Eminent Farmer
County: Brookings
H. C. Halvorson was born in 1866 in Norway and came to America in the spring of 1869, living first in Fillmore County, Minnesota. His father filed on a claim in Brookings County in 1879 and the family came in 1880.
Halvorson attended the township school from time to time and attended South Dakota State College during 1887 and 1888, and graduated from Augustana College in 1893.
He married Anna Boyd in 1898. The Halvorsons have no children but have brought up five, three belonging to H.C. Halvorson’s twin brother, Peter, and two others, sons of a younger brother.
Halvorson served in the state legislature in 1897, 1930, and 1932. He was chosen county commissioner in 1912 and served continuously for 16 years, 10 as chairman. He was vice-president of the state county commissioners association in 1923 and 1924, and president in 1925. He served as chairman of the legislative committee for the sate commissioners association.
For 33 years he was justice of the peace in Lake Siani township, Brookings County.
He was a force in the organization of the Farmers’ Mutual telephone company in 1903 and was secretary for about 20 years. He helped organize the Sinai cooperative in 1912, and was a charter member of the Farm Bureau.
Trees were his pride. He had a large selection of many in his grove. He introduced the bill which enables South Dakota to co-operate through the Clarke-McNary tree act.
Halvorson farmed the original homestead taken by his father. He practiced general diversified farming.
He brought the first alfalfa to the community and the first sweet clover. For many years he was a successful breeder of Percheron horses and Shorthorn cattle.
He was a member of the Lutheran Church and was Sunday school superintendent since 1898 with the exception of one year and secretary of the church since 1901 and a member of the board of deacons since 1915. He was on the board of directors of Augustana College at Sioux Falls for eight years and was a life member of the State Historical Society. From early youth he was active in temperance work.
He died in May 1940.