Rev. Hans B. Thorgrimsen Photo: BÁ
Rev. Hans B. Thorgrimsen served congregations in North and South Dakota and was a fortunate pastor. He arrived in the Icelandic colony in N. Dakota in 1883 and served congregations there until 1886. He left that year for S. Dakota to become a pastor in a Norwegian congregation but his ties with the Norwegian Synod were similar to those of Rev. Páll Þorláksson. He attended the Synod’s school, the Theological Seminary in Decorah, Iowa where he completed his theological studies and was ordained by the Synod. Both Rev. Hans and Rev. Páll were controversial in the Icelandic community. Rev. Páll had a religious controversy with Rev. Jón Bjarnason and Icelandic pastors always found it hard to work with Rev. Hans. Rev. Friðrik Bergmann became acquainted with Rev. Hans and in a letter to Einar Hjörleifsson Kvaran, dated in Garðar July 16, 1902 he wrote: “Now Rev. Hans Thorgrimson has replaced him (Rev. Jónas A. Sigurðsson) and everything appears to be fine at this point. Actually, he is overall an honest man but has a hard time paying his debts, he is sincere and has many good qualities, a man of handsome presence in many ways and has taken the mind of men by storm. However, his spiritual strength is rather small. His theology and ecclesiastical standpoint are nothing but repetition, the Norwegian Synod is his ideal. He considers my position in all discussions on the Bible awfully dangerous. And all members of his congregations lack all independence so as a result they all conclude in the same manner he does, pretending to be ridiculously orthodox, so much I could burst out laughing if I was not careful. Stígur Þorvaldsson is just about the only one questioning him. However, I have a feeling this will not last forever. Rev. Hans does not scare me. He is too kind and decent man overall so even if his head is not too dependable his heart is sincere and good and that always counts for something.” Þórstína Þorleifsdóttir knew Rev. Hans and writes about him in her book “Saga Íslendinga í N. Dakota”: “In 1900 Rev. Jónas no longer served in Dakota and was replaced by Rev. Hans Thorgrimsen who served there from 1901 to 1912. Rev. Hans work both during the pioneer years and just after the turn of the century is a noteworthy chapter in the history of Western-Icelanders. He must be recognized for being the first to bring forth the idea of one religious association. His singing ability always brought happiness to listeners, and he has done much to encourage interest in singing, especially in youth. Despite his long absence from an Icelandic community, he has tremendous interest in everything of value which characterizes Icelandic heritage.”
English version by Thor group.