Theodore B. Werner (June 2, 1892 – January 24, 1989) was a

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

Democratic

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

who served as a member of Congress from South Dakota.

Early life and education

Werner was born in Ossian, Iowa to

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

immigrants. He attended parochial schools in

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, after which he studied law in

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

and

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

Career

In 1909 Werner moved to

Rapid City, South Dakota Rapid City ( lkt, link=no, Mni Lúzahaŋ Otȟúŋwahe; "Swift Water City") is the second most populous city in South Dakota and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed, it is in western So ...

, where he became involved in the newspaper and commercial printing businesses. He became editor and publisher of the weekly ''Gate City Guide'' in 1912, and continued as publisher until 1965.

Political career

He was Rapid City's Postmaster from 1915 to 1923. He was a City Commissioner from 1927 to 1930, and served as Rapid City's Mayor in 1929 and 1930. In 1930 he was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress. In 1932 Werner was elected to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

. He was reelected in 1934 and served from March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1937. He lost his 1936 bid for reelection to

Francis H. Case Francis Higbee Case (December 9, 1896June 22, 1962) was an American journalist and politician who served for 25 years as a member of the United States Congress from South Dakota. He was a Republican. Biography Case was born in Everly, Iowa, the ...

. In 1947 Werner was appointed

United States Marshal The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforcem ...

for

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

, and he served until 1951. He died in Rapid City on January 24, 1989, and was buried in Rapid City's Mountain View Cemetery.

Sources

Theodore B. Werner
at
United States Marshals Service
'
Theodore B. Werner
at
Rapid City Public Library
'

References

External links

* 1892 births 1989 deaths 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American newspaper editors 20th-century American newspaper publishers (people) South Dakota postmasters Mayors of Rapid City, South Dakota United States Marshals Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from South Dakota American people of German descent Burials in South Dakota People from Winneshiek County, Iowa {{SouthDakota-politician-stub