Methodist Cemetery TALES THE TOMBSTONES TELL

                                            

                                                                Methodist Cemetery
                                                               Richwood Township, Richland County, Wisconsin  USA 
                            AKA   Norwegian M.E., Richwood Methodist, Richwood,
                                                                            Richland Methodist & Richland Cemetries


Tales The Tombstones Tell - Republican Observer - December 19, 1957

                                                                    Richwood Methodist

    Here is a well kept burying ground in section 12 in the town of Richwood.  The Norwegian Methodist church stands in the cemetery, the church dating back to 1862 when a log building was erected. The organization of the society was a few years earlier. In the cemetery are buried some of those who organized the church. H. G. Collier is one of them; Andrew Anderson another. These pioneers and members of their families were laid to rest here when the journey of life came to an end for them. Mr. Collier lived a long life which had a span of 80 years, 10 months and 10 days. He died June 9, 1909.
    W. H. H. Taylor, buried here, is a Civil War veteran, a member of Co. H, 11th Wisconsin. When he went into service on October 21, 1861, he gave his residence as Port Andrews. He was transferred to another regiment later on.
    Nearby on another lot is a marker which reads:
                Our Darlings
                 Nancy and Mary
                  Anderson
                   Babies
    No other inscription is on the marker for Nancy and Mary, no dates and no indication as to who their parents were.
    Andrew Rosenau is one of the early born; his birth being November 30, 1838, and he died in 1903. Albert Goplen was born in 1855, it says upon his marker. His wife, Josephine, was born in 1860. He died in 1918 and she in 1948.
    There are other names: Gunhild, born November 28, 1835, and died in 1911; Josephine, 1863-1884; Emma S., 1869-1892. Then comes a line which reads: "Triplings, August 4, 1876."
    Mary Johnson, who died October 19, 1914, had reached the advanced age of 83 years which would bring her birth in 1831.
    The oldest person to be buried in this cemetery is Jeremiah Dingman, who was born July 20, 1813, and died March 12, 1915; a span of 102 years. Permelia, his wife, was born September 18, 1847, lived to be 87, she passing away February 25, 1934. Mr. Dingman came to Richland county in 1853. He enlisted in Co. H, 11th Wisconsin in 1861, giving his address as Port Andrews. He was mustered out on November 18, 1864, his term having expired.  He returned home and in 1866 was married to Permelia Bergham.
    Elizabeth, daughter of George and Anne Shelbern, died at the age of 21 years. On her marker is carved:
            "Take those little lambs" said He,
            "And lay them in my breast,
             Protection they shall find in Me,
             In Me be ever blest."
    Mrs. John Storms died in 1894 at the age of 66 and it says on her marker that she died as she had lived, a Christian.
    John Johnson was one of the early born, his birth date being in 1820 and his death in 1884. His wife, Betsy, was born in 1836 and died in 1904.
    Inza Dalberg was born in 1851, and died in 1890. On the marker are two other names together with the date of their birth and the date of their death. Emma, 1877-1895; Magnus, 1874-1921.
    Death came early to some of the children of Edward Paulson and his wife Isabell. Mr. Paulson was born in 1857 and died in 1922, and his wife, born in 1858, passed on in 1922. Of the children, Edward, was born in 1880 and died in 1880; Lilly Mae born in 1886, passed on in 1886; Mabel had a longer span of life as she was born in 1891 and died in 1893.
    That this is a Norwegian cemetery there can be no doubt when you read the names upon tombstones: Hanson, Goplen, Jacobson, Johnson, Dalberg, Anderson, Carlson, Auguston and Turkelson.
    Sever Swanson is among the early born to be buried here. He was born in 1826 and lived to the age of 94, passing away in 1920. His wife, Anna, was born in 1841, and passed away in 1914.
     Rev. J. H. Johnson was no doubt one of the early day ministers in that area. He was only 59 years of age when he passed away on October 8, 1896.
    Three members of the Lose family have markers in this cemetery. John, born in 1820; Julia, born in 1854, and Bertha, in 1879.
    There is a tombstone in the cemetery for Andrew Anderson, his wife Tolena, and some of their children. Mr. Anderson, a native of Norway, came to Richland county about 1851. In 1853 he married Tolena Torgeson, also a native of Norway, and settled on a farm in Eagle township which is still in possession of members of the Anderson family. They were members of the church here in this cemetery and aided in the erection of the building. Mr. Anderson served in the Civil War. When he enlisted he gave his residence as the town of Eagle. He was mustered out in August, 1865, at the close of the war. He was a member of Co. F, 44th Wisconsin Infantry. Mr. Anderson was born in 1824 and died in 1882. His wife lived until February 14, 1899, her age being 71 years, one month and two days. Frost was five feet deep when her grave was dug.
    Now note the dates of the death of their children, one died January 15, 1871; one January 16, 1871, and one January 17, 1871. Josephine, an infant, died in 1872, and Herman in 1882 at the age of 22. On the monument it says:
            "Though the body slumbers here,
             the soul is safe in heaven."

    Edwin Anderson, well known Richland Center resident, is a member of the Anderson family, a son of Andrew Anderson Jr., and it is he who owns a part of the old farm where his grandparents, Andrew Sr., and Tolena spent many years in carving the farm out of a vast Wilderness. Mr. Anderson's wife, the former Effie Dieter, who died January 25, 1956, is also buried in this cemetery.
    One can get a brief history from some tombstones and the one for Hans Turkelson and his wife Isabel, is one of them. The inscription for Mr. Turkelson reads:
            "Hans Peter Turkelson, born in Norway,
             November 16, 1850, came to America in 1852,
             settled in the town of Richwood in 1854 and died
             at his home in Richland Center, October 10, 1930."
    The tablet for his wife reads:
            "Isabel Hanson, who was born in Norway in 1858;             
               married Hans P. Turkelson, February 25, 1875, and
             died November 29, 1907, aged 49 years, 5 months and
             29 days.  "In after time we'll meet her."

    Another name is upon the monument. It is for Hillman Turkelson, a son, who died May 20, 1909, at the age of 18 years and 6 months.
    A verse on the marker reads:
            "In the rifted rock I'm resting,
             Safely sheltered I abide,
             There no foes nor storms molest me,
             While within the cleft I hide."

    On another marker close by is this: "Here rests the dust of Hilbert, son of H. P. and Isabel Turkelson, died August 17, 1884, aged one year, six months."  Still another marker is on the lot; it is for Henry, son of H. P. and I. Turkelson, born March 10, 1878, died in 1925, aged 47 years, 1 month and 28 days. Henry attended school in Richland Center and will be remembered by his former classmates.
    On a marker appears the names of two early born who are here in this church yard. They are Christen Torgerson, born in 1826 and died in 1905; Anna, his wife, born in 1825, and died in 1907.
    Burials are being made in this cemetery and there is plenty of space for many, many more graves.

S. F.

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