Northwood, North Dakota
Thorstein Eriksen Tufte was born in Northern Tufte, Ustedalen, on September 30, 1857 and emigrated to America in 1878 to St. Peter, Minnesota. He went twelve miles west to New Sweden, where he lived for one year. From there he went with an "Oxen team" on May 16, 1879 to Northwood, North Dakota where he took a homestead and has since lived on the farm. He was elected to the Legislature in 1888 to 1900, 1902 and 1906. He has been the township assessor in for over twelve years. He was president of the school board for eight years and has had numerous others positions of trust. For the last 30 years Tufte has taken an active part in politics. He has especially worked for the Temperance Society and for Prohibition Import as well as for political reform for other causes. He is of course a progressive Republican. He has been a Member of the North Dakotas Total Temperance Society for a long time and has been that Society chairman since 1910.
On April 28, 1878 he married Guri Johannesdattter Bry. They have nine children: Sissel, Johannes, Erik, Guri, Engebret, Carl, Henry, Theodore, Jorgine. The eight last born children all grew up on his farm. He has worked with Hallinglaget from its beginning.
Source: Norwegians and Norwegian Homes in America by Hans Jervell - 1916 - Page 123