‘Tales from Pioneers & Soldiers Cemetery’ Archives
THE CEMETERY”'S Eldest Morgan Jones – 60 YEARS A SLAVE, 41 YEARS FREEDMAN
Morgan Jones said, “In 1823, I moved with my white masters to Missouri. I then became coachman for the family and was with them until the emancipation proclamation. As coachman I was able to look about and take notice, and you may be sure that I watched the growth of the abolition movement. As soon as the slaves were pronounced free, I started for Minnesota and have been in Minneapolis ever since. There have been several negroes in the state that have lived to be over 100, but I believe that I am the oldest in the city now and probably in the northwest.” BY TIMOTHY McCALL Undoubtedly, Morgan Jones saw many changes in his long life and having passed away at the age of 101 years, he also has the distinction of being the oldest person buried at Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery. Morgan was born into slavery on a Virginia plantation on August 10, 1805. We”'re fortunate to know the exact date of Morgan”'s birth because in 1904, Morgan”'s daughter had [...]
Bastardy ends in pain, suffering death, and flight
By Sue Hunter Weir Seduction and broken promises The child of Martha Anderson and Andrew G. Krogstad was stillborn on January 21, 1875. Two days later, Martha Anderson (sometimes referred to as Amondson) died from puerperal fever, a complication of childbirth; she was 26 years old. Her story was in its day an all too-common one””a story of seduction and broken promises. Suit against prominent suitor According to the complaint that she filed in court, Martha and Krogstad had met the previous summer. She was a Norwegian immigrant described by the press as “being of a spotless character.” Krogstad, also an immigrant, was president of the Norden Society, an important cultural organization for the area”'s Scandinavian community. Despite his prominence, the Minneapolis Tribune took a rather dim view of his character describing him as having a “reputation of being a rake.” Krogstad had seduced Martha by promising to marry her. [...]
History: what and who chooses? After 150 Years Gone, But Not Forgotten
Mike Barth, Pioneer and Soldier Cemetery Caretaker “through rain or shine” on the lawnmower or here on a bobcat helping Brian Orth setting a Veterans grave marker. Tim McCall By Sue Hunter Weir In his book “In the Memory House,” author Howard Mansfield raises questions about who we, as a society, choose to remember and why. The “why” has less to do with the accomplishments of those being remembered and more to do with our sense of who we are as a society. Some people”'s stories get told; others”' stories do not. Who decides? In 1993, when he wrote the book, he made an observaation that describes what we are witnessing today: “History is like that; you”'re gone but a hundred, a hundred and fifty years, and someone takes you off your pedestal, or they leave your name off of your portrait.” After last week”'s events in Charlottesville, statues, monuments, and markers honoring the military leaders [...]
