Gerhard B. Naeseth Chair for Genealogical Research and Publication

 

The Gerhard B. Naeseth Chair for Genealogical Research and Publications was established in honor and memory of the nation’s pioneer in Norwegian-American genealogy, Gerhard B. Naeseth. In 2001, Blaine Hedberg was named as the first Fellow to hold this position. The position is fostering the ongoing study of primary and secondary sources relating to Norwegian immigration and Norwegian America by making genealogical materials available to researchers at the NAGC & NL. During his life, Gerhard B. Naeseth completed the first of a five-volume work titled "Norwegian Immigrants to the United States, A Biographical Directory, 1825-1850". Since Naeseth’s death in 1994, the NAGC & NL has continued this invaluable research, publishing subsequent volumes in the series. Volume five in this series was completed in 2009, and a limited number of copies are still available for sale through our online store.  To assist with the completion of "Norwegian Immigrants to the United States, a Biographical Directory", Blaine Hedberg and a team of volunteers have been preparing transcripts and indexes to many of the early Norwegian-American census, church records and emigration records.


Support the cause Volunteer

Online Database Subscription Service 

 

The Online Database Subscription Service is available to NAGC & NL members only. Choose from one of the following three levels:
 

Forum Level - $20.00  -  join now!

- The Member Forum where members can post genealogical information and share information with fellow members
- Updates on new books and resources
- Access to Norwegians in the 1850 US census records
- Access to Norwegians in the 1880 US census records
- Access to the Norwegians in Montana database

 

Partial Database Level - $ 79.00/year - join now!

- All of the benefits of the Forum Level, plus
- Acess to NAGC & NL's Norwegian-American marriage record database
- Access to our Norwegian-American birth record database

 

Full Database Level - $135.00/year - join now!

- All of the above benefits and access of the Partial Database Level, plus
- Acess to NAGC & NL's extensive Norwegian-American cemetery database
- Access to our 1860 US census record database
- A partial listing of Norwegian immigrants from the years 1825 - 1860

 

Recent additions to the Cemetery Database include:

 

16 cemeteries in Wells County, North Dakota; 12 cemeteries in Ramsey County, North Dakota; 6 cemeteries in Burke County, North Dakota; 2 cemeteries in Olmsted County, Minnesota; 1 cemetery in Kidder County, North Dakota; and 1 in Randall County, Illinois

 

 

A sampling of the 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 66,400 entries have been recorded of Norwegians and their families in the 1860 census records for the United States.  We are now systematically working through available church and vital records in an attempt to identify these individuals with such information as name in Norway, birthplace, last residence, date of birth and year of emigration.  

 

In the mid 1950's, Gerhard Naeseth began transcribing the Norwegian families in the 1880 US census records, and during his lifetime he transcribed the Norwegians througout the Midwestern United States.  Since 1994, Blaine and a team of volunteers have continued the transcriptions for the remaining territories and states and have now completed the entire United States.  Currently we are combining all of the state data into one large master file, and this information will eventually be uploaded to our NAGC&NL online databases.  Our goal is to attempt to identify the various Norwegian families with such information as name in Norway, birthplace, last residence in Norway, date of birth and year of emigration.

 

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.