Kristjan Valdimar "Val" Bjornson (August 29, 1906 – March 10, 1987) was an American writer, newspaper editor, and politician who served as the State Treasurer of Minnesota for more than two decades. [1]
Bjornson was born in Minneota, Minnesota of Icelandic descent. [2] In World War II, he served in Navy intelligence, stationed in Iceland. [3] Besides English, he was fluent in Icelandic, Finnish, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian. [4]
He was part owner of the Minneota Mascot newspaper and an associate editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press. [5]
Running as the Republican candidate in the 1954 United States Senate elections, Bjornson lost to Hubert Humphrey, with whom he sometimes shared a car to travel around the state. [6]
Bjornson died in Minneapolis on March 10, 1987. [7] The University of Minnesota, his alma mater, and the University of Iceland have a student exchange scholarship named in his honor. [8]
Bjornson, Val (1969). The History of Minnesota. West Palm Beach, Florida: Lewis Historical Publishing.
Kristjan Valdimar "Val" Bjornson (August 29, 1906 – March 10, 1987) was an American writer, newspaper editor, and politician who served as the State Treasurer of Minnesota for more than two decades. [1]
Bjornson was born in Minneota, Minnesota of Icelandic descent. [2] In World War II, he served in Navy intelligence, stationed in Iceland. [3] Besides English, he was fluent in Icelandic, Finnish, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian. [4]
He was part owner of the Minneota Mascot newspaper and an associate editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press. [5]
Running as the Republican candidate in the 1954 United States Senate elections, Bjornson lost to Hubert Humphrey, with whom he sometimes shared a car to travel around the state. [6]
Bjornson died in Minneapolis on March 10, 1987. [7] The University of Minnesota, his alma mater, and the University of Iceland have a student exchange scholarship named in his honor. [8]
Bjornson, Val (1969). The History of Minnesota. West Palm Beach, Florida: Lewis Historical Publishing.