John & Kari Kroshus Family History

Bethania Lutheran Church, rural Perley MN

The Kroshus Family has strong ties to historic Bethania Church

 

BethaniaInteriorOn December 6, 1880, Landstad Lutheran Congregation was organized at the home of Ole J. Lee. Rev. A. O. Megrund presided at the meeting attended by Jens Anderson, Iver J. Crosby, John O. Gaare,  Peder  Johannesson, Halvor Kroshus, and Nels Odegaard.  On April 25, 1891, its members joined with others to create Bethania in the 1940'sBethania Lutheran Church and erect a church building. In July 1952 a tornado damaged the church steeple. It was replaced by the current, smaller one.  At the same time the entrance to the church was changed from the west to the south side.  The church was disbanded in the 1990's. The church building is still used for special gatherings.

 

The church and cemetery are located in section 23 of Lee Township, Norman County, Minnesota. The cemetery is the final resting place for most of the first two and many of the succeeding generations of the Norman County branch of the Kroshus family.

 

Confirmation classes 1892-1905  from the USGENWEB Norman County, MN website http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mnnorman/Chruches/bethania.htm

 

 

 

 

Thanks

Photos of the original church and its interior collected by Mardy Dosland and submitted by Mariann Weibusch Photo of "new" entrance submitted by Deb Jacobson