For the sake of Pauline and Thorenus

In one of my last posts, there was a discussion regarding final resting places for ancestors. These pictures are the reminder of Thorenus and Pauline Mellem. Who are these people? They haven't been mentioned before! Don't do that! AUUUUUUUUUGH! The head stone is so prominent in the picture of the Wildwood Cemetery in Rosewood, MN that I had to include them!

The stone is for Thorenus and Pauline, the parents of Nina, who is the mother of Lloyd, who is the father of Dorothy, Dick, Bob, Judy, and Shirley Anderson of which most of you are a descendant of one of the Anderson children and beyond.

Thorinus was born October 10, 1854 in Trysil, Norway to Mr. and Mrs. Thore Mellem . He received his education in Norway and was married on November 15, 1895 to Pauline. They migrated to Section 3 of Strip of New Solum Township in the fall of 1883. (To clarify, they immigrated to the United States in 1882, where he worked as a farm hand at Fargo, North Dakota until 1883 when they moved to New Solum Township, Rosewood, MN).

Their Children:


Peter Torvald Mellem January 10, 1976-January 10, 1976
Karen Carrie Mellem February 02, 1877- married Bergval
Petronella Mellem May 01, 1879-died 1879
Thea Mellem August 14, 1881 married Enoch Nelson

Those were the four children born in Norway. As you can see two girls came to the states with their parents.

Carl Mellem September 4, 1883 Married Minnie Holson
Theoline Mellem August 14, 1885 Married Stall Norgaard
Peter Mellem March 21, 1887 Married Caroline Lappagaard
Emil Mellem April 16, 1889 Married Hilda Hanson
Nina Mellem July 29, 1891 Married Olaf Adolph Anderson
Tina Mellem August 9, 1893 Married Carlson
Ella Mellem December 1, 1895 Married Henning Backlund
Mabel Rosalie Mellem August 1, 1898 Married John Bergland



In a hand written letter from 1986, Hilda Larson Mellem, (Emil's wife), states that the first four children of Thorenus and Pauline where born in Norway. Two of those four children , born in Norway, died within the first year. The Mellem's had a total of twelve children. You will notice in the obituaries there are varies spellings of cities and different last names for Pauline. If you were doing the genealogy, which last name would you chose?


From the Rosewood News in the Thief River Falls Times....
The funeral of Mrs. T. Mellem held from the Swedish Mission church last Thursday afternoon was attended by an unusually large audience. Rev. Werner Drotts from Viking spoke fittingly on the hopes of the futures, a duet "Jesus Savior, Pilot Me" was sung by Delma Dols and Lilly Hofson, and three numbers were sung by a choir. Ernest Styrlund from Viking had charge of the funeral arrangement and the pall bearers were Olof and Gust Opseth, John Bloom, AC Vorseth, BP Sagmoen, and AT Thoreson. The remains were laid to rest at Wildwood. A profusion of flowers adorned the casket.

The following outsiders were at Rosewood this week to attend the funeral of Mrs. Mellem and also visiting with friends and relatives. Miss Carrie Nelson of Winnipeg, Canada, Eleanora Nelson of Warren, Mrs. Henning Backlund of Stratcona, Mr. and Mrs. SS Nordgaard, Alton and Melvin Nordgaard of Viking

Pauline died of Septicemia from liver abcess and Cholecystitus and appendicitis according to her certificate of death. According to her certificate, her parents names were Peder Nelson and Pernille Pederson. She died in the hospital in Warren. Dr. Bratrud attended her from May 26 to March 27. She had a surgery on March 15. I would think she was hospitalized for the surgery or just before.

There was always a lot of flair in obituaries in those days. Let's take a minute or more to key in Mrs. Pauline Mellem.

Last Sunday morning, this community was again cast into a shadow of gloom when the telepone brought the sad message of the death of Mrs. T Mellem at the hospital in Warren the same day.

Mrs. Mellem, who has been ailing for about a year with complications of the kidneys entered the hospital at Warren nine days before and where a serious opertion was performed last Tuesday. Mrs. Mellem rallied admirably considering her age for several days but on Friday a change for the worse set in and her relatives and husband from this place were hastily summoned. She sank rapidly after that and death came peacefully at 2:00 o'clock Sunday morning.

Mrs. Mellem whose girlhood name was Pauline Nelson, was born in Tryssel, Norway on September 1856 and therefore at her death had reached the ripe old age of almost 71 years. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peder Nelson of Tryssel, Norway are both dead.

On November 16, 1875, she was united in matrimony to Thorenus Mellem also of Tryssel, and who is now surviving. They both emigrated to America 44 years ago coming first to spend a year at Gardner, ND after which the lure of free homesteads brought themn to a farm south of Rosewood where they have resided ever since. To the union was born 11 children of which three, Peter, and Petra, and Mrs. Thea Nelson, are dead and the following surviving. Mrs. Nick Bergvall of Woodsboro, Texas, Mrs. Alfred Larson of Freehold, New York, Mrs. John Berglund of Pontiac, Michigan, Mrs. Heming Backlund of Stratcona, Mrs. SS Nordgaard of Viking and Carl, Peter, and Emil of this place.

Thus ends the life work of another of the Rosewood pioneers, a brave career through the hardships of early hoomesteading until a smooth old age harvest could be reaped. A mother to many of Rosewood's most staunch citizen's, a sympathetic neighbor,, a kind friend, a loving wife and mother. Mrs. Mellem was a strong supporter of the Swedish Mission Church and her vacant chair will be remembered for years to come. Please be to her memory.

Thief River Falls Times CARD OF THANKS We hereby wish to express our heartfelt and sincere thanks to all friends and neighbors for all the kind acts and sympathy shown during the illness and death of our beloved wife and mother. Also for the beautiful floral offerings, the musical selections and comforting words spoken by Rev. Drotts. May God bless you all! Mr. T Mellem and children. 3/20/27

Thorenus, on the other hand, lived to celebrate many more birthdays!

What did he do on his eighty-third birthday?

10 14 1937 T Mellem was pleasantly surprised on his 83rd birthday when a number of relatives gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Mellem. Those present were, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Mellem and Family, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Mellem and family, Mr. and Mrs. Emil Mellem and family, Mrs. Carl Ranum, Mr. and Mrs. Christ Evanson, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Anderson, and Mr. and Mrs. Charley Larson and family of TRF. T Mellem was presented a blanket from the group that had gathered in his home. A large birthday cake with 83 candles was the center piece of the lunch table. The afternoon was spent in visiting and at 4:00 PM, the group listened to The Covenant Time on the station KFAM

How about his ninety-third?

10 28 1947 Grandpa Mellem was honored on his 93rd birthday last Friday evening at the Emil Mellem home. Those who helped celebrate that evening were Mr. And Mrs. Henning Backlund and Mrs. Hjalmer Sunsteh of Roseau, Mr. And Mrs. Ronald Sande and LaVerne Bloom of TRF. Mr. and Mrs. Pete Mellem, Mrs. Carl Bloom, Mr. And Mrs. Lloyd Anderson and family, Mr. And Mrs. Emil Mellem and Harlan. A lovely decorated cake which was baked by Mrs. Roland Sande was the centerpiece of the lunch table. Grandpa opened a large number of cards and gifts. He received cards from California, Washington, Michigan, New York and Oregon. In the afternoon of the same day, Mrs. Martin Swenson called on Grandpa Mellem and presented him with a gift and a card.

Thorenus Mellem Laid to Rest at Rosewood Friday Afternoon 11 11 1949
....Funeral services were conducted on Friday afternoon for Thorenus Mellem, 95, who passed away at a local hospital on November 9. The body was laid to rest in the church cemetery.

Mr. Mellem was born October 10, 1854 in Trysil, Norway. He was married to Miss Pauline Pederson in Norway on November 16, 1895.

On October, 1949, Mr. Mellem observed his 95th birthday at the home of his son, Emil Mellem. He has spent the past eleven years at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Carl Bloom at Rosewood.

He was a charter memeber of the Rosewood Covenant Church of which he also served as treasuruer 75 years. He was one of the organizers of the Rosewood School and served on the board for a number of years.

Survivors include six daughters: Mrs. Nick Bergvall of Texas, Mrs. Alfred Carlson of New York, Mrs. Carl Larson of Spokane, Washington, Mrs. John Bergland of Pontiac. Michigan, Mrs. Henning Backlund of Roseau, and Mrs. Carl Bloom of Rosewood. He is also survived by two sones, Pete and Emil of Rosewood, 36 grandchildren, 56 great grandchildren, and nine great-great grandchildren. His wife, two sons, and two daughters preceded him in death.

According to his certificate of death, signed by his son, Emil, the name of his mother was not known. His immediate cause of death was broncho pneumonia, with additional diagnoses list as senility and exfoliative dematitis. The physican who signed the certificate stated he had seen him for 10 15 1949 to 11 9 1949. We know he deceased in the hospital, was he there that long? In appears in most certificates of death that if one lives beyond 90 they are stamped with senility.

Let's hope you can see the variations in this document and decide, if you were doing genealogy just which one you would decide was gospel.

Joy

e