1899 at the age of 86.

Mrs. Ragnild K. Groth, mother of Kittel Halstenson Groth, died at the Groth home and has the first and oldest grave marker in Norway Township cemetery northeast of Thor. (Born 1790, died 1878).

Ole K. Groth (wife Inger Pederson) had eight children:  Carl J., Emma, Rudolph, Annie (Mrs. Lars K. Larson), O. Theodore, Ella T., Elmer and Theodore.

The Groth farm was on the border of Wright and Webster Counties (in Norway Township).  James Skiffs lives in the home where Kittel H. Groth came to from Clayton County, Iowa.  Kittel H. Groth purchased the log cabin that had served as Eagle Grove's first post office, near the Boone River.  The center of the present home is the log cabin.  The home has been added to and remodeled several times during the years.

The K. Groths came to America in a slooper which took 11 weeks on the water.  Their food (rusk and dry fish) had to be weighed before they left on their voyage.

They purchased a yoke (pair) of oxen and a wagon for $103, and put bows and canvas to cover the wagon for the long journey.

 Jergen and Anna Tokheim and infant Martha emigrated from Odda, Norway in 1880, settling northwest of Thor in Section 8.  They were the parents of Lewis, Sam, Andrew, John, Hannah, and Julia.

Rier and Karie Osland Johnson came to Humboldt County, Norway Township, Section 25, in a covered wagon in 1871 with a group of Norwegian immigrants from northeast Iowa.  Rier was born in Oslo, Norway.  Since he was not the oldest son and would not get the farm, he came to the U.S. at age 18.  Karie Osland was born in Stavanger and came as an infant with her parents, Lars and Leva Osland, to Ossian, Iowa.  A relative had moved earlier; so Rier and Karie Johnson knew they were settling in Norway Township.  They first built a log cabin, then two small houses and in 1909 built the large home still standing.

They worked together with neighbors to establish the Hauges Lutheran Church located in SW 1/4 of section 25 and the rural school #7, Norway Township.  The church was discontinued in 1934, and members joined neighboring Lutheran churches.

They were the parents of Tillie Christopher Smith, Lars, Carl, John, Leva, Rose, Cora Abraham, Anna Hovland and (both John and Leva deceased).  John married Ruth Nessa of Thor.