R. O. Reistad, Manfred, North Dakota, was born January 9, 1876 and was brought up at Nedre Reistad, Tukudalen, Sigdal.  His father, Ole Knudsen Dahlen, worked as a mason.  His mother was a daughter of Reier Hunstad, and his grandmother was Hvil Kolsrud. He came to America in 1893. He was at first at Northwood, North Dakota and worked as a mason and plasterer.

His home is now 3 miles north of Manfred, North Dakota where he has a 280 acre farm with good outstanding land. Reistad took a trip back to Norway in 1913 and visited his father and mother who are still living. His brother, Ole O. Reistad, now manages (the) Reistad (farm); he has also been in America. While Reistad was in Norway, he fished again in Svarteput as he had done so many times as a young boy. Svarteput is the mountain lake that is the source of the Tuku River. Tukudalen is named after the river and is one of the small valleys that stretch out from the main community. It is said that Svarteput is bottomless, and it has been called that from very old times.

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Reier Reistad was a farmer, a carpenter and a bricklayer.  He was a member of Vang Lutheran Church. He died in 1955, and was buried at the Vang Cemetery, north of Manfred.