Telelaget Origins

The Norwegian social organizations known as bygdelags, which first appeared at the turn of the century, grew from the immigrant's attachment to their old homes. A strong feeling for family and kinship inspired them. The Valdres folk were the first to organize at Como Park in St. Paul, MN, in 1899. Talks began about organizing a Telelag in 1905, and on January 16, 1907, the first organizational meeting was held at Paries Hall in Fargo, ND.

The officers of the newly formed Telelag were Rev. Bendik Bondahl, President; A.A. Trovatten, Vice President; S.B. Salverson, secretary-treasurer; and Torkel Oftelie, historian and editor of the first Telesoga.

Torkel Oftelie began his work immediately, and the first issue of the Telesoga was issued in March 1909 in the native Telemark dialect. Until 1926, Oftelie collected and published valuable chapters of the Tele-saga in America. His research, which included much travel, resulted in 53 issues of Telesoga.

Torkel often said that he was amazed at how fast the bygdelag idea took hold and spread. Soon after the Telers organized, the Hallings also organized, and then, one after another, the others followed suit. He was gratified to see so many attend these functions from long distances and by all means of travel to meet old friends and acquaintances, some they hadn't seen for 20, 30, or 40 years.

By the 1911 annual Stevne in Lake Mills, IA, around 4000 Telers were in attendance. That same year, many smaller, more regional Telelags began to form. Wisconsin Telelag, Tinnjo-laget, Bandakslag, Minneapolis Telelag, Northwest Telelag, and Red River Valley Telelag would eventually be as active as the National Telelag.

World War I halted lag activities, and many smaller lags did not reassemble. Larger lags were active again until World War II, when activities ceased once again. There was no National Tele Stevne from 1939 to 1948, although Red River Valley met in 1946. In 1949, Northwest Telelag met.

That same year, N.N. Ronning succeeded in calling a convention at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, of 150 individuals. This event revived Telelag, which had lost much of its original character and buoyancy as many staunch supporters had died over the previous 11 years. There was little interest in the previously popular folk entertainment, which had also been noted at the 1930s gatherings. The National Telelag made a serious attempt to continue but failed to revive enough interest in the organization. The last meeting was held in 1953.

The Northwest Telelag continued to convene annually through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s with fair attendance. From 1968-1976 the Stevne was held in Oklee, MN. 1977, a highly attended and remarkably delightful Telestevne was held in Fargo, ND. It was the 60th Anniversary of Northwest Telelag. Despite intentions to the contrary, the Northwest Telelag was not to meet again in the following years.

Because of efforts by Anund Roheim, an accomplished violinist and Teler from Black Eagle, MT, the National Telelag was reorganized, and a Stevne was held in Appleton, MN, in June of 1980. Hilbert Thompson led the new organization as President, Harold Sersland as Vice President, Lillian Thompson as Secretary, and Orville Prestholdt as Treasurer.

Herbert and Lillian began publishing the Telesoga once again that same year. The Telesoga has been published semi-annually since then. In 1987, to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Telers in America, Telelaget published its first Norwegian American History book, Telemark to America Volume I, which gives an overview of Telemark and its settlements in America. Two additional volumes, each with a slightly different focus, were subsequently published in 1992 and 2011. Other books and publications from Telelaget include a biannual newsletter and the most recent book, Red River Girl, produced in conjunction with the Vest Telemark Museum and the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay Couty in 2020.

At the 1981 Stevne at St. Olaf College, programming, social activities, and the banquet were shared with three other lags: Hadeland, Toten, and Land. Future stevne would continue to be combined efforts with different lags taking turns organizing. Sigdal joined in 1985, and in 1986, the lags of Numedal and Ringerike were welcomed. In 1987, the first joint meeting of the 7-lag took place at the annual stevne. Agderlag, a newly formed lag, is the most recent addition to the joint stevne group in 2021.

Annual stevne have continued since reorganization, except for a hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A Virtual Stevne was organized in 2021, the second year of the pandemic, with YouTube presentations.

At the 1999 All-Bygdelag Centennial celebration, 11,000 people commemorated the bygdelag movement at Luther College in Decorah, IA. Seventeen years later, in 2016, The National Council for Bygdelag, the Norwegian-American Bygdelagenes Fellesraad, held a successful and highly publicized 100th anniversary celebration. The bygdelag movement is widely recognized for its cultural significance in the 20th century. In this century, Telelaget and close to 30 other active lags continue to connect descendants of Norwegian immigrants with the cultures of the distinct communities of their roots.

Torkel Oftelie, Historian and Editor

Rev. Bendick Bondahl, President

A.A. Trovatten, Vice President

S. B. Salvorson Secretary

Torkel Oftelie's dedicated collection and reporting of the history of Telemark settlements in America allow us to see those communities and our ancestors in a very personal way. This great gift to all of us is incalculable. Torkel provided the kind of hard-working leadership that has allowed Telelaget to remain vital and relevant to its descendant community for decades beyond his death.

Torkel was born on the 23rd of January, 1856, at Kosi, originally a husmannsplass (tenant farmer's dwelling) on the Førstøyl farm in Høysdalsmo, Telemark. The property had been sold in the 1840s to Tarkjell Gunleiksen Nigard Ofte (1793-1853), first husband of Torkel's mother, Anne Halvorsdtr Mjaugedal (Oct 25 1815-May 12 1887) and she inherited the property when Tarkjell died. Tarkjell and Anne had three children:

Tore, born April 3, 1845, emigrated to America where she married a man named Cameron. Their son Kenneth Potten Cameron lived in Brooklyn NY.
Halvor, born May 14, 1847, was a sailor who spent a few years in the USA before moving to Curitiba, Brazil, where he planned to start a Norwegian settlement.
Aslak, born September 3, 1848, died before he was 3 months old, on November 24, 1848.

Anne married Halvor Jonsen Oftelid (Sep 2, 1832-Mar 14, 1912) on October 27, 1854. Torkel was the oldest and, in keeping with tradition, was named for his mother's deceased first husband. He had two younger siblings: Jon, who was born November 13, 1857 and died December 31, 1933. His youngest brother Aslak did not see his second birthday: he was born March 7, 1860, and died May 21, 1861.

For a time the family lived at Ofte Uppigard, the farm owned by Torkel's grandparents and inherited by his brother Jon. In 1860, Torkel's father Halvor purchased Nord Oftelid, where Torkel and Jon spent their growing-up years. Had he remained in Telemark, this farm would have been Torkel's birthright. Instead, Kjetil Ofte purchased the farm from his grandfather and passed it on to his son Jon K. Ofte (1914-2000). (In 2007, Jon's widow Helbjørg still lived on Nord Oftelid.)

In 1873, Torkel graduated from Kviteseid Seminary and went on to spend the next 11 years as a teacher in Norway. He spent 1875-76 at Morgedal and Kviteseid; 1876-1881 in Vrådal and Kviteseid; and 1881-1886 at Høydalsmo and Lårdal. In addition, Torkel attended Asker Seminary for one year in 1883.

Signe Groven was born in 1858 on Gøytil in Lårdal. Her parents were Aasmund and Margit Groven. In 1884 she emigrated to America with her brother Knut and his family. Torkel wrote to her and asked her to return to Norway, but she convinced him to come to America instead. Torkel immigrated in 1886 and married Signe on September 28, 1886, at the Teisberg home in Fergus Falls MN. Reverend O. N. Fosmark officiated, and A. G. Teisberg and T. G. Bershot were witnesses.

Torkel wrote that during his first two years in America, he worked at odd jobs: on the railroad, on a farm, threshing at harvest time, teaching religion, and singing at Norwegian schools in Otter Tail and Grant counties, Minnesota, in the winters. In 1888, he became co-editor of the Norwegian language paper the Ugeblad Fergus Falls. He earned $35 a month.

Signe and Torkel settled into a 2-story home at 517 Cleveland Avenue in Fergus Falls. They raised five children there: Halvor (1887-1947), Maria (1889-1895), Anne (1890-1975) Margaret (1897-1977), and Osmund (1899-1975).

Torkel and his partner, Ole Hagen of Crookston MN published Rodhuggeren in Fergus Falls. The paper was populist in politics and considered the strongest paper of its kind in northern Minnesota. The paper merged with other papers and was moved to Fargo in 1898. The new paper circulated as Fram. It is not known how long Torkel wrote for Fram.

In 1900, Torkel homesteaded in North Dakota. He sold the property for "quite a profit" a few years later.

At some point between 1906-1910, Torkel was a member of the Ljom Singing Society of Fergus Falls. The group was organized in 1883. It is not known when Torkel joined or how long he was a member. He is pictured with the group in a photo believed to have been taken in either 1906 when its beautiful banner was dedicated, or in 1910 when they won the Loving Cup in Sioux Falls SD. In 1906 he attended a week-end convention of the Sons of Norway in Fargo.

In 1907 he was part of a planning committee of the Norwegian Literary Society whose objective was to perpetuate the literature and history of Norway. Torkel published a book entitled Tiriltunga about Norwegian folk music in Telemark. His writing has references to Norse Mythology. He taught music, and for at least two years was a member of the Ljom Singing Society of Fergus Fall. He admired poets, such as Vinje, and wrote poetry himself. "When I read Vinje's poems, I could almost weep, because I couldn't write anything like that." He included some of his own poetry in issues of Telesoga. Here is one of his amusing verses written in reflection of Robert Burns:

In public I wish heartily
To see myself as others see me;
Then I would see what never was clear,
And find my faults both there and here.

It was also in 1907 that he participated in the founding of Telelaget and was elected its historian and soga writer. It seems that all his special interests and experience prepared him for this 20-year commitment. From the start of his work as a historian at the age of 51, he was concerned that Norwegians were too quick to drop their native customs, especially in the naming of children.

Addressing the first stevne that same year, he said, "A day will come when we are proud of our ethnic heritage." "There are many who will ask," he said, "'What do we gain by doing this work?' I am certain this is of great value for our people. This must be done if we are going to be aware of family and ancestors among our people in the coming generations...The day will arrive," he said, "when Norwegians will not be embarrassed about being Norwegian and the work we have started will then be appreciated. It is then that people will understand our nationalistic tasks and that we can or should set our mark here, as our ancestors did when they traveled in Europe...We need to leave an impression. This nation is composed of many different people, like the rainbow with its distinct colors. Let there be a Norwegian color in the American rainbow."

From 1907-1926 Torkel traveled by horse and buggy, and sometimes on foot or by train, through the Telemark settlements in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Montana, the Dakotas, and Nebraska. He worked at his own expense, so some of this time he sold woolen goods for a wool factory in Fergus Falls to raise money to finance his journeys. He did most of the writing for Telesoga himself. In some cases he had others write. He enlisted his good friend, the famous artist Herbjørn Gausta, to illustrate some of the issues. When Gausta died, Torkel was instrumental in raising money for a monument for Gausta.

The first issue of the Telesoga was published in 1909. Torkel published 53 issues between 1909 and 1924. During these years include biographies, histories, sketches, genealogies, anecdotes, poems [some were his own], amusing events, and photographs. In 1926, at the age of 70, Torkel wrote and published the 128-page Yearbook for Telelaget.

Torkel spent 3 months in Norway beginning in late May of 1935. The people in his home district held three large public meetings in his honor. On his return to America, he spent three days in Washington and received a guided tour from Senator Shipstead's secretary.

1936, July 2 Signe died, just months before their golden wedding anniversary; she had been in poor health for several years. Torkel's daughter Anne Thurneau, whose husband died in 1918, came to live with Torkel. She was his constant companion until his death.

Anne and Torkel traveled to Burbank, California, to spend the winter with Torkel's daughter Margaret. He died there on November 4, 1943, from complications of diabetes. His body was brought back to Fergus Falls for burial in Oak Grove Cemetery. A service was held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church with Rev. Skepstad officiating.

The following verses are from the final stanza of Rev. J. O. Sæter's memorial poem honoring Torkel:

So takk då, Torkel! Ditt namn skal minnast
So lenge nordmenn i vesten finnast.
Du elska Norig, di gamle mor.
No søv du signa i vestens jord.

So thank you, Torkel, your name will be remembered
As long as there are Norwegians in the West.
You loved Norway, your old mother,
Now you sleep, blessed, in western earth.

Biographical information gathered by Alice Kirn

Torkel Oftelie

1856-1943

a gentleman in a vest and hat standing outside a house, black and white

small norwegian flags planted in moss on a rock, woods, snow and mountains on the horizon

TORKEL OFTELIE

by Bjørgulv Bjørnaraa

I greet you, Torkel; praise I speak,

Saga-writer, from the North.

You, steadfast, like a mountain peak,

Motherland's voice stood forth.

You were an honor for this land -

A blossom from Norway's green;

Who wove a beautiful heritage band

Father and son between.

You followed the Teler's courageous trail

And deeds in this land;

And told the ever-inspiring tale

Of Old Norse in Vinland.

Yes, from their birthright's legal due

You followed them all the way.

They earned the highest praise; and you

Such words of praise could say.

As Rjukan's thundering waterfall

Sings out a conqueror's song;

As trolls, high in their mountain hall

Often shouted loud and long;

So you called out from this new shore

In Telemark's own tongue;

And Telesoga offered more

Inspiring old and young.

You conjured up a treasure trove

Of sagas - living gold;

From people's past, you, skillful, wove

A vision they could hold.

You traveled round for many a day,

So curious and intent;

When Telers met to say their say

You joined their merriment.

The pay you got was thanks, alone,

But what to us you gave

Shall be inscribed in timeless stone

To stand above your grave!

Then will our people stand in grief,

Knowing what now must end,

And lay each flowery tribute sheaf

To honor their lost friend.

So you must live in joy and grace,

Live to a ripe old age.

We need such champions of our race

To preserve our heritage.

You were a faithful messenger,

Your "call" a demanding one;

We thank you for each "priceless pearl"

And all that you have done.

Photograph from Telesoga, 1911, Volume 10

Torkel is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Fergus Falls MN, next to his wife Signe

Photo by Gene Estensen

Torkel’s birthplace is located between the fields and the small lake in the picture

Photo by Olav Førstoyl May 17, 2008

Torkel Oftelie's Legacy

Telesoga

“Telesoga is a magazine devoted to the history and reminiscences of Telemarkingar in America.”

-Torkel Oftelie

An invaluable privilege of membership in Telelaget is receipt of the biannual issues of Telesoga, Telelaget's historical journal. Beginning with its first issue in 1909, the stories and history of not only our Teler pioneers but also their ancestors and descendants are still being published on its pages.

Originally published in Norwegian, the journal began publishing in English in the 1950s. We are pleased to continue the tradition of honoring our ancestors and recording the ongoing history of Telers in America in each issue of Telesoga.

Since 1994, Telelaget has published a newsletter, TeleNews, to keep members informed about stevner, Telelaget events, tours, and other activities. It is mailed in the spring and fall in combination with the Telesoga.