Halvorson, Peter Baard 1841-1923

HALVORSON, SYSLAK, SIVESIND, HONSEY, VAALAR

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:48

THE SILENT REAPER - P. B. Halvorson
The Decorah Republican: Thursday, August 16, 1923

The death of P. B. Halvorson on Friday, August 10th, removed another of the small band of survivors of the Civil War now remaining in Winneshiek county.

Peter Baard Halvorson was born on July 8, 1841, in Sogn, Norway, hence at the time of his death he had just entered his eighty-third year. In 1852, with his parents (Mrs. and Mrs. Baard Halvorson), he came to America, landing on August 10th. The family came to Iowa and settled in Glenwood township, in this county, where the deceased continued to reside until about twenty-three years ago, when he retired from farming and moved to Decorah.

When the Civil War came on in 1861, Mr. Halvorson enlisted in Co. D, 3rd Iowa Infantry. He was wounded in the battle of Shiloh on August 7, 1862, and was a patient in the hospital in St. Louis until the spring of the following year, when he rejoined his regiment, serving out his original enlistment and re-enlisting for the balance of the war. He was with General Sherman on the "march to the sea" and saw General Johnson, the noted Confederate leader, when he fell mortally wounded by a bullet from the rifle of Samuel Wise, who was standing by Mr. Halverson's side when the shot was fired. Mr. Halvorson was discharged on July 13, 1865., in Georgetown, near Washington. He returned immediately to Winneshiek county and resumed his occupation of farming.

On Dec. 8, 1865, Mr. Halvorson was married to Anna Skeim, who with their ten children survive; They are: Mrs. John Syslak, Mrs. H. M. Sivesind, Theodore M. Halvorson, all of Decorah; Andrew, Glasgow, Mont.; John, Miles City, Mont., Ben, Dilo, Mont., Otto, Clarkston, Wash.; Mrs. Ole Honsey, Cantuar, Sask., Canada; Henry, Audubon, Iowa, and Mrs. K. B. Vaalar, Brandt, S.D. All of the children, with the exception of Mrs. Honsey, Otto and Andrew, were present at the funeral which was held yesterday afternoon, Rev. O. Glesne officiating. Interment was made in the Norwegian cemetery.

The cause of Mr. Halverson's death was cancer of the stomach, from which he has been a sufferer for many weeks, but through it all he exhibited wonderful fortitude.

The deceased has been a devoted husband and father. To his children he has given every assistance that it was possible for him to render, and he leaves to them a heritage of honest and upright endeavor.

Lutheran Decorah Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen