Clair M. Roddewig (April 18, 1903 – February 24, 1975) was an American attorney and the 14th

Attorney General of South Dakota Attorney may refer to: * Lawyer ** Attorney at law, in some jurisdictions * Attorney, one who has power of attorney * ''The Attorney'', a 2013 South Korean film See also * Attorney general, the principal legal officer of (or advisor to) a gov ...

Early life and education

Roddewig grew up in Newcastle, Nebraska. He received his L.L.B. from the

Creighton University School of Law Creighton University School of Law, located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, is part of the Jesuit Creighton University. History The School of Law was founded in 1904 as a joint project with the Omaha Bar Association, with Timothy J. Mahoney ...

Legal career

A native of Newcastle, Nebraska, Roddewig studied law at

Creighton University Creighton University () is a private research university in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In 2015 the university enrolled 8,393 graduate ...

in Omaha and was admitted to the Nebraska bar in 1926. Moving from Omaha to South Dakota in 1931, he became the state's Assistant Attorney General in 1933 and served as

from 1937 to 1939 as 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 ...

. In 1938, he was defeated for reelection by Republican

Leo A. Temmey Leo A. Temmey (November 6, 1894 – April 22, 1975) was an American attorney and 15th attorney general of South Dakota Attorney may refer to: * Lawyer ** Attorney at law, in some jurisdictions * Attorney, one who has power of attorney * ''The ...

, who defeated him by 7.6 points. He became a lawyer for the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1939 and was general counsel of the Office of Defense Transportation from 1942 to 1945. Following

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Rodewig moved to

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, working as general counsel of the

Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad The Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad was a Class I railroad that linked Chicago, Illinois, Chicago to southern Illinois, St. Louis, Missouri, St. Louis, and Evansville, Indiana, Evansville. Founded in 1877, it grew aggressively and staye ...

. In 1947, he became vice president of the railroad. He became the railroad's president in 1949, serving in this role until 1957. From 1957 through 1970, he served as president of the Association of Western Railways. Active in Chicago civics, he was considered an ally of Mayor

Richard J. Daley Richard Joseph Daley (May 15, 1902 – December 20, 1976) was an American politician who served as the mayor of Chicago from 1955, and the chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party from 1953, until his death. He has been called "the last of ...

. Roddewig served as

president of the Chicago Board of Education The Chicago Board of Education is led by a president. Since the 1995 Chicago School Reform Amendatory Act went into effect, the president has been directly appointed by the mayor of Chicago, rather than being elected among the members of the bo ...

from 1962 through 1964.

Later career

Roddewig later served on the Citizens Board of the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

and the advisory committee of the

Illinois Board of Higher Education The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) is a state government agency that oversees higher education in the U.S. state of Illinois. The IBHE was created in 1961. Since 2012 the IBHE also permits and oversees business schools and other voca ...

. He had served on the board of Catholic Charities of Chicago and was a trustee of John Marshall Law School, which gave him a J.D. degree in 1947, of

DePaul University DePaul University is a private university, private Catholic higher education, Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission, Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from ...

, which gave him an honorary L.L. D. in 1963, and of St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Ill. At the time of his death, he was a member of the

Chicago Transit Authority The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of public transport, mass transit in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and some of its suburbs, including the trains of the Chicago "L" and List of Chicago Transit Authority bus routes, CTA bu ...

Board. Roddewig died on February 24, 1975, at the age of 72. He died at the residence of one of his daughters in the Chicago suburb of

Hinsdale, Illinois Hinsdale is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States, with a small portion in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County. It is one of the wealthiest communities in Illinois. Hinsdale is a western suburb of Chicago with a population of 17,395 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roddwewig, Clair 1903 births 1975 deaths South Dakota attorneys general South Dakota Democrats Creighton University School of Law alumni People from Dixon County, Nebraska 20th-century American lawyers Nebraska lawyers Presidents of the Chicago Board of Education