Peter Norbeck (August 27, 1870 – December 20, 1936) was an American politician from South Dakota. After serving two terms as the ninthGovernor of South Dakota, he was elected to three consecutive terms as a United States Senator. Norbeck was the first native-born Governor of South Dakota to serve in office, and the first native-born U.S. Senator from South Dakota (he was born in the portion of the Dakota Territory that would later become the state of South Dakota). He is best remembered as "Mount Rushmore's great political patron", for promoting the construction of the giant sculpture at Mount Rushmore and securing federal funding for it.[1]
Early life and education
Norbeck was the eldest of six children born to immigrants George (born in Jämtland, Sweden) and Karen (Larsen) Norbeck, who was Norwegian. At the time of Norbeck's birth, his family was living in a dugout on the family's 160 acres (0.65 km2), located eight miles (13 km) northeast of Vermillion, Dakota Territory. He attended the public schools and the University of South Dakota at Vermillion.[2] In 1895 he was a contractor and driller of deep water, oil, and gas wells. He moved to Redfield, South Dakota, in 1900 and added agricultural pursuits.
He married Lydia Theresa Anderson in June 1901. They had three daughters, Nellie, Ruth, and Selma (aka Sally); and one son, Harold.[3]
In 1916, Norbeck ran for governor and beat Democratic candidate W.T. Rinehart, becoming the ninth Governor of South Dakota. He served in that office from 1917 to 1921.
In 1920, Norbeck was elected United States Senator. He won the election with 50% of the vote, running against a Democrat and two fairly strong independent candidates; the Democrat finished third. Norbeck was re-elected to the Senate in 1926 and 1932.
Norbeck died of cancer in Redfield, South Dakota, during his third term as United States Senator in 1936. He is interred at Bloomington Church Cemetery, Platte, South Dakota.[2]