The History of Tunbridge Lutheran Cemetery

Although the Tunbridge congregation was officially established by 1905, there was a group of people who had gathered together prior to this date.  Anfin Jelsing had donated three acres of land for the church building and cemetery.  And the first burial in the cemetery was in August of 1900.  The burial grounds were surveyed and plotted in 1931, and by 1960, the cemetery was officially registered with the North Dakota State Health Department.  It wasn’t until 2013 when a formal set of policies were developed and officers were chosen and installed.  In 2024, another survey was completed to plot out an additional section “C”, and at that time all new and old lots were marked with concrete markers. 

This historic cemetery became the final resting place for ten veterans of several different conflicts,  including World Wars I and II, and all are remembered each Memorial Day.  There is even a veteran of the Norwegian military that was laid to rest at Tunbridge. 

In 2000, a project of locating all graves and placing granite markers on each site in the cemetery was initiated.  At this time, a  more formal list of the burials was also completed.  There are approximately 117 burials in the cemetery including the most recent burial in 2023.  This cemetery is a sacred place of remembrance and serves as a place of historical importance for the community.

There have been a multitude of requests for information regarding burials in the Tunbridge Lutheran Cemetery.  If you have questions and would like more details about utilizing this historic cemetery, click here.