Tombstone of North Dakota toddler who fell into a well in 1903 finally finds home with her family

WALCOTT, N.D. — Just outside Walcott, North Dakota, on Tuesday, Aug. 6, was the beginning of what will soon be a family reunion 120 years in the making.

A headstone for toddler Ella Paulhus, who died in a well back in 1903, is finally headed west.

It was a perfect summer day for the historic morning at the Walcott Cemetery in Richland County.

“It is really emotional to see that this is still here, in such good shape, after 120 years,” said Brett Tangedal, whose grandmother was Ella’s sister.

On Tuesday, the relatives of Ella arrived from North Carolina.

“Ella was my grandmother’s younger sister,” Tangedal said.

They came to move the toddler’s cemetery marker to the Oslo Cemetery near Fortuna, North Dakota.

“That Norwegian line means ‘An early death means holy peace,’” Tangedal said, translating the Norwegian writing on the gravestone.

It was 120 years ago and Paulhus was with her mother at a church picnic at a neighbor’s farm. That is when she fell into a well and died. She was about to turn 2.

“Poor little Ella. She was left here buried by herself and the family never came back,” Tangedal said.

After her tragic death in 1903, her parents and siblings headed west. Since then, her stone and her remains have been kept at Walcott.

“Everybody else is buried in Fortuna, and she has been here all these years, forgotten,” Tangedal said.

But Tuesday, cemetery caretakers helped the family of Ella Paulhus load the stone for the trip to Fortuna, near the Canadian border, to be with her family at a cemetery there.

“It is just amazing, it makes me feel so warm, my heart is pounding,” said Cheryl Anderson, Walcott Cemetery sexton.

Even the people of Walcott who care for this cemetery were so moved by the gesture to have this reunion of sorts. Even Darlan Fatland, who retired after acting as sexton at the cemetery for 45 years, helped load the monument.

“Granting a long-standing wish of 120 years. Amazing,” Anderson said.

Because she was likely buried in a wooden box in 1903, Paulhus’ remains stay in Walcott. As a way to stay connected, her family collected soil in Walcott to bring to the new spot in western North Dakota.

It was an emotion-filled morning for all. The little girl who fell in a well 120 years ago, loved so much by family, that today, no one can forget her.