Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/949

 HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY 811 now of Montana, and Selma, Rudolph and Clarence, all at home. The family attend the Lutheran Church. Mr. Stageberg is a Re- publican and has taken an active part in public affairs, as is shown by the fact thai he was county commissioner for twelve years, to which position he gave his mosl earnest and faithful attention, lie was also supervisor of the town and director of his school district for several years, treasurer of the "Wanamingo, Minneola and Cherry Grove Fire Insurance Company for thir- teen years, and director for thirty years. At the present time he is a director in the Zumbrota Hospital and treasurer of the Minneola Congregation. To help develop his community he was instrumental in getting the rural delivery established in his sec- tion. He is a stockholder in the Wanamingo creamery and also in the Farmers' elevator, of Zumbrota and Wanamingo. Mr. Stageberg is courteous and kind to all, and his one effort has been to please the community he has served so well. He has been very successful in his undertakings, and is generally re- garded as a man of ability. Ole E. Ofstie, of Minneola township, was born in Norway, January 7, 1843, son of Estine Knutson and Aneka Bjorgen, na- tives of Norway. They came to America in 1866 and located in Minnesota, where the father engaged in farm work for fifteen years. In 1871 they went to Lac qui Parle county, w T here the father, in partnership with his son. bought 160 acres of land, which they cleared and improved and carried on general farming until the death of the father in 1895. The mother died in 1899, both deaths occurring at Lac qui Parle county. Ole received his education in the public schools of America, which he at- tended for a short time, and worked on the farm. Later he took up carpenter work and building, at which he was engaged until 1872. He then purchased 112 acres of land in Minneola town- ship, and engaged in farming, also stock raising. He improved the buildings and built a new r house. February 12, 1866, he was married to Anna Marta, daughter of John and Ingeborg Besstad, natives of Norway, where the father was a carpenter. Both are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Ofstie have had seven chil- dren — Edward (deceased) ; John E., a farmer of Minneola, mar- ried to Phina Lexvold; Anna, married to Henry Hanson, of Wanamingo ; Carl, employed on the railroad ; Andrew, a farmer at home ; Erick, married to Hulda Dorn, and Olaf, who are at home. Mr. Ofstie is a Republican in his politics. He has served on the school board for three years, and on the school board for the Norwegian school two years. He is also road overseer. The family attend the Lutheran Church, which Mr. Ofstie has served as trustee nine years. Louis H. Kopplin, of Minneola township, was born in Red