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 The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...

from

Minnesota's 9th congressional district Minnesota's 9th congressional district is a now-obsolete district for representation in the United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. Ho ...

from 1903 to 1923.

Background

Halvor Steenerson was born at Pleasant Springs near

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

Dane County, Wisconsin Dane County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 561,504, making it the second-most populous county in Wisconsin. The county seat is Madison, which is also the state capital. Dane County is t ...

. He moved with his parents to Sheldon,

Houston County, Minnesota Houston County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. At the 2020 census, the population was 18,843. Its county seat is Caledonia. Houston County is included in the La Crosse–Onalaska metropolitan statistical area. History The area co ...

, in 1853. He attended Houston County Elementary School and graduated from Rushford High School in

Rushford, Minnesota Rushford is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,860 at the 2020 census. History The first pioneers pole-boated up the Root River to the junction of Rush Creek, peering through 10-foot tall grasses to see w ...

. He studied law at the

Union College of Law Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law is the law school of Northwestern University, a private research university. It is located on the university's Chicago campus. Northwestern Law has been ranked among the top 14, or "T14" law scho ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

. He was admitted to the bar in 1878 and commenced practice in

Lanesboro, Minnesota Lanesboro is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 754 at the 2010 census. It was named after F. A. Lane, an early landowner. The South Fork of the Root River flows through it, with a waterfall dam across fro ...

. Steenerson married Mary Christofferson (1851–1925) in 1878, and they had four children together, all of whom predeceased them. Their last surviving child, Benjamin Gilbert Steenerson (1884–1908), drowned while attempting to rescue a fellow

Marine Corps Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...

member that had fallen overboard.

Career

Steenerson moved to Crookston

Polk County, Minnesota Polk County is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its population was 31,192 at the 2020 census. Its county seat is Crookston, and the largest community is East Grand Forks. Polk County is part of the Grand Forks ...

in 1880. He served as prosecuting attorney of Polk County 1881 – 1883; as city attorney of Crookston; as a member of the

Minnesota Senate The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are h ...

1883 – 1887; and as delegate to the

Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the United States Republican Party. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal of the Repu ...

s 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. He served as vice president of the American group of the

Inter-Parliamentary Union The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU; french: Union Interparlementaire, UIP) is an international organization of national parliaments. Its primary purpose is to promote democratic governance, accountability, and cooperation among its members; other ...

. He resumed the practice of law in Crookston, Minnesota. Steenerson died of

apoplexy Apoplexy () is rupture of an internal organ and the accompanying symptoms. The term formerly referred to what is now called a stroke. Nowadays, health care professionals do not use the term, but instead specify the anatomic location of the bleed ...

on November 22, 1926 at a hospital in

Grand Forks, North Dakota Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city of ...

. He is buried at Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston,

. Steenerson is the namesake of

Steenerson Township, Beltrami County, Minnesota Steenerson Township is a township in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 28 as of the 2000 census. Steenerson Township was named for Halvor Steenerson, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 9th ...

References

Additional sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Steenerson, Halvor Republican Party Minnesota state senators 1852 births 1926 deaths Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law alumni American people of Norwegian descent People from Pleasant Springs, Wisconsin Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota