Henderson County, Texas
   Johan Nordboe from Ringebo, Gudbrandsdalen was the first Norwegian who settled in Texas. He came and took land in Dallas County in 1838. But he established no settlement.
   The first Norwegian settlement in the State was established in the vicinity of Brownsboro in Henderson Co. in 1845 by Johan Reinert Reiersen from Holt Parish at Tvedestrand. His sons (J. H. Reierson, hotelkeeper in Kaufmann, Texas and Oscar Reiersonn, lawyer in Louisville, Kentucky) with whom I have corresponded tell the following about their father and the settlement he established:
   "In 1837 he began publishing of 'Christiansands-Posten' in which he took up the struggle against officialdom and in which he proposed reforms that he believed would be for the betterment of farmers, whose condition was anything but good at that time. But when it did not look like things would be corrected, he began to advise emigration. That his counsel was listened to is shown by the fact that they subscribed ca. 1300 kroner for his travel expenses. They wished that he would make a trip to America and take a thorough look at the conditions and thereby be able to give reliable information. He landed in New York in 1842. From New York his journey continued to Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin. These states were seen at that time as 'the far west'. Here Norwegians had already begun to establish settlements and here it was that Reiersen received the sought-after information - mostly from Kleng Person, since he was what, in good American, was called a walking encyclopedia. And it was certainly he that advised Reiersen to make a colonization attempt here. Person spoke well of the Texas that he had visited, which was a republic at that time. Earlier information that Reiersen himself had visited Texas during his first visit is utterly unfounded. He came back to Norway after a year's absence and his report was immediately printed in book form under the title 'Veiviseren' (The Guide). While he was away his wife and four children lived with his brother Christian who was a sexton and teacher in Holt Parish. There were 9 siblings in all, 7 brothers and 2 sisters, all adults. The Reiersen family now decided for America. Johan himself, his father Ole Reiersen and his sister Caroline went first to make preparations for the others' arrival. They landed in New Orleans, La. where they bought a wagon, a pair of saddles, a plow and several other things and then they went aboard a small paddle steamer that took them up the Red River to Nacatoch, a military station on the border between Louisiana and Texas, where they bought a pair of horses and from where they continued their journey by land - with a wagon full of farm tools, household articles and provisions. Johan and his sister sat in the wagon while their father used a pony. Their first destination was Nacadoches, an old well-known town and military station - the only town of any significance in the eastern half of Texas.
   The horse traders were a bit cunning in those days also since one of the horses Reiersen had bought was absolutely unmanageable. Besides, the roads were such that there could be no thought of a quick trip. And then there were no bridges. When they came to a river or slough they had to unload, carry the goods to the other side and then load again. When night came they had to sleep under open skies whether it was good or bad weather. The whole area they traveled through was almost empty. It did happen now and then that they met human beings but they were all of the old school.
   Finally they reached Nacadoches. It happened to be the 4th July (1845) when the Republic's luminaries gathered for a celebration. The newcomers were received in a cordial manner. Reiersen was introduced to President Houston, General Rusk, etc, etc; there was a long row of officers and civil officials. Reiersen was the only one who could speak English to them, Caroline and their father could not speak anything other than Norwegian. But the ladies immediately took over Caroline, who was young and pretty and toward the evening they brought her an evening gown so she could take part in the Grand Ball and there she was applauded endlessly.
   The journey still continued 75 miles to Brownsboro where, as mentioned, they took land. There was only one man in the area when they got there. He and his wife lived in a little shack and he supported himself with only hunting. There were mostly bears and deer but there were also buffalo and other game. To the nearest farmer in the east it was 25 miles and to the nearest in the west it was 40 miles. The land was partly covered by forest and part was prairie, well suited for agriculture. The Norwegian settlement was first called Normandiet, however the official name became Brownsboro.
   Reiersen's house was certainly not first class. Nor was the stove pipe since it was made of pieces of wood and dirt (wet dirt, that soon dried). Its end also came later. One day when her brother and father were out working and Caroline was as usual looking after the home, a fire broke out in the stove pipe and when she went up on the roof to tear it away since it was on fire and the whole thing collapsed.
   The rest of the Reiersen family emigrated the following year (1846) together with some other families from the Arendal and Kristiansand regions. A Norwegian brig took them to Havre in France where after a ten day stay they continued the journey to New Orleans with the American sailship 'Magnolia'. Johan Reiersen's youngest child died at sea. Arriving in New Orleans they met some other countrymen who advised them not to travel to Texas mainly because of the Mexican War that was raging - a  baseless fear however, since the scene of battle was 500 miles from the place where Reiersen was and where the others had thought to settle. The consequence was however that most went up the Mississippi River to Illinois while the Reiersen family and a few others went up the Red River to Texas.  The paddle steamer they took was wrecked on the way, the passengers lost everything they owned - and they had to stay down on the river bank for 12 days in terrible weather - with no house or roof over their heads and without anything to eat other  than the food that some good swimmers could bring up from the sunken boat. Finally another paddle steamer came that took them to Shreveport, the last place they could get to by boat and where the family had to winter over because of illness they incurred during the trip and the wreck. They dared not expose themselves to suffering and hardship, weak as they were. One of the children died at the latter place. They did not reach their future home until 1847, almost a year after they had begun their journey - and after it had claimed much of their health and two of their children.
   But Reiersen would be separated from several of his children. At one time we find three of his sons in the Southern State's army while a 4th son plowed the Great Lakes - in later years he was master of his own ship with headquarters in Chicago.
   Those who came to Brownsboro right after the Reiersen family were; Ole Olsen†, Ole Jørgensen†, Niels† and Lars† Torbjørnsen, Ole Gunstensen†, Reier Raa†, Kittel Grimland†, Syvert Olsen†, Knut Kystelsen†, Jørgen†, Aslak† and Tollef† Torgersen, Jørgen Olsen†, Knut Gundersen†, Ole Gunleiksen†, Ole Lia†, Jens Jensen†, Ole Skulestad†, Gjermund Olsen†, S. Christiansen†, Terje Olsen Tvedt†, Gunder Evensen†, Arne Skjefstad†, Salve Knudsen†, Gunbjørn Olsen†, Oscar Sylvester†, Jacob† and Ole† Torgerson, Tarald Rustedal†, Christen Knudsen†, Christian† and Elling† Halvorsen, Knut Hansen†, Halvor Osmundsen†, Ole Anderson†, Hans Benson†, Martin Johansen†, Anders Sunne†, Syvert Olsen†, silversmith Simonsen†, Olaus Boyesen†, Jens Jensen†, Carl Jensen†, Carl Qvæstad†, Swen Olsen and Terje† and Ole† Nystøl.
   Information about where the aforementioned were from in Norway may be found in the neighboring settlement. (See Kaufman County that comes after this).
   Knud Knudsen, one of those who came to Brownsboro the year after Reiersen (1846) tells that the journey from New Orleans was continued by boat to Alexandria (La.) but then they were in a fix since there was so little water in the Red River that they could not go any further. They decided however to continue the trip overland through Louisiana and Texas and everyone who had money bought horses and carts. Because of lack of money, Salve Knudsen and Ole Olsen had to build their own carts, such as they were. The company waited patiently until they were finished and then the train set off - with new hardships ahead. The worst was that they could not tolerate the water in the Red River. One of those who became sick was Salve Knudsen. One day he had made some medicine consisting of water and red pepper that he carried in a bottle. He should not have done that, for some drunk Indians that they met spotted the bottle and one of them chased after its owner. Luckily, the Indian was so drunk that he stumbled and fell and Knudsen escaped with his life. The redskins are, as is known, dangerous when they get near drinks.
   Finally they reached Texas, but now 8 of their company were dead, 2 at sea, 3 after arrival in New Orleans (of yellow fever) and 3 on the trip overland. And the first summer they were in Brownsboro, there were 5 deaths. Unfortunately they could not do much for the sick in terms of treatment, there were neither doctors nor medicine and none of the sort of food the sick need. They were also in a bad way when it came to coffins and burials. Because of the lack of sawn boards they had to go to the woods and cut down trees that they split and made a sort of coffin. Nor were there priests or cemeteries in the new settlements. But the conditions improved in the course of time.
   The priests who came to the first settlements in Texas had to spend much time on horseback. Between Brownsboro and Prairieville it was 35, between the latter and Bosque, 120 miles. Candidate Fredriksen, Elling Eielsen and Pastor S. S. Reque though, felt it was even farther! Before they had priests and churches they would gather in each other's houses and hold devotions. Books of sermons, bibles and hymn books they had brought from Norway. Religious men among them performed infant baptisms.
   Candidate Fredriksen, who is also mentioned in Kaufman County, established a Norwegian congregation in Brownsboro in 1859. The church was built the following year. The congregation belongs to The Norwegian Synod.

Kaufman County, Texas
   In 1848, Johan Reiersen* moved from Brownsboro to Four Mile Prairie, Kaufman Co. where he established the settlement there and the little town of Prairieville. Those who settled here right after the Reiersen family were; Knud Olsen†, Knud Andersen†, E. Engelhaug†, Jens Ringness†, Andreas Huse†, Ole Balesole†, Johannes Foss†, Aslak Nielsen†, Ole E. Mjaaland†, Ole E. Hougstøl†, Johan Ormson†, Anders Nielsen†, Anders Dahl†, Johan Rogstad†,Johan Dalby†, Johan Grimseth†, Christian Pedersen†, Peder Person†, new priest Fredriksen† (the first Norwegian priest in Texas), Dr. G. Tergesen†, Johan Brunstad†, Stian† and Simon† Aanensen, Johan P. Holien†, Ole Fladeland†, Ole Pedersen†, Nicolay  Hansen†, Terje Andersen†, Ole Børresen†, Even Nielsen†, Lars Pedersen†, Esten Jordale†, Knut Salvesen, Lars Olsen, Andreas Bretta†, Elias Halvorsen†, Jens Halvorsen†, Helge Gran†, Osmond Johnson†, Albert Anderson, Aanund, Martin and Enoch Østvold (Eastwood), Adolf, Fred, Torvald and Carl Vatner, Aanon Knudsen, Tollak Knudsen, Alexander Brun, Niels Andersen, Fredrik Hansen, Anton and Ole Aanonsen, Knud Mjaaland, Oscar Mjaaland, Almar Knudsen, Ole, Andrew, Christian, Julius and Oscar Olson, Albert Albertsen, Ole Nick Olson, Loyd and Walter Wærenskjold, Ole Mjaaland, Oscar Syvertsen, Chris S. Halvorson and Victor Hansen.
   The new priest Fredriksen established a Norwegian Lutheran congregation at Four Mile Prairie in 1859. It came to belong to The Norwegian Synod and  built a church in 1860.
   The majority of the first settlers in Brownsboro and Prairieville were from southern Norway - mainly from the areas of Kristiansand, Lillesand, Arendal, Tvedestrand and Kragerø while some were from Hedemarken. Many of them moved later to Bosque Co. where we now find the largest Norwegian settlement in the State.
   J. J. Ringness, who with his parents was among the first who settled at Four Mile Prairie (Prairieville) tells that they (Norwegian newcomers) were 30 miles from other settlers so it was difficult to get bread and the grain they harvested they had to rub on a stone for there was no mill in that part of Texas, "but," he adds, "we lived off milk and cheese for the most part." The Ringness family was among those who moved to Bosque County in 1854 and began their newcomer life again.
*Reieresen had had a great deal of schooling - yes, even some university training - in his younger years. And as we have seen here, he continued his career as a newspaperman, author and pioneer. He died in Prairieville in 1864. Of others who had seen better days (in Norway) and who later took part in the newcomer's life here, there can be mentioned Reiersen's personal friends from home, namely; Christopher Grøgaard (the son of Eidsvold-man Pastor Hans Grøgaard), Erick Bache as well as Andreas, Sigurd and Ole Ørbæk, Wilhelm Wærenskjold and Elise Tvede. The latter was the daughter of Dean Tvede of Vestre Moland. She was first married to the famous whaler Svend Foyn but when they saw that they did not suit each other they agreed to divorce. Afterward she occupied herself with literary work. In 1847 she emigrated to Texas where the following year, she married Wilhelm Wærenskjold. They and their circle of friends established the first Norwegian temperance society west of the Mississippi River and one of the first in America. It was founded in Prairieville in 1853. It was also to a large extent through their efforts that the first Norwegian congregation in Texas was established. (see more about under church reports). Unfortunately Mr. Wærenskjold was murdered in Prairieville in 1866. Elise, his wife died at a great age at the home of her son, Niels in Hamilton Co., Tex. in 1894. Chr. Grøgaard died soon after his arrival in Texas leaving his wife and several children (in Nacogdoches).

Bosque County, Texas
   T. Theo. Colwick of Norse has been kind enough to give me the following account about the Norwegian settlement in Bosque Co., the first in the State. (Colwick was actually born on the Atlantic Ocean but since he is about as old as the settlement he writes of and has lived there all his life - for many years as postmaster - we can be certain he knows what he writes about):
   "Kleng Person*, Ole Canutesen and Canute Canutesen† (Knud Knudsen), all from Stavanger, Carl Questad†, Jens Ringness†, Ole Ween† and Andrew Bretta†, all from Hedemarken as well as Jens Jensen† and Ole Pierson† from Arendal, settled in Bosque Co. in 1854.
   But there were more than those I have already mentioned that settled in Bosque Co.," writes Colwick, "Johan Bronstad† Henrik O. Dahl†, Paul Paulsen†, Knud Olsen†, Berge A. Rogstad†, Annie Bronstad† and Anders Huse, all from Hedemarken came in the course of the fall. And on Christmas Day came John Johnson Vatne† and Børre Hus† direct from Arendal, Norway.
   In 1858, Bersvend E. Svensen†, Omen Omensen†, Nils Knudsen† and Joseph Olsen† came, the first three were from Østerdalen.
   Ove Colwick (Kjølvig) and Ole A. Canuteson and their families and Miss Bergitte C. Naadland (now Mrs. B. C. Martin) came from the Fox River settlement in Illinois in 1859. All these were originally from the Stavanger region. Ole A. Canutesen who was born in Kendall, N.Y. and whose father emigrated on The Sloop in 1825, still lives at Norse.** Most of the people mentioned were family men who brought their families with them and were the very first settlers.
   Of those who came a little later, should be mentioned; Canute Canutesen† and a Mr. Lund† who (both) died in the war as well as Canute† and Andrew Skimland, Tønnes Tønnesen† and Odne Halvorsen†, all from the Stavanger area as well as C. O. Strand†, Erik M. Linberg† and Lasson Reierson† from Hedemarken.
   The first Norwegian couple to be married in this settlement was B. A. Rogstad and Mrs. Annie Bronstad, that was in September 1854.
   Gunerius Ringness, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Jens O. Ringness was the first child that was born here while Caroline Canutesen, now Mrs. C. Saunders, Paris, Tex. was the settlement's first baby girl.
   The oldest still living man born in Texas to Norwegian parents is John Rogstad. His fine home can be seen from Norse.
   The first who died here was Andreas Bretta (in 1854). He was shot in an accident.
   About Kleng Person, who had his home with Ove Colwick (Kjølvig) in Norse and where he had a quiet death in 1865 when he was over 82, he was a good person with a strong character. And he could see far into the future. He found it easy to tell and recount stories. One never became tired of listening to Kleng. And when he decided to tell of his travels, that lasted almost a lifetime and that stretched from Norway to one of the most westerly States in America, the oldster was in his element. One must also remember that he, who had most often kept himself a good distance from civilization, had an uncommon store to draw from when he sat in the storyteller's seat. That he was a little peculiar and eccentric at times could be excused especially since he was by nature kind and charitable. Even among the redskins he was liked, they would never wish to do him any harm, quite the contrary, he could come and go when he wished and always could carry out what he undertook. His main task in life was to be a pathfinder, which as is known, he was well suited for. Many a time he trudged the long way to the Land Office in Austin to put his countrymen's land affairs in order but he never took a cent in compensation. Even the State Legislature became aware of this pioneer and the service to the State he had performed in bringing the Norwegians here. In 1857 the Legislature made the decision to give him 300 acres of land in Neils, Bosque Co. as a gift of appreciation. Neither he nor his friends knew anything about this until the deed came. A large and handsomely decorated marble monument to him was raised by his countrymen in 1876. This monument will remind posterity of "Kleng Persen Hesthammer, the Pioneer of the Norwegian Immigration".
   Let me tell you of an event that occurred in the spring of 1854 right after the first settlers came. I have spoken to both C. Canutesen and Mrs. Bertha Canutesen and their accounts agree, so there is little doubt it is correct. C. Canutesen went across the Bosque River to get some cows and Ole Ween accompanied him. Mrs. Canutesen and her son Andrew, who was then a child, remained at home. A pair of small boys came to the Canuteson’s for a visit. While the boys played by Jens O. Ringness' new log cabin they became aware of some wild Indians who gathered near them, and in fear they ran back to Mrs. Canutesen as fast as their little legs could carry them. The first thing Mrs. Canutesen thought of was the $500 that she knew her husband had hidden in an old chest. They got the money and then ran a half mile away between the hills where she hid. After a while she and the children went back a bit to see if the Indians were at the house and when she saw them, she naturally did not dare go home and so went to Ole Pierson's family who lived 3 miles from there and stayed overnight. But think of Mr. Canutesen's fright when he came home and - instead of wife and son - he saw redskins occupying his house! He also took flight to the neighbors as fast as he could. The next day when the family gathered at the home they found it was  plundered of everything. What the Indians did not take away, beds, tables, kitchen equipment etc, they had completely destroyed.
   A mill that the first settlers had built at Neil's Creek in 1854, where they ground their grain, was plundered by the Indians the same year. As soon as the settlers heard that the savages were down at the mill they armed themselves with axes and anything else they could quickly get hold of and went down to put them to flight, but they had already done their vandalism and gone their way. The old mill pond is still there.
   In the first times oxen were the only draught animals they had and they did not use them just to plough and cultivate the soil, they were also used to bring the harvest to market, to visit neighbors, to go to the school house for devotions and other meetings. And when they wished to attend national holidays (The 4th of July for example) they would hitch up 'Dick and Riley' or 'Buck and Ball' to the wagon and head off with the whole family. The draught animals were clearly not stately and it could be that there were not too many springs in the work wagons of that time as there are in the buggies nowadays (!) and that they jolted rather much (!) - at least they were in a party mood. It was worse, perhaps when the boys wished to take their girls to one or another festive event and there were naturally no buggies or anything else like that to speak of. But the young people were not without a solution. When the boy came he likely brought a pony, on which he placed the girl while he himself walked alongside. Yes, it probably happened at times that they would both ride the pony - when they had gotten out of sight!
   Things went exactly as Henrik Dahl prophesied during the Civil War (about 1865, my father told me this) that he predicted that within 20 years that the place of oxen would be taken over by horses. People only laughed at such a prophesy. However, it is now a fact that the oxen have had their day - in front of the wagon as well as the plough. Horses are used for everything.
   We owe a great debt of gratitude to the first settlers who broke trail for us - yes, we are in debt not only to our fathers but also to our mothers who did their part. Let us, for example, cast an eye back on those times. The men were at war. Then the women had to keep watch against the Indians, look to the farm work, take care of the livestock and go to market with what they had to sell and purchase what was needed for life. Besides that they had to do all the ordinary house work - cook, wash, spin, weave etc; this involved food and clothing both for herself and the children - and often there was someone who was sick and needed care, but they kept up the struggle for themselves and the coming generations."
   Factory owner Ole Canuteson, mentioned above as one of the pioneers, writes, "We emigrated from Stavanger on the brig 'Favoritten' in 1850. Pastor A. C. Preus and wife were aboard the same ship. From New York to Chicago we made use of partly canal boats and partly steamships. While we were on the Great Lakes cholera broke out among us, many died on the way and others died after we arrived. My mother was among those who died and was buried on arrival at the Fox River settlement in Illinois.    Bosque Lutheran congregation, that was established at Norse in 1867 by Pastor S. S. Reque, belonging to The Norwegian Synod, is the oldest Norwegian congregation in the county. Its first permanent priest was O. Estrem of the same synod. Its church was built in 1876. Now there are 6 congregations and 2 churches, 3 belong to The Norwegian Synod and 3 to The United Church.
  Ole Skjulestad† was the first Norwegian to hold public office in Bosque County - yes, the first in the State of Texas. He was elected County Commissioner in 1876.
   For information about the Norwegian college at Clifton see the section, 'Norwegian-American Teaching Institutions'
   Norwegian place names in Bosque County; Norse, Norway Mill, Norway Hill and Norman Hill.
*In 1850, Kleng Person travelled from the Fox River settlement, together with some of his countrymen, to Texas. The journey went south on the Mississippi River to New Orleans, Louisiana and then west on the Red River to Shreveport and then by ox wagon to Dallas Co., Tex. where they stayed until 1854 when they moved to Bosque County. As mentioned elsewhere in the book, Kleng had visited Texas once before so he was not totally unfamiliar when he now came and settled there in the State.
**As said before, it was to Fox River that the greater part of the Sloopers ended up after they left Kendall, N.Y. And it was to there that their immediate followers came from Norway. And those who moved from Fox River to Texas were the descendants of those people.

Hamilton County, Texas
   The Bosque settlement has also extended into Hamilton Co. also but the settlement's history is already given so I will confine myself to what a countryman out there had to undergo. Ole Torgersen Nystøl was carried off by the Indians in 1867, but not just that, they mistreated him so badly that when he came back to civilization after three months capture, he was more dead than alive. For example, his head was almost completely covered with wounds. His worst treatment came, naturally, when they could not get him to do things they ordered, and they were often things that he could not bring himself to do. A Negro, who they had also captured in their raids, was killed in a frightful manner right before Nystøl's eyes.
   At night when they wished to sleep in their tents, they kept the poor Norwegian tied up outside - almost naked. His main articles of clothing they had taken for their own use - some of them. And this was up in the mountains - in the cold season.
   It was also poor when it came to food. Nystøl (who is a religious and credible man) tells that in the first nine days of his capture they gave him almost nothing to eat but when they saw that they could not keep him alive that way, they gave him some of whatever they had.
   He had to work almost continuously, carrying water, chopping wood and finding food for them and their horses were his daily duties. They were not able, however, to get him to marry any of their daughters even though they gave him many to choose from and even though they were very willing to have a white man. One of them was even so aggressive that he had to hit her so he could be left in peace. When he finally got the opportunity to get away, he had accompanied them over large stretches of Texas, Kansas and Indian Territory.
   A Norwegian Lutheran congregation was established in 1903 with Pastor G. G. Odegaard of The Norwegian Synod as its first priest.
   There was no Norwegian church in this county when the report for this work was received.

Williamson County, Texas
   The first Norwegian to settle in this county, where there are not many of them, was Harald Haarsager Hauss from Sandefjord, a brother of the famed Captain Henry Hauss of the 15th Wisconsin Regiment. Harald H. settled at Round Rock in 1867. Next after him came Bernt C. Halvorsen from Frogn at Drøbak and John Pedersen from Eidsvold.

Bee County, Texas
  The first Norwegian who settled in this county was J. J. Beck from Nordland. It was at the end of the 80’s that he and a few others founded the so-called Normanna Settlement which, however, has not grown large.

Wharton County, Texas
   The first who settled at El Campo, where there is now a little settlement called Norseland, was a Mr. Wolding*, he came there from Iowa in 1894. Later in the year came Otto Løvstuen and John Nygaard. Cotton and maize growing is the settlement's main source of income.
   There is a congregation belonging to The Norwegian Synod.
*Volding

Bowie County, Texas
   In this county there was once a post office called Mosheim but where it was or the Norwegians that gave it the name is not known. The name seems at least to be of Norwegian origin.

Dallas County, Texas
   In the City of Dallas there are a number of Norwegians. They also have a little congregation served by priests of The Norwegian Synod. There are extremely few Norwegian farmers in the vicinity of Dallas.

Galveston County, Texas
   In the City of Galveston there can be found a number of Norwegians. The best known of them is Police Chief Gus Amundsen. See besides 'Sammenstilling af norske Samubygdinger i Amerika' in the book's last part.

McLennon County, Texas
   In Waco and vicinity there are found some Norwegian families. They also have a congregation and a church there. The congregation belongs to The Norwegian Synod. It is served at least by priests from that Synod.

Translated by Olaf Kringhaug
Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
Nordmændene i Amerika by Martin Ulvestad, 1907
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