Gunvald Meland

Gunvald was the first baby christened in the new Skjold church. The oldchurch had burned and was rebuilt in 1887. Gunvald immigrated to USA in1906. He left Stavanger, Norway on March 28, 1906 to Liverpool,England. He arrived at Ellis Island, New York on April 6, 1906 aboardthe BALTIC, The White Star Line.
Tante Ingeborg (his mother's sister) was in Brooklyn, NY.
He had a homestead in Mountrail County, ND - Sec.29-153-91, his mailingaddress was Amanda, ND. Noren has postcards to Gunvald dated Nov. 1908;Feb. 3, 1909 -c/o T. Berven, Leeds, ND; Feb. 17, 1909 - Leeds, ND; Nov.15, 1909- Chester, ND fron Niagra, ND; Feb. 21, 1910 - Amanda, ND fromMatt.
1910 CENSUS for Crane Creek TWshp, Mountrail County -Line 39 - shows hewas single, a farmer, and could read and write. He became aNaturalized Citizen on October 17, 1913. His Army number was 2,143,918;occupation, carpenter; inducted at Stanley, ND on Sept. 18, 1917; sent toCamp Dodge, Iowa; served in Battery A, 338th Field Artillery to Oct. 3,1917; Supply Company, to discharge. Grades: Private lst Class, Jan. 26,1918; Private, March 31, 1918; Mechanic, Feb. 1, 1919; overseas from May18, 1918 to May 9, 1919. Engagements: Offensives: St. Mihiel;Meuse-Argonne. Defensive Sector: Marbach (Lorraine). Discharged atCamp Dodge, Iowa, on May 21, 1919, as a Mechanic. [NORTH DAKOTA VETERANSOF WW I, Official Roster, North Dakota Meland, page 2130.]
He had a girlfriend who was a nurse.
He returned to Norway in 1923-25. His father became ill, so he remainedthere. He corresponded with our family through the years and is the onewho provided me with the original genealogy chart of Helga Nilsdotter formy school assignment in 1937. He lived at MELAND until 1974 when hemoved to VATS Alderdomshjem. He died on March 28, 1977 and was buried atSkjold cemetary on April 2, 1977.
Gunvald had a daughter, Anna Sofia Solheim. Her mother's name wasCesilie Vik. Cesilie and Gunvald never married because his sister Gurineforbade it. Anna looked like Gunvald and he left his money to her whenhe died. Anna married Bertil Kvamme and had four children: Sissel,Sigbjorn, Olaug, Bengt.
Martha's children are in touch with Anna - 1998 letters.