18 Facts About Orville Freeman

Orville Lothrop Freeman was an American politician who served as the 29th governor of Minnesota from 1955 to 1961, and as the US secretary of agriculture from 1961 to 1969 under Presidents John F Kennedy and Lyndon B Johnson.

Orville Freeman's grandfather had emigrated from Sweden to a farm in rural Zumbrota, Minnesota.

Orville Freeman met his wife, Jane Charlotte Shields, in college.

Orville Freeman was assigned to the 9th Marine Regiment, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines.

Orville Freeman's unit shipped out overseas for periods of training in New Zealand and Guadalcanal.

On November 1,1943, Orville Freeman saw his first combat when his unit came ashore at Torokina on Bougainville in what were the first battles of the Bougainville Campaign.

An exchange of gunfire followed, and Orville Freeman was wounded in the jaw and left arm.

Orville Freeman was evacuated to a US Army hospital on New Caledonia and then to a Naval hospital on Noumea.

Orville Freeman returned to the US in 1944 but never recovered enough movement in his arm to pass a Marine Corps physical to return to combat.

Orville Freeman served as secretary and chairman of the newly formed Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, was a political aide to his college friend Humphrey, who was mayor of Minneapolis at the time, and managed Humphrey's successful 1948 campaign for the US Senate.

Orville Freeman ran unsuccessfully for attorney general of Minnesota in 1950 and for governor in 1952.

Orville Freeman was elected governor in 1954, becoming the state's first DFL governor, and reelected in 1956 and 1958.

Orville Freeman took the unusual action of declaring martial law in the city of Albert Lea on December 11,1959, to maintain law and order during a strike at the Wilson Packing Company.

On November 13,1955, Orville Freeman was a guest on the variety show Toast of the Town, which was later called The Ed Sullivan Show.

In July 1960, Freeman nominated US Senator John F Kennedy for president at the 1960 Democratic National Convention.

Later, Orville Freeman headed two consulting businesses and practiced law in Washington, DC He was president and CEO of Business International Corporation from 1970 to 1985.

Orville Freeman died from complications of Alzheimer's disease on February 20,2003, in Minneapolis.

Orville Freeman is remembered for submitting proposed legislation to establish the Food Stamp Program for the poor, which is still in use today.