One of the pioneer hardships was the burial of their dead. There was a high infant death rate. There were accidents, drowning, diptheria and death from the blizzard. Burial had to be local and prompt especially in the summer. It was often near the house, at the edge of the garden or in a small plot on some farm where neighbors could bury their dead. In time these places became overgrown with grass. Unmarked, there were cases where relatives could not find the place of burial to remove the body when regular cemeteries were laid out.
In 1881, Lars Ulven died from freezing and exposure, having been lost in a blizzard. His remains were buried on the Opheim farm on Section 12 of Washburn Township. This was the beginning of the Opheim Cemetery where 32 bodies were buried. The following is an incomplete list of those buried in the Opheim Cemetery:
| Lars Ulven | 1881 |
| Elling Nelson's daughter | 1881 |
| Elling Nelson | ? |
| Sina Halvorson (a child) | 1881 |
| Laura Halvorson (a child) | 1881 |
| Frank Axtell | 1883 |
| Syver Halvorson | 1883 |
| Two sons of John Johnson Engen Sr. | 1882 or 1883 |
| Bolette Abrahamson | 1884 |
| Omund Nelson Opheim | 1885 |
| Endre Johnson | 1885 |
| Christoffer Olai Johnson | 1886 |
| Martin Helmer Johnson | 1886 |
| Gunhild Mustad | 1887 |
| Andrew Larson | 1892 |
| Johan Mustad | 1894 |
| Lars Mikkelson Falkenhaug | 1894 |
| Annie Fladland | 1896 |
| Ladvor Fladland | 1896 |
| Julia Qualey | 1896 |
| Annie Johnson | 1890's |
| Pearl Opheim (child of Martin) | 1901 |
| Samuel K. Norgaard | 1903 |
| Mrs. S.K. Norgaard | 1904 |
| Baby girl Opheim (child of Johnny) | 1904 |
| Mrs. O.N (Karl) Opheim | 1905 |
| Martha Opheim Olson | 1916 |
| Mrs. Israelson | ? |
The Old Swedish Mission Church Cemetery (aka Swedish Evangelical Covenant Church) was started about 1885 or 1886. Brita Johnson, a widow, gave a small plot of her farm for a community cemetery when her daughter who was about twenty years old died. The following materials are recorded from the memories of Mrs. Margaret Gilje and Mrs. Axel Liljenquist (Person girls) who lived in the community of the Swedish Mission Church.
Daughter of Brita Johnson (age about 20)
Julia Person (child of Per Person)
Peter Olaf Person (child of Per Person)
Unnamed child Person (child of Per Person)
Lars Sundberg - died 1 Jan. 1905
Wife of Lars Sundberg (1st)
Ludvig Anderson
Johanna Anderson
Hilma Anderson (child of Ludvig and Johanna)
Jonas Skanse
Karl Skanse
Jonas Dahlbom
Christine Dahlbom
Anna (child of Jonas and Christine Dahlbom)
Emma (child of Jonas and Christine Dahlbom)
George Watne
Cora Wattle Wife (1st of Jens Pei-son)
Maggie Person (daughter of Jens Person)
Mrs. John Nelson Wife (2nd of Jens Person)
Marie Nelson (Mrs. Edward)
Brita Johnson
John Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Helgsten
Esther Boe
Mrs. Nic Boe
Emma Person
Lorence Person
In May of 1890, the Courier referred to the "burial ground west of town," where a Mr. F.D. Fenner was buried. West of town was referring to the Clearfield Township Cemetery which is located on the N' 2 of Section 20. The following information was contributed by Marvin Rothert on whose land the abandoned cemetery is located.
| Sarah A. Howden | 24 Jul 1851- 21 May 1901 |
| Arthur G. Richardson | 30 Mar 1892- 14 Apr 1892 |
| Walter A. Richardson | 13 Oct 1895- 19.Jan 1896 |
| Ralph A. Richardson | 19 Apr 1888- 6 Jan 1899 |
| Erma Fenner (age 10 months) | Mar 1895 |
| Alfred Fenner | 1879-1897 |
| Walter Fenner | 1887-1897 |
| Clara Luella Evers (daughter of John) | Dec. 1892- Aug. 1897 |
| Infant (daughter of J. & S. Evers) | -14 Dec 1894 |
| Alvin V. (son of J. & S. Evers) | 8 mos., 14 days- 15 Oct 1894 |
| Abelona (also in Evers fence no other identification) | 20 Oct 1905- 10 Jan 1907 |
| Mary Campbell Gorthy (wife of D. Gorthy) (age: 47 years, 11 months, 8 days) | -15 Apr 1887 |
| David Gorthy (son of Mr. & Mrs. D. Gorthy) | |
| Peter Gorthy (son of Mr. & Mrs. D. Gorthy) |
Another place is an abandoned Cemetery on SW Section 12 of Sverdrup Township. This was used as a cemetery before the Ness Church was built in 1898. The following are buried there:
Olaf Skanse (worked for Arne Luckason)
John Hagen (11 yr. old son of Ole K. Hagen)
Hector Hagen (son of Mons Hagen)
Twin girls (daughters of Thor Hagens)
Christie Auren (Mother of Harold Auren)
Mrs. Gunhild Thompson
The Hilltop Burial Ground is located on the NW' 4 of Section 13 in Pilot Mound Township. Helgi and Barbara Olson and two small children were buried there in 1891. They died of typhoid fever.
Lone Soldiers' Graves are located in various parts of the County. These Soldiers most likely came through with General Sibley and his large army.
The grave of Samuel Wanemaker, NE 10th Minnesota Infantry, who died 9 August 1863 at age 42, is located on the SW Section 28 of Addle Township.
George E. Brent, Company D Minnesota Cavalry, who accidentally shot himself 20 Jul 1863, is buried on SW of Section 29 in Addle Township.
George T. Johnson, Company G. 111. Cavalry of the Sulley Expedition, was drowned 11 Aug. 1865 and buried SE Section 23 of Bald Hill Township.
Christ Peterson, Company D. 1st Minn. Cavalry (no dates) is buried on NE Section 35 of Bald Hill Township.
Other abandoned burial sites include the NW of Section 12 of Clearfield Township. Here two children of Herb Church are buried and also a transient worker who died in the late 1890's. Another site is located in the SW Section 21 in Bryan Township. Here lie the remains of Riley Jeffords 16 January 1891-25 May 1909.
The earliest churches usually laid out burial places near their church. The following is a compiled list of the cemeteries in Griggs County. More information could be obtained by consulting with the respective church officials.
Abandoned
| Opheim | Washburn Township | SW Section 12 |
| Abandoned | Sverdrup Township | SW Section 12 |
| Bethany | Willow Township | NW Section 33 |
| Gospel Tabernacle Cemetery | Willow Township | SW Section 33 |
| Clearfield | Clearfield Township | N Section 20 |
| Eidfjord | Dover Township | SW Section 24 |
| E.L.C. Lutheran | Addle Township | SE Section 7 |
| Hannaford Lutheran | Greenfield Township | NW Section 5 |
| Hannaford Presbyterian | Greenfield Township | SW Section 6 |
| Hero | Tyrol Township | SE Section 33 |
| Lone Grave | Clearfield Township | NW Section 12 |
| Lone Grave | Bryan Township | SW Section 21 |
| Lone Soldiers Graves | See Above | |
| Lyster Menighed | Bartley Township | SW Section 12 |
| Mabel Lutheran | Mabel Township | SE Section 20 |
| Mildred Hartman Memorial | Helena Township | NW Section 7 |
| Naeroen | Rosendal Township | NW Section 33 |
| Ness | Washburn Township | NE Section 36 |
| Ottawa | Pilot Mound Township | SE Section 25 |
| Ringsaker | Romness Township | SE Section 22 |
| St. George Catholic | Cooperstown Township | NW Section 24 |
| St. Lawrence Catholic | Tyrol Township | SE Section 18 |
| St. Olaf | Greenfield Township | NE Section 30 |
| Saron Evangelical | Sverdrup Township | SE Section 20 |
| Swedish Mission Church | Cooperstown Township | SW Section 20 |
| Union Lutheran | Greenfield Township | NE Section 2 |
| United Methodist | Romness Township | NW Section 16 |
| West Prairie | Pilot Mound Township | NW Section 30 |
| Willow Lake | Willow Lake Township | SW Section 4 |
| Zion Evang. Luth. Kirke | Rosendal Township | NE Section 29 |
| Zion Free Luth. Aka Westley | Sverdrup Township | SE Section 17 |
| Zion Lutheran | Clearfield Township | SE Section 8 |
Source: Cooperstown, North Dakota 1882-1982 Centennial Page 165