Blegen, Theodore Christian, 1891-1969

Theodore C. Blegen, B.A. (1910) Augsburg College, M.A. (1915), Ph.D. (1925) University of Minnesota. Appointed the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 1927 and served as dean of the Graduate School from 1940 until 1960. Theodore C. Blegen was born in Minneapolis on July 16, 1891. He received his bachelor's degree from Augsburg College in 1910 and his master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Minnesota in 1915 and 1925. Before joining the staff of the University of Minnesota in 1927, Dr. Blegen was a professor of History at Hamline University. He was also the superintendent of the Minnesota Historical Society (1931-1939), president of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association (1943), and Director of the National Historical Service Board during World War II (1943-1944). In 1940, Dr. Blegen became Dean of the Graduate School, a position he held until his retirement from the University in 1960. Over his career, Dr. Blegen wrote over 20 books and articles. He died on July 18, 1969.

Author.

Theodore C. Blegen, B.A. (1910) Augsburg College, M.A. (1915), Ph.D. (1925) University of Minnesota. Appointed the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 1927 and served as dean of the Graduate School from 1940 until 1960.

Theodore C. Blegen was born in Minneapolis on July 16, 1891. He received his bachelor's degree from Augsburg College in 1910 and his master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Minnesota in 1915 and 1925. Before joining the staff of the University of Minnesota in 1927, Dr. Blegen was a professor of History at Hamline University. He was also the superintendent of the Minnesota Historical Society (1931-1939), president of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association (1943), and Director of the National Historical Service Board during World War II (1943-1944). In 1940, Dr. Blegen became Dean of the Graduate School, a position he held until his retirement from the University in 1960. Over his career, Dr. Blegen wrote over 20 books and articles. He died on July 18, 1969.

Theodore Christian Blegen was born in 1891 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of John H. and Anna Blegen. He received a B.A. degree in 1910 from Augsburg College (Minneapolis), where his father was a professor in German and Greek. At the University of Minnesota he received an M.A. in 1915 and a Ph.D. in 1925. After teaching in high schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota, he became a professor of history (1920-1927) at Hamline University (St. Paul); lecturer, associate professor, and professor of history at the University of Minnesota (1927-1939); and dean of its graduate school (1940-1960). His career with the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) began in 1922 while he was teaching at Hamline University. In 1931 he succeeded Solon J. Buck as superintendent, serving until 1939. He returned to the Society as a research fellow in 1960, after his retirement from the University of Minnesota.

He married Clara Woodward in 1916. They had two children: Theodore and Margaret. He died in 1969 in St. Paul.