Isaac Strinden arrived in America from Norway in 1866 and lived in South Eastern Minnesota (Fillmore County) for four years. In the year 1870 he homesteaded near Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. In 1874 Isaac Strinden married Maren Vigen. Teddie (T. I.) was born to this marriage on July 23, 1884. He grew up on the family farm and attended grade school in a one room rural school. On the completion of grade school, T. I. attended a Commercial College in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, for one winter.
In 1906 T. I. traveled by train in an immigrant car helping another farmer move his cattle and property to a homestead site near Columbus, North Dakota. They unloaded from the train at Tioga, North Dakota. T. I. Strinden took a homestead at this time which was located sixteen miles south of Crosby, North Dakota. He lived on the homestead for one year and then returned to his home near Pelican Rapids to assist his father with the harvest.
T. I. arrived in Litchville in 1907. His first position was with the Olson Store, followed by a position with the Litchville Implement Co. In 1912 T. I. resigned as manager of the Litchville Implement Co. and purchased the Sarsten and Sortland furniture store which he in turn traded to Mr. Hedahl for a one-third interest in a hardware business. In the same year -1912-the firm of Hedahl-Hanson-Strinden became the dealership for John Deere Farm Equipment. In 1913 T. I. purchased the interest of John Hanson and in 1916 he became the sole owner after purchasing Mr. Hedahl's interest. T. I. Strinden retains the position of Chairman of the Board of the family corporations: T. I. Sirinden Co. in Litchville and T. I. Strinden Co. of Grand Forks.
T. I. Strinden was married to Caroline Quamme of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota in 1910. Two children, Marcelle and Keith, were born of this marriage. Caroline Quamme Strinden passed away in 1914.
T. I. Strinden and Martha Eidsvig were united in marriage in 1916. Six children were born of this union: Alfred, Theron, Dean, lone, Earl and David. lone passed away in 1938 at the age of 12 years. Martha Eidsvig was born on a farm south of what is now Kathryn, North Dakota, in 1893. (The log cabin in which Martha was born still stands near the Kathryn Dam). Ole Eidsvig, Martha's father, arrived from Norway in 1886 at the age of 21 years.
Mr. Eidsvig worked at a lumber camp near Spokane, Washington, and on farms near Kathryn before marriage to Annie Jensen in 1892. Martha attended rural grade school near Kathryn and completed her first year of High School in Litchville in 1908 and finished her schooling at the State Normal School in Valley City. Martha taught for four years at Eastedge, Nome and the Neumann one room school south of Litchville.
The Strinden store burned to the ground in the big 4th of July Fire of 1929. Much of Litchville's business was destroyed in this fire. The present structure housing the T. I. Strindon Co. was built at that time.
T. I. Strinden has served his community in many capacities through the years. Past President of the North Dakota, Implement Dealers Assoc., and Past President of the North Dakota, Hardware Dealers Assoc. T. I. was one of the originators of the Litchville State Bank and served as President of the Board for many years. He still serves as a member of the Board of Directors.
T. I. Strinden retains a keen interest in the affairs of Litchville and at 91 years of age became one of the first investors in the Community Development Corporation.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 240