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Mayhood, Ralph L.

Sessions Served

Other Information

House 1941-42 (District 31); Senate 1943-58 (District 31)

Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

Counties Served: Hennepin

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 11/22/1909

Birth Place: Eyota, Minnesota

Birth County: Olmsted

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death: 1/18/1978

Gender: Male

Religion:

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names:

City of Residence (when first elected): Minneapolis

Occupation (when first elected): Bell Boy, Curtis Hotel, Minneapolis/Law School Student

EDUCATION

Rochester High School; Secondary; Graduate
University of Minnesota; Attended College; American Government, 1 year course, 1936
Northwestern University; College Graduate; Business Administration, 1935
Minnesota College of Law; Law Degree; Night Courses, 1942

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

County Government: Hennepin County, Minnesota (County Sheriff); 1951 to 1954

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Married (while in office); Divorced (after he left office)
Children: One child: Clifton (son)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

He was born on a farm near Eyota.

"During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)

He ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota Senate in the 1958 and 1962 elections. He lost both times to Jack Davies.

He ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 1964 election.

He was a member of Phi Beta Gamma legal fraternity and was a Tau Kappa Alpha honorary debating fraternity member.

He died from a heart attack caused by being beaten in the hallway of the apartment building he lived in and owned in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attempted to assist one of his residents, a handicapped man, who was being beaten and robbed by three intoxicated residents, two men and a woman. They turned on him when he intervened and beat him to death with fists, an iron pipe and a wine jug. His funeral was held at Washburn-McReavy Southeast Mortuary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was buried in Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery.

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Total Days Served: 6573

SESSIONS SERVED

60th Legislative Session (1957-1958) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/8/1957

Body: Senate

District: 31

Elected: 11/2/1954

Residence: Minneapolis

Term of Office: 1/3/1955 to 1/4/1959
Oath Date: 1/4/1955

Counties Represented: Hennepin

Occupation: Administrator and Owner, The Samaritan Nursing Home Corporation of Minneapolis; Samaritan and Monterey Manor Nursing Homes

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)

Committees:

Aviation
Cities of the First Class
General Legislation
Insurance (Chair)
Liquor Control
Public Health
Public Highways
Railroads and Communications
Taxes and Tax Laws

Ran in next election? Yes. Defeated in general election

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59th Legislative Session (1955-1956)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/1955

Body: Senate

District: 31

Elected: 11/2/1954

Residence: Minneapolis

Term of Office: 1/3/1955 to 1/4/1959
Oath Date: 1/4/1955

Counties Represented: Hennepin

Occupation: Administrator and Owner, The Samaritan Nursing Home Corporation of Minneapolis; Samaritan and Monterey Manor Nursing Homes

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)

Committees:

Aviation
Cities of the First Class
General Legislation
Insurance (Chair)
Liquor Control
Public Health
Public Highways
Railroads, Telephone and Telegraph
Taxes and Tax Laws

58th Legislative Session (1953-1954) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/1953

Body: Senate

District: 31

Elected: 11/7/1950

Residence: Minneapolis

Term of Office: 1/1/1951 to 1/2/1955
Oath Date: 1/2/1951

Counties Represented: Hennepin

Occupation: Administrator, The Samaritan Nursing Home of Minneapolis/Hennepin County Sheriff

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)

Committees:

Cities of the First Class
General Legislation
Insurance
Liquor Control
Motor Vehicles and Motor Tax Laws
Taxes and Tax Laws
Telephone and Telegraph (Chair)

57th Legislative Session (1951-1952)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/2/1951

Body: Senate

District: 31

Elected: 11/7/1950

Residence: Minneapolis

Term of Office: 1/1/1951 to 1/2/1955
Oath Date: 1/2/1951

Counties Represented: Hennepin

Occupation: Administrator, The Samaritan Nursing Home of Minneapolis/Hennepin County Sheriff

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)

Committees:

Cities of the First Class
General Legislation
Insurance
Liquor Control
Motor Vehicles and Motor Tax Laws
Public Health
Taxes and Tax Laws
Telephone and Telegraph (Chair)

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56th Legislative Session (1949-1950) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/1949

Body: Senate

District: 31

Elected: 11/5/1946

Residence: Minneapolis

Term of Office: 1/6/1947 to 12/31/1950
Oath Date: 1/7/1947

Counties Represented: Hennepin

Occupation: None Listed

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)

Committees:

Cities of the First Class
Finance
Game and Fish
Markets and Marketing
Public Domain
Public Health
Telephone and Telegraph

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55th Legislative Session (1947-1948)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/1947

Body: Senate

District: 31

Elected: 11/5/1946

Residence: Minneapolis

Term of Office: 1/6/1947 to 12/31/1950
Oath Date: 1/7/1947

Counties Represented: Hennepin

Occupation: None Listed

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)

Committees:

Cities of the First Class
Finance
Game and Fish
Markets and Marketing
Public Domain
Public Health
Telephone and Telegraph
Towns and Counties

54th Legislative Session (1945-1946) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/2/1945

Body: Senate

District: 31

Elected: 11/3/1942

Residence: Minneapolis

Term of Office: 1/4/1943 to 1/5/1947
Oath Date: 1/5/1943

Counties Represented: Hennepin

Occupation: None Listed

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)

Committees:

Cities of the First Class
Corporations
Game and Fish
Markets and Marketing
Public Domain
Rural Credits and State Development
Telephone and Telegraph

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53rd Legislative Session (1943-1944)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/1943

Body: Senate

District: 31

Elected: 11/3/1942

Residence: Minneapolis

Term of Office: 1/4/1943 to 1/5/1947
Oath Date: 1/5/1943

Counties Represented: Hennepin

Occupation: None Listed

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)

Committees:

Cities of the First Class
Corporations
Game and Fish
Markets and Marketing
Public Domain
Rural Credits and State Development
Telephone and Telegraph

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52nd Legislative Session (1941-1942)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/1941

Body: House

District: 31

Elected: 11/5/1940

Residence: Minneapolis

Term of Office: 1/6/1941 to 1/3/1943
Oath Date: 1/7/1941

Counties Represented: Hennepin

Occupation: Bell Boy, Curtis Hotel, Minneapolis/Law School Student

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus Party Notes: "During his 16-year legislative career he belonged to the Conservative caucus." (Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 4A)

Committees:

Civil Administration
Elections
Game and Fish
Taxes
Workmens Compensation

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OTHER INFORMATION

Articles & Books About

Livingston, Nancy. "Man Pleads Guilty to Assault." St. Paul Dispatch, January 22, 1981.
Stone, Doug. "Man May Be Facing Prison Again." Minneapolis Tribune, November 7, 1980.
Stone, Doug. "Refusal to Bargain Finally Pays Off as Inmate Goes Free." Minneapolis Tribune, May 17, 1980.
"2nd Man Found Guilty in Mayhood Slaying." Minneapolis Tribune, June 14, 1978, p. 1B, 4B.
Kimball, Joe. "City Man, 30, Pleads Guilty in Death of Ralph Mayhood, Former Senator." Minneapolis Tribune, April 5, 1978, p. 1B, 5B.
Murphy, Jane and Michael. "Sensational Headlines." Minneapolis Tribune, February 7, 1978.
Anderson, Harold J. "An Unfair Article." Minneapolis Tribune, February 1, 1978.
"Three Face Indictments of Murder." St. Paul Pioneer Press, January 25, 1978.
Johnson, Steve. "Building of Filth; Building of Death. Officials Condemn Ex-Senator's Rooming House." Minneapolis Star, January 25, 1978.
"Mayhood Slay Suspects Held." St. Paul Pioneer Pres, January 22, 1978
Duty, Juana E. "Murder Charges Filed After Mayhood Death (Obituary)." Minneapolis Tribune, January 21, 1978.
"Ex-State Senator Dies (Obituary)." St. Paul Dispatch, January 20, 1978, p. 18C.
"Former Legislator Beaten to Death (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, January 20, 1978.
Davies, Tom. "Former State Power Dies in a Flophouse (Obituary)." Minneapolis Tribune, January 20, 1978, p. 1A, 4A.
McAvoy, Jim, and Karl Vick. "Landlord, Former Senator, Slain in Grimy WB Cellar (Obituary)." Minnesota Daily, January 20, 1978.
Johnson, Steve. "Former State Senator Beaten to Death (Obituary)." Minneapolis Star, January 19, 1978, p. 1A, 5A.

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