Date of Award

8-1939

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

History

Keywords

Scandinavians -- Kansas -- Lincoln County; Lincoln County (Kan.) -- History

Abstract

This study is a history of the establishment and development of the Scandinavian settlement in Lincoln County, Kansas. This settlement is one of many such groups in Kansas, but no history of this group has been written. The causes for the migration to America, the reasons for the selection of Kansas, and the social, cultural, economic, and religious development of the group are interesting and have been emphasized in this study.

While all the Scandinavian nationalities are represented in the settlement, particular attention is given to the Danish group, as their settlement was dominated to some extent by the religious motive, which has influenced social and cultural development of the community.

The period of the greatest growth and development was during the first three decades of the settlement's history. For this reason emphasis has been placed on this period in this thesis. The history of this period is interesting because it was the pioneer period of the settlement, and the story of the settlers' struggle with frontier conditions is an inspiring one. The recent history of the group is typical of that of any agricultural community in Kansas.

The State Census records and the Patent Records for homestead claims were important sources of primary material. Since more than ninety per cent of the settlers homesteaded land, the patent records of land claims furnished important information regarding names of settlers, dates of the filing of claims, and the location of claims. As the county archives were destroyed when the courthouse burned in 1898, school statistics and deed records which would have furnished valuable material were not available.

Other sources of primary material were interviews with and letters from the original settlers or the children of the founders. Contemporary newspapers furnished valuable material on the educational and social development of the settlement.

Comments

Copy of typewritten thesis, iv, 65, [4] leaves: ill., map; 28 cm.

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