Settlers Grove

Located about 200 yards south of the cemetery. This grove follows a ridge that drops as it goes southeast.

  • 25 trees
  • 25 planted
  • 14 dedicated

Dedications:
Red Oak dedicated to the memory of Berit & Haldor Hope great grandparents of Peggy, who were homesteaders in the 1870’s and founding members of the Valley Grove congregation. Dedication by Peter McKinnon & Peggy (Hope) McKinnon

Red Oak bought by a friend of Valley Grove

Pin Oak dedicated in loving memory of former Valley Grove Pastor Olaf Hanson and wife Helga by their children and grandchildren.

An oak dedicated in 2008 to honor the 60th wedding anniversary of Truman and Edna Carlson by their children. Edna’s parents were Olaf and Helga Hanson.

Oak dedicated to the honor of the pioneer ministers by Nancy Powell

An oak is dedicated to Norman Rosenqvist by family and friends. Norman loved being at Valley Grove. During 2000 when the Preservation Society was in the process of saving the land from development, Norman’s support and especially his calls of encouragement boosted our spirits.

An oak is dedicated in memory of Gladys Hope Wallin. Valley Grove has been a part of Gladys’ entire life. She grew up just a few miles from the church and was confirmed at Valley Grove as a young woman. She subsequently attended high school and college, married and moved to Duluth and then to Asheville, North Carolina. But she returned to Valley Grove nearly every year with her husband, children and grandchildren to visit cousins, enjoy the birds and wildflowers of the Nerstrand Woods, and to plant flowers at the graves of her father Martin, her mother Gertrude, and later her brother Clifford. Her grandparents Haldor and Berit Hope are also buried in the same corner of the cemetery. Gladys chose to come back to that little corner of Valley Grove at the end of her life.

Oak dedicated to Ellen Lucille Larson Johnson Born in Chicago, Illinois on March 16th, 1919 Died in Northfield, Minnesota on October 2nd, 2006 Ellen lived a long and rich life surrounded by her caring family of Eldon, Barbara, Eric, Margit, and Tekla, Harpers, Meyers, Larsons, and Scotts, her good friends in Glen Ellyn, Batavia, Northfield and elsewhere, and her appreciative colleagues and customers at Marshall Field’s in Chicago and Oak Brook.

O, home, O, truth, o sun bursting forth through splitting skies! Once more I exist, Once more I breathe, I wander no longer, I live in the embrace of my kin, on my land, in my country, with my people.

-Bertil Malmberg, from Hemma

An oak is dedicated to Andrew & Helena Engeseth by their grand daughter Karen Rinde Engeseth. Andrew M. Engeseth was the son of Ingebrit I. and Durdei Engeseth. He was born in 1867 and farmed in Wheeling Township his entire life. When the village of Nertstrand was incorporated in 1897, Andrew was elected a Trustee of the village. One of the first schools, prior to the organization of the village, was located on the on the Andrew Engeseth farm. Andrew died in 1955 and is buried at Valley Grove Cemetery.

Andrew Engeseth married Helena Rinde, daughter of Hans and Randi Rinde. She was born in 1869 and with Andrew raised seven children on their farm. Helena, known affectionately as “Lena,” died in 1956 and is buried at Valley Grove Cemetery.

In 1867 Kari Amundsdatter Heje Odden came to the Valley Grove area from Buskerud, Norway together with her husband, Endre Anderson Odden and their three daughters: Kari, Marte and Randi. They farmed in Northfield Township, about 2 miles from the church, near Prairie Creek. All three daughters were confirmed at Valley Grove Lutheran Church (classes of 1873, 1876 & 1878). Not long after Kari died in 1880, her husband, Endre Anderson, and the three daughters moved to the Brooten, Minnesota area. Kari’s grave can be found near the south edge of the cemetery on a direct line from the bottom step of the new white church. The Dedication Oak is given with appreciation by Kari’s Great Great Granddaughters: Carole Lea Arenson (Tempe,AZ) and Patricia Lea Dokken (Newport Richey, FL). In the 1960s Carole and Patricia were living on a farm near Brooten and came back to the Valley Grove area to attend and graduate from St. Olaf College.

An oak is dedicated to Ingebrit I and Dordei Engeseth by their great grand daughter Karen Rinde Engeseth. Ingebrit I. Engeseth (1815-1892) and Dordei Hamre (1831-1898). Dordei was Ingebrit’s second wife. His first wife was Brita Hukie and they were married in Leikanger, Norway. She died young leaving one daughter, Brita. Ingebrit then married Dordei Hamre and the three of them immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1850’s. Ingebrit acquired land in Minnesota when the Homestead Act of 1892 was passed. They had seven children; twin daughters died of Diphtheria in 1866, at age 2; a son died in infancy, in 1869; four children survived and grew up on the Ingebrit I. farm outside of Nerstrand. Both Ingebrit I and Dordei Engeseth are buried at Valley Grove Cemetery. Dordei’s gold wedding band was passed down to her granddaughter Denora Engeseth upon her death. Today Denora’s niece Karen Rinde Engeseth wears the ring.

An oak is dedicated to Hans H.(829-1905) and Randi(1828-1909) Rinde by their great grand daughter Karen Rinde Engeseth. Hans and Randi were married in 1852, both are buried in Valley Grove Cemetery. Hans H. Rinde immigrated to the U.S. from Norway in the mid 1850’s. He was drafted into the Civil War and served as a Private in Co. H, Minn.4th Infantry. He participated in General Sherman’s “March to the Sea.” He was honorably discharged at the end of the War, in 1865 and returned to his farm two miles north of Nerstrand.  Hans Rinde’s brother Erick H. Rinde, servied as a Private in Co. A, 7th Minn. Infantry. He did not survive the War and is buried in the Memphis, TN National Cemetery.

An oak is dedicated to Henry B & Rose Engeseth by their daughter Karen Rinde Engeseth.

Groves

(circles are clickable)
Grove Map