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Fred G. Aandahl Papers, 1917-1966
Collection Overview
Title: Fred G. Aandahl Papers, 1917-1966
ID: OGLMC0051
Primary Creator: Aandahl, Fred G. (1897-1966)
Extent: 11.5 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 07/01/1968. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Politics and Government - North Dakota Governor, Politics and Government - Republican Organizing Committee (ROC), Politics and Government - Republican Party, Politics and Government - United States House of Representatives, University of North Dakota - Alumni
Languages: English
Abstract
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Fred G. Aandahl Papers date from 1917 to 1966 and have been divided into seven series as follows:
Series 1: Biographical Information
Series 2: Newspaper Clippings
Series 3: North Dakota State Senate
Series 4: North Dakota Governor
Series 5: United States House of Representatives
Series 6: Assistant Secretary of the Interior
Series 7: Photographs
Series 8: Oversized Materials
Collection Historical Note
Fred George Aandahl was born April 9, 1897, in Svea Township, near Litchville, North Dakota. He was the son of Soren "Sam" J. and Mamie C. (Lawry) Aandahl. Sam Aandahl came to Dakota Territory in 1881 with his parents, J.S. and Martine. The family was originally from Aandalsnes, Norway. Mamie Lawry arrived in Dakota Territory in 1879, and was of English descent. Sam and Mamie were married on March 28, 1896. Sam served in the North Dakota legislature in 1903, and was also a member of the North Dakota State Railroad Commission. Sam Aandahl died in 1922, preceding the death of Mamie in 1923.
Fred G. Aandahl attended elementary schools in Valley City and rural Svea, before attending Litchville High School for three years. He received the final year of his high school education from the Model High School at the University of North Dakota, graduating in 1917.
He attended the University of North Dakota, graduating in 1921 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Liberal Arts. His major was law, with history and economics being his minor. While at UND, Aandahl was active in Delta Sigma Rho, an honorary society for oratory, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon, a Greek social fraternity.
Following graduation, Aandahl farmed the family homestead following the death of his farmer. He also served as principal at the Svea Consolidated School (1922-24), before becoming Superintendent of Schools in Litchville in 1924. In 1927, he retired from his career in education to focus his energies on the administration of the family farm. He married Luella Brekke, a teacher from the Litchville Elementary School, on June 28, 1926 in Forman, North Dakota. The couple had three daughters: Louise, Margaret and Marilyn.
Fred Aandahl won a seat in the North Dakota Senate in 1930, returning in 1938 and 1940. In the State Senate, Aandahl served on the Appropriations Committee and was known for his strong support of education. From 1933-35, he was a member of the Barnes County Agricultural Adjustment Administration. He served on the state level of this entity from 1935-38.
Aandahl was a leading member of the Republican Organizing Committee (ROC). The ROC was created to unite all Republicans opposed to William Langer and the Nonpartisan League. Aandahl delivered the keynote address at its first convention, held in Bismarck in March 1944. Besides Aandahl, the other founding members included Rilie Morgan of Grafton, Milton Young of Berlin, and Joseph Bridston of Grand Forks. With the strong backing of the ROC, Aandahl won the Republican nomination for Governor in the June primary. In the November election, he defeated three-term Attorney General Alvin Strutz.
One of Aandahl's first major decisions in office was to appoint a replacement for the recently deceased John Moses to the United States Senate. On 12 March 1945, Aandahl named Milton Young as the replacement. Aandahl was Governor of North Dakota from 1945 to 1950, before being elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1950. He served one term in the House, before deciding to seek the Republican nomination for the U.S Senate seat held by William Langer. Langer used considerable Democratic and NPL support to defeat Aandahl.
Upon the recommendation of U.S. Senator Robert Taft of Ohio, Aandahl was named Assistant Secretary of the Interior, by President Dwight Eisenhower in February 1953. He served the Eisenhower administration in this capacity until 1961. When the Kennedy Administration took office in January 1961, Aandahl retired to his Litchville farm. He died April 7, 1966 in Fargo, and is buried at Hillside Cemetery in Valley City, North Dakota.
Sources:
Current Biography. v19, no8: September 1958, pp 3-4. "Fred Aandahl" in Barnes County History. Dallas: Taylor Publishing, 1976.
Robinson, Elwyn. History of North Dakota. Lincoln: University of Nebraska, 1966.
Subject/Index Terms
Politics and Government - North Dakota Governor
Politics and Government - Republican Organizing Committee (ROC)
Politics and Government - Republican Party
Politics and Government - United States House of Representatives
University of North Dakota - Alumni
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Louise Aandahl Stockman, Fargo, North Dakota, donated additional materials: April 18, 1996 (Acc.96-2064), 1998 (Acc.98-2203), May 20, 1999 (Acc.99-2244) October 9, 2002 (Acc.2002-2582).
Material was also transferred from the North Dakota Biographical File in 1981 (Acc.81-901).
Access Restrictions: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Source: Aandahl Family
Acquisition Method: Donation
Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Fred G. Aandahl Papers. OGLMC 51, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in November 2015.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Biographical Information],
[Series 2: Newspaper Clippings],
[Series 3: North Dakota State Senate],
[Series 4: North Dakota Governor],
[Series 5: United States House of Representatives],
[Series 6: Assistant Secretary of the Interior],
[Series 7: Photographs],
[Series 8: Oversized Materials],
[All]
- Series 1: Biographical Information
- Box 8
- Folder 19: 1917 Flickertail, Yearbook for the UND Model High School
- Folder 20: 1918 Flickertail, Yearbook for the UND Model High School
- Folder 21: "Aandahl, Fred G(eorge)" in Current Biography, September 1958
- Folder 22: Obituary, Grand Forks Herald, 7 April 1966
- Folder 31: Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from UND, 1962
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Biographical Information],
[Series 2: Newspaper Clippings],
[Series 3: North Dakota State Senate],
[Series 4: North Dakota Governor],
[Series 5: United States House of Representatives],
[Series 6: Assistant Secretary of the Interior],
[Series 7: Photographs],
[Series 8: Oversized Materials],
[All]