Thye, Edward John, 1896-1969

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Senator.

From the description of Reminiscences of Edward John Thye : oral history, 1967. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 122513347

Spanning almost thirty years of public service, the life of Edward John Thye reflected much of Minnesota's heritage and political personality. Thye was born near Frederick, South Dakota, on April 26, 1896, the son of Andrew J. Thye, a Norwegian immigrant farmer. His family moved to a farm near Northfield, Minnesota, when he was a young boy. After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War I, Thye became a tractor expert and salesman for the Deere and Webber Company of Minneapolis. In 1922, he resigned to become manager and, later, owner of a dairy farm near Northfield.

In 1929, Thye was elected president of the Dakota County Farm Bureau. While president of the bureau, he became friends with Dakota County Attorney Harold Stassen, and actively supported Stassen's candidacy for governor of Minnesota in 1938. With Sassen's victory came Thye's appointment as Minnesota's Dairy and Food Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture (1939-1942).

In 1942, he was elected lieutenant governor, and in April 1943, assumed the governorship when Stassen resigned to enlist in the Navy. He was reelected by a landslide in 1944. In 1946, after defeating incumbent Henrik Shipstead in the primary race, Thye was elected United States Senator over Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate Theodore Jorgenson. He served in the Senate until defeated by Eugene McCarthy in 1958.

Thye served on the Senate committees on Agriculture and Forestry, Civil Service, Expenditures in the Executive Departments, Appropriations, the Select Committee on Small Business (chairman), the subcommittee on appropriation for the departments of Labor and Health, Education and Welfare, the Subcommittee on Relations of Business to Government (chairman), the Minority Policy Committee, and the Thomas subcommittee that toured Europe in 1949. He came into prominence as one of the seven cosigners of the "Declaration of Conscience" written by Senator Margaret Chase Smith in reaction to McCarthyism, and as a member of the Special Committee on Campaign Contributions (1956). He was noted for his support of the interests of farmers and small businessmen.

Biographical information was taken from the Biographical Directory of the American Congress ; from biographical materials in the collection; from Who's Who in Minnesota, 1958; and from Current Biography, October 1951, p. 57.

From the guide to the Edward J. Thye papers., 1938-1959., (Minnesota Historical Society)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Thye, Edward John, 1896-. Edward J. Thye papers, 1938-1959. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn George A. Barton papers., undated and 1841, 1888-1969. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Hazzard, George Henry, 1846-1929. George Henry Hazzard papers, 1885-1951. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn National Federation of Grain Cooperatives. National Federation of Grain Cooperatives records, 1946-1976. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Thye, Edward John, 1896-1969. Collection, 1945-1959. Minnesota State University, Mankato, Library Services, Library Services
referencedIn Federation records., 1890-2012. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Hawkins, Oscar F. (Oscar Ferdinand), 1872-1964. Oscar F. Hawkins and family papers, 1888-1963. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Thye, Edward John, 1896-1969. Reminiscences of Edward John Thye : oral history, 1967. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Louis Lerman papers, 1917-1978 (bulk 1955-1974). Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Lerman, Louis Edward, 1894-. Louis E. Lerman papers, 1917-1978 (bulk 1955-1974). Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Minnesota. Governor. Miscellaneous records, 1881-1973. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Harold Stassen papers., 1910s-1999 (bulk 1938-1980). Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Minnesota Music Teachers Association. Association records, 1904-2009. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Dunn, Roy E., 1886-1985. Roy E. Dunn papers, 1927-1966. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Frank P. Leslie papers., 1903-1972. Minnesota Historical Society
referencedIn Minnesota. Governor (1947-1951 : Youngdahl). Records, 1943-1954 (bulk 1947-1950). Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Earl Browder Papers, 1879-1990 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
creatorOf Wier, Roy William, 1888-1963. Roy Wier papers, 1920-1969. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Barton, George A. (George Arthur), 1885-1969. George A. Barton papers, undated and 1841, 1888-1969. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn George E. MacKinnon papers., 1927-1995. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Edward J. Thye papers., 1938-1959. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Leslie, Frank P. Frank P. Leslie papers, 1903-1972 (bulk 1940-1970). Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn National Federation of Grain Cooperatives records, 1946-1976. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Stassen, Harold Edward, 1907-2001. Biographical data on Lester R. Badger, 1913, 1939-1966. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Minnesota Statehood Centennial Commission. Audio-visual materials, 1958. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Association Records., 1904-2009. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Herman Roe papers, 1906-1965. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Minnesota. Dept. of Education. Indian Education Section. Indian education correspondence, 1936-1956, 1974-1991. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf MacKinnon, George E., 1906-1995. George E. MacKinnon Papers, 1927-1995. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Spencer, Rose Carolyn, 1891-1967. Rose Carolyn Spencer papers, 1889, 1907-1967. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Minnesota. Dept. of Aeronautics. Photographs, undated and 1924-1971. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Excelsior Fruit Growers Association (Excelsior, Minn.). Association records, 1900-1969. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Duluth CIO Industrial Union Council (Duluth, Minn.). Council records, 1937-1956. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Saint Louis County Club and Farm Bureau Association (Duluth, Minn.). Association records, 1915-1962. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Audio-visual materials., 1958. Minnesota Historical Society
creatorOf Friends of the Wilderness. Friends of the Wilderness records, 1917-1981. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf General Federation of Women's Clubs of Minnesota. Federation records, 1890-2004. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Stickney, Charles William, 1896-1982. Charles William Stickney papers, 1935-1990. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Minnesota Emergency Conservation Committee. MECC records, 1927-1974. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
creatorOf Clement, Paul, 1892-1984. Paul Clement papers, 1886, 1908-1982. Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Minnesota. Governor (1943-1947 : Thye). Records, 1941-1946 (bulk 1943-1946). Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
referencedIn Association records., 1900-1969. Minnesota Historical Society
referencedIn Wilber M. Brucker Papers, 1877-1968 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Luther W Youngdahl papers., 1923-1968. Minnesota Historical Society
referencedIn Stassen, Harold Edward, 1907-2001. Harold Stassen papers, 1910s-1999 (bulk 1938-1980). Minnesota Historical Society Library
referencedIn Youngdahl, Luther W., 1896-1978. Luther W. Youngdahl papers, 1923-1968. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Fosseen, Carrie, 1875-1963. Carrie Fosseen papers, 1914-1951. Minnesota Historical Society Library
creatorOf Raudenbush, David W. (David Webb), 1906-1969. David Webb Raudenbush papers, 1952-1957. Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Barton, George A. (George Arthur), 1885-1969. person
associatedWith Browder, Earl, 1891-1973 person
associatedWith Brucker, Wilber Marion, 1894-1968 person
associatedWith Clement, Paul, 1892-1984. person
associatedWith Duluth CIO Industrial Union Council (Duluth, Minn.). corporateBody
associatedWith Dunn, Roy E., 1886-1985. person
associatedWith Edwin, Ed, person
associatedWith Excelsior Fruit Growers Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Excelsior Fruit Growers Association (Excelsior, Minn.). corporateBody
associatedWith Fosseen, Carrie, 1875-1963. person
associatedWith Friends of the Wilderness. corporateBody
associatedWith General Federation of Women's Clubs of Minnesota. corporateBody
associatedWith Hawkins, Oscar F. (Oscar Ferdinand), 1872-1964. person
associatedWith Hazzard, George Henry, 1846-1929. person
associatedWith Lerman, Louis Edward, 1894- person
associatedWith Leslie, Frank P. person
associatedWith MacKinnon, George E., 1906-1995. person
associatedWith Minnesota. Dept. of Aeronautics. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota. Dept. of Education. Indian Education Section. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota Emergency Conservation Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota. Governor. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota. Governor (1943-1947 : Thye) corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota. Governor (1947-1951 : Youngdahl) corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota Music Teachers Association. corporateBody
associatedWith Minnesota Statehood Centennial Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith National Federation of Grain Cooperatives. corporateBody
associatedWith National Federation of Grain Cooperatives. corporateBody
associatedWith Raudenbush, David W. (David Webb), 1906-1969. person
associatedWith Republican Party (Minn.). corporateBody
associatedWith Republican Party (Minnesota). corporateBody
associatedWith Republican Party (U.S.). corporateBody
associatedWith Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) corporateBody
associatedWith Roe, Herman, 1886-1961. person
associatedWith Saint Louis County Club and Farm Bureau Association (Duluth, Minn.). corporateBody
associatedWith Spencer, Rose Carolyn, 1891-1967. person
associatedWith Stassen, Harold Edward, 1907-2001. person
associatedWith Stickney, Charles William, 1896-1982. person
associatedWith United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Civil Aeronautics Board. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Congress. Senate. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Appropriations. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Congress. Senate. Select Committee on Small Business. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Department of Defense. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Department of the Interior. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Dept. of Agriculture. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Dept. of Commerce. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Dept. of Defense. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Dept. of the Interior. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Federal Communications Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Federal Housing Administration. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Federal Power Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Federal Trade Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Social Security Administration. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Veterans Administration. corporateBody
associatedWith Wier, Roy William, 1888-1963. person
associatedWith Youngdahl, Luther W., 1896-1978. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Minnesota
United States
United States
Minnesota
Minnesota
Subject
Agricultural laws and legislation
Agricultural laws and legislation
Business enterprises
Business enterprises
Political campaigns
Political campaigns
Flood control
Flood control
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Legislation
Legislation
Legislators
Legislators
Postal service
Postal service
Presidents
Presidents
Small business
Small business
Occupation
Legislators
Legislators
Activity

Person

Birth 1896-04-26

Death 1969-08-28

English

Information

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Ark ID: w6f19rcn

SNAC ID: 34241544