Neil and Lois Halverson are shown with their children, Laura and Ryan Halverson. They are currently living on a century farm in Preble Township.

The Preble Township community is one full of tradition, pride and history. Many of those who live in the township today came from Scandinavian or Norwegian origins and live on land that has ancestry that dates back to the 1850s or 1860s. While not all of the farmsteads have been in the direct family since that time, many have or are close to being century family farms. One such farm is the Neil Halverson farm, which has been in the family for over 100 years and has had seven generations live on the farm.

What makes the story of the Halverson farm interesting is not all of its owners started out as farmers. Although they worked in closely related jobs, not all farmed right after high school. Neil, its present owner, graduated from Winona Area Vocational Institute in 1982 and spent time away from his family home before finally moving back just recently.

The history of the Halverson homestead begins with Anders Halverson Nordbovaagen, who came to America in 1848 from the Parish at Finnoy, near Stavanger, Norway. Born on June 12, 1830, Anders grew up on a family farm called "Nordbovaagen."

At the age of 18, Anders, like many people, immigrated to America looking for a better life and a fresh start. The ticket for the ship cost $33 dollars and it took three to four months to reach the states. Anders first resided in Wisconsin for six years, and then moved to LaSalle County, Ill., where many residents of Stavanger had relocated before settling a little more west in Minnesota.

Anders came to Preble Township as well, scouting the area looking for good land to work and farm. On Oct. 14, 1854, he purchased 80 acres from the United States government at $1.25 per acre. He would obtain an additional 20 acres on September 24, 1855, and the Halverson Family Farm, now located on Section 26 of Preble Township, would be born. In present times, only a few things have changed land-wise, with the farm now consisting of a total of 105 acres.

Anders would purchase two 40-acre lots located in section four and eight of the township (which has since been sold). Since there was little timber on the homestead, it is presumed he bought the lots for wood.

He built a log cabin, which was used for 13 years as living quarters. He also used the timber to create buildings to shelter livestock and for firewood needed during the long winter months.

By 1856, Anders had made enough money to send for his parents and two sisters to emigrate from the homeland. They arrived in LaSalle in April and from there, with ox and team, Anders brought his family to Preble. In 1861, he married Anne Knudedatter Vigness, who had been from the same area in Norway.

Anders and Anne had a home built in 1869, which is the same home that is occupied by Neil and Lois Halverson this very day. He and Anne were parents of seven children and during that time Anders had changed his name to Andrew.

One son, Casper, would take over the farm in 1891, following his father's death. At the age of 20, Casper was in charge of land that his father had worked for over 35 years. Unlike his father, who raised wheat and prairie grass for hay, Casper grew more corn, soybeans and clover for hay. He also kept milk cows, sheep and donkeys.

Casper married Laura Leyse in 1895 and the couple had three children; in 1916 Laura died from tuberculosis at the age of 51. He then married Helen Crowthers and they continued to farm until 1946 or 1947 when they moved to Mauston, Wis., with their only daughter. In 1950, Casper died at the age of 80 to natural causes.

Casper's son, Clifford took over farming in 1951, but had spent many years working other jobs, some not directly related to farming. With his wife, Mildred, Clifford had lived in Mabel and owned a portable feed mill mounted on a Model A truck, grinding ear corn and oats for area farmers. After a couple of other jobs, he took over the chores of the family farm and with the help of sons, Leonard and Keith, he farmed until 1956 when he died of jaundice at the young age of 48.

Leonard had returned to farming in 1954 after being drafted in the Army. He farmed with his father and brother, Keith. In the spring of 1955, Leonard bought six cows, and put a barn up on the property. A year following his father's death, Leonard bought the farm and Keith bought his place from the family estate.

In 1958, Leonard married Loretta Hoff, also from Preble Township and the two moved into the house on the homestead. The house had not been lived in for nearly 10 years, since Leonard's grandfather, Casper had moved to Wisconsin. The area around the house was covered by shrubs and trees so heavy that it wasn't visible from the road. But, slowly and surely, the two made it livable again.

Over time they put in a new foundation under the east side of the house and electrically wired the farm. In 1964, they put in plumbing, new furnace and kitchen cabinets. Over the next several years the couple remodeled the entire house. The year of 1967 was a busy year for Leonard. He rebuilt an old granary, which was no longer useable. That fall saw a new drying bin put in. That same year, in May, a tornado came through the area, destroying the barn; but fortunately no livestock was hurt in the event. A neighbor's barn was used for milking until a new barn was completed in September of 1968.

Leonard Halverson milked in the new barn for two years until he sold the dairy cows in 1970. He converted the dairy into a furrowing barn for pigs, buying 16 furrowing crates. He did that for 14 years until the fall of 1984. He then took the crates out and used the barn for calves.

For several years Leonard did custom combining of oats, soybeans and corn for the area neighbors, as well as his own and his brother Keith's land. With his 1655 Oliver diesel tractor and John Deere 55 combine, he served his community well.

But by 2001, Leonard and Loretta retired from farming and moved to a house in Mabel, where they still reside. Their son, Neil, and daughter-in-law, Lois, moved to the farm, where they have kept up the family lifestyle.

"We grow alfalfa, corn and soy beans," explained the Halversons. "We also raise beef cattle. Years ago farmers were more diversified in their farming. Now we mainly focus on the cattle and crops."

Their children, Laura, 14, and Ryan, 13 both have expressed interest in maintaining the family lifestyle when they become the holders of the farm. The kids are also the seventh generation to life on the homestead.

"We would like our children to have the farm when we retire. Its up to our children what they want to use the farm for, I don't see it as a single source income, but I guess they will have to figure that out for themselves," indicated the Halversons. "Our heritage is very important to us. It's a hobby of mine to do family genealogy and I share it with the family.

"Our children love living on the farm and have told us they would not want to live anywhere else."