The first Scandinavian to brave this wilderness was Sivert Guligson Brekhus, a native of Voss, Norway, who emigrated to America, 1862, spent eleven years in the east combatting for success in divers avenues, and in 1873 entered the mouth of the Stillaguamish river. He proceeded up the stream which was choked with angry snags and stubborn logs. No less than four jams impeded his progress. Mr. Brekhus has been a man of unusual strength, and possessed of a heart that knew no fear. On one occasion, in early days, a red savage attacked him in Stanwood. Mr. Brekhus was alone which gave his heathen aggressor, surrounded by a bloodthirsty horde of his race, lust for blood, and, like a devil in flames, seized a manageable piece of timber and sought to convert the white man to a heap of jelly. The brave Vossing approached him and the following words burst from his lips, "Hvis du inhji parsa dig ska eg slaa huvu ini majin paa dig." The red skins understood the depth of his voice, and skulked away.

Ah! picture to yourself the hardship! All the provisions had to be canoed from Seattle, and four boats were required to reach Mr. Brekhus' ranch. Many struggles did this valorous pioneer pass through. Once he carried a barrel of herring on his shoulders over the four jams, and at another time a big cook stove.

Iver Furness, father of John Furness, the Norman merchant, has also partaken of the trials and difficulties common to pioneer encounters. As early as 1879 he dates his first peregrination on Stillaguamish river. Like other adventurers he endured many days of hardship, anxiety and worry. Supplementary to the toil for subsistence, the savages cast chilly currents through his soul. The Sauk Indians, ravaging in Skagit county, were dreaded like devils. One day the report reached the home of Iver Furness, while relishing a healthy dinner, that the Sauks were paddling up the river for a bloody massacre. Mrs. Furness was thrown into a trance of fright, rushed for the door with knife in hand to take refuge in the woods. Johnny, her son, grabbed the fire-lock to protect their home, but, lo! it was only an Indian scare.

Iver Johnson.
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Iver Johnson, the pioneer merchant of Silvana, and the popular county commissioner, was born in Opdal, Norway, 1848. After graduating from the public schools, he took a course in the higher branches of learning by private tuition, and in 1869 sailed for the United States, selecting South Dakota for his first abode in the New World. In 1875 he took another step westward, locating at Port Gamble, Washington, where he worked in saw mills for two years. Returning to South Dakota, he was married to Martha Haugan, a charming young lady, but to his sorrow she withered for the grave after four years of matrimonial happiness. He recrossed the Rocky Mountain the same year, settling in the Stillaguamish valley, worked in logging camps and cleared land for some time, then embarked in general merchandise at Silvana, the first store in the Stillaguamish valley. He sold out his interests at Silvana to accept a clerkship in D. O. Pearson's store in Stanwood, which he abandoned after five years of faithful service to assume the position as deputy county auditor. In 1898 he was elected to the office of county commissioner of Snohomish county in which capacity he is now working with credit to himself and to his constituents. He was married the second time, in 1887, to Miss Maria Funk, an accomplished lady of Norse extraction.

Halvor Helvy, an intelligent farmer near Silvana, figures among the first pioneers. He was born in Norway, and came to Stillaguamish from South Dakota, 1878.