Michelet Family — letters and stories

Written by Michele Michelet Boyer

Rare old letters and family stories open a valuable window into the past and make real the lives of people living long ago. They can tell the story of a family, and give a rich history to an area. Jacob Post Michelet was a merchant in Lillehammer, Norway in the mid 1800s and it was quite likely that his store was a gathering place and the place where news and information was exchanged. Many people came to Coon Prairie from that area of Norway. Letters crossed the ocean from Coon Prairie to Norway and family responded. So it was that Jacob Post Michelet wrote to his teen aged son Johan who preceded him to Coon Prairie from Lillehammer, Norway in 1850. Jacob Post wrote on April 6, 1851. “I received your precious letter on New Year’s Day at 3:00 in the afternoon and it transformed our day from a dismal one to a happy one. I decided at once to take your advice and follow you to America …. We expect to leave around the middle of May I will write to you from New York and you can expect to meet us in Milwaukee”… Johan at this time was a young man of 18, charged with great responsibility for the family.  Jacob Post continued “your efforts ought to concentrate in every way on gathering information about the most fertile and best place for us to settle … what is most advantageous to us, dear Johan, because your own as well as the entire family’s welfare depends on your thoughtful consideration as well as what kind of fortune we can expect in America.”  

As it turned out Johan Michelet was well up to the responsibility given him by his father. In a Westby Times front page article March 25, 1993, Margaret Gulsvig wrote “Johan Michelet’s name became so prominent in the history of Westby; the town could easily be Michelet today, though Ole T. Westby was given the honor.” In Westby, John Michelet built a grain warehouse, and was Westby’s first grain buyer. He was active in early Westby serving as township chairman, assessor, and treasurer, as well as a member of the county board. He helped start several schools and served on school boards. He also served as postmaster from 1884 to 1888 and operated a general store for about 15 years starting in 1891 at the age of 61.

Jacob Post Michelet brought his wife and 3 young children and a new infant to Coon Prairie in 1851 when he was 55 years old. He built the cabin home for his family, which is now preserved at Skumsrud, the large first cabin on the left as you enter the park. However, in leaving Norway he left family members behind that had been part of his young life, family he knew he would never see again. A word of mouth family story tells of a tragic life changing event in the life of the young Jacob Post Michelet. This story was preserved in oral tradition for over 100 years and finally written down by Marion Grimsrud Nereim granddaughter of John Michelet and great granddaughter of Jacob Post Michelet. 

The Sled Story

I told them! I told them! I told them not to cross the lake. I know it is only the 25th of February, but that lake is seldom safe, even in the coldest weather.” Sophie Amalia rushed around the bedroom, pilling blankets over the body of her husband, lying where the boys had dropped him. Christian Fredrik spoke up “Far wanted to get back in time to conduct church services. He insisted that we cross the lake. It is much shorter than going around.”

I told them! I told them! I told them not to cross the lake. I know it is only the 25th of February, but that lake is seldom safe, even in the coldest weather.” Sophie Amalia rushed around the bedroom, pilling blankets over the body of her husband, lying where the boys had dropped him. Christian Fredrik spoke up “Far wanted to get back in time to conduct church services. He insisted that we cross the lake. It is much shorter than going around.”

A week earlier Johan Wilhelm Michelet had asked his 3 boys to go with him up into the hills. He was the pastor of the small church in Moland area Norway. The time was the early eighteen hundreds. Johann Wilhelm Michelet had broken with family tradition to study for the ministry. All his ancestors in Norway had been military men. It was unthinkable that any member of the family would do anything but serve in the army. When Johan Wilhelm clung stubbornly to his ambition to serve the church, the family rallied to help him. He was sent to Copenhagen to study. He was an excellent student and his teacher expected great things from him.

He had a happy marriage to beautiful Sophie Amalia. Together they often camped in the mountains until the increasing family made it necessary for her to stay home. Then the boys went with him. He was a great teacher. He taught them to appreciate the wilderness and survive in it. He told them and they learned.

On the first Sunday in early February 1805, the father and the boys broke camp early to hurry back to conduct church services. Approaching the lake Christian Fredrik suggested, “Let’s go around. The weather has been mild.”

“No” Far answered safely seated on the big heavy sled pulled by the boys. “We must hurry, Mor will be looking for us and I have a great idea for a sermon. It will keep them in their seats until afternoon.”

The boys reluctantly stepped out on the ice. Jacob Post pushed while the others pulled. When they were half way across the lake the crackling ice became more ominous. The boys walked lightly over the bad ice but the runners of the sled were soon running in shallow water. The boys in terror turned toward the nearest shore but that was a mistake. The ice broke into large chunks and the sled slid into the icy water.Far shouted “come help me I can’t kick out of the blankets” Simon threw himself down on the crackling ice and grabbed this fathers hand. He shouted to his brothers “pull my legs! Hurry! Stay away from the edge of the ice.” Jacob Post the youngest was at the end of the line. All pulled frantically and slowly Far was pulled up on the ice away from the hole. One of the boys has unconsciously kept the sled rope in his hand and the sled was recovered. Far was laid on the sled, shaking with cold, clothes dripping and lips blue, but conscious enough to tell them where to go and what turns to take.

When they reached home around noon, Far had lapsed into unconsciousness. Mor was frantic when she saw them and heard what had happened. After Far had been put into bed, Mor ordered them, “Get stones and put them in the fireplace. Pour a cup of hot water, I’ll try and have him drink it.”

In spite of the frantic nursing care, the hot stones and the hot drinks, Far lay quietly and unconscious in his bed. On the third day life went out of him, Feb 27, 1805 As a widow, Sophie Amalia eventually had to leave the parsonage. By that time Jacob Post Michelet who was my great grandfather was in military training in Copenhagen. He begged to be released from the academy to take care of his widowed mother. –This story 

Written by Marion Grimsrud Nereim from verbal version passed down through the family over years..

This tragic accident and resultant death of Parish minister Johan Wilhelm left his children without a father. Records tell that Jacob Post Michelet was educated at the military academy in Copenhagen, Denmark and studied law in Christiana (Oslo) for a time then later became a successful merchant in Lillehammer.      

But, what of those Michelet family members left behind? Christian Fredrik, the oldest brother of Jacob Post Michelet and the one to suggest “let’s go around” the lake, in the previous sled story, remained in Norway. The leadership and responsibility he exhibited as a boy on that cold February day long ago, was characteristic in later years as he became a general in the Norwegian army. 

General Major Christian Fredrik Michelet was born in Fredrikshald, Norway on Dec. 7, 1792 the son of parish minister Johan Wilhelm Michelet and his wife Sophie Amalie Tuchsen. He started his military career with the Danish Land Cadet Academy in 1805 (immediately after the death of his father) at the age of 13. and he was a second lieutenant with the Slesvig Infantry Regiment in September of 1809 at the age of 17. By 1811 Michelet was with the Akershus Sherpshooter Regiment and in 1812, he was Premier Lieutenant. In 1814 he first participated in a raid in Sweden, and was later the Adjutant for Colonel Lieutenant Huitfeldt who was commanding officer of a battalion of sharpshooters and light infantry soldiers stationed along the border south of Orje and Michelet was a part of this battalion as the commanding officer for the Bergen Company during the skirmishes by Degernes Church, Rakkestad, and by Trogstad Church.  He held many positions and received many promotions until 1851 when he was appointed Colonel and commanding officer, first of the 2nd Akershus Infantry Brigade and three years later for the 1st Brigade and at the same time, commanding officer at Fredriksten. Immediately afterwards he was promoted to General Major. He remained in that position until he resigned in 1868 at the age of 78. 

He died a few years later on May 13, 1874, at the age of 82. With these assignments in mind it is not necessary to emphasize the position held by Michelt as an officer and the trust coming from the highest authorities. General Christian Fredrik was married to Edie Michaline Rasch. They had 11 children three of whom became military officers.

It is likely that Jacob Post Michelet kept in touch with his family back in Norway, by letters after settling on Coon Prairie in 1851...and it is quite possible that he might have received a letter from his brother Christian Fredrik telling that he had been promoted to General of the Norwegian army. A few years after settling on Coon Prairie, Jacob and Gregeine had a 6th child. This baby boy born April of 1855 was named after his brother Christian Fredrik. Sadly baby Christian Fredrik only survived for a year dying July 1856. Marion Grimsrud Nereim wrote “ no one seems to know for certain but long years ago I heard from an elderly woman that when this boy died (Christian Fredrik) another man had also lost a child and the men walked out on a field and decided where to dig and that was the start of the Coon Prairie cemetery. The minister lived in the area and I think it was before the church was built.”  

The Coon Prairie book says “Coon Prairie cemetery was dedicated when the infant daughter of the first pastor was laid to rest there September 11, 1855. The congregation was incorporated July 29, 1854.”

If baby Christian Fredrik was not the first baby boy buried in Coon Prairie Cemetery he was certainly one of the first. Today that grave is marked with a large headstone under three trees in a peaceful part of Coon Prairie Cemetery. It is the resting place of pioneer Jacob Post Michelet, his wife Gregine and their infant son Christian Fredrik. From the very beginning, the Michelet family was a part of many “firsts” in the development of the area through the years, as Coon Prairie, Bad Axe Co. became Westby, Vernon Co. and always remembering their heritage and strong connection to Norway.