Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/418

 350 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY amount. Thus at the annual business meeting at Vasa, June 25, 1858, there was $100 back on my first year's salary, and no prospects ever to pay it. My whole salary from both congrega- tions from June 25 to November 1, 1858, amounted to $75 in cash and a few sacks of spoiled corn and one barrel of beans. It was probably the best the poor people could do, .and, thank God, I did not starve, though it was somewhat pinching. From the beginning of the congregation to November, 1858. the fol- lowing persons were officers: Deacons, Swen Jacobson, S. J. Willard, Ola Olson, Sr., Johan Sundell, Jacob Robertson, S. P. Peterson. Carl Johnson, Peter Johnson, John Bergdahl, T. G. Pearson and Nils Swenson ; trustees, Peter Xilson, Carl Carlson, Olof Peterson. T. G. Pearson, Swen Jacobson; pro-singer. Nils Person ; sexton, Jon Bergdahl. Olof Paulson. A change in the pastoral relation now took place. AVhat caused it. and the history of the congregation during my disconnection with it, from Novem- ber 1. 1858, to September 1. 1861, 1 will now briefly relate. "In the fall of 1857 I started a paper at Red Wing by the name of 'Minnesota Posten.' It was designed as a family paper, treating of political as well as religious matters, besides contain- ing general news and other matter. I still think that some good in various ways was accomplished by that paper, although I had to regret that I ever tried my hand at politics. For some time I was suspected of having considerable political influence among the Swedes of Goodhue county ; but to tell the truth, I never was a politician, though al various times I have discussed general moral principles of right and wrong, touching politics, but I have never taken any part in political managements, caucuses or meetings, nor have I ever preached politics. I have never sought after any political office in my life. It is true I was elected county auditor in 1858, but this was done while I was away on a journey to Illinois, and I knew nothing about it before I came home. I did not accept the office and Mr. Going was appointed in my stead. But to return to my paper. It was published only twice a month, but the burden of editing a paper of that kind, together with the already crushing load of pastoral and missionary work which rested on me. was rather too much for me. My health broke down, and in the spring of 1857, I had a severe hemorrhage of my lungs. After having carried on the paper for one year — and the year 1857 was the hardest one in the history of Minnesota — it was proposed to unite it with 'Hem- landet,' the Swedish paper published at Galesburg, 111., and that the united paper be moved to Chicago. In the meantime I had been appointed as an agent to solicit funds in the East for a Scandinavian professorship in the Illinois State University. I accepted the appointment, and removed with my family to Chi-