Translated from 'Nordmændene i Amerika' by Martin Ulvestad. 1907. Kaufman County 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†, 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 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 newomer life anew. *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).