Herman Ekern
Encyclopedia
Herman L. Ekern was a Wisconsin
politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin. He was one of the founders of Lutheran Brotherhood.
. He was the son of Even Ekern and Elizabeth (Grimsrud) Ekern. He received a law degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
in 1894. following his graduation, he practiced law at Whitehall, Wisconsin
in co-partnership with H. A. Anderson under the firm name of Anderson & Ekern.
of Trempealeau County
. He served three terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly
, from 1903 until 1907, and was the speaker of the Assembly in his final term. During his time in the Assembly, he was noted for helping design Wisconsin's life insurance
code. From 1911 until 1915, he served as Wisconsin's insurance commissioner
. Afterwards, he helped form a law partnership which specialized in insurance cases and helped write the Federal Soldiers' and Sailors' War Risk Insurance Act.
The founding of Lutheran Brotherhood came as a result of the 1917 merger convention of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. Lifelong Lutherans, Herman Ekern and J. A. O. Preus
, Minnesota insurance commissioner and future Governor of Minnesota
(1921–1925) proposed launching the not-for-profit mutual aid society which grow to become Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Ekern later returned to his political career, serving as Wisconsin's Attorney General from 1923 until 1927. After Lieutenant Governor
Henry Gunderson
resigned in 1937, Governor
Philip La Follette
named Ekern Lieutenant Governor the following year. The appointment was challenged and upheld in State ex rel. Martin v. Ekern. After his term ended in 1939, Ekern served on the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin until 1943. Ekern later was in private law practice in Chicago and Madison.
In 1949, he received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Alumni Association of the University of Wisconsin. Herman Ekern died in 1954. The papers of Herman Ekern are maintained within the archives of the Wisconsin Historical Society
.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
politician who served as Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin. He was one of the founders of Lutheran Brotherhood.
Background
Herman L. Ekern was born in 1872 near Pigeon Falls, WisconsinPigeon Falls, Wisconsin
Pigeon Falls is a village in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 388 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pigeon Falls is located at ....
. He was the son of Even Ekern and Elizabeth (Grimsrud) Ekern. He received a law degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
in 1894. following his graduation, he practiced law at Whitehall, Wisconsin
Whitehall, Wisconsin
Whitehall is a city in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, United States, along the Trempealeau River. The population was 1,651 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Trempealeau County....
in co-partnership with H. A. Anderson under the firm name of Anderson & Ekern.
Career
Five years later was elected district attorneyDistrict attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
of Trempealeau County
Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Trempealeau County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2009, the population estimate was 27,754. Its county seat is Whitehall.-History:Patches of woodland are all that remain of the brush and light forest that once covered the county...
. He served three terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
, from 1903 until 1907, and was the speaker of the Assembly in his final term. During his time in the Assembly, he was noted for helping design Wisconsin's life insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person. Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger...
code. From 1911 until 1915, he served as Wisconsin's insurance commissioner
Insurance commissioner
Insurance commissioner is an executive office in many U.S. states, some in the state cabinet. The office differs state by state:...
. Afterwards, he helped form a law partnership which specialized in insurance cases and helped write the Federal Soldiers' and Sailors' War Risk Insurance Act.
The founding of Lutheran Brotherhood came as a result of the 1917 merger convention of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. Lifelong Lutherans, Herman Ekern and J. A. O. Preus
J. A. O. Preus
Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus was an American politician. He served as the 8th 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...
, Minnesota insurance commissioner and future Governor of Minnesota
Governor of Minnesota
The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial...
(1921–1925) proposed launching the not-for-profit mutual aid society which grow to become Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a Fortune 500 financial services organization with dual corporate headquarters based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Appleton, Wisconsin...
Ekern later returned to his political career, serving as Wisconsin's Attorney General from 1923 until 1927. After Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin
The Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin is the first person in the order of succession of Wisconsin's executive branch, thus serving as governor in the event of the death, resignation, removal, impeachment, absence from the state, or incapacity due to illness of the Governor of Wisconsin...
Henry Gunderson
Henry Gunderson
Henry A. Gunderson was a Wisconsin politician who served as the Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin.Henry A. Gunderson was born in Columbia County, Wisconsin in 1878, the son of Norwegian immigrants. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1900, and in 1903 he received a law degree...
resigned in 1937, Governor
Governor of Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin is the highest executive authority in the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The position was first filled by Nelson Dewey on June 7, 1848, the year Wisconsin became a state...
Philip La Follette
Philip La Follette
Philip Fox La Follette was an American politician from the US state of Wisconsin. He served three terms as the Governor of Wisconsin and helped create the Wisconsin Progressive Party.-Early life and family:...
named Ekern Lieutenant Governor the following year. The appointment was challenged and upheld in State ex rel. Martin v. Ekern. After his term ended in 1939, Ekern served on the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin until 1943. Ekern later was in private law practice in Chicago and Madison.
In 1949, he received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Alumni Association of the University of Wisconsin. Herman Ekern died in 1954. The papers of Herman Ekern are maintained within the archives of the Wisconsin Historical Society
Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society is simultaneously a private membership and a state-funded organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of North America, with an emphasis on the state of Wisconsin and the trans-Allegheny West...
.
Selected works
- Insurance laws of Wisconsin in effect July 1, 1909 (Democrat Printing Company. Madison, Wisconsin: 1909)
Other sources
- Brøndal , Jørn Ethnic Leadership and Midwestern Politics: Scandinavian Americans and the Progressive Movement in Wisconsin, 1890-1914 (Norwegian-American Historical Association. 2004)