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This settlement was the first Norwegian settlement in America. Cleng Peerson, "pathfinder of Norwegian immigration" was instrumental in founding this settlement. For an account of the life of Cleng Peerson please visit this web site.
This first major group to leave Norway sailed on the sloop "Restauration" in the year 1825. For a detailed account of the sloop Restauration and its 52 passengers please visit this web site.
The first years at Kendall were extremely difficult. The author of an early guidebook about America, Ole Rynning, wrote in 1837-1838 "The land was thickly overgrown with woods and difficult to clear. Consequently, during the first four or five years conditions were very hard for these people....Well-to-do neighbors assisted them, however, and by their own industry they at last got their land in such condition that they could earn a living from it, and live better than in their old native land".
Who were these first immigrants from Norway? There is a web site devoted to these "sloopers".
The Kendall settlers wrote back to Norway, naturally, but no further group immigration occurred until 1836.
