Grindeland, Andrew, 1856-1932.

Andrew Grindeland was born Nov. 20, 1856 in Highlandville, Iowa. He was the son of Ingebright and Lucie (Hattlestad) Grindeland, immigrants from Norway. Andrew attended Decorah (Iowa) Institute (1874-1876), taught school (1877), and earned a law degree from the State University of Iowa, Iowa City (1882).

He moved to Warren, Minnesota in July 1882, where he established a law practice specializing in collection, probate work, and real estate matters, and engaged in the sale of real estate. By 1902 he was joined in his practice by attorney Julius J. Olson. He was also at that time in the real estate and farm loan business with C. J. Forsberg under the name of Grindeland & Forsberg.

Grindeland was elected to the Minnesota state senate, where he represented Minnesota's 63rd district (1899-1903). He ran unsuccessfully in 1902 for the Republican nomination in the race for the 9th district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. On March 24, 1903 he was appointed a judge in Minnesota's 14th judicial district, joining judge William Watts of Crookston, Minnesota on the bench. He was elected to a six-year term in 1904, and was re-elected several times, continuing in the office until retiring in 1930 because of poor health. The 14th district was at that time composed of Polk, Norman, Red Lake, Marshall, Kittson, and Roseau counties.

Grindeland was a member of the Warren city council; president of the Warren school board (1897); judge of probate in Marshall County (1899-1890); and a member of the State Normal School Board (1895-1898). He was a director of the State Bank of Warren, Grand Forks College, the Warren Hospital Association, and the Marshall County Agricultural Association; president of the Warren Commercial Club (1907); and a member of the executive committtee of the Marshall County Good Roads Association. He was a member of the Minnesota Republican State Central Committee (1900), and president of the Seventh Congressional District affiliate of the State Republican League of Minnesota (1900). Church-related activities included memberships on the boards of trustees of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America (1926), St. Olaf College (Northfield, Minn.), and Luther College (Decorah, Iowa).

Andrew Grindeland married Inger (or Ingrid) Forde (d.1947) on October 5, 1882. They had several children, including daughters Clarice, Louise, and Synneva, and son Ingolf.

Grindeland died at Warren of a heart attack on October 28, 1932.

From the guide to the Law office correspondence., 1885-1932 (bulk 1895-1928)., (Minnesota Historical Society)