Byron Gilchrist Allen (September 13, 1901 – June 10, 1988) was an American

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

who was the first nominee of the

Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is the Minnesota affiliate of the U.S. Democratic Party. As of 2022, it controls four of Minnesota's eight U.S. House seats, both of its U.S. Senate seats, the Minnesota House of Represen ...

for

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Early life and education

Born in

Laurens, Iowa Laurens is a city in Pocahontas County, Iowa, United States. Its population was 1,264 at the 2020 census. History Laurens was platted in 1881. It was named in honor of Henry and John Laurens, father and son, two French Huguenots who became resid ...

, Allen attended

Iowa State College Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...

(now Iowa State University) from 1920 to 1924.

Career

Allen was a newspaper editor by trade, and served in the

Iowa House of Representatives The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly, the upper house being the Iowa Senate. There are 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state, formed ...

from 1927 to 1933. He unsuccessfully sought election to the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from Iowa in 1940. In 1944, Allen was the first nominee for governor of Minnesota's newly formed Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, a merger of the state's Democratic and Farmer–Labor parties. He lost to incumbent

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

governor

Edward John Thye Edward John Thye (April 26, 1896August 28, 1969) was an American politician. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was the 26th governor of Minnesota from 1943 to 1947 and a United States Senate, United States Se ...

. Allen later served as commissioner of the

Minnesota Department of Agriculture Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is a government agency in Minnesota responsible for managing the state's food supply, natural resources, and agricultural economy. History The department began as the Minnesota State Dairy Commission in 188 ...

from 1955 to 1961 under Governor

Orville Freeman Orville Lothrop Freeman (May 9, 1918February 20, 2003) was an American Democratic politician who served as the 29th Governor of Minnesota from January 5, 1955, to January 2, 1961, and as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 1961 to 1969 unde ...

, and as assistant U.S. secretary of agriculture from 1961 to 1969, also under Freeman, who was appointed

U.S. secretary of agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organi ...

by President

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...

Personal life

Allen was married to Elsa Ellanora Erickson. He died in

Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Detroit Lakes is a city in the State of Minnesota and the county seat of Becker County. The population was 9,869 at the 2020 census. Its unofficial population during summer months is much higher, estimated by citizens to peak at 13,000 midsum ...

on June 10, 1988.

References

1901 births 1988 deaths Republican Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives Minnesota Democrats Iowa Democrats American male journalists People from Laurens, Iowa State cabinet secretaries of Minnesota United States Department of Agriculture officials 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American legislators 20th-century American male writers {{Iowa-politician-stub