Rothsay immigrants now rest in peace

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Tuesday, July 15, 2008

It took over 95 years, but Hanna Andrine Torkildsdatter Rorvig finally has her name and her dates of birth and death inscribed on her tombstone near Rothsay. Born in Norway on July 12, 1837, she came to the Rothsay area, in 1881.

Torkildsdatter died on June 28, 1912, and is buried at Hamar Cemetery, just south of Rothsay.

“For some reason, unknown to her descendants, she hadn’t been added to the inscription on the tombstone that she shares with her husband, Anders Rorvig, who died on July 4, 1907,” said Rothsay native Chester Rorvig who now lives in St. Cloud.

“This omission was finally rectified earlier this year,” Rorvig said.

Due to the efforts of Hanna's great grandchildren and Rorvig, who is a cousin, the information has been gathered and inscribed on the large tombstone that stands near the county road than runs alongside the cemetery. Donald Rorvig of Madison, Wis., a native of Moorhead, spearheaded this effort.

“Donald researched family history, visited Norway twice, and invited a fourth cousin from Norway to come for a visit,” Rorvig said. “I was happy to support Donald in this restorative effort along with several other family members.”

Others assisting with the project included Elaine Hansen (Rorvig) of Rothsay, Rothsay native DeWayne Heggen of West Fargo, Dalton native Mary Beth Nordtvedt (Rorvig) of Fergus Falls, Dalton native Sherman Rorvig of Phoenix, Ariz., and Gene Rorvig of Bellingham, Wash.

In 1883, barely two years after immigrating to America with seven children, Hanna and Anders endured the tragic death of five children. From Oct. 10 to Nov. 10, 1883, those children, ages three to 16, died from what is believed to have been diphtheria. Small, limestone-like markers bore the names and birth and death dates of these children for nearly 125 years.

“The passage of time rendered the lettering illegible,” Rorvig said.

But now the gravestone markers have also been replaced.

The children — Olga, Agnes, Ovidia, Helena and Gustav — now have their names, with birth and death dates, clearly inscribed on new memorial stones. Their final resting places are on the southwest side of Hamar Cemetery.

“The time between the year of birth and the year of death for each of these children serves as a memorial to their short life,” Rorvig said.

In earlier years he would often visit these gravesites with his late father, James Rorvig.

"I always wondered why my great-grandmother's name was not on the tombstone," he said. "We would try to read the lettering on the stone slates of the five siblings of my grandfather, Carl Rorvig, who also was struck with the diphtheria plague but managed to survive.”

Now, Rorvig is pleased the story is complete, the history is recorded and his family members have paid due respect and honor to their brave ancestors who endured much grief and hardship.

Rorvig visits these gravesites to reflect on his ancestors and, in his words, “the enormous tragedies they experienced. There’s a long story associated with these names and dates. Now, it will be preserved for generations to come.”