Who Came Before Us

Ballard Settlers to the Area

According to research done by desendants of the Ballards….March 9, 1848 brothers Dan and Morman Ballard settled near this site becoming the first white settlers of what was to become Story County. Their nephew, Elias Ballard, Adam Ballard’s son was born near this location on November 15, 1848. Becoming the first white child born in Story County. Simeon Ballard, father of Dan, Morman and Adam, passed away in 1850. He was the first white person buried in Story County at Ballard's Grove Cemetery, Section 24, Inactive.
 

Palestine Settlers - First Group 111

The following information comes from the BRIEF HISTORY First Norwegian Settlement Story and Polk Counties in Iowa.

The group chose May 17th, (Norway’s day of liberty) 1855 as their day of departure from Lisbon, Ill. to head to their new lands in Iowa.

The Names of the emigrants are as follows: Rev. Olie Anfinson and wife Ingerie, and daughter Carine . . . Osmond and Anna Sheldhal and children Caroline, Erick, Halvor, Henry and Randy . . . Erick and Margaret Sheldahl and children Betsy, Randy, Erick and Martha . . . Olie and Carrie Fatland and children John, Elie, Britt, and Henry . . . Knute and Carrie Ersland and children Hactor, Madts, Anna, Anfin, Martha, Elias, Carrie, Engeborg and Amos.

Knute and Carrie Boug . . . Ivor and Malinde Tweet and daughter Martha . . . Barney and Sarah Hill, and daughter Betsy . . . Peter Christian and Serina Heggem . . . Lars and Martha Tesdahl . . . Wier and Martha Weeks and children Anfin, Halvor, Torres, Wier, Engeborg, Martha, and Hans.

Severt and Allis Gravdahl and children, Julia and Andrew. . . Askel and Golla Larson and children, Lars, Thomas and Charls . . . Orga and Ragna Hauge and children, Severt, Sarah, Lars, and Anna.

Torbjorn and Madela Houge and children Sarah and Guste . . . Olie and Valbor Hauge and son John . . . John and Bertha Severson and children Mary, John and Severt . . . Salemon and Sarrah Heggen and children Andrew, Nels and Olie.

Olie and Anna Heggen . . . Engebrit and Sarah Heggen and daughter Susana . . . Torger and Gertrud Olson and children, Cecelia, Olie, George and Martha . . . Mrs. Julia Shaw and children, Betsy, Thomas, and Erick . . . Mrs. Torres Olson and children, Hellen and Rasmus . . . Mrs. Ragna Larson and step-daughter, Anna Wee. . . . Five young men: Lars Thompson, Olie Apland, Olie Tesdahl, Erick Johnson, Eiven Olson.

Palestine Settlers 2nd Group

According to the BRIEF HISTORY First Norwegian Settlement Story and Polk Counties in Iowa.

The 2nd group were ready to start on May 17th with the 111 but didn’t go at that time because they waited for Simen Johnson to be born.

1855 Settlers who came from Lisbon IL with their FamilySearch LDS Ancestor ID

01 Rev Ole Anfinson & Enger + 2 – GQLW-SCC

02 Knut & Kari Bauge – GHFK-4VQ

03 Knud & Kari Ersland + 9 –   K2QP-W76

04 Ole & Carrie Fatland + 4 – 26L4-NN1

05 Severt & Alice Gravdahl + 2 – 1900 US census & Palestine cem Sjur T.  GM9V-1K3

06 Orjan & Ragna Hauge + 3 – No LDS

07 Ole & Anna Heggen – LVKH-6BL

08 Salamon & Sarah Heggen + 3 – MR3N-WM5

09 Peder Christian & Anna Serina Heggem – L2LX-9BJ

10 Barney & Sarah Hill + 1 – KC7V-L65

11 Oley & Valborg Houge + 1 – L4QP-JG8

12 Thomas & Magdela Houge + 2 – LY3M-17K

13 Oscar & Golla Larson + 2 – GSBL-KR8

14 Brit & Sarah Olson +1 – LVKH-6G9

15 Torger & Gjertru Olson + 3 – L6VF-5NZ

16 Mrs. Torres Olson + 2 – No LDS reference

17 John & Betsy Severson + 3 – LHJQ-S8R

18 Julia Shaw + 3 – Thomas LYZD-D4K,

19 Erick & Margaret Sheldahl + 4 – KCY4-C4Z

20 Osmond & Anna Sheldahl + 5 – K86K-4L5

21 Lars & Martha Tesdahl – 26LH-28Y

22 Ivor & Malinde Tweet +1 – No LDS

23 Wier & Martha Weeks + 7 – K2FX-HSH

Single men

24 Ole Apland – 21JV-KYC

25 Erick Johnson – No LDS

26 Even (Edwin) Olson – LKYM-R7B

27 Ole Tesdahl – KJH9-XGP

28 Lars Thompson – 9HW8-SP6

Other local sir names in Alphabetical order.

Dobbe, Andrew Lars

Kalsem, Faltin

Sydness, Nels R.  Thanks so much to Penny Sydnes Thiessen who took the time to help us straiten all these guys out!

Sydnes, Niels Sjursson