Eric Norelius
Encyclopedia
Eric Norelius was a Swedish-American Lutheran minister, church leader and author.
parish, in Nordanstig Municipality, Gävleborg County
, Sweden
. He received his early education at Hudiksvall
's allmänna läroverk. In 1850, at the age of 17, Eric Norelius immigrated to the United States.
With assistance from Lars Paul Esbjörn
, Norelius enrolled at Capital University
in Columbus, Ohio
where he spent 4 years studying. Norelius was ordained in 1855.
. In 1863, he was called back to the Vasa and Red Wing congregations in Goodhue County.
Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota
traces its history to 1865 when Eric Norelius and his congregation took in four orphaned immigrant children and later opened Vasa Lutheran Home for Children. The Vasa Children’s home was the first orphan home established by Swedish Lutherans in Minnesota.
Norelius was one of the founders of the Augustana Synod and he served as its president between 1870–1881 and 1901-1910. Norelius was also the founder of the Minnesota Conference of Augustana Synod.
Norelius was also active in the publishing field and begun the publishing of Minnesota Posten, from 1857-58 which merged with Hemlandet
. Norelius jointly published and edited Svensk Luthersk Tidskrift, which became Skaffaren after the first year of existence. He edited Missionären from 1870-71. Norelius was listed as editor-in-chief of Skaffaren until 1882. He was also the editor of Augustana for a brief period of time and the synod calendar Korsbaneret. From 1899 until 1909, he was editor or co-editor of Tidskrift för svensk evangelisk luthersk kyrkohistoria i Amerika, later called The Augustana Theological Quarterly.
The last years of his life were spent researching and writing the history of the synod and the Swedish migration to and settlement in America. He published Vasa illustrata (1905) on the history of his congregation in Vasa, The history of the Swedish Lutheran congregations and the Swedish-Americans (1890) (Swedish:De svenska lutherska församlingarnas och svensk-amerikanernas historia). He also wrote a biography Tuve Hasselquist
(1900). Eric Norelius' papers are contained in the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center located on the campus of
Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.
honors the role of Eric Norelius in the foundation of the college. The four narthexes of Christ Chapel honor the first four college presidents, including Eric Norelius, founder of the College. Norelius Hall is named for him. The Eric Norelius Award for the Outstanding Administrative Employee is awarded annually by Gustavus Adolphus College.
Background
Eric Norelius was born on October 26, 1833 in Norrbäck, HasselaHassela
Hassela is a locality situated in Nordanstig Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden with 375 inhabitants in 2005....
parish, in Nordanstig Municipality, Gävleborg County
Gävleborg County
Gävleborg County is a county or län on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders to the counties of Uppsala, Västmanland, Dalarna, Jämtland and Västernorrland. The capital is Gävle.- Administration :...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He received his early education at Hudiksvall
Hudiksvall
Hudiksvall is a city and the seat of Hudiksvall Municipality, in Hälsingland, Gävleborg County, Sweden with 14,850 inhabitants in 2005. Hudiksvall is also known as Glada Hudik , a term that originated in the 19th century as word spread of its friendly hospitality and its lively social life...
's allmänna läroverk. In 1850, at the age of 17, Eric Norelius immigrated to the United States.
With assistance from Lars Paul Esbjörn
Lars Paul Esbjörn
Lars Paul Esbjörn was a Swedish-American Lutheran clergyman, academic and church leader. Esbjörn was a founder of Augustana College and of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church.-Background:...
, Norelius enrolled at Capital University
Capital University
Capital University is a private liberal arts university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Bexley, Ohio, founded in 1830. In addition to its rigorous liberal arts program, the university also offers a reputable adult degree program in Columbus, Ohio. It is one of the oldest...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
where he spent 4 years studying. Norelius was ordained in 1855.
Career
Norelius moved to the newly formed congregations in Red Wing and Vasa, Minnesota in 1856. In 1858, he was called to serve the Swedish Lutheran congregation in Attica, IndianaAttica, Indiana
Attica is a city in Logan Township, Fountain County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,245 at the 2010 census.-History:Attica was laid out by George Hollingsworth and platted by David Stump on March 19, 1825...
. In 1863, he was called back to the Vasa and Red Wing congregations in Goodhue County.
Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota
Lutheran Services in America
Lutheran Services in America is a not-for-profit corporation that coordinates the work of nearly 300 independent Lutheran health and human service organizations affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America or recognized by The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. It is headquartered in...
traces its history to 1865 when Eric Norelius and his congregation took in four orphaned immigrant children and later opened Vasa Lutheran Home for Children. The Vasa Children’s home was the first orphan home established by Swedish Lutherans in Minnesota.
Norelius was one of the founders of the Augustana Synod and he served as its president between 1870–1881 and 1901-1910. Norelius was also the founder of the Minnesota Conference of Augustana Synod.
Norelius was also active in the publishing field and begun the publishing of Minnesota Posten, from 1857-58 which merged with Hemlandet
Hemlandet
Hemlandet was a Swedish-American newspaper, begun in 1855 in Galesburg, Illinois. It was the first Swedish-language newspaper in America.Founded by Tuve Hasselquist, the newspaper moved to Chicago in 1859 along with his Swedish Lutheran Publication Society. Its original content was primarily...
. Norelius jointly published and edited Svensk Luthersk Tidskrift, which became Skaffaren after the first year of existence. He edited Missionären from 1870-71. Norelius was listed as editor-in-chief of Skaffaren until 1882. He was also the editor of Augustana for a brief period of time and the synod calendar Korsbaneret. From 1899 until 1909, he was editor or co-editor of Tidskrift för svensk evangelisk luthersk kyrkohistoria i Amerika, later called The Augustana Theological Quarterly.
The last years of his life were spent researching and writing the history of the synod and the Swedish migration to and settlement in America. He published Vasa illustrata (1905) on the history of his congregation in Vasa, The history of the Swedish Lutheran congregations and the Swedish-Americans (1890) (Swedish:De svenska lutherska församlingarnas och svensk-amerikanernas historia). He also wrote a biography Tuve Hasselquist
Tuve Hasselquist
Tuve Nils Hasselquist was a Swedish American Lutheran minister and church leader.-Biography:Hasselquist was born in Hasselröd, Osby Municipality in Skåne County, Sweden....
(1900). Eric Norelius' papers are contained in the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center located on the campus of
Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.
Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus CollegeGustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly...
honors the role of Eric Norelius in the foundation of the college. The four narthexes of Christ Chapel honor the first four college presidents, including Eric Norelius, founder of the College. Norelius Hall is named for him. The Eric Norelius Award for the Outstanding Administrative Employee is awarded annually by Gustavus Adolphus College.
Other sources
- Johnson, Emeroy The Journals of Eric Norelius, a Swedish missionary on the American frontier (Augustana Book Concern. 1934)
- Ravenhill, Leonard Eric Norelius, Pioneer Midwest Pastor and Churchman (Augustana Book Concern. 1954)
- Peterson, Florence M. Turner Erik Norelius letters in the Gustavus Adolphus College Archives: Arranged chronologically (Gustavus Adolphus College. 1958)