Swedish Crosses Cemetery
Posted by: 
beagle39z
N 40° 58.407 W 100° 12.297
14T E 398620 N 4536508
One of the many Swedish settlements in Nebraska during the late nineteenth century was north of Gothenburg in northwestern Dawson County. An enduring symbol of this settlement is Swedish Crosses Cemetery, where three children of Mr. and Mrs. Berg are buried. These unique grave markers were made in a traditional Swedish style between 1885 and 1889 by the children's grandfather, Benjamin Palm. Mr. Palm was the first blacksmith in Gothenburg.
Waymark Code: WM1T5C
Location: Nebraska, United States
Date Posted: 07/05/2007
Views: 84
In the early 1880's, Peter and Anna Berg, along with Anna's parents, the Benjamin Palms, came to Gothenburg from Helsingland, Sweden. Tragedy struck the Bergs on their prairie homestead when their first child, Singne Ester, died July 21, 1885, four months after her birth. Carl Alfred, their second child, died at the age of three months on September 14, 1886. Gustav Andrew, two years old, died August 19, 1889. The three children were buried on a knoll near the family farm.
Markers for the graves were made in a traditional Swedish style by the children's grandfather, Benjamin A. Palm. Mr. Palm was Gothenburg's first blacksmith. He is reported to have sent to Sweden for some of the steel with which he fashioned the crosses. The distinctive crosses, complete with elaborate scrollwork, hearts and stars, each carry a Swedish inscription of the children's names and their dates of birth and death. The Bergs were blessed with four more children after the first three died.
A wrought iron fence forged by Mr. Palm to protect the graves has long since disappeared. The late Harry Williams of Gothenburg began an effort to preserve the cemetery in the 1960s. With the aid of an anonymous donor and the Historical Trails Committee, a chain link fence was erected in 1967.
Although the crosses have stood for over 100 years, several mysteries remain. The initials A. G. on one of the graves stands for Andrew Gustav, but the family remembers he was called Gustav. What was the order of his formal name? On the back of Singne's cross, the word Havilar is etched. Many tombstones and crosses in Sweden have this inscription. It translates to "Here Rests". The other two crosses, the initials "H. W." Do these initials mean the same? What was the cause of death? Was there an epidemic in the late 1800's? It is also believed several neighboring children caught in a prairie fire are buried here without markers. What stories whisper among the graves of these pioneer children?
Community volunteers maintain the cemetery to keep this bit of Gothenburg's pioneer history alive.
First grave front: FÖD: AUG. 8, 1887 DÖD: AUG. 19, 1889 Back: H. W. A.G. BERG
Second grave front: H. W. C.A. BERG Back: FÖD 10 JUN 1886 DÖD 14 SEP 1886
Third grave front: F.dn. 22 MARS 1885 DÖD: dn 21 JULi 1885 Back: HARVILAR SINGNE BERG
Earliest Burial: 07/21/1885
Latest Burial: 08/19/1889
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