John Halvorson

HALVOSON, OMIT, JUHL

Posted By: Peter Gausmann (email)
Date: 1/25/2010 at 16:28:29

JOHN HALVORSON

John Halvorson, who from 1903 until his death in 1914 conducted a dry goods store in Thompson, was born in Norway, August 22, 1849, but was brought to the United States by his parents when only three years old. The family located in Portage county, Wisconsin, and there the father died soon afterward. The mother continued to make her home upon the farm which he had purchased in that county and there she, too, passed away.

John Halvorson attended the district schools until he was sixteen years old and for two years thereafter worked upon the home place. He then secured employment in a mill in that locality and remained in that connection until he was thirty years of age. He then married and not long afterward came to Winnebago county, Iowa, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres in King township. After farming that place for two years he sold it and bought a mill at Nora Springs, Iowa, which he operated for one year. Later he conducted a meat market at Forest City for eighteen years, but in 1903 came to Thompson and established a dry goods store. From that time until his death in 1914 he ranked among the leading merchants of his part of the county and his patronage grew steadily owing to the excellent stock carried and the reasonable prices asked. The business is now owned by his son, J. Walter Halvorson, who is following the liberal policy instituted by his father.

Mr. Halvorson was married in Wisconsin in 1879 to Miss Anna Sophia Omit, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Omit, who were of Norwegian descent and were well known residents of Portage county, Wisconsin, where both died during the childhood of their daughter Anna. To Mr. and Mrs. Halvorson were born five children: Edward, who is a filer by trade and resides with his mother; Fred, who died when twenty-seven years old and is buried in the Rosehill cemetery; Helen, now Mrs. H. P. Juhl, of Thompson; Emma, at home; and J. Walter, who is married and is conducting the store established by his father.

Mr. Halvorson was a republican in politics and loyally supported the measures of that party but never sought office. He was a public-spirited citizen, however, being willing to give of his time and energy in the furtherance of the welfare of his community and at all times conformed his conduct to high ethical standards. He was respected both for his ability and his unquestioned probity, and his death, which occurred on the 12th of May, 1914, was recognized as a loss to his town.
Source: History of Winnebago County and Hancock County, Iowa: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol. II. Pioneer Publishing Company (Chicago), 1917. pp. 206-207.