WI 12th Inf Co C. Residence: Ridgeway, Iowa County, Wisconsin. Born 17 Sep 1840 at Valstead in Romerike, Norway. Came to America with his parents, Ole Hans Hofset and Ronnaug Margrete Pedersdatter Rolstad, in 1859, on the sail ship “Brobar”. Settled in Iowa County near Daleyville. Civil War: Farmer. Age 23. Blue eyes, light hair, fair complexion, 5’7½”. Enlisted on 30 Sep 1861 at Dodgeville, Wisconsin. Private. Volunteer. Sick in Humboldt, Tennessee, in the summer of 1862, for “inflammation of the lungs”. Took part in the Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, which ended on 4 Jul 1863. Promoted to Corporal. Re-enlisted as a Veteran for three years on 2 Jan 1864 at Natchez, Mississippi. Bounty $173. Re-mustered at Hebron, Mississippi. Sent home on “recruitment service”. While there, he married Mathea Jacobsdatter Rud on 13 Apr 1864 in Daleyville. Promoted to sergeant in 1865. Mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky. “Disbanded and paid off” on 16 Jul 1865 at Madison, Wisconsin. Naturalized 30 Dec 1865 at Madison. His younger brother Martin was also a private in this Company. Post war: Hans Olson took the surname Grinder. Sources: (WHS Series 1200 box 58-14) (“Civil War Diary of Hans Olson Grinder”, by Albert O. Grender, the soldier’s great grandson; privately publ. 1993) “Grinder, Hans Olson”
