John E. Erickson (Montana politician)

John Edward Erickson ( born March 14, 1863 in Stoughton, Wisconsin, † May 25, 1946 in Helena, Montana ) was an American politician and from 1925 to 1933, the eighth Governor of Montana. He was also a U.S. Senator for that State.

Early years

Early Erickson came from Wisconsin to Kansas. There he attended until 1890, the Washburn College. After studying law and qualifying as a lawyer, he first began to practice in Kansas and then moved in 1893 after Choteau in Montana. Between 1897 and 1905, Erickson was district attorney in Teton County. From 1905 to 1915 he was a judge on the 11th District Court of Montana. In the following years he worked as a lawyer again. As a member of the Democratic Party, he was its chairman from 1920 to 1924 in Montana over the years. On November 4, 1924, he was elected governor, where he prevailed with 51:43 percent of the vote against Republican incumbent Joseph Dixon.

Governor of Montana

Erickson took up his new position on January 4, 1925. After he was re-elected in each of the years 1928 and 1932, he could serve until January 1937. But when he was appointed to succeed the late U.S. Senator Thomas J. Walsh, he resigned on 13 March 1933. During his tenure, a new income tax legislation in Montana was adopted. The profits from the mines were now taxed better and it was a fuel tax introduced. The schools, especially in rural areas, were promoted. The second phase of Erickson's tenure was overshadowed by the global economic crisis. Against this background, new legislation to regulate the banks have been adopted.

Further CV

Between March 1933 and November 1934 Erickson was a member of U.S. Senator. He also competed for his party's nomination for the by-election, but had no success. The nomination went to James Edward Murray, who also won the election. After his retirement from the Senate Erickson worked as a lawyer in Helena.

John Erickson died in 1946. He was married to Grace Vance, with whom he had three children.