Cleng Peerson (17 May 1783 – 16 December 1865) was a Norwegian emigrant to the United States; his voyage in 1824[1] was the precursor for the boat load of 52 Norwegian emigrants in the following year.[2] That boat load was a precursor for the main wave of Norwegian immigration to the United States.[3]
He was aNorwegian-American pioneer and "Slooper" who led the first group of Norwegians to emigrate to the United States, traveling on the NorwegiansloopRestauration.[4][5]
Cleng Peerson was born Klein Pedersen near the community ofTysvær in the county ofRogaland,Norway. His parents were Peder Larsson (1755–1841) and Inger Sjursdotter (1744–1814). Cleng Peerson grew up on the farm Hesthammar in Tysvær, but was born on the farm Lervik in the same district. In 1821, he first traveled to the United States at the request of a religious community inStavanger. This community was made up principally ofQuakers, together withHaugeans, both groups having been influenced by the beliefs of GermanRappites.[6]
In 1824, when Peerson came back to Norway, it was decided that a group should emigrate. Peerson returned to America to prepare for their arrival. Cleng Peerson met the immigrants when they landed in New York on October 9, 1825. They moved to northernNew York, settling about 35 miles (56 km) northwest ofRochester in the town ofKendall, nearLake Ontario, inOrleans County. The road that ran through this settlement is today known as Norway Road.[7][8]
In 1834, Cleng Peerson led a group of settlers to a little settlement on theIllinois River, in theFox River Valley. The community ofNorway inLaSalle County,Illinois is the site of theNorwegian Settlers Memorial which was dedicated in 1934.[9]
Starting in 1838, Peerson returned to Norway several times. By 1840, Peerson had settled in Sugar Creek inMontrose Township,Lee County in the southeastern part ofIowa. Cleng Peerson was listed in the United States census records as a settler in 1840. He lived here for several years, including the period 1840–47. In 1847, he joined the Swedish immigrant society atBishop Hill Colony inHenry County, Illinois, which had been founded by sect leaderErik Janson.[10]
During 1854, theTexas State Legislature granted Peerson 320 acres (1.3 km2) of land west ofClifton, inBosque County, Texas. Peerson lived here until his death in 1865 and was buried in the cemetery byOur Savior's Lutheran Church inCranfills Gap.[11][12]
Peerson married the Swedish-born widow Ane Cathrine Saelinger (1749–1831) in 1807. He later married Maria Charlotta Dahlgren (1809 – ca. 1849) who had emigrated from Sweden in 1846.
The True Saga Of Cleng Peerson are novels written byAlfred Hauge (translated by John Weinstock and Turid Sverre. foreword by Carl W. W. Sorenson. Special Projects Committee, Norwegian Society of Texas; 1982) about the life and times of Cleng Peerson. The three volume series were published in Norwegian between 1961 and 1965 byGyldendal Norsk Forlag.
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