J. Hugo Aronson
Encyclopedia
John Hugo Aronson was an American
politician from the Republican Party and the 14th Governor of the State of Montana.
, in Ulricehamn Municipality
, Västra Götaland County
, Sweden
. He was one of five children born to Aron Johanson (1856–1927) and Rika Ryding Johannsen (1857–1940). His education was limited and attained in the public schools of his native country. In 1911 he immigrated to the United States, where he traveled to numerous states, working various odd jobs, arriving in Montana
during 1914. In 1915 Aronson filed for a 320 acres (1.3 km²) homestead in Elk Basin
, Montana. He eventually settled in Sunburst, Montana
and became established in the oil rigging business. In 1922 oil was discovered in the Kevin Sunburst Oil Field in Toole County, among the richest Montana's natural gas and oil fields. Aronson operated his own rig-building outfit. He soon added a trucking business to the rig-building company and started advertising as "The Galloping Swede".
City Council, a position he held from 1934 to 1938. He served as a member of Montana House of Representatives
in 1938 and the Montana Senate
in 1944. He served two terms as the fourteenth Governor of Montana, serving from 1953-61. Aronson was elected governor by a popular vote on November 4, 1952. He was re-elected to a second term in 1956. During his tenure, the state forestry office was restructured; a gasoline tax was initiated that funded the highway department; prison reform programs were instituted; a legislative council was founded. Aronson authorized the exclusive revenue for the state Highway Department with the creation of state gasoline user taxes. Governor Aronson also authorized the creation of the Legislative Council to assist the legislative branch in the creation of necessary law.
. Aronson died in the Veterans Hospital at Columbia Falls, Montana
, exactly ten years after his wife's death.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician from the Republican Party and the 14th Governor of the State of Montana.
Background
John Hugo Aronson was born in GällstadGällstad
Gällstad is a locality situated in Ulricehamn Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 494 inhabitants in 2005....
, in Ulricehamn Municipality
Ulricehamn Municipality
Ulricehamn Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Ulricehamn....
, Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.The county is the second largest of Sweden's counties and it is subdivided into 49 municipalities . Its population of 1,550,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He was one of five children born to Aron Johanson (1856–1927) and Rika Ryding Johannsen (1857–1940). His education was limited and attained in the public schools of his native country. In 1911 he immigrated to the United States, where he traveled to numerous states, working various odd jobs, arriving in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
during 1914. In 1915 Aronson filed for a 320 acres (1.3 km²) homestead in Elk Basin
Elk Basin
Elk Basin is a valley on the border of Montana and Wyoming in the United States. It is an active oil field with hundreds of dereks operating in it. Geologically, it is a breached anticline formed by a deep subsurface thrust fault...
, Montana. He eventually settled in Sunburst, Montana
Sunburst, Montana
Sunburst is a town in Toole County, Montana, United States. The population was 332 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sunburst is located at ....
and became established in the oil rigging business. In 1922 oil was discovered in the Kevin Sunburst Oil Field in Toole County, among the richest Montana's natural gas and oil fields. Aronson operated his own rig-building outfit. He soon added a trucking business to the rig-building company and started advertising as "The Galloping Swede".
Career
Aronson first entered politics as alderman of the Cut Bank, MontanaCut Bank, Montana
Cut Bank is a city in and the county seat of Glacier County, Montana, United States located just east-south-east of the "cut bank" geographical feature which formed canyon-like along the eponymously named Cut Bank Creek river...
City Council, a position he held from 1934 to 1938. He served as a member of Montana House of Representatives
Montana House of Representatives
The Montana House of Representatives is, with the Montana Senate, one of the two houses of the Montana Legislature. Composed of 100 members, the House elects its leadership every two years.-Composition of the House:...
in 1938 and the Montana Senate
Montana Senate
The Montana Senate is the upper house of the Montana State Legislature, the state legislative branch of the U.S. state of Montana. The body is composed of 50 senators.-Composition of the Senate:-Officers:*Majority Whip: Greg Barkus...
in 1944. He served two terms as the fourteenth Governor of Montana, serving from 1953-61. Aronson was elected governor by a popular vote on November 4, 1952. He was re-elected to a second term in 1956. During his tenure, the state forestry office was restructured; a gasoline tax was initiated that funded the highway department; prison reform programs were instituted; a legislative council was founded. Aronson authorized the exclusive revenue for the state Highway Department with the creation of state gasoline user taxes. Governor Aronson also authorized the creation of the Legislative Council to assist the legislative branch in the creation of necessary law.
Later years
After completing his term, Aronson stayed active in Republican politics. In 1968, he served as the honorary state campaign chairman for the presidential race of Richard NixonRichard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. Aronson died in the Veterans Hospital at Columbia Falls, Montana
Columbia Falls, Montana
Columbia Falls is a city in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,645 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Columbia Falls is located at ....
, exactly ten years after his wife's death.
Other sources
- Aronson, J. Hugo and L.O. Brockmann. The Galloping Swede. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Co., 1970
External links
- Biography and Papers of Aronson from the Northwest Digital ArchivesNorthwest Digital ArchivesNorthwest Digital Archives is an online catalog of descriptive information about the archival collections at various institutions in the Northwestern United States...
- Profile page for John Hugo Aronson on the Find-A-Grave web site