"Gjermund Aanondson Harstad was born in Valle, Norway; emigrated to America in 1868, and after 1875 settled on land near Hillsboro, No. Da., and married there in March 1878 to Borhild Kittilsdaughter, also born in Norway. Gjermund served two terms as member of the North Dakota Legislature and as Judge of Probate of Traill county, No. Dak. In 1893 the family moved to Parkland, Washington where Borghild died from burns cased by an exploded lamps in the fall of 1897. They had eight children."