GRIMLAND FAMILY MEETING - June 22, 2002

By Ruell Solberg, Jr.

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   Wanda Mobley called another meeting of Grimland family members that was held on June 22, 2002 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, to regroup and adjust the activities, to decide how to proceed from this point, and to make additional plans for a Grimland family reunion.

    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 younger 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 William Yearl Grimlan and his descendants dropped the “d”.

    People began arriving for the meeting before 10:00 am with each person bringing portions of their lunch.  Mobley furnished barbecued brisket for all.  After some informal visiting and sharing of information about families, Mobley, chair of the Grimland family, led the meeting.  The treasurer’s report was given.

    Bruce Wiland reported on the status of the Grimland family tree efforts and gave printouts to contact persons for their family groups.  There were discussions about some of the family groups that do not have contact persons yet and suggestions about possible ways to obtain missing family information.

    More than 3,000 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.

    Some of the family groups do not yet have a contact or lead person.  Help and contact persons are needed for the following children and their spouses of Jorgen Grimland (first child of Liv): 1) Annette Gurine Gimland and Arnt E. Bye and J. G. Butler, 2) Harry Nicholas Grimland and Mary Louise Burrows, 3) Laura Katherine Grimland and Nels Olaus Nelson, and 4) Gustaf David (Gus) Grimland and Leah Townsend.

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

     Previous articles about the Grimland family meetings provide lists of the contact persons for the remaining grandchildren of Liv.  The website for the Grimland family at http://www.grimland.org gives the contact persons, a way to communicate with them, previous newspaper articles of the Grimland family meetings, previous family email newsletters, and other information.

    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 communicate with a contact 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.

    The decision was made to change from copies of the Grimland family tree being available at the Grimland family reunion to sending them to people afterward so additional information can be included.  A master copy of the latest version will be at the reunion for verification and addition of information.  People are requested to bring Grimland family tree information to the reunion that may not have been utilized previously and to check the master copy for errors.

    Joyce David and Carol Couch, the chairs of the reunion committee for the Grimland family reunion, reported on the preparations for it.  The family reunion will be at the National Guard Armory in the Clifton City Park on October 5, 2002 and will include a potluck lunch.

    The reunion will include a silent auction for items brought by family members for which bids will be entered on sheets of paper for each item.  Registration is planned by each of the six children of Liv that has descendants.

    People that can help with the reunion are needed for the registration tables and for setup before and takedown after the reunion.  Contact Joyce David at (254) 694-0089 or jjdav@cniemail.com or Carol Couch at (817) 283-0250 or couch0101@aol.com .

    Ruell Solberg, Jr. asked for email addresses of people not yet included in a Grimland family e-mail address list of all possible living descendants.  Also, he has been sending out Grimland family e-mail newsletters.

    Solberg also wishes to receive U.S. mail addresses of all Grimland descendants for future communications.  Send them to him at 5906 Forest Cove, San Antonio, Texas 78240-3429 or at the email address or phone number given earlier.

    The meeting was adjourned after noon with significant sharing of family information, pictures, and family memorabilia after the meeting.

    Attending the meeting were Bonnie Grimland, Janelle Grimland, Janey Ivey, and Martha Swenson of Clifton; Lorean Davis of Meridian; 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, Jo Ann Davidson of Lampasas, Floyd and Eddie Grimland of Troy; John and Margie Warren of Burnet; Patsy Grimland of Kaufman; Wanda Mobley of Brownwood; Cecil (Tergy) and Fran Tergerson of Fort Worth; Carol Couch of Euless; and Ruell and Jane Solberg, Jr. of San Antonio.

* * *

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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