Kristjan Valdimar "Val" Bjornson (August 29, 1906 – March 10, 1987) was an American writer, newspaper editor, and politician who served as

State Treasurer In the state governments of the United States, 48 of the 50 states have the executive position of treasurer. New York abolished the position in 1926; duties were transferred to New York State Comptroller. Texas abolished the position of Texas ...

for more than two decades. Bjornson was born in

Minneota, Minnesota Minneota is a city in Lyon County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,392 at the 2010 census. History Minneota was platted in 1881 when the railroad was extended to that point. The name Minneota is derived from the Dakota language m ...

of Icelandic descent. In World War II, he served in Navy intelligence, stationed in Iceland. Besides English, he was fluent in Icelandic, Finnish, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian. He was part owner of the ''

Minneota Mascot Minneota can refer to a community in the United States: * Minneota, Minnesota * Minneota Township, Jackson County, Minnesota Minneota Township is a township in Jackson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 285 at the 2000 census. ...

'' newspaper and an associate editor at the ''

St. Paul Pioneer Press The ''St. Paul Pioneer Press'' is a newspaper based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. It serves the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the east metro, including Ramsey County, Minn ...

''. Running as the Republican candidate in the

1954 United States Senate elections The 1954 United States Senate elections was a midterm election in the first term of Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidency. Eisenhower's Republican party lost a net of two seats to the Democratic opposition. This small change was just enough to give ...

, Bjornson lost to Hubert Humphrey, with whom he sometimes shared a car to travel around the state. Bjornson died in Minneapolis on March 10, 1987. The University of Minnesota, his alma mater, and the University of Iceland have a student exchange scholarship named in his honor.

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References

1906 births 1987 deaths United States Navy personnel of World War II American people of Icelandic descent Military personnel from Minnesota Minnesota Republicans People from Minneota, Minnesota State treasurers of Minnesota United States Navy sailors University of Minnesota alumni Writers from Minnesota 20th-century American politicians {{Minnesota-politician-stub