Harold Knutson

Knutson in 1917

Portrait of Harold Knutson

Harold Knutson (October 20, 1880 – August 21, 1953) was a Norwegian-American politician and journalist, who represented Minnesota in the United States House of Representatives from 1917 to 1949 as a member of the Republican Party. From 1919 to 1923 he was the Republican majority whip.

Early life

Knutson was born in Skien, in Telemark county, Norway. At the age of 6 he and his family moved to the United States. They initially settled in Chicago, Illinois, but later moved to Sherburne County, Minnesota.

Journalist career

Knutson became the editor for the St. Cloud Daily Journal-Press. Later, he was president of the Northern Minnesota Editorial Association.

U.S. House of Representatives

From 1917 to 1949 he served as a Republican Party Congressman in the 65th, 66th, 67th, 68th, 69th, 70th, 71st, 72nd, 73rd, 74th, 75th, 76th, 77th, 78th, 79th, and 80th congresses. On April 5, 1917, he voted against declaring war on Germany. He served as the majority whip from 1919 to 1923. In 1947 he headed the House Ways and Means Committee.

Later life

Knutson was defeated for re-election in 1948 and returned to editing, which he continued to do until his death in 1953.

Personal life

Knutson was a Lutheran. He set up a camp for "neglected, unfortunate, deprived and handicapped children." He was also a member of the Freemasons, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Charles Lindbergh	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 6th congressional district 1917–1933	Succeeded by N/A
Preceded by N/A	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's at-large congressional district 1933–1935	Succeeded by N/A
Preceded by N/A	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 6th congressional district 1935–1949	Succeeded by Fred Marshall
Party political offices
Preceded by Thomas Montgomery Bell (D-GA) (No majority (Democratic) whip 1915–1919; Bell was whip 1913–1915)	House Majority Whip 1919–1923	Succeeded by Albert Henry Vestal (R-IN)
Preceded by Charles Mann Hamilton (NY)	House Republican Whip 1919–1923	Succeeded by Albert Henry Vestal (IN)

Majority Whips of the U.S. House of Representatives

Tawney Watson Dwight Bell Knutson Vestal McDuffie Greenwood Boland Ramspeck Sparkman Arends Priest Arends Albert Boggs O'Neill McFall Brademas Foley Coelho Gray Bonior DeLay Blunt Clyburn McCarthy Scalise

Republican Whips of the United States House of Representatives

Tawney Watson Dwight Burke Hamilton Knutson Vestal Bachmann Englebright Arends Michel Lott Cheney Gingrich DeLay Blunt Cantor McCarthy Scalise

Chairmen of the United States House Committee on Ways and Means

Fitzsimons W. Smith Harper Griswold Randolph Clay G. Campbell Eppes Bacon Cheves Eppes Lowndes S. Smith McLane Randolph McDuffie Verplanck Polk Cambreleng J. W. Jones Fillmore McKay Vinton Bayly Houston L. Campbell J. G. Jones Phelps Sherman Stevens Morrill Schenck Hooper Dawes Morrison Wood Tucker Kelley Morrison R. Mills McKinley Springer Wilson Dingley Payne Underwood Kitchin Fordney Green Hawley Collier Doughton Knutson Doughton Reed Cooper W. Mills Ullman Rostenkowski Gibbons Archer Thomas Rangel Levin Camp Ryan Johnson Brady

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota

Districts 1–8 (active)

1st district	Territorial Delegate, 1849–1858 Sibley Rice Kingsbury 1863–1933 Windom Wilkinson Dunnell While T. Wilson Dunnell Harries Tawney Anderson Furlow Christgau 1935–present Andresen Quie Erdahl Penny Gutknecht Walz

2nd district	1863–1933 Donnelly E.M. Wilson Averill Strait Poehler Strait Wakefield Lind McCleary Hammond Ellsworth Clague 1935–present Ryan O'Hara Nelsen Hagedorn Weber Minge Kennedy Kline

3rd district	1873–1933 Averill King Stewart Washburn Strait MacDonald D. Hall O. Hall Heatwole Davis Andresen 1935–present Lundeen Teigan Alexander Gale Gallagher MacKinnon Wier MacGregor Frenzel Ramstad Paulsen

4th district	1883–1933 Washburn Gilfillan Rice Snider Castle Kiefer Stevens Van Dyke Keller Maas 1935–present Maas Starkey Devitt McCarthy Karth Vento McCollum

5th district	1883–1933 Nelson Comstock Halvorson Fletcher Lind Fletcher Nye Smith Lundeen Newton W. Nolan 1935–present Christianson D. Johnson Youngdahl Judd Fraser Sabo Ellison

6th district	1893–1933 Baldwin Towne Morris Buckman Lindbergh H. Knutson 1935–present H. Knutson Marshall Olson Zwach R. Nolan Weber Sikorski Grams Luther Kennedy Bachmann Emmer

7th district	1893–1933 Boen Eddy Volstead O. Kvale P. Kvale 1935–present P. Kvale Andersen Langen Bergland Stangeland Peterson

8th district	1903–1933 Bede Miller Carss Larson Carss Pittenger 1935–present Pittenger Bernard Pittenger Blatnik Oberstar Cravaack R. Nolan

Districts 9–10 and Statewide General Ticket (obsolete)

9th district	1903–33 Steenerson Wefald Selvig 1935–63 Buckler Hagen C. Knutson Langen

10th district	1915–33 Schall Goodwin

General Ticket	1858–63 Cavanaugh Phelps Windom Aldrich 1913–15 Manahan 1933–35 Arens Chase Christianson Hoidale Johnson H. Knutson P. Kvale Lundeen Shoemaker

External links

Additional Resources

The Papers of Harold Knutson are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society.

Harold Knutson at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Authority control	WorldCat VIAF: 41463766 LCCN: no98106916 US Congress: K000301

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