History

[Copied by Lory Brasel, lbrasel@leagent.net, from the book "History of Otter Tail County" Volume I - 1916 by John W. Mason]

Sverdrup township was created by the county commissioners on March 18, 1878, under the name of Norman. The laws of Minnesota provided that the commissioners had to return the names of townships to the state auditor for his approval. The latter official had the authority to approve or reject the name, the rejection being determined by the question as to whether there was another township in the state of the same name. In the case of Norman township the state auditor reported to the county commissioners that another township of the same name already existed, and on July 17, 1878, the present name, Sverdrup, was given the township as set forth in the following resolution: "Resolved by the board of county commissioners of Otter Tail county that the congressional township 133, range 41, organized at the last meeting of board be named Sverdrup as the first name (Norman) was not accepted by the state auditor, another town in the state having the same name. Adopted, July 17, 1878."
The first election was held at the house of Olaf Bjornaas on April 6, 1878. Although Sverdrup was not officially created until 1878, a petition had been presented to the commissioners dated December 7, 1872, asking that township 133, range 41, which was at that time attached to the town of Tordenskjold and which contained at the time more than twenty-five legal voters, he organized into a separate township under the name of Norman. This was signed by the following; men: John Qlsen Kolstad, Aug. Nordenmalm, Jens Gveld, O. H. Jornaas, Ole Olsen Aune, Ole T. Homperd, Peder M. Henriks, Ole F. Loseth, Knud Knudsen, Bernt O. Sundeye, H. E. Nilson, Halvor Marken, Johan Marken, Ole Aiene, Jens Jensen, Johan Schroeder, John E. Hill, Iver L. Kotitad, Mattias Olsen Minge, Ole Johnsen Butterud, Petter Lorssen, Ole Pedersen, Kaisten Halstensen, Knud Peterson and Andrias Olsen. This petition was rejected on March 18, 1873.
The second petition which resulted in getting the township organized, was dated February 5, 1878, and contained the names of the following qualified voters: A. W. Peterson, Hans Juelson Oscar Hanson, Johan E. Hill, Charley Johnson Hill, Johna O. Nilsby, Ole F. Hamperd, Ole J. Butterud, Ole T. Bjornaas, Ole F. Loseth, Ole O. Aune, Ole Nygaard, Jens E. Wold, John O. Stompord, Peder M. Hendricks, James Randak, Even Johnson, John Sanao, T. C. Logge, Lars Hansen, Peder Sande, M. O. Sjolberg, Jorgen Hanson, Halste Halstensen, Halvor Marken, Knud Pederson, Johan Marken, John Olsen Kolstad, Knud Knudsen Onstad, Lars Johnson Medja, Edward J. Wold, John J. Wold, Ole Gjordal and Andreas O. Seem.
The tax duplicate of 1878 gives the following taxpayers for Sverdrup township for that year: Ole O. Aune, Ole Bjornaas, Ole J. Butlevud, Ole Erekson, Peder M. Hendrikson, Jorgen Hanson, Halstensen Halshens, Lars Hanson, Carl Hill, John E. Hill, Jens Jenson, Even Johnsen, Habs Juelson, Renerth Johnsen, Johan O. Kolstad, Knud Knudson, Petter Larsen, John Marken, Lars J. Medjan, Halder E. Nilson, Ole O. Nygaar, Johan O. Nils-bye, A. W. Petterson, Ole Pederson, Knud Pederson, Beruth Sunelbye, M. O. Sjvlberf, T. C. Sagge, Petter P. Sande, Ole J. Stompra, Andreas Skramstad, Ole Sjordaal, Jens E. Wold, Ole Loseth, J. H. Low, Peder J. Nilsen and John Schroeder.
Sverdrup township has more than its share of lakes and there is not a section which does not contain a lake or a part of one. The largest lakes in the township are North Turtle, South Turtle, Anna, Dagmar, Norway, Bass, Onstad, John, Crooked, Horseshoe and Lost. The whole township drains into Red river which runs through Maine township about a mile north of Sverdrup. There is very little level land in the township although it is not so rugged that it cannot he brought under cultivation.
The preponderance of the population has always been Norwegian, the people from that country being its first settlers in large part. The first village was Southvick, the forerunner of the present village of Underwood. The postoffice established at this place was known as Turtle Lake. After the building of the Northern Pacific through the southern part of the township in the early part of the eighties, Southvick was platted as Underwood. The only other place in the township which has aspired to urban honors was Maplewood, which appeared on the maps of the county in 1882 as a station on the railroad, but soon disappeared.
The present township officers are as follow: Supervisors, Ole A. Berg, John Sem and Henry S. Bye; clerk, A. F. Lund; treasurer, Gust Onstad; assessor, Otto Nilsby; justices, Ole Aune, Jr., and Elof Hagen; constables, Theo. Westerhaug and Anton Haukebo.