Posted on: Polk County Queries Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Mn/Polk?read=315 Surname: Ofstedal, Markuson, Jerde ------------------------- Anders Ofstedal and his sons Andreas and Simon were among early Polk County settlers. Anders and Agathe Lavik Ofstedal lived in Garden Township. Rev. Andreas was instrumental in six Lutheran churches beginning in the area. Andreas married (second) Mathilda Markuson, the daughter of Knute Markuson and Martha Reppen Markuson, who moved to Polk County as well. Andreas lived in Garfield Township. His first wife is buried in Little Norway Cemetery. Simon Ofstedahl lived in Garden Township and married Kari Tuff. Knute and Martha lived in Woodside Township, although she lived in Garfield Township after Knute died. One of their daughters Sina married Andrew Gjerde (later Jerde). If anyone is researching any of these families, I would love to exchange info, as I descend from Andreas and Simon's brother John -- who married a Markuson, sister of Mathilda and also a daughter of Knute and Martha. All were obviously Norwegian. Anders and Agate were from the farm of Ovstedal, outside of Evanger and Voss in Norway, although the Lavik farm is a little farther away in the Eksingdalen area. Martha Markuson was from the Reppen farm, just outside of Sogndal. Knute Markuson was from the Tenninger farm, with a brother in Tuftedal, just outside of Balestrand.