# Thomas F. Gallagher *Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court (1943–1967) and Democratic Party candidate for governor (1938)* Thomas Francis Gallagher (November 24, 1897 – March 3, 1985) was a Minnesota lawyer who sat as an associate justice of the [[Minnesota Supreme Court]] from his election in 1943 until he retired in 1967.[^1] He was born in Faribault, Minnesota.[^1] Before joining the court he practised law in [[Minneapolis]] from 1921 to 1942.[^1] He ran statewide as the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]'s nominee for Attorney General in 1936 and for [[Governor of Minnesota]] in 1938. In 1939 and 1940 he campaigned for the Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties to combine.[^1] ## Early life and education Gallagher was a student at Saint Thomas Academy from 1912 to 1914. The academy was then in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]].[^1] He finished high school in Faribault in 1915, and his biography says the reason he left Saint Thomas is unclear.[^1] In 1918 he left his studies to serve as a commissioned officer in the United States Field Artillery.[^1] He completed a B.A. at the [[University of Minnesota]] in 1919. In 1921 he received an LL.B. from the [[University of Minnesota Law School]].[^1] ## Career Gallagher's Minneapolis practice began in 1921 with his uncle, John E. Tappan.[^1] Tappan had founded the Investors Syndicate, later Investors Diversified Services, Inc., now Ameriprise Financial, Inc. Gallagher established his own Minneapolis office in 1929 and practised there until 1942.[^1] As the Democratic candidate for Attorney General in 1936, Gallagher also headed Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidential campaign in Minnesota.[^1] For that campaign he spoke on street corners from a sound truck-trailer in more than 400 of the state's villages, towns and cities.[^1] Two years later, in 1938, he was the Democratic nominee for governor. The biography records that at the time the Farmer-Labor and [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidates outpolled the Democrats for most statewide offices.[^1] During 1939 and 1940 Gallagher led an effort to bring the Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties together.[^1] In 1940 he went to the Democratic national convention in Chicago as an at-large delegate from Minnesota. The merger came about on April 15, 1944.[^1] Shortly before his death, Roosevelt appointed Gallagher to the United States District Court.[^1] According to the biography, U.S. Senator Joseph H. Ball blocked the appointment. The biography describes Ball as a Republican and a political ally of [[Harold Stassen]] who disapproved of the domestic policies of Roosevelt and of Harry S. Truman.[^1] Gallagher won election as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1943. Voters returned him to the seat until he retired in 1967.[^1] Over twenty-four years on the court he took part in more than 4,000 decisions. He authored over 600 opinions, both majority and dissenting.[^1] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Associate justice of the [[Minnesota Supreme Court]], 1943–1967. Earlier a Democratic Party nominee for statewide office.[^1] ### What - Democratic nominee for Attorney General in 1936.[^1] - Democratic nominee for Governor of Minnesota in 1938.[^1] ### When - Born November 24, 1897; died March 3, 1985.[^1] - Elected to the Supreme Court in 1943; retired in 1967.[^1] ### Where - Born in Faribault, Minnesota.[^1] - Attended school in Saint Paul.[^1] - Practised law in Minneapolis.[^1] ### How many - Participated in more than 4,000 decisions on the Supreme Court.[^1] - Wrote over 600 majority and dissenting opinions.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Thomas F. Gallagher* (rev. 1381056991, retrieved 2026-10-26) — establishes his birth and death dates, education, law practice, 1936 and 1938 candidacies, the 1939–1944 party-merger drive, the blocked federal appointment, and his Supreme Court service. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_F._Gallagher