Ancher Nelsen


Ancher Nelsen, was an American politician who served as the 34th Lieutenant Governor of the state of Minnesota and an eight-term congressman.

Biography

He was born near Buffalo Lake, Minnesota, to Danish parents. Nelsen attended elementary school in Brownton, Minnesota, and graduated from Brownton High School in 1923. In 1924 he began operation of his 280-acre diversified farm at Hutchinson, McLeod County. In 1929 he married Ilo Zimmerman of Brownton; they had three children.
He was a member of the Minnesota Senate, 1935–1949; delegate to the 1948 Republican National Convention and 1952 Republican National Convention. He was elected the 34th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota in 1952. He served less than one year. He resigned to become administrator of the Rural Electrification Administration Program, in Washington, D.C., 1953–1956; He was elected as a Republican to the US House of Representatives in 1958 and served in Congress; from January 3, 1959, to December 31, 1974, in the 86th, 87th, 88th, 89th, 90th, 91st, 92nd, and 93rd congresses.