Olaf Rydjord was born in Norway on 8 April 1866 to O. J. and Eldri Rydjord. As a boy he went to public school and assisted his father on the farm until 1890 when, at age twenty-four, he immigrated to the United States. He went directly to Stanwood, Washington. In 1898 he purchased the land he would then live on for the next three decades. He raised crops of hay and Holstein cows. He was a successful farmer and made many improvements to the area over the years. He married Phena Leknes in 1908. She was a native of Norway and daughter of Samson Anderson and Susan Leknes. She immigrated to South Dakota in 1870 with her family. She met Olaf in Stanwood after 1903 when she and her brother Andrew moved there to keep house for their brother Ole. Olaf was interested in community affairs and supported movements and measures instituted to promote the general welfare. In 1927 Olaf helped Pacific Lutheran College reach its endowment goal of $290,000 by donating $5,000 to the school.