Wang Township Time Line, Renville Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Pierce
Submitted: June 1999
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1862 - The Indians had been removed from the area after the uprising of 
       1862. 
       However, they trickled back to their old homes and occasionally 
       visited the settlers. 

1867 (June) - The township was first settled by white men. Previously only 
              nomadic Indians and perhaps an occasional trapper were in the area. 
              The first group of settlers had their origin in the area or 
              near Oslo, Norway, then known as Kristiania. They were 
              followed by an influx, which were predominantly from the 
              Valdres Valley of Norway, most of them from the area of Vang.
              It was these people that gave the township its name. 

1868 - The first Lutheran church to be organized was the Vestre Sogn 
       congregation which was organized as a part of Our Savior's 
       congregation of Sacred Heart. 

1871 - The organization of the second Lutheran congregation in Wang 
       Township was Hawk Creek. 

1873 (about) - The New Lisbon Post Office was established in Section 6. 
               Christopher Hutchins was first postmaster. 

1873-1877 - Grasshoppers ravaged the area, some years destroying the
            entire crop and even eating into fork handles and logs of 
            buildings. 

1881 - Our Savior's Lutheran Church was constructed, Section 21. Prior to 
       that, the congregation met in homes and in schoolhouses. C. O. 
       Narvestad contributed the two acres of land. 

1892 - The Wang Church was built on land donated by A. T. Ellingboe, 
       Section 9. 

1894 - The Vestre Sogn Lutheran Church became associated with the First 
       Lutheran congregation of Granite Falls. 

1913 (July) - Our Savior's Lutheran Church was struck by lightning and 
              burned to the ground. By that time Hawk Creek congregation 
              had been formed so Vestre Sogn congregation was disbanded. 

1915 - Vestre Sogn Cemetery Association was organized and a small chapel 
       was built. 

1920 - The population was 674. 

1930 - The population was 656. 

1940 - The population was 560. 

1947 - Number of landowners 185. 

1979 - The population was 329 due to the exodus during and after World War 
       II, combined with lower birth rates. Number of landowners 148.