U. V. Koren
Encyclopedia
Ulrik Vilhelm Koren was a Norwegian-American author, theologian and church leader. A pioneer Lutheran minister, he played a significant role in the development of the spiritual and intellectual development of Norwegians in America. Ulrik Vilhelm Koren has been called the “patriarch of Norwegian American
Lutherans.”
, Norway
. Although the family home was at Bergen
, but they also spent much time at Selja
, at the home of Koren's paternal uncle, Laurentius Koren. Selja, which was formerly known as Selø, is a small island in the county of Sogn og Fjordane
, Norway. Koren lived there after the death of his father, Paul S. S. Koren, a sea captain, in an earthquake on Haiti
in 1842. Koren was a 1852 theology
graduate
from the Royal Frederick University
. In 1853 he married Else Elisabeth Hysing. Else's father, Ahlert Hysing, had been rector
of the Latin School at Larvik
which Koren had attended.
Koren was called to the United States to serve the Little Iowa Congregation (later called Washington Prairie) in Winneshiek County, Iowa
. He was the first Lutheran minister from Norway to settle west of the Mississippi
. Koren's pastorate included large parts of Northeastern Iowa
and Southern Minnesota
. Many of the Lutheran congregations within that area look to Pastor Koren as their founder. Koren played an active part in the Synod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, holding various positions from secretary in 1855 to president of the synod from 1894 until his death in 1910.
During his ministry, Koren wrote numerous publications addressing various issues of concern to the Lutheran religious community. Koren was also instrumental in purchasing the land and locating Luther College
in Decorah, Iowa
. In 1903, he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity
degree from Concordia Theological Seminary
. He was made a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav by the King of Norway. Rev. Koren died on December 19, 1910 and was buried in the cemetery of Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, Decorah, Iowa.
.
. The house in which they lived during that period in now known as the Egge-Koren House and is on exhibit at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
.
Norwegian American
Norwegian Americans are Americans of Norwegian descent. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the later half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and...
Lutherans.”
Biography
Koren was born in BergenBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Although the family home was at Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, but they also spent much time at Selja
Selja, Selje
Selja is a small island in the municipality of Selje in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It has been formerly known as Sellø or Selø. The island is located in the Sildagapet bay, just west of Selje harbor....
, at the home of Koren's paternal uncle, Laurentius Koren. Selja, which was formerly known as Selø, is a small island in the county of Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
, Norway. Koren lived there after the death of his father, Paul S. S. Koren, a sea captain, in an earthquake on Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
in 1842. Koren was a 1852 theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
graduate
Cand.theol.
Candidatus theologiæ , Candidata theologiæ , abbreviated cand. theol. is an academic degree with a long tradition, awarded after a six year higher education in theology in Denmark and Norway. In Norway, the title has remained after the "Quality Reform", though it is equivalent to a Master of...
from the Royal Frederick University
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
. In 1853 he married Else Elisabeth Hysing. Else's father, Ahlert Hysing, had been rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the Latin School at Larvik
Larvik
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. Larvik kommune - has about 41 364 inhabitants and covers 530 km2....
which Koren had attended.
Koren was called to the United States to serve the Little Iowa Congregation (later called Washington Prairie) in Winneshiek County, Iowa
Winneshiek County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 21,056 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,721 housing units, of which 7,997 were occupied.-2000 census:...
. He was the first Lutheran minister from Norway to settle west of the Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. Koren's pastorate included large parts of Northeastern Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and Southern Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Many of the Lutheran congregations within that area look to Pastor Koren as their founder. Koren played an active part in the Synod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, holding various positions from secretary in 1855 to president of the synod from 1894 until his death in 1910.
During his ministry, Koren wrote numerous publications addressing various issues of concern to the Lutheran religious community. Koren was also instrumental in purchasing the land and locating Luther College
Luther College (Iowa)
Luther College is a four-year, residential liberal arts institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in Decorah, Iowa, USA...
in Decorah, Iowa
Decorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S...
. In 1903, he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
degree from Concordia Theological Seminary
Concordia Theological Seminary
The Concordia Theological Seminary is an institution of theological higher education of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod , located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, dedicated primarily to the preparation of pastors for the congregations and missions of the LCMS...
. He was made a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav by the King of Norway. Rev. Koren died on December 19, 1910 and was buried in the cemetery of Washington Prairie Lutheran Church, Decorah, Iowa.
Else Elisabeth Koren
Else Elisabeth Hysing was born on May 24, 1832 in Larvik, Norway. Elisabeth Koren was an author of The Diary of Elisabeth Koren, 1853-1855 which provides detailed insight into what it was like for four adults and two children to spend the winter in a one-room 14-by-16-foot log house. Elisabeth Koren died on June 7, 1918 at Washington Prairie, in Winneshiek County, IowaWinneshiek County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 21,056 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,721 housing units, of which 7,997 were occupied.-2000 census:...
.
Egge-Koren House
From December 1853 to March 1854, the newlyweds, Rev. U. V. Koren and his wife Elisabeth, lived with the Egge family near Decorah, IowaDecorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S...
. The house in which they lived during that period in now known as the Egge-Koren House and is on exhibit at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
The Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa is the oldest and most comprehensive museum in the United States devoted to a single immigrant ethnic group. The collection contains over 24,000 artifacts reflecting the experience of Norwegian-Americans, particularly in the Upper Midwest...
.
Koren Building
The Koren Building at Luther College dedicated in 1921, was named in honor of Ulrik Vilhelm Koren who was one of the founders and leaders of Luther College. The building housed the Koren Library until 1969. Major renovation was undertaken in 1987-88, and the building is now devoted to classrooms and faculty offices for members of the Education, History, Politics, Sociology, and Anthropology/Archeology Departments.Selected bibliography
- The Right Principles of Church Government (Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. Reprinted 1981)
- Why Is There No Church Unity Among Norwegian Lutherans In America? (Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. Reprinted 1981)
- Our Age Is A Period Of Transition (Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary. Reprinted 1981)
Additional Sources
- Norlie, O.M.Olaf M. NorlieOlaf Morgan Norlie , also referred to as O. M. Norlie, was a Lutheran minister, educator and scholar. He was a prolific author who is most remembered as the translator of the Simplified New Testament.-Background:...
Norsk Lutherske Menigheter i Amerika, 1843 - 1916 (Minneapolis, Augsburg Publishing house, 1918) Norwegian - Preus, Herman A. Ulrik Vilhelm Koren: A Biography (Bethany Lutheran Seminary. Mankato, Mn. 1950)
- Koren, Elizabeth The Diary of Elisabeth Koren, 1853-1855 (New York : Arno Press, 1979, ©1955)
- Johnson, James H. History of The Norwegian Community of Chickasaw County Iowa (The Chickasaw County Iowa Genealogical Society. June 2001)