Charles Andrew Christopherson (July 23, 1871 – November 2, 1951) was a lawyer and politician in South Dakota

South Dakota

South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...

. He was elected to the state legislature in 1912. In 1918 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives

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...

, where he was re-elected to a total of seven terms until being defeated in 1932, 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...

.

Early life and education

Christopherson was born in Amherst Township, Fillmore County, Minnesota to Knute C. Christopherson, a Norwegian immigrant who came to the US at age 14, and Julia Nelson. He was one of seven children and his father belonged to the Lutheran Church. on July 23, 1871. He attended the public schools there.

Christopherson moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...

, where he attended Sioux Falls Business College and Normal School. He graduated in 1890 and read the law with an established firm until he qualified for the bar.

Career

Christopherson was admitted to the bar in 1893, and started his practice in Sioux Falls at the Joe Kirby

Joe Kirby

Joe Kirby was a self-educated son of Irish immigrants who became an important figure in South Dakota history...

 law office He later practiced alone until taking Fredolph H.. Melquist as partner in 1913.

Marriage and family

Christopherson married Abbie Deyoe from Cedar Falls, Iowa

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States, and it is home to one of Iowa's three public universities, the University of Northern Iowa. The population was 39,260 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 36,145 population in the 2000 census...

 on November 30, 1897. Her parents were both born in New York State and migrated west. They had two children: Wanda M. and Charles A. Christopherson. He and his family belonged to the Congregational Church.

Political career

Christopherson became active in local issues. He was elected as a member of the Board of Education of Sioux Falls from 1908–1918, and President of it from 1911-1915. He participated in the Masons, the International Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and the Elks.

In 1912, he was elected as a Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 to the South Dakota House of Representatives

South Dakota House of Representatives

The South Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 70 members, two from each legislative district...

, and served as Speaker of the House beginning in 1915, in his last term.

In 1918, Christopherson ran for and won the state seat in the United States House of Representatives

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...

. He was re-elected every term until 1932 (for a total of seven), when he lost to a Democratic candidate

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...

, part of a sweep based on the popularity of President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...

 and his programs 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...

. Christopherson ran again for office in 1934, but lost.

He returned to Sioux Falls full time to pursue his legal career. He died there in 1951.