Bosque County: Land and People (A History of Bosque County, Texas) Page: 35
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4 }'Interior View - Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Norse Smorgasbord - an annual affair. (Hostess
(1976) - Lund, Erickson, Sather, Grimland/
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Norse Post Office and Store
months at the schoolhouses located through-
out the settlement-children studied Luther's
Small Catechism, Bible History and memo-
rized many hymns. Schoolhouses were also
used for worship services.
The settlement has had three post offices.
The first was at Norman Hill, Ole Canute-
son's residence (1859-70 and 1974-79). The
second was at Norway Mills (1879-90). The
third, Norse Post Office, was operated for 49
years (1880-1929). Clifton Post Office has
served the area since then.
Norway Mills was a community of fifteen
to twenty homes, post office, school, mill,
store, blacksmith shop, doctor's office, drug
store, lime kiln and cemetery. Area farmers
brought their grain to be ground at the mill
that was built about 1865. Some of the flour
and cornmeal was hauled to Waco and other
places.
Norse was a thriving community at one
time, having a post office, school, telephone
exchange, general merchandise and grocery
stores, drug store, doctors, blacksmith shops,
fiddle factory and many homes. It even had
a gold mine, named "Norse Gold Mining and
Development Company, Ltd." Stock certifi-
cates were sold. Some nuggets were found but
no gold in quantity. All that remains is a
sunken place, the shaft, 40 feet deep and 30
feet wide, since filled in. The community was
organized to protect themselves against
raiding Indians.
The settlers saw the need for fire protec-
tion so they organized Norse Mutual Fire
Insurance Association (Norse Gjensidige
Brandforsitringsselstad) in 1886, which insu-
red houses, furniture and barns within a
twenty-mile radius. The name was changed
to Norse Farm Mutual Insurance, Inc., in
1976. After 98 years of continuous service, the
company dissolved in 1984.
The settlers were interested in education.
One and two-room schoolhouses were scat-
tered throughout the settlement-Harmony,
Norse, Turkey Creek, Meridian Creek, Nor-
way Mills, Bee Hill-Boggy, Shell Rock and
Peck. The Norse school had three teachers at
one time; most schools had only one or two.
People had to make-do with what they had,
and in some cases invent what was needed.
Land cultivation increased and improved as
tools and machinery increased. Ole Ringness,
son of original settler Jens Ringness, is
credited with inventing the disc plow. He was
also the first mail carrier between the settle-
ment and Fort Worth. Ole died mysteriously
in New York, where he had gone to get a
patent on his invention.
Ole Canuteson, son of original settler
Canute Canuteson, acquired and fixed an
abandoned threshing machine. He also fash-
ioned a reaper.
In 1875, Ole Solberg, Sr., had a cotton gin
that served the area. The Solberg thresher
went from farm to farm to thresh grain
previously cut and left in shocks by a reaper.
A cook shack went along. Sometimes the
work crew numbered twenty or more.
Entertainment included Norse Picnics
where hundreds of people gathered for
games, contests, dancing, eating, music by
bands and the Norse orchestra. Campouts on
Meridian Creek included fish frys and swim-
ming. In the spring, county meets were held,
having races, contests and debates. The last
day of school program was a big event.
Baseball was a new sport, and basketball
came later.Weddings were festive social events lasting
all day and sometimes dances lasted into the
night. Baptisms, confirmation and commun-
ing at the Lord's Table were always an
important part in the religious life of the
community.
A unique custom was "Jule Bokking".
Several people got together, dressed deceiv-
ingly and went from farm to farm singing.
When invited in for refreshments, the hosts
tried to figure out who they were. This
custom was done in the evenings between
Christmas and New Year.
Cleng Peerson, called "The Father of
Norwegian Immigration to America" spent
his last years in Norse and is buried at Our
Savior's Lutheran Cemetery. Friends erected
a tall, white marble monument at his grav-
esite, inscribed in Norwegian on one side and
in English on the other: "Cleng Peerson. The
Pioneer of Norse Emigration, to America.
Born in Norway, Europe, May 17, 1782.
Landed in American in 1821. Died in Texas,
December 16, 1865. Grateful countrymen in
Texas, erected this to his memory." His grave
is visited by individuals, tour groups and
dignitaries from around the world.
Our Savior's Lutheran Church has had
many important days in its 155-year history,
but the highlight has to be October 10, 1982,
when His Majesty, King Olav V of Norway
came to visit. Months of preparation were
spent in getting everything ready. The King
and his entourage arrived in three helicopters
which landed in the Loyd Swenson pasture,
next to church property. The King's party
attended morning worship service, followed
by a memorial service at the Peerson grav-
esite. The King unveiled a marker "King Olav
V of Norway visited here October 10, 1982,
to commemorate the 200th year of the birth
of Cleng Peerson May 17, 1782." The crowd
was estimated between 1500-2000, a public
address system made it possible for everyone
to hear the service. The King spoke while
standing on the church steps.
Gustav W. Belfrage, son of Swedish nob-
ility, born in 1834, came to Texas in the
1860's. For a while he lived in the attic of Carl
Questad's home and collected insects, sen-
ding them to universities and museums
around the world. He was a well-educated
man but had a serious drinking habit. In 1871
he moved to a hut on Meridian Creek,
continuing his work, a priceless legacy to
students in the field of entomology. He was
found dead December 7, 1882, and was buried
in an unmarked grave at Our Savior's Lu-
theran Cemetery. Years later, student clubs
from S.M.U., Texas A&M, and Baylor Uni-
versity erected a monument at his grave.
The Norse community has contributed
greatly to preserve this country's freedom.
This is evident when Memorial Day arrives
and servicemen's graves are marked with
flags.
Today, all that remains of Norse is the
church and cemetery located northwest of the
townsite, a few homes scattered about and a
grocery-gas station at the crossroads.
Our Savior's Lutheran Church, "The Heart
of the Norse Community", continues in the
faith of its founders and with God's blessings,
it shall continue for generations to come.
by Patsy D. Lund35
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Bosque County History Book Committee. Bosque County: Land and People (A History of Bosque County, Texas), book, 1985; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth91038/m1/51/?q=campbell: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Denton Public Library.