GERHARD B. NAESETH CHAIR FOR GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION

Recognizing that genealogy is crucial to its mission, the Norwegian-American Genealogical Center has established the Gerhard B. Naeseth Chair for Genealogical Research and Publication.  This full-time staff position at NAGC is named in honor and memory of the nation's pioneer in Norwegian-American genealogy.  In 2001, Blaine Hedberg was named as the first Fellow to hold this position.

During his life, Gerhard B. Naeseth completed the first of a projected five-volume biographical dictionary of Norwegian immigration to the United States.  Since Naeseth's death, the NAGC has continued this invaluable research, publishing subsequent volumes in the Naeseth series.  Volume 5 will be completed by summer, 2008.  This position is fostering the ongiong study of primary and secondary sources relating to Norwegian immigration and Norwegian America by making genealogical materials readily available to researchers and by the continuation of its distinguished publishing program.

Blaine Hedberg

To assist with the completion of Norwegian Immigrants to the United States, A Biographical Directory, Blaine Hedberg has been preparing transcripts and indexes to many of the early Norwegian-American census and church records.  Some of these church record indexing projects include:

• Long Prairie, Boone Co., Illinois 1846-1856
• Chicago, Cook Co., IL 1843-1874
• Lisbon, Kendall Co., IL 1848-1859
• Indian Creek, LaSalle Co., IL 1837-1860
• Fox River Valley, LaSalle Co., IL 1850-1858
• Fort Howard, Brown Co., WI 1866-1870 births
• Logging Creek, Burnett Co., WI 1883-1896 births
• Spring Prairie, columbia Co., WI 1851-1900 births, confirmations, marriages, deaths
• Norway Grove, Volumbia Co., WI 1862-1870 births, confirmations, marriages, deaths
• Newport, Columbia Co., WI 1851-1866 births (in progress)
• Vermont, Dane Co., WI 1860-1870 births
• Koshkonong, Dane Co., WI 1842-1880
• Blue Mounds, Dane Co., WI 1848-1858
• Sun Prairie, Dane Co., WI 1849-1882 births
• Christ, Stoughton, Dane Co., WI 1875-1878 births
• First, Stoughton, Dane Co., WI 1866-1875 births
• Perry, Dane Co., WI 1858-1868 births, marriages, deaths
• St. Olaf (Ashippun), Dodge Co., WI 1853-1866
• Adams, Green Co., WI 1857-1860 births (in progress)
• Dodgeville, Iowa Co., WI 1854-1858 births, confirmations
• Otter Creek, Iowa Co., WI 1854-1857 births
• St. Luke's, Jefferson Co., WI 1866-1901 births
• Skoponong, Jefferson Co., WI 1850-1877
• Lemonweir, Juneau Co., WI 1852-1867 births
• Halfway Creek, LaCrosse Co., WI 1854-1880 births, confirmations, marriages
• Wiota, Lafayette Co., WI 1855-1861 (in progress)
• St. James Episcopal, Manitowoc Co., WI 1848-1850 (in progress)
• Valders/Gjerpen, Manitowoc Co., WI 1852-1860 (in progress)
• Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co., WI 1853-1875 births, marriages
• Port Washington, Ozaukee Co., WI 1847-1881 births
• Rush River, Pierce Co., WI 1854-1861 births
• Greenwood, Richland/Vernon Co., WI 1855-1889 births
• Jefferson Prairie, Rock co., WI 1840-1873
• Luther Valley, Rock Co., WI 1846-1858 (in progress)
• Orfardville, Rock Co., WI 1870-1900 births
• Janesville, Rock Co., WI 1852-1860 births
• Coon Prairie, Vernon Co., WI 1851-1859 births (in progress)
• Lower Coon Valley, Vernon Co., WI 1855-1856 (in progress)
• Coon Valley, Vernon Co., WI 1861-1865 (in progress)
• Middle Coon Valley, Vernon Co., WI 1862-1865 (in progress)
• Whitewater, Walworth Co., WI 1858-1867 births
• Heart Prairie, Walworth Co., WI 1846-1861 births
• Pine Lake, Waukesha Co., WI 1844-1868 births, confirmations, marriages, deaths
• Scandinavia, Waupaca Co., WI 1854-1856
• Holden, Waushara Co., WI 1853-1880 births
• Winchester, Winnebago Co., WI 1849-1873 births, confirmations (in progress)
• Paint Creek, Allamakee Co., Iowa 1850-1900
• Washington Prairie, Winneshiek Co., Iowa 1848-1865 births
• Washington Prairie Methodist, Winneshiek Co., IA 1844-1907 births
• St. Ansgar, Mitchell Co., IA 1853-1865 births, marriages
• Big Canoe, Winneshiek Co., IA 1850-1864 births
• Iowa River, Winneshiek Co., IA 1869-1939 births
• Silver Lake, Worth Co., IA 1853-1863 births
• Christiania, Dakota Co., Minnesota 1856-1871
• Blue Earth, Faribault Co., MN 1859-1868 births, confirmations (in progress)
• Jackson Lake, Faribault Co., MN 1863-1875 births (in progress)
• Arendahl, Fillmore Co., MN 1857-1870 births, confirmations, marriages
• Elstad, Fillmore Co., MN 1849-1870 births, marriages
• Highland, fillmore Co., MN 1861-1871 births, marriages
• Highland Prairie, Fillmore Co., MN 1857-1870 births
• Newburg, Fillmore Co., MN 1857-1868 births, confirmations
• North Prairie, Fillmore Co., MN 1855-1865 births
• Rushford, Fillmore Co., MN 1853-1870 births, confirmations
• Whalen, Fillmore Co., MN 1874-1880 births
• Greenfield, Fillmore Co., MN 1865-1867 births
• Holden, Goodhue Co., MN 1854-1870 (in progress)
• Trinity, Houston Co., MN 1853-1860 births
• Quammen Book, Northfield, Rice Co., MN 1869-1888 births (in progress)
• Odin, Watonwan Co., MN 1872-1891 births
• Lake Whitewood, Kingsbury Co., South Dakota 1879-1882 births
• Lake Preston, Kingsbury Co., SD 1887-1929 births (in progress)
• Lake Preston Hauge, Kingsbury Co., SD 1883-1886 births (in progress)
• Zion, Kingsbury Co., SD 1887-1900 births (in progress)
• St. Paul, Elk Point, Union Co., SD 1867-1925 births (in progress)
• Brule Creek, Union So., SD 1869-1900 births, marriages, deaths
• Vangen, Mission Hill, Yankton Co., SD 1862-1870 births
• Hauge records - Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota 1857-1871 (in progress)

In addition, several major census indexes have been prepared including Norwegians in the 1850 US census for New York, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, California and Missouri.  Work in the following states is in progress:

• 1850 Census - Norwegians in Michigan (in progress)
• 1850 Census - Norwegians in Indiana (in progress)

In addition, over 63,000 entries have been recorded of Norwegians and their families in the 1860 US census records for Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Utah, New York, Alabama, Arkansas, California and nearly all of Illinois.  Current projects include the final transcription of Norwegians in the following states:

• 1860 Census - Norwegians in Nebraska (in progress)
• 1860 Census - Norwegians in Illinois

Research is currently ongoing for volume five of Norwegian Immigrants to the United States, 1825-1850, and will include those arriving from Norway in 1850.  If you have an ancestor who arrived in 1850, please contact Blaine at bhedberg@nagcnl.org so that your information can be included in the manuscript.

The NAGC has established a goal of $1.5 million to fund the Naeseth Chair, enabling scholarly Norwegian-american research and publications to continue.  Helping fund the Gerhard B. Naeseth Chair for Genealogical Research and Publication ensures that Norwegian and Norwegian-American ancestry is preserved and made accessible to a growing audience.  We invite you to join over 250 individuals and institutions who have donated once or more to help support this important staff position.  All donations, large and small, are deeply appreciated, and recognized in NAGC's annual report.

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