Engleson Family
Engelson Family Cemetery, a small rural private cemetery tucked away upon a heavily wooded knoll in north central La Crosse County, Wisconsin, gives a glimpse into the Norwegian pioneering spirit of the mid-nineteenth century. Located east of Holmen near the Halfway Creek community in the Town of Onalaska, Ole Engelson and his wife Martha settled on their farm in 1862 and experienced life with happiness, heartache and hard work clearing the land.
A deed [La Crosse County Register of Deeds, volume 105 page 134] recorded on Dec. 2, 1903, from "Ole Engelson and his wife to J. A. Berg as trustee, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, always to held by them as burial place only" goes onto describe "...one (1) acre more or less to be used for a burial place of Ole Engelson and family, and also for a few of his best friends." The legal description of the plot is then given, and then states "...now enclosed by a fence in which is buried Ole Jorgensen...."
Because of Norwegian naming conventions, the Ole Jorgensen mentioned in the deed is remembered on the gravestone as Ole J. Larson. Generally Norwegian immigrants would take the name of the farm they worked in their homeland, and surnames would change from generation to generation.
Two stones are situated within the sturdy old wrought iron fence. One is made of sandstone and the first name, if any was engraved, has been washed smooth from the elements. It is clearly that of a child with a lamb atop and the name "Engelson" blazened across the middle section. The dates given are Aug. 12, 1864 - Feb. 22, 1865. The other stone is made of pink granite and stands about six feet tall. Written in English are the following epitaphs on three sides of the monument:
| Ole Engelson | Martha Engelson | Ole J. Larson |
| Who in 1862 selected this place and built this peaceful home. He was born in Dovre Norway, March 20, 1825 and died Oct. 1, 1904 |
Wise and helpful wife who, throughout a long life, faithfully served with her husband the sad as well as the happy days. She was born in Osterdahlen Norway, July 20, 1829 and died Feb. 6, 1904 |
Born Aug. 24, 1810 Died April 12, 1903 |
Although an obituary notice was not found for Martha who predeceased her husband, an announcement of Ole's death appeared in the La Crosse County Record, a weekly newspaper published in Onalaska, on Oct. 6, 1904, page 3:
"Ole Engelson died very suddenly last Saturday from heart failure. He was out in the field plowing when he suddenly expired. He was buried Tuesday afternoon on his own farm, where he had selected his own burial place and where his wife is already buried. Rev. Knutson officiated and undertaker A. E. Smith had charge of the funeral."
Search our online cemetery database
Census List Details: