Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Ole Halvorson
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
Ole Halvorson is a practical farmer and stockman-raiser, living on section 12. Mulberry Township, Clay County. He owns a fertile farm of about 160 acres which he took up under the homestead act in 1870. It has ever since been his home, and is carefully cultivated and furnished with necessary and adequate building. Mr. Halvorson is a good type of the Norwegian being a large man of stout build and rugged healthful appearance. He is not only industrious and enterprising farmer, but is a man of strict honor in his social relations, of kindly domestic tastes, and of upright moral character.
Mr. Halvorson was born in the Southern part of Norway, thirty-five miles from Christianstadt on April 23, 1820. He is of pure Norwegian blood, and comes of an ancient lineage. His father Halvor Olson was a farmer, and lived and died in his native land. He reached the age of 79 years. His wife having died some years previously in middle life. Both were members of the Lutheran Church. Three children were born to them, of whom our subject is the only one who came to the United States and is probably the only one now living. The gentleman of whom we write was reared as a farmer, and was engaged in that occupation in his native land until after his marriage and the birth of one child. He then determined to make for himself a home in the New World. He therefore set out from Grimstadt, Norway in November 1846, and went thence to Harve, France. He then took passage on a sailing vessel and crossed the Atlantic to New Orleans, Louisiana, landing after a passage of sixteen weeks and three days. In the Spring of 1847 he came up the Mississippi River, and located at St. Joseph, Mo., where his family lived for several years.
In the Spring of 1850, Mr. Halvorson started over and for California and after traveling some four months, came upon the mining region around Hangtown. He minded in the Golden State for several years, and fro nearly two years worked in the lumber regions of Puget Sound, Wash. He had a varied experience in the westerned States and territories, and made but little that he could take home with him. He was sick for a time, a fact which to some extent, interfered with his financial success. He profited, however, by his trip to the coast. From the lumber regions he returned to San Francisco, and thence by water to his home, going first to New Orleans, thence up the Mississippi River to St. Louis and thence to his family near St. Joseph, Mo. In 1861, he came to this state, and spent about 9 years in Brown and Atchison Counties. Thence he removed to this county, locating upon the land which still forms his farm and home.
At the home of the bride in Ramstad, Norway, Mr. Halvorson was united in marriage with Karen Clemens. She was born and reared in the Southern part of Norway, and was a descendent of an old and honored Norwegian family. Her parents were members of the Lutheran Church and they died at quite an advanced age. Mr. and Mrs. Halvorson are the parents of three children. The first born Gunnil, died in St. Joseph, Mo. when 2 1/2 years old.
Aletta, is the wife of Nathan William Kinkennon of Clifton, Kansas. He was a soldier and is living on his pension. Henry after he reached the years of maturity, went South, and has not been heard of since the fall of 1868.
Mr. Halvorson is a Republican and never fails to cast his vote in the support of his party principles. He and Mrs. Halvorson are communicants of the Lutheran Church. Both are highly esteemed by their neighbors and fellow-citizens.
(Contributed by Ole Halvorson's ggg-granddaughter, Marjorie Anderson Page)