Grinde History

Sophie and John Meet on the Boat

The following detailed accounts came from an interview by Rebecca (Grinde) Lundburg of Sophie Grinde in 1945. Rebecca, Sophie's granddaughter, conducted and recorded the interview as a project in her Norse class at St. Olaf College.

Her mother had objected, but Sophia Christine Vebstad (a.k.a. Sophie)finally decided to join some of her girlfriends for the adventure of a lifetime. In 1879, she boarded a ship in Trondheim, Norway. She was 27 years old and was more than ready to come to America.

Sophie was born January 14, 1852 in Nedrestjordalen Herred, about seven miles from Trondhiem. She was baptized and confirmed at Scotvold Church in Nedrestjordalen. Her parents were farmers.

Growing up, she learned to weave homespun linen and woolen clothing, which the family sold in Trondhiem during the market days in June and July. They would weave late into the night and after a long day, they would lie down behind the looms for a short rest and begin again the next morning.

Sophie's main diet included milk, fish and meat, especially dried and salted. Fancy goodies were prepared for special holidays. Flatbrod was an important staple; there were flatbrod baking sessions that often went on for seven or eight days at a time. They typically made a winter's supply during one of these stints. They stored all their food in a special building called a "stabbur."

Interestingly, Sophie and her siblings were not allowed to play or amuse themselves in any way on Christmas Day, as it was revered as very holy and to be taken very seriously.

Finally as an adult, Sophie found herself on a ship bound for New York City. Two events from the trip stood out in her memory as she recalled them in 1945. First, someone stole all her bedding just a few days into the trip. Second, she met her future husband, Johann (John) Peter Benjaminsen Grinde. There will be more about him. Read on.

Becoming Americans

Sophie's brother had found work for her among other Norse settlers in Rushford, Minnesota. Telling her story to Rebecca, Sophie voiced regret in taking the job because it didn't challenge her to learn English. Her girlfriends had immediately immersed themselves in the American culture by taking jobs with English speaking people.

Sophie married Johann in 1881 at Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Her wedding dress was a medium blue with three rows of pleating at the bottom of the skirt. It was two-pieced and fitting, with ribbons and lace trimming. A seamstress made it for her.

Sophie and Johann settled first in Wilson, Wisconsin. Johann and his two brothers, Justin and Paul, came to America on the same ship as Sophie in 1879. Johann and his brothers got jobs working on the railroad. They lived and worked out of Wilson for six years after Johann and Sophie's marriage. Sophie packed lunches for the men every day.

Home on the Prairie

In 1887 they came to Roseville, a small station about six miles south of Portland, North Dakota, and stored all their property in an immigrant car. Temporarily they lived in a claim shanty that had been built by a homesteader before them. Justin, Johann's brother, started a farm just north of the Roseville station. Johann built a large farm between Justin's farm and Roseville.

The home was built in the early 1880s. Together, Johann and Sophie had six children. Oldest to youngest, they were Bernard (b. about 1883; wife Petrina), Emma (b. about 1884; married Ole Koppang), Jennie (b. about 1886; husband Carl Oien), Severin (b. about 1890; wife Ethel), Alfred (b. about 1892)and Joseph (b. about 1897; married Elvina Westland).*

Sophie and Johann lived on the farm until 1926. Then the couple bought a home in Mayville where they lived with their daughter, Jennie, and son-in-law, Carl Oien.

Johann died in 1930 at the age of 77 from a stroke. Sophie died in 1949.

From his obituary, "sorrowing friends from all parts of the Goose River Valley followed the body of John Grinde from the old home and later from the church at Roseville to the little cemetary in that community, as a final tribute to his steoling character. Always a hard worker, he succeeded remarkably well. He took an active part in the development of the county and helped in a large measure to build up the community."

The Grinde Family: American Born

Joseph Grinde, the youngest of his siblings, inherited the family farm five miles south of Portland, North Dakota. He married Elvina Westland. Elvina was raised in nearby Hatton, North Dakota, and trained as an elementary school teacher. Grandma Sylvia was raised as the only child of Joseph and Elvina, although another daughter named Sylvia Arlene died in infancy before Sylvia Ann was born.

Together, the family ran the home farm, a large one by the standards of the time and the family did well with it. The home was one of the first in the area wired for electricity, operating a wind generator that charged batteries stored in the basement. Joseph died in 1964. From that time and until 1972, Sylvia and her mother co-owned the property and had renters who farmed the land.

Sylvia's mother, Elvina, married Elmer Hellickson shortly after Joseph died. Elmer died about 1972 and Elvina died in September 1976 at the age of 72. The farm, originally built by John, was sold to Kenard and Loretta Knudson in 1972.

*Based on information reported to census, the custom of estimating birthdates apparently came from the Grinde side of the family.

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