The first people of the Norwegian Evangelican Lutheran church came to the southeastern part of Renville county in 1861 and 1862. Among these settlers were Ole Sampson Kvam, sometimes known as Ole Quam, and his family; Hans Jorgen Halvorsen and his family, and two single men, John Hade and Conrad Hamm. At the time of the Indian outbreak in 1862 Ole Quam was killed by the Indians, as were also two of his children. His wife, Anna, with her infant child, as by a miracle, escaped the Indians, and hid for two or three days in the tall grass of the Minnesota bottoms. Then, carrying her almost dead child, she started for Fort Ridgely, which she reached the next morning, almost insane from fright, grief and starvation. She found there the other Norwegians who had escaped.

After the outbreak if took some years before the Scandinavians again began to immigrate to this part of the state. However, in 1868 a good many Scandinavians settled in the southeastern part of Renville county. As the Scandinavian people always have been known for their deep, earnest religiousness, they had longed for years for an established church of their own faith.

On the fifth of May, 1868, Rev. Thomas Johnson, of St. Peter, Nicollet county, Minn., conducted his first service at the house of Johannes Andersen, in township of Camp.

On this occasion he baptized nine children, namely, Christopher I. Iversen, Bergitte Julia J. Ellestad, Edward Markus S. Iversen, Hilda Johanna P. [Lahti], Gustav Daniel H. Johnson, Nicolai Juliana M. Johnson, Johan J. Anderson, Sala Louise T. Tweet and Genetta Christine H. J. Halvorson.

Among those present may be mentioned Iver and Marie Iversen, Jörgen and Martha Ellestad, Sevald and Adrianne Iversen, Peter and Johanna [Lahti], Magnus and Caroline Johnson, Johannes and Marthe Anderson, Bella Johnson, Elizabeth Iversen, Mathias Johnson, Peter Isaksen, John and Sara Hallin. Rev. Johnson continued farther west to preach the gospel of Christ for Scandinavians living there.

On the twentieth of May, 1868, Rev. Johnson returned from the west and on that day a meeting was held at the house of Johannes Anderson, Camp township, for the purpose of organizing an Evangelical Lutheran congregation. Consequently the Fort Ridgely Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran congregation was organized, and on that day its constitution adopted. It is no doubt the first organized Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran congregation in Renville county.

The founders of the congregation were Jörgen Gilbertsen Ellestad, Hans Jörgen Halvorsen, Magnus Johnson, Mathias Bogema, Johannes Anderson and Tov Rudy.

The first confirmation in this congregation took place on May 12, 1871. The names of those confirmed are: Johan Magnus L. Johannesen, Anton O. Lunder, Isak Astor S. Iversen, Johan O. Johnson, Martha O. Ellingsen, Martha Maria M. Johnson, Maria O. Johnson, Maria Elizabeth L. Johannesen, Gustava Hedvig H. T. Christiansen, Anna Gustava H. T. Christiansen, Anna S. Eriksen, Nicolai M. Johnson, Johan M. Johnson.

The first bridal couple that was married in this congregation was Johan O. Lee and Lina Ivensdotter. They were married in the residence of the groom's brother, Mathias O. Lee, in November, 1869, by Rev. Nils Ylvizaker, of Red Wing, Minnesota.

The first burial that is recorded in the congregation was that of Gunhild Thorsdotter. She died December 21, 1868, at the age of 41 years, and the last rites at her grave were performed in May, 1869, by Rev. Thomas Johnson.

In 1878 this congregation was incorporated under the laws of the state of Minnesota.

The members of this congregation as well as the rest of the pioneers in this part of the state suffered greatly from the grasshopper plague from 1872 to 1876. And there also came other trials for this congregation, which shall not be mentioned here.

In 1874 this congregation joined the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod of North America. On June 2, 1874, this congregation was divided into two congregations, viz. Fort Ridgely and Dale - an action which ever since has been more or less lamented. In 1871 a committee of five was appointed to find a suitable place for a church and cemetery, without any result. In the spring of 1878 the Fort Ridgely and Dale congregations bought the improvements from Rev. Johannes Halvorsen, made on the north one-half of the northeast quarter of section 16, in town of Camp. This parsonage, land and buildings, are now owned in connection by Fort Ridgely, two-sixths, Dale, two-sixths, Concordia, two-sixths, Palmyra, one-fourth, Clear Lake congregation, Sibley county, one-fourth.

On June 19, 1878, a committee meeting of members from Fort Ridgely, Dale and Palmyra congregations was held to discuss the erection of a parsonage on the northeast one-half of this land. A building committee was appointed, viz., Mathiaz O. Lee, Jacob P. Kopperud and Gabriel A. Nilsen Bjurselmo. It was decided that a frame building, 26x26, 14 feet high, should be erected. The work on this building was commenced October, 1878, and the building was partly finished the same fall, and on Christmas Eve, 1878, Rev. Nils P. Xavier with his family, moved into the new building.

From the earliest time it had been the greatest wish of these congregations to get a house of worship of their own. The first money set aside for this purpose was the confirmation offering May 22, 1879 - $7.07, and on the Fourth of July the same year a collection of $6.08. On the fifteenth of May, 1884, a joint meeting of Fort Ridgely and Dale congregations was held to discuss the possibility of building a church in conjunction. It was decided with a great majority to go to work as soon as possible. In the meantime the controversies concerning the predestination had sprung up in the Synod and spread to most of its congregations. Also these congregations suffered greatly on account of those controversies. On Tuesday, December 15, 1885, a new meeting was held in the parsonage to discuss the question about building of the church on the parsonage land, the north one-half of the northeast quarter of section 16, Town of Camp. A subscription of $855 was raised that day. The next meeting was held in 1886. A building committee was appointed, and the site of the church was decided on to be 40x28, and 16 feet high, with tower and chancel. In the summer of 1886 the church was built by Mr. Harrison. On October 29, 1886, the cornerstone was laid in the name of the Triune God, and the church was dedicated on May 28, 1893, by Rt. Rev. Knut Björgo. On the following day an old settlers' reunion was held at the parsonage. The congregations have a graveyard adjoining the church in common.

The first funeral was held July 8, 1884, over a dead born child of Mr. and Mrs. Ole P. Höimge, and the next was that of Randi Enger, the wife of John Enger, Sr. The first child that was baptized in this church was Selma Genora H. Johnson, born July 10, 1886, baptized August 15, 1886. The first confirmation was held July 18, 1886. The first marriage that was performed in this church occurred June 20, 1887. The bridegroom was Peter T. Lund, and the bride was Kari Marie Lykken.

Among the pioneers of Fort Ridgely congregation may be mentioned, besides the six founders, above named, the following: Mathias O. Lee, John Enger, Sr., and Jr., Lars Enger, Sylfest Olson, Leif Torgrimson, Ole E. Berge, Odd B. Jacobsen, Einar Nilsen Hunsaker, Olaf Dale, Hans Grasmoen.