Oscar Knutson

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Oscar R. Knutson (October 9, 1899 – June 15, 1981) was an American lawyer and judge from Minnesota. [1]

Early life and education

Oscar Rudolph Knutson was born in Superior, Wisconsin. He was the son of Bottolf Knutson (1865-1940) and Rachel (Satren) Knutson (1864-1929), both of whom were immigrants from Norway. The son of immigrant parents, he did not learn to speak English until he entered school. He graduated from Warren, Minnesota High School in 1920 and attended St. Olaf College and the Northwestern School of Agriculture (now University of Minnesota Crookston), graduating from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1927.

Career

Knutson practiced law in Warren with Julius J. Olson, who also became a Minnesota Supreme Court justice. [2]

Knutson ran unsuccessfully for

Chief Justice by Governor Elmer L. Andersen
and was elected in 1964 and re-elected in 1970. In 1962, he received the Alumni Award from St Olaf College. He retired in 1973.

Later life and death

After retiring from the Court, Knutson lost his eyesight as a result of a stroke. He died during 1981. He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery at Warren in Marshall County, Minnesota.[3][4]

Personal life

Knutson married Louise Halvorson (1897-1955) in 1934. They had four children, Richard, Robert, Harold, and Anne. After Louise died, Knutson married Katherine Mellby Anderson in 1968. She was the granddaughter of Judge Andrew Grindeland of Warren, MN.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ Biography of Chief Justice Oscar R. Knutson (Minnesota Historical Society)
  2. ^ "Oscar Rudolph Knutson, Biographical notes". Guide to the Oscar R. Knutson papers., 1920-1981 (bulk 1930-1975) (Minnesota Historical Society). Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  3. ^ Interview with Chief Justice Oscar Knutson (ret.), Minnesota State Law Library, 1980 Archived 2017-02-15 at the Wayback Machine (Minnesota State Law Library)
  4. ^ "1962 - Oscar R. Knutson '24, chief justice, Minnesota Supreme Court". St. Olaf College. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  5. ^ "Knutson, Oscar Rudolph". Social Networks and Archive Ciontents. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  6. ^ Lloyd George Melgard, ed. (1956) Warren, Plains to Plenty: A Story of 75 Eventful Years (Warren, Minn.: Warren Sheaf. pp. 91–92)

Other sources