Eivind Halvorson Groven was born in Aamotsdal, Telemarken, Norway on February 7, 1858. He was the oldest of six children. His parents were Halvor Eivindson Groven, a farmer in Aamotsdal and Ingebjorg Bjornsdatter from Rauland. His brothers and sisters were:

Bjorn H. , who lived all his life in Norway

Halvor H. who came to America, Aasne, Norway, Anne Groven Johnson who came to America in 1890, and Olav H. Groven who died in Norway at 15 years of age.

Eivind or Edwin as he became known, came to stay with relatives at Stoughton, Wisconsin, when he was but 13 years of age. He worked on a farm near Koshkonong Lake for about 18 months. From there he went to Dakota County, Minnesota where he worked on a farm for a year and then attended school in Minneapolis for one term in order to learn a bit of English. He worked as a collector for C. E. Thomas, a dealer in general merchandise in St. Paul for 18 months. Indications are that he came to Hannaford as early as 1884. At the time of his death in 1914 the Hannaford Enterprise said, "He was really the first man to make his home in Hannaford". When he first came to Griggs County he shipped horses for sale and farmed. In December 1888 he rented his farm and stock and bought the business of R. C. Brophy. From then until 1912 he was back and forth in the general merchandise and hardware business. He was also postmaster from 1889 until 1895.

Mr. Groven was a charter member of the Hannaford Lutheran Church and its first treasurer. He retired from business about 1912 and went to live in Minneapolis. His health had been failing for some time and he died in the Swedish Hospital on March 11, 1914 at the age of 56 years.

Aslaug (Alice) Storli was also from Telemarken, Norway. She was the second child in a family of nine children. The family left early in the spring of 1870 for America. The trip lasted 13 weeks. They landed at Newfoundland, and then went on to Quebec, Canada. They came by train to Hastings, Minnesota July 10, 1870. Alice had been baptized in the Rauland Church in Norway and was confirmed in the East Christiania Church at Hastings. She and her sister Agnes went to school until they were 14 years old, then worked in the cities for 500 a week. After a few years she came to visit her cousins, the Even Olsons in Hannaford and it was here she met E. H. Groven, her future husband. They were married in 1887. To them were born two children:

Isabelle, December 31, 1888, the first child born in Hannaford, and Oscar.

Mrs. Groven's activities outside her home were in the Lutheran Church. She was a charter member of the "Kvindeforening" and also its treasurer. She was responsible to a great extent in acquiring properties for the new church, including the new bell. One day the Grovens and their friends the Claus Jacksons drove in their surrey with a team of horses a mile north of town to see the new cemetery which had just been given to the church by Andrew Langdon. Alice made the remark, "I wonder who will be the first laid to rest here". Less than three weeks later on July 24, 1902 the bell was tolled for the first time at her funeral. Pneumonia was the cause of her death.

Isabelle and Oscar attended school in Hannaford. Oscar finishing high school here and Isabelle attending Red Wing Seminary in Red Wing, Minnesota for a time. She was church organist for several years. After her mother died, housekeepers were hired for their home until she could manage the housework. This she did until her marriage to George Stokkeland, the barber in Hannaford. They moved to Luverne where he had a barbershop and bowling alley. They had seven children:

Edwin, now of Clifford, North Dakota, Mrs. Henry Mortenson (Alice), Luverne, Oscar, Hannaford, Mrs. August 134

Bartkowski (Dorcas), Wimbledon, Gordon, Omaha, Neb., Thomas, Binford, and George, Lake Villa, III. Isabelle's brother, Oscar, made his home in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Two children of George and Isabelle Stokkeland live in Griggs County. Oscar married Inez Haugen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Magnus Haugen. They farm and live on Section 11-144-59 in Greenfield Township. Their children are:

Mrs. Jim Somsen (Ione) of Kensal, Donald, James and Marlene. Thomas married Marion Bowder, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Bowder. They live in Binford and Thomas works for the Melroe Company in Cooperstown. Their children are:

Mrs. Craig Sturlaugson (Pamela), Minneapolis, Minnesota, David, Gayland, Neal, Linnea and Layne.

Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 133