Milton Young
Encyclopedia
Milton Ruben Young was a United States politician, most notable for representing North Dakota in the United States Senate
from 1945 until 1981. At the time of his retirement, he was the most senior Republican
in the Senate.
Young was born at Berlin, North Dakota
, and graduated from LaMoure High School. He attended North Dakota State University
and Graceland College. In 1919, he married Malinda Benson; they had three sons. (Malinda died in 1969. Young later married Patricia Byrne of Bowman, North Dakota
.) After college, Young returned home to operate his father's farm.
Young became increasingly interested in politics during the depression and drought of the late 1920s and 1930s. He was active in community affairs, serving on the school, township, and county Agricultural Adjustment Act
(AAA) boards. He stood for election to the North Dakota House of Representatives
in 1932; he won, and was then elected to the state Senate
just two years later. Young was also one of the key persons in developing the Republican Organizing Committee in North Dakota
during the 1940s. With the death of John Moses
in 1945, Governor Fred G. Aandahl
appointed Young to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat, and Young was forced to relinquish management of the family farm, in order to fulfill his duties in Washington.
Young spent the remainder of his career in the Senate, becoming one of the longest-serving members of the Senate in its history. His major committee assignments were on the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry committee
, and the Appropriations committee
of which he was the ranking Republican member. In 1974, during his last election for the U.S. Senate, Young's age was being used against him during the Republican primary; Young had himself filmed breaking a piece of board with his bare hands and easily won renomination.
As a result of the 1980 elections, Republicans won control of the Senate. Young, as the longest-serving Republican Senator, would have been in line to become President pro tempore
. However, he had chosen to retire instead of running for a seventh six-year term. In deference to his long service in the body, he was elected President pro tempore by the lame-duck, Democratic controlled Senate on December 5, 1980, and served for one day.
Senator Young died at his retirement home in Sun City, Arizona
on May 31, 1983 and was buried at Berlin, North Dakota
.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from 1945 until 1981. At the time of his retirement, he was the most senior 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...
in the Senate.
Young was born at Berlin, North Dakota
Berlin, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 35 people, 15 households, and 10 families residing in the city. The population density was 340.9 people per square mile . There were 20 housing units at an average density of 194.8 per square mile...
, and graduated from LaMoure High School. He attended North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, more commonly known as North Dakota State University , is a public university in Fargo, North Dakota. NDSU has about 14,000 students and it is the largest university in North Dakota based on full time students and land size...
and Graceland College. In 1919, he married Malinda Benson; they had three sons. (Malinda died in 1969. Young later married Patricia Byrne of Bowman, North Dakota
Bowman, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,600 people, 702 households, and 419 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,227.8 people per square mile . There were 799 housing units at an average density of 613.2 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.12% White, 0.12%...
.) After college, Young returned home to operate his father's farm.
Young became increasingly interested in politics during the depression and drought of the late 1920s and 1930s. He was active in community affairs, serving on the school, township, and county Agricultural Adjustment Act
Agricultural Adjustment Act
The Agricultural Adjustment Act was a United States federal law of the New Deal era which restricted agricultural production by paying farmers subsidies not to plant part of their land and to kill off excess livestock...
(AAA) boards. He stood for election to the North Dakota House of Representatives
North Dakota House of Representatives
The North Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly and is larger than the North Dakota Senate....
in 1932; he won, and was then elected to the state Senate
North Dakota Senate
The North Dakota Senate is the upper house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, smaller than the North Dakota House of Representatives.North Dakota is divided into between 40 and 54 legislative districts apportioned by population as determined by the decennial census...
just two years later. Young was also one of the key persons in developing the Republican Organizing Committee in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
during the 1940s. With the death of John Moses
John Moses
John Moses was the 22nd Governor of North Dakota from 1939 to 1945, and served in the United States Senate in 1945 until his death that year.-Biography:...
in 1945, Governor Fred G. Aandahl
Fred G. Aandahl
Fred George Aandahl was an Republican politician from North Dakota. He served as the 23rd Governor of North Dakota from 1945 to 1951 and as a U.S. Representative from 1951 to 1953.-Biography:...
appointed Young to fill the vacant U.S. Senate seat, and Young was forced to relinquish management of the family farm, in order to fulfill his duties in Washington.
Young spent the remainder of his career in the Senate, becoming one of the longest-serving members of the Senate in its history. His major committee assignments were on the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry committee
United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
The Committee of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of all matters relating to the nation's agriculture industry, farming programs, forestry and logging, and legislation relating to nutrition and...
, and the Appropriations committee
United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate....
of which he was the ranking Republican member. In 1974, during his last election for the U.S. Senate, Young's age was being used against him during the Republican primary; Young had himself filmed breaking a piece of board with his bare hands and easily won renomination.
As a result of the 1980 elections, Republicans won control of the Senate. Young, as the longest-serving Republican Senator, would have been in line to become President pro tempore
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
The President pro tempore is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate. The United States Constitution states that the Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate and the highest-ranking official of the Senate despite not being a member of the body...
. However, he had chosen to retire instead of running for a seventh six-year term. In deference to his long service in the body, he was elected President pro tempore by the lame-duck, Democratic controlled Senate on December 5, 1980, and served for one day.
Senator Young died at his retirement home in Sun City, Arizona
Sun City, Arizona
Sun City is a census-designated place and unincorporated town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 38,309 at the 2000 census...
on May 31, 1983 and was buried at Berlin, North Dakota
Berlin, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 35 people, 15 households, and 10 families residing in the city. The population density was 340.9 people per square mile . There were 20 housing units at an average density of 194.8 per square mile...
.
See also
- North Dakota United States Senate election, 1956
- North Dakota United States Senate election, 1962
- North Dakota United States Senate election, 1968
- North Dakota United States Senate election, 1974