A Norwegian sailor, Captain Iverson, settled in Georgia some time about the close of the eighteenth century. United States Senator Iverson from Georgia was a grandson of this Norwegian sailor pioneer in Georgia.[25] About 1805 another sailor, Torgus Torkelson Gromstu, from Gjerpen, near Skien, Norway, settled in New York. [25] P. S. Vig in his book _De Danske i Amerika_ says Iverson was of Danish descent but gives no reasons for the claim. As the name "Iver" is peculiarly Norwegian I must therefore adhere to my view as formerly expressed (_Sc. Immig. to Iowa_). In my article on "The Danish Contingent in the Population of Early Iowa," _Iowa Journal of History and Politics_, 1906, I spoke of a society, styling itself _Scandinavia_, as having been organized in New York City on June twenty-seventh, 1844. I there designated this as the earliest organization of the kind in this country. This I find now to be incorrect. As early as 1769 the _Societas Scandinaviensis_ was founded in Philadelphia. The membership of this society was made up of Swedes, Norwegians and Danes, the first of these presumably being in the majority. The first president of the society was Abraham Markoe (Markö), a Norwegian. One of the memorable events in the history of the society was a farewell reception given in "City Tavern" on December eleventh, 1782, in honor of Baron Axel Ferson, hero of the Battle of Yorktown. The committee of seven appointed to present the invitation and also to wait upon General George Washington at Hasbrouch House, Newburg, with a view of securing his presence consisted of the following: Captain Abraham Markoe, Sakarias Paulsen, Andreasen Taasinge, Rev. Andrew Goeranson, Jacob Van der Weer, John Stille and Andrew Keen. Says the chronicler of the event: "This event was one of the most glorious in the Society's history. The reception was held at the City Tavern, Wednesday evening, December eleventh, 1782. The President of the St. Andrew's Society, Rev. Wm. Smith, D. D., lauded the bravery of the Baron and his men at the Battle of Yorktown, whereupon General Washington in thanking the members of the Society for their forethought in tendering the reception to the noble officer (he subsequently decorated Ferson with the "Order of the Cincinnati" for valor displayed) expressed his pleasure at being present among the people of his forefathers' blood, as he claimed descent from the family of Wass, who emigrated from Denmark in the year A. D. 970, and settled in the County Durham, England, where they built a small town, calling it Wass-in-ga-tun (town of Wass.)"[26] [26] Cited from a prospectus of the Society issued in December, 1901, and kindly sent me by C. M. Machold of Philadelphia.