Thorvald Lende was born in Stavanger, Norway May 18, 1884 and came as a newcomer to America in 1902. He worked Northwest of valley City for a while on a farm, and then came to the Cooperstown area. His brother, Ludvig came about a year later and they went out to Montana and homesteaded for a while. His Uncle, Carl Lende lived in Sverdrup Township for a while. Thorvald came to the old Wuflestad farm a mile west of the Westley Church and worked there. While there he met his bride to be, Hilda Johnson who lived near Hope, as she was visiting her friend, Nora Wuflestad. Thorvald rented a quarter of land from Oscar Johnson, near Hope, and then he moved over to the R. S. Lunde farm, where Melvin Stokka now lives. He lived about two years on that place.
He married Hilda Constance Marie Johnson, daughter of Oscar and Anna Marie Johnson June 16, 1908. She was born on July 21, 1888 in Muskegon, Michigan They were married at her farm home near Hope, North Dakota in Steele County. They rented a quarter of land from Swen Olson and moved there. In 1910 they had an auction sale, took their first child, about a year old, and went to Norway for a visit. While they were in Norway, his brother, Ludvig, bought that quarter of land and then sold it to Thorvald when they came back. They then built a nice house and a large barn on the place, living there until in 1919 they moved to Cooperstown. He did dray work for awhile and then started buying cream in back of the Farmers store, later purchased his own building and for a good many years bought cream, eggs, poultry, hides and wool, and also was in the insurance business. In later years he was in the car business. His wife died in 1939 from diabetes and he died in 1958, about a month after he had been struck by a car in Valley City.
They had a family of twelve children, six girls and six boys. All are still living, except one girl, Doris who died at the age of twelve years from after effects of scarlet fever. When Cooperstown celebrated its 50th anniversary, the Thorvald Lende family were all present, rode in the parade, and were the largest family in the county at that time. The names of the children are as follows:
1. Floyd
2. Palmer
3. Mrs. Nels H. Francis (Arvilla)
4. Wendell
5. Mrs. Irving Standley (Hannah)
6. Mrs. Dennis Anundson (Bernice)
7. Mrs. Harley Fogderud (Beatrice)
8. Bernice (twins)
9. Beatrice (twins)
10. Mrs. Theo. Curtis (Phyllis)
11. Doris (deceased)
12. Donald
13. Thorvald Lende, Jr.
14. Carroll.
Source: Griggs County History 1879 - 1976 Page 71