Konrad Kenneth Solberg:  June 25, 1874 –January 28, 1954

  (K.K. died ten months after Sophie, his wife)

        Born at Rushford, MN

    Mother: Aasild Haugen: Sept. 20, 1843 – 1930 (Born in Nissedal, Norway)

    Father:  Knute Solberg: 1840-1889  (Born in Telemark, Norway)

        o Siblings:  Carl, Haldor, Rena, Elsie and Belle

Knute and Aasild Haugen married in Telemark, Norway in 1867.

Emigrated to USA in 1871. 

He was a blacksmith in Clarkfield, MN

Married June 9, 1897 at Camp Release Church in Stoney Run Township,

Yellow Medicine County, MN

    Nine Children: 

        Kenneth, Oliver, Arthur, Mirl, Amy, Reuben, Eleanor, Selma, Arda

    Occupation was farming; mercantile business,

    appointed as head of the State’s Weights and Measure Department.

    Lived in Clarkfield, MN all his life except when he served in the legislature.

        Then he stayed in St. Paul, MN.

    Superintendent of Lutheran Sunday School for 29 years

    Treasurer of congregation for 18 years

    Elected State Senator from 1923-1931

    Lt. Governor for two years; was in the men’s clothing business before

        World War I,; in 1922 elected as State Senator; re-elected in 1926;

        in 1932 elected Lt. Gov. of Farmer Labor Party:

K.K.’s Legacy . . .

A Minnesota legislator and the 27th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota.

Farmer-Labor party, in U.S. history, political organization composed of agrarian

and organized labor interests. Formed in 1919 as the National Labor party, it

changed its name at its 1920 presidential nominating convention in order to

appeal to farmers. The party's platform called for the public ownership of

railroads, utilities, and natural resources; an end to private banking; and the

nationalization of unused land. The convention resisted the efforts of former

Progressives to nominate Robert La Follette and instead chose as its candidate

Parley P. Christensen. The party made a poor showing in the 1920 election; its

main strength lay in the states of Washington, Montana, and South Dakota. In

1923, Communists gained control of the party, and in the following year it joined

other dissident groups in the Conference for Progressive Political Action, which

supported the presidential candidacy of La Follette. After the 1924 election, the

party passed out of existence. Meanwhile, representatives of the Nonpartisan

League in Minnesota, along with various labor unions, had entered a slate of

candidates for state elections in 1918 and 1920 under the name of Farmer-Labor

party. Remaining aloof from the national party of the same name, it established a

permanent party structure in 1922. It quickly became a powerful political force in

Minnesota, electing Henrik Shipstead and Magnus Johnson to the U.S. Senate

and Floyd B. Olson to the governorship. It also won many local elections. At first

the party agitated for government ownership of industry, but in the 1930s it

came to support Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal programs. In 1944 it merged with the Minnesota Democratic party, where it remains a part of the

official party name.

Instrumental in organizing Creamery Association Farmers’ Elevator, telephone

company, and the co-operative oil company.

When Gov. Olson was in Washington, D.C., K.K. was acting governor of the state

of MN. During this time it was necessary to close the banks due to the

depression. You can understand why K.K. was not re-elected after closing the

banks.

    Great appreciation of music: Encouraged all of the children to play piano, sing,

    play saxophones, trumpet, etc.

    K.K. was fond of cats