Bror Gustaf Grondal
(1855 - 1948)
Timeline Sources: US census, Smokey Valley Historical Association bio,
There are some conflicting accounts of Grondal’s life so this timeline
is based mostly on what can be documented.
1855 Jan 11
Vesterous, Sweden, birth of B G Grondal
1869
Grondal immigrates to US at age 14 to work in the fruit groves
1870-1885
Grondal works on fruit groves, saw mills, ships, wharves and finally
apprentices with a photographer in St. Paul, MN before deciding to
move to warmer climate
1887
Round Rock, TX, Grondal and Sarah Noyd marry and go into photography
together
(See S Noyd example below)
1887 May 20
Lindsborg (KS) News news item says Grondal Gallery is nearly ready to
open
1889 May
Round Rock, TX, son Bsor Leonard Grondal is born (1889-1974) (Was it a
600 mile trip for Sarah Noyd, about 8 months pregnant or had she
stayed behind in 1887 when Grondal went to Lindsborg to set up
shop?)
1889 Jun and Jul
Georgetown/Round Rock, TX, based on newspaper items (see next entry
for 02 Aug 1889)
1889 Aug 02
Lindsborg (KS) News Record item says that Grondal has returned from
Texas; ads in the Lindsborg Swedish newspaper “Framat” indicate that
Grondal was still in Lindsborg, KS, up through May 1889 so it might be
assumed that he was in Georgetown/Round Rock, TX, during June and July
of 1889.
1891 Apr 04
Lindsborg, McPherson Co, KS, daughter Ruth is born
1893-1898
Four more children to Grondal in Kansas
1900 Jun 06
Lindsborg, McPherson Co, KS, US census Grondal as photographer
1900 to 1946
Grondal maintained a studio in Lindsborg, KS, 411 Main Street
1948 Sep 14
Lindsborg, McPherson Co, KS, state records, B. G. Grondal dies at age
93
Comparing this and the timeline of
William Bluford Praytor,
it can be guessed that the partnership of Grondal and
Praytor
had to be briefly between 1887 and 1891.
Good bio tree on Bror at
Geni.Com
And at
Genealogy Bank
Lindsborg (KS) News Record - 30 Dec 1887
Lindsborg (KS) News Record - 02 Aug 1889
YOU SAY ... 1889 May "Round Rock, TX, son Bsor Leonard Grondal is born (1889-1974) (Was it a 600 mile trip for Sarah Noyd, about 8 months pregnant or had she stayed behind in 1887 when Grondal went to Lindsborg to set up shop?)" ---
The answer is the Grondals did move to Lindsborg, Kansas in May of 1887 and he opened a studio there. They had a daughter (Aug. 19, 1887) in Lindsborg, and then the family moved back to Round Rock in Oct. 1888, with plans to return to Kansas in April of 1889. Instead, wife Sarah got pregnant and stayed in Texas until the son was born, and they returned to Kansas in Aug. of 1889. It was while back in Texas Bror G. Grondal partnered with Addison and Praytor.
Kevin L. Mackey, Historian of Texas Photographers
The card at the right is done by
S Noyd of Round Rock, TX.
Bror Grondal and Sara Noyd were married in May 1887 and moved to Lindsborg, KS, so this card would have been finished before that date.
photographer: S NoydRound Rock, TX
example from auction site
McPherson (KS) Daily Republican - 16 Oct 1893
photographer: Grondal
Lindsborg, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Grondal
Lindsborg, KS
Example from Kansas State Historical Society
example from auction site
photographer: B G GrondalLincoln, KS
example from auction site
Grondal, Lindsborg, KS
Example from contributor Ann Lind
Grondal, Round Rock, TX
Example from contributor Ann Lind
Lindsborg, KS
example from KSHS
Lindsborg, KS
example from KSHS
Here is an example of a photograph know as a "View". These were popular local sites, famous people and other interesting subjects. Theye were sold in the lobby of the studio like picture post cards.
Note that the two separate productions were on differently imprinted cards.
Lindsborg, KS
example from auctioin site
Lindsborg, KS
example from auction site
Lindsborg, KS
example from auction site
Lindsborg, KS
example from contributor
Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's
INDEX by name.
All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th
century found in LOST GALLERY are listed there.
Cabinet cards typically have the photographer’s name and address printed on the bottom edge or the reverse of the card. 19th century photographers moved around a lot. The basic idea here is to find WHEN a photographer was WHERE, which will help date an unidentified CABINET CARD from your family album.
This is a work always in progress.
Aditional information and New examples are always welcome. Any
additional information will help narrow the time that these precious
antiques were made.
All submissions should be free of glare and
shadows.
Do not crop.
Leave a border around each card. The edges are
sometimes an important clue to the age of the card.
Email to the address found in the profile at the bottom of this page.
Some examples on this page have been enhanced or restored for clarity
and presentation here.
This page is free for educational and research purposes only but, as
always, if the original owner of any of these examples objects to the
use on this page, just let me know and they will be immediately
removed.
