Halvor Steenerson

Halvor Steenerson
Halvor Steenerson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; from Minnesota's 9th district
	In office; March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1923
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Knud Wefald
Member of the Minnesota Senate ; from the 45th district
	In office; January 2, 1883 – January 3, 1887
Personal details
Born	June 30, 1852; Pleasant Springs, Wisconsin
Died	November 22, 1926 (aged 74); Grand Forks, North Dakota
Resting place	Oakdale Cemetery ; Crookston, Polk County, Minnesota
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Mary Christofferson
Children	Four
Alma mater	Union College of Law
Occupation	Lawyer, Politician

Halvor Steenerson (June 30, 1852 – November 22, 1926) was an American Republican politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota's 9th congressional district from 1903 to 1923.

Background

Halvor Steenerson was born at Pleasant Springs near Madison Dane County, Wisconsin. He moved with his parents to Sheldon, Houston County, Minnesota, in 1853. He attended Houston County Elementary School and graduated from Rushford High School in Rushford, Minnesota. He studied law at the Union College of Law in Chicago. He was admitted to the bar in 1878 and commenced practice in Lanesboro, Minnesota.

Steenerson married Mary Christofferson (1851–1925) in 1878, and they had four children together, all of whom predeceased them.^[1]^[2] Their last surviving child, Benjamin Gilbert Steenerson (1884–1908), drowned while attempting to rescue a fellow Marine Corps member that had fallen overboard.^[3]^[4]

Career

Steenerson moved to Crookston Polk County, Minnesota, in 1880. He served as prosecuting attorney of Polk County 1881–1883; as city attorney of Crookston; as a member of the Minnesota Senate 1883–1887; and as delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1884 and 1888. While serving in the state senate, Steenerson served on the committees for the Hospital for Insane, Indian Affairs, Joint University and University Lands, Judiciary and the State Prison.

Steenerson was elected as a Republican to the 58th, 59th, 60th, 61st, 62nd, 63rd, 64th, 65th, 66th, and 67th congresses, (March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1923). He was chairman of the Committee on Militia (60th and 61st congresses) and served on the Committee on Post Office and Post Roads (66th and 67th congresses).

Steenerson was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1922 to the 68th congress, when he was defeated by Knud Wefald.^[5] He served as vice president of the American group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. He resumed the practice of law in Crookston, Minnesota.^[6]

Steenerson died of apoplexy on November 22, 1926, at a hospital in Grand Forks, North Dakota.^[5]^[7] He is buried at Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston, Polk County, Minnesota.

Steenerson is the namesake of Steenerson Township, Beltrami County, Minnesota.^[8]

References

^ "Mrs. Halvor Steenerson Is Dead in Crookston". The Minneapolis Star. Minneapolis, MN. August 11, 1925. p. 3. Retrieved October 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Mrs. Steenerson Dies". Argus-Leader. Sioux Falls, SD. August 11, 1925. p. 1. Retrieved October 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Halvor Steenerson's Son Benjamin Drowned". The Pioneer. Bemidji, MN. February 17, 1908. p. 4. Retrieved October 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Ben. Steenerson Dies a Hero". Warren Sheaf. Warren, MN. February 20, 1908. p. 1. Retrieved October 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b "Halvor Steenerson Is Dead". The Hope Pioneer. Hope, ND. December 2, 1926. p. 4. Retrieved October 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Halvor Steenerson(Minnesota Legislators Past and Present)
^ "Halvor Steenerson Victim of Apoplexy". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario, Canada. November 23, 1926. p. 7. Retrieved October 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 40.