Helga Estby
Encyclopedia
Helga Estby was a Norwegian-American immigrant most noted for her walk across the United States during 1896.
), Norway
. Helga traveled from Norway with her mother, arriving in Manistee, Michigan
during 1871. In 1876, she married Ole Estby, an immigrant from Grue
, Hedmark
, Norway
. They started their new life together initially homesteading a land patent in Yellow Medicine County near Canby, Minnesota
. The family subsequently relocated and settled on a farm in Mica Creek, Spokane County, Washington
.
Since the financial Panic of 1893
and her husband's accidents, the family could not pay the mortgage or taxes on their home and farmland. Together with Clara, her 17-year-old daughter, Helga tried to save her family farm by walking 3,500 miles across country to New York City
in an effort to win a $10,000 prize. On Christmas Eve, 1896, the New York World
reported their arrival in New York City
. On arrival in New York, the sponsor of the contest refused to pay, saying the women had missed their deadline. Helga managed to return to her farm only to find that two of her children had died of diphtheria
in her absence.
After the Estby family lost their home in Mica Creek, Ole Estby began a construction business in Spokane, Washington
. Helga was considered a deserter of her family and was shunned by much of the local Norwegian-American community. Helga went on to become a suffragist and wrote down her story later in her life. Her notes were destroyed, but her story was carried on through oral tradition through her family and through newspaper clippings saved by her daughter-in-law.
Biography
Helga was born in Christiana (aka OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
), Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Helga traveled from Norway with her mother, arriving in Manistee, Michigan
Manistee, Michigan
Manistee is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,586. It is the county seat of Manistee County. The name "Manistee" is from an Ojibwe word first applied to the principal river of the county. The derivation is not certain, but it may be from...
during 1871. In 1876, she married Ole Estby, an immigrant from Grue
Grue, Norway
Grue is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Solør. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Kirkenær ....
, Hedmark
Hedmark
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. The county administration is in Hamar.Hedmark makes up the northeastern part of Østlandet, the southeastern part of the country. It includes a long part of the borderline with Sweden, Dalarna County and Värmland County. The...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. They started their new life together initially homesteading a land patent in Yellow Medicine County near Canby, Minnesota
Canby, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there are 1,903 people, 842 households, and 453 families residing in the city. The population density is 876.5 people per square mile . There are 918 housing units at an average density of 422.8 per square mile...
. The family subsequently relocated and settled on a farm in Mica Creek, Spokane County, Washington
Spokane County, Washington
Spokane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington, named after the Spokane tribe. As of the 2010 census the population was 471,221, making it the fourth most populous county in Washington state. The largest city and county seat is Spokane, the second largest city in the state,...
.
Since the financial Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
and her husband's accidents, the family could not pay the mortgage or taxes on their home and farmland. Together with Clara, her 17-year-old daughter, Helga tried to save her family farm by walking 3,500 miles across country to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in an effort to win a $10,000 prize. On Christmas Eve, 1896, the New York World
New York World
The New York World was a newspaper published in New York City from 1860 until 1931. The paper played a major role in the history of American newspapers...
reported their arrival in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. On arrival in New York, the sponsor of the contest refused to pay, saying the women had missed their deadline. Helga managed to return to her farm only to find that two of her children had died of diphtheria
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an upper respiratory tract illness caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium. It is characterized by sore throat, low fever, and an adherent membrane on the tonsils, pharynx, and/or nasal cavity...
in her absence.
After the Estby family lost their home in Mica Creek, Ole Estby began a construction business in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. Helga was considered a deserter of her family and was shunned by much of the local Norwegian-American community. Helga went on to become a suffragist and wrote down her story later in her life. Her notes were destroyed, but her story was carried on through oral tradition through her family and through newspaper clippings saved by her daughter-in-law.
Legacy
- Helga Estby Lodge #47 of the Daughters of Norway in Mountain Home, IdahoMountain Home, IdahoMountain Home is the largest city and county seat of Elmore County, Idaho. The population was 14,206 at the 2010 census. Mountain Home is the principal city of the Mountain Home, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Elmore County....
was named in her honor. - Helga Estby Bold Spirited Scholarship Award was established in her memory by the Women Helping Women Fund in Spokane, WashingtonSpokane, WashingtonSpokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
.
Other sources
- Hunt, Linda Lawrence (2005) Bold Spirit: Helga Estby's Forgotten Walk Across Victorian America (Random House) ISBN 978-1400079933
- Dagg, Carole Estby (2011) The Year We Were Famous (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company) ISBN 978-0618999835
- Kirkpatrick, Jane (2011) The Daughter's Walk (WaterBrook Press) 978-1400074297
External links
- Biography at HistoryLinkHistoryLinkHistoryLink is a website that is an encyclopedia of Washington State history. The site has more than 4,500 stories. There are 500 biographies and more than 14,000 images....
- “Daughters of Norway Website
- ”Helga Estby Lodge #47. Daughters of Norway. Mountain Home, Idaho
- “Helga Estby Bold Spirited Scholarship Award”
- “Canby, MN Museum Website”
- “Random House Website”
- “A Norwegian Odyssey. News of Norway”
- “Mica Creek Cemetery. Coey, Spokane County, Washington”
- “Ole Estby land patent - Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office Records”