H.R. No. 1931
 
R E S O L U T I O N
       WHEREAS, Elise Amalie Tvede Waerenskjold, an early Texas
pioneer, is today remembered on both sides of the Atlantic for her
role in fostering Norwegian emigration to the United States; and
       WHEREAS, Born in 1815 to Niels Seierslov Tvede, a Lutheran
minister, and his wife, Johanne, Elise Tvede was educated at home by
private tutors; at the age of 19 she embarked on a teaching career,
although female schoolteachers were then rare in Norway; and
       WHEREAS, A strong-willed and independent thinker throughout
her life, Ms. Tvede promoted the causes of temperance, women's
rights, and the abolition of slavery; her articles brought her to
the attention of Johan Reinert Reiersen, who in 1846 appointed her
as editor of Norway and America, a magazine promoting emigration to
America; and
       WHEREAS, Ms. Tvede emigrated to America herself the following
year and joined a colony of Norwegians established by Mr. Reiersen
in Henderson County; in 1848 she married Wilhelm Waerenskjold, a
member of the party with which she had traveled to Texas; the couple
settled on a square mile of land in Van Zandt County, at Four Mile
Prairie, in a second colony established by Mr. Reiersen; and
       WHEREAS, Elise Waerenskjold and her husband took an active
part in the life of the Norwegian community and in the affairs of
Four Mile Prairie Lutheran Church, which still serves the
surrounding area; and
       WHEREAS, This indomitable woman lived at Four Mile Prairie
for 46 years, during which time she farmed, sold garden seeds,
books, and magazine subscriptions, and taught school; despite the
hardships of frontier life, she also continued to write articles
encouraging emigration to America, especially to Texas; many of her
articles described the daily life of immigrant Norwegian families
and constitute an invaluable source of information about this
notable group of Texans; and
       WHEREAS, Elise Waerenskjold's native land is erecting a
monument in her honor at the Western Norway Emigration Center at
Sletta, Norway, on July 7, 2007; now, therefore, be it
       RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas
Legislature hereby join in commemorating the life of Elise Amalie
Tvede Waerenskjold and the contributions that she and her fellow
Norwegians made to the development of the Lone Star State; and, be
it further
       RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for presentation to the Western Norway Emigration Center
on the occasion of the ceremony honoring Elise Waerenskjold.
Brown of Kaufman
______________________________
Speaker of the House     
       I certify that H.R. No. 1931 was adopted by the House on May
18, 2007, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House