Early Settlers – Sarah Gjerde Sorem and Sons – Fairmount Cemetery, Hodgeman, Kansas

It seems that many of our early settlers came from Germany or the Volga Region of Russia. The Sorem family goes against that trend as they came from Norway. They came to America in 1865 with about 4,000 other Norwegians.

The Sorem story begins with the birth of Nels in 1832 and Sarah in 1823. The two were married in 1858. In 1865, they brought their three children to Grundy County, Illinois. Nels died a week after their arrival leaving Sarah with three children under the age of ten.

In 1879, Sarah, her two sons, Nels and Jacob, and daughter, Bertha, came to Hodgeman County and settled in Roscoe Township. The Sorem brothers were pioneers in the cattle business and considered to be successful.

Older brother Nels married Bertie May Burdue on August 19, 1896. They were the parents of five children. Nels passed away in 1909 at the age of 50.

Jacob married Lula Rachel Holbrook on January 1, 1891. They were blessed with seven children. In May of 1900, Lula and her infant son died. Two years later, Jacob married Alice Irene Bowers. They were blessed with eight children. Jacob died in 1939.

Bertha married Charles Anderson and was the mother of ten children. She passed away in 1942 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas.

Sarah passed away on February 5, 1910 at the age of 83. Sarah is buried in Fairmount Cemetery along with sons, Nels and Jacob, and many descendants.