F. L. Trønsdal
Rindalen,Trondhjem stift, Norway

From History of the Scandinavians and Successful Scandinavians in the United States, comp. by O.N. Nelson, 1897. p. 489-490

Trønsdal, F. L., subscription manager of publishing houses - Eau Claire (Wis.) - born 13 July, 1859, in Rindalen, Trondhjem, Norway.  He received a good common school education, meanwhile working on his father's farm, and at the age of eighteen he attended a high school at Opdal. In 1880 he emigrated to America, and worked on a farm a couple of years in Rice County, Minn., and Richland, N.D.; resumed his studies in 1882, spending two years at Augsburg Seminary, three years at Minneapolis Academy, and two years at the Northern Indiana Normal School, Valparaiso, Ind.  He graduated from the rhetorical department of the latter institution; studied law one year in the office of Judge A.H. Gillett, a great legal authority in Indiana, and was upon examination admitted to the senior law class; and completed his legal studies at the institution last mentioned in 1889, being admitted to the bar of the supreme court of the state the same year.

In 1889, Trønsdal settled in Eau Claire, where he has built up a prosperous business as subscription manager of some of the largest publishing houses in the country, having had about 400 agents under his direction. He owns a large farm in the southern part of Eau Claire county. Much of his time has been devoted to temperance work, and he has been one of the leading members of the executive committee of the Scandinavian Total Abstinence Association of Wisconsin; and for four years did very creditable work as secretary of said association, and was elected its president in 1897.  He has also been secretary of the Total Abstinence Congress.  Indeed, it may be said, with fear of contradiction, that he has been the backbone of the former association, as well as of the local temperance society of his city, which in 1895 earned the distinction of being the largest Scandinavian organization of its kind in America.  Since 1893 he has been president of the company which publishes "Reform", and also owns several shares in the same.  Though a radical Prohibitionist he has never permitted his party to nominate him for any office.  Trønsdal is a member of the United Norwegian Church. In 1889 he was married and has had four children, three of whom are living.