Hamilton County, Texas

Extension of the Bosque Settlement

The Norwegian settlement in Bosque County also extended into Hamilton County. The general history of the settlement is described in the Boacue Couty section.

Ole Torgersen Nystøl’s Captivity

Ole Torgersen Nystøl was captured by Indians in 1867. He remained in captivity for three months and was subjected to severe mistreatment. When he finally returned to settled country, he was described as being more dead than alive. His head, for example, was almost entirely covered with wounds. According to the account, the harshest treatment came when Nystøl refused to do what his captors demanded of him, particularly when the orders involved things he could not bring himself to do. Another captive, a Black man who had also been taken during one of their raids, was killed in a brutal manner in front of Nystøl. At night, while his captors slept in their tents, Nystøl was kept tied outside and was almost naked. Much of his clothing had been taken and used by some of his captors. This took place in the mountains during the cold season.

Food was also scarce. Nystøl, who was a religious and trustworthy man, stated that during the first nine days of his captivity he was given almost nothing to eat. When his captors realized that he could not survive under such conditions, they began giving him a share of whatever food they had. He was required to work almost constantly. Carrying water, chopping wood, finding food, and caring for the horses were among his daily duties. His captors also attempted to persuade him to marry one of their daughters. Several women were presented to him, but he refused. One of them became so persistent that, according to the account, Nystøl had to strike her in order to be left alone.

By the time he finally found an opportunity to escape, he had traveled with his captors across extensive parts of Texas, Kansas, and Indian Territory.

Churches and Congregations

A Norwegian Lutheran congregation was established in Hamilton County in 1903. Its first pastor was G. G. Odegaard of the Norwegian Synod. By the time the information for this account was collected, there was still no Norwegian church building in the county.

Sources:

[Ulvestad, Martin. Nordmændene i Amerika. Utg. History Book Company's Forlag. Minneapolis, Minn. 1907.]