The following is a brief outline of "Prairie Faith, Pioneering People: A History of the Lutheran Church in South Dakota",

Donald J. Sneen, Editor, South Dakota District, American Lutheran Church, 1981. Specific identifications were made for Day County

area. The book is available through many libraries.

 

Care was made to assure accuracy but no warranties are offered. The data is presented here for genealogical purposes in hopes of

helping people locate their ancestors. Information transcribed by Karen Kambestad.

 

Individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use may freely copy this file. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives.

 

                                 Brief outline of items included in this book

 

Pastors for Day County:

 

1. Rev. T. A. Gunnarson - organized and served in 14 congregations throughout Day, Marshall, Roberts, and Spink Counties, that

included:

 

     1892.Butler Lutheran Church, Butler, Day County

 

      1889-1892 Ebenzer Church, Butler, Day County

 

     1893.Falnes Church, Lynn Township, Day County

 

Organized: June 6, 1893 Palestine Lutheran, NE of Veblen, Marshall County

 

          August 2, 1893 Bethel Lutheran, SE of Veblen, Marshall County

 

          June 9, 1894 Bethania, Rosholt, Marshall County

 

          July 5, 1894 Norway Lutheran, N of Sisseton, Roberts County

 

          

 

Fall 1894 Bergen Lutheran, Sargent County, ND

 

          March 19, 1895 Trondhjem, SW Rosholt, Marshall County

 

          January 6, 1898 Nidaros, Hammer, Marshall County

 

Rev. Gunnarson also organized the first Ladies Aid at Palestine on March 19,1894, which raised $600 to build that church.

 

Rev. Gunnarson homesteaded in 1893, 6 ½ miles east of Veblen and lived there until his death.

 

 

 

   1.Rev. Lorentz A. Kjelaas - organized and served Day and Roberts Counties from 1885 to 1907 for the following churches:

 

                  1.- 1907 Saron, NE of Roslyn, Day County

 

                  2.- 1907 Skudesnes, E. of Pierpont, Day County

 

                                                  Zoar, Pickerel Lake, Day County

 

                                                  Goodwill, Sisseton, Roberts County

 

                                                  Hope, Sisseton, Roberts County

 

                                                  Bethel, W. of Peever, Roberts County

 

   1.Rev. Knudt N. Rudie - organized and served Day, Marshall and Roberts Counties from 1896-1918 for the following

     churches:

 

                         1896 Nidaros, Veblen, Marshall County

 

                         1906 Ferkingstad, Hammer, Marshall County

 

                         1911 Scandia, New Effington, Marshall County

 

                  1.Goodwill, Sisseton, Roberts County

 

                         1918 Lakeview, NE of Sisseton, Roberts County

 

                         1918 Saron, NW of Sisseton, Roberts County

 

South Dakota Achievements:

 

          June 12, 1917 - 1st state to organize Women Missionary Federation, Vermilion

 

                              Circuit by Mrs. Nils Boe.

 

September 1891 - 1st District convention of the Dakota District of the Iowa

 

                              Synod was held in Webster, Day County

 

Dakota Territory Settlements:

 

Norwegians:

 

        1.July 1859, 1st recorded settlement was located 1 1/1 miles from Meckling, SD by Ole Olson Gjeitli and Halvor

          Swendsen.

        2.1861 – Pastor Abraham Jacobsen of Augustan Synod of the Lutheran Church was the first missionary.

 

          1st Service held in log home of Mikkel Larson Rokne, Meckling, SD.

 

          1st Confirmation service in home of Peter Nelson, Vermilion Priarie, SD.

 

          1st Funeral for Bottolf Larson Lunde, Oct 13 1861, Meckling, SD

 

          1st Marriage, Christen Jordalen and Anna Tveito, 1861, no license but permission of the territorial governor.

 

        3.August 12, 1863 – first church organized 2 miles southwest of Elk Point by Kjell P. Ronne, The Norwegian Evangelical

          Lutheran Congregation on the Brule Creek.

 

               Rev. J. Krohn of Chicago served as pastor and 1st resident pastor was Rev. Emil Christensen, September 1867.

 

Swedish

 

        1.1867 first recorded immigrants arrive

        2.1870, Pastor S.P.A. Lindahl of Woodhull, IL, of the Augustana Synod performs 1st service.

        3.1871, Ahlsborg, Union County and Dalesburg, North of Vermilion, Clay County organized.

        4.1st resident Pastor, Carl S. Beckstrom, Dalesburg.

 

          Danish

 

        1.1874, two settlements organized: Swan Lake (Viborg), Turner County and Denmark (Badger) Kingsbury and Hamlin

          Counties.

        2.March 8, 1875, organized the first church with Rev. Hans Z. Hvid, Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran, Swan Lake.

 

          Finnish

 

        1.1876, 1st settlement was Black Hills, Harding County followed in 1878 with Poinsett and Lake Norden, Hamlin County.

        2.Circuit rider missionaries held devotionals in homes until 1888, when Pastor Nils Pietila organized the Apostolic Lutheran

          Church, Lead, SD.

        3.1st resident pastor, Rev. Henry Tanner, May 1889 for the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Black Hills (known

          today as First Lutheran).