Senator JOHNSON came from good. old Norwegian stock. his father. Nelson Johnson (Kaasa). being born in Hitterdahl. Upper Thelemarken. and his mother in Voss Norway. from whence they emigrated and settled in Muskego. Wis.. in 1839. It will be seen therefore that his parents were among the earliest Norwegian immigrants. Speaking of Norwegian Immigration. which has played such an important part in the development of North Dakota. it may be interesting to recall the fact that the Norwegians made no attempt at colonization or organized immigration to this country during the colonial period. although it is known that quite a few immigrants had settled here prior to the Revolution and that some of them fought in that war. Paul Jones. for instance. recruited his ship. the Ranger. in Mandal. a seaport in southern Norway. and one of the young men he engaged was Thomas Johnson. who was his pilot and who helped him lash the Bon Homme Richard to the Serapis. and to hoist the first American flag that was ever saluted by the ships of a foreign power. This brave sailor and hero of many battles came with Jones to America and died in the United States Naval Hospital in 1851. at the age of 93. (See v. 28. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. p. 17.) The flrstorganized party of Norwegian immigrants came in the sloop Restaurationen and were 62 In number and settled In Kendall. Orleans County. N.
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