Early Life in Norway
On March 12, 1863, Lauritz Hansen Dal, who would later be known as Lewis Hanson Dahl, was born in the rural community of Nannestad, Akershus, Norway. The son of Hans Olesen Dal & Maria Olsdatter Dal, young Lauritz was baptized on May 17, 1863, a date that would later become Norway’s Constitution Day. This church record of Births and Baptisms includes his name on line 51.
His early years were spent on the family farm, nestled in the verdant countryside about 20 minutes north of where Oslo’s main airport now stands. Find it on Mapcarta or Google Maps.
The Journey to America
In April 1867, when Lauritz was just four years old, the Olesen family embarked on a life-changing journey. Leaving behind their ancestral home, Hans and Maria, along with their children Olava, Thea, Johan, Marthea, Lauritz, and Inge Maria, set sail for the promise of a new life in America. The local church records in Nannestad bear witness to their departure – Lauritz is listed on line 21.
The ship Argonaut departed Christiania on Apr. 9the. She arrived to Quebec with 303 passengers on May 22nd. She was mastered by Capt. Plade Stranger.
Their voyage began aboard the bark Argonaut, departing from Kristiania (now Oslo) on April 8, 1867. As the Norwegian coastline faded from view, young Lauritz experienced his first taste of adventure. A family anecdote recounts how, while on deck with his parents, a gust of wind swept his cap into the ocean. His parents, resourceful as pioneers must be, fashioned a makeshift head covering from a handkerchief – much to Lauritz’s chagrin. After a six-week journey across the Atlantic, the Argonaut docked in Quebec, Canada, on May 23, 1867. This document shows one page of the ship passenger list, with the Hans Olesen Dahl family listed (lines 249-255).
Youth in southern Minnesota
From Quebec, the Dahl family made their way to Fillmore County, Minnesota, settling near the village of Leroy. The family is listed in the 1870 US Census, living near Newburg in Fillmore County (lines 22-29). Like most new-comer pioneer settlers, they eeked out a living, providing for their family. The 1875 US Census reveals the family had moved to adjacent Mower County in Bennington Township, just west of Spring Valley (lines 28-34). The 1880 US Census shows the family continuing to live in Bennington Township in Mower County. (NOTE It is in this census that the family name is first shown as “Dahl” rather than the patronymic “Oleson”, which was used in previous documents, with the exception of the ship list in Quebec.)
Growing up on the family farm, young Lewis (as Lauritz was now known) divided his time between helping his father improve the land and attending school during the winter months. During these formative years, the Dahl family continued to grow. Lewis welcomed three more siblings: Herman (sometimes listed as Henry or Hendrich), Martin Eii, and Albert, though sadly, Albert passed away in infancy.
| Moves made by the Dahl family after emigrating to Minnesota |  |
Adulthood and New Beginnings
In 1882, at the age of 19, Lewis embarked on a new chapter of his life. Along with his family, he moved to Norman County, Minnesota. There, he took a tree claim in Section 30 of Rockwell Township, demonstrating the pioneering spirit that had brought his family to America.
Lewis’s hard work and determination culminated in 1896 when he homesteaded his own property in Rockwell Township. This achievement was a testament to his perseverance and the realization of the American dream his parents had sought when they left Norway nearly three decades earlier
Finding Love in a New Land
As Lewis established himself as a farmer, the good Lord had another adventure in store for him. In 1892, he met Anna Grensbråten, a recent arrival from Krødsherad, Norway, who had begun working at his parents’ farm. Their courtship was swift, and on November 21, 1892, they were married by Reverend John T. Krogstad at the home of Anna’s sister.
This union marked the beginning of a new chapter in Lewis’s life, blending his Norwegian heritage with his American identity. Together, Lewis and Anna would build a life and legacy on the Minnesota prairie, far from the fjords of their ancestral home but rich with the promise of the American frontier.
Lewis’s story continues with Anna on THIS PAGE.
