John L. Dahl

John Dahl was born in the town of Unity, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, in 1879, the eldest of nine children born to Norwegian American immigrant parents.{{cite report|url=http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1921 |title= The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1921 |year= 1921 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1921/reference/wi.wibluebk1921.i0007.pdf |chapter= Biographical Sketches |page= 261 |accessdate= December 17, 2021 }} He was educated in public schools and then attended the River Falls Normal School. He went on to earn his bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin. He worked as a school principal and was city superintendent of schools. He established a farm, where he raised Holstein cattle and grew potatoes.

He later returned to school and graduated from the Hamilton College of Law in Chicago.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uAYnZlEk-iEC |title= American Legislative Leaders in the Midwest, 1911–1994 |year= 1997 |publisher= Greenwood Publishing Group |first1= Nancy Weatherly |last1= Sharp |first2= James Roger |last2= Sharp |first3= Charles F. |last3= Ritter |first4= Jon L. |last4= Wakelyn |page= [https://books.google.com/books?id=uAYnZlEk-iEC&pg=PA98 98] |accessdate= December 17, 2021 }} He was admitted to the bar in 1916 and started a legal partnership, Dahl & Gannon, at Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

He served as county food administrator when the United States Food Administration was active, and, in 1918, was elected district attorney of Barron County, Wisconsin. He was a delegate to the 1920 Republican National Convention and was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly that Fall. He was re-elected in 1922 and was chosen as speaker for the 1923–1924 session.{{cite report|url= http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.WIBlueBk1923 |title= The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1923 |year= 1923 |publisher= State of Wisconsin |chapter-url= https://images.library.wisc.edu/WI/EFacs/WIBlueBks/BlueBks/WIBlueBk1923/reference/wi.wibluebk1923.i0019.pdf |chapter= Biographical |page= 617 |accessdate= December 17, 2021 }} His most notable achievement in the Legislature was passing additional funding for public schools.

After the 1924 legislative session, Dahl was accused of embezzling money from an acquaintance—Andrew Haugsboe. He fled the state and was arrested in Chicago in the fall of 1925.{{cite news|url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90749525/dahl-obit/ |title= John L. Dahl, Strum, is Dead |newspaper= La Crosse Tribune |date= June 3, 1943 |page= 20 |accessdate= December 17, 2021 |via= Newspapers.com }} In order to avoid prosecution, Dahl signed a note pledging to repay the funds. The money had not been repaid by the time Haugsboe died, and the administrator of his estate sued to collect. The issue was still pending at the time of Dahl's death in 1943.

Dahl died at the home of his sisters on May 29, 1943.

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Assembly, Barron District Election, 1920}}

| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 2, 1920

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = John L. Dahl

|votes = 4,679

|percentage = 61.60%

|change = -12.97%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Independent (United States)

|candidate = Lila J. Stout

|votes = 2,917

|percentage = 38.40%

|change =

}}

{{Election box plurality

|votes = 1,762

|percentage = 23.20%

|change = -25.95%

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 7,596

|percentage = 100.0%

|change = +189.59%

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

|winner = Republican Party (United States)

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Find a Grave|131033339|John Dahl}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-wi-hs}}

{{s-bef|before = Clarence Clinton Coe }}

{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly}} {{nowrap|from the Barron district}} |years= January 3, 1921{{spaced ndash}}January 5, 1925 }}

{{s-aft|after = Frank Roemhild }}

{{s-bef|before = Riley S. Young }}

{{s-ttl|title = Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly |years= January 1923{{spaced ndash}}January 1925 }}

{{s-aft|after = Herman W. Sachtjen }}

{{s-legal}}

{{s-bef|before = John W. Soderberg }}

{{s-ttl|title = {{nowrap|District Attorney of Barron County, Wisconsin}} |years= January 6, 1919{{spaced ndash}}January 3, 1921 }}

{{s-aft|after = John W. Soderberg }}

{{s-end}}

{{Speakers of the Wisconsin State Assembly}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dahl, John L.}}

Category:1879 births

Category:1943 deaths

Category:People from Trempealeau County, Wisconsin

Category:People from Barron County, Wisconsin

Category:District attorneys in Wisconsin

Category:Speakers of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Category:Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly

Category:20th-century members of the Wisconsin Legislature