Around Swedish America in 548 Days - Day 464

Day 464 - Norse

Norse is a small community about 100 miles north of Austin where a number of Norwegians settled, beginning in 1854. In the cemetery of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, at the junction of Farm Roads 219 and 4150, Clifton (254-675-3962), is the grave of Gustaf W. Belfrage (1834-1882), a Swedish American naturalist noted for his work on insects. Belfrage arrived in Waco in 1868, and Samuel J. Forsgard (see day 463 Waco), a prominent merchant born in Sweden, took him into his home. Belfrage then moved to Norse. Between 1868 and 1873, he sent valuable collections of insect specimens to educational institutions in New England, Sweden, England, and Russia. Belfrage lived a reclusive life and was buried in an unmarked grave in this cemetery. Later students from Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M University, and Baylor University honored Belfrage with a special grave marker, which may be found at the rear center of the cemetery.