John Norden, born in Sweden, August 22, 1861, came to America, at the age of 20 and spent several years in the Duluth, Minnesota area. He came to Carrington in 1893 and homesteaded in the New Home vicinity. He married Mary Hagen of St. Paul on December 7, 1911. They farmed in the Pleasant Valley area until moving into town in 1919.

They were the parents of three children, John Jr., Mabel and Effie. Mr. Norden served as County Commissioner from the First District from 1908 to 1916. He was a member of the county board that made arrangements for the building of the present Foster County Courthouse.

Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 34B