Hon. R. A. Nestos

              Figure

HON. R. A. NESTOS
Former Governor of North Dakota
REDPATH



HON. R. A. NESTOS
FORMER GOVERNOR OF NORTH DAKOTA
NESTOS of North Dakota—here's a man for you, big-souled, big-bodied, healthy, happy, vital, with the blood of the Vikings coursing through his veins and the love of America singing in his heart.

Born in a little chalet high up in the Norse mountains, the future governor came to America because he had heard that in America one could earn an education.  He landed on an alien shore, a lad of sixteen, unable to speak a word of English and with eighty-five cents in his pocket, but with his mind fixed on the education he had come so far to earn.

But I think I was an American, he says today, from the moment in Liverpool when I saw the Stars and Stripes flying from the mast of the small American Line ship on which I was to make my journey to the land of my dreams.  I realized that this was to be my flag, that under its folds I would make my home and carve out my career.

So to the plains of North Dakota came Ragnvald A. Nestos and to hard work to make his dreams come true.  In four short years he had learned the English language and was teaching a school; five more, and he graduated from the University of Wisconsin; 1904, and he graduated from the law department of the University of North Dakota and entered the practice of law; 1912, and he was elected state's attorney of Ward County, North Dakota.  The year 1921 saw him taking his place in the governor's chair of North Dakota.

For two terms Mr. Nestos has been governor of North Dakota and during that time by his vigorous and clear-sighted policies of administration he has made a name for himself that reaches far beyond the boundaries of his state.  Now that his second term of office has ended, he is going out to talk to the American people from the Lyceum platform.

He will talk about the notable problems of the day.  His addresses are witty and pungent, and he has that rare gift of infusing his hearers with the measure of his own enthusiasm.  He is a born orator with a big clear voice, and a seriousness of purpose and an underlying honesty that leave an impress with his hearers not easily forgotten.


From Who's Who in America
Nestos, Ragnvald Anderson, governor; b. Voss, Norway, Apr. 12, 1877; s. Andres R. and Herborg (Saue) N.; came to U. S., 1893, naturalized citizen, 1898; grad. Mayville (N. D.) State Normal Sch., 1900; Ph. B., U. of Wis., 1902; LL.B., U. of N. D., 1904; unmarried.  Began at Minot, N. D., as mem. law firm Johnson & Nestos, 1904, now mem.  Nestos, Herigstad & Stenersen.  Mem. N. D. Ho. of Rep., 1911–12; state's atty., Ward Co., N. D., 1913–16; candidate for Rep. nomination for U. S. Senate, 1916; elected gov. of N. D. against candidate of Non-Partisan League, at recall election, as independent candidate, Oct. 28, 1921, for term ending Jan. 2, 1923; reelected as Republican for term, 1923–25.  Mem. N. D. State Bar Assn., Commercial Law League America, Phi Delta Theta, Delta Sigma Rho. Lutheran.  Clubs: Rotary, Town Criers.  Home: Minot, N. D.