It is important to remember that older markers deteriorate/crumble over time, fall over, are buried below ground where they can no longer be seen or they may be vandalized or stolen. Re. the Barre Cemetery, according to documents written by Anita Doering, archivist at the La Cross Public Library, "Clearly, the site was used for burials before the congregations banded together to buy the property for a cemetery."

According to the papers on file at the University of Wisconsin, Murphy Library in La Crosse, Ole Juelsen Gaarder is buried in this cemetery in Grave #8, probably long before any sophisticated block, lot and site system was established. (Please remember this was a small, informal graveyard across the road and close to where the Lutheran church stood.) A document was presented as a receipt/ proof that $1.00 had been paid for the digging of the grave #8 at the time his will was recorded. His wife, Beret Halvordsdatter, preceded him in death. Family history says that both of them are buried in this cemetery, named in the old family history as Bostwick Valley Lutheran Church cemetery. (It does not say he is buried in the Svennes plot, merely that they are in the same Lutheran cemetery.) I have listed his death as La Crosse County, WI although I have no definite information to prove this. He died at the home of a friend whose identity is unknown to me because the name is a common one.

Ole Gaarder was baptized June 5, 1797 in Norway. He was married Jan. 12, 1832 in Nord-Aurdal. He left Norway in 1857 with his wife and family, including one grandchild, and his son-in-law, Tollef Svennes. He landed in New York in September, 1857. He took out his naturalization papers in the Circuit Court of La Crosse on Oct. 15, 1857 when he was sixty years old.

Ole was the father of at least eight children, Guri b. 1831, Juel b. 1833, Gunild b. 1838, Halvor (Alfred) b. 1841, Marit b. 1843 (did not come with the family in 1857, possibly deceased), Ole b. 1844 (Ole graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He was a medical doctor in Texas. He married and had two sons. Ole died while on a business trip to Los Angeles in the early 1890's. No grave has been located for him. His sons and wife are buried in Texas.), Maria b.1850 and Bernt (aka Benjamin Gorder), b.1853. The first seven children were born in Valdres, the last son was born in Toten.

I have been unable to discover any plot map for the early graves in this cemetery. Should you know of one or if you are aware of the location of the early graves (1-10) please contact me. (I have made five visits to this area from the west coast in the last 22 years in the hopes of learning more by inquiring in the local towns, churches, county courthouse, libraries and archives as well as walking the cemetery but have been unsuccessful.) Any help in finding records from the 1850's and 1860's would be wonderful. Thanks.