Knud Wefald

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Knud Wefald
KnudWefald.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Minnesota's 9th district
In office
March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1927
Preceded by Halvor Steenerson
Succeeded by Conrad Selvig
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 49th district
In office
January 5, 1915 – January 1, 1917
Preceded by S.N. Lee
Succeeded by John A. Healy
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 60th district
In office
January 7, 1913 – January 4, 1915
Preceded by Moyle Edwards
Succeeded by Samuel C. Scott
Personal details
Born Knud Magnus Wefald
(1869-11-03)November 3, 1869
Kragerø, Telemark, Norway
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
St. Paul, Minnesota
Resting place Hawley Cemetery
Hawley, Minnesota
Political party Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party
Spouse(s) Sarah Skree
Children Ten
Occupation Retail Lumber Business, Politician

Knud Magnus Wefald (November 3, 1869 – October 25, 1936), was an American Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota's 9th congressional district from 1923 to 1927.

Background

Knud Magnus Wefald was born in Yttre Vefald, Drangedal, in Kragerø, Telemark county, Norway. He attended the local schools and high school of his native land. He immigrated to the United States in 1887 and in 1896 settled in Hawley, Clay County, Minnesota where he engaged in agricultural pursuits while managing a partly owned lumber business.

Career

As a member of the village council of Hawley he served as council president in 1907 – 1912, 1917, and 1918 before becoming a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives 1913 – 1915. Subsequently, Wefald was elected on the Farmer-Labor ticket to the 68th and 69th congresses (March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1927) from Minnesota's 9th congressional district. After an unsuccessful campaign for reelection in 1926 to the 70th congress he resumed his former business pursuits. Wefald edited a Norwegian language newspaper in Fargo, North Dakota, 1929 – 1931 and was executive secretary of the commission of administration and finance of Minnesota in 1931 and 1932. Finally, he served as railroad and warehouse commissioner of Minnesota from January 1933 until his death in Saint Paul, Minnesota, October 25, 1936.[1][2]

Papers of Knud Wefald are in the collections of the Norwegian-American Historical Association Archives. Included are an account from 1903 concerning a trip to Norway, poems that he wrote in both Norwegian and English, and extracts from the Congressional Record during his term in the United States House of Representatives.[3]

References

  1. Congressman Knud Wefald: A Minnesota Voice for Farm Parity by Jon M. Wefald, Minnesota History 38 (December 1962): 177-85
  2. Wefald, Knud Magnus (Minnesota Legislators Past and Present. Minnesota State Legislature) [1]
  3. Wefald, Knut (From the Archives by Charlotte Jacobson. NAHA. Volume 31: Page 317) [2]

Other sources

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by U.S. Representative from Minnesota's 9th congressional district
1923 – 1927
Succeeded by
Conrad Selvig