Hans Ustrud

Hans Andreas Ustrud (November 4, 1871 – April 20, 1943) was an American educator and politician from the U.S. state of South Dakota. He served as lieutenant governor of South Dakota and superintendent of public instruction.

Hans Ustrud
Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota
In office
1933–1935
GovernorTom Berry
Preceded byOdell K. Whitney
Succeeded byRobert Peterson
Personal details
Born(1871-11-04)November 4, 1871
Minnehaha County, Dakota Territory
DiedApril 20, 1943(1943-04-20) (aged 71)
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, US

Early life

Ustrud was born near Baltic in Minnehaha County, Dakota Territory, on November 4, 1871. He was the third child born to Julia (née Kaasa) and Halvor O. Ustrud, who had immigrated from Norway in 1866 and settled in Minnehaha County in 1868. Ustrud graduated from the Lutheran Normal School in 1895, and taught in Dane County, Wisconsin, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.[1]

Political career

In 1902, Ustrud was elected as a Republican as superintendent of schools for Minnehaha County. In 1906, he was elected state superintendent,[2] becoming the first native South Dakotan elected to a statewide office.[3][4] Ustrud served as state superintendent until 1911,[5] and returned to teaching. In 1914, Ustrud joined the Progressive Party.[6] He was a candidate for South Dakota's 1st congressional district in the 1914 elections, but withdrew his candidacy before the election.[7] He served on the state board of railroad commissioners from 1915 through 1920, and as state rural school inspector from 1921 until 1924. He then worked for Carl Gunderson, the governor of South Dakota.[8]

In the 1926 gubernatorial election, Ustrud broke with the Republican Party in supporting William J. Bulow, a member of the Democratic Party, for governor of South Dakota.[8] Ustrud ran as a Democrat for superintendent of public instruction in 1926, but lost to the incumbent, C. J. St. John.[9] He served as assistant director of taxation during Bulow's administration.[2]

Running as a Democrat, Ustrud won the 1932 election for lieutenant governor.[2] During his tenure, Ustrud opposed Governor Tom Berry's proposed gross receipts tax, instead calling for a net income tax.[10][11] After the gross receipts tax was passed, Ustrud called for its repeal.[12]

Ustrud ran for the Democratic nomination for governor of South Dakota against Berry in the 1934 election.[13][14] Ustrud lost the nomination to Berry,[15] and supported the Republican nominee, W. C. Allen, in the general election.[16] Ustrud was the South Dakota Farmer–Labor Party's nominee for lieutenant governor in 1936,[17] but did not qualify for the general election ballot.[18] He was elected secretary-treasurer of the South Dakota Progressive Federation in 1938.[19]

Personal life

On November 3, 1908, Ustrud married Pauline Dahl. She died on February 21, 1920. Ustrud died of a heart attack on April 20, 1943, in Sioux Falls.[8]

References
  1. Kingsbury, George Washington (1915). History of Dakota Territory. 5. S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  2. "New State Official". Argus-Leader. November 14, 1932. p. 4. Retrieved September 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "First Native Born State Officer". The Citizen-Republican. January 3, 1907. p. 2. Retrieved September 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Coursey, O. W. (January 6, 1929). "Native Sons". Argus-Leader. Retrieved September 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "State School Superintendents Attain Post at Early Age; Most Are Under 40 Years Old". Argus-Leader. Associated Press. December 9, 1929. p. 7. Retrieved September 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Ustrud Joins Bull Moosers". Argus-Leader. April 4, 1914. p. 12. Retrieved September 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "[No Title]". The Citizen-Republican. September 24, 1914. p. 1. Retrieved September 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Cite uses generic title (help)
  8. "Hans Ustrud, Political Figure in State Many Years, Dies Here". Argus-Leader. April 21, 1943. p. 9. Retrieved September 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "St. John Re-Elected By Strong Majority". Argus-Leader. Associated Press. November 4, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved September 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Corey Tax Bill Up For Decision In Senate Today". Argus-Leader. Associated Press. February 24, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved September 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "New Farm-Labor Group Organized". Argus-Leader. Associated Press. December 21, 1933. p. 10. Retrieved September 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Mass Meetings in Sioux Falls and Howard Hit Tax". Rapid City Journal. Associated Press. July 26, 1933. p. 1. Retrieved September 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Ustrud Seeks Demo Nod For Governorship". Deadwood Pioneer-Times. Associated Press. February 28, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved September 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Berry's Petition Filed At Pierre". The Daily Plainsman. Associated Press. March 29, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved September 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Berry and Allen are Nominated". Argus-Leader. May 2, 1934. p. 1. Retrieved September 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Governor Berry in Comment on Ustrud "Desertion" to GOP". Deadwood Pioneer-Times. Associated Press. August 15, 1934. p. 4. Retrieved September 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Dakota's New Party Makes Ballot Fight". The American Guardian. March 27, 1936. p. 4. Retrieved September 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. "Two Independents Qualify In State". Rapid City Journal. October 5, 1936. p. 1. Retrieved September 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. "Ustrud New Secretary of Progressive Group". Argus-Leader. March 13, 1938. p. 3. Retrieved September 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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