Goodbye to Toline Ostrom (1846-1934) and Visit Ness Cemetery

Ed's Day Wednesday

Dear FOLKS,

Welcome to this week's telling of family history. Of late, we have been learning about Toline G. Ostrom née Paulson, who was born on 13 March 1846 in Bø, Telemark, Norway. I am pleased to share my late cousin Ed Ostrom's family history research with you. Toline is a direct ancestor to both Ed and me, let me show you the connection.

Here are relationship lists so you can read the differences and the connection; cousin Ed's in BLUE and mine in RED:

1. Edwin Junior Ostrom, son of
2. Edwin "Tom" Ostrom, son of
3. Oscar Ostrom, son of
4. Toline (Paulson) Ostrom née Paulson

1. Darlene Marie (Johnson) Steffens, daughter of
2. William Richard Johnson, son of
3. Olena Marie (Haner) Johnson/Culbertson, daughter of
4. Anna Malena (Ostrom) Haner, daughter of
5. Toline (Paulson) Ostrom

Sadly, Toline would pass away on 26 June 1934 from a stroke. It was reported in her obituary that she had a slight stroke a week earlier and another that took her life. On her birthday the previous March she had turned 88 years young. She died peacefully at home under the care of her daughter Elsie Nims. Toline's will was transcribed in an earlier article and you can read that here. Her obituary was also transcribed earlier and it can be read here.

On 2 July 1934 a funeral service was held for Toline and family, neighbors and friends from near and far came to pay their respects. She was buried in the family plot at the Ness Cemetery, on the outskirts of Elbow Lake, Minnesota.

In October 2008, I had a chance to visit this cemetery. My husband and I were trying to learn more about family history while traveling cross country. My husband called this one of our "Chasing Dead People" trips. How embarrassing that was when he mentioned that to a local police officer he was chatting with during one such trip.

The Ness Cemetery is located at GPS coordinates: Latitude: 45.99750, Longitude: -95.99640. Here is a satellite image of the cemetery and surrounding area.

IMAGE: Satellite image of Ness Cemetery, NW of
Elbow Lake (the town), Grant County, MN. Map
courtesy of www.mapquest.com.

Turn south at this intersection, off Hwy US59/MN55
onto 210^th (County Rd 47). This is a gravel road
as so many are in the Midwest. --by Darlene.

Weather the day of our visit was rain with a heavy cloud covering. The rain stopped long enough to take these photographs. The headstones throughout the cemetery were wet though, causing poor contrast with the etching. Oh, for a battery-operated hair dryer. All of these photographs are from my collection.

IMAGE: North entrance to cemetery – Wrought
iron says ”Ness Cemt.” --by Darlene

IMAGE: Another view of wrought iron gate showing
a cornfield that surrounds cemetery. To the left
of the picture is in the direction of US59.
-- by Darlene

IMAGE:
Ness Cemetery Dedication marker. On the stone’s
front is etched:

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE
ST. JOHN 11:25
NESS CEMETERY
THE LORD BLESS THEM AND KEEP THEM

IMAGE: Reverse of the Dedication stone is etched:

FIRST BURIAL WAS LIVA BURTNESS – 1876

LAND WAS PURCHASED FROM JOHN L. OLSON IN 1886

FOR $5.00. ADDITIONAL LAND WAS PURCHASED FROM

JOHN IN 1916 FOR $100.00.

THIS MEMORIAL MADE POSSIBLE BY BEQUESTS FROM

OLE CANESTORP ESTATE [and] LAJORD FAMILY ESTATE

IMAGE: Ostrom family marker looking east.
Etching : “OSTROM” - Nothing else is on the stone.  It is
etched on the west side of the stone, and faces the
street/county road where it also can be seen. --by Darlene

IMAGE: Toline Ostrom’s headstone, it faces East
– Etching – top: “MOTHER”; side: “TOLINE OSTROM
~ MARCH 9, 1846 ~ JUNE 26, 1934”.  It is etched on
the west side of the stone facing the large family marker.
--by Darlene

IMAGE: Toline Ostrom’s headstone – close-up
--by Darlene

IMAGE: Olaus O. Ostrom’s headstone –
Etching: “FATHER ~1850 – 1924”
(etching on the topside of marker only).
--by Darlene

IMAGE: Ole Andreas Ostrom’s headstone
 – Etching on topside of stone:
“OLE ANDREAS ~ 1874 – 1894”
Toline & Olaus's first son. --by Darlene

IMAGE: Olina Ostrom Ehlers headstone
 – Etching on topside of stone:
 “OLINA EHLERS ~ 1882 – 1962”
Toline & Olaus's daughter. --by Darlene

IMAGE: Ostrom family grouping –
Front row Left to right: Ole O. Ostrom, Toline Ostrom,
Olina Ehlers, Ole A. Ostrom – large marker on right
Tonsfeldt family. --by Darlene

IMAGE: Darlene paying her respects
to the Ostroms. --by Doug

The etching on all the headstones faces the family's "OSTROM" stone. The next family plot to the right is the Richard & Violet Tonsfeldt family. On the previous photograph, notice the south entrance wrought iron gate to right of larger tree's trunk. The land significantly drops off behind the tree making the south entrance lower.

IMAGE: At look back to the family plot from the road
outside of south/lower entrance. --by Darlene

Walking out the south entrance and looking back towards the family plot, the rise in the land is noticeable. At one point in time there may have been a very nice view of Elbow Lake from across the road, now a stand of trees blocks the view.

IMAGE: One last look at the Ostrom family
marker from the road…. The tall one
just left of the tree. --by Darlene

Doug and I were glad to have been able to visit this country cemetery and that the rain had stopped while we were there. It is a quiet and peaceful location, with the wind gently rustling the grass that grew tall along the roadside. No vehicle sounds were heard there as no one drove by, just an occasional bird song and those gentle breezes. We thought, at the time the family burials took place it is probable that this location included a view of the south end of the lake. The trees that now block that view were likely not there.

Time now to end our story of Toline; next week I'll bring you the beginning of another family in this generation. Before we head out, let's wish Toline, "Hvil i fred Bestemor," .... Rest in peace Grandma.

Thank you for joining me today. I hope you are having a good week.

-- -- --

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Copyright (c) 2017, Darlene M. Steffens