"The Other Swedes"
~ Celebrating Them ~
~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Mr. Thomas N. Holmquist
1994 "Pioneer Cross: Swedish Settlements Along the Smoky Hill Bluffs"
~ The Epiloque
Pages 100 - 108
~ Celebrating Them ~
~ The Smoky Valley Writers ~
Mr. Thomas N. Holmquist
1994 "Pioneer Cross: Swedish Settlements Along the Smoky Hill Bluffs"
~ The Epiloque
Pages 100 - 108
Gust, Charles, Magnus and August Holmkvist
1994 "Pioneer Cross," Page 100
"The year 1870 dawned with bright hopes and expectations for the future of the new settlers in the Smoky Valley. Their letters to family and friends back home in Sweden were filled with enthusiasm, encouraging the readers to join them in their grand adventure on the prairie.
"During the following months and years, many others did come to the valley. The Holmqvist brothers sent word and money to their family in Småland. Eventually four brothers, their sister, and finally their widowed mother joined them in Kansas. Pastor Dahlsten's four brothers also came to Kansas and settled in the Freemount community. Dahlsten's wife, Wilhemina, encouraged her family to migrate from Illinois to Kansas. Most of them did come, including her aging parents.
"The reunions between family members who had not seen each other for years were times of great excitement and anticipation. Vera Schultz remembered hearing stories decades later about how her family had prepared and anticipated the arrival of their younger brother, Pete Pehrson, Vera's grandfather. It was such a memorable event that it became one of the most often told stories in the family.
"The immigration to the Smoky Valley after the first year no longer came from Galesburg, Illinois. Swedes came to Kansas from many different places, such as Chicago, Minnesota, and more often like, like Pete Pehrson, directly from Sweden. No longer was there much separation between Swedes of the Galesburg Company and those of Lindsborg's Chicago Company [Used by Rev. Olof Olsson's Sweden's Värmland Swedes]. From the very first, the communities became intermixed, and newcomers arrived looking for land and a home among their countrymen, not just the Chicago Swedes or the Galesburg Swedes.
"The Fred Norberg family arrived in the Salemsborg community from Chicago in 1872. They had lost everything in the great Chicago Fire of that year and so left to rebuild their lives in the Swedish settlements of central Kansas. They found a good piece of land in Section 21, Township 16 South, Range 3 West, built a farm and found a lifelong home.
"There was soon a general mixing of Swedes from many provinces in Sweden. A vast majority of the original Galesburg settlers were from Småland Province. Many of the original Chicago Company Swedes were from Värmland. Before long, most provinces in Sweden were represented in the Smoky Valley and a great security developed by being Swedish among countrymen.
"The Swedes, however, were not the only ethnic group represented in the Smoky Valley. Along the fringes of the Swedish settlements were many German, Scotch, Irish and many others of differing ethnic backgrounds. Even in the heart of the Swedish settlements, non-Swedes were found living and working harmoniously together. On the western edge of the Falun settlement, a small group of former slaves took homestead land and were generally well accepted in the Swedish communities. Some of these black homesteaders even learned to speak the Swedish language. The Americanization of all the people in the Smoky Valley slowly began until they more closely resembled Americans than people of their native country.
"Some traditions changed very slowly. Most Swedes soon learned to speak a combination of Swedish and English, and eventually English became the dominant language. A few of the settlers refused to accept the new language and spoke Swedish exclusively until they died. It was nearly fifty years before English services were allowed in the church, and then only once a month. By the time the third generation had reached school age, they were completely Americanized, and many could no longer speak or understand the Swedish of their parents and grandparents.
"Many stories still survive from the early pioneering period and have been handed down from generation to generation, mostly through the oral tradition. Stories of sorrow and catastrophe, as well as joy and happiness, can often be heard. There are numerous and often amusing stories of contact with Native Americans who happened by the Swedish homesteads. The cultural shock of these encounters must have been noteworthy for both groups. They certainly were vividly remembered.
"The homes of the Swedes in the Smoky Valley were also along several branches of the Chisholm Trail. Several stories survive about seeing the cattle herds pass, as well as run-ins with cowboys. In most cases the pioneer women were much more afraid of the cowboys than they ever were of the Indians.
"Nature itself was also the cause of many hardships for the pioneers. Blizzards, prairie fires, floods, droughts, tornadoes, and grasshoppers all plagued the Smoky Valley at one time or another. These occurrences too, have been remembered in very vivid stories--many tragic--but some which are also humorous.
"The Smoky Valley did not become the final destination for all who came here from Illinois or Sweden. Beyond the horizon were new adventures and better land to settle. Those who came late, or whose land was of poor quality, often moved on to new places. Many of the children of the pioneers moved to new areas. The first expansion of the Swedish settlements was to the Andover community near the Little Arkansas River on the McPherson and Rice County Line. The towns of Vilas in Wilson County, Garfield in Pawnee County, and Sharon Springs in Wallace County were also a few of the places where Swedes settled in the following years. These settlements were partially offshoots of the Smoky Valley settlements and partially original settlements from Illinois and Sweden. Other Swedes also left and settled in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado.
"A significant number of individuals migrated to California and Washington. They were usually second or third generation after settlement. These Swedes generally moved to the areas of Whittier and Downey, California, and Seattle, Washington.
"The Swedish Lutheran Church was also a significant factor in the development of other ethnic Swedish communities in Kansas. Pastor Dahlsten did not just minister to his people in the Freemount and Salemsborg communities. Over the next twenty years he founded Lutheran congregations in New Andover, Assaria, Salina, Lawrence, and Smolan, Kansas and Golden Colorado. He was also the founder of the Kansas Conference of the Augustana Synod of the Lutheran Church and served as its first President.
"Olof Olsson founded the Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg and later became President of the Augustana Seminary. He also brought the idea of the formation of the Bethany Oratorio Society and the yearly presentation of George Frederick Handel's Messiah to Lindsborg. Olsson's successor at Bethany Church, Dr. Carl A. Swensson founded Bethany College and the Bethany Oratorio Society in Lindsborg.
"The hyperevangelical movement also followed the Swedes to the Smoky Valley. This movement eventually resulted in the formation of the Covenant Church and soon congregations started near Salemsborg, Rose Hill near Lindsborg, in Marquette and many other places.
"Education and culture also flourished among the Swedes in the Smoky Valley. Bethany College in Lindsborg became the center of music and art, but the fine arts were not exclusive to the town of Lindsborg. Many pioneers and their children from Salemsborg and Freemount supported and participated in the cultural activities in the valley. For example, the second performance of Handel's Messiah was sung by the newly formed Bethany Oratorial Society on March 29, 1882, in the sanctuary of the Salemsborg Lutheran Church.
"Many of the children of the Salemsborg and Freemount congregations became significant contributors in their chosen fields. Numerous young men became Lutheran pastors and missionaries. Included in the list would be Eugene Nelson, Carl Lund-Quist, Theodore Bjorkman, Emmet Ecklund, J. A. Frost, Donald Hawk, Robert Segerhammer, Vernon Swenson, Luther Dahlsten, Alexis Andreen, Phillip Andreen, Gustaf Andreen, and others.
"Several persons from the Smoky Valley and descendants from the Galesburg Company pioneers have made significant contributions on the state and national scene. Vern Lundquist is a nationally known sports broadcaster. Alex Johnson served as Ambassador to Japan and Under Secretary of State. Elwell Mattson Shanahan served as Kansas Secretary of State. John Carlin, great-grandson of Salemsborg's founder C. J. Brodine, served as Governor of Kansas from 1978 to 1986.
"Though a few have gained notoriety and fame for their achievements, those who have remained nameless have also made great contributions. The farmers, teachers, housewives, businessmen, laborers, and shopkeepers who built the farms and businesses, schools and churches -- the communities that make up the Smoky Valley -- they are the true achievers of the dreams their pioneer fathers and mothers brought with them to this once empty Prairie. . . ."
"In 1941, one of the sons of these hardy pioneers, Carl G. Linholm, had over the course of several years, written a series of articles about the history of the Swedish pioneers in southern Saline County. These articles contain a wealth of information about the area. The idea began to develop in his mind that a monument should be built honoring these pioneers who bore the "cross of privation and hardship" in their efforts to build a home on the prairie. When he completed his project, an article appeared in the Salina Journal explaining his reason for the project. "Mr. Linholm wrote:
'Readers of the Journal who have read my former articles on this subject are acquainted with my endeavor to rouse an interest in these hills in the way of beautifying them as a monument to those who, by their hardship and denials, laid the foundation for these well-organized communities.
'Lack of success in my efforts did not dampen my ambitions and the question arose, "Is there anything I myself could do?" In my travels I have noticed figures or letters on hills and mountain sides which always recalled our own Smoky Hills, and could we not create some marker near the top of the summit that would be visible over most of the county? In a reflective mood I was inspired again and again by the vision of a cross as the most appropriate figure, since the pioneers had many crosses to bear.
'It was not so much the hard work and privations as the constant fear of dangers on these wild prairies, of the many serpents that were everywhere. The rattlers and copperheads were dangerous for the children who were always barefoot. It was our mother's constant fear, and her every morning prayer, that a higher hand would hover over and protect her children during the day. There was a spirit of thanksgiving at night. Then the Indians, who also cause fear for mother along with us children. The Texas cowboys were not less dangerous as they were much under the influence of liquor. My conclusion was that fear was the heaviest cross, especially of the mothers, and to the memory of our own, as well as to all pioneering mothers I dedicate the white cross at the summit of the Smoky Hills. Mother's love in the dugout, or soddy, was just as deep and strong for every one of her little ones, as mother's love in the mansion. It was for this love and love of the creator as taught by the story of the cross that they derived courage and strength to bear the many crosses of pioneer days.'
'A Mr. Oberg, owner of the summit, resides in Assaria. He was delighted in giving permission to build the cross. It was created by laying stones flat on the steep hillside. The dimension of the main stem is ten feet by forty feet high. These stones were covered with white cement and along the base of the cross is written [anonymously]:
"In loving remembrance of pilgrims on the prairies, in the 400th anniversary of Coronado, 1941."
'On a large rock is this [anonymous] quotation: "Since the universe began, until it shall be ended, the soul of man, the soul of nature, and the soul of God have blended. We hold that the love of nature is spiritual, and it behooves us all to study nature and learn all possible about our hills and rocks, our trees, flowers, and lakes, and with greater love our lives may be enriched until our days shall be ended."
'In pioneer day we all wondered if these hills did not hold some valuable minerals.....Out of the Smoky Hills, as they are today, can be developed greater values by far than any mineral, be it silver or gold. The former can only be shared by a few, while all, even the poorest, may have a share of treasures by developing a greater love and appreciation of the beauty and wonders of creation. Mr. Oberg holds the abstract, but the hills belong to all those who love them, and in the measure we appreciate the beauty, we hope that many who vision the white cross....and with a wider horizon in moments of silence, drink in the vigor, the peacefulness and calm, that comes to one on higher ground. I am sure that many of you mothers, as you view the cross, perhaps from your kitchen window, will be prompted to lift your voices in some of the many hymns inspired by the significance of the cross, and thus be lifted to higher ground....
'It would be desirable if the cross could be built more endurable in order to keep the grass and weeds out of it, but to the extent of my ability, I shall endeavor to keep it white and clean, and if perchance it has been the means of pointing some soul to a fuller, higher and richer life, I shall be even happier and richer for building the cross on the summit of the Smoky Hills."
"It has been fifty-two [now 81]* years since Carl Linholm built the white cross, and one-hundred and twenty-five [now 153]* years have passed since the Galesburg Land Company search committee visited the Smoky Valley for the first time, and found their ultimate treasure, a home for themselves and their people. The pioneers are all gone now, and most of their descendants have scattered to all parts of the country, but to most of them, the Smoky Valley will always be home. They come back now and then to visit, to attend church, greet old friends, to place a flower in the cemetery. The pioneers are not forgotten, the hardships and privations which were there cross to bear are remembered in a story, a thought, a glance at the old picture albums.
"And always, a lift of the head will bring the Smoky Bluffs into view -- the same now as one hundred and twenty-five [now 153]* years ago. Their lofty presence, rising through the haze above the valley floor, gives us a sense of peace. The monument, white and glorious, immediately greets our eye and we know that we are home -- under the shadow of the pioneer cross.
* Calculated from year 2022
"During the following months and years, many others did come to the valley. The Holmqvist brothers sent word and money to their family in Småland. Eventually four brothers, their sister, and finally their widowed mother joined them in Kansas. Pastor Dahlsten's four brothers also came to Kansas and settled in the Freemount community. Dahlsten's wife, Wilhemina, encouraged her family to migrate from Illinois to Kansas. Most of them did come, including her aging parents.
"The reunions between family members who had not seen each other for years were times of great excitement and anticipation. Vera Schultz remembered hearing stories decades later about how her family had prepared and anticipated the arrival of their younger brother, Pete Pehrson, Vera's grandfather. It was such a memorable event that it became one of the most often told stories in the family.
"The immigration to the Smoky Valley after the first year no longer came from Galesburg, Illinois. Swedes came to Kansas from many different places, such as Chicago, Minnesota, and more often like, like Pete Pehrson, directly from Sweden. No longer was there much separation between Swedes of the Galesburg Company and those of Lindsborg's Chicago Company [Used by Rev. Olof Olsson's Sweden's Värmland Swedes]. From the very first, the communities became intermixed, and newcomers arrived looking for land and a home among their countrymen, not just the Chicago Swedes or the Galesburg Swedes.
"The Fred Norberg family arrived in the Salemsborg community from Chicago in 1872. They had lost everything in the great Chicago Fire of that year and so left to rebuild their lives in the Swedish settlements of central Kansas. They found a good piece of land in Section 21, Township 16 South, Range 3 West, built a farm and found a lifelong home.
"There was soon a general mixing of Swedes from many provinces in Sweden. A vast majority of the original Galesburg settlers were from Småland Province. Many of the original Chicago Company Swedes were from Värmland. Before long, most provinces in Sweden were represented in the Smoky Valley and a great security developed by being Swedish among countrymen.
"The Swedes, however, were not the only ethnic group represented in the Smoky Valley. Along the fringes of the Swedish settlements were many German, Scotch, Irish and many others of differing ethnic backgrounds. Even in the heart of the Swedish settlements, non-Swedes were found living and working harmoniously together. On the western edge of the Falun settlement, a small group of former slaves took homestead land and were generally well accepted in the Swedish communities. Some of these black homesteaders even learned to speak the Swedish language. The Americanization of all the people in the Smoky Valley slowly began until they more closely resembled Americans than people of their native country.
"Some traditions changed very slowly. Most Swedes soon learned to speak a combination of Swedish and English, and eventually English became the dominant language. A few of the settlers refused to accept the new language and spoke Swedish exclusively until they died. It was nearly fifty years before English services were allowed in the church, and then only once a month. By the time the third generation had reached school age, they were completely Americanized, and many could no longer speak or understand the Swedish of their parents and grandparents.
"Many stories still survive from the early pioneering period and have been handed down from generation to generation, mostly through the oral tradition. Stories of sorrow and catastrophe, as well as joy and happiness, can often be heard. There are numerous and often amusing stories of contact with Native Americans who happened by the Swedish homesteads. The cultural shock of these encounters must have been noteworthy for both groups. They certainly were vividly remembered.
"The homes of the Swedes in the Smoky Valley were also along several branches of the Chisholm Trail. Several stories survive about seeing the cattle herds pass, as well as run-ins with cowboys. In most cases the pioneer women were much more afraid of the cowboys than they ever were of the Indians.
"Nature itself was also the cause of many hardships for the pioneers. Blizzards, prairie fires, floods, droughts, tornadoes, and grasshoppers all plagued the Smoky Valley at one time or another. These occurrences too, have been remembered in very vivid stories--many tragic--but some which are also humorous.
"The Smoky Valley did not become the final destination for all who came here from Illinois or Sweden. Beyond the horizon were new adventures and better land to settle. Those who came late, or whose land was of poor quality, often moved on to new places. Many of the children of the pioneers moved to new areas. The first expansion of the Swedish settlements was to the Andover community near the Little Arkansas River on the McPherson and Rice County Line. The towns of Vilas in Wilson County, Garfield in Pawnee County, and Sharon Springs in Wallace County were also a few of the places where Swedes settled in the following years. These settlements were partially offshoots of the Smoky Valley settlements and partially original settlements from Illinois and Sweden. Other Swedes also left and settled in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado.
"A significant number of individuals migrated to California and Washington. They were usually second or third generation after settlement. These Swedes generally moved to the areas of Whittier and Downey, California, and Seattle, Washington.
"The Swedish Lutheran Church was also a significant factor in the development of other ethnic Swedish communities in Kansas. Pastor Dahlsten did not just minister to his people in the Freemount and Salemsborg communities. Over the next twenty years he founded Lutheran congregations in New Andover, Assaria, Salina, Lawrence, and Smolan, Kansas and Golden Colorado. He was also the founder of the Kansas Conference of the Augustana Synod of the Lutheran Church and served as its first President.
"Olof Olsson founded the Bethany Lutheran Church in Lindsborg and later became President of the Augustana Seminary. He also brought the idea of the formation of the Bethany Oratorio Society and the yearly presentation of George Frederick Handel's Messiah to Lindsborg. Olsson's successor at Bethany Church, Dr. Carl A. Swensson founded Bethany College and the Bethany Oratorio Society in Lindsborg.
"The hyperevangelical movement also followed the Swedes to the Smoky Valley. This movement eventually resulted in the formation of the Covenant Church and soon congregations started near Salemsborg, Rose Hill near Lindsborg, in Marquette and many other places.
"Education and culture also flourished among the Swedes in the Smoky Valley. Bethany College in Lindsborg became the center of music and art, but the fine arts were not exclusive to the town of Lindsborg. Many pioneers and their children from Salemsborg and Freemount supported and participated in the cultural activities in the valley. For example, the second performance of Handel's Messiah was sung by the newly formed Bethany Oratorial Society on March 29, 1882, in the sanctuary of the Salemsborg Lutheran Church.
"Many of the children of the Salemsborg and Freemount congregations became significant contributors in their chosen fields. Numerous young men became Lutheran pastors and missionaries. Included in the list would be Eugene Nelson, Carl Lund-Quist, Theodore Bjorkman, Emmet Ecklund, J. A. Frost, Donald Hawk, Robert Segerhammer, Vernon Swenson, Luther Dahlsten, Alexis Andreen, Phillip Andreen, Gustaf Andreen, and others.
"Several persons from the Smoky Valley and descendants from the Galesburg Company pioneers have made significant contributions on the state and national scene. Vern Lundquist is a nationally known sports broadcaster. Alex Johnson served as Ambassador to Japan and Under Secretary of State. Elwell Mattson Shanahan served as Kansas Secretary of State. John Carlin, great-grandson of Salemsborg's founder C. J. Brodine, served as Governor of Kansas from 1978 to 1986.
"Though a few have gained notoriety and fame for their achievements, those who have remained nameless have also made great contributions. The farmers, teachers, housewives, businessmen, laborers, and shopkeepers who built the farms and businesses, schools and churches -- the communities that make up the Smoky Valley -- they are the true achievers of the dreams their pioneer fathers and mothers brought with them to this once empty Prairie. . . ."
"In 1941, one of the sons of these hardy pioneers, Carl G. Linholm, had over the course of several years, written a series of articles about the history of the Swedish pioneers in southern Saline County. These articles contain a wealth of information about the area. The idea began to develop in his mind that a monument should be built honoring these pioneers who bore the "cross of privation and hardship" in their efforts to build a home on the prairie. When he completed his project, an article appeared in the Salina Journal explaining his reason for the project. "Mr. Linholm wrote:
'Readers of the Journal who have read my former articles on this subject are acquainted with my endeavor to rouse an interest in these hills in the way of beautifying them as a monument to those who, by their hardship and denials, laid the foundation for these well-organized communities.
'Lack of success in my efforts did not dampen my ambitions and the question arose, "Is there anything I myself could do?" In my travels I have noticed figures or letters on hills and mountain sides which always recalled our own Smoky Hills, and could we not create some marker near the top of the summit that would be visible over most of the county? In a reflective mood I was inspired again and again by the vision of a cross as the most appropriate figure, since the pioneers had many crosses to bear.
'It was not so much the hard work and privations as the constant fear of dangers on these wild prairies, of the many serpents that were everywhere. The rattlers and copperheads were dangerous for the children who were always barefoot. It was our mother's constant fear, and her every morning prayer, that a higher hand would hover over and protect her children during the day. There was a spirit of thanksgiving at night. Then the Indians, who also cause fear for mother along with us children. The Texas cowboys were not less dangerous as they were much under the influence of liquor. My conclusion was that fear was the heaviest cross, especially of the mothers, and to the memory of our own, as well as to all pioneering mothers I dedicate the white cross at the summit of the Smoky Hills. Mother's love in the dugout, or soddy, was just as deep and strong for every one of her little ones, as mother's love in the mansion. It was for this love and love of the creator as taught by the story of the cross that they derived courage and strength to bear the many crosses of pioneer days.'
'A Mr. Oberg, owner of the summit, resides in Assaria. He was delighted in giving permission to build the cross. It was created by laying stones flat on the steep hillside. The dimension of the main stem is ten feet by forty feet high. These stones were covered with white cement and along the base of the cross is written [anonymously]:
"In loving remembrance of pilgrims on the prairies, in the 400th anniversary of Coronado, 1941."
'On a large rock is this [anonymous] quotation: "Since the universe began, until it shall be ended, the soul of man, the soul of nature, and the soul of God have blended. We hold that the love of nature is spiritual, and it behooves us all to study nature and learn all possible about our hills and rocks, our trees, flowers, and lakes, and with greater love our lives may be enriched until our days shall be ended."
'In pioneer day we all wondered if these hills did not hold some valuable minerals.....Out of the Smoky Hills, as they are today, can be developed greater values by far than any mineral, be it silver or gold. The former can only be shared by a few, while all, even the poorest, may have a share of treasures by developing a greater love and appreciation of the beauty and wonders of creation. Mr. Oberg holds the abstract, but the hills belong to all those who love them, and in the measure we appreciate the beauty, we hope that many who vision the white cross....and with a wider horizon in moments of silence, drink in the vigor, the peacefulness and calm, that comes to one on higher ground. I am sure that many of you mothers, as you view the cross, perhaps from your kitchen window, will be prompted to lift your voices in some of the many hymns inspired by the significance of the cross, and thus be lifted to higher ground....
'It would be desirable if the cross could be built more endurable in order to keep the grass and weeds out of it, but to the extent of my ability, I shall endeavor to keep it white and clean, and if perchance it has been the means of pointing some soul to a fuller, higher and richer life, I shall be even happier and richer for building the cross on the summit of the Smoky Hills."
"It has been fifty-two [now 81]* years since Carl Linholm built the white cross, and one-hundred and twenty-five [now 153]* years have passed since the Galesburg Land Company search committee visited the Smoky Valley for the first time, and found their ultimate treasure, a home for themselves and their people. The pioneers are all gone now, and most of their descendants have scattered to all parts of the country, but to most of them, the Smoky Valley will always be home. They come back now and then to visit, to attend church, greet old friends, to place a flower in the cemetery. The pioneers are not forgotten, the hardships and privations which were there cross to bear are remembered in a story, a thought, a glance at the old picture albums.
"And always, a lift of the head will bring the Smoky Bluffs into view -- the same now as one hundred and twenty-five [now 153]* years ago. Their lofty presence, rising through the haze above the valley floor, gives us a sense of peace. The monument, white and glorious, immediately greets our eye and we know that we are home -- under the shadow of the pioneer cross.
* Calculated from year 2022
* * *
Rev. Dr. A. W. Dahlsten
- A Member of the Galesburg Colonization Company Search Committee to first see the Smoky Valley land -
- A Significant Smoky Valley Salemsborg and Freemount Leader -
With the Galesburg Swedes, he founded 11 Lutheran Churches and 3 Mission Covenant Churches
Rev. Dr. A. W. Dahlsten
- A Member of the Galesburg Colonization Company Search Committee to first see the Smoky Valley land -
- A Significant Smoky Valley Salemsborg and Freemount Leader -
With the Galesburg Swedes, he founded 11 Lutheran Churches and 3 Mission Covenant Churches
1994 "Pioneer Cross," Page X
* * *
Rev. C. J. Brodine
- A Significant Smoky Valley Salemsborg and Freemount Leader -
"The Pioneer Missionary of Smoky Valley"
(On his grave marker)
1919/1965 "Pioneer Swedish-American Culture in Central Kansas"
In 2019, Mr. Holmquist finished his third book titled
Salemsborg, A History of the Salemsborg Evangelical Church, Volume I: 1869-1939.
It is a complete history of the Smoky Valley communities of Salemsborg and Smolan and missionary leader Rev. C. J. Brodine, who was the first pastor of both the Freemount and Salemsborg congregations, members of the
Swedish Augustana Lutheran Synod.
* * *
From small sod and stone churches to Smoky Valley Swedish Augustana Lutheran Cathedrals
- Salemsborg Lutheran Church -
1869
From small sod and stone churches to Smoky Valley Swedish Augustana Lutheran Cathedrals
- Salemsborg Lutheran Church -
1869
1994 "Pioneer Cross" Page 92
Salemsborg Lutheran Church
1909 photograph. This church was struck by lightning and destroyed by fire in 1925.
Source: Pioneer Swedish-American Culture in Central Kansas by Alfred Bergin in Swedish 1909 / by Ruth Billdt in English 1965
-------
Freemount Lutheran Church
1870
Source: Pioneer Swedish-American Culture in Central Kansas by Alfred Bergin in Swedish 1909 / by Ruth Billdt in English 1965
Freemount Lutheran Church
1909 photograph. This church was struck by lightning and destroyed by fire in 1926.
Source: Pioneer Swedish-American Culture in Central Kansas by Alfred Bergin in Swedish 1909 / by Ruth Billdt in English 1965
-------------------------------------
1994 Published, 128 Pages
Cover photo by Linda K. Hubalek
---------------
Read it
> HERE<
1994 Published, 128 Pages
Cover photo by Linda K. Hubalek
---------------
Read it
> HERE<
--------------
These shared selections of Pioneer Cross have been shown to author Mr. Thomas N. Holmquist for approval as of 9-12-22.
--------------
These shared selections of Pioneer Cross have been shown to author Mr. Thomas N. Holmquist for approval as of 9-12-22.
--------------
* * *
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