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The Reverand Torger Andreas Torgerson arrived in America in the spring of 1853 from the "iron works of Ness" in the southern part of Norway. He studied for the ministry 1858-1865 under the prominent Lutheran theologian C. F. W. Walther at the Missouri Synod seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He was ordained and installed at the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran congregations of Silver Lake, Lime Creek, and Shell Rock by August of 1865, and served Lutherans in that area until his death in 1906. The Rev. Torgerson traveled throughout the countryside an area of 150 miles north to south by fifty miles east to west because he was stationed the furthest west of any Norwegian Lutheran pastor at that time. He served whomever needed a Lutheran pastor and for a short time visited as many as twenty-three groups in this large area. The first worship service with the people of North Prairie was held by Pastor Torgerson in 1866, and the congregation was organized three years later. He remained pastor of this congregation until 1873 when he was replaced by the Rev. J. M. Dahl. The church that would eventually be called Immanuel Lutheran Church, was also organized by Pastor Torgerson in the area later known as Scarville, Iowa. He encouraged the families which lived in this area north of Lime Creek Lutheran Church to congregate in their homes until they could build a new church. Pastor Torgerson served this new group until 1887. His son, the Rev. A. M. Torgerson, took over the duties at Scarville and by 1896, services were held more regularly with a church finally being built in 1901.

The funeral of Rev. T. A. Torgerson

"History of Worth County" written by Rev. T. A. Torgerson

For more personal details about the Rev. T. A. Torgerson and his family, visit the Iowa the Beautiful section of Grandma's Story - a journal by Mina Levorson.

Back of Above Torgerson Picture