Records of the Norwegian Synod, 1853-1917 | Luther College Archives

By Adam Frei

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Collection Overview

Title: Records of the Norwegian Synod, 1853-1917

ID: LCA/RG13/Series 1

Primary Creator: Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod (U.S.)

Extent: 28.11 Linear Feet. More info below.

Arrangement:

This series is arranged into 14 sub-series:

1) Governance Records (1850-1917)

2) Financial Records (1859-1902)

3) Correspondence (1849-1896)

4) Proceedings and Papers of Synod Meetings (1863-1917)

5) Conference Records (1864-1917)

6) District Meeting Records (1874-1890)

7) Institutional Records (1866-1912)

8) Special Events (1903-1998)

9) Publications (1877-1943)

10) Pastor's Papers (1863-1918)

11) Congregational Records (1849-1947)

12) Missions (1880-1881)

13) Photographs (1878-1910)

14) Lutheran Women's Caucus (1981-1983)

Subjects: Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, Norwegian Synod

Languages: Norwegian, English

Abstract

A series of materials relating to the Norwegian Lutheran Synod.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This series contains the Records of the Norwegian Lutheran Synod and its founding congregations, which later became a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Materials include correspondence, meeting records, reports, church histories, and scrapbooks dating 1849-1998.

Collection Historical Note

The Norwegian Lutheran Synod was organized October 3-7, 1853. This synod organized 18,000 Norwegian immigrants who had immigrated to southeastern Wisconsin since 1825. Pastor A. C. Preus was elected as the first synod president. The synod was founded with the purpose of encouraging the growth of sound, orthodox Lutheranism in America.

The Norwegian Synod grew rapidly after the American Civil War, when Norwegian immigration increasd. In 1903, the synod had 280 pastors serving 900 congregations with 140,000 members. The synod established Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, in 1861. In 1876, it opened a seminary in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 1917, 338 of the 351 synod pastors withdrew to merge with two other Norwegian synods and form the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America. The thirteen remaining pastors reorganized as the Norwegian Synod of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church. Pastor B. Harstad served as the first president.

In 1958, the synod changed its name to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, as a result of many congregations losing their Norwegian character. The Evangelical Lutheran Synod has been involved in missionary work around the United States and around the world.

Subject/Index Terms

Norwegian Lutheran Church of America
Norwegian Synod

Administrative Information

Repository: Luther College Archives

Alternate Extent Statement: 46 boxes and 10 books

Access Restrictions: All materials are available for research.

Use Restrictions: Though we may hold the property rights, Luther College Archives does not hold the copyrights for all materials. Individuals may use materials for non-commercial, private use, but commercial users must secure permissions from the copyright holders and/or Luther College Archives to reproduce, publish, or quote protected materials and photographs. For more information about the Luther College Library and Information Services copyright and fair use policy, please visit http://lis.luther.edu/about/policies/copyright.

Technical Access Note: Some materials in this collection require the use of a microfilm reader.

Preferred Citation:

Cite unpublished materials: Records of the Norwegian Synod, RG13 Norwegian Synod and Founding Congregations, Luther College Archives, Decorah, Iowa

Cite published materials as required by your chosen citation style (Chicago, MLA, APA, etc.).

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Sub-Series:

[Sub-Series 1: Governance, 1850-1917],
[Sub-Series 2: Financial Records, 1859-1902],
[Sub-Series 3: Correspondence, 1849-1896],
[Sub-Series 4: Proceedings and Papers of Synod Meetings, 1863-1917],
[Sub-Series 5: Conference Records, 1863-1868],
[Sub-Series 6: District Meeting Records, 1874-1890],
[Sub-Series 7: Institutional Records, 1866-1912],
[Sub-Series 8: Special Events, 1903-1998],
[Sub-Series 9: Publications, 1877-1953],
[Sub-Series 10: Pastors' Papers, 1863-1918],
[Sub-Series 11: Congregation Records, 1850-1982],
[Sub-Series 12: Missions, 1880-1881],
[Sub-Series 13: Photographs, 1867-1910],
[Sub-Series 14: Lutheran Women's Caucus, The Well Woman, 1981-1983],
[All]

Sub-Series 11: Congregation Records, 1850-1982

Box 1: Affiliated Congregations, 1850-1889

Folder 1: Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Madison, WI, Congregational Records, 1862-1880
Folder 2: Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Moe Setlement, Portage, WI, Ministerial Book, 1856-1866
Folder 3: Norway Grove Congregation Minutes, 1884-1888
Folder 4: Our Savior's Church, Minutes, Correspondence, 1866-1868
Folder 5: Paint Creek and Lansing Church Library Records, 1874-1889
Item 1: Paint Creek and Lansing Church Membership List, 1874-1877
Item 2: Valders Church, WI Records, 1850-1859

Box 2: Affiliated Congregations, 1861-1888

Folder 1: Congregational Records, 1861-1875
Folder 2: East Paint Creek, I. Johnson vs. Rev. Hartmann Trail, undated
Folder 3: East Paint Creek, Papers, Rev. Hartmann, 1885
Folder 4: East Paint Creek, I. Johnson vs. Rev. Hartmann Trail, 1886
Folder 5: East Paint Creek, I. Johnson vs. Rev. Hartmann Trail, 1887-1888

Box 3: Congregational Records, 1852-1895

Folder 1: First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Chicago, Governance Records, 1866
Folder 2: First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Chicago, Correspondence, 1869, 1873
Folder 3: First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Chicago, Correspondence, Minutes, and Reports, undated
Folder 4: Kvinherred Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, IA, Constitution, 11 March 1865
Folder 5: Little Sioux Valley Congregation, History, 1895
Folder 6: Long Prairie Congregation, Notes, J. H. Simonsen, 1870
Folder 7: Long Prairie Congregation, Newspaper Clippings Concerning J. H. Simonsen, 1871
Folder 8: Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Alpena, MI, Constitution, 1875
Item 1: Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fjeld settlment, WI, 1852-1854

Box 4: East Trinity Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1893-1917

Folder 1: Reports and Pastors, 1895-1916
Folder 2: Sunday School Reports, 1902-1903
Item 1: Records, 1893-1917

Box 5: Spring Prairie Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1849-1947

Folder 1: Congregational Records, 1850-1894
Folder 2: Bonnet Prairie and Norway Grove Correspondence, 1853-1876
Folder 3: Bonnet Prairie and Norway Grove Papers, 1858-1886
Folder 4: Bonnet Prairie and Norway Grove Papers, 1875-1888
Folder 5: Library Records, 1849-1858
Folder 6: Bonnet Prairie and Norway Grove Papers, 1877-1893
Folder 7: Bonnet Prairie and Norway Grove Papers, 1868-1893
Folder 8: Spring Prairie, Bonnet Prairie, and Norway Grove Financial Records and Receipts, 1851-1869
Folder 9: Spring Prairie, Bonnet Prairie, and Norway Grove Financial Records and Receipts, 1853-1875
Item 1: One, Hundredth Anniversary Book, 1947

Box 6: Spring Prairie Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1852-1855

Folder 1: Library Books from Collection, undated
Item 1: Membership List, 1852-1855
Item 2: Library List of Books, undated

Box 7: Decorah Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation Microfilm, 1863-1909

Item 1: Ministerial Records, Congregational Minutes, Choir Minutes, and Springwater Norwegian Lutheran Congregation Minutes, 1863-1909

Box 8: Decorah Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation Microfilm, 1863-1909

Item 1: Ministerial Records, Congregational Minutes, Choir Minutes, and Springwater Norwegian Lutheran Congregation Minutes, 1863-1909

Box 9: Highland Prairie Church, 1854-2004

Item 1: Church History, 1854-2004

Box 10: Halfway Creek Lutheran, 1850, 1980-1982

Item 1: Letter to Gladys Cairncross, 22 March 1982
Item 2: Skogens, Chapter 2 Taken from: From There to Here, 1980
Item 3: Norwegian Passport, Politiemesteren, 26 June 1850

Item 1: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Financial Accounts, 1867-1875

Item 2: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Financial Accounts, 1875-1877

Item 3: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Financial Accounts, 1875-1921

Item 4: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Chief Accounts Book, 1867-1875

Item 5: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Treasurer's Book, 1887-1918

Item 6: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Treasurer's Book, 1913-1943

Item 7: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Minutes, 1887-1904

Item 8: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Minutes, 1904-1924

Item 9: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Minutes, 1867-1895

Item 10: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Minutes, 1895-1940

Item 11: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Journal Financial, 1890-1915

Item 12: Our Savior's Lutheran Church Records of Ministerial Acts, 1869-1926