Jacob Thorkelson

Jacob Thorkelson (* September 24 1876 in Egersund, Norway, † November 20, 1945 in Butte, Montana ) was an American politician. Between 1939 and 1941 he represented the state of Montana in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Early years

Jacob Thorkelson attended the schools of his native Norway in 1892 and came to the United States. There he studied nautical. Since 1896 he worked in the shipping industry. Between 1897 and 1899 he was a member of the marine reserve of the National Guard of Virginia. From 1900 to 1907 he was an officer on board ocean-going ships. He then studied at the University of Maryland in Baltimore medicine. At this university he was from 1911 to 1913 a member of the medical faculty.

More career

In 1913 Jacob Thorkelson moved to Dillon in Beaverhead County, Montana. After further moves within Montana in 1920 he came to Butte. In Montana Thorkelson worked as a physician and surgeon. In the years 1936-1939 he was also a member of the reserve of the U.S. Navy. Thorkelson was a member of the Republican Party. In 1938 he was elected as its candidate to succeed Jerry J. O'Connell in the U.S. House of Representatives. There, he graduated from the legislative period between January 1939 and January 3, 1941 3. For the next congressional elections Thorkelson was not nominated by his party. Nominations received instead Jeannette Rankin.

After retiring from the U.S. Congress Thorkelson was working as a doctor again. In 1942 he ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1944, he applied for the post of governor of Montana. Both candidates were unsuccessful. Jacob Thorkelson died in November 1945 in Butte.