Halvor Steenerson (June 30, 1852 – November 22, 1926) was an American
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
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 house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
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 the ...
. 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 c ...
, 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 university, private research university. It is located on the university's Chicago campus. Northwestern Law has been ranked among the top 14, ...
in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
. 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 Fork ...
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 hel ...
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
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
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
Knud Magnus Wefald (November 3, 1869 – October 25, 1936), was an American Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota's 9th congressional district from 1923 ...
.
[ ] 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 inter-parliamentary institution, international organization of national parliaments. Its primary purpose is to promote democratic governance, accountability, and coop ...
. 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 bleedi ...
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 o ...
.
He is buried at Oakdale Cemetery in
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 Fork ...
.
Steenerson is the namesake of
Steenerson Township, Beltrami County, Minnesota.
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