Johannes Nordboe
In 1832 at the age of 64, Johannes was in debt and married with four children. They decided to leave for America, first settling in upstate New York and eventually LaSalle County, Illinois. They later moved to Shelby County, Missouri, in 1837. Nordboe was known for encouraging his countrymen to emigration through letters. In a 1837 letter, he wrote "Here no restrictions are placed upon the right to earn one’s living… Religion is free in America… every man believes what he thinks right... A poor man need never work for a minster without pay; such things belong only to the old world." [Norwegian Texans, pg. 4]
By 1841, Nordboe made his way to Texas to become the first official Norwegian settler who remained in Texas. He settled in the Dallas area -- an area not very prosperous at the time. Not much is known about this first settlement, but we know was visited by Cleng Peerson during his 1849 journey to Texas. Cleng investigated their settlement outside of Dallas and determined that better land existed in Texas. Nordboe died in Texas in 1855. After his death, most of his family moved to California, where they remained until their deaths.
Sources to explore:
The Norwegian Settlement of Bosque County by the Texas Historical Commission
Cleng Peerson and Norwegian Immigration by Theodore C. Blegen
The First Norwegian Migration into Texas: Four "America Letters" by Lyder L. Unstad
Norge i Texas by Odd Magnar Syverson and Derwood Johnson
Norwegian Texans by University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio