Deer Ridge Cemetery History Excerpt

Deer Ridge Cemetery gate, looking east, 4 August 2024.

The following is an excerpt regarding the Deer Ridge district cemetery, St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery, from A Homesteader's Dream, a locally compiled history book:

St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery  

by E. D. Nyberg

The first meeting to arrange to have a cemetery in this district was held May 28th, 1932 by Rev. Weidenhammer. At this meeting a motion moved by Carl Scharkowski and second by Chas. Joelson that a cemetery be arrange for though the sponsorship of a religious group and that this cemetery by a community cemetery where burial privileges were extended to all.

A committee was elected for purposed of selecting a plot and bringing in suggestions regarding a cemetery. Committee was Chas. Joelson, A. F. Nyberg, Walter Morris, and Chas. Kennedy.

June 28th, 1932 another meeting was held where Chas. Joelson moved and seconded by A. F. Nyberg that a piece of land about one acre in extent; the NE corner of SE ¼ of section 5 Township 52 Range 1 W of 3rd be set aside for a cemetery. This land was donated by Charles Joelson as it was a part of his quarter.

The cemetery was named St. Paul’s Lutheran which was the name of the church when we had one.

In May 1934 Mrs. Kroken canvassed the district for funds for the cemetery. To do this she walked around the district and collected the sum of $25.05. She was even offered a bushel of wheat. Money was scarce then. 

The R.M. gives an annual donation of $10.00 and donations from anyone help to keep a fund on hand. 

Proceeds from lunch sold at Korken’s Auction Sale of $110.00 was used to buy posts and wire to fence it, but has since been taken down.

When the Ladies Community Club folded up they turned over the balance of $404.83 they had on hand. This helped to buy the name sign above the gate.

Trees and shrubs have been planted but have not grown. We have a riding lawn mover which John Viklund operates when necessary.

An annual clean-up-bee is held every spring. Anyone is free to go and cut the grass and plant flowers. Elmer Joleson looks after grave selections. Mrs. F. Nyberg is Secretary Treasurer.

The following is a list of everyone laid to rest in St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery at Deer Ridge:

Names Age Year

Pearson (Mrs Edquist’s mother) 81 years 1932

Abdai, Gizella (baby) 2 years 1933

Lee, Garth (baby) 6 months 1936

Lens, Edmund 18 years 1936

Ljuden (twins) 1 year 1936-37

Viklund, Konrad 12 years 1938

Ryang, Krist 44 years 1939

Brunsdon, Beulah 26 years 1940

Nyberg, Harry 24 years 1940

Grimes, Edward 35 years 1941

Ek, Mrs. Jenny 44 years 1944

Nyberg, (baby) stillborn 194?

Scharkowski, Carl 45 years 1945

Meier, Wm. [William] 47 years 1945

Ek, (baby) 6 months 1946

Ferguson, Mrs. Lily 68 years 1946

Wasstrom, Joans 69 years 1946

Suetta, Vausty (baby) 3 months ?

Pearsons, Joans 75 years 1946

Miller, D. J. ? ?

Peterson, Henry ? ?

Monus, Esther 97 years May 29, 1947

Kroken, Helmar 51 years Jul. 13, 1949

Pearson, Christina 77 years Dec. 6, 1949

Johnson, Gustav 73 years Dec. 17, 1949

Belus, (baby) ? ?

Paul, Daniel 69 years Jan. 19, 1950

Viklund, (baby) stillborn Sept. 2, 1950

Olson, Gunhild 47 years May 16, 1951

Herdin, Hans 61 years Aug. 18, 1951

Ohlund, Elizabeth 19 years Feb. 16, 1952

Johnson, Brita 71 years Oct. 27, 1952

Sjogren, Brian Andrew 2 months Mar. 22, 1954

Miller, James Oscar 69 years Jan. 11, 1955

Joelson, Carl John 85 years Mar. 15, 1955

Hooper, Margaret (moved) 76 years May 12, 1955

Stene, Wilfred 15 years May 18, 1955

Joelson, Marie Augusta 68 years Sept. 20 1955

Sjogren, Anna Fredricke 66 years Sept. 23, 1955

Smith, Larry Edward 13 years Feb. 22, 1957

Monas, Ronald Gary 1 months May 2, 1957

Coombs, David Eric 13 years Nov. 13, 1957

Schuetz, John Baptiste 50 years Dec. 20, 1958

Monus, Kalman 84 years Mar. 23, 1959

Belus, George 66 years Aug. 8, 1959

Herdin, Anton Leo 39 years Dec. 23, 1959

Kormos, John G. 16 years Apr. 18, 1960

Nyberg, Ronald Allen 24 years Jul. 2, 1960

Monus, Lea 74 years Sept. 19, 1960

Strube, Fritz George 82 years Apr. 19, 1961

Viklund, Karl Herman 78 years Apr. 22, 1961

Herdin, Emma 68 years Jul. 25, 1962

Nyberg, Andrew Ferdinand 75 years May 19, 1963

Nyberg, John Albert 78 years Jun. 19, 1963

Anderson, Alexander 47 years Jan. 18, 1964

Kormos, Edward Michael 32 years Jun. 30, 1964

Flaagan, Andres Reierson 92 years Jul. 9, 1964

Strube, Freiderika 88 years Jun. 13, 1965

Kormos, Juluis John 32 years Mar. 29, 1966

Abdai, Joseph 74 years Sept. 12, 1966

Sjogren, Janet Lee (baby) 1 day Sept. 13, 1966

Hegedus, Lydia 80 years Oct. 1, 1966

Belus, Ethel 58 years Oct. 9, 1968

Nyberg, Hilma Augusta 87 years Feb. 7, 1969

Johnson, Milda Karolina 61 years Jun. 18, 1970

Randell, Christine Florence (baby) 21 days Nov. 15, 1970

Mason, Stanley Alfred 54 years Nov. 26, 1970

Ohlund, Beda Katarine 66 years Jul. 5, 1971

Joelson, Mary Josephine 39 years Nov. 4, 1973

Edquist, Conrad Theodore 87 years Dec. 1, 1973

Szell, Annie 74 years Mar. 5, 1974

Thompson, Hannah 88 years Mar. 12, 1976

Stead, Ernest Edgar 75 years Aug. 5, 1976

Sjogren, Anderw 81 years Aug. 30, 1976

Randell, Robert E. 48 years Aug. 31, 1976

Flagon, Ray (Reier) Anderson 64 years Nov. 22, 1976

Nyberg, Glenn Edward 38 years Jun. 4, 1978

Abdai, Anna 80 years Jul. 2, 1978

Belus, Helen 56 years Aug. 7, 1978

Thompson, Olaf 68 years Aug. 29, 1978

Gale, Robert Charles 28 years Nov. 12, 1978

Edquist, Ida Maria Olivia 92 years Jan. 23, 1979

Johansen, Haaken 82 years Aug. 19, 1979

Source: "St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery." A Homesteader’s Dream: History of Deer Ridge, Lone Spruce, Mayview, Cookson, Sturgeon River. D.M.C.S. History Book, 1981. pp. 20-21. Print.