Groth and Orabelle Statia (Hovden) Halverson. Harry was born 25 Jan 1917 and Orabelle was born 24 Dec 1919 and died 1 Oct 1966. Roger has one daughter from a previous marriage, Erin Michelle .

Becky taught school at St. Benedict’s Catholic School in Decorah from 1988 to 1990. She began teaching 6th grade at Howard-Winneshiek Community School in 1990 and is currently teaching there. Becky’s hobby is quilting.

Back row, left to right: Tamara, Becky, Roger and Erin. Front row, left to right: Trent and Troy.

Roger graduated from Thomas Roberts High School in 1970. He attended I.S.U.from 1970-1972. He began working as a lineman at Hawkeye Tri-County Rural Electric Coop, in Cresco, IA in Apr 1973. His hobbies are hunting and all outdoor sports. The family live in Cresco and attend Madison Lutheran Church.

Tamara Ann is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Wl majoring in TV, Film and Radio. During the summer months she works at REC, Cresco (Rural Electric Coop). Her hobbies are watching TV, movies and reading.

Trov Phillip is a sophomore at Crestwood High School, Cresco. His hobbies are playing the drums and listening to music.

Trent William  is in 8th grade at Crestwood Elementary. He is active in football, basketball and track. He likes to hunt and fish.

Halverson, Zacharias and Ellen

(John V. Halvorson)

John V. Halvorson is the great-grandson of Zacharias Halvorson. Zacharias and Ellen came to America from Stavanger, Norway in 1871 where he was a baker. After arriving in America they lived in Marshalltown, IA from 1871 to 1874. Zacharias had a gift for wood-carving and became an apprentice at the Smith Marble Co. at Marshalltown completing the course in 1874. Since there was an opportunity for employment in Decorah at that time the family moved. Zacharias established his own business as a marble cutter. His shop was located on Washington St. and later was part of the Ingvoldstad Lumber Co.

The family lived down on the “flat" in one of the smaller Tobiason houses. In 1890 they purchased a house on

Winnebago St. across from the Decorah Lutheran Church where Zacharias and Ellen were active members.

Zacharias died in 1901 and Ellen died in 1925. They had 4 children: Johannes (John), Sigurd, Ingeborg and Rachel. About this time their daughter, Ingeborg (Mrs. Otto Arneson) had taken over the duties of the house. In 1934 Ingeborg sold the house to John L. Rygg who tore it down and built a new house on the same foundation at 306 Winnebago.

Johannes attended Luther College in 1874 and graduated in 1880 in the pastorate. At the time of his death in 1924 he was the pastor of the historic East Koshkonong Church in Dane Co.,WI. He and Bertha had 8 children.

Siaurd was a mail carrier in Decorah and also one of the first members of the Luren Singing Society. He carried mail with Bert Adams with whom he sang duets on many occasions. They had one son, John V. John and his wife Hazel moved to Decorah where he became an associate pastor at the Decorah Lutheran Church. They met on the campus of Luther College.

Hazel began her studies at Luther in 1936 and graduated in 1940. She was on the faculty of Luther College until they were married in 1946. In 1994 she spoke to Symra Society about the difficult decades of 1936 to 1946.

Zacharias and Ellen Halverson and children.

John V has retired as pastor but has continued to work as a Visitation Pastor at the Decorah Lutheran.

Ingeborg married Otto Arneson. Their daughter, Tessa, became the first college nurse at Luther College.

Rachel married PC. Tonning of Decorah. At the time of his retirement Tonning was the Deputy Commissioner of Education for the State of MN.

Hammersland, Harold and Gladys (Kenyon)

Harold Hanford Hammersland was bornon a farm near Ossian, IA. His parents were Harold Martin and Agnes Theodora (Lommen) Hammersland. In 1929 the family moved to Dover Twp. in Fayette Co. Harold H.went to country school Dover #3 and high school in West Union, IA. He went to Kansas City, MO for airplane mechanic training. During WWII he served in the Army Air Force as flight engineer. Then he returned to Kansas City and his work at Trans World Airlines as a mechanic.