M. Alfred Michaelson
Encyclopedia
Magne Alfred Michaelson was a U.S. Representative
from Illinois
.
Born in Kristiansand in Vest-Agder
county in Southern Norway
. Michaelson immigrated to the United States with his parents, who settled in Chicago, Illinois, in October 1885.
He attended the public schools and was graduated from Chicago Normal School in 1898.
He taught in the public schools of Chicago 1898-1914.
He served as member of the common council of Chicago 1915-1918.
He served as delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1920.
He served as chairman of the board of directors of the Madison and Kedzie State Bank of Chicago 1924-1927.
Michaelson was elected as a Republican
to the Sixty-seventh
and to the four succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1921-March 3, 1931). On August 15, 1921 he made a speech in the House in which he questioned the patriotism and intregrity of the newly formed American Legion
as being bought and controlled by the interests of Wall Street. (A History of the American Legion Marquis James. 1923. Pg. 72.) In 1929 Michaelson was caught smugling alcohol into the United States from Panama. His brother-in-law pled guilty in his place, but the judge issued only a $1,000 fine and stated, "I have no desire to punish him for the faults of the escaped congressman - one who votes dry and drinks wet." (Last Call - The Rise and Fall of Prohibition Daniel Okrent. 2010. Pg 324.) He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1930. He died in Chicago, Illinois, October 26, 1949 and was interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
Born in Kristiansand in Vest-Agder
Vest-Agder
In the 16th century, Dutch merchant vessels began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase salmon and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of timber began, as oak from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for shipbuilding...
county in Southern Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Michaelson immigrated to the United States with his parents, who settled in Chicago, Illinois, in October 1885.
He attended the public schools and was graduated from Chicago Normal School in 1898.
He taught in the public schools of Chicago 1898-1914.
He served as member of the common council of Chicago 1915-1918.
He served as delegate to the State constitutional convention in 1920.
He served as chairman of the board of directors of the Madison and Kedzie State Bank of Chicago 1924-1927.
Michaelson was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the Sixty-seventh
67th United States Congress
The Sixty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1921 to March 4, 1923, during the first two years...
and to the four succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1921-March 3, 1931). On August 15, 1921 he made a speech in the House in which he questioned the patriotism and intregrity of the newly formed American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
as being bought and controlled by the interests of Wall Street. (A History of the American Legion Marquis James. 1923. Pg. 72.) In 1929 Michaelson was caught smugling alcohol into the United States from Panama. His brother-in-law pled guilty in his place, but the judge issued only a $1,000 fine and stated, "I have no desire to punish him for the faults of the escaped congressman - one who votes dry and drinks wet." (Last Call - The Rise and Fall of Prohibition Daniel Okrent. 2010. Pg 324.) He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1930. He died in Chicago, Illinois, October 26, 1949 and was interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery.