Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

This block has seven unmarked graves: Charles Michaels, Mrs. Tom Welsh, Veronica Esther Welsh, Mrs. J.P. Welsh, J.P. Welsh, Ned Walsh, Mary Walsh and Denver Black.

Block 4 has approximately 86 graves with seven graves unmarked. All of these unmarked graves are now accounted for in Findagrave.com – St. John’s Cemetery. Family names in this block include: Risovi, Winslow, Hager, Zeagel, Walsh, Fritsch, Black, Borthwick, Steinbach, Wren, Eversvik, Ludwig, Seckinger, Williams, Ellensohn, Rucker, Warner, Winslow, Sookov, Geilan, Hogan, Dickey, Fines, Michels, Cook and Welsh.

Charles Michaels: Spelled correctly as Charles Matthew Michels. According to his death certificate, Charles was the infant son of Charles H. and Anna (Farrell) Michels. He lived only a few hours when he was born and died on Aug. 21, 1921. He was buried on Aug. 22, 1921 in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, New Rockford, N.D. His sister, Mary Ellen Michels, was born on March 15, 1924 and died when she was 14 years old on Oct. 12, 1938 from complications of an appendectomy, and was laid to rest a short distance away in the same cemetery as Charles. Mary Ellen Michels has a stone marker but Charles does not.

In the 1950 census, Charles and Anna had moved to Los Angeles, Calif. and were buried in a cemetery in Mission Hills, Calif., leaving behind in the New Rockford cemetery their two children.

Mrs. Tom Welsh: Proper name is Jennie J. (Sween) Welsh. Jennie J. Sween was born on May 31, 1890 in Minneapolis, Minn. to John and Aussie Sween. John and Aussie Sween relocated to Munster Township, Eddy County, N.D. between 1890 and 1915, where Jennie grew up. On Nov. 23, 1915, Jennie married Thomas Welsh and in the 1920 census they were living in Eddy Township, Eddy County, N.D. on a farm with two small children, Agnes and Veronica. Jennie died on Dec. 18, 1927 at the age of 37 years. Her obituary as taken from the New Rockford Transcript reads as follows: "Esteemed lady died at Devils Lake home last Sunday morning. Mrs. Thomas Welsh passed away suddenly at family residence in that city. The large circle of friends that family have in this city and county were shocked to hear of the death of Mrs. Thomas Welsh, which occurred at her home at 711 Kelly Avenue in Devils Lake Sunday morning from complications following childbirth, death coming without warning. The remains were brought to this city and funeral services were held at St. John’s Catholic Church at half past nine Wednesday morning, Rev. Father Cullen officiating. A large concourse of the sorrowing friends of the deceased and her family attended the last sad rites and accompanied the remains to their last resting place in Calvary (St. John’s Catholic) Cemetery north of this city. Deceased was a daughter of John Sween, former resident of Munster Township, and was born in Minneapolis, Minn. On Nov. 23, 1915, she was married to Thomas Welsh and from this union four children were born – three boys and one girl. For many years the family has resided in this community, going to Devils Lake a short time ago and she was generally esteemed by all with whom she came in contact, being a woman of kind heart and generous disposition. To the husband bereft of a loving and devoted wife and to the children called upon to mourn the loss of a sacrificing mother the sincere sympathy of the entire community goes out at this time."

It is not known for sure if the child Jennie was birthing died along with her as I couldn’t find any records of a child with that birth date. It is my supposition that the child also died and it was buried in the same coffin as Jennie. Jennie and Thomas had lost two children previously: Mary Ellen Welsh born Feb. 22, 1913 and died at seven months on Sept. 22, 1917, and Veronica Esther Welsh, born on Sept. 6, 1918 and died on Jan. 1, 1923. Mary Ellen was buried in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery and has a stone marking her grave. According to a death certificate and an obituary in the New Rockford Transcript Veronica Ester Welsh was born to Thomas and Jennie Welsh on Sept. 6, 1918 and died on Jan. 1, 1923 and her obituary as taken from the New Rockford Transcript reads as follows: "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Welsh are mourning the loss of their four-year-old daughter, Veronica Esther, whose death from diphtheria occurred on Monday morning at an early hour. The little one was ill but a few days before the end came. The remains were interred in the cemetery north of this city, Monday afternoon. The grief stricken parents have the sincere sympathy of the entire community in their hour of deep sorrow."

Veronica Esther Welsh does not have a marker.

Thomas Welsh moved to California where he died on Nov. 6, 1977 and is buried in Roseville, Calif.