Theodor S. Slen (October 15, 1885 – July 4, 1986) was an American educator, lawyer, and politician. Slen was born in Delavan,

Faribault County, Minnesota Faribault County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,921. Its county seat is Blue Earth. History The county was founded in 1855. It was named for Jean-Baptiste Faribault, a settler a ...

. He moved with his family in 1898 to a farm near

Boyd, Minnesota Boyd is a city in Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 175 at the 2010 census. History Boyd was platted in 1884. A post office has been in operation at Boyd since 1884. The city was incorporated in 1893. Geograp ...

. Slen graduated from Boyd High School in Boyd, Minnesota and then graduated from the Madison Lutheran Normal School in 1906. He received his bachelor's degree from

St. Olaf College St. Olaf College is a private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American pastors and farmers led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after the King and th ...

in 1912 and his law degree from the

University of Minnesota Law School The University of Minnesota Law School is the law school of the University of Minnesota, a public university in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school confers four law degrees: a Juris Doctor (J.D.), a Master of Laws (LL.M.), a Master of Science in Pa ...

in 1915. Slen was admitted to the Minnesota bar in 1915. He lived with his wife and family in

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States * Madison (footballer), Brazilian footballer Places in the United States Populated places * Madi ...

Lac qui Parle County Lac qui Parle County ( ) is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,719. Its county seat is Madison. The largest city in the county is Dawson. History The name of the co ...

, Minnesota and practiced law. He served in the

Minnesota National Guard The Minnesota National Guard is a state-based military force of more than 13,000 soldiers and airmen, serving in 61 communities across the state. Operated in the U.S. state of Minnesota, it is a reserve component of the National Guard (United ...

during the Mexican Border Conflict and

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Slen served as a probate judge and attorney for Madison, Minnesota and as the Lac qui Parle County Attorney. Slen served in the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

from 1935 to 1940 and was an Independent and was a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

. Slen died at the Madison Lutheran Home in Madison, Minnesota from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

.'Theodor Slen dies, key figure in start of DFL,' Minneapolis Star Tribune (miinesota), July 9, 1986

References

1885 births 1986 deaths American men centenarians People from Faribault County, Minnesota People from Madison, Minnesota Minnesota National Guard personnel St. Olaf College alumni University of Minnesota Law School alumni Minnesota lawyers Minnesota state court judges Members of the Minnesota House of Representatives 20th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature {{Minnesota-MNRepresentative-stub