Halvor Steenerson

Halvor Steenerson (June 30, 1852 – November 22, 1926) was an American Republican politician and attorney who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota’s 9th congressional district from 1903 to 1923. Over the course of ten consecutive terms in Congress, he represented his northwestern Minnesota constituents during a period of significant political, economic, and social change in the United States, contributing to the legislative process as a member of the Republican Party.

Steenerson was born on June 30, 1852, at Pleasant Springs near Madison in Dane County, Wisconsin. In 1853, when he was still an infant, he moved with his parents to Sheldon in Houston County, Minnesota, where he was raised on the Minnesota frontier. He attended the local Houston County elementary schools and later graduated from Rushford High School in Rushford, Minnesota. Seeking a professional education in the law, he enrolled at the Union College of Law in Chicago, Illinois, where he pursued legal studies in preparation for a career in public service and the legal profession.

After completing his legal education, Steenerson was admitted to the bar in 1878 and commenced the practice of law in Lanesboro, Minnesota. That same year, in 1878, he married Mary Christofferson (1851–1925). The couple had four children, all of whom predeceased their parents. Their last surviving child, Benjamin Gilbert Steenerson (1884–1908), died tragically by drowning while attempting to rescue a fellow member of the United States Marine Corps who had fallen overboard, an event that marked a profound personal loss for the family.

Steenerson moved to Crookston in Polk County, Minnesota, in 1880, where he quickly became a prominent figure in local legal and political affairs. He served as prosecuting attorney of Polk County from 1881 to 1883 and also held the position of city attorney of Crookston. His growing reputation led to his election to the Minnesota Senate, where he served from 1883 to 1887. During his tenure in the state senate, he served on several important committees, including the Hospital for Insane, Indian Affairs, Joint University and University Lands, Judiciary, and State Prison committees, reflecting a broad engagement with issues of public welfare, education, justice, and state institutions. He further solidified his standing within the Republican Party as a delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1884 and 1888.

Building on his state-level experience, Steenerson was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-eighth and to the nine succeeding Congresses, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1903, to March 3, 1923. Representing Minnesota’s 9th congressional district, he participated actively in the democratic process and in shaping federal legislation during the Progressive Era, World War I, and the early postwar years. In Congress, he held notable committee assignments: he served as chairman of the Committee on Militia during the Sixtieth and Sixty-first Congresses, a role that placed him at the center of discussions on the organization and oversight of state militias and the evolving national defense structure. In the Sixty-sixth and Sixty-seventh Congresses, he served on the Committee on Post Office and Post Roads, where he was involved in matters relating to the expansion and regulation of the nation’s postal services and transportation infrastructure.

Steenerson’s two decades in the House came to an end when he was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1922 to the Sixty-eighth Congress. In that election he was defeated by Knud Wefald, marking the close of his long tenure in national office. During his years in Congress, he also served as vice president of the American group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, reflecting his engagement with international parliamentary dialogue and cooperation. After leaving Congress in March 1923, he returned to Crookston, Minnesota, where he resumed the practice of law and remained a respected figure in the community.

In his later years, Steenerson continued to reside in Crookston until his health declined. He died of apoplexy on November 22, 1926, at a hospital in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He was interred at Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston, Polk County, Minnesota. His legacy in the state is commemorated in part by the naming of Steenerson Township in Beltrami County, Minnesota, in his honor, reflecting the lasting recognition of his contributions to Minnesota and to the United States Congress.