SUGAR CREEK
This area was settled by immigrants from Sweden and Norway in the mid 1800's.
Its been said that when people settled in the US, they came to a place much
like their homeland. Lee County has one of the largest wooded areas in Iowa.
Here many creeks flow and join together before emptying into the Des Moines
River. They wanted land with timber on it. They would use it to build their
homes, fences and out buildings. They could warm themselves through the long
cold winters with fires, built with the logs cut from their land. The land was
slowly cleared for vegetable gardens, orchards and crops to feed themselves
and their livestock.
By 1873 a small group of Swedish men formed the "Swenska Evangelisk
Lutherska Victoria Forsamlingen. Here they would meet for worship and
friendship. The name was changed to Oak Grove Church in 1896. In 1920 it
joined the First Lutheran Church in Keokuk. Occasional services and funeral
services were held there as late as 1935. The community used the church until
the early 1950's when it was sold.
Across the road from the church was the Oak Grove School. The one room school
was first a log cabin until 1889 when a frame building was built. The children
of the first immigrants attended school here, as well as many of their
grandchildren
Three miles to the south and west is Scandinavin Cemetery, once refereed to as
"Anderson Cemetery." The first recorded burials here started in the
1850's. The land was probably owned originally by Andrew Anderson, his two
young daughters were buried there in 1854. The Anderson family has been gone
from here for many years.
Other Swedish families in the area were the families of Herman Arvidson,
Theodore Carlson, John Peter Moander, and Carl Adrian Youngquist. Families
from Norway were Berant C. Larson, Christian Larson, Add Nelson and Knute
Anderson.
Early Church Records: first family members registered
- LARSON
- Carl Johan
- Charlotta
- John Gottried
- Hulda Josephine
- Ida Matilda
- CARLSON
- Lars
- Cajsa
- JOHNSON
- Augusta
- JOHNSON
- John Emanuel
- Ulrika Gustafva
- Jenny Charlotta
- John Hjalmar
- JOHNSON
- John Peter
- Cajsa ( Johannsdtr)
- ANDERSON
- John
- Anna Sophia
- Amanda Charlotta
- Ada Lousia
- Carl Johan
- August Oscar
- Anna Amelia
- PEARSON
- Claus Alfrid
- Louisa (Johnson)
- Mathilda
- Victor Emanuel
- Carl Fredrika
- EK
- Carl Johan
- Johanna Fredrika
- Carl Johan
- Gustaf Alfrid
- Clara Henricka
- Anna Maria
- Andrew Otto
- JOHNSON
- Johannes
- Maja Stina (Johnnsdr)
- Anders Gustag
- Joseph
- PETERSON
- Carl
- Maria Stina
- Wilhelm Sannfrid
- Anna Allrida
- DANIELSON
- John F.
- Amalia
- Cecilia
- LUND
- Louis
- LINQUIST
- John
- Johanna
- John Gustaf
- Carl Fredrik
- Anders Joseph
- SKOG
- Anders Gustaf
- Maria Stina
- Johan Reinold
- Franz Wilhelm
- August
- Maria Clara
- Maria Josefina
- Anna Alvida
- ANDERSON
- Anders Gustaf
- SUNDIN
- Johan
- Carolina
- Anna Charlotta
- John Wilhelm
- Jenny
- BERGSTROM
- Carl Aug
- enk Lousia
- PEARSON
- enk Anna Lotta (Carlsdtr)
- Ada Lovisa
- Johan Wilhelm
- Anna Mathilda
- SPARGREN
- Frans Edvin
- PETERSON
- Frans August
- Anna Cajsa
- Ida Maria
- Laura Elizabeth
- Petter Oscar
- Carl Alfrid
- Johan Albert
- Edvin Gilbert
- Hilma Sofia
- Harry Emanuel
- Hettie Carolina
- Esther Magdalina
- Martin Phillip
- CARLSON
- August
- Clara Charlotta
- Helza Olivia
- Carl Albert
- Edith Maria
- Clara Elisabet
- Augusta (Carlsdtr
If any of these names or places are familiar to you and you want more
information you may write me.
E-Mail for more Information