Coon Prairie Parish call written in 1872

When Pastor A.C. Preus resigned as pastor of Coon Prairie and annexed congregations, a letter of call was sent to Norway to find a pastor there. To inform his possible successor about the situation relating to the call, Pastor Preus wrote the following report which accompanied the letter of call. This interesting report is of such great importance as a historical document that it is reproduced here in its entirety. A Historical report of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation at Coon Prairie. Written on the occasion of its 75th anniversary.

This Coon Prairie church, built in 1858,
was 54 feet long, 34 feet wide and 20 feet high. It cost $4,200. 

Coon Prairie church was founded by Pastor Brandt in the year 1851 and was visited by him several times as a mission church until Pastor Stub, in 1854, moved here from unhealthy Musquigo. Pastor Stub conducted his service here until in 1861 he had to get a leave for a years time to return to Norway to restore his failing health.  In the meantime the congregation experienced a a large immigration and the call was served occasionally by the remaining pastors until I, after being denied permission by the Synod to return to Norway, accepted the call and have performed the duties until now. After two large parishes have separated from it this call still consists of the following:

Pastor Nils Brandt

“1. Coon Prairie, head church, includes over 200 farmers, a tight, nearly exclusive Norwegian settlement. The parsonage with the main church on its ground, lies in about the center of the settlement. The region is nice and fertile and the parsonage is comfortable situated in an excellent neighborhood. The parsonage land is lightly but well used. Two horses are needed for work and one horse for the pastor’s use, and he can feed 10-12 cattle and harvest all the produce for the use of the house and still sell about 150 dollars per year. The congregation includes many worthy, enlightened and Christian men upon whose aid the pastor in his work can depend for every lawful undertaking. I will also say that there are some quarrelsome people; but they have never in my time been able to harm the church. There are five schoolteachers, worthy and reliable folk. The congregation’s precentor is a very enlightened and honored man, a seminarian from Asker of the best disposition. During my time the church has been used to a determined and strong management without the slightest fear of telling me their opinion, privately or publicly. Forty Sunday services are conducted annually at Coon Prairie.

“2. Coon Valley (the valley), a long and narrow valley running in a northwesterly direction from Coon Prairie in length about 3 Norwegian miles. (1 Norwegian mile equals about 7 U.S. miles) With Coon Prairie it forms a cohesive settlement and is settled almost exclusively by Norwegians, about 200 farmers. The valley is very nice. The people are remarkable good-natured, so I do not know a single member of the church, who could be called troublesome. In this valley there are three small churches in which I usually conduct services each month on three successive days, so that each day is always Sunday, also 12 Sundays annually in the valley. The nearest church is about 1⅜ Norwegian miles from the parsonage, good road, the next about 2 and the farthest about 3 miles. But, the whole tour is made lighter by doing it all at once. In time this valley will have a new head church.

Pastor H.A. Stub

“3. Fish Creek, a smaller settlement about 3 Norwegian miles from the parsonage consisting of 25 farmers and where 6 to 8 services are conducted yearly. From here I used to go to:

“4. Sparta, a not insignificant town, where the people from Coon Prairie do their trading. It is 1½ miles from Fish Creek and 3¾ miles from the parsonage. A number of Norwegian families live here and many young girls and boys work here. To hold them in their father’s church I conduct services here as often as I can and since the pastor’s travel to Synod meetings, pastor’s meetings, etc. most often leave from Sparta where there is a railroad, I make use of these occasions. The road to Fish Creek is very bad, but good to Sparta. From Sparta I usually go to:

“5. Cannon Valley, about 1¾ from Sparta on the way home to Coon Prairie, a smaller settlement of about 30 families. From here to:

“6. Brush Creek is about 1½ miles east. This is the smallest settlement and consists of 10 families. From here to Coon Prairie parsonage is 2½ miles.

“Thus it is seen that the settlements are situated so that they are easily visited in two separate annex rides. It could also easily be done in one trip, since it is only 1½ miles from Upper Coon Valley to Fish Creek. The annexed churches lie in a large half circle from northwest to northeast around Coon Prairie. For a young and healthy man the trips are nothing to talk about, since there are bad roads only to Fish Creek, Cannon Valley and Brush Creek, for the rest they are good.

“In case the call is divided most likely Coon Valley, Fish Creek and Cannon Valley will become one call, Coon Prairie, Sparta and Brush Creek the other. As long as they are united the fixed salary will be supplied thusly: Coon Prairie $360 yearly; Coon Valley $160; Fish Creek about $40; Cannon Valley about $25; Brush Creek about $15. In Sparta the offering each time is from 5-8 dollars. In these small settlements I have not been too concerned about this matter since I am always afraid of giving offense by accounting for every penny, but the fixed salary will never be less than $600 annually. In case of division the fixed salary will still be $600 in the beginning and the loss from ministerial acts insignificant since the income from such acts always becomes better after a division and the little loss is made up in full by reducing travel. At Christmas I usually make the complete tour beginning at home on the first day of Christmas; giving the second day to Upper Coon Valley to conduct services there in the morning and to Middle Coon Valley in the afternoon; on the third day at Lower Coon Valley; the fourth day Fish Creek in the morning, Sparta in the afternoon; the fifth day in Cannon Valley, the sixth day in Brush Creek, and the seventh day at Homstad, the northern part of Coon Prairie, where services are held several times a year in the schoolhouse, 1 mile from the parsonage. They would probably rather have the sermon and offering everywhere at Christmas at which it is usual to receive 130-150 dollars altogether.

“The parish is nearly everywhere very good especially on Coon Prairie and in Coon Valley where the churches are overfilled particularly in the summer. Although there are various stupid and indifferent individual sectarian and willful members and although also there are a few who have fallen into drunkenness and other sins so there also is remarkable truth and respect for God’s Word and its minister is always treated with particular honor and love. This is especially of great comfort on the annex tours and I can never forget all the friendly devotion always shown me. The best that one had and could furnish, that was brought forth. There was a great welcome when the pastor’s family came along and the holiday spirit became so much greater.

“Coon Prairie and Coon Valley churches are members of the Synod, the Upper [Coon Valley] church is not, mainly because I have not urged them because I have not believed that they could do so with the best intent. For information about the Synod I refer you to H.A. Preus’ paper which is available at Bookdealer Dybwad.

Pastor A.C. Preus

“The nearest neighbor pastors are J. Frick, who will hereafter live in La Crosse, about 4 Norwegian miles from here; but on a trip to Coon Valley one is halfway there, since this valley lies between Coon Prairie and La Crosse. Southward from here about 3 miles lives Pastor Juve, pastor at West Prairie and annexed churches, formerly connected with Coon Prairie, so one can quite easily visit these brothers. Of these Pastor Frick is outstanding both in great abilities and amiable mind; and I respect him as one of the most remarkable among our synod pastors.

“The parsonage’s main building is not completely ready, but it now contains six comfortable rooms with a kitchen. When completed it will have 10 rooms with kitchen, dining room and cellar. I have planted an orchard but it is still very young.  The flower garden was destroyed during the building. A small attractive grove is next to t he house. The outhouses are in good condition. All the land was divided and fenced in by me. Fields about 110 measures; good timothy and clover about 80 measures; the rest is divided into 3 small pastures, one for pigs and sheep, the other 2 for horses and cattle. These are excellent and adequate pastures since they have been sown with clover.

“I believe that a pastor and his family can live very well and comfortable here; at the least I can thank God for much comfort and joy, both spiritually and temporally, and I would never have left this place if the condition of my health and doctor’s advice had not made it necessary. May God move then one or another christian theologian, who reads this paper to come here and help my dear congregation!

Coon Prairie parsonage, 20 February, 1872.

A.C, Preus.”