North Dakota Governors banner
[home] [contact us]
Part 4 - 1929 - 1937

[George F. Shafer] [William Langer] [Ole H. Olson] [Thomas H. Moodie] [Walter Welford]

George F. Schafer GEORGE F. SHAFER

Sixteenth Governor
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Residence: Bismarck, Burleigh County
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Years Served: 1929-1933
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Date of Inauguration: January 9, 1929
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Age at Inauguration: 40
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Politics: Republican (Independent Voters Association)
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Born: Mandan, Dakota Territory - November 23, 1888
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Died: Bismarck, North Dakota - August 13, 1948

Political Background:
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1915-1919: State's Attorney for McKenzie County
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1921-1922: Assistant Attorney General of North Dakota
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1922-1929: Attorney General of North Dakota
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1929-1933: Governor of North Dakota

The most severe problems facing the state during Shafer's administration were drought and low prices for agricultural products. To his credit, the State Mill and Elevator showed a good profit for the state under Shafer's direction, despite the weather and economic conditions.

In 1930 the state capitol (former territorial capitol) burned. A capitol commission was formed to oversee the design and construction of the new capitol.

Shafer was governor during a time of severe drought and economic depression.

thin black horizontal line

Governor Schafer breaks first earth fo rnew capitol, Sept 13 , 1932

Governor Shafer throws out the first shovelful of earth
for groundbreaking of the new capitol on September 13, 1932.
North Dakota's capitol is one of three Art Deco style capitol
buildings in the United States. (The others are in Nebraska and Louisiana.)

thin black horizontal line

Wiliam Langer WILLIAM LANGER

Seventeenth Governor

(First Term)
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Residence: Casselton, Cass County
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Years Served: 1933-1934
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Date of Inauguration: December 31, 1932
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Age at Inauguration: 46
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Politics: Republican (Nonpartisan League)
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Born: Casselton, Dakota Territory - September 30, 1886
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Died: Washington, D.C. - November 8, 1959

Political Background:
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1914-1916: State's Attorney for Morton County
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1916-1920: Attorney General of North Dakota
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1933-1934: Governor of North Dakota (removed from office)
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1937-1939: Governor of North Dakota
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1940-1959: United States Senate

William Langer studied law at the University of North Dakota and Columbia University. He began his law practice at Mandan. As state's attorney of Morton County, he began making a name for himself politically. He swore out 167 warrants for arrest of liquor dealers and vice operators - and that was on his first day of work! He successfully sued Northern Pacific Railway for $1,250,000 in back taxes, establishing a reputation as an enemy of corporations.

Langer was backed by the Nonpartisan League (NPL) in his successful bid for attorney general and governor. He was daring and outrageous in his staunch support of North Dakota farmers. When the price of wheat fell low, Langer declared an embargo on North Dakota wheat until prices rose. He also declared a moratorium on farm foreclosures, even resorting to use of the National Guard to stop sheriffs' sales.

In 1934 he was found guilty of "conspiracy to obstruct federal relief legislation by soliciting political contributions from federal employees." He was removed from office, sentenced to eighteen months in prison, and fined $10,000.

It would take three more trials, but eventually Langer was acquitted of all charges.

Governor Langer was one of North Dakota's most controversial politicians. He was removed from office after a federal court found him guilty of fraud and conspiracy. After a year and a half and three more trials, the decision was overturned, and Langer was found innocent of the original charges. He ran for governor again and was reelected.

Langer supporters demonstrate at Bismarck

Langer supporters demonstrate at Bismarck.

thin black horizontal line

Ole H. Olson OLE H. OLSON

Eighteenth Governor
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Residence: New Rockford, Eddy County
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Years Served: 1934-1935
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Date of Inauguration: June 21, 1934
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Age at Inauguration: 61
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Politics: Republican
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Born: Mondovi, Wisconsin - September 19, 1872
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Died: New Rockford, North Dakota - January 29, 1954

Political Background:
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1916-1918: North Dakota State House of Representatives
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1918-1930: North Dakota State Senate (President Pro Tempore in 1929)
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1932-1934: Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1934-1935: Governor of North Dakota (completed William Langer's first term)

After graduation from Concordia College, Ole H. Olson moved to North Dakota in 1892. He homesteaded in Eddy County, North Dakota, in 1895. In 1916 he was elected to the North Dakota State House of Representatives and served until 1918, when he was elected to the North Dakota Senate. He served as president pro tempore of the Senate in 1929. Olson was Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota in 1932-1934. A Republican, Ole H. Olson became governor of North Dakota on July 19, 1934, upon the removal of Governor William Langer. Olson's brief term was during one of the most turbulent periods in the political history of North Dakota.

Lieutenant Governor Ole H. Olson became governor after William Langer was removed from office.

Ole H. Olson taking the Governor's oath of office, 1934

Ole H. Olson taking the governor's oath of office in 1934.

thin black horizontal line

Thomas H. Moodie THOMAS H. MOODIE

Nineteenth Governor
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Residence: Williston, Williams County
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Years Served: 1935
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Date of Inauguration: January 7, 1935
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Age at Inauguration: 56
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Politics: Democrat
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Born: Winona, Minnesota - May 26, 1878
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Died: Spokane, Washington - March 3, 1948

Political Background:
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1935: Governor of North Dakota

A native of Winona, Minnesota, Thomas H. Moodie left school at the age of sixteen. He moved to Wadena, Minnesota, and began his career as a newspaperman in the printing department of the Wadena Pioneer. He also worked as a brakeman for the Northern Pacific Railroad.

He moved to North Dakota and was a cub reporter for the Bismarck Tribune. He became a journeyman printer, reporter, and editor of newspapers throughout the state, and also served as an editorial writer for the Minneapolis Tribune. In 1933 President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him to a committee on federal grants to public buildings.

In 1934 Moodie received the Democratic nomination for governor, and beat his Republican opponent, Lydia Langer (wife of William Langer). As soon as the election was over, there was talk of impeachment, but no charges were filed.

After Moodie's inauguration on January 7, 1935, it was revealed that he had voted in a 1932 municipal election in Minnesota. In order to be eligible for governor, an individual has to have lived in the state for five consecutive years before the election. The State Supreme Court determined that Governor Moodie was ineligible to serve, and he was removed from office on February 16, 1935.

After his five-week stint as governor, Moodie became an administrator for the North Dakota Federal Housing Administration. He also served as deputy administrator for the State War Finance Committee in Montana. Finally he served as financial editor and confidential agent for the publisher of the Spokane Chronicle.

Thomas Hilliard Moodie served as governor for about five weeks. He was removed from office after the State Supreme Court determined he was ineligible to serve due to state residency requirements.

North Dakota's new capitol, ca 1934

North Dakota's new capitol, ca. 1934.

thin black horizontal line

Walter Welford WALTER WELFORD

Twentieth Governor
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Residence: Pembina, Pembina County
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Years Served: 1935-1937
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Date of Inauguration: February 2, 1935
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Age at Inauguration: 66
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Politics: Republican
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Born: Bellery, Yorkshire, England - May 21, 1868
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines Died: Altona, Manitoba - June 28, 1952

Political Background:
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1906 & 1908: North Dakota State House of Representatives
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1916 & 1918: North Dakota State Senate
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1934: Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota
yellow, red and blue squares with black lines 1935-1937: Governor of North Dakota (completed Moodie's term)

Walter Welford served as township clerk at Pembina for twenty years. He also served in the State House and Senate. As lieutenant governor, Welford became governor after Thomas H. Moodie was disqualified. Welford was a staunch supporter of the Nonpartisan League (NPL), a farmers' political group.

During Welford's administration the state was caught in the grip of the Great Depression. The 1936 crop yield was disastrously low because of drought. Welford met with President Franklin Roosevelt and obtained federal aid for drought-stricken farmers.

In 1936, Welford decided to run for office again. He beat former Governor William Langer for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, but Langer refused to drop out, and entered the general election as an independent. Welford lost the three-way governor's election to Langer. (The third-place candidate was Democrat John Moses, who became North Dakota's twenty-second governor, following Langer's second term.)

Walter Welford became governor when Thomas H. Moodie was removed from office shortly after being elected. Welford served during a time of drought and depression.

Governor Welford and members of the Highway Patrol

Governor Welford and members of the Highway Patrol at the state capitol.

thin black horizontal line

go to previous section [ Previous Section]spacer go to top