Richland Lutheran Church
4th street NE & 15th Ave NE
46°12'24.9"N 102°34'52.8"W
Bucyrus, Adams County, North Dakota 58639
4th street NE & 15th Ave NE
46°12'24.9"N 102°34'52.8"W
Bucyrus, Adams County, North Dakota 58639
Last active Rural Church in Adams County, North Dakota
Richland Lutheran Church
1907-1963
The Richland Lutheran Congregation was organized December 12, 1907, in Argonne Township, Adams County, North Dakota by Pastor J. D. Runsvold.
The first church was built in 1916 and 1917 in Cedar Township. The first service was held July 10, 1917.
In 1919, Richland became a part of the Bucyrus Parish.
In August of 1933, this church was struck by lightning and burned.
In due time, the present church was built in Maine Township and dedicated September 17, 1950.
The following pastors have served the Richland Congregation:
A. B. Bergh 1910-1915
Edward Erickson 1915-1918
I. C. Dahl 1919-1923
S. N. Englestad 1923-1941
F. T. Lokensgard 1941-1942
Karl Xavier 1944-1946
O. C. Rolfsen 1947-1959
R. C. Reinholtzen, Jr 1959-1963
Info from - back of Richland Lutheran Church plate.
1907-1963
The Richland Lutheran Congregation was organized December 12, 1907, in Argonne Township, Adams County, North Dakota by Pastor J. D. Runsvold.
The first church was built in 1916 and 1917 in Cedar Township. The first service was held July 10, 1917.
In 1919, Richland became a part of the Bucyrus Parish.
In August of 1933, this church was struck by lightning and burned.
In due time, the present church was built in Maine Township and dedicated September 17, 1950.
The following pastors have served the Richland Congregation:
A. B. Bergh 1910-1915
Edward Erickson 1915-1918
I. C. Dahl 1919-1923
S. N. Englestad 1923-1941
F. T. Lokensgard 1941-1942
Karl Xavier 1944-1946
O. C. Rolfsen 1947-1959
R. C. Reinholtzen, Jr 1959-1963
Info from - back of Richland Lutheran Church plate.
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RICHLAND LUTHERAN CHURCH
The Richland American Lutheran church has an interesting history ... Organized in what is now Argon township, the first church home was in Cedar township Struck by lightning, the church burned to the ground the early thirties. It wasn't till later forties that second church was built in Maine township. In the seventies, over one-third of the members lived in Taylor Butte township. Though its center has shifted in the four-township block during the six to seven decades in a gene area north of Hettinger, North Dakota we are thankful as long as it can remain an active rural church.
The church was organized Dec. 12, 1907, as a member of the Norwegian Lutheran United church with organizational meeting led by Pr. J. D. Runsvold Northwood, N. Dak. He helped organize several congregations in this area, two of his brothers were charter members of Richland.
The organizational meeting was held at the home of Hans Oskarson (section 4 township 131 range 96) with the following people voting to adopt the constitution: Hans Oskarson; Ole Johnson; Pete Johnson; Carl Erstad; Rudolf Quamme; Conrad Davidson; Olaf Tew; Elmer Tew: Henry Burnson; Jonothon J. Rundsvold; Albert Runsvold and Otto Olson. Since several of the charter members come from Richland County, N. Dak., it was decided to name the congregation Richland. There is a record of a second congregational meeting in 1909 and on January 24, 1910, a yearly meeting was held at the Waage School. In 1910 Pr. A. B. Bergh of Hettinger began to serve this newly organized congregation and continued till 1915.
Only officers were elected at the January 5, 1915, annual meeting. Pastor Edward Erickson from Bucyrus, N. Dak. was installed the following summer and on January 5, 1916, a yearly meeting was held at the Olous Ness home. It was decided at the meeting to obtain three acres of land from Haaken Frethiem as a site for the church home.
The first church built here burned later but the cemetery still remains as a memorial to the pioneer families who have passed away through the years. This cemetery is located in the southeast part of the southwest quarter of township 132 range 96.
The following from a letter written by Pr. Edward Erickson in March 1963 - "From my old notebook I find that I was installed as pastor at Bucyrus on August 8, 1915, by Rev. Casperson and at Richland August 15, by Rev. Bergh. On the 28th of August I started a confirmation class at Richland. This meeting was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Gravning. They lived in a sod house at the time. My second service was held at the Waage school house on August 29, 1915, and on Sept. 5th I organized a young people’s society at the Waage school house. The first ladies’ aid meeting at Richland that I attended was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Nels Underland, Sept. 8, 1915. The first regular meeting of the young people's society was held at the Waage home Sept. 12, 1915. Those were busy days for a pastor serving three congregations so far apart. There were no roads to speak of, only trails and when it rained it was not easy to get to one’s destination.”
In the closing remarks of his biography, written in 1963, Pastor Erickson writes: "I remember with thanks, several of the families in the Richland congregation: The Olsons, Warnes, Ness, Gravnings, Fordahls and others. There were hardly any roads, so to speak, one drove where best he could get through and that was not always so easy, especially in wet weather. One winter I drove my car to Richland where I was scheduled to hold services, but did not get it back to Bucyrus before the end of March the next year, because of snow. Mr. Foredahl kept it in his shed for three months. People were kind and helped. They experienced crop failures. One-year grasshoppers took the crop, so there was no harvest. But they hoped for better times, and they were rewarded. Most of the older people are no doubt gone, their work is done and may God reward them.”
The Hauge Synod, Norwegian Synod, and the United Church was merged at a convention in Minneapolis in 1917 and Richland became part of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. Two delegates from Richland were sent to this convention. In the forties the name was changed to the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The first service in the newly built church was held on July 10, 1917. The Church basement was not complete, so the actual dedication did not take place at this time. It was dedicated Oct. 16, 1927, and Doctor David Stove of Fargo, N. Dak. who had just become president of the North Dakota district assisted with the dedication. It is interesting to note that he was also present for the dedication of the second Richland church in Sept. 1950. Pastor Erickson who helped the building of the old, or first, church, left for another parish in Woonsocket, S. Dak. in the fall of 1918.
Pastor Ivar Dahl was born in Norway and ordained in 1919 before coming to Bucyrus. He was installed at Richland on July 15, 1919. Richland joined the Bucyrus parish in 1919 while he was pastor. The parsonage at Bucyrus was also built during this period. Pastor Dahle went to Wisconsin as a pastor after leaving here.
In November 1923, Pastor S. N. Englestad was installed as pastor and remained with us until 1941. While he was with Richland the Norwegian language was gradually changed to English for services. His confirmation classes were generally large. He was pastor during the depression years of the 30's.
Many still remember the Saturday of August 5, 1933, when lightning struck and burned to the ground that first beautiful church on the prairie. No one was able to get to the site in time to save any of the contents. The foundation can still be seen at the cemetery site.
Services were again held in homes and schoolhouses as it had been before the first church was built. In 1941, a committee decided on as central a location as possible for the building on land that belonged to E. H. Nordness. It was also the site of the Flatland school that had been burned years ago. A pioneer, Isaac Antonson, drew up the plans and work began on the basement in the fall of 1947. The first service was held in the basement November 28, 1948, the corner stone was laid November 23, 1949, and the second church was dedicated September 17, 1950. It stands in the southeast part of the southeast quarter of section 32 Maine township in Adams County, midway between Hettinger and Regent. Many of the second generation helped with the building.
Richland left the Bucyrus parish in 1941 and was served by pastors from Hettinger. Pastor F. T. Lokensgard came November I, 1941, and stayed till Dec. 25, 1942, when he left to be a Navy Chaplain in World War 11. Pastor Karl Xavier was our pastor from June 11, 1944, until December 15, 1946, when we rejoined the Bucyrus parish. Pastor O. C. Rolfson came from a parish in Virginia and was installed in 1947. He held his first service in Richland on July 20 and remained with us until he and his wife retired to live in Hettinger.
Up to 1950 we had one confirmand that went into fulltime work for our church, Miss Bertha Stedje who was a missionary to the Eskimoes for many years and has since been a parish worker in Fargo, N. Dak. Many of the youth who have not remained around here have gone to take their part in church and community life, both here and abroad.
Summing it up with these words written to the tune of a famous hymn by Pastor B. C. Rolfsen for the 56th anniversary of the church.
On the broad prairies a beacon
Here we meet Christ, and He is nigh
when we come here heavy laden
With all our sorrows and our sin,
Lovingly say: My child come in,
Let me your sad heart laden.
Here sat our parent, heard God's word
Knelt at His Altar ... forgiven.
Here they brought us unto the Lord
When as yet we were children,
Later we spoke the solemn "yea,"
promised to serve Him all our day,
Lord, grant this for Christ's merits.
(Two of four verses written to the tune of "Built on a rock.")
Joseph J. Barr was born in Kenyen, Minnesota. Joe homesteaded in Cedar Township on section four in the year 1907 or 1908. He was a bachelor and was noted for his good cooking as well as very good at telling jokes. During the early forties Joe left here and went back to Kenyen where he passed away (date unknown). His brother Henry Barr homesteaded on section 8 in the northeast quarter Henry left soon after homesteading.
Info from – PRAIRIE PIONEERS A STORY OF ADAMS COUNTY (pages 106-108)
The Richland American Lutheran church has an interesting history ... Organized in what is now Argon township, the first church home was in Cedar township Struck by lightning, the church burned to the ground the early thirties. It wasn't till later forties that second church was built in Maine township. In the seventies, over one-third of the members lived in Taylor Butte township. Though its center has shifted in the four-township block during the six to seven decades in a gene area north of Hettinger, North Dakota we are thankful as long as it can remain an active rural church.
The church was organized Dec. 12, 1907, as a member of the Norwegian Lutheran United church with organizational meeting led by Pr. J. D. Runsvold Northwood, N. Dak. He helped organize several congregations in this area, two of his brothers were charter members of Richland.
The organizational meeting was held at the home of Hans Oskarson (section 4 township 131 range 96) with the following people voting to adopt the constitution: Hans Oskarson; Ole Johnson; Pete Johnson; Carl Erstad; Rudolf Quamme; Conrad Davidson; Olaf Tew; Elmer Tew: Henry Burnson; Jonothon J. Rundsvold; Albert Runsvold and Otto Olson. Since several of the charter members come from Richland County, N. Dak., it was decided to name the congregation Richland. There is a record of a second congregational meeting in 1909 and on January 24, 1910, a yearly meeting was held at the Waage School. In 1910 Pr. A. B. Bergh of Hettinger began to serve this newly organized congregation and continued till 1915.
Only officers were elected at the January 5, 1915, annual meeting. Pastor Edward Erickson from Bucyrus, N. Dak. was installed the following summer and on January 5, 1916, a yearly meeting was held at the Olous Ness home. It was decided at the meeting to obtain three acres of land from Haaken Frethiem as a site for the church home.
The first church built here burned later but the cemetery still remains as a memorial to the pioneer families who have passed away through the years. This cemetery is located in the southeast part of the southwest quarter of township 132 range 96.
The following from a letter written by Pr. Edward Erickson in March 1963 - "From my old notebook I find that I was installed as pastor at Bucyrus on August 8, 1915, by Rev. Casperson and at Richland August 15, by Rev. Bergh. On the 28th of August I started a confirmation class at Richland. This meeting was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Gravning. They lived in a sod house at the time. My second service was held at the Waage school house on August 29, 1915, and on Sept. 5th I organized a young people’s society at the Waage school house. The first ladies’ aid meeting at Richland that I attended was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Nels Underland, Sept. 8, 1915. The first regular meeting of the young people's society was held at the Waage home Sept. 12, 1915. Those were busy days for a pastor serving three congregations so far apart. There were no roads to speak of, only trails and when it rained it was not easy to get to one’s destination.”
In the closing remarks of his biography, written in 1963, Pastor Erickson writes: "I remember with thanks, several of the families in the Richland congregation: The Olsons, Warnes, Ness, Gravnings, Fordahls and others. There were hardly any roads, so to speak, one drove where best he could get through and that was not always so easy, especially in wet weather. One winter I drove my car to Richland where I was scheduled to hold services, but did not get it back to Bucyrus before the end of March the next year, because of snow. Mr. Foredahl kept it in his shed for three months. People were kind and helped. They experienced crop failures. One-year grasshoppers took the crop, so there was no harvest. But they hoped for better times, and they were rewarded. Most of the older people are no doubt gone, their work is done and may God reward them.”
The Hauge Synod, Norwegian Synod, and the United Church was merged at a convention in Minneapolis in 1917 and Richland became part of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. Two delegates from Richland were sent to this convention. In the forties the name was changed to the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The first service in the newly built church was held on July 10, 1917. The Church basement was not complete, so the actual dedication did not take place at this time. It was dedicated Oct. 16, 1927, and Doctor David Stove of Fargo, N. Dak. who had just become president of the North Dakota district assisted with the dedication. It is interesting to note that he was also present for the dedication of the second Richland church in Sept. 1950. Pastor Erickson who helped the building of the old, or first, church, left for another parish in Woonsocket, S. Dak. in the fall of 1918.
Pastor Ivar Dahl was born in Norway and ordained in 1919 before coming to Bucyrus. He was installed at Richland on July 15, 1919. Richland joined the Bucyrus parish in 1919 while he was pastor. The parsonage at Bucyrus was also built during this period. Pastor Dahle went to Wisconsin as a pastor after leaving here.
In November 1923, Pastor S. N. Englestad was installed as pastor and remained with us until 1941. While he was with Richland the Norwegian language was gradually changed to English for services. His confirmation classes were generally large. He was pastor during the depression years of the 30's.
Many still remember the Saturday of August 5, 1933, when lightning struck and burned to the ground that first beautiful church on the prairie. No one was able to get to the site in time to save any of the contents. The foundation can still be seen at the cemetery site.
Services were again held in homes and schoolhouses as it had been before the first church was built. In 1941, a committee decided on as central a location as possible for the building on land that belonged to E. H. Nordness. It was also the site of the Flatland school that had been burned years ago. A pioneer, Isaac Antonson, drew up the plans and work began on the basement in the fall of 1947. The first service was held in the basement November 28, 1948, the corner stone was laid November 23, 1949, and the second church was dedicated September 17, 1950. It stands in the southeast part of the southeast quarter of section 32 Maine township in Adams County, midway between Hettinger and Regent. Many of the second generation helped with the building.
Richland left the Bucyrus parish in 1941 and was served by pastors from Hettinger. Pastor F. T. Lokensgard came November I, 1941, and stayed till Dec. 25, 1942, when he left to be a Navy Chaplain in World War 11. Pastor Karl Xavier was our pastor from June 11, 1944, until December 15, 1946, when we rejoined the Bucyrus parish. Pastor O. C. Rolfson came from a parish in Virginia and was installed in 1947. He held his first service in Richland on July 20 and remained with us until he and his wife retired to live in Hettinger.
Up to 1950 we had one confirmand that went into fulltime work for our church, Miss Bertha Stedje who was a missionary to the Eskimoes for many years and has since been a parish worker in Fargo, N. Dak. Many of the youth who have not remained around here have gone to take their part in church and community life, both here and abroad.
Summing it up with these words written to the tune of a famous hymn by Pastor B. C. Rolfsen for the 56th anniversary of the church.
On the broad prairies a beacon
Here we meet Christ, and He is nigh
when we come here heavy laden
With all our sorrows and our sin,
Lovingly say: My child come in,
Let me your sad heart laden.
Here sat our parent, heard God's word
Knelt at His Altar ... forgiven.
Here they brought us unto the Lord
When as yet we were children,
Later we spoke the solemn "yea,"
promised to serve Him all our day,
Lord, grant this for Christ's merits.
(Two of four verses written to the tune of "Built on a rock.")
Joseph J. Barr was born in Kenyen, Minnesota. Joe homesteaded in Cedar Township on section four in the year 1907 or 1908. He was a bachelor and was noted for his good cooking as well as very good at telling jokes. During the early forties Joe left here and went back to Kenyen where he passed away (date unknown). His brother Henry Barr homesteaded on section 8 in the northeast quarter Henry left soon after homesteading.
Info from – PRAIRIE PIONEERS A STORY OF ADAMS COUNTY (pages 106-108)
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