John Moses

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22nd Governor of North Dakota
John Moses

In office 1939 – 1945
Lieutenant	Jack A. Patterson 1939-1940 Oscar W. Hagen 1941-1942 Henry Holt 1943-1944 Clarence P. Dahl 1945
Preceded by	William Langer
Succeeded by	Fred G. Aandahl

Born	June 12, 1885 Strand, Norway
Died	March 3, 1945 Rochester, Minnesota
Political party	Democratic

John Moses (June 12, 1885 – March 3, 1945) was the 22nd Governor of North Dakota from 1939 to 1945, and served in the United States Senate in 1945 until his death that year.

[edit] Biography

Born in Strand, Norway in 1885, John Moses attended high school and junior college in Norway. He came to the United States in 1905 and worked for the Great Northern Railway from 1906 to 1911. He entered the University of North Dakota, receiving his A.B. in 1914 and his J.D. in 1915. He began practicing law at Hazen in 1917 and served as state's attorney for Mercer County for several years. In 1936 he came in third in the three-way governor's race, behind former governors William Langer and Walter Welford. Moses became governor in 1939, following William Langer's second term in the office. Moses worked hard to reduce Langer's influence. He sought to cut government spending and to balance the state's budget. Moses was in office during World War II. He tried to encourage war-time industries to locate in the state, but North Dakota ranked last in the nation for receiving war spending. Despite the lack of wartime appropriations, Moses' administration was a time of prosperity for the state. Rainfall was plentiful and there was a ready market for agriculture products. Moses was a popular governor. During his election campaign he gave speeches in English, German, or Norwegian, depending on his audience. A Democrat, Moses was noted for his support from both political parties. In 1944 Moses defeated Gerald P. Nye for a seat in the United States Senate. He died on March 3, 1945, shortly after taking his place in the Senate.[1]

[edit] External links

John Moses Papers at The University of North Dakota

Preceded by William Langer	Governor of North Dakota 1939 – 1945	Succeeded by Fred G. Aandahl
Preceded by Gerald P. Nye	United States Senator (Class 3) from North Dakota 1945 Served alongside: William Langer	Succeeded by Milton R. Young

v • d • e Governors of North Dakota

Miller • A. Burke • Shortridge • Allin • Briggs • Devine • Fancher • White • Sarles • J. Burke • Hanna • Frazier • Nestos • Sorlie • Maddock • Shafer • Langer • O. Olson • Moodie • Welford • Langer • Moses • Aandahl • Brunsdale • Davis • Guy • Link • A. Olson • Sinner • Schafer • Hoeven

v • d • e United States Senators from North Dakota

Class 1: Casey • Roach • McCumber • Frazier • Langer • Brunsdale • Q. Burdick • J. Burdick • Conrad Class 3: Pierce • Hansbrough • Johnson • Thompson • Purcell • Gronna • Ladd • Nye • Moses • Young • Andrews • Conrad • Dorgan