GRIMLAND FAMILY MEETING - September 29, 2001

By Ruell Solberg, Jr.

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Wanda Mobley called another meeting of Grimland family members on September 29, 2001 at the Civic Center in Clifton, Texas. The purpose of the meeting was to review the status of efforts to produce a Grimland family tree and a Grimland family book, to regroup and adjust the activities, and to decide how to proceed from this point.

People began arriving before 10:00 am with each person bringing their own lunch. After some informal visiting and sharing of information about families, Wanda Mobley led the meeting.

The following officers were elected for the Grimland family: Wanda Mobley, chair; Evelyn Smith, recording secretary; and John Reesing, treasurer. Contributions of $135 were made to the treasury.

Each person gave some information about themselves and how they fit into the family. Bruce Wiland, as lead person for the family tree, reported on the status of the Grimland family tree and provided printouts to contact persons for their family groups. There were discussions and information was shared about the types of information that is desired.

The Grimland family goes back to Norway where Jorgen Gunsteinsen Grimeland married Liv Nilsdatter Ufsvatn in Norway in 1832. Jorgen died before his son Jorgen Jorgensen Grimeland was born. Then, Liv married Kittel Gunsteinsen Grimeland, a brother of Jorgen, and they had six children before immigrating to Henderson County in East Texas in 1850. They had one additional child after arriving in Texas and moved to Bosque County in Central Texas in 1868.

The names of the children of Liv and Kittel Grimland were Gunsten, Niels, Ole, Gjeruld, Jorgen (J. K.), Kerste, and Reinert. The only daughter, Kerste, married Ole Solberg. The "e" in the surname was dropped after they arrived in Texas, and the "d" was dropped by William Yearl Grimlan and his descendants.

More than 2,500 people in the Grimland family have been identified so far, and many are yet to be identified. The family has been divided into groups with specific individuals taking the lead for obtaining missing information for their group.

Family groups and the lead or contact persons for them for the Jorgen Grimland (first child of Liv) family include the following: 1) Jorgen Christian Grimland, Bruce Wiland; 2) Tellef William Grimland, Janey Finstad Ivey; 3) Emma Bertha Lizabeth Grimland Arneson, Ruell Solberg, Jr.; 4) Andrew Carl (A. C.) Grimland, John Reesing; 5) John Alexander Grimland, Martha Nelson Swenson; 6) Jennie Emelia Grimland Wallace, Wallace Hughes; 7) Benjamin Sinclair (Beno) Grimland, Kevin Couch; 8) Olena Aleda Grimland Bronstad, Kesa Grimland Clingman; and 9) Flora Bedina Grimland Bruland, Ruth Bruland Korn.

Family groups and the lead persons for descendants of Kittel and Liv Grimland include: 1) Peter Andrew (Pete) Grimland, Floyd Grimland; 2) William Cornelius Grimland, Floyd Grimland; 3) Jim Nikolai Grimland, Virgil Tindall; 4) John Martin (Jerol John) Grimland, Neal Grimland, Jr.; 5) Neal Gideon Grimland, Neal Grimland, Jr.; 6) Tom Cornelius Grimland, Tom L. Grimland; 7) William Yearl (Will) Grimlan, Wanda Teague Mobley; 8) Lillie Pearl Grimland Watson Wheeler, John Warren; 9) Della Grimland Snell, Betty Hodge Poe; 10) Maude Grimland Hodge, Betty Hodge Poe; 11) Rachel Liv Grimland Lockhart, Jo Ann Summerville Davidson; 12) Eddy Grimland, Joy Grimland Teague; 13) Oscar Christian Grimland, Cecil (Tergy) Tergerson; 14) Gena Antonette Grimland Tergerson, Cecil (Tergy) Tergerson; 15) Julian Ardin Grimland, Bill Bryan; and 16) Kerste Grimland Solberg, Ruell Solberg, Jr.

Some of the family groups do not yet have a contact or lead person. Under Jorgen Grimland, these and their spouses include 1) Annette Gurine Gimland and Arnt E. Bye and J. G. Butler, 2) James Edward Grimland and Lucy Wallace, 3) Harry Nicholas Grimland and Mary Louise Burrows, 4) Laura Katherine Grimland and Nels Olaus Nelson, and 5) Gustaf David Grimland and Leah Townsend.

Under Kittle and Liv Grimland, lead persons are needed for 1) Karen Louisa Grimland and Anton L. Peterson, 2) Amelia Berdine (Mollie) Grimland and Otto Anderson Stanhiser, 3) Inez Adelia Grimland and Edmond Alexander Tweedy, Jr. and Durie Clinton Holverson, and 4) Lorense Galinda (Lou) Grimland and Medo John Johnson.

People who have or know of people that have information about the Grimland family or are interested in helping with the family tree, book, or other items are urged to contact a lead person for a family group or Bruce Wiland, Wanda Mobley, or Ruell Solberg, Jr. Their e-mail addresses are Wiland@att.net , mouse5@pgrb.com , and SolbergR@asme.org , respectively. Their telephone numbers are (512) 443-2918, (915) 784-6589, and (210) 684-1326, respectively. Also, people can take the leads for smaller family groups than what is implied here.

There were additional discussions about the Grimland family book for which Wanda Mobley is the lead person. It was decided that information about early members of the family would receive special focus, like a number of letters from Liv Grimland that have been translated into English and Civil War records.

Ruell Solberg, Jr. reported about compiling a Grimland family e-mail address list of all possible living descendants and asked for this information for people not yet included. Also, he has been sending out e-mail family newsletters.

Solberg will also start to compile a list of U.S. mail addresses of all Grimland descendants for sending future announcements of the Grimland family reunion and other items. People should send addresses of family members to him at 5906 Forest Cove, San Antonio, Texas 78240-3429.

Kevin Couch reviewed a Grimland family newsletter from 1945 in which a family reunion was planned for an entire week in August of that year. Some attendees remembered being present and how people camped on the Jennie Wallace farm south of the Norse Community.

There were discussions about having a Grimland family reunion in about a year or so. Decisions will be made about that at a future family meeting.

A reminder was given about the website that has been set up for the Grimland family at http://www.grimland.org .

Copies of items were available related to the family, such as the "Kerste Grimland and Ole Solberg Family Tree", The Solberg Family from Norway to Texas, cassette tapes and CDs of songs written by Archie Solberg and recorded by Elvis Presley and Hank Williams, Jr., and a VCR video tape about the Johnson-Solberg farm and family, etc.

Kris Grimland was recognized as traveling the longest distance for the meeting. The meeting was adjourned about 2:00 pm, but there was significant sharing of family information and pictures after the meeting.

Attending were Bonnie Grimland, Jewel Finstad, and Janey Ivey of Clifton; Lorean Davis of Meridian; Evelyn Smith of Cranfills Gap; Jerry and Joyce David of Whitney; John and Hallie Jo Reesing and Bruce Wiland of Austin; and Bobby Dale and Betty Poe of Lometa.

Also, Floyd and Eddie Grimland of Troy; Kathie Thomas of Clovis, New Mexico; John and Margie Warren of Burnet; Kris Grimland of Elizabeth, Colorado; and Ed, Kesa, Tova, and Steffen Clingman of Keller.

Also, Wanda Mobley of Brownwood; Jo Ann Davidson of Lampasas; Cecil (Tergy) and Fran Tergerson of Fort Worth; Joy Teague of Graham; Carol Couch of Euless; Kevin Couch of Grapevine; and Ruell and Jane Solberg, Jr. of San Antonio.

The next Grimland family meeting will be scheduled by Wanda Mobley for approximately the latter part of January 2002. People who are interested in attending should contact Wanda or one of the other persons listed here.

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October 22, 2001

Ruell Solberg, Jr.
5906 Forest Cove
San Antonio, TX 78249-3429
Ph. (210) 684-1326
E-mail SolbergR@asme.org or RSolberg@ev1.net

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