Whether
I’m on social media, discussing genealogy, comparing spiritual journeys with a
friend, or having a theological discussion, there is one place that is going to
come up eventually - Bad Axe Lutheran Church.
And
when it comes up, there’s a good chance I’ll get a funny look. In recent years I’ve come to answer that look
with a proud, “That’s right. I’m not just a Lutheran. I’m a BAD AXE Lutheran.”
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| Bad Axe Lutheran Church and Cemetery, Vernon County, Wisconsin |
The
Meaning of the Name
The
first question is usually, “Where did that name come from?” My favorite version
of the story behind the name is one my grandfather, Ellef Everson, used to
tell. He said there was a battle between
warring Native American factions on that spot. At the end, the chief who lost
the war, angrily threw his battle axe into the air and yelled “Bad axe!” It fell
into the nearby crick and is probably still there to this day.
I
don’t know if it’s true. Grandpa could be very convincing. What is true is that
the church is situated in Purdy Valley, near the town of Viroqua, Wisconsin, on
one of the banks of a fork of the Bad Axe River. (“River” may be a bit of a misnomer because
it’s really more of a “crick.”)
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Christofer Ivarson's grave at Bad Axe.
Descendants of immigrants have to
learn to get used to spelling variations. |
Early
History of Bad Axe and My Ancestors
Bad
Axe was founded in 1869, but their building (which my ancestors helped to
build) wasn’t ready for use until 1874.
Since the church was founded by immigrants from Norway, the early
services were held in Norwegian.
I
was told that my Everson ancestors helped to build the church, but a history
book prepared for the centennial anniversary in 1969 does not list any Everson
(or Ivarson in its older spelling) ancestors in the charter members; yet, my
third great grandfather, Kristoffer Ivarson Teigolo, is buried in the cemetery
next to the church.
Another third great grandfather, Hans Jakobsen, IS listed as a charter member. Hans
was married to Marie and they had a daughter named Anna. Anna was married to Jens Ivarson (James
Everson, 1840-1928), son of Kristoffer and Gertrude. I have deep roots in this place.
These
are my Everson ancestors who are buried at Bad Axe:
Third great grandfather Kristoffer Ivarson (often anglicized to Christopher
Everson) 1813-1883
Second
great grandfather Jens Ivarson (angl. James Everson) 1840-1928
Great
grandfather John Everson 1878-1933
Grandfather
Ellef Everson 1910-1980
These
are my Jacobson ancestors:
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| Grave of Hans Jacobson |
Third
great grandparents Hans (1814-1889) and Marie (1830-1905) Jakobsen
Second
great grandparents Anna Mathilda Jacobson (1846-1928) who married James Everson
John
Everson, my great grandfather, was married to Gertrude Tonette Ellefson. Their son,
Ellef Johannes Everson, is my grandfather.
Ellef
was baptized at Bad Axe and confirmed there in 1925. I am fortunate to be his only grandchild who
was both baptized (11/24/1963) and confirmed at Bad Axe - more about that later.
 |
Ellef Everson's
Confirmation photo |
My
Mom, Ellef’s daughter, married my Dad at Bad Axe.
I
was baptized there on November 11, 1963 by Pastor Julius F. Masted.
Okay,
so there is the family history that ties me to Bad Axe.
The
Bad Axe Quartet
It
would be a sad thing to write a post about Bad Axe and not include information
about the famous (at least locally) Bad Axe Quartet. My grandfather, Ellef
Everson, was a part of the group along with Rudolph Skrede, LeRoy Tryggestad,
and Lester Fauske.
The
Bad Axe Centennial book describes how the quartet was formed:
At an outdoor Luther League meeting at the
home of Lewis Hotlen in 1931, these four men sang together for the very first
time. They sang “Life’s Railway to Heaven.” They had no practice and sang the
song in unison, substituting for other singers who did not come. Pastor Nesheim
heard them and said, “Come over and I think I can make a quartet out of you.”
One month later they made their first
appearance, as the Bad Axe Quartet, at another outdoor League at the home of
Ray Tryggestads. They sang, “Wayside Cross.”
In
1969 they had been singing together for 38 years. My grandfather also told me
they placed first in Barbershop Quartet singing at the World’s Fair in Chicago,
something I haven’t been able to verify.
Whenever
people from the “olden days” have talked about my grandfather, they’ve always had
to mention the Bad Axe Quartet.
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The Bad Axe Quartet
From left: Rudolph Skrede, LeRoy Tryggestad, Lester Fauske, Ellef Everson |
There
was also a female version of the Bad Axe Quartet that my Mom sang in. It seems that
singing music that bears witness to the gospel is in my blood.
My
Early Relationship with the Church
My
Dad was in the Navy so Mom spent a lot of time in Wisconsin while he was away. My
earliest Sunday School years, which I have no memory of, were in Bad Axe.
Navy
life called us away from Wisconsin. We lived in Maryland, and then Hawaii. I
have memories of going to church during these years: Sunday School at Patuxent
River Naval Air Station, a Church of Christ in Maryland, and even a Lutheran
church in Ewa Beach, Hawaii.
But I can’t claim that any of these places had much to do with my formation as
a Christian. (They probably did, but I don’t remember.)
Return
to Bad Axe
In
1974 I had started the sixth grade and we moved back to Wisconsin where my Dad
was the local Navy recruiter.
Within
weeks I could recite the Apostles Creed and a sung version of the Kyrie
I’ve never heard anywhere else.
O
God, the Father in Heaven, have mercy upon us.
O
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy upon us.
O
God, the Holy Ghost, true comforter, have mercy upon us.
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Confirmation photo with Pastor H. Alfred Weltzin
The boy on the right and two girls on the lower right are my cousins. |
I
knew when to sit and when to stand, and every Sunday morning I was literally
surrounded by relatives – both living and dead. So, it came to be that I
started confirmation classes and was confirmed (along with three cousins) by
Pastor H. Alfred Weltzin in 1978.
Pastor Weltzin was not the most exciting teacher, but he was thorough and made
sure we understood the content of Martin Luther’s small catechism. He was also
one of those people who used hymnody as a connection to theology and Christian
living. I remember several times his
bursting into song. “Dare to Be a Daniel,” “Jesus, Priceless Treasure,” and “A
Mighty Fortress” were never far from his lips.
Leaving
Bad Axe
In
1980, at the beginning of my senior year of high school, my family moved from
Wisconsin to Jacksonville, FL. By the summer of 1981, I was working in churches
and then became a music major at Jacksonville University.
While
I was a student at JU, I attended a choral evensong service at St. John’s Cathedral
(Episcopal) in downtown Jacksonville. The occasion was the first Sunday of Lent and from the prelude to
the retiring procession I was blown away.
St. John’s Cathedral is a grand structure in the Gothic Revival style built of
Indiana limestone. The nave is ringed with immense stained-glass windows and
home to an impressive organ and choir. (At the time, John Barry was in charge
of the music program.) The liturgy and music moved me deeply and I began to hope
that some day I might work in an Episcopal church.
I
worked for several denominations over the years including the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ), Presbyterian, and United Methodist Churches. (Lutherans
are scarce in Jacksonville and the opportunity to work for a Lutheran church
never came up.) Finally, in 2000, I began to serve as the organist-choirmaster
of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Even St. Luke’s was more liturgy than I was
really used to, but I immersed myself in it and learned quickly. (Bad Axe was
liturgical, but there wasn’t a lot of attention to detail or creative liturgical
art. There are not many churches that sing as well as Bad Axe, but we didn’t
have a choir.)
Just
Like Home
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St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church
Easter 2019 |
Finally,
in 2006, the position at St. Mark’s was announced. (I had visited for a couple of Christmas Eve
services in the 1990s and vividly remember thinking, “This is one of three jobs
in town that I would really like to have one day.”) Being the cantor at St.
Mark’s is literally a dream come true. Not only have I returned to the church
of my youth, but to the church of my foremothers and forefathers. I truly feel
at home at St Mark’s and in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.
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My first Christmas at St. Mark's in 2006
Of course a red scapular with poinsettias only exists in the world of photo-ops.
Christmas scapulars are actually white for the liturgical season. |
The
Place Where My Thoughts Return
My
thoughts often return to Bad Axe. I remember Sunday School with our teacher, Richard
Parker. I remember saying the creed, catechism examinations, Sunday School assemblies,
Christmas services, and lots of other things. The thing I remember most is Pastor
Weltzin reminding us every Sunday, “God our heavenly Father hath had mercy on
you, and hath given his only Son to die for you, and for his sake hath forgiven you
all your sins.”
Pastor Daniel uses different words, but they always remind me how long God has
been with me, and loved me, and forgiven.
I got that from Bad Axe.
That’s
why I’m not just a Lutheran. I’m a Bad Axe Lutheran.
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| Bad Axe Lutheran viewed across Purdy Valley in the winter |
