I will begin her Texas story in September 1897 when Mary and her brother Ole Springen bought property in Grandfalls, Ward County, Texas on the SW corner, of Ave D and 2nd Street. Here they erected Grandfalls first Hotel, a two story building with wide porches and railings on both levels.
Ole and Mary were part of what was called the 'Scandinavian Invasion' in Ward County with many immigrant families seeking land and opportunities in what was being touted as the 'Finest Climate In The World' by developers of the Grandfalls Irrigation Company. Besides the Hotel, Ole Springen ran a Freight Wagon business between Grandfalls and Monahans, and farmed along with his wife Lena. Mary, it seems was the primary InnKeeper as was noted in the 1900 Census.
The circumstances of Mary's death on May 11, 1905 are not known.
Her gravesite and tombstone are the only records of her death with a possible clue
as to the cause of death with the inscription.
No Pain No Grief No Anxious Fear
Can Reach Our Loved One Sleeping Here
Tamarisk Cemetery...Grandfalls, Ward County, Texas
In the 1910 Census Ole and his family of wife Lena and three children reside in San Fernando, Los Angeles, California where Ole owned and operated a Blacksmith Shop.
Ole Springen's application for US Citizenship in 1917 reveals more of his and his sister Mary's family background. Ole and Mary were born in Flesberg, Norway, emigrated to the US from Windsor, Canada on unknown vessel and arrived in the port of Detroit, Michigan in 1857. Their family name in Norway was Oleson, and declared as Ole Springen on the Declaration of Intention. His wife Lena was a natural born citizen of Marshall, Wisconsin. In 1920 Ole, Lena and family are in San Gorgonio, Riverside, California where Ole is working as a farm laborer. Ten years later in 1930, Ole, Lena and son Oscar are living on owned farm and listed as Hay Farmers.
Ole Oleson Springer died in 1937 at age 83. His wife Lena died in 1948.
They are buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Beaumont, Riverside County, California.
Mary and Ole are Not My Kin.
I photographed Mary's Headstone near the Pittman Family Plot in Tamarisk Cemetery.
As a Grandfalls Family Historian, I wondered who she was.
We are Not Kin...but...We are Connected.
A Grandfalls cowboy. Ott's Blacksmith Shop. C. Hale's Meat Market, and Grandfalls Hotel.
Photo from Ward County History 1887-1977 pg.181
Original Photo found in my Great Grandmother Martha Jane Marley Carroll's Album.
The Cowboy is thought to be Bob Olfield... Martha Jane's second husband.
My Great StepGrandfather and Pen Name Story Teller.
Here's one of 'Our Stories'
I'm pretty sure Mary and Ole Springen knew not only Bob Olfield, but my Great Grandfather George Washington Pittman and wife Nancy who arrived in Grandfalls about the same time as the Scandinavians Invaded. Great Grandmother Nancy who died in 1918 is buried not far from Mary Springen.
It's a small cemetery and a 'Small World Afterall'.
I hope someone who IS kin will find this post. Lots of good info there. And a rather unusual inscription on the tombstone.
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