Engebrigt J. Halseth
Soknedal and Trondhjem, Norway

Excerpted from the History of Dunn County Wisconsin, H.C. Cooper, Jr. & Co, Minneapolis, 1925, p. 825-826

Engebrigt J. Halseth, who for many years has lived retired in the city of Menomonie, to which place he came in 1869, was born in Soknedalen, Norway, son of Jens and Kristine (Solberg) Halseth. It was on his parents' farm that he first saw the light, though his father was not a farmer, but a military man. our subject's grandfather and great-grandfather were also military men.  Jens Halseth died at the age of 64, and his wife at that of 87, both in their native land. They had a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters, those in addition to the subject of this sketch being: Bernt and Sivert (sons), and Karen, Ingeborg, Sara and Kristine, daughters. The only members of the family to come to America were Engebrigt J. and Ingeborg, the latter of whom is now deceased. She was the wife of Peter Dalquist of Warren, Minn.  Engebrigt J. Halseth, after attending the parish school up to the age of 14 years attended the military school at Trondhjem for two years.  He then entered regular military service and remained in the army until he was 32, leaving it with the rank of sergeant. Immediately he came to America, reaching Read's Landing, Minn., in the spring of 1868.  There he remained until the fall, at which time he came to the Chippewa Bottoms in Dunn County. In the following spring he took service with Knapp, Stout & Co. at Menomonie as millwright, and in that capacity he worked for 27 years, retiring in 1896 on account of ill health. For 15 years he was troubled with rheumatism, but is not enjoying good health for a man of his age. 

Mr. Halseth was first married on Jan. 19, 1878, to Karen Fladoes, daughter of Sivert and Marie Fladoes of Menomonie. She was born in Lindstrand, Norway, Jan. 7, 1853 and came to this country with her father in 1875, her mother having died in Norway. Her father died in Menomonie, and she, herself, passed away in this city on Aug. 13, 1883.

On Jan. 13, 1888, Mr. Halseth married for his second wife Maret Setter of Menomonie, who died July 17, 1894. By his first wife Mr. Halseth had five children, Jens C., Marie S., Christine A., Sivert K. and Egbert K.  Jens C. is now living in Milwaukee.  Marie S. is Mrs.. A.M. Stori of Menomonie.  Christine A. is unmarried and is keeping house for her father. She graduated from the Menomonie High School, and also from the Wisconsin Library School after summer session work.  Since 1913 she has been employed as librarian at The Stout Institute. Sivert K. is now in British Columbia. Egbert K., died in infancy. There was one child by Mr. Halseth's second marriage, namely, Carl M., who was born April 16, 1889. He was graduated from the Menomonie High School and later from Wisconsin University as a civil engineer. He now lives in Minneapolis and is employed by the Northern States Power Co.

In 1877 before he was married, Mr. Halseth built a comfortable two-story brick house, located at 1003 Eighth Street East, which is his present residence. Industrious and frugal in the days of his activity, he accumulated a modest competence, in the meanwhile giving his children as good an education as possible. He was the first treasurer of the city of Menomonie, serving one year and failing of re-election owing to the opposition of the saloon element.  he was one of the leaders in the founding of our Saviour's Lutheran Church of Menomonie, was a Sunday school teacher for 25 years, and has always endeavored to regulate his life by the example and precepts of Christ, and to follow the Golden Rule in his dealings with his fellow men. Therefore in the evening of life there is nothing to cause him dismay, and he leads a quiet and peaceful life in faith, hope and charity.

NOTE: According to the Trondheim Emigration Protocol,  I. Halseth, Sergeant, emigrated from Trondheim May 12, 1868 on ship Neptunus to Quebec.