Valley Grove Lutheran Church
223 Burke St N
Kloten, Nelson County, North Dakota 58254
223 Burke St N
Kloten, Nelson County, North Dakota 58254
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Valley Grove Lutheran Church
The first Lutheran pastor who worked as a missionary in the Sheyenne Valley was Rev. L.O. Lundeby.
On Nov. 22, 1882, a meeting was held and called to order by Rev. C.J.M. Gronlid when a group expressed a desire to form a congregation. Those who gathered on that day were: Ole Alfson, Ole 0. Laatveit, Aslak N. Nygard, Herjes Osmundson, Ole Aslakson, John E. Johnson, Elais J. Moan, Tosten N. Gilderhus, Ole Forde, Ole O. Groven, Ole T. Groven, Christian Jacobson, T.O. Torgerson, Nels Gilderhus, Halvor G. Homme, Sigvart J. Tande, Ole P. Aga, Solfest Ness, Andres J. Hegna, Tosten Groven, Henry Olson, Syver E. Odegaard, Anders Lee, Ole 0. Moen, Johan 0. Tande.
The following officers were elected: S.J. Tande, secretary; Elais Moan, treasurer; Ole Alfson, trustee west district; Tosten Gilderhus, trustee middle district; and Jon E. Johnson north district. These men were to serve for one year and they chose the name "Valey GroveNorsk Evangelist Lutherske Menighed. The constitution was drawn up and they together with Sheyenne Valley church located northeast of Cooperstown were to form a parish and call a pastor.
The next meeting was held on Nov. 26,1882 with O. Tande presiding and to collect $200 for the pastor's salary for the first year. New members joining at this time were, Bjug Knutson Kjorvestad, Tollef K. Bakke, Hans N. Colleen, Endre Johnson, Ole K. jorvestad, Ole O. Nomeland, Syver Johnson and Anders N. Gilderhus.
The congregation met at various schoolhouses, namely near Tande's Gilderhus and John E. Johnson. Ole Grovern's house was to be used as a parsonage. They were to build a log house to be used for a church, 20 by 30 feet, to be built on one acre by Ole Forde to be used for the church and cemetery. The building committee were Aslak Nelson, Ole Laatveit and Tosten Groven. Ole Laatveit resigned and Anders Lee was elected in his place.
More settlers moved in and more members were taken in and it was soon apparent that the original location was no longer the center and a new location would have to be found. In February 1884, Ole Folkeson (Franklin) donated two acres of land in the northwest quarter of section 28 in Lee Township. A committee of three were selected consisting of Bjug K. Kjorvestad, T.N. Gilderhus and John E. Johnson with Ole Folkeson as grave advisor.
In the spring of 1885, the west district wished to form their own congregation which they called "West Prairie Evangelical Lutheran Church and had their first services on Oct. 16, 1887, with Pastor T.H. Larson.
On March 30, 1898, a meeting was held and they decided to build a church and to start in June, to collect what they could in cash, and those who could not pay cash to make some arrangements with the lumber yard for their share. On May 31, 1898, they had collected in cash and pledges $706.75. The church was to be 40x28, 12 feet high with five windows. The chancel to be 16 feet long, 18 feet wide and 12 feet high; they were to haul sand and stone for the foundation. The Ladies Aid had given $100. The building committee elected were T.O. Groven, Ole E. Johnson, H.K. Loiland, Elias Moan and Bjug Kjorvestad.
The Valley Grove Church stood at the original site for 20 years from the Dedication Day Sept. 3, 1899, until the fall of 1919. In these 20 years a settlement had taken on more and more the beginning of a small prairie town and had become a marketplace of considerable importance, the village of Kloten. As the town grew there was talk about moving the church to Kloten or building a new Church.
It was decided at a meeting in June 1919 to move the church into Kloten. Many expressed themselves at this meeting pro and con and the vote to move was unanimous. A work committee consisting of Olav Loyland, Halvor Loiland, John G. Johnson and Alfred Larson were elected to get the job done. The contract for the work went to a contractor from Minnesota, the work started in August. The moving and the basement contract came to $3400, to collect this sum, members of the congregation signed pledges and some outstanding Kloten businessmen gave generous contributions. The Ladies Aid gave a $1000 contribution. The grounds for the new church location were donated by Mr. and Mrs. Olav K. Loyland. The church was moved with horses, huge logs were placed under the church and when one was free at the back it was moved to the front. The church was moved in three days and crossing the railroad tracks gave them some concern, but they made that without incident. Thanksgiving Day Nov. 27, 1919, the church basement was used for the first time. After the Thanksgiving service, a turkey dinner was served by the Ladies Aid to several hundred people.
The following pastors served this congregation through the years: Rev. Ole Christian Gronvold, 1882-1887; Rev. Thorval H. Larson, 1887-1892; Rev. H. Eliason, 1892-1912; Rev. K.M.J. Mjannes, 1912-1916; Rev. J.H. Fjelstad, 1916-1918; Rev. H.O. Bach, 1919-1924; Rev. Marcus Tufteland, 1924-1956; Rev. Lindley Jacobson, 1957-1958;
816 Rev. Orville Sunde, 1958-1964; Rev. Jacob Knutson, 1964-1967; Rev. Edward L. Nieman, 1968-1971; Rev Evan Clarke, 1971-1982; Rev. Allen Cheney, 1983-19-.
Info from - Nelson County History Volume II (816 & 817)
The first Lutheran pastor who worked as a missionary in the Sheyenne Valley was Rev. L.O. Lundeby.
On Nov. 22, 1882, a meeting was held and called to order by Rev. C.J.M. Gronlid when a group expressed a desire to form a congregation. Those who gathered on that day were: Ole Alfson, Ole 0. Laatveit, Aslak N. Nygard, Herjes Osmundson, Ole Aslakson, John E. Johnson, Elais J. Moan, Tosten N. Gilderhus, Ole Forde, Ole O. Groven, Ole T. Groven, Christian Jacobson, T.O. Torgerson, Nels Gilderhus, Halvor G. Homme, Sigvart J. Tande, Ole P. Aga, Solfest Ness, Andres J. Hegna, Tosten Groven, Henry Olson, Syver E. Odegaard, Anders Lee, Ole 0. Moen, Johan 0. Tande.
The following officers were elected: S.J. Tande, secretary; Elais Moan, treasurer; Ole Alfson, trustee west district; Tosten Gilderhus, trustee middle district; and Jon E. Johnson north district. These men were to serve for one year and they chose the name "Valey GroveNorsk Evangelist Lutherske Menighed. The constitution was drawn up and they together with Sheyenne Valley church located northeast of Cooperstown were to form a parish and call a pastor.
The next meeting was held on Nov. 26,1882 with O. Tande presiding and to collect $200 for the pastor's salary for the first year. New members joining at this time were, Bjug Knutson Kjorvestad, Tollef K. Bakke, Hans N. Colleen, Endre Johnson, Ole K. jorvestad, Ole O. Nomeland, Syver Johnson and Anders N. Gilderhus.
The congregation met at various schoolhouses, namely near Tande's Gilderhus and John E. Johnson. Ole Grovern's house was to be used as a parsonage. They were to build a log house to be used for a church, 20 by 30 feet, to be built on one acre by Ole Forde to be used for the church and cemetery. The building committee were Aslak Nelson, Ole Laatveit and Tosten Groven. Ole Laatveit resigned and Anders Lee was elected in his place.
More settlers moved in and more members were taken in and it was soon apparent that the original location was no longer the center and a new location would have to be found. In February 1884, Ole Folkeson (Franklin) donated two acres of land in the northwest quarter of section 28 in Lee Township. A committee of three were selected consisting of Bjug K. Kjorvestad, T.N. Gilderhus and John E. Johnson with Ole Folkeson as grave advisor.
In the spring of 1885, the west district wished to form their own congregation which they called "West Prairie Evangelical Lutheran Church and had their first services on Oct. 16, 1887, with Pastor T.H. Larson.
On March 30, 1898, a meeting was held and they decided to build a church and to start in June, to collect what they could in cash, and those who could not pay cash to make some arrangements with the lumber yard for their share. On May 31, 1898, they had collected in cash and pledges $706.75. The church was to be 40x28, 12 feet high with five windows. The chancel to be 16 feet long, 18 feet wide and 12 feet high; they were to haul sand and stone for the foundation. The Ladies Aid had given $100. The building committee elected were T.O. Groven, Ole E. Johnson, H.K. Loiland, Elias Moan and Bjug Kjorvestad.
The Valley Grove Church stood at the original site for 20 years from the Dedication Day Sept. 3, 1899, until the fall of 1919. In these 20 years a settlement had taken on more and more the beginning of a small prairie town and had become a marketplace of considerable importance, the village of Kloten. As the town grew there was talk about moving the church to Kloten or building a new Church.
It was decided at a meeting in June 1919 to move the church into Kloten. Many expressed themselves at this meeting pro and con and the vote to move was unanimous. A work committee consisting of Olav Loyland, Halvor Loiland, John G. Johnson and Alfred Larson were elected to get the job done. The contract for the work went to a contractor from Minnesota, the work started in August. The moving and the basement contract came to $3400, to collect this sum, members of the congregation signed pledges and some outstanding Kloten businessmen gave generous contributions. The Ladies Aid gave a $1000 contribution. The grounds for the new church location were donated by Mr. and Mrs. Olav K. Loyland. The church was moved with horses, huge logs were placed under the church and when one was free at the back it was moved to the front. The church was moved in three days and crossing the railroad tracks gave them some concern, but they made that without incident. Thanksgiving Day Nov. 27, 1919, the church basement was used for the first time. After the Thanksgiving service, a turkey dinner was served by the Ladies Aid to several hundred people.
The following pastors served this congregation through the years: Rev. Ole Christian Gronvold, 1882-1887; Rev. Thorval H. Larson, 1887-1892; Rev. H. Eliason, 1892-1912; Rev. K.M.J. Mjannes, 1912-1916; Rev. J.H. Fjelstad, 1916-1918; Rev. H.O. Bach, 1919-1924; Rev. Marcus Tufteland, 1924-1956; Rev. Lindley Jacobson, 1957-1958;
816 Rev. Orville Sunde, 1958-1964; Rev. Jacob Knutson, 1964-1967; Rev. Edward L. Nieman, 1968-1971; Rev Evan Clarke, 1971-1982; Rev. Allen Cheney, 1983-19-.
Info from - Nelson County History Volume II (816 & 817)