"Excerpt from the Memorial and Biographical Record of Turner, Lincoln, Union and Clay Counties, SD, of Prominent Old Settlers and Citizens:

HON. AMUND O. RINGSRUD, who is engaged in the general mercantile business in the city of Elk Point, and who has one of the finest and best equipped stores in the county, came to Dakota territory in 1867 and has been a resident of Elk Point since 1870. He was born in Norway in 1854, a son of Ole O. and Carrie (Amundsen) Ringsrud, who emigrated to the United States with their four children and settled in Dakota territory, homesteading 160 acres of land in Brule township where they followed farming. Mr. Ringsrud's death occurred in 1876; his wife still resides on the old homestead. They were members of the Lutheran church.

Amund O. Ringsrud received his early education in the excellent schools of his native land until he was thirteen years of age, when he came with his parents to this country. In America he worked on the farm and attended school a portion of the time until 1870, when he came to Elk Point, as stated above, and was employed as clerk till 1879. That year he was elected to the office of register of deeds which position he held continually for six years. In 1885 Mr. Ringsrud made his initial start for himself in the mercantile business in which he has been eminently successful. His patronage has been constantly increasing in volume and he now does a large business, enough to keep four men busy. He has taken quite an interest in the local political affairs of the city, county and state, and besides being register of deeds, was elected county treasurer in 1885 and served till 1889, when he was elected secretary of state and re-elected in 1890, serving until January 1, 1893, since which time he has devoted most of his attention to his private business and affairs. Many of the city offices in the gift of the people he has held; was a member of the constitutional convention of 1889, and also has served at various times as delegate to the state conventions of the Republican party, the principles of which he strongly adheres to and supports. In the fall of 1896 Mr. Ringsrud was the candidate of his party for governor of South Dakota, and was barely defeated by the combined efforts of the fusionists, it requiring an official count of the ballots to decide the election.

Mr. Ringsrud was united in marriage, in 1876, to Miss Emma F. Snyder, of Lawler, Iowa, and to this union have been born three children—Grace E., Stella May, and Alfred H. The eldest daughter is now completing her education at the excellent college at Oberlin, Ohio, the two younger children being at home. Mrs. Ringsrud was the eldest of a family of five children. Her parents, Abraham and Susan (Bender) Snyder, were natives of Pennsylvania, Mr. Snyder coming west when a young man and engaging in the mercantile business at Freeport, where he was married, and then removing to a farm in Chickasaw county, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder now reside at Lawler, Iowa."

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Bio from "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904), pp 1691-1692.

AMUND O. RINGSRUD, a successful business man of Elk Point, Union county, is a native of Norway, where he was born September 13, 1854, being a son of Ole O. and Carrie Ringsrud, who emigrated thence to the United States in 1867, when he was a lad of thirteen years, locating in Union county, South Dakota, the father engaging in agricultural pursuits and being known as an honest, industrious and worthy citizen of his adopted country. Our subject secured his rudimentary education in his native land and after coming to America he continued his studies in the public schools. He gave his attention to farm work in Union county until the year 1870, when, at the age of sixteen years, he came to Elk Point and being there employed as clerk in a general store until 1879. In 1878 Mr. Ringsrud was elected to the office of register of deeds of Union county, in which capacity he served six consecutive years, while in 1885 he was elected county treasurer, being chosen as his own successor in 1887 and thus ably administering the fiscal affairs of the county for four years. Still further honors were in store for him through the appreciative recognition of the people of the state, for in 1889 he was elected to the office of secretary of state, of which he continued incumbent four years, proving himself a capable and discriminating official and by his course fully justifying the popular choice. In 1885 he engaged in the mercantile business here on his own responsibility, beginning operations on a modest scale, and from this nucleus he has built up a most excellent trade, having now one of the largest general stores in this section of the state and being known as a reliable and honorable business man, whose word is as good as his bond. The subject was a member of the state constitutional convention of 1889, and proved anew his loyal interest in the welfare of the new commonwealth. In politics he accords an uncompromising support to the Republican party, in whose cause he has been a most active and efficient worker, and in 1896 he was the candidate of his party for the office of governor of the state, being defeated by only a few hundred votes and running ahead of his ticket. Fraternally Mr. Ringsrud is a Mason, belonging to the commandery and consistory, and also belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America.

On the 23d of March, 1876, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Ringsrud to Miss Emma F. Snyder, of Lawler, Iowa, and they are the parents of three children, Grace E., now Mrs. F. W. Ford, of Elk Point; Stella May, at home, and Alfred, at St. John's Military Academy, Delafield, Wisconsin.