Subject
Two mustached men, taken Holand Studio, Grand Forks, ND. Uncle Mat is written on the back. From other photographs and family history information, the man with the 'fake' mustached on the right is likely Mathias 'Matt' O. Halvorson who was born in June 1863 to parents, Ole and Ingeborg (Rognstad; alt. spellings: Ragnstad, Rongstad, Roinestad) Halvorson, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Matt Halvorson's younger sister was Ostina 'Stina' Halvorson who was born in June 1866 (see Catalogit Family History entry 2024.499.1 & Catalogit Photographs entry 2024.520.1). Matt and Stina were raised on their parent's farm near Colfax in Dunn County to the northwest of Eau Claire, WI. By 1900 (US census data), Stina and Matt had moved with their parents to a farm east of Buxton (E. Buxton Township, later Stavanger Township) in Traill County, ND.
The "Uncle Mat" written on the back of this photograph was added by Stina (Halvorson) Hovet's daughter, Thelma (Hovet) Olson.