Halvor C. Solberg Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1649-1651 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	HALVOR C. SOLBERG, one of the representative educators of the 
state, being a member of the faculty of the State Agricultural College, 
at Brookings, was born in Norway, on the 5th of March, 1861, a son of 
Christian and Anna Solberg, both of whom were born and reared in Norway, 
where the latter died when the subject of this sketch was a child of but 
five years. About the year 1867 Christian Solberg bade adieu to the fair 
land of his birth and set forth to seek his fortunes in America. He 
proceeded to Minnesota and settled in the town of Spring Grove, where he 
followed the trade of carpenter for some time, while he is at the 
present time a prosperous farmer in Minnesota, having consummated a 
second marriage a few years after his emigration to the United States. 

	After the death of his mother the subject of this review was 
reared to the age of seventeen years in the same home of his aunt, Mrs. 
Arne Sortaasen, who was a resident of Brottum, Norway. There he received 
his early educational training under excellent auspices, and at the age 
noted he came to America and joined his father in Minnesota. There he 
worked on the farm during the summer months, availing himself of the 
advantages afforded by the district schools during the winter terms, 
thus continuing his studies for a period of three years and sparing no 
effort in augmenting his fund of knowledge. In 1881 he came westward to 
Fargo, North Dakota, where he remained about two years, devoting his 
attention principally to the work of carpentry and cabinetmaking. He 
then came to what is now South Dakota and entered claim to a half 
section of land in what is now Marshall county, the tract being at the 
time thirty miles distant from any settlement. He held the land for a 
time, in the meanwhile finding employment in a furniture store at 
Columbia. At the expiration of three years Professor Solberg disposed of 
his land and shortly afterward was matriculated as a student in the 
State Agricultural College, where he continued his studies for four 
years, completing the prescribed course and in the meanwhile being 
employed in the institution as a teacher of carpentry, wood turning, 
etc., having marked skill in these lines. He was graduated in the 
college as a member of the class of 1891, receiving the degree of 
Bachelor of Science, and thereafter continued to devote his entire 
attention to teaching the practical art mentioned, while in 1892 he was 
chosen full professor of the mechanical engineering department of the 
college, having simultaneously been called to a similar position in the 
North Dakota Agricultural College, a preferment which he resigned soon 
after his appointment and before assuming the duties of the office. He 
has since continued at the head of the mechanical department of his alma 
mater and has brought the same up to a high standard, making it one of 
the most popular and valuable departments in the institution. Owing to 
the specific nature of the course of study in the agricultural college 
and the practical work exemplified, the sessions are held during the 
summer months, while the students have their longest vacation during the 
winter. This fact enabled Profesor Solberg to attend during such 
vacation periods Purdue University, at Lafayette, Indiana, and he was 
there graduated as a member of the class of 1895, receiving the degree 
of Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, and the following year he 
received the degree of Mechanical Engineer. 

	At the time when Professor Solberg entered upon his executive 
duties in the agricultural college the mechanical department was 
maintained on a very modest basis, its functions comprising only an 
elemental form of shop work, while the facilities were meagre. Under his 
enthusiastic and able direction a steady growth was had and the 
department rapidly increased in popularity, so that it became necessary 
to provide new and adequate quarters and modern mechanical accessories. 
The advance that has been made under his direction is best indicated in 
the statement that during the present year, 1903, more than two hundred 
and fifty students are availing themselves of the advantages of the 
department, of which Professor Solberg has just reason to be proud, not 
alone on the score noted, but also by reason of the fact that the 
equipment throughout is one of the best to be found in any similar 
institution in the northwest. So far as can be learned he was the first 
to introduce the short course in practical steam engineering, and the 
value of the same has been appreciated not only by the students, but 
also by other institutions which have followed his initiative, the 
course having proved a distinctive drawing card for the college. 

	In politics the Professor gives his support to the Republican 
party and fraternally he is identified with the lodge, chapter and 
commandery of the Masonic order, as well as with the auxiliary 
organization, the Order of the Eastern Star' of which Mrs. Solberg also 
is a member. He is likewise chief of engineering and ordnance of the 
National Guard, holding the rank of colonel. He is a member of the 
Modern Woodmen of America and of the National Society for the Promotion 
of Engineering Education. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran 
church, in whose work they take an active interest, while their pleasant 
home is a center of gracious and refined hospitality. 

	On the 27th of May, 1887, was solemnized the marriage of Professor 
Solberg to Miss Bolletta Egeberg, who was born in Norway, being a 
daughter of Halvor and Olena Egeberg, who emigrated to the United States 
in 1867, residing for a few years in Minnesota and thence removing to 
Brookings county, South Dakota, where Mr. Egeberg took up a large tract 
of land, being now one of the prominent and influential farmers of the 
county. His wife passed away in 1893. Mrs. Solberg secured her early 
educational training in the district schools and then entered the State 
Agricultural College, where she formed the acquaintance of her future 
husband, who was a student in the institution at the time. They are the 
parents of three children, Harry, Ada Elizabeth and Ruby.