Jehans Persson Nordbu (1768–1860), also Johannes Nordboe, was a
Norwegian-American
Norwegian Americans () are Americans with ancestral roots in Norway. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the latter half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 milli ...
immigrant to the United States and an early settler in the state of Texas.
Jehans Persson Nordbu was born at
Ringebu
is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vålebru (the village is also known as ''Ringebu'').
The municipality ...
in
Christians amt (county),
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
. He was the son of Peder Nordboe and Abelone Engebretsdatter. He and his family resided on the Nordbu farm in the parish of Venabygd.
In 1832 when Jehans Nordbu was 64 years, he and his family, including his wife and four children immigrated to the United States. Nordbu arrived in the Fox River Norwegian Settlement in
LaSalle County, Illinois
LaSalle County is a county located within the Fox Valley and Illinois River Valley regions of the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 Census, it had a population of 109,658. Its county seat and largest city is Ottawa. LaSalle County is ...
in 1836. In 1837, the family started for
Shelby County, Missouri
Shelby County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,103. Its county seat is Shelbyville. The county was established on January 2, 1835, and named for Gover ...
. The Nordbu family settled in
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
about 1841. This was one of the first family from the traditional region of
Gudbrandsdalen
Gudbrandsdalen (; ) is a valley and Districts of Norway, traditional district in the Norway, Norwegian county of Innlandet (formerly Oppland). The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer (town), Lillehammer and the lake ...
to emigrate to America.
Nordbu died in
Tarrant County, Texas
Tarrant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas with a 2020 U.S. census population of 2,110,640, making it the third-most populous county in Texas and the 15th-most populous in the United States. Its county seat is Fort Worth. ...
when he was over ninety years of age.
Nordbu sent many letters home to Norway. In 1837, Nordbu wrote an article for ''Statsborgeren. En tidende for Norges'', a Norwegian periodical which was edited by
Henrik Wergeland
Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland (17 June 1808 – 12 July 1845) was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist. He is often described as a leading pioneer in the develop ...
. In this article Nordbu labeled the United States a "free country".
In 1975, Nordbu's portrait was published by
Einar Hovdhaugen in his book ''Frå Venabygd til Texas. Pioneren Jehans Nordbu''.
References
Other sources
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External links
Johannes Nordboe and Norwegian Immigration(The Norwegian-American Historical Association. Volume VIII: Page 23, edited by Arne Odd Johnsen)
1768 births
1860 deaths
People from Ringebu
People from Texas
Norwegian emigrants to the United States
Norwegian farmers
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