Martin Anders Tufsrud was born in Lellie, Hammar, Norway on May 24, 1857, to Anders and Thora Tufsrud.
When Martin was nine years of age, his mother, a widow, took Martin and his sister, Amelia, to Chicago, Illinois. When Martin was a young man, he and his mother came to Barnes County. She took a homestead in the Sheyenne Valley, where they raised cattle, hogs and chickens. Martin returned to Chicago and married Karen Marie Anderson. The first year they lived in a log cabin near the Sheyenne River, built by Carl Jensen and John Bjerke.
To this union were born nine children:
James Arthur (1886),
Charlotte Mae (1887),
William Oliver (1890),
Mildred Esther (1892),
Alice Sophia (1894),
Martha (1896),
Helene (1898),
Leth Christian (1900), and
Dorothy (1904).
James A. married Amanda Lee; Charlotte M. married Edward Baarstad; William O. married Hilda Ouren; Mildred E. married Frank Nenstel; Alice S. married Albert Olesburg; Martha married Hans Solheim; Helene married Roscoe Faretta; Leth C. married Edna Nelson.
Martin was president of the School Board District 31. He donated land for the village of Eastedge and also served on the township board. In 191 8, he was elected as a County Commissioner and served that position until he passed away.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 253