Jehans Persson Nordbu (1768–c.1860), also Johannes Nordboe, was a Norwegian-American immigrant to the United States and an early settler in the state of Texas.
Jehans Persson Nordbu was born at Ringebu in Oppland, Norway. He was the son of Peder Nordboe and Abelone Engebretsdatter. He and his family resided on the Nordbu farm in the parish of Venabygd.[1]
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 in 1836. In 1837, the family started for Shelby County, Missouri. The Nordbu family settled in Texas about 1841. This was one of the first family from the traditional region of Gudbrandsdalen to emigrate to America.[2][3]
Nordbu died in Tarrant County, Texas when he was over ninety years of age.[4][5][6]
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.[7]
In this article Nordbu labeled the United States a "free country".[8]
In 1975, Nordbu's portrait was published by Einar Hovdhaugen in his book Frå Venabygd til Texas. Pioneren Jehans Nordbu.[9][10]
^Translated and edited by Lyder L. Unstad (1935). "The First Norwegian Migration into Texas". The Norwegian-American Historical Association (Volume VIII: Page 39). Retrieved March 5, 2016. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
^The Fox River Norwegian Settlement Carlton C. Qualey, Gjert Hovland, Syver Jörgensen Haaeim and Halvor Knudsen (Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Jul., 1934), pp. 133-177
^"Statsborgeren". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
^Pryser, Tore (1985). Norsk historie 1800–1870 (in Norwegian). Oslo: Det Norske Samlaget. p. 61. ISBN82-521-2388-0. Her hviler intet baand paa næringsfriheden, her hersker ingen monopoler eller forrettigheder. Landmanden kan frit sælge sine varer uden at blive anholdt for forsprang—man har heller ikke lov til at tage betaling for 4 skydshester, naar man kun bruger[...]Religionen er fri som da skaberen dannede menneskene[...] Bogtrykkerpressen er gandske fri naar kun redaktionen har hjemmel[...]i de fleste stater (er det) juryer, disse er udnævnte af kommunerne
^"Sage på Samlaget". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 12 September 1975. p. 18.