Val Bjornson
Kristjan Valdimar "Val" Bjornson (August 29, 1906 – March 3, 1987) was a Minnesota writer, newspaper editor, and politician who served as State Treasurer for more than two decades.[1]
He was born in Minneota, Minnesota of Icelandic descent.[2] In World War II, he served in Navy intelligence, stationed in Iceland.[3] Besides English, he was able to speak Icelandic, Finnish, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian.[4]
He was part owner of the Minneota Mascot newspaper and an associate editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press.[5]
As the Republican candidate in the United States Senate elections, 1954, he lost to Hubert Humphrey, with whom he sometimes shared a car to travel the state.[6]
He died in Minneapolis.[7] The University of Minnesota, his alma mater, and the University of Iceland have a student exchange scholarship named in his honor.[8]
Bibliography
Bjornson, Val (1969). The History of Minnesota. West Palm Beach, Florida: Lewis Historical Publishing.
References
- ↑ "Val Bjornson". The New York Times. March 12, 1987. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
- ↑ CQ Weekly Report, Volume 12, page 1040. Congressional Quarterly, 1954
- ↑ http://www.icelandminnesota.com/scholarship.htm
- ↑ "National Affairs: Who Won". Time. September 27, 1954. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
- ↑ http://www.marshallindependent.com/page/content.detail/id/500519.html?nav=5015
- ↑ http://www.dglobe.com/event/article/id/7666/ Archived July 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/bismarck-bjorseth.html#RLJ0XYUMN
- ↑ http://www1.umn.edu/news/features/2005/UR_47605_REGION1.html
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Julius A. Schmahl |
Treasurer of Minnesota 1951–1955 |
Succeeded by Arthur Hansen |
| Preceded by Arthur Hansen |
Treasurer of Minnesota 1957–1975 |
Succeeded by Jim Lord |
 | ||
(Office Abolished 2003) | ||