Hello, welcome to our website! We are the Jens and Delores (Wolff) Tinjum family from the great states of Alaska and Minnesota, third and fourth generation "German, Pommeranian, Norwegian, and Swedish-Americans". We, through our mother, Delores, are descended from Johann Gustav Lau, Groß Borkenhagen, Kreis, Naugard, Pommerania, (Germany), and Wilhelm (William) Wolff of Pommern, Prussia (Germany). From our father, Jens, we are descended from Jens Andersson Tynjo (Tønjum), Sogn og Fjordane, Lærdal Parish, Norge (Norway), and Marit (Mary) Nilsson/Anderson, Funäsdalen, Sweden.

After four years of service in the U.S. Air Force (during the Korean War), Jens married the woman of his dreams, our mother, Delores. He went on to earn a B.S. degree from Black Hills State Teacher's College in Spearfish, South Dakota and from there, worked toward an M.S. degree at the University of Iowa, followed by additional studies at the University of Minnesota and University of Alaska respectively.

After graduation from college, Jens received the call that would forever change the course of our lives, or at least alter the path we were to take...We were moving north! Jens was called to Alaska and thus began a rewarding career in school administration and teaching here. We fell in love with the state, and its peoples, and have called it home for over forty years.

Jens and Delores have long since retired (after raising two terrific daughters...that'd be us!) and now spend much of their time at their cabin, in Wasilla, Alaska and home, in Flom, Minnesota.

Both my sister, Lois, and I were raised in Alaska. Lois went on to marry and have three wonderful children, Tyson, Tara, and Travis. She lost her beautiful daughter, Tara, in a plane crash on June 16, 1989. Not a day goes by that we don't think of this sweet child...she is sorely missed by our family and those whose lives she touched.

Lois, along with her husband, Dr. David Richey, operate their own chiropractic clinic in Anchorage. This, along with family, frequent visitors and traveling the globe keeps them very busy. We were SO excited they were able to spend some time with us in Sweden during a cruise of Scandinavia and other countries. Lois is expecting her first grandchild in early 2009, so she, along with the rest of us are VERY excited! Tyson and Jenny will be having a boy, so we're sitting here thinking of ways to spoil him already. You can bet a search for a Norwegian sweater is in the works by great aunt Lori!! :D

My husband, Kent, and I recently sold our wonderful home in Sweden after a five year stay there. I can now proudly say I speak "NOR-SWE-LISH"....that was tough to be surrounded by yet another language, but one learns to adapt. We decided to be closer to his mother in Engelsviken, Norway, so have moved back and will begin building our summer home here, on the rock face overlooking the sound on Oslo Fjord, next spring. We're VERY excited about that! We continue to enjoy six months during the cold winter months in Georgia, USA. Having the opportunity each year to travel has been just wonderful. We've met so many terrific people along the way. Kent's classic American import car business has kept him busy, and it's been fun seeing all those cars arriving at port here.

Researching our family history means even more to me because of the distance that now separates us. It is especially exciting to be living in the land of our ancestors! I plan to get more involved in this tribute to "those who have gone before us" once settled in better (ha! will that EVER happen?).

Although as a family we have always been interested in our family's origins, our desire to learn more about our roots and Norwegian culture in general was renewed after Jens & Delores attended both Knaack-Wolff and Tinjum Family Reunions, in Minnesota, a few years ago. After meeting so many new relatives and getting re-acquainted with those family members we hadn't seen in years, that interest grew into something much more.

Jens & Delores (Wolff) Tinjum

And so, we begin this journey aided by the research of those who have traveled before us (Larry Tinjum, Ginny Johnson, Winton Fuglie, and Ron Chrislock to name a few), and those we've met along the way. Should any errors be sighted, please let us know....and please feel free to send me some photos and information on YOUR branch of our tree.

Lois & Lori Tinjum

We hope you'll enjoy looking through our pages and links to other "relative" websites as much as we've enjoyed putting it all together. Although we may not be able to open all doors or solve every mystery we find along the way, we will all be richer having added a few pieces to the puzzle that is our family, our people, our heritage.

If you discover a connection with any of the families we are researching, please be sure to sign our guestbook and send us an email.