Governor Ragnvold Anderson Nestos

RAGNVOLD A. NESTOS, the thirteenth governor of North Dakota, was born in Voss, Norway on April 12, 1877. His education was attained at the Mayville Normal School, the University of Wisconsin and at University of North Dakota, where he earned a law degree in 1904. He then went on to establish a successful legal practice in Minot, North Dakota. Nestos first entered politics as a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives, a position he held from 1911 to 1913. He also served as states attorney for Ward County from 1913 to 1917. Nestos next secured the Republican gubernatorial nomination, and was elected governor in a special recall election that was held on October 28, 1921. He was reelected to a second term in 1922. During his tenure, a state health director was initiated; the state banking administration was reorganized; and for the first time in it’s history North Dakota became a member of the national birth and death registration. After running unsuccessfully for a third term, Nestos returned to his legal career. He later served as a delegate to the 1932 Republican National Convention. Governor Ragnvold A. Nextos passed away on July 15, 1942 in Minot, North Dakota.