Bernhard M. Jacobsen
Encyclopedia
Bernhard Martin Jacobsen (March 26, 1862 - June 30, 1936) was a Democratic U.S. Representative
from Iowa
who served nearly three full terms during the Great Depression
. He was the father of William S. Jacobsen
, who succeeded him in Congress following his death.
Born in Tönder, (which was then a part of Schleswig
, Germany
but is now in Denmark
), Jacobsen attended the public schools. He immigrated in 1876 to the United States with his parents, who settled in Clinton, Iowa
. He learned to speak English while serving as a helper in a Clinton sawmill
. He was employed as a clerk in a dry goods
store until 1886, when he engaged in the mercantile business. He served as postmaster
of Clinton 1914-1923. He retired from the mercantile business in 1927 and engaged in the industrial finance business.
In 1930, Jacobsen was elected as a Democrat
to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district
, unseating incumbent Republican Congressman F. Dickinson Letts
. He was the first Democrat elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa since 1916. In the next two elections (in which Iowa Democrats established, then retained, a clear majority of U.S. House seats), Jacobsen won by large margins.
On June 1, 1936, Jacobsen won the Democratic primary
for a fourth term, this time to the Seventy-fifth
Congress. However, he died on June 30, 1936 in Rochester, Minnesota
, after ten days of hospitalization. A special nominating convention selected his son, William S. Jacobsen
, to fill his place on the ballot. His son then held the seat in the general election, defeating Charles Penningroth of Cedar Rapids
.
He was interred in Springdale Cemetery, Clinton, Iowa
.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
who served nearly three full terms during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. He was the father of William S. Jacobsen
William S. Jacobsen
William Sebastian Jacobsen was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Iowa's 2nd congressional district who served three terms from 1937 to 1942. He was the son of his predecessor, Bernhard M...
, who succeeded him in Congress following his death.
Born in Tönder, (which was then a part of Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
but is now in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
), Jacobsen attended the public schools. He immigrated in 1876 to the United States with his parents, who settled in Clinton, Iowa
Clinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
. He learned to speak English while serving as a helper in a Clinton sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
. He was employed as a clerk in a dry goods
Dry goods
Dry goods are products such as textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, and sundries. In U.S. retailing, a dry goods store carries consumer goods that are distinct from those carried by hardware stores and grocery stores, though "dry goods" as a term for textiles has been dated back to 1742 in England or...
store until 1886, when he engaged in the mercantile business. He served as postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Clinton 1914-1923. He retired from the mercantile business in 1927 and engaged in the industrial finance business.
In 1930, Jacobsen was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to represent Iowa's 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district
Iowa's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that generally covers most of the southeastern part of the state including Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.The district is currently represented by Democrat Dave Loebsack....
, unseating incumbent Republican Congressman F. Dickinson Letts
F. Dickinson Letts
Fred Dickinson Letts was a three-term Republican U.S. Representative from eastern Iowa, and a thirty-year federal trial court judge in the District of Columbia.-Life and work:...
. He was the first Democrat elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa since 1916. In the next two elections (in which Iowa Democrats established, then retained, a clear majority of U.S. House seats), Jacobsen won by large margins.
On June 1, 1936, Jacobsen won the Democratic primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
for a fourth term, this time to the Seventy-fifth
75th United States Congress
The Seventy-fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1937 to January 3, 1939, during the first two years...
Congress. However, he died on June 30, 1936 in Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
, after ten days of hospitalization. A special nominating convention selected his son, William S. Jacobsen
William S. Jacobsen
William Sebastian Jacobsen was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Iowa's 2nd congressional district who served three terms from 1937 to 1942. He was the son of his predecessor, Bernhard M...
, to fill his place on the ballot. His son then held the seat in the general election, defeating Charles Penningroth of Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
.
He was interred in Springdale Cemetery, Clinton, Iowa
Clinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
.