Cataloging our cemetery was not planned. I had never visited North Dakota, the home of my paternal side. I decided to take a solo trip to Mayville to explore the area. I had known of the church, so my first action as I was driving in to the Mayville area was to head to Gran. I saw the sign on the roadside, and the rest was history.

I was fascinated as I walked the cemetery to find so many of my folks buried there, folks that I only knew by name from my genealogic research. Well, I had other areas I wanted to explore in the area besides the church. As I eventually headed home, I decided that I wanted to return one day to take a closer look and catalog the site to share with others for two reasons. First, because it benefits other researchers even those not of my lineage who are not able to retrieve this information. Second, it just felt like the right thing to do.

I planned to head up again in August 2005, but our area was thrown into shambles by Hurricane Katrina. The airports were closed. I moved my flight to the end of September and began the research in earnest. Of course, the research seemed to create more questions than answers, so I went to Mayville again in May 2006. Another trip followed as I compiled the information and placed it on a preliminary web site.

This information is assembled as accurately as possible. Some burials have no markers as they are at the "old cemetery." I was told that some old markers in the new cemetery have been knocked over by grazing cattle and were simply shattered and overgrown. Some markers are obviously broken and many have been reset in cement, obscuring some information, but keeping them preserved for viewing. At times, the available documents are not exactly matched up with the physical findings. Such as it is with old cemeteries. But we can very greatful than many have labored to keep this cemetery a fine and hallowed place.

If any errors are found by Gran members or by families of the departed, please let me know. If there are any updates, I will gladly update this site when I have the opportunity after proper verification. My contact email address is karl@khansonmd.com.

Thank you,

Karl N. Hanson

GGGrandson of Andrew Hanson and Bertha Skogstad Hanson