Peder Halvorsen was born on December 7, 1869 in Ness, Hedmark, Norway according to his christening record. His daughter Julia [Holland] Skolrud record his birthdate as December 3, 1870. He was christened on April 18, 1870. He immigrated to America with his parents in 1882. The initially settled in Canby, Yellow Medicine, Minnesota.
Peder married Ellen Olson on July 6, 1889 in Toronto, Deull, South Dakota. They had seven children: Henry, Oscar, Julia, Gunda, Olga, Perry, and Esther. Peder’s parents, Halvor and Johanne, lived with Peder and Ellen in the latter years of their lives.
Peder and Ellen lived in Hendricks, Lincoln, Minnesota where their first five children were born. The youngest two were born in Hillsboro, Traill, North Dakota. When they lived in Hendricks, Ellen’s mother and step-father, Lars and Guri Staff, lived tow farms away from them. According to the US census, Peder was a farmer.
Peder died on June 6, 1963 in Hillsboro, Traill, North Dakota, and is buried there in the Riverside Cemetery.
