Luther Youngdahl

Luther Wallace Youngdahl (May 29, 1896 – June 21, 1978) was the 27th governor of Minnesota and a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Luther W. Youngdahl
Youngdahl in 1949
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
In office May 29, 1966 – June 21, 1978
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
In office August 29, 1951 – May 29, 1966
Appointed by	Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	Thomas Alan Goldsborough
Succeeded by	John Lewis Smith Jr.
27th Governor of Minnesota
In office January 8, 1947 – September 27, 1951
Lieutenant	C. Elmer Anderson
Preceded by	Edward John Thye
Succeeded by	C. Elmer Anderson
Personal details
Born	Luther Wallace Youngdahl (1896-05-29)May 29, 1896 Minneapolis, Minnesota
Died	June 21, 1978(1978-06-21) (aged 82) Washington, D.C.
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery
Political party	Republican
Education	Gustavus Adolphus College (B.A.) Mitchell Hamline School of Law (LL.B.)

Education and career

Born on May 29, 1896, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Youngdahl received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1919 from Gustavus Adolphus College and a Bachelor of Laws in 1921 from the Minnesota College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline School of Law). He served as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army during World War I. He was an assistant city attorney for Minneapolis from 1921 to 1924 and in private practice from 1924 to 1930. He was a judge of the Minneapolis Municipal Court from 1930 to 1936 and of the Minnesota District Court for the Fourth Judicial District from 1936 to 1942. He was an Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1942 to 1946. A member of the Republican Party[1], he was the governor of Minnesota from January 8, 1947, to September 27, 1951.[2]

Federal judicial service

On July 6, 1951, President Harry S. Truman nominated Youngdahl to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia vacated by Judge Thomas Alan Goldsborough. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 28, 1951, and received his commission on August 29, 1951. He assumed senior status on May 29, 1966.[2] His service terminated on June 21, 1978, upon his death in Washington, D.C.[3] He was interred in Arlington National Cemetery.[1]

Quote

Youngdahl later said of his judgeship: "Hubert was exuberant and happy. He was pleased that I could get to serve on the federal bench, and undoubtedly he was somewhat relieved that I would not be around to run against him" in the 1954 United States Senate election.[4]

Correspondence and papers

• Luther W. Youngdahl papers

References

1. "Luther W. Youngdahl, First Lieutenant, United States Army". www.arlingtoncemetery.net.
2. "Youngdahl, Luther Wallace - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
3. 'Judge Luther Youngdahl, Rx-Governor of Minnesota, Dies,' The Washington Post, June 22, 1978
4. Obituary, Luther W. Youngdahl Archived February 27, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, June 22, 1978

Other sources

• Esbjornson, Robert A Christian in Politics: Luther W. Youngdahl (1955)

External links

• "Youngdahl, Luther Wallace - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
• "Luther W. Youngdahl, First Lieutenant, United States Army". www.arlingtoncemetery.net.

Party political offices
Preceded by Edward John Thye	Republican nominee for Governor of Minnesota 1946, 1948, 1950	Succeeded by C. Elmer Anderson
Political offices
Preceded by Edward John Thye	27th Governor of Minnesota 1947–1951	Succeeded by C. Elmer Anderson
Legal offices
Preceded by Thomas Alan Goldsborough	Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia 1951–1966	Succeeded by John Lewis Smith Jr.