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Page 1: First Lutheran Church Cemetery Minot, North Dakota (32WD1622)

First Lutheran Church Cemetery Minot, North Dakota (32WD1622) Northeast and Southeast Quadrants

Historical Architectural Cultural Resource Survey Update

Mark J. Timbrook

Historian/Principal Investigator (H/PI)

June 1 – October 1, 2011

Prepared for:

First Lutheran Church of Minot 120 5th Avenue Northwest Minot, ND, 58701 Minot State University Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning 500 University Avenue West, Minot, ND 58707 Minot State University Gordon B. Olson Library, Special Collections 500 University Avenue West, Minot, ND 58707 State Historical Society of North Dakota Archaeology and Preservation Division Bismarck, North Dakota, 58505

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FIGURE 1. STUDENTS REMOVE A PODIUM STYLE GRAVE MARKER FROM ITS BASE FOR CLEANING AND RESETTING.

PHOTO BY TERRY FALCON.

Copyright © 2011 by Minot State University Published by Minot State University, Office of Instructional Technology

500 University Avenue West, Minot, ND 58707 www.minotstateu.edu/oit

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Minot State University, Office of Instructional Technology.

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Contents Figures. .......................................................................................................................................................... 4

Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 5

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 6

Purpose of Report: ................................................................................................................................ 6

Description: ........................................................................................................................................... 6

Location of the Project: ......................................................................................................................... 6

Environmental Setting .................................................................................................................................. 9

Physical Features: ..................................................................................................................................... 9

Past Conditions of the Land ...................................................................................................................... 9

Present Field Conditions and Land-Use .................................................................................................. 10

Field Work Problems ............................................................................................................................... 10

Research Goals ............................................................................................................................................ 10

The objectives of the four-year survey include: ......................................................................................... 10

Reconnaissance Inventory .......................................................................................................................... 11

Historical Context of Cemetery ............................................................................................................... 11

Previous Work ......................................................................................................................................... 14

Field Work for the 2011 Season .............................................................................................................. 15

.................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Student Research .................................................................................................................................... 17

Intensive Inventory ..................................................................................................................................... 17

Field Work, Specialized Methods & Techniques, and Findings .......................................................... 17

Methods: GPS, Survey and Photographic Documentation ......................................................................... 28

Appendices: Not all included in file copy. See PI /Historian for copies

Endnotes ..................................................................................................................................................... 37

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Figures.

Figure 1. Students remove a podium style grave marker from its base for cleaning and resetting. Photo by Terry Falcon. .................................................................................................................................. 2 Figure 2. Leah Ronholdt and the Mark Timbrook (H/PI) set up the CST/Berger Total Station at the site datum for reading grave marker coordinates. Photo by Rick Heit. .............................................................. 5 Figure 3. The east entrance to the cemetery. Photograph by Peter Rismoen, 1918. Photograph Archive, First Lutheran Church of Minot. .................................................................................................................... 7 Figure 4. Satellite view of the First Lutheran cemetery in northwest Minot. Image dated 2006, Google. . 9 Figure 5. . Foldout post card of early Minot, ca. 1900. This is the present location of MSU prior to construction of the campus or Harrison School. The cemetery is located in the left at the edge of the field. ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 Figure 6. Eric and Betsy Skaro. This photograph was discovered by Gary Huwe during his research. First Lutheran Church Archives. .......................................................................................................................... 12 Figure 7. Students probe in the NE quadrant at 20cm for buried grave markers. photograph by Terry Falcon. ......................................................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 8. Misty Neumiller prepares to document the Ole Swenson grave marker using a digital camera. Photograph by Terry Falcon. ....................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 9. Gary Huwe reviews records of the Women’s Aide Society in the First Lutheran Church Archive. Extremely high temperatures in the belfry archive, a consequence of efforts to dry out the church after the basement area flooded, prevented extensive research. ...................................................................... 17 Figure 10. Leah and Obed check for survey pins using the metal detector. Photo by Terry Falcon. ........ 17 Figure 11. Project on the cemetery. This schematics shows the adjustment of the fence against the first row of burials. ............................................................................................................................................. 18 Figure 12. Potential unmarked burials in the NE quadrant. ...................................................................... 20 Figure 13. Hans Hveen grave marker in the NE quadrant. The monument can be found in the Sears, Roebuck & Co., Tombstones and Monuments, 1902 version under the model numbers 22P888 to 22P891. Prices varied based on inscriptions and added art work. ............................................................ 21 Figure 14. One of the many grave markers in the northeast quadrant with Norwegian inscriptions. ..... 21 Figure 15. The soul effigy from the southeast quadrant. .......................................................................... 22 Figure 16. Opsvig memorial marker, Section 26, Lot 8. ............................................................................. 24

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FIGURE 2. LEAH RONHOLDT AND THE MARK TIMBROOK (H/PI) SET UP THE CST/BERGER TOTAL STATION AT THE SITE DATUM FOR

READING GRAVE MARKER COORDINATES. PHOTO BY RICK HEIT.

Abstract

The survey of the First Lutheran Church Cemetery of Minot is a four-year project designed to capture the history of the cemetery, its relationship with the First Lutheran Church, the city of Minot, and Minot State University. The survey also addresses deficiencies in previous cultural resource surveys (NDCRS Site Form, Architectural Site SITS 32WD1622, March 1, 2004) in regards to the origins of the cemetery and its representation as a North Dakota Cultural Resource. The survey includes an updated analysis of the cemeteries environment, research objectives, methods, history, and a detailed inventory of the grave markers and unmarked graves in the northeast and southeast quadrants of the cemetery.

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Introduction

Purpose of Report:

The purpose of this report is to correct deficiencies in cultural resource surveys (NDCRS Site Form, Architectural Site SITS 32WD1622, dated March 1, 2004) previously provided for the State Historical Society of North Dakota (SHSND). These deficiencies include the origin of the cemetery, date of creation, its orientations, and its history relative to the city of Minot

Description:

The cultural resource survey of the First Lutheran Cemetery in 2011 was year-two of a four-year project aimed at the complete documentation of the cemetery by 2013. The survey will correct deficiencies in early surveys submitted to the SHSND. The project will also provide prioritized preservation of grave markers, using National Center for Preservation Training and Technology (NCPTT) guidelines, in an effort to mitigate ongoing deterioration. The project aims at promoting the cultural, social, and historical value of the cemetery to the community with the intention of securing its long-term preservation.

Location of the Project:

General: The First Lutheran Church Cemetery of Minot is located in Northwest Minot, at the corner of 11th Avenue NW and Broadway.

Specific:

The First Lutheran Cemetery of Minot is located at the base of the northern slope of the Souris River Valley in Minot, Harrison Township, North Dakota (T155N R83W) at the intersection of Highway 83 (North Broadway, old Ward Street) and 11th Avenue NW and adjoins the property of Minot State University (to the west and south). The cemetery was first platted in 1892 as the Mouse River Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery. The cemetery was redesigned and platted a second time in 1908 as the First Lutheran Church Cemetery of Minot. It has a rectangular plot of ground, with an angled northeast corner. It slopes down six degrees from the northern boundary to the southern boundary.

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The space measures approximately 350 feet north/south and 250 feet east/west. The cemetery is currently surrounded by a black, aluminum fence with six and a half foot wide panels. The panels are supported by 2-inch posts and a 1-inch rail running horizontally across the bottom and two across the top, without ornamentation. The pickets are ¾-inch square aluminum with four-inch spear point finials. The fence averages fifty-two inches in height. During the early years, the only fencing was located at the gates as shown below. The cemetery is laid out in quadrants of approximately equal size divided by the twenty-five feet wide drive running north/south and an eighteen-feet-wide drive running east/west with a roundel approximately fifty feet in diameter where the drives intersect. The drive is composed of aggregate and prone to erosion toward the southern border. There are two street access points for vehicle traffic, one on the northern border (which is elevated) and another on the east (which is level). A foot traffic entrance is centered on the southern border. The western boundary is completely enclosed.

FIGURE 3. THE EAST ENTRANCE TO THE CEMETERY. PHOTOGRAPH BY PETER RISMOEN, 1918. PHOTOGRAPH ARCHIVE, FIRST

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF MINOT.

The NW, SW, SE corners and entrances of the cemetery are defined by eighteen-inch, square, six-foot tall pedestals, covered with tan stucco and topped with a cement pyramid-cap. All of the eastern pedestals are replicas, with the originals being destroyed during the 2009 Broadway widening project. The two smaller pedestals that sat paired with the larger pedestals at the main, eastern gate were removed and not replicated (see figure 3). Gates were not installed. The NW pedestal is buried within the slope with only the pyramid cap remaining exposed to view.

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The layout and size of the gravesites in each quadrant varies considerably. The cemetery contains many of the churches organizing members and clergy, pioneer families, families associated with early Minot businesses, and community founding families.

Dates:

The dates of the project were: June 1 – October 1, 2011

Names of all participants:

Mark Timbrook, Historian/PI

Eunice Timbrook, Administration

Margaret Sherve, Instructor

Gary Huwe, Intern

Terry-Lynn Falcon, Student

Sarah Carr, Student

Susan Brooks, Student

Leah Rondoldt, Student

Kala Yarbrough, Student

Obed Rodriguez, Student

Kyle Craig, Student

Misty Neumiller, Student

Nathan Zochert

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Environmental Setting

Physical Features: The First Lutheran Cemetery is at the foot of the northern slope of the Mouse River Valley as it cuts through the city of Minot, North Dakota. It is situated on the first major terrace above the river. The Mouse River cuts through the Northern Drift Prairie

physiographic region of North Dakota as described in the Archaeological Component of the North Dakota Comprehensive Plan for Historic Preservation, Souris River Study Unit.1 The Mouse River flows south to north through the region, originating in the Yellow Grass Marshes of Saskatchewan and terminating on the Canadian Plains of Manitoba, where it intersects the Assiniboine River. The valley was cut during the late Wisconsin Pleistocene by a combination of dramatic, intermediate floods and consistent flows which originated from Glacial Lakes Winnipeg and Agassiz.

As a consequence of these flows, the surface geology of the cemetery reflects colluvial fan deposits, largely glacial till, originating from early channel development and subsequent sediment washed from the northern slope of the Mouse River Valley.2

Past Conditions of the Land

Early photographs reveal the region was devoid of trees and covered with brush and prairie grasses. The area surrounding the cemetery was also relatively level with the present slope created by excavation and road construction. Today, the cemetery landscape does not reflect the region’s early historic or prehistoric past. Several sites of prehistoric –chipped stone have been identified east of the cemetery on the North Slope; but nothing in the immediate area. These include: 32WD700-708,

FIGURE 4. SATELLITE VIEW OF THE FIRST LUTHERAN CEMETERY IN

NORTHWEST MINOT. IMAGE DATED 2006, GOOGLE.

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FIGURE 5. . FOLDOUT POST CARD OF EARLY MINOT, CA. 1900. THIS IS THE PRESENT LOCATION OF MSU PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION OF

THE CAMPUS OR HARRISON SCHOOL. THE CEMETERY IS LOCATED IN THE LEFT AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD.

Present Field Conditions and Land-Use

Modern landscaping, lawn grasses, shrubs and trees to include American elm (Ulmus Americana), Green Ash (Fraxinus Pennsylvaica), Colorado Spruce (Picea Pungens), Black Hills White Spruce (Picea Glauca), Boxelder Maple (Acer Negundo) and Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) dominate the landscape, as shown in Figure 4. A majority of the elm trees are planted on both sides of the cemetery drive and the lilac are randomly interspersed across the cemetery. Aside from a small, wooden caretaker shed located in the southwest corner of the property, the space is devoted entirely to the cemetery. In regards to faunal species, the area is occupied by ground squirrels and gophers, as well as various avian species common to the northern plains.

Field Work Problems

The 2011 field season was hampered by the flood of the Mouse River in Minot and surrounding region. The lack of running water on site, and access to the cemetery during certain periods curtailed or delayed several projects.

Research Goals

The objectives of the four-year survey include:

1. Define the history of the cemetery and key interments 2. Complete cultural resource documentation of all grave markers and unmarked graves 3. Complete the documentation of landscape conditions 4. Repair of priority one gravemarkers 5. Recovery of buried grave markers 6. Perform prioritized landscape maintenance survey

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Reconnaissance Inventory

Historical Context of Cemetery

Most of the Mouse River region was uninhabited during its earliest history as it was sporadically covered in ice or water. However, artifacts discovered in the region indicate occupation during the Late Paleo-Indian and Early Plains Archaic (post glacial period). By the Middle and Late Plains Archaic, groups appear to have used the basin on a fairly regular basis for residential bases, temporary camps, and burial locations3. Few sites have been located in the Minot area, most likely due to construction and intensive railroad development; however, several sites and artifacts have been identified in the nearby Burlington area. In the 1700s and 1800s the region was important to the beaver and bison trade and several seasonal trade posts were located nearby and in the valley. When settlers arrived in the late 1880s, the remnants of the fur trade were still visible but the bison were nearing extinction.4 Some of the first settlers in the valley at Minot and westward in Burlington were Lutherans and they quickly organized. The Minot First Lutheran Church of Minot was founded as the Mouse River Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church on December 28, 1884 under the leadership of Johannes Kopperdahl at the home of Erik Ramstad.5 The event was prompted by the missionary efforts of Reverend O. H. Aaberg and Reverend B. Harstad from Goose River, Dakota Territory. Both men made the three-week journey to the valley in 1881 in search of “Lutheran Christians who may have settled along the distant Mouse River and to bring them the Bread of Life.6 They found the valley empty; however, they returned in 1883 and discovered the Spoklie and Gasman families west of Minot. During the visit, Aaberg baptized two newborn children belonging to the families.7 The original voting members of the church were Ole Thygeson, Torger Swenson, Sven Thomson, Ole T. Spoklie, John Jakobsen, Swen Nilsen, Erik Ramstad, Peder Ramstad, Erik Skaro, Nils T. Hagen, and Christian Tangedal. In 1885, the men issued a call to Torjus Sonderson Reishus of Sacred Heart, Minnesota to be their resident Pastor. Reishus and his wife Ellen Brunn Reishus accepted the call and arrived in the valley on July 3, 1886. Reishus preached his first service the following day at the log homestead of Peder Ramstad, which was located in present day Roosevelt Park. On July 18, 1886, he was formally installed as the congregation’s pastor during a service held at the home of Johannes Hoy. Reishus settled upon a claim and started the construction of the first parsonage approximately four miles southeast of Peder’s residence, which was in present-day Roosevelt Park. The two-story cabin, known as the “Upstairs House” was completed on October 18, 1886. Just two-weeks earlier, on October 4, 1886 Reishus noted in his journal the first Great Northern train had entered into the hamlet that was to be called

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Minot. Most of land through the town had been purchased from Erik Ramstad, the community’s founding father. At a meeting on December 11, 1886, it was decided the congregation needed to have a cemetery. The burial ground was to be located on land belonging to church member, Erik Skaro and was sited at southwestern edge of present day Roosevelt Park. What prompted the creation of the cemetery is unknown as no death records have been discovered to date for 1886 and Minot already had a small burial ground at the intersection of present day 4th Street and 4th Avenue Southwest, which has since disappeared and the city has no remaining documentation on the site.8 The Catholic Church in Minot established a burial area south of town in 1888 and had its first internment on September 22, 1888 (Father Henz). The cemetery has since been integrated into the west side of Rosehill Cemetery. Rosehill was established in 1890, two years before the Mouse River Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery was officially platted (1892). The issue becomes blurry when you examine the first deaths for the church’s congregation, which occurred in 1887 through 1891, which were before the 1892 plat in northwest Harrison Township. Several possibilities exist. First, the interments burials took place on Eric Skaro’s property and were later exhumed and moved to the present site in 1892-93. Second, the Skaro property was never used and the burials were always on the Ramstad property in northwest Harrison Township, which forced the formality of creating a recognized cemetery in accordance with state law. Gary Huwe’s research revealed Skaro left the region in 1892 and sold his land. He was apparently unhappy with the water, perhaps a reference to the flooding in the region. He postulates the shift in land ownership from Skaro to the City of Minot, left the burials in a precarious condition, outside the control of the church and its membership, which forced the sites relocation. Moreover, the awarding a statehood in 1899, dictated the need to meet cemetery standards. The new site, which is the present day cemetery, was on land owned by Erik Ramstad. The site was first surveyed by H. L. Salisbury on October 8-10, 1892 under the direction of Ramstad, who, as noted, was a prominent member of the church. Huwe’s theory appears to be the most logical.

FIGURE 6. ERIC AND BETSY SKARO.

THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS DISCOVERED

BY GARY HUWE DURING HIS

RESEARCH. FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH

ARCHIVES.

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The survey was notarized and filed with the Ward County Register of Deeds on October 13, 1892. On June 8, 1893, Erik Ramstad witnessed the deed as the proprietor of the legal title, which he held in “trust” for the church, and described the land as a “burial ground.” The Ward County Registrar of Deeds at the time was also the pastor for the Lutheran Church, Torjus Reishus, witnessed the filing. Reishus had been nominated for the office by his parishioners and was subsequently elected to the post. He served one term in office from 1893-1894.9The City of Minot Directory noted the cemetery as “1 mile NW of city limits.”10 The area was part of Harrison Township and was not incorporated into the City of Minot until 1911. The land was not deeded by Erik and Oline Ramstad to the Mouse River Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church until January 24, 1900. The next formal survey and plat of the site was conducted in September 1908. The 1908 design significantly altered the shape of the cemetery and realigned the sections in a in an east/west orientation. This may have been driven by more than ecclesiastical motivation, but rather land management. The 1908 plat provided a defined boundary for the cemetery, which had previously been mapped on open land belonging to Ramstad. The only border defined at that time where the burial lots. The 1908 plat also established a line between the public highway (Ward Street) and private burials on the eastern and northern edges. As the Ramstad’s watched the community, church and cemetery grow it must have become clear that a more defined plat was necessary if he and Oline were ever to deed the property to the church. Moreover, much of the temporary nature of church’s presence on the landscape had changed. In 1907, the church officially changed its name to the First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1908, the congregation dedicated a new, second and more glorious church building and for the first time in the congregation’s history, deacons were elected and the English language was adapted for one of the weekly services. As noted in Sarah Carr’s research (see Appendix A) the cemetery experienced the most activity between 1900 and the 1940s with its peak in the 20s and 30s. In the 1950s, use diminished significantly and fewer than ten burials have occurred during the last decade. The birth dates of the people interred in the cemetery peaked in the 1880s and a steep drop off occurred through the 1930s. The mean age of death in the northeast quadrant was 47.70 (+- 30.4) and the southeast was 55.81(+- 29.8). The newest quadrant of the cemetery reflects a mean age of 61.12 (+-25.7). Accumulated data reflects the higher birth rates, as well as the higher death rates of the children of pioneer families. Many rural families had more children out of necessity and of course the lack of birth control contributed. The birth control movement did not reach its peak until after 1910 with Margaret Sanger and others directing the way forward. The data also supports the diminishing birth rates that accompanied the early twentieth century as families elected to have fewer children and birth control was more

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acceptable and available. The longer lifespan exhibited by southeast quadrant can be attributed to improvements in rural life, such as the arrival of rural electricity, water sanitation, sewers, the arrival of the automobile, and changes in medical practices. Male interments outnumbered female in three of the four quadrants. The difference is too insignificant to speculate for the population represented; however, globally, women outlive men; a consequence of environment, genetics, and lifestyle. However, in this instance, it could be associated solely with the gender representation of the church population. During much of its early history, the cemetery was considered outside of town. The borders of the municipality of Minot ended at the Mouse River, nearly a mile to the south. The community that developed around the cemetery was known as Harrison Township. The north side of the river did not become part of Minot until it was incorporated in 1911 after Harrison Township attempted to create a new community—North Minot. While the cemetery is small, its location, and its deliberate use of walking paths, a roundel, trees, flowers, and shrubbery as a site for thought and contemplation, make it a fit for the rural cemetery movement of the late nineteenth century and the later shift in monuments types, represent the movement to the memorial garden cemetery of the twentieth century.

The monuments in northeast and northwest quadrant also provide a sense of life and local economics, as they existed in the Lutheran church population. However, they also reflect an image of life on the Northern Great Plain in a small, railroad town and the country of which it was part. The early grave markers bear record of a difficult life, complicated by the community’s rural nature, polluted water, poor health services, and diminished services. The quadrant’s hold the dead of World War I and of the Influenza outbreak of 1918. They contain mothers who perished in childbirth and the children that followed them to the grave. There is victim of murder, the airman missing in action, and the five children who perished in house fire as mother and father watched in horror. Represented are airmen, sailors, marines, and soldiers; mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, community leaders, businessmen, and pioneers. Save a few grave markers, most communicate an environment of austerity, faith in the hereafter, and economic stability, but not lavishness.

Previous Work

Cemetery grave markers were documented in October 1979 by church volunteers, Mabel Sletting and Esther Whitcomb and submitted to the First Lutheran Church Archives on October 11, 1984. Several inaccuracies occur with dates, and the locations of several burials, discovered in 2010-11, were not included.

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KLJ Engineering conducted a ground penetrating radar survey in 2006 in support for the North Broadway Widening and Paving Project undertaken by the City of Minot in 2008-2009. Several anomalies were discovered on the eastern edge of the survey but were not believed to be graves, but since the data was not processed through imaging software the issues was left as undetermined.11 Earthworks, Inc. did a follow-up remote sensing of the eastern edge of the cemetery in 2007. However, resolution, and interpretability of the geophysics survey was reduced because of poor instrument response caused by very moist soils. The level of confidence was marginal at best. The report noted that unmarked graves ‘may’ occur to the east.12 Also problematic, the North Dakota Cultural Resource Surveys: NDCRS Site Form, Architectural Site SITS 32WD1622, dated March 1, 2004 which were completed in support of the Broadway project, associate the origins of the cemetery to the 1908 plat map on file at the Ward County Court House. As noted in Historical Context segment of this report, the cemetery has a much longer history. In consequence, the State Historical Society of North Dakota does not contain a full and complete history of the cemetery or its significance to the local region. Moreover, the church is recommended for submission to the National Register, but the cemetery is only recognized as a Category C resource.

Field Work for the 2011 Season

In June, July, and August 2011, student volunteers conducted 156 cultural resource surveys of grave plots (marked and unmarked) in the northeast and southeast quadrants of the First Lutheran Church Cemetery (see Appendix B). The survey also included documentation through the use of digital photography (see figure 7). The

photograph portfolio is attached as Appendix C. A CST/Berger total station was used to record the coordinates (northing, easting, and elevation) of each grave marker and site boundaries for mapping the cemetery. A CST/Berger digital theodolite was used to measure the site, determine slope, and establish a grid based on discovered survey pins for probing for missing/buried grave markers (see figure 6). The Juno SB application was not supported as planned this season due to the reduced contact hours with students, a result of the severe flooding in the region.

FIGURE 7. STUDENTS PROBE IN THE NE QUADRANT AT

20CM FOR BURIED GRAVE MARKERS. PHOTOGRAPH BY

TERRY FALCON.

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Probing for buried grave markers was restricted to a depth of 20cm, in respect for the sanctity of burial. Students were restricted to searches for grave markers. Only the H/PI was permitted to verify soil porosity at potential unmarked burial sites.

An archaeological Tracker II Bounty Hunter metal detector was used to search for survey pins across the cemetery, with an emphasis on the northeast quadrant. Two metal survey pins were found in the quadrant during the 2010 season; however, the limited number prevented the development of any theory on their relationship to either the 1892 or 1908 surveys. Due to the catastrophic flood of the Mouse River this year, only focused probing was used in the SE quadrant and restricted to specific locations (see Appendix D).

Mirrors and photography were used to read unintelligible grave markers with some success. Overhead shades (10 x 10) were used the last two weeks to protect students from the elements. Each student was equipped with a toolkit and given access to specialized gear and equipment. Some of the students continued to perform field work beyond the length of the class, which was greatly appreciated.

FIGURE 8. MISTY NEUMILLER PREPARES TO DOCUMENT THE OLE SWENSON GRAVE MARKER USING A DIGITAL CAMERA.

PHOTOGRAPH BY TERRY FALCON.

A gasoline electric generator for onsite power needs, steel probes, drill, and masonry bits were provided by the H/PI. Lithomex was used for repointing grave markers and Tenax Epoxy Rivo 50 was used for bonding detached or fragmented monuments. Pastor Nelson, First Lutheran Church provided bricks and aggregate for leveling grave markers. Minot State University provided backfill to correct depressions caused by the excavation of grave markers.

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FIGURE 9. GARY HUWE REVIEWS RECORDS OF THE WOMEN’S AIDE SOCIETY IN THE

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH ARCHIVE. EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE

BELFRY ARCHIVE, A CONSEQUENCE OF EFFORTS TO DRY OUT THE CHURCH AFTER THE

BASEMENT AREA FLOODED, PREVENTED EXTENSIVE RESEARCH.

Student Research

The Center for Engaged Teaching and Learning (CETL) sponsored history-education major, Gary Huwe, as a paid, history intern for the 2011 season (see figure 8). Gary was charged to challenge some of the historical hypothesis established about the cemetery and compile a history of the cemetery’s early history in relationship to the community and Minot State University. Gary was also tasked to support on site conservation efforts, photograph documentations, and probing. A separate report has been prepared.

Students in the History and Preservation of the American Cemetery course were challenged to conduct research based on data collected from field work involving grave-markers for their class projects. Several class projects will be presented during the spring 2012 CETL forum and others have been included in the Appendices H-J for review.

Intensive Inventory

Field Work, Specialized Methods & Techniques, and Findings

Research and field work during the 2011 season revealed several interesting details that contribute to the understanding of the cemetery’s past and its relationship with the city of Minot and Minot State University. The following section will briefly outline details and discuss their significance.

The use of a metal detector this season produced ten additional survey pins, compared to the two found in the 2010 season (see figure 10). Using these pins, which were

FIGURE 10. LEAH AND OBED CHECK FOR SURVEY

PINS USING THE METAL DETECTOR. PHOTO BY TERRY

FALCON.

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flagged, in conjunction with the use of a digital theodolite, revealed the pins aligned with the 1908 plat map of sections, roads, lanes, and paths, not the 1892-93 plat map as anticipated. Next, based on pin locations, using survey string, the 2011 team created a partial grid of the sections and lanes in the NE quadrant. The process helped define and visualize the boundaries of the sections and lanes (see figure 6). It also highlighted several grave markers outsides the defined borders. Examination of these stones provided a logical explanation for the abnormality; with exception of two grave markers, the out of place grave markers were in place prior to 1908 and were oriented with the 1892-93 plat borders, and had not been realigned with the new east-west orientation. To keep the historic authenticity and appearance of the cemetery, it is recommended to leave the stones in their present configuration. Moreover, moving the stones would remove the memorial from the actual burial site and threaten the cemeteries integrity.

The theodolite, total station, and plat maps were used to map the extent of the eastern sections and lanes and compare them to the 1908 plat map. This revealed, the 1908 eastern lane, which was ten feet wide, is now beyond the

ne

Previous location of fence.

FIGURE 11. PROJECT ON THE CEMETERY. THIS SCHEMATICS SHOWS THE

ADJUSTMENT OF THE FENCE AGAINST THE FIRST ROW OF BURIALS.

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wly installed fence, under the side walk and into Highway 83 (North Broadway, old Ward Street), which was broadened in 2009. This explains the presence of various grave markers immediately adjacent to the fence and external sidewalk, as well as the various anomalies discovered by ground penetrating radar and magnometry surveys in 2008, see figure 10.

Based on the 1908 plat map and east-west burial orientation, we do not believe any burials exist beyond the current fence line—from 1908 forward. However, when the 1892-93 plat map is examined, ten feet of burial space was lost on the eastern side of the cemetery to accommodate the creation of the 1908 walking lane. This required the removal of two grave lots beyond the survey area. Again, we do not believe any burials were lost from this area.

The shift in orientation in 1908 left an entire row of lots on the northern edge outside the parameters of the burial plan. We can only assume the burials in this area were relocated; however, with the depth of slope on the northern edge, any remaining burials, if they exist, are hidden beneath up to two feet of erosional soil. Simple probing and visual assessment cannot be used in this area to determine the presence or absence of burials; however, aerial reconnaissance with an eighteen-foot lift of the northeast corner revealed eight potential burials not previously noted. A more detail analysis of the sites will be conducted in 2012.

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FIGURE 12. POTENTIAL UNMARKED BURIALS IN THE NE QUADRANT.

Two monument types stand out in the northeast quadrant of the cemetery—the pedestal and podium. Of the existing sixty-nine monuments in the quadrant, twenty are pedestals and seventeen are podiums. Of the two forms, all are marble and with the exception of two, and are dated 1908 and earlier. This is not reflected in the remaining quadrants of the cemetery, which are dominated by headstones, block, and slanted block grave markers. This mirrors the national trend at the turn of the twentieth century when the shift was made from the rural or garden park to the memorial garden cemetery and the use of grave markers with a less ecclesiastical nature. Granite also becomes more popular as can be noted in the other quadrants of the cemetery.

Several of the larger pedestal monuments in the northeast quadrant were produced by Sears, Roebuck & Co. of Chicago, Illinois. These markers (see figure 11) were purchased from the special catalog, Tombstones and Monuments, dated October, 20, 1902, and most likely shipped overland by railroad to Minot. An example is the Hans Hveen monument; however, the urn atop this monument is documented as lost.

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FIGURE 13. HANS HVEEN GRAVE MARKER IN THE NE QUADRANT.

THE MONUMENT CAN BE FOUND IN THE SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO.,

TOMBSTONES AND MONUMENTS, 1902 VERSION UNDER THE

MODEL NUMBERS 22P888 TO 22P891. PRICES VARIED BASED ON

INSCRIPTIONS AND ADDED ART WORK.

The northeast quadrant also reflects a distinct cultural difference from the other quadrants in terms of language use. Unlike the other sections, the grave markers in the northeast quadrant reflect a greater use of Norwegian language in the inscriptions and epitaphs, see figure 13 for an example. This can reasonably be associated to the earlier dates of burial in

the quadrant and correlates with historical accounts of the church’s refusal to adopt English in its religious services until the early twentieth century. Based on birth dates and accumulated obituaries, many of the interned were first-generation immigrants or had surviving first-generation family members who spoke the language in the home. The translation for the stone is:

Hold her, O Father, in thine arms and let her henceforth be

a messenger of love between our human hearts and Thee

Epitaphs, Vermont Marble Co., epitaph 319.

FIGURE 14. ONE OF THE MANY GRAVE MARKERS IN THE NORTHEAST

QUADRANT WITH NORWEGIAN INSCRIPTIONS.

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The 2011 season also revealed the presence of two rare soul effigy motifs, one in the southeast quadrant (see figure 13) and another in the northwest quadrant. The soul effigy motif was the eighteenth century softening of the seventeenth century death’s head (see figure 14 for an example) and is predominantly found in New England and the highlands of Appalachia (see figure 15). Its presence in the First Lutheran Cemetery with twentieth century dating is quite unique. The motifs are similar, on marble, and show significant wear from the environment. Both are

located on the graves of children.

FIGURE 14. EXAMPLES OF THE WINGED SKULL OR DEATH’S HEAD AND THE WINGED SOUL EFFIGIES ON PHEBE

(1757) AND TIMOTHY PECK (1790) GRAVESTONES IN MORRISTOWN, NJ. WIKIPEDIA.

FIGURE 15. LEFT: OBED RODRIGUEZ BEGINS THE EXCAVATION PROCESS TO RAISE THE FIRST OF THE REISHUS FAMILY GRAVE

MARKERS. RIGHT: THE THREE NEWLY EXCAVATED AND RAISED GRAVE MARKERS (REAR) RESTORED THE INTEGRITY OF THE

FAMILY LOT.

In the southeast quadrant, three stones in the Ellison Family plot, which appeared to be horizontal, plaque memorials, were nearly covered with soil. They were discovered to be slant blocks, two of which had detached from their concrete, primary bases. Three

FIGURE 16. THE GRAVE MARKER OF CHARLES O.

SPOKLIE: 1883-1909. PHOTO BY MARK

TIMBROOK.

FIGURE 15. THE SOUL

EFFIGY FROM THE

SOUTHEAST QUADRANT.

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other slant block grave markers in the family lot were upright and still attached to their bases, although partially buried. The three blocks were carefully excavated to avoid damage, leveled, seated, and aligned with the other stones on the lot. Backfill was necessary.

Timbrook and Huwe searched for and rediscovered the grave marker of Charles O. Spoklie (see figure 17), one of the first known white children born and baptized on the Souris River Loop (1883). The marker was last observed in 2005 and had since disappeared below erosional soil and sod growth. Sexton records documented the burial in section 14, but failed to list the plot number. Using the grave marker probe, vacant plots were checked and the marker was found and uncovered at 10-15cm below the surface in Section 14, Plot 22. Gary Huwe and the H/PI leveled the surrounding terrain in an effort to prevent its future disappearance. Charles parents (Ole and Gunhild) are buried in the northwest quadrant of the cemetery.

The 2011 team noted various changes in tree plantings from the 2010 Tree Plan. The revised 2011 Tree Plan was completed by student Sarah Carr and is attached as Appendix H. However, it must be noted that while the removal of several trees was successfully completed without damage to the cemetery or grave markers, stump removal was generally unsuccessful. All three stumps have generated new growth. The church should consider painting these growths with stump killer. The use of a paint brush on the deliberate targets of the plant and roots will prevent damage to contiguous grave markers.

FIGURE 17. OLE SWENSON GRAVE MARKER IN NE QUADRANT.

The 2011 team confirmed the earliest marked internment by the First Lutheran Cemetery was Ole Swenson, dated 28 July 1887 (see figure 17). This was just days after Minot was incorporated as a town on 16 July 1887. The town was a shamble of tar shacks, tents, and a massive rail yard filled with the next season’s building materials. The

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cause of death is unknown; however, it is known the small community was dealing with a typhoid outbreak, but this is purely speculation.

The 1880 US Census listed Ole with siblings Tom (age 28), Iver (age 13), Stene (age 10), Ragnild (age 7), and Anne (age 4). The father was listed a Sven Thompson (age 56) and the mother as Liva Thompson (aged 54). Sven Thompson is listed among the founding fathers of the First Lutheran Church in Minot. All were documented as being born in Norway. Ole shares his grave marker with his father Sven, which died on 2 August 1888, and his mother Liva, which on died 10 August 1888. Torger Swenson, who is believed to be the brother of Sven is also buried at the site. He died on 2 May 1889. Steen Swenson is interned in Section 14, Lot 23. He died in 1909. Ragnild is located in Section 11, Lot 38, died in 1903.

FIGURE 16. OPSVIG MEMORIAL MARKER, SECTION 26, LOT 8.

The team discovered one memorial not associated with a burial in the southeast quadrant, in Section 26, Lot 8. This is the only memorial of this type discovered to date in the First Lutheran Cemetery. The memorial is for 1st Lt. John Thomas Opsvig, O-730590, Army Air Force, who was lost in air operations over China on May 6, 1944.

Opsvig was a member of 449th Fighter Squadron, under the 51st Fighter Group, 10AAF. He enlisted on January 14, 1942 in the Army Air Corps. His squadron operated out of Karachi, India; Dinjan, India; and Kunming China toward the end of the war. His unit claimed 254 destroyed enemy aircraft, 125 probable, and 125 damaged. John’s body has never been recovered.

FIGURE 19. A P-38 AIRCRAFT AND THE NUMBERED AAF UNIT PATCHES OPSVIG WAS ASSIGNED.

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The 2011 team discovered the fence at the south pedestrian entrance to the cemetery was damaged during the flooding this season. The support pole is snapped at the base and the remnants of white paint can be seen above the damage (see figure 19).

FIGURE 20. THE SUPPORT POLE AT THE SOUTHERN ENTRANCE WAS DAMAGED DURING THE 2011 FLOOD.

The team confirmed the presence of fourteen unmarked graves in the northeast quadrant and five in the southeast quadrant. The burials were photographically documented using flag markers and are included in the survey and photograph catalog.

The team discovered two dislocated family-plot corner-markers. One was associated with Haugland Family plot in the southeast quadrant, which was properly relocated. The other corner marker (figure 20) was located in the northwest quadrant and is associated with the Walsrig Family lot in the southeast quadrant. It will be relocated in the 2012 season.

The team also discovered a damaged, dislocated footstone in the northwest quadrant (see figure 21). Its association with a burial site had not been determined as

of this report’s preparation, but has been narrowed down to two potential sites; more research is required.

FIGURE 21. DISLOCATED WALSRIG LOT CORNER

MARKER.

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FIGURE 22. DISLOCATED FOOTSTONE FOUND IN THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT.

The team discovered two plots with curbs and secondary bases for grave markers in the southeast quadrant; however, the grave markers are missing or were never placed (see figure 23). One is Section 27, Plots 13-14 and the other is Section 27, Plot 5. Records indicate Frond and Karen Thompson are interned in these lots. Probing at 20cm did not reveal any buried grave markers in the southeast quadrant. Records do not document a burial at Plot 5, where the curb has been damaged by tree roots.

FIGURE 23. SECTION 27, PLOTS 13-14 (LEFT) AND THE OTHER IS SECTION 27, PLOT 5 (RIGHT). THE CONCRETE BLOCK ON THE BASE IS

A PIECE OF CURB FROM THE PLOTS NORTHEAST CORNER.

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Landscaping remains a critical issue in the cemetery. Foremost, students noted the deteriorating health of trees and the danger they project over grave markers, as shown in figure 23. An arborist would be a wise choice; however, most of the trimming could be completed by volunteers. Annual walkthroughs of the cemetery could detect most of these problems before they became a larger issue when they fall on and damage a grave marker or injure a visitor.

Heirloom plantings include those plants placed by family patrons at burial sites in behalf of departed loved ones, which overtime have become part of the accepted landscape. When possible,

perennial heirloom plantings should be respected and left in place; however, some plants can become invasive or expand in such a way as they endanger their associated grave markers or contiguous markers. In such instance, heirloom plantings should be evaluated, reduced, or removed as necessary. Students noted several of these instances in the southwest quadrant and recommended action in 2012 session (see figure 24).

FIGURE 24. DEAD TREE BRANCHES OVERHANG SEVERAL MONUMENTS AND THE FENCE LINE IN THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT.

FIGURE 25. THREE EXAMPLES OF HEIRLOOM PLANTING THAT REQUIRE MANAGEMENT.

The team noted the appearance of several grave trinkets on grave markers this season that were not detected or present during the 2010 season(see figure 25). Future teams will monitor their presence and see if the practice continues.

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FIGURE 26. SAMPLES OF GRAVE TRINKETS FOUND DURING THE 2011 FIELD SEASON. BOTH INDICATE VISITATION AND

MEMORIALIZATION.

Students also noted an increasing amount of mower damage, to include: scrapes, fragmentation, and dislocation of grave markers. We recommend:

• Mowers used on the site have bumpers installed on the mower deck • Weed trimmers should use the smallest line possible • Discontinue the use of weed killer around grave markers • New growth of the lilacs should be mowed over • Any maintenance personnel assigned to work in the area should be required to watch

the NCPTT training broadcast on maintenance in cemeteries at:

http://ncptt.nps.gov/2010/tel-course-addressing-landscape-maintenance-in-cemeteries/

Methods: GPS, Survey and Photographic Documentation

All of the grave markers on the entire eastern side of the cemetery were photographed using a Canon LH-DC50 digital camera using a 20x IS 5.0-100.00mm lens with image stabilizer on a Ravelli Ballhead Tripod APGL4. The photographs will be used to support 2013 web-based resources, 2011 annual report, and a cemetery publication sometime after 2013. The class will also be sharing photographs with the Find-A-Grave web site. A cultural resource survey was completed on each grave marker.

Mapping the cemetery was initiated using the CST/Berger total station and tripod using the 63-2010M prism and prism pole. The flood restricted the training time for the class and only one student and the intern experienced the technology is full use. The mapping coordinates were obtained from a fixed, known point in the roundel. This aspect of the project will be completed in 2012.

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NOTES

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Appendix A: 2011 Grave Marker Repair Prioritization Table for NE and SE Quadrants Prioritization Description Table

Priority Action Description Example 1 Immediate, high

risk Threat to safety, danger of sustaining additional damage, requires repointing or high risk of loss due to burial

2 As soon as

possible, medium risk

Danger of sustaining additional damage and requires significant repointing

3 When opportunity

and funding permits, low risk

Requires repointing or minor support work or cleaning

Grave Marker Repair Prioritization Table

Priority Level Grave Marker Name

Quadrant, Section, and Plot

Completed

1 Jacob and Hans Kristvik

NE, Section 2, Plot 1

1 Nina Nilson NE, Section 3, Plot 12 July 7, 2011, partially cleaned, drilled,

bonded with Rivo 50 and repointed.

1 Lewis Holt NE, Section 10, Plot 4 1 Ole Helgeson NE, Section 10, Plot 7 July 7, 2011, partially

cleaned, drilled, bonded with Rivo 50

and repointed. 1 Ole Slotte June 21, 2011, partially

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cleaned, drilled, bonded with Rivo 50

and repointed. 1 Ole Sather NE, Section 11, Plot 30 July 7, 2011, partially

cleaned, drilled, bonded with Rivo 50

and repointed. 1 Syvere Iverson NE, Section 1 Lillie Heinze NE, Section, 11, Plot 4 July 7, 2011, partially

cleaned, drilled, bonded with Rivo 50

and repointed. 1 Gary Lee Mickelson NE, Section 2, Plot 10 1 Robert, Peter, and

Marie Ramstad block monuments

SE, Section 34, Plots 13, 14, and 15

July 8-11, excavated and leveled.

1 Mary Kneppe SE, Section 36, Plot 13 1 Sophie Gulseth SE, Section 26, Plot 26 1 William Nedrud SE, Section 23, Plot 19 1 Harold P. Lee SE, Section 23, Plot 17 1 Christianson Family SE, Section 22, Plots 3 1 Astrid, Gunder, and

Olga Reishus SE, Section 34, Plots 21, 22, and 23

June 21, 2011, excavated, new base of bricks and aggregate, leveled, and aligned.

2 John Strommen NE, Section 11, Plot 41 2 Gertie Lee NE, Section 2, Plot 14 2 Harlow Loberg SE, Section 27, Plot 3 2 Gertrud Holt NE, Section 10, Plot 5 September 10-15

Lithomex used to stabilize midline break and base pin breakout.

3 Edmund Charles Wetmur

NE, Section 2, Plot 35

3 Karen Westom SE, Section 27, Plot 10 3 Ramstad family

marker SE, Section 34, Plot 13 - 15

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Appendix B: SE Quadrant Probing

N

Area of Focused Probing in 2011.

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Appendix C: Eastern Cemetery Boundaries: Past and Present

As shown in the original plats above and in the photograph to the left, the ten-foot wide lane on the cemeteries eastern edge was removed during the Broadway widening project.

The border of the cemetery is now flush with the first row of burials and grave markers and is contiguous with the fence and sidewalk. Several grave markers are within one-to-two inches from the sidewalk. The survey conducted did not take into account of possible burials to the north, between1892-1908. See the survey overlay in the Appendix G.

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Appendix D: Grave Marker UTM Coordinates

Date Section/Plot Gravemarker Name Easting Northing Elevation

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Appendix E: Comparison Overlay of the 1892-93 and 1908 Plat Maps

The attached overlay, which is aligned using the eastern section 14 boundary line, reveals the drastic changes in burial operations, when the north-south oriented 1892-93 plat was shifted to the east-west orientation in 1908. Two burial plots are lost on each section of the eastern perimeter (twenty-eight plots) and two entire rows, consisting of fifty plots was lost on the northern edge.

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Endnotes

1 Souris River Study Unit as defined by the State Historical Society of North Dakota. 2 Souris River Study Unit, p. 11.9-11.10. 3 Souris River Study Unit, p. 11.58 4 Several sources describe the presence of abandoned log cabins in the valley in 1881 and 1883. These were most likely wintering cabins from the fur trade that remained standing. 5 Kopperdahl was a layman, not a member of the clergy. Ramstad’s home was located were the Great Northern roundhouse would be later situated. 6 Reishus, Martha. Builders. Minot State University, Gordon B. Olson, Special Collection, 1933, p. 3. 7 Charles Spoklie was the first known white child born in the vicinity of Minot on the Souris River Loop. 8 This is the site of the current city auditorium. The cemetery only had four graves at this time period. 9 Torjus’ brother Gunder would hold the office from 1905 to 1916. 10 1909 City of Minot Directory, Cemeteries 11 Burns, Wade. First Lutheran Church Cemetery Ground Penetrating Rader Survey, NDDOT project Number CMU-4-083(060)200, (Beaver Creek Archaeology Inc., Linton, ND, 2007) 12 Jones, Jeffery. Electrical Resistance Survey of the First Lutheran Church Cemetery, Minot, ND, Report of Investigation 116, (Archaeo-Physics LLC, Minneapolis, MN, 2007).