Opdalslaget

Opdalslaget

Opdalslag: Beginning and Growth

by Evy Kuecker

The homeland of Norway was unable to support the steadily growing population. Census numbers from 1800, and after, in Oppdal climbed so dramatically that it became necessary for many to say good-bye to friends and relatives to seek a new life in America. Many of them never returned. In 1865 there were 4500 inhabitants in Oppdal. Fifty years later the numbers were 3760. This decline was caused by the massive emigration.

The Opdalings settled in two places in USA: Snohomish County in WA, and on the prairies in the territories between Sioux City, Iowa; Sioux Falls, Yankton, Volin, Irene, and Sinai, South Dakota. My (Evelith Kuecker) grandparents (Knut and Marit Vognild Engelsjord) and my Dad (Erik) came to Sinai, SD in 1885 from Oppdal, Norway.

Opdalsag was founded on the West Coast and its first Yearbooks were published there. It was founded at a picnic in Woodland Park in Seattle, WA on 1 August 1920. The person responsible for this was Eric H. Loe (1856-1929). A Trondelag had been in existence. The Oppdal people decided that they should have their own lag. Eric H. Loe called on the Oppdalings in the East and Midwest, to join his efforts. The Eastern Division of the Opdalslag was founded at Centerville, SD on 27 July 1925. With this center, the Opdalslag activities shifted from the West to the Midwest; however, the Western Branch still existed.

Eric H. Loe edited the first three Yearbooks of the Opdalslag. The Yearbooks carried reports on the annual meetings, membership list, and histories or autobiographies of people who immigrated and of the ones who stayed behind in Norway. The meetings and publications were all in Norwegian. Thirteen Yearbooks were published between 1921 and 1941. Five of these books have been translated into English and three more Yearbooks are currently being translated by Judith Johnson. The 1931 Yearbook, hopefully, will be published and available this fall at our Opdalslag Festival in Centerville, SD in September. All of these Yearbooks are located in the Library in Oppdal, Norway. There is enormous meaningful information contained in the thirteen Yearbooks published, by the Lag, between the years 1922-1941. In these Yearbooks there are about 1000 pages containing interesting stories of the lives and experiences of the Opdalings who left Oppdal, and about those who died far away from their homeland.

Obituaries have a special place in the Yearbooks. They also have fascinating histories or stories of the Opdaling's new lives as well as nostalgic remembrances of the homeland they had left. The Yearbooks in English are for the years: 1921-22, 1925, 1926, 1929 and 1930. The 1927, 1928, and 1931 Yearbooks are the ones being translated now. The 1931 Yearbook, hopefully, will be published and available this fall at our Opdalslag Festival in Centerville, SD in September. That means we will try to get the other five translated into English sometime. With most of our people only able to read English, this makes the Yearbooks not as readily accessible for use. They contain much genealogy and history. These Yearbooks are available for purchase from Western Studies at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD. These books will be available for purchase in September at the Opdalslag Festival.

Membership in Opdalslag started with 68 members in 1921-22, then had risen to 248 in 1927 and 401 in 1931. It began to decline in 1933 when it was only 306, and in 1941, they had 239 members.

The area that many of our forefathers settled when they emigrated from Oppdal in the 1800's was in Yankton, South Dakota and surrounding areas. Sixty-one years after the original Opdalslag ceased to meet many Norwegian descendants showed enough interest in 2002 to re-organize the Opdalslag. The reason they ceased to meet, as I understand, was due to the War and all the problems connected with the War.

The Committee planning the Nordland Fest in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, requested that an Opdalslag be held in connection with their annual observance at Augustana College. (The original eastern branch of the Opdalslag had ceased to function due to the War.) Accordingly, plans were made-without funds or data base- to hold such an event. People who were known to have Oppdal connections were contacted by letter and by word of mouth. The event was held at the Elmen Center at Augustana on June 19, 1999. There were 51 people, descendants of Oppdal immigrants, who registered by Oppdal family names. They came from Minneapolis, Jackson and Lucerne, Minnesota; Kearney, Nebraska; Orange City, Inwood and Wahpeton, Iowa; and Rapid City, Yankton, Irene, Volin, Wessington Springs, Tea, Baltic and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Visiting and comparing family roots was exciting. A luncheon was served and there was a short program. Pictures were taken of those who had visited Oppdal and of the largest family group present. Most of the people in attendance became members when the Lag was reorganized in 2002. Eleven are now deceased. It is interesting to note that seven who attended the event have been and are currently serving on the Opdalslag planning committee. The featured entertainer at the Nordland Fest was Kyle Evans Fagerhaug, a descendant of Oppdal immigrants, who had been the official South Dakota Centennial Troubadour. The names of the people who attended the Opdalslaget in 1999 were: Arthur and Edla Aune, Stella Bergin, Norbert and Pat Bruegmann, Paul and Deodata Cowley, Kenneth and Gladys Fagerhaug, Kyle Fagerhaug, Stanley Gjervik, Ruth Gustad, Hazel Haugland, Helmer Haugland, Helen Hay, Dr. Arthur Husaboe, Melvin and LeVila Johnson, Merle and Lillian Johnson, Pam Johnson, Virgil and Judith Johnson, Jim and Janet Keck, Lloyd and Mary Kepp, Evelith Kuecker, Gunnar and Thelma Lindaas, Maynard Loe, Eunice Mansfeld, Boyd and Janet McPeek, Glennys Meerdink, Russ and Norma Nyhaug, Alvin Olson, Paul and Joyce Olson, Ashley Pederson, Virgil and Darlene Pederson, Randy and Dorothy Peterson, Earl Reese, Irving and Vivian Stolen, Jennifer West, Charles and Naomi Wilson

The First official re-organized Opdalslag took place August 31 and September 1, 2002 in Yankton and Tondhjem Lutheran Church near Volin, SD. The Second Lag was held September 13 and 14, 2203 in Mission Hill and Vangen Lutheran Church in SD. The Third Lag was held September 11 and 12, 2004 in Irene Community Hall in Irene, SD. The Fourth Lag was held at Scandia Lutheran Church in Centerville, SD on September 11 and 12, 2005. The Fifth Lag will be held again at Scandia Lutheran Church in Centerville, SD on September 9 and 10, 2006.

The membership of the Opdalslag has been more than one hundred. This year (2006) we have 140 members. We are fortunate to have three members living in Oppdal, Norway who belong to our Lag.

Our Lag is a member of the Fellesraad and anyone can look up on the Internet and see the news. (www.fellesraad.com)

If anyone who reads this article or looks at the Fellesraad website, has relatives that came from Oppdal, Norway, and has not been in connect with me, I would be happy and thankful if you would contact me in the near future. My e-mail address is: (evykuecker@frontiernet.net). If anyone does not have a computer and would like information, they may contact me at 308-237-5651.

September 9 and 10, 2006 will be the fifth annual meeting of the Opdalslag and will be at Scandia Lutheran Church in Centerville, SD. Please refer to the Fellesraad website for further information.

This article was written by Evelith (Evy) Engelsgaard Kuecker

Opdalslag Newsletter Editor and Genealogist

5 May 2006