In the late 1890's and at the turn of the century a goodly number of the sons and daughters of Sweden and Norway emigrated to our fair Dominion of Canada, as well as the United States of America. Many were their aspirations and hopes as they left their native land. Dreams of a better living and more opportunities than their homeland afforded, possible wealth, and greater achievements. As time went on some of these hopes and dreams became a reality; some did not. But all in all our Scandinavian friends who came to this country have contributed to the pioneer efforts and added to progress and growth of the communities where they became established.

A considerable number of Scandinavians came to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Many of them were good tradesmen, viz., carpenters, stone masons, and bricklayers. Others were labourers and railway men. They worked in the city, but there were slack periods when some were unemployed. They felt it would be practical if they could locate on land not too for from the city where they could establish their homes and yet be able to work in the city when work was available. They reasoned that during slack periods and winter months they could return to their farms, work on their own farm buildings, cut cordwood and clear their land. Their wives and younger members of the family could care for a few head of cattle, some chickens and a garden while they were away. This would reduce the cost of living, improve the farms and bring about a measure of independence so that they need not be a burden to anyone. With these thoughts in mind a small group of men made inquiries at the old Dominion Land Office as to where they could find a suitable place where they could acquire homesteads.

They all located homesteads in the vicinity of Crescent Lake. The following were among those who located their homesteads at this time: Peter Berglund, Severin Johnson, Fred Johnson, Fred Nelson, Axel Anderson, J. Nordstrom, Martin Halvorson, A. Nordquist, Hans Olsen, Rickard Olson, Olaf Lofving.

The following year others came. They followed the old colonization road or trail about ten miles further to the northwest and settled in the vicinity of Norris Lake This lake is erroneously called "Norris Lake". Its correct name is Morris Lake, and it appears as such on all Government maps, being named after John Morris, D.B.S. who worked in the Interlake District 1872 to 1873.

It might be of interest to explain how the name "Norris" came to be used. It was decided to erect a sign post giving the names of various places along the road. Morris Lake was the first place. The artist in charge of this assignment erroneously painted an "N" instead of an "M" at the beginning of the name Morris, making it read "Norris". Thus the lake and district became known as "Norris Lake"' Efforts to correct the name have failed. It is still known as and referred to as Norris Lake.

(Source: Rockwood Echoes - 90 Years of Progress (1870 - 1960), pp 249ff [1960; Adapted])

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Established in 1904.

This cemetery is located on what was the Smith farm.

The Olson children died in the diphtheria epidemic of 1904. They were the children of Hans and Ida Olson.

(Source: Manitoba Genealogical Society [Adapted])

In September 1898, homesteads were made available in Township 17, Range 1, E1, north of Teulon in the Crescent Lake and Norris Lake areas. A large group of Scandinavian settlers made their way up the Colonization Road (now Highway #17) to claim 160-acre homesteads by paying a $10 fee. Others followed in 1899. Many of these settlers were carpenters, masons, and brick layers, and they created the foundations of the Norris Lake settlement. Eventually many left for Winnipeg or elsewhere since they found it impossible to make a living on the land. A post office served the district from 1904 to 1925.

In 1904 a diphtheria epidemic swept through the district, taking the lives of many children. Medical attention was miles away, in Teulon or Stonewall. One family lost three children and a father. A cemetery was established on NW-21-17-01-E1. The last burial was around 1923.

A new burial site was established on 10-17-01-E1 in 1907. A plaque, dedicated in 2004, contains the surnames of pioneer families who once lived in the district, some of whom are buried in unmarked graves in this cemetery.

(Source: Manitoba Historical Society)

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Dominion Land Survey coordinates: LSD14-21-17-01-E1

In the Rural Municipality of Rockwood

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As noted above, a part of the community's story, and those of its inhabitants, from the early days of European settlement through roughly 1982 is told in the pair of related volumes "Rockwood Echoes - 90 Years of Progress (1870 - 1960)" and "100 Years of History, Rockwood Municipality", especially on the cited pages.

Free digital versions of these and many other Manitoba local history books can be found online in the University of Manitoba Digital Collections. There is also a list of such books organized by district and town name on the Manitoba Historical Society's website on their page entitled "Finding Aid: Manitoba Local History Books".

A list of burials in this cemetery is available from the Manitoba Genealogical Society (reference #0256), transcribed by a member or members in 1987. Also available to MGS members is a searchable online database named the "MGS Manitoba Name Index" (or MANI). Some additional information is contained in the 1996 MGS publication "Carved in Stone: Manitoba Cemeteries and Burial Sites" (revised edition, Special Projects Publication, 106 pages).

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Additionally, the Scandinavian Cultural Center of Winnipeg has information about the stories of the people from the five countries who came to Canada and had an influence on the development of Manitoba.