The 1879 Muus V. Muus Case

Women’s rights, domestic cruelty, civil vs. religious authority, friction between recent immigrants and earlier arrivals—contentious topics that light up today’s social media streams. The lawsuit brought by Oline Muus against her husband Bernt, both Norwegian immigrants, illuminate how these issues played out 140 years ago. Triple Jeopardy the 1879 muus v. muus case Kathryn Ericson line Muus’s husband, The case gained considerable Oline Christine Kathrine Pind Bernt, has been cited many interest as it spread from the civil was born in 1838 in Norway. Her times as one of Goodhue court into two other forums, the family was considered upper class OCounty’s founding fathers. And we church and the public press. It raised and wealthy, and Oline was “well might have seen Oline herself in issues of a married woman’s rights educated, an accomplished pianist, the one dimensional image of the to a legal identity and to hold prop well read in Norwegian literature.” stalwart pioneer mother but for an erty, as well as issues of a husband’s Her two sisters married a doctor and event in 1879 that added substance to authority over his wife. It exempli a judge. Oline allied herself with the perceptions of the Muuses’ personal fied the struggle of a state church third learned profession when in ities. In that year, Oline sued Bernt, tradition to adapt itself to a country 1859 she married Bernt Julius Muus, a Lutheran pastor, for control of an that allowed no state church. And it a Lutheran clergyman.1 inheritance from her father. She also demonstrated the friction that existed charged her husband with neglect between the immigrants and “Ameri and cruelty. cans” of longer standing. above: Bernt and Oline Muus, 1850s 298 MINNESOTA HISTORY In the religious revival that was temporary found her to be “Highly America, where their incompatibility sweeping over Norway, “Christianity gifted . she aspired to many things was aggravated, and eventually the became popular.” Private meetings outside the parsonage of those sturdy marriage ended. were held to sing, pray, and edify in but uneducated Norwegian farmers.” the faith, and by one account, Bernt Another described her as “All and Oline met at one of these meet worldliness, indifference, defiance, Bernt Muus was one of five ings. Bernt’s family was considered intelligence, craving for fun, and in aristocratic, university trained just as prominent, but less wealthy. her way just as strong as he is.” One Lutheran pastors who emigrated in A long line of his ancestors had biographer pointed out that “She the 1850s and became leaders of the served as pastors at Snaasen, near had wealth of her own, was not too Norwegian Synod in America. Others Trondheim, and he was brought much interested in the work of the in the group were H. A. Preus, Jakob up in the home of his grandfather, pastor, loved society, drama, enter Aall Ottesen, U. V. Koren, and Laur. Reverend Jens Rynning, father of the tainment, and chose to live in the Larsen. They shared a theology that emigrant leader Ole Rynning. Bernt grand style” Others presented a more blended personal and devotional received a classical education, earn spiritual side. Muus’s wife, said one, pietism with strict adherence to Bibli ing a degree in theology from the “was much interested in the mission cal doctrine.7 University of Christiania in 1858 with highest honors.2 By all accounts, Oline and Bernt “I got the impression she was in an were somewhat mismatched. About Bernt’s personality there is a wealth unfortunate situation; this overly strict of opinion. He was respected and husband— she couldn’t be herself.” maligned with equal intensity. He followed the teachings of the Bible to the letter and perhaps beyond, work.” In later years she was “Active The wives of two of these men, according to some. “A real character in economic and religious affairs. Elisabeth Koren and Linka Preus, left . uncompromising, and apparently A devout Lutheran.” Her own writ diaries covering their trip and early hard as flint.” Others noted his “unas ings display a certain feistiness but years in America. While they cannot sailable faith, his stern discipline and also show a deep piety and a sophisti speak for Oline as to her reactions, self denial . adamant to . those cated understanding of theology.5 their circumstances were very simi who did not conform fully to his But the consensus revealed irrec lar. All three married in Norway and teachings.”3 oncilable personalities. “I got the immediately set sail. Although they Some saw a warmer side, finding impression she was in an unfortunate traveled first class, it was the steer him “tender to the needy and those in situation; this overly strict husband— age passengers who would comprise distress.” His daughter recalled that she couldn’t be herself,” said one. most of their society on the American “He would not permit us to disturb “It may well be that she was not by frontier. Elisabeth Koren found the the mosquito on his hand until it had nature moulded to blend with the behavior of the peasant class curious. satisfied its hunger.” The sharpness austere idealism of her husband.”6 A few weeks after reaching her desti of his mind was unquestioned. “Keen, Perhaps these differences would nation in Iowa, she remarked, “They oh but he was keen.” “One does not not have presented as great a problem are really nature’s children, these find a man like Muus in every bush.”4 in the familiar social structure of Nor farmers. There is nothing wrong with Oline’s character, too, came in for way. But in 1859, shortly after their that; but it can irk one considerably.” a somewhat mixed review. One con marriage, the Muuses emigrated to She added, “I cannot understand why there is not a spittoon, and a mat for wiping the feet. Apparently that is not From the Archives done here.”8 This article is part of an occasional series spotlighting captivating and rele- The introduction to frontier living vant scholarship from back issues of Minnesota History. Originally published conditions was discouraging to the in the Winter 1987 issue under the title “Triple Jeopardy: The Muus vs. Muus young Norwegian brides. The Preuses Case in Three Forums,” the article was the winner of the 1987 Solon J. Buck Award for best article published in the quarterly. had expected a parsonage to be ready for them, but when they arrived, FALL 2019 299 found only a cellar filled with water. through the walls during the winter of his ministry display an unusual “It had a depressing effect on me— time.” This building was expanded to energy and organizational skill. He my first view of the parsonage, barely accommodate a household which in baptized 9,377 people, married 1,268, begun,” said Linka. The Preuses had the 1870s supported 15 people— the and buried 3,909 during his 40 year to crowd in with one of the farm fami Muus children, hired girls, and farm career. He was the main force behind lies until their own home was built. workers. The early parsonages often the founding of St. Olaf College and When the Muuses reached Roch served as community centers, provid an enthusiastic fundraiser for the ester, Minnesota, they were met by ing space for choir practice, Ladies’ cause of Christian education. He a farmer in an oxcart. He took them Aid bazaars, and youth programs. felt that a liberal arts education was to Goodhue County, where they were The Muus parsonage also housed important for girls as well as boys, to be based at the Holden Lutheran the early Holden Academy, forerun and his daughter received the same congregation north of Kenyon. Like ner of St. Olaf College in Northfield.9 private tutoring as his sons. At a the Korens and Preuses, Bernt and At the beginning, Bernt was time when other church groups were Oline spent their first American win responsible for all the Norwegian giving contributions counted in hun ter living with a farm family; they Lutheran congregations in Minne dreds of dollars, Muus’s congrega were probably grateful to move into sota, and he served them conscien tions gave around $10,000 to Luther their own quarters the next year, tiously. The first year, he traveled a College in Decorah, Iowa.10 even though in the 18 by 26 foot total of 6,900 miles by ox team, horse, For Oline, Bernt’s work meant parsonage, “the snow would blow or on foot. The amazing statistics that she was often left home alone. It has been suggested that for fron tier women, left alone to manage the homestead while their husbands served as soldiers or scouted for land farther west, the experience, rather than being overwhelming, was an empowering one. When a woman discovered she could indeed cope on her own, she gained confidence. If so, the situation must have been doubly galling for Oline when Bernt was at home, for she described him as a somewhat controlling personal ity. She had little contact with other women of her background and com plained that “I have been to Decorah twice in 20 years, those are all my pleasure trips except once in a great while to the nearest towns.”11 The only account of the events leading up to the lawsuit is Oline Muus’s; Pastor Muus did not choose to discuss in public the charges made about his home life. In a long state ment issued in 1880, Oline wrote about the first 20 years of her life at Holden.12 The Holden church, 1891.

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