News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Monday December 22nd 2025
“Who Dyed?” “What is next to Which?” “Who”'s on First?” *
The truth of the revisionist history stories of who was buried first and who is buried where is that Vienna Hodsdon and her grandmother, Joan Wardell, were buried in Lot 101, Block B, in the far southeast corner of the cemetery in 1875 and 1858, respectively. The first burial at Layman”'s Cemetery now called Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery was 1853.
By Sue Hunter Wier
Uncle Peter first? Joan Wardwell second?, all at Hodsdon”'s at Bloomington and Lake Farm next to Layman”'s
In the late 19-teens and early 1920s several newspaper articles claimed that “Uncle” Peter Wardell (sometimes Wardwell or Waddell) was the second (or even the first) person buried in Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery. He was buried, so the stories go, either under what is now the bus stop at Cedar Avenue and Lake Street or in the far southeastern corner of the cemetery at Lake Street and 21st Avenue. Supposedly, Uncle Peter was an employee of Martin Layman who had moved to Minnesota with members of the Layman family in 1853. There”'s only one problem””“Uncle” Peter didn”'t exist.
The confusion about this imaginary man is understandable, though. There is a person with a similar name who was among the earliest burials in the cemetery.… Read the rest ““Who Dyed?” “What is next to Which?” “Who”'s on First?” *”
The Passing of Elder Carol Littlewolf
On Martin Luther King Day, some of us were gathered at the Minneapolis American Indian Center to honor the life of Carol Littlewolf, an elder younger than I who passed the previous Wednesday””just as she predicted. A wheelchair-bound whiz who served people through her job at Hennepin County and her community and her family. She was remembered for her marathon canasta parties and extravagant lavishing of gifts beyond her means on those she loved. A complicated person who loved simply and effortlessly, she was my teacher.
I wrote: Thank you, Carol! You have been a great teacher. You taught us to be patient, to be forgiving, to listen well. You taught us to celebrate those we love while we can. You taught us to ride the Red Ponie, your absolute favorite! YYou taught us courage to stand up to the doctors and demand what we need to go forth. You taught us that Love is the answer and for that we will always love you and remember you forever.
Bob [Albee]
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Ah, but I was so much older then, I”'m younger than that now!
Carl Peterson
By Robert Albee
Our good friend Carl Peterson turned 100 years old this year on January 6th! Happy 100th Birthday, Carl!
It got me to thinking”¦ If my father were still alive, he would be 101 now. He suddenly departed at age 66. And his father passed even earlier, yet to my eyes, he seemed much older than my father ever did or than myself now. At age 68, I”'ve outlived my father by two years despite the fact that I smoked heavily for 40 of them. With diabetes and having a heart attack some years ago, I count every day as a blessing! Yet when I think of Carl, I”'m still a pup! I don”'t think of myself as an old person, a senior citizen, or an elderly person. In fact, I hate those terms, because they seem to pigeon-hole us into frail, helpless beings just “fixin”' to die. Far from it! Look at Carl, our Phillips role model! Look around at elders not rocking in a chair, but rocking the boat! Or engaging the younger ones in the community. And not just dusty old stories of past victories.
I realize there”'s a sunset sometime ahead for each of us; yet I want to do as many things as we can before that time comes.… Read the rest “Ah, but I was so much older then, I”'m younger than that now!”
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