Grimshaw, Descendants of South Dakota Immigrants

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Claude Walter Grimshaw (originally named Walter Claude) and Phyllis (Rogers) Grimshaw were born in South Dakota and met there, in Oacoma, as well. They married in wartime conditions in 1944 at San Jose, California, but lived in South Dakota after the war.  Claude fought in the Pacific Theater during the war and was severely injured during the "island hopping" operations. The couple lived in South Dakota after the war and had two sons, Thomas and Joseph, who were born in Chamberlain, in 1945 and 1947, respectively. The family continued to live in South Dakota until 1961, when they moved to California. Although members of the family returned to South Dakota at various times and for varying periods after that, for the most part they lived in other states. Claude died in 1984 in Colorado, and Phyllis in 2007 in Texas. They are buried together at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, South Dakota.

The families of Claude's parents, Walter Claude and Freda (Sehnert) Grimshaw, immigrated to South Dakota, from Wisconsin and Germany, respectively. The family of Phyllis' father, Jay Rogers, also came from Wisconsin (by way of Iowa, where Jay was born) to South Dakota. The origins of the family of Phyllis' mother, Bessie Cummings, are not known; she died when Phyllis was only five years old.

Claude's father died several months before he was born (in fact Claude almost "didn't make it into the world"), and Freda Grimshaw remarried, to Joseph Bice. Claude and his older brother, George Grimshaw, were raised by Freda and Joe Bice, who had another child, Stanley Bice. The family remained in the area around Oacoma and lived near the Missouri River. Joe and Freda lived out their lives there (Joe remarried after Freda's death, but is buried with her at the nearby Chamberlain cemetery). Claude's natural father, Walter Claude, is buried near his parents (George and Aris Grimshaw) in Presho, South Dakota, where he and Freda met.

Phyllis was born in Platte, South Dakota, and the family lived west of that town in a "draw" (called "Rogers" draw, on Snake Creek) next to the Missouri River. Phyllis' mother, as noted, died when Phyllis was just five years old, and her father, Jay Rogers, did not remarry. The large family of eight (seven girls and one boy) more or less raised each other with Jay's participation when his work as an itinerant farm hand permitted. Jay operated a ferry across the Missouri for a number of years and was always "close" the river. The family moved briefly (less than a year) to Oregon and then returned to South Dakota, where Jay lived out his life. He is buried near Bijou Hills in Brule County with his wife, Bessie.

The Grimshaw family had a highly varied and very interesting life in South Dakota and thereafter in other states. Claude started in earth trenching in South Dakota after his return from the war, and from there expanded his career into many areas of earth excavation and resource use. He owned the largest water well drilling concern in the state (part of the time in partnership with his half brother, Stanley Bice) for a number of years in the 1950s before departing for California in 1961. He went there to accept a job with a firm that manufactured drill rigs, and from that beginning travelled worldwide (including Australia, Africa, the Middle East and the North Sea) for a number of companies in a career that included vertical boring (water wells and building foundations), tunneling (for example, for metro train lines), and sea floor foundations for offshore oil and gas drilling platforms. Phyllis sometimes accompanied him on these travels and the couple lived for a period in Australia. Claude and Phyllis retired to Colorado and, after a brief stint of water well drilling in South Dakota with his younger son, Joe, returned to Colorado, where Claude passed away there from kidney failure in 1984.

After Claude's death, Phyllis went to Austin, Texas in 1984 to be near her older son, Tom. She was very involved in raising her granddaughter, Anna Grimshaw (now Corley), and remained close to her other three grandchildren (Joe's children, Jacob, Sarah, and Robert) in Maryland throughout the remainder of her life. Phyllis did not remarry and lived out her life in Austin. She died in 2007 a few years after brain surgery for a non-malignant tumor took away her independent living capability. As noted, she and Claude had chosen to be buried near Sturgis in the Black Hills National Cemetery.

Human beings, it is well known (and documented!), are imperfect and often demonstrate weaknesses and indiscretions. Claude was no exception, and the result was an extra son not in the family, born in the mid-1950s. Tom was unaware of his existence until the time of Claude's death. This individual has grown to successful adulthood and is raising (or has raised) a family of his own. His identity and life history were separate from Claude and Phyllis' family, so he has not (at least yet) been included on this webpage. At his choice, this situation may change in the future as those most directly involved or affected transition out of this life.

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References

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Claude and Phyllis Grimshaw, at apartment in California (Whittier?) in about 1967. Photo from Doris Matucha album on "Grimshaws".

Claude Walter Grimshaw., about 1961 in California. Photo from Freda Bice album. 

Phyllis Grimshaw, date unknown. From Doris Matucha album.

Tommy and Joey on blanket on Missouri River bottom, about 1948. Photo from Doris Matucha album.

Tommy and Joey near fence, location unknown, about 1950. Photo from Doris Matucha album.

 

Tommy on challenging tricycle, location unknown, about 1948. Photo from Doris Matucha album.

Tom and Susan with Stephen at TIRR, Houston, 1979. Photo from Doris Matucha album.

Joe and Robbie with Jacob. Portrait about 1979. Photo from Doris Matucha album.

Claude and Phyllis with grandchildren Anna and Stephen Grimshaw. Photo taken at TIRR, Houston, 1979. Photo from Doris Matucha album.

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Webpage posted June 2008.