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The "Grong Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation," which was later renamed Grong Free Lutheran Church" was organized in Rollag, Clay County, Minnesota on September 27, 1872 by Rev. Bernard L. Hagebo.
In 1877, the congregation purchased two acres of land from Jim Hasak for the sum of $20.00. There the church was built and still stands.
The Grong Free Church Cemetery was established in 1878, and Ole Thoreson Myrhan was the first person to be buried there after his death on September 27, 1878. Marie Anderson, whose marker dates back several years earlier in 1875, was likely moved Grong sometime after Ole Myrhan was buried in 1878.
The charter members of the Grong congregation were Severin Solum, Tom Gunderson, P. O. Fiskum, Martin Bertelson, Bride Berg, P. O. Solum, Erick Hanson, and Thor Herbranson, and these men and their families presumably would have been caretakers of the cemetery in its early years.
Rev. John H. Myhre, who served the Grong congregation from 1879-1911, was buried in the Grong Free Church Cemetery following his death on March 29, 1911.
On October 20, 1938, about thirty persons attended a meeting at the J. E. Robinson home in regards to the care of the Grong Free Church Cemetery. At this meeting, the "Grong Cemetery Association" was organized. Nora (Softing) Peterson was elected treasurer. Since that date the cemetery has received many generous donations. These, besides many memorials and yearly dues from members, have made it possible to keep the cemetery in a neat appearance.
Morris Mickelson and Irving Softing were hired to mow the cemetery lawn in 1939 for combined wages of $4.50.
At the end of the cemetery association's first fiscal year in 1939, the balance in the treasury was $19.95. Thomas Mickelson was treasurer in 1948 and the balance on hand at that time was $65.30.
At some point, the office of "cemetery warden" (or "sexton") was established within the cemetery association. Here are some who have held this office throughout the years: Irving Softing (1949), Charlotte (Aakre) Henry (1950), Anna (Berg) Softing (1957), Anita (Nelson) Softing (1972), and Nevada (Bratlien) Softing (1992).
On March 22, 2005, the cemetery association adopted a charter, and a new set of bylaws. On June 27, 2005, the cemetery association was incorporated as the "Grong Free Church Cemetery Association" and Anthony "Tony" Softing was its president at the time.
The current Board of Trustees of the Grong Free Church Cemetery Association consists of Darrel Knutson, President; Tony Softing, Secretary; and Teresa Softing, Treasurer.