Missouri and Norwegian Lutheran Church Synod in Wisconsin 1845 – 1900s

When Hans Anderson (1844-1924) was about seven years old, he and his family immigrated from Fredriksvern, Norway, to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, as part of the Norway Lutheran Church movement to North America. The family became part of the Missouri Lutheran Church Synod.

In researching the Lutheran Church records and historical information for the 1950s, trying to find some records as to the parents of Hans Anderson, including records of his marriage on June 15, 1867, to Sarah Olson in La Crosse. Wisconsin, I found some interesting resources that may help others on similar searches.

There is an excellent History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod timeline that shows the chronological events and history of the Norwegian Synod (1853) and Evangelical Lutheran Synod (1918) which records much of the Norwegian immigration time periods.

Here are some highlights as pertains to the Anderson Family migration.

1825: Beginning of the Norwegian Migration to America. The sloop Restoration sailed from Stavanger, bringing 52 Norwegian Quakers to America.

1845: The first Norwegian church building was inaugurated March 12 in Muskego [Wisconsin].

1851: Kirkelig Maanedstidende (Church Monthly) was launched two years before the official founding of the Synod.

1853: The Synod for the Norwegian-Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (the Norwegian Synod) was organized at Koshkonong and Luther Valley near Madison Wisconsin. The Synod adopted the ritual of the Church of Norway. Three leaders of the Synod were Herman Amberg Preus, Jakob Aal Ottesen, and Ulrik Vilhelm Koren.

1861: Luther College, founded first near La Crosse, Wisconsin; relocated to Decorah, Iowa, the next year.

1872: The Norwegian Synod participates in the formation of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America along with the Missouri, Wisconsin, and Ohio Synods.
History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod

Here are more links and resources on the history and records of the Norwegian and Missouri Lutheran Church.

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Lorelle VanFossen hosts Family History Blog covering her ancestors and related family members. She is one of the top bloggers in the world, and host of the Lorelle on WordPress, providing WordPress and blogging tips for bloggers of all levels. A popular keynote speaker and trainer, she is also editor, producer, contributor, and official disruptive thinker for Bitwire Media which includes WordCast, Making My Life Network, Stories of Our Journeys, Life on the Road, WordCast Conversations, and the very popular WordCast Podcast.
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