lawyer, politician, judge, b. Christiana, Dane County. He graduated from the Univ. of Wisconsin (LL.B., 1897), was admitted to the bar the same year, and set up a law practice in Iola, Waupaca County. He was instrumental in organizing the Farmers' State Bank of Iola (1900), and was its president (1900-1933). A Progressive Republican and later a member of the Progressive party, Severson held local political offices in Iola, and was district attorney of Waupaca County (1908-1910). He was state senator (1919-1938), and in this capacity wrote the Severson Prohibition Act of 1921, and was co-author of the "Little Wagner" Labor Act of 1937. After leaving the legislature in 1938, he was elected circuit judge of the 7th Wisconsin district, was successively re-elected, and served from Jan., 1939, until his death. Wis. Blue Book (1935); J. M. Ware, Standard Hist. of Waupaca Co. (2 vols., Chicago, 1917); Madison Wis. State Journal, Sept. 3, 1950; Iola Herald, Sept. 7, 1950.Learn More
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[Source: Blue book]
