Lynn Frazier

Lynn Joseph Frazier (December 21, 1874 – January 11, 1947) was a politician from North Dakota, serving as a U.S. Senator from 1923 to 1941 and the 12th Governor of North Dakota from 1917 until being recalled in 1921. He was the first American governor ever successfully recalled from office. The only other time a gubernatorial recall has been successful was in 2003 to California Governor Gray Davis.

Lynn Frazier
United States Senator from North Dakota
In office March 4, 1923 – January 3, 1941
Preceded by	Porter J. McCumber
Succeeded by	William Langer
12th Governor of North Dakota
In office January 3, 1917 – November 23, 1921
Lieutenant	Howard R. Wood
Preceded by	L. B. Hanna
Succeeded by	Ragnvald Nestos
Personal details
Born	Lynn Joseph Frazier (1874-12-21)December 21, 1874 Medford, Minnesota
Died	January 11, 1947(1947-01-11) (aged 72) Riverdale, Maryland
Resting place	Hoople Cemetery, Hoople, North Dakota
Political party	Republican/Nonpartisan League
Spouse(s)	Lottie J. Stafford ( m. 1903⁠–⁠1935) Cathrine Behrens Paulson ( m. 1937⁠–⁠1947)
Alma mater	University of North Dakota
Profession	Farmer, Teacher

Early life

Frazier was born in Medford, Minnesota. His family moved to North Dakota when he was six years old. Prior to his career in state and national politics, Frazier was a farmer and school teacher.[1] He graduated from Grafton High School in 1892 and Mayville Normal School in 1895. He completed his bachelor's degree at the University of North Dakota and graduated with honors in 1902.

Career

After running in the Republican primary as the Non-Partisan League candidate, Frazier was elected Governor in 1916 with 79% of the vote. Frazier was extremely popular and implemented several reforms such as the establishment of the Bank of North Dakota and the North Dakota Mill and Elevator.

During the 1919 national coal strike, Governor Frazier took a unique approach to the strike. He declared martial law, took over the mines with United Mine Workers of America contracts and ran them in cooperation with the union.[2]

He was re-elected twice, in 1918 and 1920, but an economic depression hit the agricultural sector during his third term and resulted in a successful private-business-led grassroots movement to press for his recall. In 1921, Frazier was the first governor to be successfully removed from office.[3] Independent Voters Association member Ragnvald A. Nestos was elected in his place.

After the recall, Frazier was elected in 1922 to the US Senate, again as the NPL candidate on the Republican ticket. He served until losing a bid for re-election in 1940, when he was unseated in the Republican primary by William Langer.

Personal life

He was twice married, to Lottie J. Stafford, with whom he had five children, from November 26, 1903 until her death on January 14, 1935,[4] and to the Catherine Paulson, whom he married in 1937.[1][4]

Death and legacy

Frazier died in Riverdale, Maryland, on January 11, 1947, at the age of 72. He is buried in Hoople Cemetery, Hoople, North Dakota.

Governor Frazier is portrayed in the 1984 Nebraska Public TV documentary Plowing up a Storm.

See also

• North Dakota recall election, 1921

References

1. "Lynn Frazier". National Governors Association. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
2. Perlman, Selig and Philip Taft. History of Labor in the United States, 1896–1932. Volume IV Labor Movements. MacMillan: NY, 1935. p. 525; and Jeremy Brecher. Strike. South End Press: Boston. 1999. pp. 150–151.
3. "Lynn Frazier". Soylent Communications. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
4. "Lynn J. Frazier Papers" (PDF). North Dakota State University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-05-19. Retrieved 2013-07-07.

External links

• United States Congress. "Lynn Frazier (id: F000354)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Lynn Frazier at Find a Grave
• National Governors Association

Party political offices
Preceded by L. B. Hanna	Republican nominee for Governor of North Dakota 1916, 1918, 1920	Succeeded by Ragnvald Nestos
Preceded by None	Nonpartisan League nominee for Governor of North Dakota 1921	Succeeded by William Lemke
Preceded by Porter J. McCumber	Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from North Dakota (Class 1) 1922, 1928, 1934	Succeeded by William Langer
Political offices
Preceded by L. B. Hanna	Governor of North Dakota 1917–1921	Succeeded by Ragnvald A. Nestos
U.S. Senate
Preceded by Porter J. McCumber	U.S. senator (Class 1) from North Dakota 1923–1941 Served alongside: Edwin F. Ladd, Gerald Nye	Succeeded by William Langer