Lars Guldfin (1829-1894), second son of Ole Larsen (Toppen-Marking) and Maren Brustuen, was born in Snertingdalen, Biri, Norway. He married Maren Sander (1835-1924) June 28, 1883. Lars and his father, Ole Larsen, came to Dakota Territory (Valley City) in 1883 and took a homestead in Minnie Lake Township, Barnes County, where he built a large farm home; he was a carpenter and cabinet maker. In 1885 his wife Maren Sander Guldlin and four unmarried daughters,
Laura, 19 years;
Mina - 14 years;
Louise - 11 years;
Cornelia - 7 years, and
one married daughter Maria, her husband, Martin Somdahl and son Carl, came to Barnes County.
Ole Larsen (Toppen-Marking) died in 1885, shortly after the rest of the family arrived in Barnes County. The children of Lars and Maren Guldlin were:
Olaf Nicholaus Guldlin (1858-1932) born in Oslo, a graduate Mechanical Engineer, University at Bergan, Norway, post graduate Munich, Germany - 1879. The name Guldlin was adopted by Olaf when he was a student in the University; his professor had twenty Ole Olsens in his class so to eliminate the confusion he gave him the name Guldlin, Guld for gold, our most precious metal and lin for linen our finest fabric. Olaf came to America with his uncle Andreas Olsen King in 1880. He worked for Baldwin Locomotive Works, PA, Kerr Murry Mfg. Co., Fort Wayne, Indiana, and organized Western Gas Construction Co., Fort Wayne, Indiana, then sold out to Koppers Co. in 1917. He married Addie Bleekman in 1889. Olaf and his sister Clara planned and financed the transportation of the rest of the family to America.
Maria Jonine Olsen Guldlin (1860-1930) and her husband Martin Somdahl had four sons: Carl, Clarence, Louis and Olaf. Mr. Somdahl was a furniture dealer and mortician for forty years in the early days in Valley City. Clara Otilie Guldlin (1863-1917) born in Oslo, Norway, came to United States in 1882 and worked at Wanamakers in Philadelphia and New York.
Laura Elise (1865-1897) married Captain Louis M. Jensen. Mina Therese (1870-1935) married Bernard S. Pederson.
Louise Margrethe (1873-1967) married Ole Simenson; they had seven sons: Waldo, Kenneth, Edwin, Clifford, Ralph, Guldlin and Arthur.
Cornelia (1877-1955) married Lewis T. Oleson, a jeweler in Valley City, they moved to Redlands, California in 1923.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 86