Bio of OPSAL, Rudolph (b.1890), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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Vol III, pg 428-431
RUDOLPH OPSAL
Among the progressive young business men of Minneapolis is Rudolph Opsal, of the
Opsal-Fleming Company, wholesale flour, feed and grain dealers. He was born in
Denver, Colorado, on the 16th of April, 1890, a son of Hans and Anna
(Christopherson) Opsal. The father was born in Upsola, Norway, and came to the
United States in 1866, locating in Chicago, Illinois. He followed contracting in
that city for ten years and in 1879 came to Minneapolis to study for the
ministry. He was ordained a minister in the Presbyterian church in 1882 and he
held important charges for some years. He is now retired from active life, at
the age of seventy-eight years, and Mrs. Opsal is sixty-five years of age. She
was a daughter of Jacob Christopherson, who was a member of one of Wisconsfn's
old and honored families.
The public schools of Minneapolis afforded Rudolph Opsal his early education and
after graduating from high school in 1908 he enrolled in the Marquette
University at Milwaukee, where he was a student one year. Upon the completion of
his education he accepted a position with H. Wehmann & Company, flour and feed
exporters of Minneapolis, remaining with them for three years. For one year he
was secretary of the Bemmels Milling Company at Lisbon, North Dakota, and for
the following three years he was connected with the St. Paul Milling Company as
sales manager. In 1910 he formed the present company, the Opsal-Fleming Company,
which is a partnership with a paid-up capital of twenty thousand dollars. They
are wholesale dealers in flour, feed and grain, with offices in the Flour
Exchange building in Minneapolis and a branch office in Kansas City, Missouri.
Mr. Opsal has proven to be a man of natural ability and he has been successful
in the business world.
On the 26th of February, 1918, Mr. Opsal put all personal interests aside and
enlisted for service in the World war. He enlisted on the 26th of February,
1918, at Camp Dodge, as a private in the Three Hundred and Fifty-second
Infantry. After a few months' training he was selected to attend the Officers
Training School, and on the 28th of August, 1918, was commissioned a second
lieutenant. He was placed in command of Company 18, of the Depot Brigade, and
was active in that capacity until receiving his honorable discharge on the 18th
of January, 1919.
In his political views Mr. Opsal is a stanch republican, having firm belief in
the principles of that party as factors in good government. He holds membership
in the Bethlehem Lutheran church and socially is identified with the St. Paul
Athletic Club and the Aero Club of Minneapolis. For recreation Mr. Opsal turns
to the great out-of-doors and he is very fond of golf and all clean and manly
sports. He spends a great deal of his spare time in the summer fishing.