OSCAR R. KNUTSON:

Oscar R. Knutson was born in Superior, Wisconsin, on October 9, 1899 to Bottolf and Rachel (Satren) Knutson, who were immigrants from Norway. The family moved from Superior, where they operated a dairy farm, to a farm near Warren, Minnesota, in 1916. Oscar graduated in 1919 from the Northwest School of Agriculture, Crookston, Minnesota, and from Warren High School in 1920. He attended St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota (1920-1921), followed by a year (1921-1922) at the University of Minnesota. He took a year off to work and then entered the University of Minnesota law school [ca.1923], earning his law degree in 1927.

Knutson was admitted to the Minnesota bar in 1927, and returned to Warren where he practiced law with Julius J. Olson until Olson was appointed to the 14th district court bench in 1930. After Olson's departure Knutson engaged in private practice (1930-1941). He ran for Marshall County attorney in 1930. Knutson was himself appointed to the 14th district court bench on January 2, 1941, won election to the post in 1942, and served until he was appointed an associate justice of the Minnesota supreme court on May 7, 1948. He was elected to this post in 1948, and was re-elected in 1954 and 1960. Knutson was appointed chief justice on January 25, 1962, was elected to the post in 1964, and was re-elected in 1970. He retired in 1973.

Knutson was secretary, treasurer, and manager of the Warren Telephone Company (1939-1949); chairman of the county chapter of the American Red Cross (1930-1940); and mayor of Warren (1936-1941). He was president of the State District Judges Association; a member of the Minnesota and American Bar associations, and the American Judicature Society; director of the Marshall County Agricultural Association; a member of the governing board of the Council of State Governments; and a director of both the University of Minnesota Alumni Association and the University of Minnesota Law Alumni Association.

Knutson married Louise M. Halvorson of Warren on June 20, 1934, with whom he had three children: twins Richard Henry and Robert Owen, and a daughter, Anne Joyce. Louise died January 28, 1955. Knutson was married again on July 9, 1968 to Katherine M. Anderson. Oscar Knutson died on June 15, 1981.

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The collection includes correspondence and memoranda, reports, analyses, programs from various events and dinners, minutes and proceedings, texts of court rules, clippings, speeches, campaign files, a few photographs, and other papers, primarily reflecting Knutson's participation as lawyer and judge on various study committees, his attendance at conferences and meetings, and his membership in professional organizations. Many of the letters were written to him because of his position as a justice on the state supreme court, but there is little, if any, correspondence or other material relating directly to legal cases or to court business.

Campaign files document Knutson's runs for Marshall County attorney (1930); supreme court associate justice (1948, 1954, 1960); and supreme court chief justice (1964, 1970). Many of the speech files contain the texts of speeches Knutson delivered at high school graduation exercises and at other events at Warren and in other cities in northwestern Minnesota. The collection also includes files on the Conference of Chief Justices, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, the University of Minnesota Alumni Association, William Mitchell College of Law, the State Board of Law Examiners, and the Court Rules Committee.

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These documents are organized into the following sections:

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Oscar R. Knuston Papers. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 11,790; 15,705

Processing Information:

Processed by: Lydia Lucas, February 1975; Kathryn A. Johnson, April 1981. Reprocessed with additions by David B. Peterson, April 2003.

Catalog ID number: 990017374290104294

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Records of the Minnesota Supreme Court are in the Minnesota State Archives.

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Baccalaureate addresses.

Civil procedure -- Minnesota.

Commencement ceremonies -- Minnesota.

Courts -- Minnesota.

Eccentrics and eccentricities -- Minnesota.

Elections -- Minnesota.

Judges -- Election.

Norwegian-Americans -- Minnesota.

Political campaigns -- Minnesota.

State courts -- Minnesota.

Places:

Marshall County (Minn.).

Minnesota -- Politics and government -- 1918-1945.

Minnesota -- Politics and government -- 1945-1980.

Warren (Minn.).

Persons:

Loring, Charles, 1873-1961.

Olson, Julius J., 1875-1955.

Organizations:

Conference of Chief Justices.

Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge.

Minnesota. District Court (14th Judicial District).

Minnesota. State Board of Law Examiners.

Minnesota. Supreme Court.

Minnesota Alumni Association.

Republican Party (Minn.).

University of Minnesota. Northwest School of Agriculture (Crookston, Minn.).

William Mitchell College of Law.

Types of Documents:

Speeches.

Occupations:

Judges -- Minnesota.

Lawyers -- Minnesota.

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