Election returns courtesy of Richard Winger. Biographical data (links) from cited references and from other sources which appear to the Editor to be trustworthy.

• 1890

Kittel Halvorsen was elected to Congress in 1890, on the Prohibition ticket (Dubin says he was elected as a "Populist," but the original ballot says "Prohibition" -- telephone call to Minnesota Historical Society, 7 May 2001).

     Halvorsen was born at Telemarken, Norway on 15 December 1846; in 1848, his parents immigrated to The United States, first settling near White Water, Walworth County, Wisconsin, then moving to Columbia County, then to Winnebago County.  He attended public schools in Winchester, Wisconsin. 

    In 1863, Halvorsen enlisted in Company C, First Regiment, Wisconsin Heavy Artillery, serving there until the end of the Civil War.  He then came to Stearns County, Minnesota, settling near Belgrade.  He did farming and ranching, was Justice of the Peace in 1870-1875, was Chairman of the Board of Supervisors 1870-1880, was Township Assessor in 1880, was Town Clerk in 1880-1891, and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives 1886-1888.

     Halvorsen was defeated for re-election in 1892 and returned to farming, near Brooten in Stearns County.  He was an alternate delegate to the People's Party national convention in 1896.  He moved to Tewaukon Townsip, Sargent County, North Dakota in 1900, where he did farming.   In 1910, he returned to Minnesota and farmed in North Fork until 1924.  He died at Havanna, North Dakota on 12 June 1936 and is buried in Big Grove Church Cemetery, North Fork Township (near Brooten), Minnesota.  (Adapted from "United States Congressional Elections, 1788-1997," by Michael J. Dubin.)