Commemorating Nashotah’s first graduate
A maker erected by the Swedish-American Historical Society of Wisconsin in 1991 near the Blue House at Nashotah House.
Gustaf Unonius was a Swedish immigrant who became the first graduate of Nashotah House. When Unonius immigrated to Wisconsin from Sweden in 1841 with his wife and other companions, they established on Pine Lake Wisconsin’s first Swedish settlement, a settlement they called “New Upsala.”
An educated man, Unonius described his life at New Upsala for Swedish newspapers, his vivid writing sparking further Scandinavian immigration to the Pine Lake area. The immigrants, in need of a religious leader, looked to Unonius to fulfill that role; religious devotions were held in Unonius’s cabin for the Scandinavian immigrant families.
Gustaf Unonius
In 1842, Unonius met James Lloyd Breck, an Episcopal missionary and one of the founders of Nashotah House. At the urging of other Scandinavian settlers, Unonius applied to be a student at the seminary. Accepted in 1844, Unonius became the first graduate the following year.
Around the same time the Scandinavian Parish was formed, which evolved into Holy Innocents Church in Nashotah. Holy Innocents merged with Grace Church in Hartland, which later became St. Anskar’s Episcopal Church in 1975. The original cemetery, Holy Innocents, is located west of Pine Lake on Hwy C. A memorial resides at the cemetery, which is the original site of the Scandinavian Parish, Pine Lake, founded on March 3, 1844. Unonius went on to other parishes, in Manitowoc in 1848 and then to Chicago in 1849. He and his family returned to Sweden in 1858.
Unonius was born August 25, 1810, and died October 14, 1902. He and his wife, Charlotta Margareta, are buried in Hacksta, Sweden.
A new historical marker
The Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin (SAHSWI) plans to erect a State of Wisconsin historical marker entitled “Gustaf Unonius, New Upsala, and the Scandinavian Parish” in 2024. The marker will be located on the grounds of St. Anskar’s Episcopal Church, N48W31340 Hill Rd (Hwy 83) in Hartland.
The Swedish American History Society of Wisconsin is looking to raise $10,000 for the cost of the marker, installation, and landscaping. Donations of any amount toward the project are greatly appreciated.
Options to make a donation: 1) check made payable to Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin and mailed to Irene Roberts, S94 W34310 Jericho Dr., Eagle, WI 53119 or 2) online payment at www.sahswi.org. On the main page of the website, click on “Projects” to make a donation.
SAHSWI plans to host a public unveiling event in the spring of 2024. Please view the website for updates.
SAHSWI was founded in 1975 to promote a greater knowledge and appreciation of the role played by persons of Swedish descent in the growth and development of the state of Wisconsin through the story of immigration and settlement and to recognize the contributions of Swedish-Americans to the American experience.
Nashotah House to be featured in Heritage Tour
SAHSWI will host a Heritage Tour on Saturday, August 19, featuring locations that played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Swedish settlement and Scandinavian Parish. The tour will begin at Nashotah House and end at St. Anskar’s Episcopal Church.
The four stops include:
10 AM: Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary, 2777 Mission Road, Nashotah, WI.
11:30 AM: Holy Innocents Cemetery, Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive (Hwy C.), Nashotah, WI.
12:15 PM: Chenequa Village Hall, 31275 W County Road K, Chenequa, WI.
1:00 PM: St. Anskar’s Episcopal Church, N48W31340 Hill Road (Hwy 83), Hartland, WI.
The Rev. Jason Terhune will guide the tour of Blue House, the Red House, Chapel and Michael the Bell.
All are invited to attend. More information is available at sahswi.org.
