# Harry H. Peterson *American lawyer, judge and politician (1890–1985)* Harry Herbert Peterson (born April 12, 1890; died January 23, 1985) was a Minnesota lawyer who held office as a prosecutor, state attorney general and judge, and later ran for governor.[^1] He was elected [[Ramsey County Attorney]] for the 1923–1924 term. He then served as [[Minnesota Attorney General]] from 1933 to 1936 in the Farmer-Labor administration of Governor [[Floyd B. Olson]].[^1] As attorney general, Peterson drafted the Minnesota Mortgage Moratorium Act during the Great Depression and later defended its constitutionality.[^1] He sat on the [[Minnesota Supreme Court]] from 1938 to 1950. He left the court in 1950 to seek the governorship as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor nominee and was defeated by the Republican incumbent, [[Luther Youngdahl]].[^1] ## Background Peterson was a native of [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]]. His parents were Swan Alfred Peterson and Mathilda Christina (Gustafson) Peterson, who had both emigrated from Sweden.[^1] He completed his law degree at the [[University of Minnesota Law School]] in 1912. He then opened a private law practice in [[Ramsey County, Minnesota]].[^1] On June 28, 1916, he married Mabel V. Norquist (1893–1972), and they had two children.[^1] ## Career Ramsey County voters chose Peterson as county attorney for the 1923–1924 term.[^1] About a decade later he became the state's attorney general. He held that office from 1933 to 1936 under the Farmer-Labor governor Floyd B. Olson.[^1] In the Depression years, Peterson wrote the Minnesota Mortgage Moratorium Act. He also argued in defense of its constitutionality. Wikipedia describes the outcome as establishing that a state could impose a moratorium on bank foreclosures.[^1] After leaving the attorney general's office, Peterson served on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1938 to 1950. He gave up his seat in 1950 to run for [[governor]].[^1] He won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor primary over Charles Halsted. In the November 1950 general election he lost to Luther Youngdahl, the Republican incumbent.[^1] His platform called for promoting tourism and for fiscal conservatism. It also proposed moving the tax burden away from individuals and onto large businesses.[^1] In retirement, Peterson helped found the Midwestern School of Law and served as its dean. The school was later reorganized as the Hamline University School of Law.[^1] He gave his personal law library to the new school and taught on its faculty. He died of a stroke in 1985.[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Harry Herbert Peterson: lawyer, Ramsey County Attorney, Minnesota Attorney General, member of the Minnesota Supreme Court, and 1950 Democratic-Farmer-Labor nominee for governor.[^1] ### When - Graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School, 1912.[^1] - Elected Ramsey County Attorney for 1923–1924.[^1] - Minnesota Attorney General, 1933–1936, under Governor Floyd B. Olson (Farmer-Labor).[^1] - Minnesota Supreme Court, 1938–1950.[^1] - Lost the 1950 general election for governor to Luther Youngdahl (Republican).[^1] - Died January 23, 1985.[^1] ### Where - Born in Saint Paul. Practiced law in Ramsey County.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Harry H. Peterson* (revision 1367764611, retrieved October 25, 2026) — birth, parentage, education, marriage, offices held and dates, the Mortgage Moratorium Act, the 1950 campaign, later career and death. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_H._Peterson