Clarence P. Dahl
Encyclopedia
Clarence P. Dahl was a North Dakota
politician with the Republican Party
who served as the Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota from 1945 to 1950, 1953 to 1956, and from 1959 to 1960. He also served in the North Dakota Senate
from 1938 to 1944 and from 1950 to 1952.
. He was the son of Peter and Ellene (Stensven) Dahl. He was educated in the public schools, and at the business college in Winona, Minnesota
. He engaged in business as a merchant in Griggs County, North Dakota
, and stayed in the business for 23 years. He also was a farmer, an auctioneer, and he owned and supervised 700 acres (2.8 km²) of farm land while serving as Lieutenant Governor. Dahl established Dahl's Cash Store in Jessie in 1925. The business was sold in 1948, and the family moved to Cooperstown. For a time during the late 1930s, he served as both Director and Secretary of the Jessie Farmers Elevator.
Dahl had been active in North Dakota politics since 1916, when he was involved with the organization of the Nonpartisan League. He maintained an interest in the League until 1934, when he was one of a group which formed the Progressive Republicans. Dahl entered state office when he was elected as a state Senator in 1938; a position he served in until 1944 when he was elected Lieutenant Governor that year. He served until 1950 when he did not seek re-election. At that time, he returned to the state Senate for one term until he was once again elected Lieutenant Governor in 1952. He served until 1956 when he did not seek re-election, only to run and win in 1958. He began his final period as Lieutenant Governor, a period that ended in 1960. Following a four year stint as director of the State Laboratories Department, he retired from public life.
Dahl married Ovidia Anderson on December 28, 1922 at age 30 and had three children; Phillip, Marjorie, and Robert. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, Knights of Pythias
, and Masonic Lodge
.
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
politician with the Republican Party
North Dakota Republican Party
The North Dakota Republican Party is the North Dakota affiliate of the United States Republican Party. The party platform is generally conservative.The North Dakota Republican Party is strongly in control of the state's politics...
who served as the Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota from 1945 to 1950, 1953 to 1956, and from 1959 to 1960. He also served in the North Dakota Senate
North Dakota Senate
The North Dakota Senate is the upper house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, smaller than the North Dakota House of Representatives.North Dakota is divided into between 40 and 54 legislative districts apportioned by population as determined by the decennial census...
from 1938 to 1944 and from 1950 to 1952.
Biography
Clarence Dahl was born in 1892 in York, WisconsinYork, Wisconsin
York is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Wisconsin:*York, Clark County, Wisconsin, a town*York, Dane County, Wisconsin, a town*York, Green County, Wisconsin, a town*York, Jackson County, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community...
. He was the son of Peter and Ellene (Stensven) Dahl. He was educated in the public schools, and at the business college in Winona, Minnesota
Winona, Minnesota
Winona is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, in the U.S. State of Minnesota. Located in picturesque bluff country on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf....
. He engaged in business as a merchant in Griggs County, North Dakota
Griggs County, North Dakota
-Major highways:* North Dakota Highway 1* North Dakota Highway 45* North Dakota Highway 65* North Dakota Highway 200-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,754 people, 1,178 households, and 781 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile...
, and stayed in the business for 23 years. He also was a farmer, an auctioneer, and he owned and supervised 700 acres (2.8 km²) of farm land while serving as Lieutenant Governor. Dahl established Dahl's Cash Store in Jessie in 1925. The business was sold in 1948, and the family moved to Cooperstown. For a time during the late 1930s, he served as both Director and Secretary of the Jessie Farmers Elevator.
Dahl had been active in North Dakota politics since 1916, when he was involved with the organization of the Nonpartisan League. He maintained an interest in the League until 1934, when he was one of a group which formed the Progressive Republicans. Dahl entered state office when he was elected as a state Senator in 1938; a position he served in until 1944 when he was elected Lieutenant Governor that year. He served until 1950 when he did not seek re-election. At that time, he returned to the state Senate for one term until he was once again elected Lieutenant Governor in 1952. He served until 1956 when he did not seek re-election, only to run and win in 1958. He began his final period as Lieutenant Governor, a period that ended in 1960. Following a four year stint as director of the State Laboratories Department, he retired from public life.
Dahl married Ovidia Anderson on December 28, 1922 at age 30 and had three children; Phillip, Marjorie, and Robert. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, Knights of Pythias
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864.The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been...
, and Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
.
Other Reading
- Goldberg, Ray. The Nonpartisan League in North Dakota: A Case Study of Political Action in America (Undergraduate Honor's Thesis, Department of Government, Harvard University. Published by Midwest Printing and Lithographing Company, Fargo, 1948).