Henry Helvig

HELVIG, OVERLAND, TWEDT, HEGLAND

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/24/2008 at 13:47:00

From HISTORY OF DAKOTA TERRITORY BY GEORGE W. KINGSBURY; SOUTH DAKOTA ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE; EDITED BY GEROGE MARTIN SMITH, B.A., A.M.; BIOGRAPHICAL; ILLUSTRATED; VOLUME V; CHICAGO; THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY; 1915; Pages 120, 123.

HENRY HELVIG.

Henry Helvig is the efficient cashier of the Citizens National Bank of Sisseton, the largest banking institution in Roberts county. He is a young man, possessing marked enterprise, laudable ambition and unfaltering determination, and the success which he has achieved is attributable entirely to his own efforts. He was born in Norway on the 25th of April, 1881, and is a son of Charles and Hannah (Twedt) Overland, who spent their entire lives in Norway.

Their son Henry was left an orphan when an infant and was reared by a family of the name of Helvig and hence has always been known by that name. He went to Story City, Iowa, with his foster father, A. S. Helvig, in the year 1884 and remained with him until 1903, when he came to South Dakota. He attended the public schools of Story City, and was graduated from the high school at Roland, Iowa, with the class of 1897. He afterward attended Luther College at Decorah, Iowa, for three years and thus liberal educational training well qualified him for life's practical and responsible duties. His initial step in the business world was made as a clerk in a general store at Roland, Iowa, where he remained for five years, and on the expiration of that period he went to Sisseton, South Dakota, where he accepted a position as clerk in a bank. In 1902 the Citizens Bank was organized and in January, 1910, he was made its cashier, in which connection he is contributing in no small measure to its success and continued growth. His fellow officers in the institution are: S. O. Hegland, president; J. W. Barrington, vice president; and Leo J. Lukanitsch, assistant cashier. The bank is capitalized for fifty thousand dollars, has a surplus and profits of fifteen thousand dollars, has in circulation forty thousand dollars and its deposits amount to over six hundred and ten thousand dollars. The bank has enjoyed a steady and substantial growth and has eclipsed every other banking institution of the county. Mr. Helvig is also president of the Eden State Bank at Eden, South Dakota, and of the Claire City Bank at Claire City. Both of these banks have been but recently organized and are having a wonderful growth. He is also a director of the First State Bank of Peever.

On the 28th of May, 1903, Mr. Helvig was united in marriage to Miss Mary O. Hegland, who was born in Roland, Iowa, and they have three children, Hazel, Esther and Sarah. The parents are members of the Norwegian Lutheran Synod and Mr. Helvig is a republican in politics, but he does not seek nor wish for public office, preferring to devote his entire attention to his banking interests. He is a very busy man and has succeeded even beyond his expectations. In addition to his bank stock he owns fourteen hundred acres of land in Roberts county and ranks among the foremost business men of the town.