Thomas H. Moodie

Thomas H. Moodie (May 26, 1878 – March 3, 1948) was born in Winona, Minnesota. He served a brief term of less than a month as the 19th Governor of North Dakota in 1935. After he was inaugurated in January 1935, it was revealed that he had not officially been a resident of North Dakota for the mandatory five years, and he was removed from office in February 1935.

Biography

A native of Winona, Minnesota, Thomas H. Moodie left school at the age of sixteen. He moved to Wadena, Minnesota, and began his career as a newspaperman in the printing department of the Wadena Pioneer. He married Julia Edith McMurray.^[1] He also worked as a brakeman for the Northern Pacific Railroad.

Career

He moved to North Dakota and was a cub reporter for the Bismarck Tribune. He became a journeyman printer, reporter, and editor of newspapers throughout the state, and also served as an editorial writer for the Minneapolis Tribune. In 1933 President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him to a committee on federal grants to public buildings. In 1934 Moodie received the Democratic nomination for governor, and beat his Republican opponent, Lydia Langer (wife of William Langer). As soon as the election was over, there was talk of impeachment, but no charges were filed. After Moodie's inauguration on January 7, 1935, it was revealed that he had voted in a 1932 municipal election in Minnesota. In order to be eligible for governor, an individual has to have lived in the state for five consecutive years before the election. The State Supreme Court determined that Governor Moodie was ineligible to serve, and he was removed from office on February 16, 1935, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Walter Welford.^[2] After his five-week stint as governor, Moodie became an administrator for the North Dakota Federal Housing Administration. Moodie was also an administrator for the WPA from 1935 to 1943.^[3] He also served as deputy administrator for the State War Finance Committee in Montana. Finally he served as financial editor and confidential agent for the publisher of the Spokane Chronicle.

Death

Moodie died in Spokane, Washington on March 3, 1948 at the age of 69.^[4] He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Winona, Winona County, Minnesota USA.^[5]

References

External links

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• National Governors Association

Governors and Lieutenant Governors of North Dakota
Governors	Miller A. Burke Shortridge Allin Briggs Devine Fancher White Sarles J. Burke Hanna Frazier Nestos Sorlie Maddock Shafer Langer O. Olson Moodie Welford Langer Moses Aandahl Brunsdale Davis Guy Link A. Olson Sinner Schafer Hoeven Dalrymple Burgum
Lieutenant Governors	Dickey Allin Wallace Worst Devine Bartlett Lewis Burdick Kraabel Fraine Kraabel Wood Hyland Maddock Carr Olson Welford Thoresen Patterson Oscar Hagen Holt Dahl Schnell Dahl Duffy Dahl Hagen Wenstrom Tighe Larsen Sanstead Sands Meiers Omdahl Myrdal Dalrymple Wrigley Sanford