Ben C. Larkin (May 13, 1873 – November 22, 1949) was a

North Dakota Republican Party The North Dakota Republican Party is the North Dakota affiliate of the United States Republican Party. Its platform is conservative. It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling North Dakota's at-large U.S. House seat, both U.S ...

politician who served as a

North Dakota Public Service Commissioner The North Dakota Public Service Commission is a constitutional agency that maintains various degrees of statutory authority over utilities, telecommunications, railroads, grain elevators, pipeline safety, and other functions in North Dakota. Esta ...

from 1941 to his death in 1949. Prior to 1941, his title was North Dakota Railroad Commissioner. He had served in that position since 1928.

Biography

Ben Larkin was born in

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

in 1873. He came to North Dakota in 1891, and worked on farms while he attended school. He graduated from the Commercial Department at

Fargo College Fargo College was a coeducational institution in Fargo, North Dakota. History Fargo College was founded in 1888 under the auspices of the Congregational Church. At the close of 1919, there were 32 professors and instructors, and 602 students. The ...

, and then managed a lumber yard for eight years. He farmed in Eddy County for 20 years, and served in the

North Dakota House of Representatives The North Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly and is larger than the North Dakota Senate. North Dakota is divided into between 40 and 54 legislative districts apportioned by population as ...

from 1919 to 1926, and served as the Speaker of the House in 1925.North Dakota Blue Book, 1942 He was appointed as the Chief Elevator Accountant for the

North Dakota Railroad Commission The North Dakota Board of Railroad Commissioners was a North Dakota constitutional agency that was the precedent of the North Dakota Public Service Commission. The Commission consisted of three elected Railroad Commissioners, and was created in 18 ...

in 1925, and served in that capacity until 1928. He then was appointed by

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Arthur G. Sorlie to the Railroad Commission in 1928 after the resignation of Frank Milhollan. The Railroad Commission became known as the

North Dakota Public Service Commission The North Dakota Public Service Commission is a constitutional agency that maintains various degrees of statutory authority over utilities, telecommunications, railroads, grain elevators, pipeline safety, and other functions in North Dakota. Esta ...

in 1940, and Larkin died in office on November 22, 1949, at the age of 76.

Notes

North Dakota public service commissioners 1873 births 1949 deaths Speakers of the North Dakota House of Representatives Republican Party members of the North Dakota House of Representatives 20th-century members of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly {{NorthDakota-politician-stub