YOUNG, Milton Ruben

YOUNG, BENSON, BYRNE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/31/2016 at 14:16:08

Biography ~ Milton Ruben Young
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Milton Ruben Young was born near Berlin, North Dakota, on December 6, 1897. He became one of Graceland's most distinguished alumni through his service as a United States senator for 35 years and 10 months, at the time the longest continuous Senate service ever by a Republican.

Milton attended the public schools of LaMoure County and graduated from LaMoure High School. Milton enrolled at Graceland as an academy student during 1915-16, studying in the commercial department and playing basketball and football. He later attended North Dakota State Agricultural College [Fargo ND] and worked as a farmer on his father's farm until joining the U. S. Senate.

Milton served in elective public office continuously beginning in 1924 and was never defeated for re-election during the following 56 years. He started his public career in 1924 as a township supervisor and was eventually elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives in 1932. He was elected to the state senate in 1934, serving there until becoming a U.S. senator.

North Dakota governor Fred Aandahl appointed Milton to the U.S. Senate on March 12, 1945 to fill a vacancy caused by the death of John Moses, a Democrat. During the following decades, Milton served on the Senate's committees on appropriations, agriculture, nutrition and forestry. He became known on Capitol Hill as "Mr. Wheat."

Milton was also secretary of the Senate Republican Conference Committee from 1945 to 1971, the longest leadership position held by any senator during the 20th century. His popularity among his constiency was best expemplified in the 1968 elecion, during which he earned the highest vote percentage of any Republican senator in the nation who ran opposed that year.

During Milton's last election for the U.S. Senate in 1974, his age was being used against him during the Republican primary. Milton had himself filmed breaking a piece of board with his bare hands and easily won renomination. Milton decided not to run for re-election in 1980 and retired from the Senate in 1981.

Before his retirement, the Democratic-controlled Senate unanimously designated Milton the unusual recognition of election as president pro tempore of the Senate for one day.

Milton recieved Graceland's Distinguished Service Award in 1967 and an honorary doctor of law degree from the college in 1970.

Milton married Malinda V. Benson in 1919. They were the parents of three sons, Wendell (1919-2005), Duane (1921-2005) and John (1923-2010). Malinda was born in 1895, and died in 1969. Milton married second in 1969 Patricia Byrne, his secretary in the Senate. Patricia was born March 31, 1923, Bowman, North Dakota, and died at the age of 87 years on October 3, 2010, Venice, Florida.

Milton died on May 31, 1893, at his retirement home in Sun City, Arizona. He was interred at Berlin Cemetery, Berlin, North Dakota. Milton's two wives, Malinda and Patricia, were also interred at Berlin Cemetery.

The Milton R. Young Power Plant in Oliver County, North Dakota was named in his honor. It opened in 1970.

Andrea Winkjer Collin and Richard E. Collin wrote Mr. Wheat: A Biography of U.S. Senator Milton R. Young (Smoky Water Press, Bismarck ND) in 2010.

SOURCES:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Young

bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/bibdisplay.pl?index=Y000047

Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” Pp. 447-48. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016

Decatur Biographies maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen