Edward T. Halaas was born in Norway on August 8, 1863 and came to America in 1882 and worked on a farm at Milan, Minnesota. The next spring (1883) he worked on the Great Northern main line near Devils Lake. In the summer he came to Foster County and settled on government land, the Southwest 1/4 of Section 24 in Estabrook Township, it had not yet been surveyed.
On July 14, 1887 he married Lina Rusten, who was born in 1858. They lived on the farm in Estabrook Township until 1903 when they retired and moved to Carrington. Their daughter, Ida Beaton, lives in the family home in Carrington at 1011 North Third Street. Mr. Halaas was a reader, writer, collector, and traveler. He and his brothers visited Norway in 1914. A book can be found in the city library telling of his trip. He was a politician and claimed to have held more offices than any man in the county; treasurer of Estabrook Township, Foster County Assessor, County Commissioner, Country treasurer, State Representative and Carrington Postmaster appointed by president Taft from 1910 to 1914.
The couple had seven children: Ralph, Leonard, Olga, Ida, Theodore, Bernard and Cora.
Mr. Halaas died in April 1951. Mrs. Halaas died in 1937. They are buried in Kvernes Cemetery.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 46B