Preceded by Floyd B. Olson Profession politician Succeeded by Elmer Austin Benson Political party Farmer-Labor Spouse Medora Grandprey | Preceded by Konrad K. Solberg Role American Politician Governor Floyd B. Olson Name Hjalmar Petersen | |
 | ||
Lieutenant William B. Richardson (acting) Born January 2, 1890
Eskildstrup, Denmark ( 1890-01-02 ) Died March 29, 1968, Columbus, Ohio, United States Party Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party | ||
Hjalmar Petersen (January 2, 1890 – March 29, 1968) was an American politician who served as the 23rd Governor of Minnesota.
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Background
Hjalmar Petersen was born in Eskildstrup, Denmark. His career in journalism culminated in his purchase in 1914 of the Askov American in Askov, Minnesota, a weekly newspaper he owned for the rest of his life.
Political career
After serving as Askov's village clerk and mayor, Petersen won two terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he sponsored the state income-tax law and urged that tax revenues be spent on public education. Before he ran for the Minnesota Legislature he had been a member of the Republican Party. By the time he ran for office he was a member of the Farmer-Labor Party. He served in the legislature from 1931 to 1934, representing the old House District 56.
Petersen was elected the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota in 1934 and served with Governor Floyd B. Olson. He was sworn in as governor two days after Olson died of cancer on August 22, 1936. He served the remainder of Olson's term but declined to run for governor himself in the November general election, opting instead to launch a successful bid for Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner, a position he then assumed after leaving the governship on January 4, 1937. He later ran for governor in 1940 and 1942, losing both times to Harold Stassen.
Personal life
After his term as governor, he served as the president of the American Publishing Company. He was married twice, first to Rigmor C. Wosgaard in 1914 and later to Medora Grandprey in 1934. He died in 1968 in Columbus, Ohio.