J. A. O. Preus

For other people with the same name, see Jacob Preus.

Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus
Preus in 1915
20th Governor of Minnesota
In office January 5, 1921 – January 6, 1925
Lieutenant	Louis L. Collins
Preceded by	Joseph A. A. Burnquist
Succeeded by	Theodore Christianson
8th Auditor of Minnesota
In office January 5, 1915 – January 5, 1921
Governor	Winfield S. Hammond J. A. A. Burnquist
Preceded by	Samuel G. Iverson
Succeeded by	Ray P. Chase
Personal details
Born	(1883-08-28)August 28, 1883 Columbia County, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	May 24, 1961(1961-05-24) (aged 77) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Party	Republican
Spouse	Idelle Louise Haugen
Alma mater	Luther College University of Minnesota

Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus (/prɔɪs/ PROYSS; August 28, 1883 – May 24, 1961) was an American politician. He served as the eighth state auditor of Minnesota from January 5, 1915, to January 5, 1921, and as the 20th governor of Minnesota from January 5, 1921, to January 6, 1925. He was a Republican.

Background

He was born in Columbia County, Wisconsin, on August 28, 1883, of Norwegian descent. The grandson, son, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather of Lutheran pastors, he chose to serve the state rather than the church. He was a 1903 graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where his extended family has had a key role in the development, governance, and academic life of the college-community since its founding in 1862.

As a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School he cut his political teeth in Washington as executive clerk to Senator Knute Nelson. Back home after three years, he continued his climb up the Republican ladder of state service toward the governor's office.

Career

When Preus first ran for governor in 1920, he adamantly opposed the Farmer-Labor Party, a coalition of discontented farmers and laborers who had formed a new political organization. The party, he declaimed, represented "socialism—a political cult that would destroy the principles of private property, our religion, and our homes." Preus would be successful among independents, who were the deciding demographic in the election. This was the first time a gubernatorial in Minnesota would be decided by independents. On October 21, 1920, William J. Mayo, a Democrat, endorsed Preus.

Despite his reservations about the Farmer-Labor philosophy, Governor Preus nonetheless encouraged the legislature to meet some of the farmers' demands by broadening cooperatives' legal powers, making low-interest loans available through the Rural Credit Bureau, and creating the Department of Agriculture. Preus also demanded higher taxes from the owners of ore-rich mines on the Iron Range, expanded highway construction, and improved equal rights and election procedures. His political savvy, combined with an apparent desire to correct inequities, made him a surprisingly prolific reformer.

After completing his second term, Preus became an insurance executive in Chicago. He returned to Minneapolis in 1958 and served until his death as board chairman of Lutheran Brotherhood, a fraternal insurance society he had co-founded in 1917. Lutheran Brotherhood merged with Aid Association for Lutherans in 2002 to become Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Personal life

Preus was married during 1909 to Idella Louise Haugen. Their son, Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus II, was a theologian, professor, author, and president of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. Their other son, Robert Preus, was a Lutheran pastor, professor, author, theologian, and president of Concordia Theological Seminary. He died on May 24, 1961.

Electoral history

1914

1914 Minnesota State Auditor election

Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jacob A.O. (J.A.O.) Preus	181,198	57.13
	Democratic	Andrew J. Rush	92,133	29.05
	Socialist	Timothy (T.A.) Thompson	30,291	9.55
	Progressive	Will Curtis	13,556	4.27
Total votes	317,178	100.00
	Republican hold

1918

1918 Minnesota State Auditor election

Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jacob A.O. (J.A.O.) Preus (incumbent)	214,278	62.77
	Democratic	Larke (L.W.) Huntley	89,433	26.20
	National	Fremont R. McManigal	37,657	11.03
Total votes	341,368	100.00
	Republican hold

1920

Republican Party of Minnesota primary results

Party	Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	J. A. O. Preus	133,832	43.55%
	Republican	Henrik Shipstead	125,861	40.96%
	Republican	Thomas Frankson	27,421	8.92%
	Republican	Franklin F. Ellsworth	7,754	2.52%
	Republican	Samuel G. Iverson	7,383	2.40%
	Republican	Thomas Keefe	5,060	1.65%
Total votes	195,202	100%

1920 Gubernatorial Election, Minnesota

Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	J. A. O. Preus	415,805	53.06%	+10.33%
	Independent	Henrik Shipstead	281,402	35.91%	n/a
	Democratic	Laurence C. Hodgson	81,293	10.37%	−9.33%
	Socialist	Peter J. Sampson	5,124	0.65%	−1.35%
Majority	134,403	17.15%
Turnout	783,624
	Republican hold	Swing

1922

1922 Gubernatorial Election, Minnesota

Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	J. A. O. Preus (incumbent)	309,756	45.21%	−7.85%
	Farmer–Labor	Magnus Johnson	295,479	43.13%	n/a
	Democratic	Edward Indrehus	79,903	11.66%	+1.29%
Majority	14,277	2.08%
Turnout	685,138
	Republican hold	Swing

See also

• Herman Amberg Preus (1825–1894)
• Christian Keyser Preus (1852–1921)
• Ove J. H. Preus (1880–1951)
• J. A. O. Preus III (1953–2022)
• David W. Preus (1922–2021)

References

• Biographical information Archived April 4, 2013, at the Wayback Machine and his gubernatorial records are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society.

External links

Photos

• J. A. O. Preus with Eleonora and Ethel Olson