Ghosts in the Graveyard is an annual event organized by the Poulsbo Historical Society, in partnership with local community members, to share the stories of residents of Vinland Graveyard.

We invite you to enjoy hearing their stories.

Ghosts in the Graveyard

Vinland Graveyard

“You are the guardians of the history and memories of those who have gone before you.”

A Brief History of Vinland Graveyard

This segment is mentioned in the introductory video.

Vinland Lutheran Church was established in the late 1880s as one of three small Lutheran congregations served by the pastor from the Fordefjord Church in Poulsbo.  The earliest congregation records are in the First Lutheran Church record books in Poulsbo.  When burials were needed for the Vinland area, they took place either at the Fordefjord Graveyard or in many cases, buried in Seattle at the Pacific Lutheran (now Washelli) cemetery. In rare cases, some were buried on the family’s property.

 

Here is what the Kitsap County Herald tells us about the graveyard.

KCH: 3/11/1904  VINLAND  We understand it is the intention to incorporate for a cemetery in this locality.  We wish the organizers success.

“The Vinland Cemetery was established in the year 1908 for the use and benefit of people living in and around Vinland, Washington.  Two acres of land to be used for a cemetery was donated by Albert Guldbrandsen.  The land was cleared and fenced.  Cash and work amounting to $306.75 was donated for that purpose by people living in around the Vinland settlement.

The land was deeded to Vinland’s Norsk Evangelisk Lutersk Menighed, and the said corporation is maintaining the cemetery through its board of trustees.  A tract of land 122X198 ft. is reserved for the church.  The balance is laid out in lots 9X9 ft.

The price for a single grave is            $2.

The price for one lot (9X9) is              $3.

The price for two lots (9X18’) is         $5.

The price for four lots (18X18’) is      $10.

 

The congregation has a man appointed to dig the graves for those who desire it.  The charge for such work is 3 dollars.  Lots on the cemetery can be fenced in if approved by the board of trustees.  It has been decided by the board of trustees that any of those who have donated to the cemetery shall be given credit for their donation if a lot, or lots, is bought on the cemetery.  For each day worked, 2 dollars was credited to your account.  Over the course of the year 1908, 88 men worked and contributed money to secure burial plots for themselves and their families.

Did you know that a burial ground attached to a church is known as a graveyard and one that stands on its own is a cemetery?  As such the burial grounds at Vinland Lutheran Church, First Lutheran Church, and the small Breidablik Chapel are all graveyards.
Headstones come in all shapes from squares and rectangles to pillars, hearts, crosses, and rolls.   Upright stones are nearly a thing of the past as cost and convenience for maintenance have over-ruled sentimentality and art.
Headstones are filled with symbols making an interesting research project in any cemetery.  There are the common religious symbols – look for crosses, bibles, doves, stars, butterflies, and flowers.  Lambs are commonly used on children’s headstones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Albert Guldbrandson

Good Afternoon….my name is Albert Gulbranson, but my friends called
me Al. I was born in Norway in 1857 and came to this country to work
as a logger. It was hard to earn enough money in Norway to own even a
bit of land and the ground was not good for farming. Many people from
my part of Norway immigrated to America. I learned how to build
anything and worked as a carpenter as well as in the logging camps
around Vinland. Like many in the Vinland area, I also raised chickens to
sell. I made enough money selling logs, chickens, and eggs to build a
house and homestead the property. I never did find anyone to marry, but
I enjoyed life. With no children to pass the land to, I donated a large
part for the building of this church and the graveyard.
While logging I broke my leg and ended up in the hospital.
Unfortunately, the leg got infected, didn’t heal and I passed away in
1934. It was a good life and the generous folks of Vinland had a nice
funeral and reception for me. Because I donated the land, my plot was
provided free of charge. The words on the sign say Takk for Alt. These
words were often on headstones in Norway. It translates to “thanks for
everything, for the memories we shared.” Please remember that you are
now the caretakers of our memories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Lakenes Family

One of the earliest settlers in Vinland. In Norwegian, the ‘nes’ pattern on the end of a name is pronounced Ness, but in English, the e after the n makes a long e as in knees. Therefore, it was anglicized into ness which retains the original pronunciation. Lakeness Blvd. was the entrance to their homestead.  In company with the Oen and Svenson families, the Lakenes family settled on Hood Canal in 1888. Christ. proved up on his 83 acre homestead on the shores of Hood Canal, in 1899.  He had a logging operation and shingle bolt mill at Hoodsport and owned some schooners.  Two of them were sunk in World War I.  He then took up farming and ran a threshing business for farmers in the north county area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

William Anderson

World war I casualty from the battle of Argonne in France. William was also the brother to Martin Anderson buried in his family plot.  Martin was mayor of Poulsbo for 8 years and the namesake for Anderson Parkway on Poulsbo’s waterfront. Martin Anderson tells his brother “Williams story”. “Martins ghost” is voiced by Mike Plummer. 

2013.108.30 wm anderson WWI

2013.108.29 WWI William Anderson

2013.108.3 autos at wm anderson funeral

East Anderson, William

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Henry Brown

Proof positive that some Finns were buried on this side of the church! The son of an early Vinland-Breidablik family, he became an active community supporter.  His efforts produced today’s Kitsap Memorial State Park.  He was a talented water-witcher for many of the wells in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Syvert and Anna Sjursen

Early residents of Vinland. Syvert was a logger who died early in his career leaving Anna to raise their 6 children.  Anna will tell her story of raising a family alone in the early 1900s.

 

 

 

 

 

Gee Family

 

One of Vinland’s more eccentric families. They immigrated from Nottingham, England where they were lace-makers and arrived in Vinland about 1914.  George the brother, his sister Eliza, and their mother Levina lived on a bluff above Hood Canal and kept very much to themselves. Enjoy as their ghost hosts regale you with stories that will leave you saying, “Oh, Gee!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank & Mabel Rabb

Ever been to Raab Park?  Lend an ear as our ghost hosts tell you of genial Frank’s many contributions to Poulsbo history.  Mabel was no slouch as a community volunteer and leader as well. Raab Park is named for this well-loved couple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rudie Iversen family

Well-known in North Kitsap as a butcher and a volunteer fireman, Rudie’s story is told by his daughter in law, Sharen Iversen. The Iversen family was well known throughout Puget Sound for the lutefisk dinners they cooked as fund-raising events.  “Ya sure ya betcha.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Muriel Williams

Poulsbo’s home-grown City Council watchdog and the mistress of one-line quips in her letters to the editor. Muriel, the granddaughter of Herald founders Peter and Josephine Iverson, was taught at the knees of the best. In her 93 years of active public life, she endeared herself to the town who responded by naming Waterfront Park for her.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Storseth

Educated as a teacher in Norway, immigrated to British Columbia in the 1880s. Not long after, he arrived in the Vinland area and took out a homestead.  He owned a busy logging and lumbering operation on Hood Canal and paid the passage for many young workers from Norway to the US in exchange for their labor in his logging camps.  He was one of the founders of Vinland Lutheran Church.  He was a prolific writer and author.  One of his books, “Daevilskap” is in our museum library – all in Norwegian! Active in the business community in Poulsbo, he managed the Farmer’s Cooperative Creamery and served on the boards for the Liberty Bay Transportation Co. and the Kitsap County Co-op.

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