At the call of the clerk of Griggs County a meeting was held at the schoolhouse later known as the Gallatin School, on October 30, 1886, for the purpose of organizing a Township, to elect officers and to select a name for the Township.

S. B. Langford acted as chairman of the meeting and Martin Ueland, clerk.

The following officers were elected:

George Gullickson - chairman of board of supervisors

Christ Aarestad - supervisor

Betuel Herigstad - supervisor

Martin Ueland - clerk

Nils Herigstad - treasurer

Ole P. Bolkan - assessor

W. W. Newell - Justice of the Peace

S. B. Langford - Justice of the Peace

Nils Ostlund - constable

Alex Saunders - constable.

"Sverdrup" was chosen as the name of the Township in honor of a well-known clergyman and missionary in Norway.

It is interesting to note that a decision was made at this first meeting that the officers be paid for their services the least amount allowable under the law of the territory. North Dakota was not admitted to the union as a state until 1889.

Sverdrup Township was organized in 1886 with the help of Bethual Herigstad meeting at the Lewis Johnson Home. Three supervisors were elected at this meeting. Sverdrup Township was named after John Sverdrup who was prime minister in Norway when these immigrants left the old country.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 421