Nisha Rathode (Editor)

Ben F Jensen

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Preceded by
  
Otha Wearin

Party
  
Republican Party

Role
  
U.S. representative


Name
  
Ben Jensen

Political party
  
Republican Party

Succeeded by
  
John R. Hansen

Ben F. Jensen

Born
  
December 16, 1892 Marion, Iowa (
1892-12-16
)

Died
  
February 5, 1970, Washington, D.C., United States

Benton Franklin Jensen (December 16, 1892 – February 5, 1970) served thirteen consecutive terms as a U.S. Representative from Iowa's 7th congressional district in the southwestern corner of the state. While on the floor of the U.S. House on March 1, 1954, he was one of five Congressmen wounded by gunfire from a Puerto Rican Nationalists firing from a visitors' gallery.

Biography

Born in Marion, Iowa, Jensen was the tenth of thirteen children born to Danish immigrant parents. He attended the rural high schools. From 1914 to 1917, he was employed by a lumber company as yardman and assistant auditor. He served as a second lieutenant in 1918 during World War I. Upon his return from the war, he served as manager of a lumber company for nearly twenty years.

In 1938, Jensen was elected as a Republican to represent Iowa's 7th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was re-elected twelve times, serving continuously from January 3, 1939 to January 3, 1965.

In the 1954 shooting incident, Jensen was shot in the back near his right shoulder. The bullet was removed the following day. He fully recovered, and served ten more years in Congress. However, during the 1964 Democratic landslide, he was defeated by Democrat John R. Hansen. He then returned home to Exira, Iowa.

Jensen died in Washington, D.C. on February 5, 1970, and was interred in Exira Cemetery. The papers of Ben F. Jensen were given to the University of Iowa Libraries in 1967.

References

Ben F. Jensen Wikipedia