Across the Deep Blue Sea: The Saga of Early Norwegian Immigrants

by Odd Sverre Lovoll

Across the Deep Blue Sea investigates a chapter in Norwegian immigration history that has never been fully told before. Odd S. Lovoll relates how Quebec, Montreal, and other port cities in Canada became the gateway for Norwegian emigrants to North America, replacing New York as the main destination from 1850 until the late 1860s. During those years, 94 percent of Norwegian emigrants landed in Canada.

After the introduction of free trade, Norwegian sailing ships engaged in the lucrative timber trade between Canada and the British Isles. Ships carried timber one way across the Atlantic and emigrants on the way west. For the vast majority landing in Canadian port cities, Canada became a corridor to their final destinations in the Upper Midwest, primarily Wisconsin and Minnesota. Lovoll explains the establishment and failure of Norwegian colonies in Quebec Province and pays due attention to the tragic fate of the Gaspé settlement.

A personal story of the emigrant experience passed down as family lore is retold here, supported by extensive research. The journey south and settlement in the Upper Midwest completes a highly human narrative of the travails, endurance, failures, and successes of people who sought a better life in a new land.

Genres: Nonfiction

211 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2015

About the author

Odd Sverre Lovoll is an actor in the story of emigration and immigration he has studied so deeply. A native of Sunnmøre, Norway, he brought his family permanently to the United States in 1967.

After taking examinations at both the Universities of Bergen and Oslo, in 1969 Odd Lovoll received the M.A. degree from the University of North Dakota, where he also taught from 1967 to 1970. In 1970 he began teaching at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and in 1973 he completed the Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota with a specialization in immigration history. His doctoral dissertation was later published by the Norwegian-American Historical Association as A Folk Epic: The Bygdelag in America

During his thirty years of service at St. Olaf College, Odd Lovoll served the institution in several capacities. A member of both the Norwegian and history departments, he was for a number of years chairperson of the Norwegian department. Throughout these busy years, he was tireless in his work on behalf of the Norwegian-American Historical Association. Appointed as editor of the organization in 1980, Lovoll assisted in the creation of a new relationship between the association and St. Olaf College when the editorship was linked to a professorship in the college's history department by the terms establishing the endowment of the King Olav V Chair in Scandinavian-American Studies. In 1992 Odd Lovoll became the first occupant of the King Olav V Chair and held this appointment until his retirement in December of 2000.


In his capacity as editor of the Norwegian-American Historical Association, Lovoll edited and supervised the production of thirty-three books. Lovoll's activity as an author and editor has not, however, been confined to the work of the association. His many books and articles, listed in the bibliography included in the pressed volume, are further evidence of interest and competence in a broad array of fields.

Odd Lovoll's work as a scholar has attained wide notice. He was decorated with the Knight's Cross First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit in 1986 by King Olav V and in 1989 he was inducted into membership in the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. Among the many honors that have come to him in the United States are awards from the state historical societies of both Illinois and Wisconsin.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Across the Deep Blue Sea, The Saga of Early Norwegian Immigrants by Odd S. Lovoll tells the story of Norwegian immigration to North America. The book’s story begins with the first European colonies in North America and ends in the early 1900s just prior to the First World War. The story is broken into four main chapters: Context and Setting, Timber and Emigrants, The Canadian Epoch, and finally, The American Campaign for Settlers. There are also an introduction, epilogue, acknowledgements and notes.
The first chapter, Context and Setting, begins with the story of Lief Erikson and the very first attempted colonies by Scandinavians on what is now Newfoundland in the 12th Century BCE. While these colonies were unsuccessful, they are the first recorded encounters of Europeans with the “New World”. The chapter then moves on to primarily give a quick history lesson on European exploration and colonization in what would become Canada and the United States, as well as the early histories of these new nations once formed.
Timber and Emigrants is where the real focus of this book begins. This chapter shows the reader the connection between the Norwegian timber trade with Canada and how it factored into Norwegian immigration. Other factors are also explored, such as the repeal of restrictive shipping laws like the British Navigation Acts in 1850. The political and economic situation in Norway as a whole is explored as well as is each major province of the country during this period. This background serves as further insight as to why many Norwegians chose to leave the land they knew behind to find a new beginning in the Americas.
The next chapter, The Canadian Epoch, explains how and why Quebec became the primary port of entry for Norwegians. It describes the many hardships the immigrants often faced as most arrived penniless having spent all of their savings on the voyage to North America. Some immigrants would choose to stay in Canada in settlements such as Bury or Gaspe, while others would continue on into the United States. The reasons for staying or leaving are many, and are all explored in this chapter.
The American Campaign for Settlers describes the various ways in which several Midwestern states strove to draw in new settlers. This included Norwegians as well as people from other European nations. The primary states discussed are, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. Again, the reasons people settled in particular areas are as widely varied as they were in Canada. Some flocked to the cities, such as Chicago, for job opportunities. Others struck out on the country side for land with which they could start a new home and life.
Overall the book is a quick read and packs a lot of information in a relatively small package. The main body of the book is around 167 pages long, which seems about right for this book. Any longer and the book would likely feel long-winded. In addition to the main narrative, personal accounts are provided and give excellent personal insight into the motivations and experiences of Norwegian immigrants from this period. Across the Deep Blue Sea provides a wealth of numbers and statistics within the text, which while important can bog down the reader. Perhaps graphs or illustrations would have been better for the book’s flow. Speaking of visuals, there are many great photos throughout the book that help bring the story to life. For anyone looking for a good place to start on the subject of Scandinavian immigration to North America in general, Across the Deep Blue Sea, The Saga of Early Norwegian Immigrants by Odd S. Lovoll would be an excellent choice.

[Tom Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Circa 1856, my Norwegian antecedents settled in NE Iowa - no doubt as an offshoot of the Spring Grove, MN, community - a small town where I spent happy summers during my childhood years - so this book was of no small interest - a new realization: on my mother's side my ancestors arrived here by crossing the perilous North Atlantic in wooden ships and small ones at that - that's four generations back from me, and I complain when it's too chilly to venture outdoors - needs must as they say, evidently I lack the necessary inducement - an odd point of history: the Know-Nothing party was huge in Iowa - this at a time when both WI and MN were working hard to entice the Norwegian immigrants to settle in their states. Eventually Iowa got with the program but evidently the Know-Nothings are still a major force in backward Iowa politics - though given the re-emergence of the dark ages here in WI I can't say much. Sadly the family homestead in NE Iowa has been sold - the foundations of the original log cabin, the crumbling structure of the two-story stone house and the still extant 2 story wooden frame house are just a fond memory.

[Amalia Carty · Rating 2 out of 5]

The research is excellent; the presentation is more like a textbook than a narrative.

[Jeff J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and well researched, but if it is being marketed to a general reader it could be a bit less pedantic. I was intrigued to learn that the majority of Norwegian immigrants during the 19th century entered North America via Quebec, it explains the French Canadian branch of my family tree.

[Signe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Odd Sverre Lovoll has written a professional history of the little studied Norwegian immigration to the United States through the Canadian gateway--primarily Montreal and Quebec.

Included are cultural insights to causal factors for emigration, shipping statistics, the cultural role of sailing and shipping in Norwegian culture, Canadian and American competition for Norwegian immigrants to settle lands, etc.

Though my Norwegian great-grandparents came by a different route, this is an interesting and valuable book for Norwegian emigration / immigration history and extremely useful for background knowledge in genealogy work.

[Sharon Banitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history of the Norwegian immigration to Canada and to the United States via Canada. I believe that my ancestors came to the U.S. through Canada and I was happy to find out some things regarding this.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Across the Deep Blue Sea: The Saga of Early Norwegian Immigrants by Odd S. Lovoll is a very highly recommended scholarly work.

"The idea to seek a better future in America might have been planted by an individual, an innovator, based on news from America. The innovators in general belonged to the Norwegian farming class."

Anyone who enjoys well presented research on Norwegian immigrants or is of Norwegian ancestry, should welcome this academic look at immigration in the mid 1800's, specifically the passage through Canada in the 1850s-1860. Lovoll gives an overview of Norwegian settlements in Illinois and Wisconsin before 1850 because these communities "became important magnets for Norwegian immigrants in the following decades." Many early immigrants came based on religious considerations and a desire to seek refuge from religious intolerance. "They sought a place where they could freely and without restrictions worship God." They were either "The Sloopers" who were Quakers (named after the type of boat they used) or Haugeans, followers of the great lay Lutheran preacher and revivalist Hans Nielsen Hauge.

Clearly Canada encouraged the immigrants to use the route through Canada, offering rebates and an easier time getting on with their journey in comparison to NYC. I hadn't realized that Canada had a quarantine station too, Grosse Île, located in the St. Lawrence River some twenty-nine miles from Quebec City, where a doctor would come onboard the ship an examine the passengers.

A "walk down to the customs house on the new docks in Christiania [Oslo], one would most likely catch sight of well-dressed bonde families, men, women, and children, waiting to be put onboard a ship. They have arrived with their luggage, a diverse collection of boxes and chests. One reads: Paul Larsen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, North America; Ole Andersen, Chicago, Illinois, North America; Peder Gulbrandsen, Madison, Wisconsin, North America; Olivia Eriksdatter Nordreie, Iowa, Minnesota, and a great number of other names and addresses."

Although I clearly realize that Across the Deep Blue Sea: The Saga of Early Norwegian Immigrants is not going to have wide spread appeal, I have to admit I found it very interesting and enjoyed it a great deal.

Odd S. Lovoll, professor emeritus of history at St. Olaf College and recipient of the Fritt Ords Honnør for his work on Norwegian immigration, is the author of numerous books, including Norwegians on the Prairie and Norwegian Newspapers in America.

Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society Press for review purposes.

[Dennis Winge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Lovoll wrote an outstanding description of Norwegian emigration to America and Canada. There is an excellent description of the transatlantic journey by sail or steam ships and how Norwegian shipping firms coupled emigrant passage with timber shipment on return vessels. Since most vessels used Quebec as the port of entry is the mid-1800s, Dr. Lovoll crisply describes what made Quebec the preferential port and how emigrants made their way westward. The account is a compelling overview that is well-written and lacking an over abundance of details. Having read numerous accounts of Norwegian emigration, this book was a delight and combines a scholarly description with an easy narrative. I highly recommend this book.

[Dave Hoff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unless you are into statics, the first 3/4 of the book boring. But I learned why my forefathers from Norway landed in Quebec. In 1854-1865, 44,100 Norwegians landed in Quebec, only 520 in New York. Less fees for the ships and the promise of loads (lumber & wheat)returning to Norway. 1866 to 1874, 64% still came thru Quebec. Canada tried to keep them, but most went on to Chicago and points north. Loggers, then small farms with the Norwegians learning to shift to a market economy from just self-sufficiency. Some info. inton the sailing ship passage, taking 6-8 weeks across the Atlantic, each family cooking and living in steerage. (As my Danish grandma did)

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. A resource for Norwegian immigration studies and those interested in the migration experience through Canadian ports.

[Summer Reading]

Nick [Donde Esta La Biblioteca]