I am wondering if anyone knows anything about an old church known as U.N.L. church in Blair, Wi.
My gr. grandfather, Hans Jacob Olson is suppose to have been buried there in 1889, but has no marker. So far, I have not found anyone who knows exactly where it was in Blair.
Hans was lynched in Blair in 1889 by several townspeople.
Thank You,
Ellen

I am sorry that I don't know of the church, but was wondering if you ever found out anything about it. I am looking for the burial location of a relative.

What were the circumstances of the lynching?

Sounds like you have an interesting story to pursue.

Good luck!

Marilyn

No, I never found out which church this was in Blair. Have had many opinions, but none conclusive. I would think U.N.L. stands for United Norwegian Luthern. There is a history of the churches in Blair in the "History of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, 1917 I am told and that churches split over the years.
I have a small church that is located in town of Blair that I was told had a cemetery and part of it was paved over years ago, no idea if graves were moved, but from what others have told me this is the best guess as to where Hans is buried.
Yes, it is an interesting story and I have to story and trial. His wife & son were sent to prison for life with helping in lynching but were pardoned by govenor. His wife Berthe died in 1922 and is stated in her death cert. she is buried at N.L. church. Story says she died abt. 1906 but I found her death cert. to prove otherwise. Never have been able to find one for Hans Jacob Olson.
Thanks.
Ellen

Hans Jacob Olson was buried at the First Lutheran Church in Blair, Wisconsin. There is an old cemetery behind the church, but only a few markers remain. The story in Blair is that Olson was never given a marker. Instead, a lilac bush was planted on his grave. That bush was there for years, but disappeared within the last 20-30 years(?). One who would know for sure about the bush's location and time of disappearance would be Eleanor Rick, the church caretaker. She lives in a house adjacent to the cemetery. The church is on Urberg Avenue, just off of Highway 95. The local public access channel made a documentary about the lynching about 10 years back.

Thank you for the added information. I had heard about the lilac bush but no one I talked with knew exactly what happened to it, except for the fact a road was possibly put over some of the cemetery. If graves were moved to another location or paved over I have no idea.
Will pursue with the church caretaker and see what I can find.
Ellen