Records of the Founding Congregations, 1844-2021 | Luther College Archives

By Sasha Griffin

Collection Overview

Title: Records of the Founding Congregations, 1844-2021Add to your cart.

ID: LCA/RG13/Series 2

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

Extent: 65.4 Linear Feet. More info below.

Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into 27 series:

1) Big Canoe Lutheran (1857-1989)

2) Calmar Congregation (1851-1920)

3) East Clermont Lutheran Church (1926-1986)

4) Coon Valley Lutheran Church (1853-2003)

5) Decorah Lutheran Church (1863-1997)

6) First Lutheran Church (1863-1996)

7) Glenwood Congregation (1854-1961)

8) Hesper Lutheran (1865-1986)

9) Immanuel Lutheran (1881-1982)

10) Paint Creek (East and West) Lutheran (1851-1987)

11) Little Iowa Congregation (1851-1930)

12) Madison and Lincoln Lutheran (1866-2001)

13) Orleans Lutheran (1868-1987)

14) Ossian Lutheran (2003)

15) Our Savior's Lutheran Church (1955)

16) Peace Lutheran (1873-1986)

17) The Ridgeway Parish (1951-1976)

18) Saint Benedict of Decorah (1992)

19) Saint Joseph's First Lutheran (1860-1886)

20) Saint Paul Lutheran Church (1863-1988)

21) Stavanger Lutheran Church (1870-2003)

22) Trinity Lutheran (1854-1995)

23) Washington Prairie Lutheran (1854-2021)

24) Waterloo Lutheran (1867-1977)

25) Vangen (undated)

26) Founding Congregation Histories (1885-2001)

27) Other Congregational Records (1844-1996)

Subjects: Evangelical Lutheran Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church - History, Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, Norwegian Synod, Women's Missionary Federation (Evangelical Lutheran Church)

Forms of Material: Correspondence, Photographs, Scrapbooks, Sound recordings, Video Recordings, Videotapes

Languages: English, Norwegian

Abstract

This collection contains church histories, records, and audiovisual material from the founding congregations of the Norwegian Synod.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This series contains church histories, records, and audiovisual materials from the founding congregations of the Norwegian Synod.  Congregational histories and records include correspondence, ministerial and communion records, membership information, scrapbooks, meeting minutes, financial records, brochures and pamphlets, photographs, videocassettes (VHS), reel-to-reel audio recordings, vinyl LPs, and 16mm film.  Dates range from 1844 to 2003.  Though most information is in English, some early materials are in Norwegian.

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 rpidly 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

Evangelical Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church - History
Norwegian Lutheran Church of America
Norwegian Synod
Women's Missionary Federation (Evangelical Lutheran Church)


Box and Folder Listing


Browse by Sub-Series:

[Sub-Series 1: Big Canoe Lutheran, 1857-1989],
[Sub-Series 2: Calmar Congregation, 1851-1920],
[Sub-Series 3: East Clermont Lutheran Church, 1926-1986],
[Sub-Series 4: Coon Valley Lutheran Church, 1853-2003],
[Sub-Series 5: Decorah Lutheran Church, 1863-1997],
[Sub-Series 6: First Lutheran Church, 1863-2013],
[Sub-Series 7: Glenwood Congregation, 1854-1961],
[Sub-Series 8: Hesper Lutheran, 1865-1986],
[Sub-Series 9: Immanuel Lutheran, 1881-1982],
[Sub-Series 10: Paint Creek (East and West) Lutheran, 1851-1987],
[Sub-Series 11: Little Iowa Congregation, 1851-1930],
[Sub-Series 12: Madison and Lincoln Lutheran, 1866-2001],
[Sub-Series 13: Orleans Lutheran, 1868-1987],
[Sub-Series 14: Ossian Lutheran, 2003],
[Sub-Series 15: Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1955],
[Sub-Series 16: Peace Lutheran, 1873-1986],
[Sub-Series 17: The Ridgeway Parish, 1951-1976],
[Sub-Series 18: Saint Benedict of Decorah, 1992],
[Sub-Series 19: Saint Joseph's First Lutheran, 1860-1886],
[Sub-Series 20: Saint Paul Lutheran Church, 1863-1988],
[Sub-Series 21: Stavanger Lutheran Church, 1870-2003],
[Sub-Series 22: Trinity Lutheran, 1854-1995],
[Sub-Series 23: Washington Prairie Lutheran, 1854-2021],
[Sub-Series 24: Waterloo Lutheran, 1867-1977],
[Sub-Series 25: Vangen, undated],
[Sub-Series 26: Founding Congregation Histories, 1885-2001],
[Sub-Series 27: Other Congregational Records, 1844-2000],
[All]

Sub-Series 23: Washington Prairie Lutheran, 1854-2021Add to your cart.
Box 1: Church Records, 1854-2001Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Celebrations and Dedications, 1903-2001Add to your cart.
Folder 2: Directories, 1973, 2001Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Annual Reports, 1993-2001Add to your cart.
Folder 4: Deacon's Meetings Minutes, 1981-1984Add to your cart.
Folder 5: Congregation Meetings Minutes, 1931-1960Add to your cart.
Folder 6: Board of Trustees Minutes, 1970-1973Add to your cart.
Folder 7: Board of Trustees Minutes, 1974-1977Add to your cart.
Folder 8: Congregation Meetings Minutes, 1886-1930Add to your cart.
Folder 9: Congregation Meetings Minutes (Translations), 1854-1930Add to your cart.
Box 2: Financial Records, 1883-1968Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Mission Support, 1883-1903Add to your cart.
Folder 4: Repair Contract and Specificaton, 1904Add to your cart.
Item 1: Ledger, 1962-1968Add to your cart.
Item 2: Membership Book, 1912-1927Add to your cart.
Box 3: Ministerial Records, 1890-1966Add to your cart.
Item 1: Ministerial Book, 1890-1966Add to your cart.
Box 4: Ladies Aid, 1882-1970Add to your cart.
Folder 1: History, 1882-1970Add to your cart.
Folder 2: Member's Books, 1947-1952Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Minutes, 1967-1970Add to your cart.
Folder 4: Minutes, 1960-1966Add to your cart.
Folder 5: Minutes, 1957-1959Add to your cart.
Folder 6: Minutes, 1951-1956Add to your cart.
Folder 7: Minutes, 1949-1950Add to your cart.
Folder 8: Minutes, 1944-1948Add to your cart.
Folder 9: Minutes, 1926-1943Add to your cart.
Box 5: Ladies Aid Financial Record Books, 1883-1961Add to your cart.
Item 1: Ladies Aid Financial Record Books, 1951-1961Add to your cart.
Item 2: Ladies Aid Financial Record Books, 1947-1950Add to your cart.
Item 3: Ladies Aid Financial Record Books, 1943-1946Add to your cart.
Item 4: Ladies Aid Financial Record Books, 1930-1942Add to your cart.
Item 5: Ladies Aid Financial Record Books, 1912-1929Add to your cart.
Item 6: Ladies Aid Financial Record Books, 1901-1911Add to your cart.
Item 7: Ladies Aid Financial Record Books, 1883-1900Add to your cart.
Box 6: Lutheran Brotherhood, 1942-1967Add to your cart.
Item 1: Minutes, 1942Add to your cart.
Item 2: Minutes, 1942-1967Add to your cart.
Box 7: Luther League, 1941-1961Add to your cart.
Item 1: Minutes, 1941-1942Add to your cart.
Item 2: Minutes, 1944-1951Add to your cart.
Item 3: Minutes, 1952-1961Add to your cart.
Box 8: Lutheran Daughters of the Revolution, 1942-1960Add to your cart.
Item 1: Minutes, 1958-1960Add to your cart.
Item 2: Minutes, 1951-1957Add to your cart.
Item 3: Minutes, 1944-1950Add to your cart.
Item 4: Financial Records, 1946-1953Add to your cart.
Item 5: History, 1942-1959Add to your cart.
Box 9: Publications, 1923-1986Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Service Program, 21 July 1968Add to your cart.
Folder 2: Bulletins, 1980Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Bulletins, 1980Add to your cart.
Folder 4: Bulletins, 1979Add to your cart.
Folder 5: Bulletins, 1979Add to your cart.
Folder 6: Bulletins, 1978Add to your cart.
Folder 7: Bulletins, 1978Add to your cart.
Folder 8: Bulletins, 1977Add to your cart.
Folder 9: Bulletins, 1976Add to your cart.
Folder 10: Bulletins, 1975Add to your cart.
Folder 11: Bulletins, 1974Add to your cart.
Folder 12: Bulletins, 1973Add to your cart.
Folder 13: Bulletins, 1972Add to your cart.
Folder 14: Bulletins, 1971Add to your cart.
Folder 15: Brochure, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 16: Newsletter, 1979Add to your cart.
Folder 17: Newsletter, 1978Add to your cart.
Folder 18: Directory, 1986Add to your cart.
Folder 19: Commemorations, 1923-1951Add to your cart.
Folder 20: "The Passion", undatedAdd to your cart.
Box 10: Oral Histories, 1988-1990Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Inventory Information for Oral Histories, 1988-1990Add to your cart.
Item 1: Charlotte Hegg Orbeck, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 2: Art and Elsie Branhagen, Helen Figge, Ted and Olga Wangsness, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 3: Nordic Fest, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 4: Elmer and Hazel Wangsness, Bob Jacobson, John and Norma Hegg, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 5: E.J Weigle, Evelyn Sersland, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 6: Lillian Bruvold, Louise Halverson, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 7: Lefsa Making Day, Visit from Iowa Culture Group, Guttebos, Irene Sersland, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 8: Arla Lyon, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 9: Esther Hegg, Margareth Hamre, Leonard and Signe Ruen, George Linnevold, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 10: Marie Torgrim, Eric and Almira Egge, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 11: Marie Torgrim, Eric and Almira Egge, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 12: Vesterheim/Historical Society Program, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 13: Art and Elsie, Helen Figge, Ted and Olga Wangsness, VHS, 1989Add to your cart.
Item 14: John and Elizabeth Estrem, VHS, 1990Add to your cart.
Box 11: Oral Histories, 1988-1990Add to your cart.
Item 1: Helmer and Cora Orvella, VHS, 1988Add to your cart.
Item 2: Conrad Engebretson, VHS, 1990Add to your cart.
Item 3: Andrew and Agnes Spilde (Part 2), VHS, 1990Add to your cart.
Item 4: Charlotte Jacobson, Rudy and Velma Remmen, VHS, 1990Add to your cart.
Item 5: Antoinette Bakke Webb, Edith Gipp, Andrew and Agnes Spilde (Part 1), VHS, 1990Add to your cart.
Item 6: Florence Lynch, VHS, 1990Add to your cart.
Item 7: Vernon and Delores Rovang, Marian Gjevre, VHS, 1990Add to your cart.
Item 8: Herschell Lennon, Anna Olson, Palma Zidlicky, Art and Florence Ruen, VHS, 1990Add to your cart.
Box 12: Non-Textual and Realia, Photographs, 1892-1950Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Lutheran Herald, 17 January 1950Add to your cart.
Folder 2: Confirmation Class, 1925Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Women's Music Group Picture, 1904Add to your cart.
Folder 4: Ole and Sigrid Viste Family, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 5: Picture Taken in Front of Washington Praire, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 6: Christmas Card from Reverend Oscar E. Eagebretson and Family, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 7: First Viste School House, 1905-1906Add to your cart.
Folder 8: Elizabeth Koren, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 9: Washington Prairie Band, 6 July 1892Add to your cart.
Folder 10: The Koren Family on the Porch, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 11: Confirmation Class, Summer 1991Add to your cart.
Box 13: Photographs, 1912-1980Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Confirmation Classes, 1980Add to your cart.
Folder 2: Confirmation Classes, 1970-1979Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Confirmation Classes, 1960-1968Add to your cart.
Folder 4: Confirmation Classes, 1950-1959Add to your cart.
Folder 5: Confirmation Classes, 1941-1949Add to your cart.
Folder 6: Confirmation Classes, 1930-1939Add to your cart.
Folder 7: Confirmation Classes, 1920-1928Add to your cart.
Folder 8: Confirmation Classes, 1904-1919Add to your cart.
Folder 9: Confirmation Classes, Before 1900Add to your cart.
Folder 10: Confirmation Classes, 1912Add to your cart.
Box 14: Photographic Negatives, 1894-1981Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Negatives of Confirmation Classes and Church Building, 1894-1981Add to your cart.
Box 15: Printing Blocks, 1949Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Rev. Paul Koren, Washington Prairie Frontispiece, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 2: Floor Plan for Parish Hall Addition, Rev. and Mrs. V. Koren in the Parsonage's Living Room, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 3: Washington Prairie with Parish Hall Addition, Frontispiece of Washington Prairie after Parish Hall Additon, undatedAdd to your cart.
Item 1: History of Washington Prairie, 1949Add to your cart.
Box 16: U.V Koren's Collar, undatedAdd to your cart.
Box 17: Small Leather Purse, undatedAdd to your cart.
Box 18: U.V Koren's Collar, undatedAdd to your cart.
Box 19: Anniversary Bulletins, 1903, 2003Add to your cart.
Box 20: Altar Cloths and Carpet Sample, undatedAdd to your cart.
Box 21: Velvet Border Cloth, undatedAdd to your cart.
Box 22: Financial Records, 1972-1985Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Cancelled Check File, 1984Add to your cart.
Folder 2: Cancelled Check File, 1985Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Cancelled Check File, 1982Add to your cart.
Folder 4: Cancelled Check File, 1983Add to your cart.
Folder 5: Cancelled Check File, 1979Add to your cart.
Folder 6: Cancelled Check File, 1976Add to your cart.
Folder 7: Cancelled Check File, 1981Add to your cart.
Folder 8: Cancelled Check File, 1977Add to your cart.
Folder 9: Cancelled Check File, 1980Add to your cart.
Folder 10: Cancelled Check File, 1975Add to your cart.
Folder 11: Cancelled Check File, 1974Add to your cart.
Folder 12: Cancelled Check File, 1978Add to your cart.
Folder 13: Bank Statements, 1973Add to your cart.
Folder 14: Bank Statements, 1966Add to your cart.
Folder 15: Bank Statements, 1967Add to your cart.
Folder 16: Bank Statements, 1968Add to your cart.
Folder 17: Bank Statements, 1972Add to your cart.
Box 23: Washington Prairie Records, 1948-2021Add to your cart.
Acquisition Information: Accession 2022-052
Folder 1: Accession Inventories, 2021-2022Add to your cart.
Folder 2: WELCA Secretary Reports, 1987-2021Add to your cart.
Folder 3: ALCW Secretary's Minutes (American Lutheran Church Women), 1971-1977Add to your cart.
Folder 4: ALCW Secretary Reports (American Lutheran Church Women), 1978-1985Add to your cart.
Folder 5: ALCW Secretary Reports (American Lutheran Church Women), 1986-1996Add to your cart.
Folder 6: WELCA Secretrary Reports, 1997-2007Add to your cart.
Folder 7: WELCA Secretary Reports, 2007-2008Add to your cart.
Folder 8: WELCA Secretary Papers, 1986-1990Add to your cart.
Folder 9: ALCW Treasurer's Report (American Lutheran Church Women), 1972-1993Add to your cart.
Folder 10: ALCW Secretary Report (American Lutheran Church Women), 1970-1987Add to your cart.
Folder 11: WELCA Financial Record, 1991-1995Add to your cart.
Folder 12: WELCA Treasurer's Report, 2019-2020Add to your cart.
Folder 13: WELCA Financial Records and Treasurer's Report, 2000-2009Add to your cart.
Folder 14: Treasurer's Report, 2010-2018Add to your cart.
Folder 15: Artwork for 1987 Cookbook, 1987Add to your cart.
Folder 16: ALCW/WELCA Booklets, 1972-1989Add to your cart.
Folder 17: WELCA Booklets, 1992-2005Add to your cart.
Folder 18: WELCA Booklets, 2006-2016Add to your cart.
Folder 19: WELCA Booklets, 2018-2021Add to your cart.
Folder 20: Secretary and Treasurer Documents WELCA, 1980-2018Add to your cart.
Folder 21: WELCA Treasurer's Report, 2021Add to your cart.
Folder 22: WELCA Treasurer's Report, 2022Add to your cart.
Folder 23: Misc., 2009Add to your cart.
Folder 24: Annual Financial Reports, 1948-1958Add to your cart.
Folder 25: Annual Financial Report, 1959-1969Add to your cart.
Folder 26: WELCA Monthly Treasurer's Report, 2023Add to your cart.
Acquisition Information: Accession 2024-028
Box 24: Washington Prairie Project, 1865-2009Add to your cart.
Acquisition Information: Accession 2022-052
Folder 1: Washington Prairie Project: Intensive Historical Site Survey of the Washington Prairie Settlement, 1990Add to your cart.
Folder 2: Washington Prairie Project: Site List, Survey Info, and Maps, 1990Add to your cart.
Folder 3: Washington Prairie Project: Research on Washington Prairie Methodist and Jacobson Farm, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 4: Washington Prairie Project: Nordness Info and Maps, Early Settlers, Research, Site Inventories, 1990Add to your cart.
Folder 5: Translations by Rosella Goettelman (Washington Prairie History Book), 1998Add to your cart.
Folder 6: Karlyn Cross Washington Prairie Research Photocopies (Washington Prairie History Book), undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 7: Karlyn Cross Washington Prairie Research Photocopies (Washington Prairie History Book), undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 8: Photocopies of Story of Washington Prairie Book, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 9: Assorted Programs and News Clippings (Washington Prarie, East Koshkonog, Stavanger), 1952-1993Add to your cart.
Folder 10: Washington Prairie Historical Information from Mildred Jacobson (Photographs, Programs, News Clippings), undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 11: Copies of Photos of U.V. Koren, undatedAdd to your cart.
Folder 12: Floppy Disks - Koren Family Photos, 1865-1903Add to your cart.
Folder 13: Photos, 1918-2009Add to your cart.
Box 25: American Lutheran Church Woman File (ALCW), 1961-1987Add to your cart.
Includes officer lister, commitee information, and contact information
Acquisition Information: Accession 2022-052
Box 26: Women of the ELCA (WELCA) File, 1988-2001Add to your cart.
Index cards with information of officers, chairmen, committee's, and librarians.
Acquisition Information: Accession 2022-052

Browse by Sub-Series:

[Sub-Series 1: Big Canoe Lutheran, 1857-1989],
[Sub-Series 2: Calmar Congregation, 1851-1920],
[Sub-Series 3: East Clermont Lutheran Church, 1926-1986],
[Sub-Series 4: Coon Valley Lutheran Church, 1853-2003],
[Sub-Series 5: Decorah Lutheran Church, 1863-1997],
[Sub-Series 6: First Lutheran Church, 1863-2013],
[Sub-Series 7: Glenwood Congregation, 1854-1961],
[Sub-Series 8: Hesper Lutheran, 1865-1986],
[Sub-Series 9: Immanuel Lutheran, 1881-1982],
[Sub-Series 10: Paint Creek (East and West) Lutheran, 1851-1987],
[Sub-Series 11: Little Iowa Congregation, 1851-1930],
[Sub-Series 12: Madison and Lincoln Lutheran, 1866-2001],
[Sub-Series 13: Orleans Lutheran, 1868-1987],
[Sub-Series 14: Ossian Lutheran, 2003],
[Sub-Series 15: Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1955],
[Sub-Series 16: Peace Lutheran, 1873-1986],
[Sub-Series 17: The Ridgeway Parish, 1951-1976],
[Sub-Series 18: Saint Benedict of Decorah, 1992],
[Sub-Series 19: Saint Joseph's First Lutheran, 1860-1886],
[Sub-Series 20: Saint Paul Lutheran Church, 1863-1988],
[Sub-Series 21: Stavanger Lutheran Church, 1870-2003],
[Sub-Series 22: Trinity Lutheran, 1854-1995],
[Sub-Series 23: Washington Prairie Lutheran, 1854-2021],
[Sub-Series 24: Waterloo Lutheran, 1867-1977],
[Sub-Series 25: Vangen, undated],
[Sub-Series 26: Founding Congregation Histories, 1885-2001],
[Sub-Series 27: Other Congregational Records, 1844-2000],
[All]