Lynn J. Frazier Papers

Collection

Identifier: Mss 70

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Lynn J. Frazier Papers consist primarily of a series of personal “diaries” and other miscellaneous items related to his career. The collection has been organized into two series, Diaries and Subject Files. The Diaries Series begins with a single pocket diary of Thomas Frazier, Lynn’s father, of Auburn, Dakota. Only a small number of days record daily events or weather information. In the financial section in the back a number of pages have been used to record expenses, sales and what appear to be addresses. The remainder of the annual pocket diaries were kept by Lynn J. Frazier, from 1924 to 1945. They all are very sketchy and incomplete, containing some daily entries, as well as financial matters, names with addresses and likely some reminder notes. The Subject Files Series includes a letter from 1933 to Robert H. Johnson of Fullerton, N.D. regarding “barnyard” loans made by the Regional Agricultural Credit Corporation. And blank letterhead as N.D. governor. There is also a calling card of Mrs. Frazier. The newspaper file contains only several articles about his career and a campaign newsletter titled “Lynn J. Frazier Drafted.” Finally there is one issue of the Prairie Breezes, issued by the Grafton Schools for December 1888 (Vol. 1, no. 10) and where Frazier attended school. It does contain an advertisement for “F.F. Frazier, Leading Photographer.”

Two photographs of a scale model of Mount Rushmore taken by Gustav Borglum were incorporated into this collection. They are personally noted to Frazier and signed by Borglum.

Dates

1887-1945.

Creator

Frazier, Lynn J. (Lynn Joseph), 1874-1947. (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

The Institute does not own the copyright.

Biography

Lynn J. Frazier was born December 21, 1874 in Steele County, Minnesota. His parents, Thomas and Lois (Nile) Frazier, had come there earlier from Maine. In 1881 the family moved to Pembina County near Hoople, N.D. where they homesteaded. Lynn Frazier attended and graduated from high school in Grafton, N.D. He graduated from Mayville Normal School in 1895 and taught for two years until entering in 1897 the University of North Dakota from where he graduated in 1901 After graduation he returned to run the family farm. On November 26, 1903 he married Lottie J. Stafford, a neighbor girl. They settled on the Frazier farm and had five children. Mr. Frazier took an active role in civic affairs and local business interests. In March 1916 the Nonpartisan League convention met in Fargo and Lynn Frazier became their candidate for governor, and he only learned of it from the newspaper. A.C. Townley had wanted a real farmer to run and believed they had picked the right man. He would go on to victory in November with seventy-nine percent of the vote. The NPL had control of all state government except the North Dakota Senate. Frazier we reelected governor in 1918 and 1920. In 1921 he was recalled part of the loss of power by the Nonpartisan League. In 1922 he was endorsed by the NPL to run for United States Senator and won in the fall election. He served in the Senate until 1940, with a reputation as a progressive and later isolationist. He was defeated in the 1940 election by William Langer. On January 14, 1935 his wife Lottie of thirty-one years died after a long illness. Later he renewed an old acquaintance Catherine Paulson who was a widow and they were married at Mountain, N.D. in 1937. He went into retirement in 1941 and was in failing health until his death on January 11, 1947. He was buried in the Hoople cemetery. The Frazier’s five children were Unie, Versie, Vernon, Willis and Lucille. Bibliography: Erickson, Nels. The Gentleman from North Dakota: Lynn F. Frazier. Bismarck, N.D.: State Historical Society of North Dakota, 1986.